Keel Length

Tips, Tricks, and Secrets to rigging a San Juan 21
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kuriti
Posts:243
Joined:Tue Sep 13, 2011 12:48 am
Keel Length

Post by kuriti » Tue Nov 27, 2012 12:25 am

Everything i can find says the draft with keel down is 4ft with keel down and 1ft up. This implies the keel protrudes 3 vertical ft below the hull. I measure my keel at 6ft and the depth of the keel trunk at 1.5 feet, leaving 4.5ft below if the hull if vertical, a full1.5ft longer than specified. The rake could make up for some of the difference, but i don't think all of it.

So my question is, how far below the hull does the keel extend when fully down? Anybody verified this manually?

I am trying to figure this out to decide if i can install a a keel fairing and metal gasket myself. I think i can get the boat 3ft off the ground, 4.5 might be pushing it.

Kuriti

Krysia Ry
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Location:Nelson BC

Re: Keel Length

Post by Krysia Ry » Wed Nov 28, 2012 1:21 am

I measured mine last winter and it was about 4.5 ft. The ground I was on was not perfectly level. I believe the angle of the keel was 62 degrees. I had my boat about 5 feet off the ground. If you don't rasie it all teh way, you might find it difficult getting the metal gasket in place.
Cheers
Bill

kuriti
Posts:243
Joined:Tue Sep 13, 2011 12:48 am

Re: Keel Length

Post by kuriti » Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:01 pm

Awesome, thanks for the info. I also plan to install a depth sounder whose alarm will be set to 6 feet instead of 5 now. Why do i see claims of 4ft drafts out there with keel down? That could lead to frustration.

Krysia Ry
Posts:121
Joined:Mon Mar 28, 2011 3:32 pm
Location:Nelson BC

Re: Keel Length

Post by Krysia Ry » Wed Nov 28, 2012 4:18 pm

What I plan on doing in the spring is launch, hold my boat where the keel touches bottom and measure it then. When I install a depth meter, it will be bang on.
Bill

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San Juan Sailboats
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Re: Keel Length

Post by San Juan Sailboats » Sat Dec 01, 2012 1:43 am

I measured mine a 50" below the bottom of the hull. Add 12" draft and you have a boat with a 5' draft.
Stephen Jensen

San Juan Sailboats
Stephen@SJSailboats.com

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