Keelboats with a short or high boom

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Goody

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Hi all

I'm new to sailing, getting on a bit and consequently not as agile as I once was. I'm looking for recommendations for a keelboat for cruising between 21 and 26 feet in length with either a boom that doesn't encroach the cockpit or one which I can stand upright in the cockpit (I'm 6 feet tall) without my head hitting it when tacking.

Would welcome all suggestions, thanks.
 
You don't fancy sitting down?

OK, seriously, I assume when you say "a keel boat for cruising" you mean a decked boat with a cabin rather than an open cockpit dayboat?

If so then if the boom is long and extends past the aft end of the cockpit and has the sheet at the outboard end you are fairly unlikely to find a boat in that size with say 6ft 6ins between the boom and the cockpit floor, although you can cross your sailmaker's palm with silver and ask him to raise the clew a bit, which may get you there.

With a short boom you are going to have the mainsheet on a traveller in the cockpit. Some people like this and some don't.
 
Hi Minn

Thanks for your quick reply.

Being a newbie, I can't picture what an 'open cockpit dayboat' is, can you give me a few examples?

With regard to your other 2 options, a short boom with a traveller in the cockpit would be fine, can you suggest any?
 
Goody said:
Hi Minn

Thanks for your quick reply.

Being a newbie, I can't picture what an 'open cockpit dayboat' is, can you give me a few examples?
Click to expand...

A boat bigger than a dinghy, usually with a fixed keel, but with no cabin accommodation, used for day sailing and particularly for racing. The Squib, Dragon, Ajax, Etchells, Loch Long OD, X Boat and many more local classes are examples.

For one example, click here:

http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=3802

Goody said:
With regard to your other 2 options, a short boom with a traveller in the cockpit would be fine, can you suggest any?
Click to expand...

Lots.

Folkboat?

folkboat-dimensions02.jpg


But to be honest don't rule out having a foot or so taken off the leech of the mainsail so that the aft end of the boom is higher than the forward end and will clear your head easily.
 
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Goody said:
Hi all

I'm new to sailing, getting on a bit and consequently not as agile as I once was. I'm looking for recommendations for a keelboat for cruising between 21 and 26 feet in length with either a boom that doesn't encroach the cockpit or one which I can stand upright in the cockpit (I'm 6 feet tall) without my head hitting it when tacking.

Would welcome all suggestions, thanks.
Click to expand...

To be honest it is a tough ask. You'd probably be able to find a boat where you could stand at the helm but where it comes to being able to stand upright anywhere in the cockpit I can't think of any.

Your best bet is maybe a small motor-sailer but don't expect sparkling sailing performance.
 
Many boats from the 70/80s had short booms and small mainsails. Sadler 25 is an example. These do allow one to stand at the aft end of the cockpit. Many others in that size range have longer booms because they have bigger mainsails and smaller jibs which is arguably better for cruising. Rarely though will you find that sort of clearance under the boom until you get nearer to 30', simply because the boats are not deep enough.

I am 6'3" and have owned boats from 14' up to 37' and only the last one had clearance under the boom and then only just. Never really saw it as a problem - you just learn to live with it.
 
Ipdsn, fredrussell, peteK, tranona and downwest

Thanks for all the tips and recommendations, I’ll google and review all the boats you’ve suggested and then maybe try and hunt some down for a test sail

p.s. plus Minns suggestions too

Goody
 
I appreciate OP's concerns re being tall and less agile than once was. (just like me) The boom however is not the real concern you may think it is. On a smaller boat one sits to helm either on windward side or occasionally leeward side. On a keel boat with a bit of stability you can choose. In a tack you can stay on the original side until boom has passed over or shift yourself over before tack. In a gybe I always shift myself over first. However on a smaller keel boat if you can see over the cabin the head room in the cabin is probably not enough to stand. This also is not a problem in practice as you tend to sit at all times and move forward crouched.
However regarding the boom itself as said it is not so hard to modify the boat. Easiest is to shorten the leach so the boom rises at the back. Not a huge mod to the sail. If necessary you can also raise the gooseneck (front or tack of the sail).
Other mods you can do is to shorten the boom as far as possible and have the main sail recut to fit a shortened boom.
I found a piece of carbon fibre dinghy mast for my little boat which was made into a new boom. This reduce the weight of the boom to half of the original ali boom. I also made sure there was no steel fittings on the boom sides so I hope reducing the chances of injury from being hit by the boom. At our club over the years I have seen a few nasty injuries form being hit by the boom in racing. But always when something unusual is happening.
So my advice. Buy the boat you want then try sailing it and if you are still concerned about being hit by the boom think about the mods mentioned. good luck olewill
 
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