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Sailboat Keel Types: Pros And Cons 2024

Sailboats are highly versatile vessels that offer a unique form of entertainment and leisure, yet before you can truly unlock their potential, it is important to gain an understanding of all the different keel types available—each providing its own advantages.

Whether you’re new to sailing or an experienced sailor looking to ride a different wave, this post will provide you with insight into all the various sailboat keel types and highlight the advantages they present.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the advantages of different keels, as well as discuss the best route for outfitters trying to decide which is right for them.

From fin stabilizers to centerboards, let’s dive right in and explore which one best suits your boating needs!

Table of Contents

Centerboard keel, what is a sailboat keel, what is the purpose of a keel on a boat, sailboat keel materials, can you sail without a keel, how to look after your keel, what to do if your keel breaks at sea, sailboat keel types and their advantages.

From improving maneuverability in tight spaces to increasing stability when combating choppy seas, understanding how each type works can give you the edge you need to brave any challenging conditions that come your way.

Here are the most common types of sailboat keels and their advantages and disadvantages.

A full keel is one that runs pretty much the whole length of the sailboat.

This is one of the most stable types of keel, and is popular with offshore cruisers looking for a solid, rugged sailboat.

A full keeled sailboat will usually fare better in heavy weather. They tend to track better in big waves and there is less risk of you losing the keel compared to other keel types.

Another advantage of full keeled sailboats is that they are safer to run aground (if you find yourself in that unfortunate situation), and the rudder is pretty well protected.

The disadvantages of full keels are that they don’t maneuver well in reverse. This can be a big problem when coming into moorings astern, especially in the Med where stern to mooring is popular. They also tend to need more power to tack effectively.

Full keels are usually also deep keels (though you can get full keeled sailboats with shallow keels too). It’s really important to consider the draft of a boat before buying, because you’ll want to be sure you can cruise it in your desired waterways.

How to tie a sailboat to a mooring ball

Fin keels are probably the most popular type of keel on modern boats, and you’ll see many of them around a boat yard.

Fin keels look how they sound, like a fin underneath the boat. They tend to hang quite low to make up for a smaller amount of ballast, so boats with a fin keel usually have a deeper draft.

There are many advantages to fin keels, explaining why they are so popular today. They tend to outperform full keeled points on most points of sail, especially close to the wind where they can point closer and sail faster.

They handle more easily under power and can go astern, making mooring easier. They are also more agile when tacking.

The main disadvantages to a fin keel are that they tend to be less stable. They will power up quickly and heel quickly, so reefing at the right time is paramount.

Another concern from many sailors is the fact that fin keeled boats are bolted on. If those bolts aren’t regularly inspected and maintained then they can fail, resulting in your sailboat losing its keel with catastrophic results.

Because they tend to have a deeper draft there is more possibility of them grounding, and more possibility of a grounding having serious consequences.

Although these safety concerns are sometimes overdramatised by the sailing community (plenty of people cross serious oceans in fin keeled boats every year), they are something to bear in mind.

A bulb keel is very similar to a fin keel, only it has additional ballast at the end, usually in the shape of a bulb or teardrop which is where it gets its name.

The ballast improves stability, using the distance between force and counterforce as a lever.

The benefits of a bulb keel are very similar to that of a fin keel, but you’re likely to find increased comfort and stability and better performace.

The cons are also very similar to fin keels, and you’ll want to check the keel bolts carefully before you purchase a boat with a bulb keel, and make sure you’re on top of regular maintenance too.

A wing keel is again very similar to a fin keel, but with a horizontal fin at the tip of the keel that looks a little like wings.

The design of this keel gives most of the same advantages of a fin keel, but the edge it has over it is the fact it can have a shallower draft, meaning you can sail in shallower waters. These boats tend to be popular for river or lake sailing for this reason.

The cons of this design are that you will lose some windward performance compared to the fin keeled sailboats, and you might find the wing creates drag and therefore a slower performance overall.

A bilge keel boat has two keels, or twin keels placed off centre. They are a popular type of keel although less common than fin and full keels.

One of the big advantages of these types of sailboat keel is that they allow the boat to be beached and rest on the keels. This also makes running aground safer, especially compared to fin keeled boats.

Bilge keels have double the wetted surface area, increasing the overall comfort of the boat and its directional stability. They also sail pretty well to windward.

Compared to the fin keel, bilge keeled sailboats tend to be slower, especially the older models. What you lose slightly in speed you tend to make up for in comfort.

Sailboats with a centreboard keel can give you the best of both worlds. With a keel that retracts, usually resting on a hinge that can be raised or lowered through a slot in the hull, it can increase or reduce the draft of a sailboat.

You will find sailboats that have ballasted lifting keels, and ones where the centreboard isn’t essential to the stability of the boat and carry hardly any weight.

With the centreboard down, the idea is that the sailboat will track better to wind and give you more maneuverability. It should make your boat behave similarly to a full keeled sailboat.

With the board up, you will be able to reach much shallower waters. It also means the boat is faster under motor alone with less drag through the water, and often a more effective downwind sailor too. Some of the best shallow draft liveaboard sailboats have lifting keels.

The disadvantages of a lifting keel are that you will lose some performance, especially when sailing upwind.

There is also the safety aspect of more working parts that need to be maintained, and with boats that have a ballasted lifting keel the danger of losing the keel is even more prevalent.

A sailboat keel is the fin that hangs underneath a sailboat like a dagger, providing stability against strong sideways forces of wind.

The design is crucial to hold the boat upright and make sailing tack easier, with its depth and shape involving meticulous calculations of size, weight, center of gravity, providing buoyancy, and other features.

On modern sailboats, the keel may be made out of cast iron or steel for extra strength, while traditional boats would opt for a design comprised of lead or copper.

Regardless of its form though, it proves to be an absolute must-have device on any ship meant to travel on wind power alone.

Sailboats are designed to take advantage of the wind, allowing you to traverse the seas with relative ease. But what makes a sailboat so efficient? Well, it all comes down to its keel: the long, usually slightly curved structure that extends below your boat’s hull and helps keep it stable.

The keel on a boat is an integral part of its design and provides many essential functions.

Acting as an anchor, the keel helps to keep the vessel in place regardless of wind and current conditions.

It also helps to increase the stability of the boat by lowering its center of gravity and distributing weight more evenly across it. This improves the handling of the boat, which can be especially important in rough waters.

The keel holds the ballast for the sailboat, keeping it from tipping over and meaning it can right itself if it does capsize.

All told, a boat’s keel plays a very important role in making sure that its passengers have a safe, stable ride out on open water.

Most keels are made from the same material as the boat itself – usually fibreglass, wood or steel.

They will then also contain a ballast. A heavier material that gives the boat its righting ability, and prevents it from capsizing easily in heavy seas.

The ballast in sailboat keels are traditionally created from iron or lead to give the boat stability and balance in the water.

The answer to this question is, it depends. There are sailboats that have been designed without keels, such as sailing dinghies that rely on daggerboards, and catamarans.

If your sailboat has been designed to have a keel, though, then it would be very dangerous to head out sailing without one.

Keels are designed to counteract the forces that the sails, wind, and waves put on a boat and make sure it stays upright. Or if it is knocked over it will right itself again. Without a keel there is a high likelihood that your sailboat will capsize and remain inverted.

As the keel is one of the most important parts of your sailboat you’re going to want to really take care of it.

One of the main things you’ll need to do on a regular basis is keep your keel clean. This will help immensely when it comes to performance, as even a little growth on the keel can slow you down a lot.

Another benefit to keeping your keel clean is that it’s easier to do a basic sight inspection. You can check for any cracks or possible damage that might have occurred if you hit something or run aground.

The best way to keep your keel clean is to have it jetwashed when you come out of the water to antifoul your boat. Without taking your boat out of the water the only way to clean it is to dive down and do it yourself, which many sailors will do at least once a season.

Another very important check to carry out yearly is a keel bolt inspection if your boat has a keel that is bolted on.

Outside check

• Check for rust along the hull to keel joint.
• Check for signs of movement along the hull to keel joint (any cracks or splits in the joint area)

Inside check

• Is the bilge dry? Bilges should be clean and dry to help prevent corrosion.
• Do a visual check of the fastenings in the bilges.
• Check for rust or staining around the fastenings.
• Check for signs of movement. This will probably appear as stress cracks around the keel bolts.

