Keel Length

[kuriti]

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]

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]

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]

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

[San Juan Sailboats]

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