Lee boards?

L

Laundryman

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I'm not one of those people who look at old boats with affection and dream of the good old days. I watched Riddle of the Sands last night for the 4th time and this time noticed the ' Lee Boards' ( if that's the correct term ). Not only on the big boats but also Jenny Agguters little sailing dinghy. When and why have they disappeared. If they were needed then, why not now? Apologies for my ignorance. Thanks. Alan
 
Lee boards were a way of having shallow draught when required, and grip on the water for beating when lowered, without piercing a wooden hull; with moden lifting keels for cruisers and centre / dagger boards for dinghies, the hassle of leeboards - which have to be tacked - can be avoided.

Still useful on sailing inflatables though.
 
They have certainly not disappeared. Have a look at the Dutch boats, even small dinghies if traditionally made, designed for the shallow seas, lakes and rivers around the Netherlands and Germany. And of course the Thames barges.

They must be a bit of a pain to tack - the crew has one more heavy job to raise one and lower the other leeboard as well as manage the foresails. Mind you, the Thames barges were crewed by a man and a boy!
 
And I think it is also the name given to the boards placed alongside the berth to stop the occupant falling out .... i.e. in place of lee cloths ..... or am I wrong?
 
AliM said:
They must be a bit of a pain to tack - the crew has one more heavy job to raise one and lower the other leeboard as well as manage the foresails. Mind you, the Thames barges were crewed by a man and a boy!
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I think you will find that when they were working, as opposed to racing, they left them both down when going to windward. The windward one lifted up sideways somewhat but caused no problems.

Racing is a different matter but they then have a much larger crew.
 
Asymmetric daggerboards are pretty similar in principle to leeboards - they're in use today on extreme designs like the VO70, but also on the Red Fox 200 (now the Hunter 20).

http://redfoxownersassociation.blogspot.co.uk

I strongly considered a Red Fox when I was buying my own boat, but wasn't sure how the added complication of tacking the daggerboards would stack up when racing round the cans. That and it being slightly poky downstairs put me off in the end. I'm now renovating a swing keel for my trouble! ;)
 
Seajet said:
Still useful on sailing inflatables though.
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Yep - and also if you want to sail a rigid tender that wasn't built as a sailing dinghy. You can very easily knock up a basic leeboard that hooks over the gunwale rather than pivoting, and move it from side to side when tacking.

Pete
 
Perhaps I'm being thick, but why do leeboards have to be lifted when the boat tacks? Couldn't they be left down all the time....as if the boat had outboard twin keels?
 
I think there are at least two reasons - 1) wetted area, which you want to reduce and 2) the windward lee board is being forced by the leeway away from the hull, which puts an unfair stress on the pivot, while the lee one is supported by being pushed against the hull.
 
dylanwinter said:
in the boy me and the cat he often mentions sleeping soundly behind the lee-board

so I think you are correct

http://www.keepturningleft.co.uk/blogs/the-icw-intracoastal-waterway-in-1912/
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From the OP`s title I thought he was referring to them (Bunk sides), very useful in heavy weather 1st trip to sea, green as grass with regards to ship board life, it took only 10 minutes in the "Scratcher` before to realise that for a comfy kip a lot of padding out was required .

even so I was thrown out cracking a rib, 2nd Mates cure was the usual dose of Black Draught, to relieve ones Bowel thus reducing pressure on the affected parts. He would have made a good salesman
 
Leighb said:
I think you will find that when they were working, as opposed to racing, they left them both down when going to windward. The windward one lifted up sideways somewhat but caused no problems.
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Only for short tacks in light airs. The leeboard to leeward is pressed agaonst the barge's chine by the leeway and held against the side at its head by tension in its pivot bolt, 6 to 10 foot above the chine. In contrast, a lowered leeboard on the weather side is pushed away from the chine at the bottom and held again by its pivot bolt frcing the head of the board, only about 1 foot above the pivot against the barge's rigging chock. This gives 6 - 10 times the load in the pivot and can result in cracking the leeboard head, despite the heavy steel reinforcing of this area. In a blow, getting the new weather board up as the sails fill onthe new tack is a priority.

In the days of working barges, a laden one would turn to windward pretty well with both leeboards raised, relying on her deeply submerged chine to resist leeway
 
Thanks for the further clarification. I have seen them short tacking in the Orwell with both boards down all the time, but as you say in stronger winds damage would result.
 
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