If you notice any of these signs then get your keel checked by a professional surveyor who will be able to tell you what’s going on, why, and what your next steps should be.

It is extremely unlikely that your keel will break at sea, especially if you follow the correct maintenance and make sure that if you run aground you haul the boat immediately for an inspection.

There have been a few cases of keel bolts failing at sea, and these cases obviously hit the headlines as they cause total disaster, and lives are often tragically lost.

If you hear the sound of your keel falling off at sea then you need to act extremely quickly. You have hardly any time at all until the boat is likely to capsize. Make sure you have a command for anyone down below so that they have time to get up on deck immediately.

One of the only things you can do is launch and get into your liferaft before you capsize. This is why it is so important to have a liferaft that is easy to launch and a grab bag with essentials like an Epirb that is easily accessible.

Conclusion: Sailboat Keels And Their Advantages

After exploring the various types of sailboat keels, it’s clear that each offers its own advantages and disadvantages.

While a full-keel boat offers exceptional stability against strong winds or currents, it lacks speed and maneuverability due to its heavier weight.

Conversely, a centerboard or winged keel has far superior speed and agility but lacks the same level of lateral stability as a full-keel boat.

No matter what type of sailing you enjoy, analyzing sailboat keel types can make all the difference in finding the right boat for your needs.

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2022 Boat of the Year: Best Full-Size Cruiser

• By Cruising World Editors
• December 15, 2021

During and in the four days immediately following the US Sailboat show in Annapolis, Maryland, the  Cruising World  judges inspected and sailed on 27 boats vying for recognition. Learn more about the boats in our  2022 Boat of the Year  »

It’s fitting that the category of uncompromising world cruisers comes from different corners of the world: the Far East, Sweden, France. On top of that, the three vessels vying for victory in this Full-Size category are testaments to the fact that there are many ways, in both systems and construction, to skin the proverbial cat. Electric propulsion (Salona 46); metal construction (Cigale 16); twin rudders, and advanced onboard power storage and distribution (Hylas H57). In different aspects, each of these nominees are state-of-the-art. They collectively prove that if you wish to sail far, you can go your own way.

French boatbuilder Alubat has a long and impressive history of building aluminum sailboats that have taken adventurous sailors far into the high latitudes. The yard’s range of Ovnis date back to 1974, and feature a centerboard design that allows them to cross oceans, then slip into thin waters where other cruisers might not venture. In 1994, the yard began to build keel yachts under the Cigale range. The company also offers the Ovnicat, a 48-foot aluminum multihull.

Evidence of how the company has evolved over time is exhibited by the Cigale 16 , the boat our judges inspected and sailed during the 2022 Boat of the Year contest. “It’s a Marc Lombard design, so more performance-oriented than earlier boats,” judge Tim Murphy said. “There’s more luxury here; it’s a new direction. 

“The Cigale’s layout down below is really intriguing, with the saloon and dinette situated below the cockpit, where there’s also a series of berths, including a couple of pilot berths. The very experienced owner said, on passage, that they never went forward at sea. It’s smart and well-proven.” Forward of the saloon, a passage leads to a double berth and cabin forward, with two additional cabins, one to either side.

The boat features a versatile cutter rig. Tacking upwind, the staysail is easy to manage. Crack off to a reach and roll out the genoa and you can shift gears a bit. Then further off the wind, hoist the colored sail set on a continuous-line furler and you have yet another option for how to get from here to there.

The judges had two reasons to look forward to a sea trial of the Salona 46 , the latest model to be sent Stateside from the company’s yard in Slovenia. First, in fit, finish and gear the flagship of the range promised to be a fine sailing boat, created in collaboration with the team at J&J Design. Secondly, with its twin Oceanvolt ServoProp variable-pitch saildrive units, the 46, imported by San Francisco’s Green Yachts, is definitely one of the leading proponents for electric propulsion in the United States. 

Judge Murphy noted, “There are a lot of things to say about the Salona that are very strong. They’ve got a galvanized grid structure, and that’s a fine way to build a sailboat. It ties all the loads from the rig and keel together and makes for a really stiff boat. And our sail trial was superb. This boat lit up under sail, and was a joy to steer and tweak.”

Indeed. In 8 to 10 knots of breeze, we sailed along closehauled in the 6-knot range and gained another half knot as we cracked off to a reach. The single rudder/twin wheel steering was light and smooth, and the boat responded immediately to any tug or ease on the traveler.

The all-electric propulsion system was equally intriguing. In place of an engine below the companionway steps, Salona installed a sizeable bank of lithium batteries, all controlled by a battery management system that monitors charging and battery health to avoid any potentially dangerous problems. The batteries in turn power two Oceanvolt sail drive units, mounted to the hull under each of the aft-cabin berths. Each drive is capable of regeneration while the boat is sailing, and the theory behind having two is that the batteries can be recharged twice as fast, at a cost of about half a knot of boat speed.

The importer said that in long-range power mode, the 46 should be able to travel approximately 70 miles at a speed of 3 to 3.5 knots. Want to get home quick? You could cruise at 6.6 knots for about 15 miles. In all likelihood an owner with cruising aspiration would install a diesel generator for auxiliary charging.

And added benefit of the twin drives is that you have twin propellers and greater maneuverability. The importer demonstrated in open water how this might be employed in tight quarters and it seemed to work well.

Even with two strong sailing boats in the hunt for top honors, the Hylas H57 still managed to kick things up a notch or two, both dockside and sailing. As the judges reviewed their notes and deliberated over the Full-Size Cruiser entries, there were many reasons that it rose to the top of this highly competitive category.

Judge Gerry Douglas summed things up well: “The Hylas 57 is clearly driven by experienced builders with a vision of what a modern cruising boat can be. This is a new design and a departure from the traditional Hylas look, but it retains the construction and build quality for which the company is renowned. From the Bill Dixon design, integrated sailhandling systems, deck styling and interior finishes, the H57 is a fresh approach that indicates nothing has been taken for granted, but analyzed by experienced sailors to facilitate safe passages and comfortable life aboard.”

Hylas Yachts has had a good track record with previous Boat of the Year judging teams, who in the past have often also cited the systems and workmanship that go into these long-range cruisers, all built in the Queen Long Marine shipyard in Taiwan. It’s a family-owned boatbuilder that’s just recently been handed over to the next generation, and the H57 in part marks the transition.

The boat is packed with systems designed to enable a cruising couple or short-handed crew to handle its power-packed and versatile cutter rig. Sails are set and furled mechanically, and a camera system can monitor their trim (as well as numerous other areas of the boat) and send the video feed to the multifunction displays at either helm and down below at the nav station. This, plus a cockpit that has a hard Bimini overhead and side panels that can enclose it, takes watch keeping in challenging weather to a whole new level.

Judge Ed Sherman noted the thought that went in to how various technologies were used to make handling the boat easier. “I thought they did a great job, actually, in designing the sailing and handling controls. It’s all right there near the helm. And it worked pretty well. I liked that.” And so did his colleagues, which is just one of several reasons they named the H57 Best Full-Size Cruiser.

See even more details on the H57 with our new StoryStream interactive experience by clicking here .

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Balance 442 “Lasai” Set to Debut

Sailboat review: tartan 455, meet the bali 5.8, celebrating a classic, 10 best sailing movies of all time, kirsten neuschäfer receives cca blue water medal, 2024 regata del sol al sol registration closing soon, us sailing honors bob johnstone.

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A Look at Sailboat Design: Fin Keels vs. Full Keels

Details like keel design count when considering cruising sailboats..

Photos by Ralph Naranjo

When a keel tears away from a sailboats hull, it makes the loss of a rig or rudder seem like a minor inconvenience. History shows that its an uncommon occurrence, but because we now annually hear of such incidents, weve decided to take a closer look at keels and see what keeps the ballast where it belongs.

The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Offshore Special Regulations devotes pages to helping sailors prevent and respond to a crew overboard incident. There is nothing about how to handle the loss of a keel or ballast bulb. Some might say this is because such occurrences are so infrequent, while others note that, if youre still upright once the ballast breaks off theres not much you can do other than blow the sheets, douse the sails as quickly as possible and attempt to stop any leaks.

