Scheel Keels

[Sans Bateau]

I think we would need to know the angle of the wind to judge. After all, downwind you would raise a centre board.

What centre board?

It had a Sheel keel!!

 

[jimi]

Many thanks, all, I was looking at a Moody 376. Don't think I'll be as put off by one as I was initially.

 

[GrahamM376]

Many thanks, all, I was looking at a Moody 376. Don't think I'll be as put off by one as I was initially.

We bought the 376 with scheel keel from preference. After 3 Biscay crossings and thousands of miles, I certainly don't regret it.

 

[Sybarite]

What centre board?

It had a Sheel keel!!

I was drawing a parallel with a centre board. Downwind you don't need the board. Downwind a Scheel keel (being shallower) might similarly be effective.

Therefore when you say that you arrived before the others this is significant if you had a range of wind directions but less so if you were only on a broad reach.

This said I like very much the idea of a Scheel keel on a cruising boat - also the tandem keel. I believe you would have better sailing performance than with a centre-boarder or a bilge-keeler yet still benefit from relatively shallow draft for cruising.