• Untitled Document

    Join us on March 29rd, 7pm EST

    for the CBEC Virtual Meeting

    All EYO members and followers are welcome to join the fun and get to know the guest speaker!

    See the link below for login credentials and join us!

    March Meeting Info

    (dismiss this notice by hitting 'X', upper right)

Shoal draft offshore

Tin Kicker

Sustaining Member
Moderator
Bringing the discussion out of an ad for a particular boat, I have a question about willingness of people to take shoal draft boats offshore. I have a 32-3 with the 5' draft and I know the original owners took it from Annapolis to the Caribbean at least a half dozen times. Obviously, the 32-3 is built like the proverbial tank and I'm aware of people taking the deep keel boats across oceans, such as Christian going to Hawaii from California.

Even so, I'm curious what people's thoughts would be of going offshore would be for us guys with shallow draft boats. Is there much difference? More directly, I'm wondering about getting outside of the Gulfstream before heading south from the Chesapeake to the Bahamas?

Thanks in advance,
Bob / Tin Kicker
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Is yours a specialty keel at 5' for the 32-3? SAilboatdata says 4.3'.

Anyhow, I doubt it matters at all, shoal draft or full, for most offshore. The penalty is in close-hauled work, not stability or seaworthiness.

The gulf stream is about 150-175 miles off the coast, you'll have to cross it somewhere, but probably not immediately.

The GS presents squalls and incredibly steep seas--25' steep once, for me--if big wind and current oppose, and I don't think the Gulf Stream bothers to inquire what keel you have as it bashes in your nose (but for only about 40 miles or so, then you're free and clear).
 

markvone

Sustaining Member
Bob,

The shoal draft versions of most Ericsons have nearly the same stability as the deep keel versions. The shoal keels are thicker and often have a vertical aft edge vice a forward tapered trailing edge typical of the Bruce King delta keel profile. This puts back the lead missing from the tip of the deep keel. Sometimes the shoal keel will weigh more to compensate as well. The stability is pretty close to the same for both versions of the boat, otherwise the rig would need to be shortened to compensate.

You loose optimal lift over drag (and maybe a little stiffness) so upwind suffers most. You will get a little more leeway and perhaps carry less sail at the higher end wind range of each sail. Off the wind, the thinner deep keel has slightly less drag. Probably a worthwhile consideration for a racer but I doubt a cruiser would notice.

The E25+ brochure states shoal keel CG is within 3 inches of the standard keel. I'll bet it's even better as the boat gets larger.

So, I'd take a shoal version offshore without even thinking about it.

Mark
 

Tin Kicker

Sustaining Member
Moderator
Thanks!
As mentioned, I know the boat has done it.
And while I've been thrown all over creation on work boats (black and blue all over after Straits of Taiwan on 15 meter boat), I also know that I'm not about to sail offshore till having collected hours with somebody more experienced.
 
Top