When solo sailor Mike Plants Open 60 Coyote lost her lead bulb in 1992, Mike was lost at sea. Other adventure-sailors have survived near instantaneous capsize precipitated by keel loss. In 2003, round-the-world racer Tim Kent and his crew capsized when Everest Horizontal lost its ballast on the way back from Bermuda. US Sailing Safety at Sea Committee Chairman Chuck Hawley was aboard the racing sloop Charlie, on the way back from Hawaii, when a loud groaning sound led to a deep heel as the lead peeled away from the keel bolts and ballast headed straight to the bottom. This encounter at least had a happy ending thanks to the crews quick actions to douse sail. Apparently the keel had been cast with too little antimony (an additive that causes lead to become a harder alloy). The point here is that keeping the keel attached is as important as keeping the crew safely on board. And for the offshore monohull sailor, preventing a keel loss, like preventing crew overboard, requires some informed forethought.

A ballast keel on a sailboat is a classic example of potential energy poised in a balancing act. The buoyancy of the hull itself offsets the effect of thousands of pounds of lead or iron. At rest, gravitys attraction for the dense material strains against the buoyancy of the hull, and the adjacent garboard region is continuously in tension. Few sailors spend much time contemplating how keel bolts corrode and what cycle-loading does to the resin matrix comprising the garboard region just above the ballast. What is apparent, is that the attachment material, whether it be wood, metal or fiber reinforced plastic (FRP), must be able to support a mass of metal weighing as much as a small truck-and do so day in and day out for decades.

Underway, every tack causes the rig and sailplan to try to lever this ballast package free from the hull. And when the helmsman starts daydreaming about lobster for dinner and wanders off course onto a granite ledge Down East, the keel designed to handle sailing loads takes it on the chin. Its easy to see why experienced designers and builders lose sleep over their decisions about keel shape, structure, and what kind of safety factor should be built into the structure.

Its surprising to discover that with better materials and computer-aided design, we still hear about incidents such as the Rambler capsize in the 2011 Fastnet Race (PS, May 2012). Just as significant is a spate of smaller race boat keel-ectomies that have caused ISAF to send out a cautionary note to sailors around the world, and introduce new structural standards for race boats. Keeping the ballast attached to the boat involves an awareness of a chain-like set of failure points. And one of the most difficult decisions each designer must make is how to marry foil efficiency with a structural safety margin that covers the boats intended usage and the unintended use of the keel as a depth sounding device.

For decades, engineers and naval architects have had to contend with some racing sailors Icarus-like quest-a trend that prioritizes shedding weight and making the keel foil a long, thin appendage with a high-aspect ratio. Though not quite a flight toward the sun with wings made of wax and feathers, some race-boat scan’tlings walk a fine line between lightweight and structural failure. The challenge lies in attaching a lead bulb on a high-tensile steel foil to a lightweight, high-modulus, FRP hull. Interconnecting the dense metallic ballast to the lower-density foam/fiberglass hull structure is a true engineering puzzle. Part of the challenge lies in the dissipation of point loads (confined to a relatively small area) and how to handle the resulting stress risers. A stress riser is the point at which theres an abrupt change in a materials flexibility, such as where a stiff, fin keel meets the more elastic hull bottom. In FRP composites like those found in a balsa-cored hull, stress risers are a likely place for delamination to occur. Over time, these can result in the failure of the FRP composite.

The see-saw effect of the keel counteracting a vessels righting moment is a mathematically predictable energy transfer. Even the effect of groundings such as those that turn hull speed into a dead stop can be quantified. But its the cumulative effect of fatigue (localized structural damage caused by cyclical loading) and corrosion that are harder to pin down.

The term allision refers to hitting a fixed object such as a granite ledge or coral reef. Naval architects analyze the energy transfer and evaluate the stress and strain characteristics that occur. The recognition that the keel-to-hull connection must endure even more punishment than is doled out in heavy-weather sailing episodes is at the heart of how structural specs are devised.

Designers also must consider the jack-hammer-like pounding of a keel on a reef in surf, and realize that there are limits to the abuse a keel and hull can endure. With this in mind, its reasonable to assume that sailboat keels should be built to handle sailing induced loads for decades. It is the extra safety factor built into the boat that defines what happens when the sandbar is a rock pile.

What is harder to anticipate are the unusual encounters that can inflict serious damage to the keel connection. Take, for example, what happens when a sailboats deep fin keel is wedged in a rocky cleft and a good Samaritan with a big powerboat attempts to pivot the sailboat using a line attached to the bow. The distance from the keels vertical centerline to the stem may be 20 feet or more, and with a couple of thousand pounds of bollard pull, the 20-foot lever arm creates a rotary force that can spike to 40,000 foot-pounds or more. This level of torque goes well beyond what most designers and builders model as sailing loads, and its likely to seriously damage the boat.

In plain low-tech talk, extreme fin keels provide a valuable performance edge, but they come with their own set of downsides that every owner needs to be aware of. In essence, the more radical the keel shape, the better the crew must navigate.

A couple of decades ago, PS Technical Editor Ralph Naranjo ran a boatyard and had a client who liked to cut the corners during Block Island Race Week. His first spinnaker reach into a granite boulder stopped the boat and shoved the companionway ladder upward six inches. This underscored how an allision that causes the keel to stop abruptly transfers a shock wave through the entire hull. The resulting compression cracked several transverse members in the New York 40 and damaged the core in the canoe body near the garboard.

The FRP repairs had to be tapered and all delamination problems resolved. The moderate-aspect-ratio lead fin keel absorbed a good deal of the blunt trauma. Judging from the cannonball-size dent on the leading edge of the lead keel, it was clear that the impact was significant. The dent offered grim proof of the advantage of having soft lead instead of steel as keel ballast. New floor frames were added, the broken transverse members were replaced, and the boat was off and sailing.

The next season, the boat had another Block Island encounter, and only because the Petersen-designed New York 40 was a pretty ruggedly built boat was a second repair even considered. This time, an equally violent keel-to-hull trauma came from an on-the-wind encounter with a different rock. The extent of the delamination was greater than it had been in the first go round, and more extensive core removal and repair was required. The keel was dropped in order to check the bolts and the garboard. With the bilge fully opened for the FRP repair work, the repair crew made a pattern of the canoe body dead rise and fore and aft contour. As the glass work was being completed, they fabricated a stainless-steel grid that would spread keel loads fore and aft as well as athwartship. The new grid reinforced the keel attachment and returned the sloop to the race course.

Afterward, Naranjo and the owner discussed the details of the repair, including the possibility of hidden, widespread damage from the two groundings. These included the dynamic loads imposed upon the chainplates and rigging, the likelihood of hidden resin-cracking, and potential for more delamination and core shear linked to the torque induced by the accident. In short, any serious allision causes overt and hard-to-detect damage far from the actual impact zone, and these can lead to more problems down the road. When buying a used boat, look for a good pedigree, but also look for signs of previous blunt-force trauma. A good surveyor will be skilled in such structural forensics, and he or she will do more than comment on the gelcoat shine.

In the early days of wooden ships and iron men, a lack of dense metal ballast put less point-loading in the garboard region of the hull. Bilges free of cargo were filled with rocks or tighter-fitting granite blocks cut for more compact stacking. The principal of ballasting a vessel was to lower her center of gravity (CG) and create both an increase in the righting arm and a greater righting moment to offset the heeling moment created by the rig and sail plan. The keel also helped lessen leeway and would evolve into an appendage that added lift.

Movable ballast had a few downsides, not the least of which was its propensity to move in the wrong direction at the very worst moment. Even small boat sailors have found out what can happen to unsecured pigs of lead ballast when the boat heels far enough over for gravity to overcome friction. Whether stones, lead, movable water ballast, or a can’ting keel are used to augment the boats righting moment, a sailor must anticipate the worst-case scenario. This is when the weight ends up on the leeward side of the boat and a bad situation can turn into a real catastrophe. Fixing or locking ballast in place, controlling the volume of water put in ballast tanks, and limiting the can’ting keels range are sensible compromises.

