What draft is your boat?

[K3v1n]

My Com-Pac 19 draws 2 feet and probably not much more when loaded but to be on the safe side I try to stay above three foot. If anchoring I like deeper water for the tide change. Often we'll move the boat out some to deeper water before turning in for the night.

I still haven't hooked up a depth sounder so I just go by my charts and so have kept from exploring thinner water for fear of getting stuck. I imagine if I had one I'd be a bit more daring. I am expecting to run aground a few times this season as there are some coves we want to explore.

-Kevin

[CharlieJ]

at least make a lead line then. A depth sounder tells you how deep the water is where you are- the lead line can let you know BEFORE it gets too shallow if you heave it off the bow and ahead of you. I have a bright red yarn in the line at our "NO-GO" point- for us, 4 feet- if that red yarn stays above water, we bail out.

Another tip is to buy a cheapie spin cast rod and reel. Put a lead weight on the end and a float that the lead can sink, at the "no-go" point- cast that in front of you- if the float sinks you're good- if it floats, bail, cause the water is too shallow.

We've felt our way into many an anchorage using the lead line- charts are dated- the bottom can change. You can get an IDEA of depth in shallow places, but the lead line doesn't lie ;D

[K3v1n]

Great idea...I'll have to try it.
Simple yet effective....and cheap.

-Kevin

[S/V Santana]

Santana is a Roberts Spray Steel 36',  4' draft empty, loaded about 4" more..
Don't like going under 6' unless putting her on the beach to clean the bottom.
Bottom of keel is 14" wide, redesigned to put on the bottom for cleaning, real
stable.
Try to anchor in at least 10' have anchored shallower conditions permitting

[Auspicious]

Has anyone actually measured their draft? I'm thinking that a piece of pipe a couple feet wider than the boat with support lines on both ends could be slung under the boat and pulled up against the keel. Mark the lines where they break the water and average the measured distance from pipe to marks. It would be reassuring to know for sure ...

[CaptMac]

I saw this old post and I was wondering after a few years if our boats were getting deeper or shallower on a average.
I thought the average for the smaller sailboats would be much less, but I guess that's why it's sailfar...

My draft 4 ft.

Comfortable depth depends on if the bottom is soft or hard and if I know the area

[CharlieJ]

WOW! That IS historical..

Tehani drew 3'4 empty, we figured 3'6 loaded.

Necessity draws 2 feet

My 35 foot tri I cruised for several years drew 3'10 inches.

I like at least 6 feet of water when anchoring, more if in an exposed spot. Have slammed bottom in Tehani, anchored in 6'6" - NOT fun.

shallow draft is nice inshore, deeper is nice offshore. I wouldn't coastal cruise a boat (MY preference) that drew much over 4 '6"

[Frank]

Ya gotta love shoal draft boats. Doesn't matter if it's Maine, Chesapeake, North Channel, the Keys or Bahamas....life is simpler and easier with as shallow a draft boat as possible. Keel-centerboarders are a decent compromise offering a bit of both. Nothing is perfect...but I do prefer the under 4ft crowd.  "Sadie Girl" was 2ft 4in. "Jubilee" (sunCat) is 14inch board up

[Travelnik]

Second Chance is a twin keeled Westerly Nomad.

2'3" in factory trim, still under 30" cruising.  ;D

[Wade]

Heartbeat is a 31 bombay clipper, 3.5'

[Tim]

Cape Dory Typhoon- 2'7"

Pearson Ariel- 3'7"

WWP 19-  6" (board up)

add a couple inches if fully loaded for cruising

[rorik]

Cape Dory 28 - four feet before I go to the store.......  ;D

[Snapdragon]

Thames Snapdragon 26 twin keel:  2 ft 6 inches loaded for cruising. 

I recently scaled back from a 9.8 Nissan @ 108 lbs to a 6 hp Tohatsu @ 60 lbs, and still have plenty of power.

[Seafarer]

Starquest is 4'10" (58"), and I ran it aground every time I moved it. The bottom here changes a lot, and I was navigating through areas where I basically had to stay in a channel to avoid running aground, and even then there was no certainty. It's not a hard bottom area so I don't worry about damaging anything. I felt "safe" in about 6' of water, but kept anchored in 10'.

The Island Packet is 2'4" (28") board up. It is a very wide boat that will sit up-right on her bottom and could certainly be beached.  I'd still prefer to sail in 6' of water so I can get the board down, but I'll anchor it pretty much anywhere if it's protected, or in 10' if I suspect a rough location. A Bahamian mooring makes for a very smooth and easy motion even in rough weather, or I should say especially in rough weather.

[Godot]

My new Bayfield is 3.5'. As designed, anyhow. If I remember I may just go ahead and measure some day.

I figure 4' is the minimum depth I really want to be in. 6" isn't a lot of cushion of course, and is not great for peace of mind; but it does open up some possibilities (I accept the occasional grounding when dealing with tight tolerances...so far I've always been able to get the boat off on my own).

Interestingly, my Seafarer 24 was actually a few inches deeper (3'10" if I remember correctly...I used to call it 4' figuring that 2 inches barely counts at all).

[Bill W]

Specs on our Montgomery 17 are 1'9" with board up, 3' with board down. Rudder depth is also adjustable with an uphaul line. (not kick up). We have run aground in shallow bays trying to tuck in tight. Part of life, and being loaded up for a 2 week vacation cruise.

[John Bailey]

My Herreshoff H-28 draws 3 1/2 ft.  It slips a little more than I would like, and can be a handfull if not properly reefed, but all in all is a great compromise for a coastal cruising pocket cruiser.

John

[Tim]

My Herreshoff H-28 draws 3 1/2 ft.  It slips a little more than I would like, and can be a handfull if not properly reefed, but all in all is a great compromise for a coastal cruising pocket cruiser.

John

Hi John, do you have any photos of your H-28 online, sweet looking boats.

Tim

[John Bailey]

I don't have a lot of pictures, and none sailing, but here are a couple.








John

[Bill W]

Oh wow! John that is a pretty looking boat. Were many built as a ketch?

Bill