WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT STATUS?

[K3v1n]

[lance on cloud nine]

do you ever giggle and shake your head...when reading a boat ad that says something like - "shoal keel version, (only draws 4'11")?

[Frank]

Yep....
Kinda funny.
Doesn't sound too shoal to me either.
I guess Allure at 3ft 8in is "ultra shallow draft" by those standards 🤣


PS....my sympathy to Patriots fans 🤣🤣

[Godot]

do you ever giggle and shake your head...when reading a boat ad that says something like - "shoal keel version, (only draws 4'11")?

It's all relative. If the normal keel is seven feet, then a sub five foot keel seems shoal indeed.

Seeker is at 3'6". An advantage of full keels.

[CapnK]

My Islander 36 is the "shoal draft" version, and draws (my best figure) 4'9". The reg'lar old I36 draws 6.08', according to sailboatdata.com

Draft is pretty much the only real issue I have with the Alpa 11.50 (~38' LOA): she draws 6.23'. Deeper than I am tall, by a half a foot. Zoiks. :)

I like being able to stand in the water next to my boat, and see the deck. :) But short of going multihull, or dealing with the intricacies/foibles of a centerboard, it seems that you'll be hard-pressed to find a boat with sufficient displacement (or IOW, stowage) for long term, long distance, self-sufficient 4 season liveaboard and travel - including the ability to be say 30+ days away from provisioning resources - without being pretty hardcore 'only the bare basics'.

Being skinny and sneaking right up to the beach is great when that is the situation, but conversely I guess 6' isn't really much at all to think about when the closest land is a mile away - straight down. :)

[Godot]

I met a crew at the SSCA gam a couple years ago that where heading down the ICW and then to the Bahamas on a boat (Tumultuous Uproar?) with an 8'  :o draft. They did run hard aground in the Bahamas and had some difficulty, as I recall, getting into a boatyard for repairs; but they made it happen. Certainly more draft than I would prefer for shoal waters; but I bet it really is nice on offshore passages. As I recall it was a very fast, high pointing boat. I believe they are somewhere in the Panama area now-a-days; but I could be wrong.

Compromises. Always compromises.

[Bob J (ex-misfits)]

PS....my sympathy to Patriots fans 🤣🤣

Yea, tough being a Pats fan last night but a winning streak like they've had was going to end someday.

My Sabre 28 draws 4'-4", another reason I bought her. Seems most of the boats up here in New England draw 6'+. Most of the "modern" shoal keels are wings. I wouldn't want to ground one of them. That has anchor effect written all over it.

[lance on cloud nine]

it would be fun to USCG document a boat with a home port of Oak Island, and name her The Money Pit.

[lance on cloud nine]

Happy New Year Everyone! who is doing some sailing this week? post us some pictures! we're desperate!

[w00dy]

I'm flying to Guatemala tomorrow. Headed to the Rio Dulce to spend a week on a friend's boat there. Will post a report and pictures on return.

[Norman]

Wow!  That is an outstanding destination for this time of year, and a huge difference from some of your previous winter adventures.  Will you be diving on the coral, and admiring the fish?

I am anticipating our second snow this Friday, wishing to be far south of here.  We will need sunny pictures to keep the morale up here in the northern states.  Have a lot of fun!

Norman

[sharkbait]

Just got into harbor last week. San Juan Del Sur ,Nicaragua