Internal ballast, the ballast inside a keel envelope thats contiguous with the hull, is still seen in many new boats. Island Packet is an example of a builder has stuck with this traditional approach of securing ballast without using keel bolts. Its a sensible design for shoal-draft cruisers, and the upsides are numerous. These high-volume, long-range cruisers arent encumbered by the demands prioritized by light displacement, performance-oriented sailors. Instead, Island Packets combine a rugged laminate and a long-footed, shallow-draft keel. This may not place the lead or iron ballast as deep as the tip of a fin keel, but it does keep the all-important CG low enough to deliver a powerful righting moment along with shoal draft.

In order to deliver the high angle of vanishing stability (AVS) also known as limit of positive stability (LPS), designer Bob Johnson puts what amounts to an internal bulb in the very lowest point in the boat. This long slug of iron or lead (depending on the model) is then covered by Portland cement, locking it in the Island Packets monocoque structure. The result is a contiguous FRP structure spreading keel loads efficiently over a considerable amount of hull skin. Keel bolts and the infamous garboard seam are completely eliminated. This approach to sailboat keel design dates back to the Rhodes Bounty II and other prototypes in the production world of sailboats. Now over 50 years old, many of these boats continue to have a tenacious grasp on the lead or iron that they hold.

Encapsulated iron ballast is much less desirable than encapsulated lead, and its sad to see builders skimp on this. Iron, or even worse steel, has been used in many Far Eastern encapsulated keels. It works as long as water and the resulting oxidation havent caused expansion and cracking of the seal. Lead is also denser than ferrous metal, and therefore, the same amount of ballast will have a smaller volume and create less drag.

Encapsulated ballast starts to be less appealing as keels become more fin-like and high-aspect ratio. The reason for this is that the geometry of the support changes, focusing more load on less area of the hull. As hull shapes evolved into canoe underbodies with hard turns in the bilge, and fin-like keels became thinner, deeper, and with shorter chord measurements (thickness), the concept of encapsulated keel became impractical. The Cal 40, Ericson 39, Pearson 365, and a long list of similar genre boats signified the end of an era when performance racer/cruisers would be built with encapsulated ballast.

External Ballast

Performance-oriented sailors and race-boat designers quickly latched on to hull shapes marked by deep-draft, foil-shaped, high-aspect ratio fin keels. From the late 60s to whats currently glowing on CAD screens in designer offices around the world, keels have grown deeper and shorter in chord length, and bulb or anvil-like tips have grown more and more common.

The design development was sound, lift was enhanced, and deeper-not longer-became the answer to getting to windward faster. The challenge was not only in designing an efficient shape, it lay in creating an attachment means that minimized foil flex and twist, retained the low drag coefficient, and still had the ability to withstand an occasional, albeit modest, grounding.

During this same period, marine surveyors and boatyard techs began to see moderate groundings result in major structural problems. The classic example was the allision that produced a moderate dent in the lead at the leading edge of the keel tip. In many cases, further inspection revealed cracks radiating outward from a knot meter or depth sounder mistakenly placed just ahead of the keel. An even closer look often revealed grid damage or a cracked bulkhead just aft of the last keel bolt. Like the New York 40 mentioned earlier, this was a result of a shock wave radiating through the hull structure. As we learned in Mrs. McCrearys science class, Bodies in motion tend to stay in motion, unless acted on by an equal and opposite force. Fin keel sailboats encountering abrupt energy transfers,tend to endure more damage than their long-keel counterparts.

A forensic look at the Achilles heel of external ballast highlights a few pitfalls. First the good news: Lead absorbs impact well, consuming much of the imparted energy through deformation. However, the translation of the remaining energy from the metal keel foil and keelbolts into an FRP hull is where we often find stress risers, and point loading linked to material and hull shape changes. The near right-angle interface between a modern sailboats canoe body and its deep fin keel is a classic load-path hotspot. In the old days, fiberglass techs spoke of oil-canning or the dimpling of a large section of the garboard as tacks were swapped.

Today Naval Architects use Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to better engineer hull structure. Colorized graphics pinpoint load concentration, glowing bright red in the region where the keel joins the hull, the epicenter of the oil-canning. A common solution to coping with this high-load focal point, is to eliminate core in the region and to gradually increase the unit schedule (layers of FRP), or to add an internal FRP grid. Maximum thickness of a keel stub is located where the keelbolts penetrate the stub. In this region, the solid glass thickness is often equal to the dimension of the keel bolt diameter or even greater.

Laminate thickness at the keel bolts is only part of the equation. Just as important is how the transition to the general hull laminate transpires. A bullet-proof keel stub that immediately transitions into a core hull comprising two units of laminate on each side of the panel creates whats equivalent to a tear-on-the-dotted-line weakness. Transitions that involve sharp angles and marked differences in panel strength require a well-reinforced taper that spreads loads gradually rather than abruptly.

Occasionally, we see massive metal frameworks used in the bilge as support for keel bolts; these structures need to be carefully engineered to not create the same hard spot fracture points. When carefully tapered in order to gradually introduce more flex, the problem is abated, as it was in the repair of the New York 40 mentioned earlier. The stainless-steel grid built to support the keel loads incorporated a gradual decrease in stiffness to the framework. The keel was carefully mated to the underside of this grid to ensure full contact (See Keel Bolt Repair Options, online). As a result, the crew relieved the hard spots at the end points and made the transition to the more flexible FRP hull less dramatic.

For cruisers, the take-away lesson is that extra reinforcement, a long garboard keel-to-hull interface, and internal transverse and longitudinal reinforcement really do pay off. Keep in mind that the extra weight this entails is all below the center of gravity and contributes to the secondary righting moment as well as keeping the water out.

This is a big departure from the way many modern production boats are built. They carry a skimpy ballast ratio of 30 percent or less, have less structure to support the keel and are not designed to handle unintended cruising consequences. There are exceptions, and its worth looking at the keel design and structure of the Navy 44 Mark II and the USCG Leadership 44 (see PS, August 2012). These boats utilize external ballast and are examples of rugged keel attachment. They have a relatively long keel-to-stub garboard junction, the laminate scan’tling meets American Bureau of Shipping recommendations, and both utilize an overabundance of 316 stainless-steel keel bolts and an FRP grid to keep the keel where it belongs.

There are many reasons why were seeing more keel problems today. On one hand, light, fast, race-boat design pushes the envelope, and thats probably OK. But when mainstream racer/cruisers start to suffer from lead loss, too much of one good thing (high-aspect ratio) and too little of another good thing (reinforcement) can begin creeping into design and construction.

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Better Sailing

Full Keel Vs Fin Keel On Sailboats

There are many types of keels, but the main two categories are Full and Fin Keels. Traditionally, cruising boats had a full keel, and that made them very stable in the water. This design prevailed for decades until the industry began to realize the emergence of a new type of consumer, the weekend vacationer, or sailor. For this new client, those high benefits were not a priority because rarely, if never to say, would he move away from the coast.

What is the Keel For?

Sailboats have keels to reduce the amount of slippage to leeward (the opposite side of the boat the wind is coming from). In essence, the keel of a sailboat has the function of compensating the action of the wind on the sails, preventing dejection, converting that force into thrust, and making the ship stay on course. As a general rule, the heavier and deeper a keel is, the more stable a boat is. 

Full Keel or Fin Keel?

Each keel shape has advantages and disadvantages, you will never have the “perfect” keel for your boat. But, the best keel for you and your boat completely depends on the style of sailing that you are planning on doing. 

Full Keel Sailboats

Although full keels are by far the least efficient design, they offer incredible strength and versatility. If we want to explore new waters in which we could run aground, or travel offshore, a complete keel will keep our backs better than any other. One thing is certain though, a full keel will never fall off your boat as a fin keel can.

