Thread: my next dream boat...
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cavelamb cavelamb is offline
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First recorded activity by BoatBanter: Dec 2006
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Default my next dream boat...
wrote:

If the purpose is just to present a surface, then it's a centerboard.
If the purpose is also to provide substantial ballast similar to what
a fixed keel would offer, then it's a swing keel.

Two different animals.

Maybe not the best crusing boat, but consider the Catalina 25.
It has been offered with ballasted swing keel, shallow draft wing keel,
and a deep fin.

I've not had the opportunity to sail any of the three, so I can't offer
any first hand comparisons.

My slip neighbor has a wing keel.
Looking back at some of the photos, his boat always seems to be reefed in any
wind. He also ran aground last year! But to be fair the lake was down several
feet then.

The fin keel is fairly rare. But I would expect it to be the best performer
to windward.

Which leaves the most popular swing keel.

Anybody have any real experience with any of these - for comparison purposes?


Richard
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