How stable is a lift keel on the mooring

[oops]

Im considering a lifitng keel Delta or Evolution for a swinging / drying mooring. Has anyone out there got any experience of how stable they are when the keel is raised?

 

[Tim Good]

I this referring to specifically the Delta / Evolution or so any lift keel? I can't see any reason any lifter wouldn't be fine dry or afloat.

 

[reeac]

The question was presumably specific to the Delta/Evolution but nevertheless is relevant to any lift keeler. I've certainly pondered on it with reference to my 18 ft. dayboat. Initially I used to leave the keel down for increased stability [it's 150 lb. of steel] but then I decided that there would be less movement and consequent wear on the pivot area if it was left in the raised position. The other possibility is to leave it slightly raised to that there's some tension in the lifting tackle and therefore probably less movement than when entirely free. The original question mentioned a swinging/drying mooring and the drying aspect probably raises other issues and would, I think, tend to favour storing in the raised position. My mooring does not dry out.

 

[oops]

Thanks for getting back to me. The premis of the question is that i would have to raise the keel when leaving the boat as it would be on a fully drying mooring and im thinking how stable is the boat to walk around with the keel raised and all that mass above the water line.

 

[pampas]

if it raises so its flush with the hull, fine. if into a stub keel and not drying out to a mud bottom, not so fine.

 

[dylanwinter]

had three

I have had three lift keelers

no worries

raise it

you might notice a slight difference in tippiness when you stand on the side of the boat

but nothing to worry about

never heard of one rolling over in winds or waves

D

 

[sailorman]

I have had three lift keelers

no worries

raise it

you might notice a slight difference in tippiness when you stand on the side of the boat

but nothing to worry about

never heard of one rolling over in winds or waves

D

They have a habit of falling out of a Sailfish

 

[dylanwinter]

They have a habit of falling out of a Sailfish

tell me more

those ugly little boats sail very well

they have a fleet racing in the three rivers race

D

 

[sailorman]

tell me more

those ugly little boats sail very well

they have a fleet racing in the three rivers race

D

One in our marina had his fall out & lost. he managed to buy another from a boat that was damaged. i understand it is a known issue

 

[dylanwinter]

One in our marina had his fall out & lost. he managed to buy another from a boat that was damaged. i understand it is a known issue

aha

you mean it fell through the bottom when the cable broke.....

different matter

mine had moldings on the top to stop that from happening

 

[FullCircle]

Im considering a lifitng keel Delta or Evolution for a swinging / drying mooring. Has anyone out there got any experience of how stable they are when the keel is raised?

I had an Evolution 25 for 7 years, kept on a drying mooring off the River Roach. Keel up is no problem for stability. I used to leave mine down around 8 to 10 inches to prevent it jamming in the box. Walking around was no problem on deck either.
In fact, I used to raise the keel when going downwind under kite. That was a bit rolly at times, but very quick.

 

[seumask]

We had a Hunter Delta moored in the most exposed part of Chichester harbour near its entrance on the HISC moorings for 5 years. It was always moored with the keel all the way up and we had no issues with stability. However I am aware that that boat prior to our ownership while moored in a much less exposed part of the harbour was sunk, we don't know why but expect that it was due to a collision on the mooring. Suffice to say that it was possible to sink on the mooring however I would expect that it would have to be a unlikely combination of event's that would lead to that happening and if it did happen these are pretty simple boats that would not be too much effort to get back to a decent standard, ours was in excellent nick despite the sinking, largely due to the previous owner relining the cabin and a new set of cushions.
one further point to note is that with the keel and rudder up they do swing about on the mooring in the wind quite a lot, however we reduced this drastically by putting a drogue out at the back, which usually lasted 3 years before it got rather too alive!

 

[blackbeard]

might be worth mentioning that I heard of a lift-keel boat which was OK on a swinging mooring with keel up, but when moored fore-and-aft (on piles) couldn't swing head-to-wind; with keel up and a gale of wind blowing across the boat, she heeled over, filled and sank.

 

[Fantasie 19]

never heard of one rolling over in winds or waves

D

Chap at the club has a lift keel Jaguar 21 - nice boat, but got hit by a rogue gust this summer while on its mooring (mud) and blew over on its side - where it then proceeded to float quite happily...

 

[CreakyDecks]

Chap at the club has a lift keel Jaguar 21 - nice boat, but got hit by a rogue gust this summer while on its mooring (mud) and blew over on its side - where it then proceeded to float quite happily...

I have a lift keel Jaguar 21 which I keep on an exposed mooring. I am not too confident in it after being dismasted twice on the mooring! The problem is that it has no tendency to face the waves at all and quite often sits beam on, being thrown around in a horrific fashion while the nearby bilge keelers nod peacefully facing the ebb tide like a row of little ducks. I have now acquired a twin keel Vivacity 20 project boat to take the Jaguar's place (when in Rome get the boat everyone else has got!) and hope to move the Jaguar somewhere more tranquil! It doesn't matter how well it sails if it spends all its time in the yard on its trailer in various states of disrepair!

 

[markhomer]

Saw a micro 18 (the model actually called micro 18 by steven jones ) upside down on its mooring keel up.(or down depending on how you look at it , fella had sat on mooring with keel raised and a furling jib left up , in a gale , just a warning .

I used to race same type boat all over , we always lifted keel off wind , but also aware that boat could capsize .but racing's racing .

crackin boats in their day .

 

[niccapotamus]

have a search on this forum and the ym forum as there are a number of threads. I posted a similar question about three or four weeks ago. replies were mixed but the odd issue of boats falling over in high winds or jamming keels were reported

cheers

Nick

 

[CreakyDecks]

I have to say that even though mine gets thrown around like a cork in a bottle it never looks (or feels) like it will actually fall over.

 

[northwind]

I have a super seal 26 on a 3/4 tide drying mooring. I leave the keel about 12inches down, it is pushed up when the boat dries.

I have also made a skeg attached to the rudder stock, as the rudder is raised when on the mooring, and lowering the skeg helps keep her in line with the other boats, otherwise she's a bit skittish.

 

[Egbod]

Hi, I think your choice of boat should be stable on a drying mooring.
A few years back a Hunter Formula One was blown over when dried out on her mooring when dried out at low tide.
She filled with water when the tide returned, river Blackwater, Essex.