Full Keel Advantages: 

• Handles better in tough weather
• Better directional stability
• Maneuver well in downwind conditions
• Better for offshore sailing and ocean passes
• Their movements are softer to be more in tune with the movement of the sea itself.
• Since the full keel runs through the entire hull, the forces exercised on it are transferred to a very large area, so it is often said that they are more robust.
• Thanks to their shape, they respond better to an impact against the bottom than a boat with fin keel, which could be seriously damaged.
• The rudder and propeller are more protected against a possible collision.
• If you stranded with a complete keel sailboat, the forces will be well distributed, the damage will be (in theory) minimal and your biggest concern (although not small) will be to see how to get the boat out of there.
• More stable when sitting still at anchor

Full Keel  Disadvantages : 

• Slower compared to a fin keel boat
• Handles poorly in winward conditions
• Usually more cramped than fin keeled boats.
• The turning radius is larger, which makes maneuvering in tight spaces difficult, and turning them with a weak wind can be difficult.
• You have to help more with the engine, which translates into increased wear and an increase in fuel consumption.

Fin Keel Sailboats

The fin keel is, by far, the most common type in modern sailboats. A fin keel is a flat, narrow and hydrodynamic piece located under the hull. Unlike the running keel, it is not an integral part of it but is screwed to it. To compensate for the relatively small ballast it provides, the fin keel is usually deeper.

Fin Keel  Advantages:

• They are faster than full keel boats
• They maneuver better
• Better for daysailing
• Less resistance to rudder rotation
• Short turning radius
• They usually fit better with tight schedules, such as weekend cruises.

Fin Keel  Disadvantages : 

• Less robustness and have to be repaired sooner.
• They offer less lateral resistance, which can lead to a strong and sudden heel when a wave or gust of wind hits the boat.
• They do not keep their course as well as a full keel boat and demand more effort and attention at the helm.
• The rudder is more exposed and is more vulnerable to shock and material fatigue. In this sense, an important variation of the rudder is the rudder with skeg. The skeg is a sturdy element that offers support and protection to the rudder.
• If we are stranded with a sailboat with a fin keel, we can find cracks or fissures at the junction of the keel with the hull.

Full Keel Vs Fin Keel – Summary

It is said that fin keels are made to outrun a storm and full keels ara made to weather a storm. So, a full keel sailboat will be slower but more stable during bad weather where a fin keel will be faster but more unstable. A fin keel boat will not have a problem sailing during a storm and you will make it out just fine but you will not be as comfortable or “safe” as in a full keel boat.

Your choice also has to do with the length of the boat you will buy. A very small boat will benefit from a full keel and heavy displacement in terms of seaworthiness and safety. However, a small boat with these characteristics will be a slow one. If speed and time are not your concerns then maybe a full keel is a better match for you.

Like so many things in sailing, there are many tradeoffs in this particular choice, and only you can decide what’s best for you.

So, as you can understand, there not a clear winner in this competition. The answer to this question really does depend on what is the purpose of the boat’s design and your individual needs. Will you be using your boat to cruise, make passages, offshore cruising, offshore racing, coastal racing, etc? You first need to answer these questions and get a boat the checks most items on your “wish list”.

Peter is the editor of Better Sailing. He has sailed for countless hours and has maintained his own boats and sailboats for years. After years of trial and error, he decided to start this website to share the knowledge.

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The Importance of Control

We have a unique perspective when it comes to keel design (philosophy) by having had many years of practical experience with a full keel, a modified full keel with a “Brewer Bite” and our current configuration; a modified fin keel with fully skeg protected rudder (and yes, we even have experience with full blown racing fin keels as well). There is no question each type of keel design has some advantages but, at the same time, each has its own set of disadvantages and understanding what best fits your needs is the real question. The following are some of our thoughts (and facts) in this regard…

Why do we like a Modified Fin over a Full or a true Fin Keel?

A typical fin keel used on your average club racer/cruiser has a significant performance advantage over your typical full keel – of this there is no question. A fin keel sails far better (especially to weather) and affords superior maneuverability both under sail and power (especially in reverse).

There is also no question that full keels have some advantages over a narrow fin and they include better tracking (especially in quartering seas), being obviously more durable structurally by simply having far more contact area with the bottom of the hull and allowing lower CG (center of gravity) storage capacity (which would make the boat more stable).

For the modern cruiser concerned with safety and comfort, obviously the requirements should more closely favor the full keel characteristics at the expense of the higher performance fin… right? Well, not so fast (actually slow) … we think the answer is both yes and no. Here are a few facts based on our years of experience with full keels…

• Full keel designs have very limited directional stability in reverse as they have a tendency to either go straight or walk in the direction of the prop rotation. They will not steer in reverse unless you have enough speed over the rudder to counter the massive lateral plain of the keel. This means you have to have water flow (and a good deal of it) over the rudder before you will gain any ability to control direction… this often means you are going way too fast for the situation. Any one who tells you any differently is either trying to sell you a full keel boat or has never experienced anything else. This means that a skilled captain has to maneuver with a heavy hand on the throttle while favoring (trying not to get in a situation against) the boat’s natural tendencies. An intimate knowledge of the boat may allow you to carry this off (and a bow thruster really helps) but you can imagine that sooner or later you will find yourself in a situation where you have to maneuver against the boat’s natural tendencies and this usually happens in very tight quarters. For many this fear is real and far worse than getting caught out in any bad storm. You will often find these owners are very reluctant to take their boats into unknown situations which limits their freedom and ability to use the boat.
• Full keels do not turn very well. Again… it is all that lateral resistance. Some will tell you they can turn in their own length…and they can, but in only one direction and only while using the prop walk in reverse. Trying the same maneuver in the opposite direction is –well difficult, if not impossible.
• Leeway – while full keels do have the advantage of a lot of lateral resistance on some points of sail, they generally sail very poorly to weather. It is not that the boat can’t point to weather; it is the fact that the leeway is so bad you will find it is much faster (Velocity Made Good or VMG) to crack off and build speed to allow the keel to work with its lateral surface. Unlike a full keel, a fin keel can create lift to offset the leeway (to a degree). It does this by utilizing an airfoil shape similar to that of a jet’s wing which is designed to work at high speeds and, as it turns out, water has very similar hydrodynamic properties at low speed to air at high speed. All the various foil sections have been developed and tested and the simple fact is that there is a relationship between the shape of the foil and the length of the cord compared to the width. To work correctly the keel has to have foil selected from the NACA 62 to 64 series which sets a defined relationship of the width to the cord (length). To try and claim a full keel can create lift is misleading at best as any lift it can create is offset negatively (if not completely) by the increased wetted surface of the keel itself.
• Wetted Surface – As a vessel passes through the water it physically moves the water around the boat and this creates friction. The more wetted surface the water has contact with, the more effort is required to move the boat. Obviously a full keel has far more wetted surface than a smaller keel.

What about structural concerns?

We know that boats run aground all the time and, indeed, a good cruising boat should be designed and intended to withstand this kind of punishment. This is the one reason most do not consider using a higher performance fin keel on a cruising boat. As you reduce the interface area between hull and the keel, you increase the loading. The idea with the longer keel (including full keels) is that the keel is more like part of the hull itself as opposed to an appendage… it disperses the load over a larger area. While modern laminates can be designed to be strong enough to handle a given load often the overkill required to obtain the kinds of safety factors we are looking for also means that the structure would be too heavy to fit inside the displacement parameters (you would never find a high performance fin keel boat designed into the moderate displacement range). A modified fin keel (which is essentially a long fin keel or a short full keel if you prefer) has enough surface contact area to allow the structure to be robust enough to meet our requirements. We design our keels for the absolute worst case scenario with safety factors high enough to meet and cover any eventuality.

The Inevitable Conclusion

Considering you are going to have to maneuver the boat in a marina (to and from a dock) nearly every time you use it, we feel that the diminished direction control issues (especially in reverse) are reason enough to avoid the use of a full keel design. We feel you cannot underscore enough the importance of being able to properly control the boat in tight confines, whether under power or sail, and the high loading and skittish nature of the high performance fin keel detracts from the obvious performance advantages. For these reasons we design our boats with a modified fin… strength and durability with ability to maneuver and sail.

More about our Design History

Prior to 1980 all Ted’s designs were based on the traditional full keel. By the mid 80’s our keels evolved into a modified full keel by employing the Brewer Bit (first designed by Ted Brewer). Essentially it was a full keel design with a large section cut away in front of the rudder. This still provided complete protection for the rudder and prop with a full skeg (which also acts like a tail feather to improve tracking) but also dramatically reduced the overall size of the keel. The results allowed the boat to turn better, back up with an improved degree of control, sail with less leeway (although not much) and be more easily driven (sailed faster in light air).

