Red Fox dagger boards

[Tam Lin]

Seen a Red Fox 200 with twin dagger boards for sale recently. Like the boat but wonder about the dagger boards. I can see that raising and lowering them every time you tack could be a pain so can you just leave them both down all the time?

 

[rob2]

Well, of course you can - indeed you will if short tacking and short-handed. I believe the boards have a toe-in to improve their performance and, of course, the leeward board being near vertical will have the major influence, as intended. In fact, unless seriously racing, I doubt many would bother raising the windward board; it's no different really from having bilge keels.

Rob.

 

[wiggy]

Many years ago I sailed the first ever Red Fox made, raising the windward board makes a huge difference up wind. Reduces drag allows the other board to give loads of lift and is very easy to do. I do agree however that if short tacking, short handed, I'd leave both down.

 

[Laurie]

By all reports, these are fabulous boats and sail really well to windward with the weather keel raised......1st hand report from "Wiggy" above!!

 

[Tam Lin]

OK, thanks for the replies. What I still don't get is how the dagger boards are raised. Do you have to scramble across the deck and raise and lower them by hand or is there a pulley system? You can tell that I have never seen one of these boats in the flesh!

 

[wiggy]

There's a block and tackle from the shroud, can't remember if it's led aft or not.

 

[Clive]

the boards are not only toed but are also asymetic, so leaving both down will impact performance up wind.

 

[Laurie]

redfoxownersassociation.blogspot.com/

 

[seadogsmith]

I own a Red Fox; yes the falls from the board tackles are led aft and it's pretty easy to raise the windward one after a tack. It's not so easy to get the leeward one down again if you forget though!
If we're short tacking I tend to leave them both down, if long tacking then it's worth lifting.