Bilge Keels

[atavist]

Ok so this isn't really about repairs or mainentance but probably fits best here...

I have a pearson 365, which has what I would call a moderate fin keel. It's structural and when you set her down on the hard you do set her on here keel so lots of strength there. The hull is in fact 3 inches thick solid glass in front of and immediately around the keel... she only has a 4.5ft draft so I can get in most places but as many know I'm always looking for a way to moore for free.... I find myself all too often looking at the charts going "oh if there was only one more foot of water there at low tide"... but if there was it probably would be a mooring field... on the other hand if I had bilge keels I could just go in and let her set down at low tide....

I know I've seen discussion on this before but I couldn't find the thread so I thought I'd bring it up again... any thoughts on adding bilge keels to a structurally keeled mono? here's a picture of my boat on the hard in an old marine rail car and of a Barbican which is something along the lines of what I'd like to add (just the bilge keels obviously).

I'm planning to haul out for a pretty extensive refit next year and am thinking of potentially adding this to the list.... I would of course talk to and get the assistance of a marine engineer to do this, but any thoughts/ideas welcome.

[MMNETSEA]

Hi There,

If you go to Aug 14 - a topic was opened on Careening HERE

No doubt, your boat , if it is similar to the boat in the second picture could be Careened on a suitable beach or ground, tied vertically to pilings or some other strong structure. You could easily have 4 supporting legs made up, if you intend to Carreen often in places without existing structures to tie onto.

The technique needs planning :- Visit the careening area by dinghy, test the hardness of the beach or ground, Check the tide tables carefully - twice! Ask locals for suitability, Check weather forecasts.

The boat in the first picture is in a Shipping Cradle - these are made to tranship boats by flat bed trucks, trains and ships.

Bilge keelers are very common in Europe, many can been seen drying out every day for months on end - especially during winter.

It would not be desirable to add 2 additional keels to the Pearson - It would be a major boat yard undertaking, probably involving the removal of saloon and cabin soles to reinforce the internal frames and stringers. Also the additional drag provided by the bilge keels would certainly slow the boat down. A removable leg brace system is simple and inexpensive.

[JeanneP]

It seems to me that you would compromise the sailing ability and structure of your Pearson, and spend more money than it would cost you to pay for the occasional mooring and/or dinghy landing for the next 5 or ten years.

If you want a bilge keeler, I think that you'd be better off buying one. You will have a boat that was designed for the keels and you won't make a salable Pearson into an oddity that most people would shy away from.

Just MHO.

J