In 1999 we modified the keel again (along with a complete redress of the hull structure). This time we further decreased the wetted surface and used a real 64 Series NACA foil section. The new keel was a little shorter (fore and aft), taller and far more defined. Still too large to be called a fin keel but at the same time it could not really be called a modified full keel either. The results were very positive. The biggest improvement is in performance without any noticeable loss of sea keeping ability. In fact the new design is easier to control, lighter on the helm and obviously faster in all points of sail.

Sailboat Keel Types: Illustrated Guide (Bilge, Fin, Full)

The keel type is one of the most important features of your boat. But the different designs can be confusing, so I've set out to create a very clear guide that will help you understand sailboat keels once and for all.

What are the most common sailboat keel types? The most common sailboat keel types are full-length keels, fin keels, bulb keels, wing keels, bilge keels, and lifting keels. Full keels are popular among cruisers, while fin keels are generally used for racing. Bilge keels and lifting keels are typically used in tidal waters, on small fishing boats for example.

In this article, we'll explore the most common keel types together. I'll use diagrams to really hit home the differences of all these keel types, and we'll discuss what keel types are best for liveaboard, ocean cruising, and lake weekend trips. After reading this article, you'll know what to choose - and why.

Sailboat Keels Explained

On this page:, overview of sailboat keel types, keel types: fundamentals, modified full keel, centerboard.

If you just want a quick overview, here's a list with the most common keel types and a short description. More detail will follow below.

The most common keel types

• Full keels run from front to aft and are the most stable keel type, making them the most popular cruising keel.
• Fin keels offer the best performance but are less comfortable. This makes them popular for racing. Fin keels are bolted on to the hull and generally run deep and thin.
• Bulb and wing keels are both variants on the fin keel.
• Bulb keels carry additional ballast in the tip, making them more stable.
• Wing keels have two tips at the end of the keel, which reduces crossflow, improving directional stability.
• Bilge keels are double fin or double full kees, which allows the boat to be beached, making them the most popular keel for tidal waters.
• Lifting keels are moveable keels that can be lowered and raised, allowing the boat to enter shallow waters as well.
• Centerboard keels are a pivoting lifting keel, allowing to sail both coastal and inland waters.
• Leeboards are fins on the sides of flat-bottomed hulls boats, making a keel unnecessary.

Properties of each keel type

What does a keel do?

What does the keel do? A keel is a vertical blade running down from the hull. It is weighted and acts as a ballast, countering the boat's tendency to heel and preventing it from tipping over. The wetted surface under the waterline reduces slippage to leeward by creating a track, which counters the sideway force of the wind on the sails.

The reason sailboats don't tip over is that the weight of the keel counters the buoyancy of the hull, which means it will pull the boat downward. This downward force reduces heel and prevents the boat from rolling.

A canoe doesn't have a keel. Try stepping into that: it will want to roll.

It counters the horizontal force the wind puts on the sails. Whenever the force on the sails increases, the resistance of the water on the keel increases proportionally.

The heavier the keel, the less heel you'll get.

A keel reduces slippage to leeward. Slippage is simply the amount you fall off course because of the direction of the wind and current. Leeward is the side of the boat behind the wind.

So if you don't have a keel, you will fall off course quite a lot because the wind will push you over the water surface.

You will also heel quite a lot since there is nothing beneath the water surface to counter the force of the wind high up in your sails.

A keel fixes both of these issues and makes sailboats one of the most reliable boats in heavy winds and storms.

You can read on about how keels work here.

Keels can be classified by multiple dimensions. You can look at them from the side or the front. You can also classify them based on properties.

Before I dive into each keel type in-depth and show examples, let's make sure we have the same starting point.

There are essentially two sorts of keels:

Fixed keels

Movable keels.

Fixed keels are keels that are integrated into the hull or bolted on. They can't be moved or lifted.

When looking at fixed keels, you can divide them up further based on the side view. There are three main categories:

Bilge keels

Full keels are more comfortable, provide better stability and protection, but are also slower than fin keels.

Fin keels are less comfortable, provide less stability, are more vulnerable, but they're also a lot faster than full keels.

Bilge keels are double keels: one on each side of the hull. This allows them to be beached, which comes in handy in tidal waters. They are generally a lot slower and less maneuverable compared to fin keels.

Movable keels can be lifted from the water, creating a shoal (shallow) draft, allowing the boat to enter both shallow waters and coastal waters. This makes it a very versatile keel type. There are two main designs:

Lifting keels

Lifting keels can be lowered and raised through a slit in the hull. Examples of lifting keels are the daggerboard and centerboard.

Leeboards are wooden swords attached to the side of the hull and prevent slippage to leeward, but they don't stabilize the boat, nor counter heel by adding ballast.

With fin keels, there are different tip designs available. The most common two tip designs are:

These are both variants of the fin keel. Generally, these keel designs are mentioned in one breath with full keels and fin keels, creating confusion on what kind of keel they are. But it's important to understand that they are a sub-category of fin keels.

Rudder design

As with the tip of the fin, there are different rudder designs that may apply to both fin and full keels. The two most common rudder designs are:

Skeg rudder

Spade rudder.

A skeg is a structural part of the keel in front of the rudder that protects the rudder. The keel encompasses the rudder, preventing any rogue ropes, weeds, or rocks from damaging the rudder.

A spade rudder is an unprotected rudder: it doesn't have any structural protection from the keel design. It is simply attached to the hull. This design is very common.

Alright, we understand the big picture. Let's dive into more detail for each keel type and discuss the pros and cons.

Fixed keel Good for cruising and liveaboards Comfortable

What is a full keel? A full keel runs from front to aft for at least 50% of the hull and is fully integrated into the hull. It has the largest wetted surface of any keel type, and it is also the heaviest. This results in directional stability and reduced heeling, providing the most comfortable ride, but also the slowest.

The wetted surface simply means the amount of water contact area. With such a large wetted surface, it decreases slippage to leeward the most of all keel types, while it counters heeling the most as well.

The full keel is the most comfortable and stable keel type available. However, comfort comes at a price. It delivers the worst performance due to this large wetted area. It is the slowest of the keel types, and it has the worst windward performance.

This makes full keels particularly great for longtime cruisers or liveaboards who prefer comfort over speed, but less ideal for daysailers who need to navigate in and out of slips regularly.

Since it runs for at least 50% of the hull, it doesn't need to run as deep as a fin keel, resulting in a more shoal draft.

Heavier keels result in increased displacement, so a full keel boat will need a larger sail area to compensate for its weight.

For a more detailed discussion on full keel advantages, I recommend reading William's excellent article 5 Surprising Advantages of a Full Keel Sailboat here.

Example sailboats with a full keel:

• Nicholson 22
• Island Packet 380
• Beneteau Oceanis 411 Clipper
• Beneteau First 50
• Jeanneau Sun Shine 38
• Dufour 455 Grand Large

There are a lot of great cruising boats with full keel designs , some of them considered classics.

Full Keel with skeg rudder

Full keels with a skeg rudder design have a protected rudder, thanks to putting a structural part of the keel directly in front of the rudder. This helps with fending off any hazards to the rudder, like floating pieces of rope, rocks, or garbage, and protects it in case of running aground. The skeg design ensures the rudder is nearly impossible to break off.

Fixed keel Good for cruising and liveaboards Faster than a regular full keel

What is a modified full keel? A modified full keel is a full keel with a cutout at the front, reducing the wetted surface slightly, which increases performance without sacrificing too much comfort and stability. After the full keel, it has the best directional stability and the least amount of heel.

The modified full keel is popular among (bluewater) cruisers, thanks to its increased handling and performance. Most modified full keels have a skeg rudder, ensuring it is well-protected.

The slightly reduced weight and wetted surface improve windward performance quite a lot, but it is still one of the most stable keel designs out there.

Example sailboats with a modified full keel:

• Hallberg-Rassy HR 40
• Dufour Arpege 30
• Beneteau Oceanis Clipper 281
• Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 37.2

Fixed keel Good for racing Fast

What is a fin keel? A fin keel is a long, weighted blade attached to the bottom of the hull. It is lighter, faster, and more maneuverable than a full keel, but also more vulnerable. The increased distance between ballast and sails provides a lever, reducing the need for a large wetted surface or additional ballast.

