Mingming II is a bilge keeler, good choice?

[Wandering Star]

Not qualified to say what's best from a technical/design point of view but I do remember that rufty tufty Chay Blyth sailor chap (Sir Chay to you youngsters) set out to sail around the world in a bilge keel Kingfisher 30 and got as far as Capetown before throwing in the towel. Can't remember much of it now, think the boat was called Discus or something. I do think bilge keelers have a lot going for them but serious offshore stuff was never intended to be their forte. But what do I know? I also don't class MG Golden Hinds or boats of their ilk as bilge keelers, they're more long keelers with bilge plates to stop them falling over.

 

[mainsail1]

Only the French could make twin keels look this cool!

I wonder what would happen if a big bloke stood at the bow or the stern when the boat is like this?

 

[Eyore]

Nice to see bowsprits are coming back into fashion, perhaps a bit of baggywrinkle woulden't go amiss?

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

I do think bilge keelers have a lot going for them but serious offshore stuff was never intended to be their forte. But what do I know? I also don't class MG Golden Hinds or boats of their ilk as bilge keelers, they're more long keelers with bilge plates to stop them falling over.

Agree, these are shallow long keeler boats with bilge plates for convenience.

 

[JimC]

Hypothetical question:

Assuming Roger's theory is correct and shallower keels help prevent the boat being "tripped up" by big waves in very heavy weather.

If you were caught out in extreme conditions in a swing keel boat, would you raise the keel? (Assuming the boat had sufficient volume aft to cope with the weight shifting back).

yes - apparently

I've read that the big American trading schooners, when caught out in really bad weather, would heave to with their centreboards raised. That way the boat was able to slide away from the big seas leaving a slick of smoother water between the boat and the approaching waves. This bears out what Roger Taylor says about boats being tripped up by a deep keel, and what Macwester owners have been saying for decades in praise of their shallow-keeled boats.

 

[deadeyedick]

I wish people would stop claiming that something was their own theory when the practice was in print decades before. It's very insulting to the originator.

 

[Greenheart]

You're joining the conversation four years late, Dick...any chance you could state what you're objecting to?

 

[DownWest]

You're joining the conversation four years late, Dick...any chance you could state what you're objecting to?

Yep, me too...

My Doctor is about to retire and has bought an RM 12mtr.
As for drying out, there are plenty of pix of several RMs dried out in the CIs, they have a Rally from time to time.

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

Its good to see someone reviving this post four years later. After many years sailing in the Solent, I have now moved my twin keel boat in the Bristol channel. Sailing the Bristol channel in a twin keel is a relief.

 

[zoidberg]

I have now moved my twin keel boat in the Bristol channel. Sailing the Bristol channel in a twin keel is a relief.

Sailing the Bristol Channel..... is a purgatory.

 

[Phildorset]

Re: I like them

I think that some, I repeat some, of the anti-twinnests and anti-bilgists is that lots of people have not really experienced life both sides of the fence

The other blessing is that although many of us have sailed in quite strong winds generally we prefer to avoid storms

I hope I never get to find out ghow my twin keels will behave in a storm

right now they are going very well indeed - Harmony is hardly rocking at all

D

Nice to find you're on here Dylan, it was through a post on here just a few weeks ago that I discovered your KTL blogs and videos - great work, my children aren't delighted that they've lost the TV for the immediate future, but I'm enjoying your work! (and yes, I did click and show my appreciation
many thanks. P

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

Sailing the Bristol Channel..... is a purgatory.

It is indeed a place of suffering and when the water goes it looks like the dark side of the moon

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Sailing the Bristol Channel..... is a purgatory.

Nonsense - best cruising waters in the British Isles- going down along you get between 2 and 3 kts lift for 6 hours on the ebb and going up along with rising tide you get similar. Fast passages for slow old boats. And you get to learn to deal with tides, chop worse than the English channel and perverse harbours. Makes you relaxed when dealing with tidal gates anywhere else though complacency can set in as when I went through Jack Sound much too early and shot out of the bottom at 13kts with a great big splash. Who wants the isles harbours and good food of Brittany? - OK so I'm off to Morbihan next year.

But keeping on thread my ancient 31ft Westerly Bilge keeler give comfortable if slow progress in bad weather and is no worse than a fin keel. Long keels anyway not practical for my cruising and visiting all the 60 or so harbours and anchorage of the Bristol Channel