What's the fascination with long keels?

[RivalRedwing]

John,
Fin keels are a result of Darwinian evolution; Designer Chuck Paine's quite brilliant Victoria 30 looks very traditional, but handles sublimely and goes like a relative rocket, thanks to her modern fin keel...

The Victoria 30's that I know have a 'fin' keel that extends all the way back to the rudder, in fact the rudder hangs off it..... more of a long keel with a cutout at the front?

[chinita]

Pity you had to spoil your opening post with that snide, and unnecesary, remark. Do you have any grounds to justify your suspicion?

Yes, a pity.

[benjenbav]

This long keeler was always said by her most famous skipper to have an uncomfortable motion:

[Sybarite]

Plus the unsupported spade rudder is anathema to me - I'd never have a boat with one, as they are so vulnerable.

I don't have a position on this but the late Philippe Harlé, one of France's leading naval architects used to say that a skeg was a nonsense. He said that if it took a hit it could block the rudder. However if the rudder itself took the hit it might bend the stock but the rudder might remain operational.

FWIW.

[Sybarite]

John,

I'm with you all the way on this one !

I've sailed a few long keel boats, and the term 'wetted area drag' springs to mind.

The much vaunted longitudinal steering stability is pretty much an urban myth too; my Anderson with a rather narrow chord keel sails herself, it's all a matter of set-up and balance.

Short fins aren't always brilliant, such as when drying out; attention is required - my Carter 30 tried to sit on her back end, requiring ropes under the stern holding her level - and some examples like Listangs can't take the point loading on the hull but I think they're rare nowadays, tending to be 1960's-70's types.

Fin keels are a result of Darwinian evolution; Designer Chuck Paine's quite brilliant Victoria 30 looks very traditional, but handles sublimely and goes like a relative rocket, thanks to her modern fin keel...

In a Breton port, I met two skippers of the Royal Navy sailing yachts who had if I remember correctly Victoria 34's (or they may possibly have been 38's).

Both were scathing of them.

[Seajet]

This long keeler was always said by her most famous skipper to have an uncomfortable motion:

Benjenbav,

have a read of Sir Francis's books; he comes over as a brilliant navigator rather than sailor, but with an indomitable spirit I for one would not fancy going up against!- Try 'The Loneley Sea And The Sky', IMO one of the best books ever written - and there's a bit where he mentions working as a stoker and flattening someone who picked on him; Sir Francis was a fairly small chap,but then so was Nelson !

Also try the book 'Gypsy Moth Circles The World' if referring to keel & hull designs, but 'The Lonely Sea And The Sky' is the all time classic,IMO of course but I know others who agree.

[Vara]

In a Breton port, I met two skippers of the Royal Navy sailing yachts who had if I remember correctly Victoria 34's (or they may possibly have been 38's).

Both were scathing of them.

I've sailed the the JSSC Victorias and found them to be pretty good boats, so I'm quite surprised at their comments.

( no spray hoods or auto helms though which is a bit of a bummer).

[rotrax]

If long keels are so good, why doesn't anybody make them any more.

I loved sailing the Nic 32, stable, good in very strong weather, lovely motion but a nightmare in marinas, cramped and not particularly fast.

But things move on and now with a conservative fin and skeg I'm a happy bunny and wouldn't go back for all the tea....

Island Packet do...............

[BlowingOldBoots]

I have sailed lots of types of yachts offshore. I love my 3/4 of a long keel yacht because she was a low cost yacht to buy and my wife liked her as did I.

I can't be bothered with comparisons to be honest. If one doesn't know what they are buying when committing to a yacht, then more fool them.

Its a plain fact obvious for all to see and read that many styles of hull sail very well and are very seaworthy in all sorts of conditions.

I have this feeling though that folks who buy expensive things are rarely going to say that they feked up e.g. my long keel / fin keel is sh it, my Oyster is actually quite ugly and not as good a build quality as I thought and looks quite similat to other yachts that cost at least £200k less than mine and sail better. Rather, they will defend their choice.

[grumpy_o_g]

I've always thought that the main advantage of a long-keeler was that it gave you an excellent excuse for c**king up your berthing