Fin keels are generally bolted onto the hull and run deeper and thinner than a full keel. They are also lighter. This helps increasing performance (a lot), making fin keels a lot faster in all situations.

There are some major disadvantages to fin keels, however. Fin keels are a lot less comfortable than full keels and allow for more heel and a less solid track, so less directional stability. Fin keels are also a lot more vulnerable than full keels. They can break off when running aground, or get damaged.

They are very popular among racers and perform better when maneuvering in tight spots, like getting in and out of slips.

Example sailboats with a fin keel:

• Catalina 30
• Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 36.2

Fin keel with skeg rudder

Fin keels with a skeg rudder use a small structural part in front of the rudder to protect it. This design is mostly integrated into the hull, making it less vulnerable, and a great compromise between speed and safety.

Fin keel with spade rudder

Fin keels with a spade rudder have a completely exposed rudder, and typically a fin that is simply bolted on. The keel isn't integrated into the hull, making it more vulnerable and less comfortable.

Fin keel variant Good for cruising Less crossflow

What is a wing keel? A wing keel is a fin keel with a horizontal foil at the tip, which is wing-shaped and generally weighted. Its shape reduces crossflow, improving directional stability, and its ballast decreases heel, resulting in a more comfortable ride. The addition of a wingtip allows for a shorter fin, reducing draft.

Wing keels are good for cruising since this design improves directional stability compared to a regular fin keel or a bulb keel.

We'll discuss the wing keel's advantages and disadvantages in more detail in this article.

Fin keel variant Good for cruising Stability

What is a bulb keel? A bulb keel is a high-aspect-ratio fin keel with additional ballast at the end, which generally has a bulb or teardrop shape. This ballast improves stability and utilizes the distance between force and counterforce as a lever. This design reduces the need for a deep fin, resulting in a shoal draft.

By placing the weight at the largest possible distance from the force on the sails, you need relatively little extra weight for the same reduction in heel, making bulb keels very effective for cruising.

This design reduces the wetted area while increasing the weight of the keel just slightly, which increases sailing comfort big time.

Example sailboats with a bulb keel:

• Bavaria B/One
• Beneteau First 24

Fixed keel Good for racing Can be beached

What is a bilge keel? A bilge keel is a twin keel which uses double fins, allowing the boat to be beached and rest on its keel upright. Bilge keels have double the wetted surface, which increases comfort and directional stability while decreasing heel. Modern bilge keels often provide decent windward performance, thanks to better design.

The bilge keel does sacrifice speed compared to the fin keel but doesn't necessarily offer worse performance overall. Older designs performed considerably worse than other keels and were especially slow.

Bilge keels have some major advantages over full keels and fin keels. The most important is that the boat can be beached, making it a popular design in tidal waters. Bilge keels are especially common along the British coastline, where fishermen keep their boats in tidal harbors.

Another major advantage is that the boat can be stored resting on its keels, making dry storage and maintenance a lot easier.

Of course, there are many more pros and cons to the bilge keel , which we go into here.

Example sailboats with a bilge keel:

• Dufour Dynamique 62
• Hunter Duette
• Patagonia Patago 39
• Macwester 27

Lifting keel Good for daysailers Versatile

What is a centerboard? A centerboard is a type of retractable keel that rests on a hinge and can be lowered through a slot in the hull. It folds out like a pocket knife and allows you to increase or reduce the draft of the boat. Centerboards are mostly used on small fishing boats.

The centerboard is a very versatile keel type, allowing you to have both a very shoal draft for inland waters, as well as steadying the boat and reducing heel for larger bodies of water, or even oceans.

I've sailed a Cornish Crabber with a centerboard for a week, and while we stayed inland, having the option to increase the keel depth really came in handy when crossing the IJsselmeer (a former sea in The Netherlands).

There's more to the center

Olaf Roethele

https://www.theyachtmarket.com/en/new-boats/cornish-crabbers/adventure-17/218/

My name is Olaf and I am the owner of a Cornish Crabber 17 Adventure boat.

I would like to ask you if you can imagine to install on this boat a Torqeedo 2.0 Pod motor? Therefore i guess a modification of the keel/skeg is necessary ?!

Best regards from Uruguay,

You completely missed the hybrid planing/water-ballast keel of the Macgregor range

Thanks a lot for this explanation

Roger Bannon

Very well written article which provides an excellent guide for us small wooden boat builders. Thanks.

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Home » Blog » Bluewater sailboats » The best bluewater sailboats (we analyzed 2,000 boats to find out)

The best bluewater sailboats (we analyzed 2,000 boats to find out)

By Author Fiona McGlynn

Posted on Last updated: May 16, 2023

We analyzed two-thousand bluewater sailboats to bring you a list of proven offshore designs

What are the best bluewater sailboats?

This was a question we asked a lot of experienced cruisers when we decided to sail across the Pacific. We needed a boat after all, and we wanted to buy the best bluewater sailboat we could afford.

We heard a lot of strong opinions.

Some sailors thought it was reckless to go offshore in any boat that didn’t have a full keel.

Others prioritized performance, and wouldn’t dream of going anywhere in a slow boat like the Westsail 32 (a.k.a. a “Wet Snail 32”).

Opinions like these left us feeling confused like we had to choose between safety and performance.  

If we learned anything from these conversations, it’s that what makes a bluewater boat is a hotly debated topic!

However, there’s a way to cut through all the opinions and get to the bottom of it. The solution is….

We analyzed just under 2,000 boats embarking on ocean crossings (over a 12 year time period) and came up with a list of the ten best bluewater sailboats.

Where did we get our data?

The data for our best bluewater sailboats list comes from 12 years of entries in the Pacific Puddle Jump (PPJ), an annual cross-Pacific rally. We took part in 2017 and had a ball!

You can read about the methodology we used to analyze this data at the bottom of the post.

What do we mean by “best”?

We know, that word is overused on the internet!

Simply, based on our data set, these were the most common makes and models entered in the PPJ cross-Pacific rally. There were at least 10 PPJ rally entries for every make of boat on our top 10 list.

So, these boats are 100% good to go?

No! A bluewater boat isn’t necessarily a seaworthy boat. Almost every cruiser we know made substantial repairs and additions to get their offshore boat ready, adding watermakers , life rafts, solar panels, and more.

Also, you should always have a boat inspected by a professional and accredited marine surveyor before buying it or taking it offshore.

But my bluewater baby boat isn’t on this list!?

There are hundreds of excellent bluewater yachts that are not on this list. For instance, we sailed across the Pacific in a Dufour 35, which didn’t even come close to making our top 10 list.

Choosing the right boat is very much an individual journey.

Where can I find these bluewater boats for sale?

We recognize that a top 10 list won’t get you very far if you’re shopping for a bluewater boat (especially if you’re looking in the used market).

So, to help you find your perfect boat, we’re going to create a big list of bluewater boats that you can use to refine your search on Yachtworld, Craigslist, or any other places to buy a used boat .

Sign up for our newsletter to get our big list of bluewater boats list as soon as it comes out.

We’re also working on a series of posts by size class. For example, if you’re looking for a smaller boat, you can narrow it down to the best bluewater sailboats under 40 feet .

Takeaways from our analysis

There were no big surprises on an individual boat level. All of these makes are considered good cruisers, some of them are even best-selling designs! However, there were a few things that caught our eye.

“Go simple, go small, go now” still holds water

We were thrilled to see the smallest boat in our roundup at the very top of the list! Westsail 32 owners can take pride in their small but mighty yachts (and ignore all those snail-sayers).

While undoubtedly there’s been a trend towards bigger bluewater cruisers in recent years, small cruising sailboats seem to be holding their own. 60% of the monohulls on this list were under 40 feet (if you count the Valiant 40 which sneaks just under at 39.92 feet).

Cat got our tongue

So, we knew catamarans were a thing, but we didn’t fully appreciate HOW popular they’d become!

50% of our top 10 bluewater boat list consists of catamarans—a good fact to toss out the next time you’re trying to garner a happy hour invite on the party boat next door (which will undoubtedly be a catamaran).

Still got it!

We’ve got good news for all you good old boat lovers! 60% of the boats on our list were first built before 2000.

While these older models are less performance-oriented than modern designs, cruisers value these boats for their ability to stand up to rough seas and heavy weather. It just goes to show that solid bones and classic looks never go out of style.

Alright, without further ado, let’s dive into our list of the 10 best bluewater boats!

The 10 best bluewater boats

1. Westsail 32

The Westsail 32 is one of the most iconic bluewater cruisers and 19 have set out to cross the Pacific in the PPJ rally since 2009.

In 1973, this small cruising sailboat garnered a 4-page spread in Time magazine. The article inspired many Americans to set sail and the Westsail 32, with its double-ender design, set the standard for what a real bluewater cruiser should look like.

There were approximately 830 built between 1971 and 1980.

This small boat has taken sailors on ocean crossings and circumnavigations. Though considered “slow” by some, the heavily-built Westsail 32 has developed a loyal following for her other excellent offshore cruising characteristics.

If you’re interested in small bluewater sailboats, check out our post on the best small sailboats for sailing around the world .

2. Lagoon 380

The Lagoon 380 is a reliable, solidly built catamaran and considered roomy for its size. We counted 18 of them in our data set. With over 800 boats built , it may be one of the best-selling catamarans in the world. Like the other boats on this list, the Lagoon 380 has proven itself on long passages and ocean crossings, winning it many loyal fans.

3. Lagoon 440

18 Lagoon 440s have set out to cross the Pacific in the PPJ rally since 2009.

Why leave the comforts of home, when you can take them with you? The Lagoon 440 is a luxurious long-range cruiser, offering beautiful wood joinery, spacious accommodations, and a deluxe galley. Oh, and you have the option of an electric boat motor !

SAIL and Sailing Magazine have both done in-depth reviews of the Lagoon 440 if you want to learn more.

4. Amel Super Maramu (incl. SM 2000)

If you follow the adventures of SV Delos on YouTube, you probably know that the star of the show (SV Delos— in case the title didn’t give it away ) is an Amel Super Maramu. These classic bluewater sailboats can be found all over the world, proof they can go the distance.

We counted 16 Amel Super Maramus and Super Maramu 2000s in our list of PPJ entries.

Ready to join the cult of Amel? Read more about the iconic brand in Yachting World.

5. Valiant 40

When I interviewed legendary yacht designer, Bob Perry, for Good Old Boat in 2019, he told me that the Valiant 40 was one of the boats that most defined him and marked the real start of his career.

At the time, heavy displacement cruisers were considered sluggish and slow, especially in light winds.

Perry’s innovation with the Valiant 40 was to combine a classic double ender above the waterline, with an IOR racing hull shape below the waterline. The result was the first “performance cruiser”, a blockbuster hit, with over 200 boats built in the 1970s.

It’s no surprise we counted 16 Valiant 40s in our data set.

Cruising World magazine dubbed it “a fast, comfortable, and safe cruising yacht,” and there’s no doubt it’s covered some serious nautical miles.

It’s worth noting that there were blistering problems with hull numbers 120-249 (boats built between 1976 and 1981). Later models did not have this problem. Despite the blistering issues, the Valiant 40 remains one of the most highly thought of bluewater designs.

6. TAYANA 37

The Tayana 37 is another hugely popular Perry design. The first boat rolled off the production line in 1976 and since then, nearly 600 boats have been built. Beautiful classic lines and a proven track record have won the Tayana 37 a devoted following of offshore enthusiasts.

12 Tayana 37s have set out to cross the Pacific in the PPJ rally since 2009. Read more about the Tayana 37 in this Practical Sailor review .

7. Lagoon 450

If this list is starting to sound like a paid advertisement, I swear we’re not on Lagoon’s payroll! This is the third Lagoon on our list, but the data doesn’t lie. Lagoon is making some of the best cruising sailboats.

The 450 has been a hot seller for Lagoon, with over 800 built since its launch in 2014. While not a performance cat, the Lagoon 450 travels at a reasonable speed and is brimming with luxury amenities.

At least 12 owners in the PPJ rally chose the Lagoon 450 to take them across the Pacific. It’s no wonder SAIL had so many good things to say about it.

8. Fountaine Pajot Bahia 46

There were 11 Fountaine Pajot Bahia 46s in our data set.

Fountaine Pajot released the Bahia 46 in 1997, a sleek design for traveling long distances. Its generously-sized water and fuel tanks along with ample storage for cruising gear are a real plus for the self-sufficient sailor.

According to Cruising World , “Cruising-cat aficionados should put the Bahia 46 on their “must-see” list.”

9. Catalina 42 (MKI, MKII)

10 Catalina 42s (MKI and MKII) have set out to cross the Pacific in the PPJ rally since 2009.

The Catalina 42 was designed under the guidance of the legendary yacht designer and Catalina’s chief engineer, Gerry Douglas.

One of Catalina’s philosophies is to offer “as much boat for the money as possible,” and the Catalina 42 is no exception. According to Practical Sailor , Catalina aims to price its boats 15% to 20% below major production boats like Hunter and Beneteau.

Practical Sailor has a great in-depth review of the Catalina 42 .

10. Leopard 46

Since 2009, 10 Leopard 46s have embarked on Pacific crossings in the PPJ rally.

Leopards have won legions of fans for their high build quality, robust engineering, and excellent performance.

The Leopard 46 also boasts something of a racing pedigree. It was built in South Africa by Robertson and Caine and designed by Gino Morelli and Pete Melvin, who came up with the record-breaking catamaran Playstation / Cheyenne 125 .

Read more about the Leopard 46 in this Cruising World review .

Methodology

What the data is and isn’t.

The PPJ data was a real boon because it reflects a wide range of cruising boats: small, big, old, new, expensive, and affordable. We think this may be because the PPJ is a very financially accessible rally—the standard entry cost is $125 or $100 if you’re under 35 (age or boat length!).

We did look at data from other (pricier) rallies but found that the results skewed towards more expensive boats.

Needless to say, the data we used is just a sample of the bluewater boats that crossed the Pacific over the last 10+ years. Many cruisers cross oceans without participating in a rally!

Entries vs. completions

The data we used is a list of the PPJ entries, not necessarily the boats that completed the rally. In instances where we saw the same boat entered multiple years in a row, we assumed they’d postponed their crossing and deleted all but the latest entry to avoid double counting.

Boat make variations

The world of boat building and naming can get pretty complicated. Sometimes a manufacturer changes a boat’s name a year or two into production, other times the name remains the same but the boat undergoes a dramatic update.

For the most part, we’ve used SailboatData.com’s classification system (if they list the boats separately, then we have also), except where there are two separately listed models that have the same LOA, beam, and displacement.

Fiona McGlynn is an award-winning boating writer who created Waterborne as a place to learn about living aboard and traveling the world by sailboat. She has written for boating magazines including BoatUS, SAIL, Cruising World, and Good Old Boat. She’s also a contributing editor at Good Old Boat and BoatUS Magazine. In 2017, Fiona and her husband completed a 3-year, 13,000-mile voyage from Vancouver to Mexico to Australia on their 35-foot sailboat.

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5 Best Liveaboard Bluewater Sailboats

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

December 28, 2023

Liveaboard bluewater sailboats are both comfortable to live on and capable of making long, offshore ocean voyages.

The best liveaboard bluewater sailboats must strike a balance between comfort and seakeeping abilities. These boats are generally heavy and stable and roomy enough to spend time in. They must also include the necessary hardware to make cooking, sleeping, and bathing possible in choppy conditions.

Table of contents

Bluewater Liveaboard Sailboat Design

What makes a good bluewater liveaboard sailboat , and how is it different from a coastal cruiser? There are a few aspects of purpose-built bluewater sailboats that make them different from most production vessels. The first and (possibly) most important is the hull design.

The classic bluewater sailboat hull shape features a long, deep, full keel. The keel acts as a hydroplane and keeps the boat stable on course in all sea conditions. Deep keel sailboats aren't the only kind of bluewater-capable vessels, but they're a tried and tested design.

Other vessels gain stability from having a wide beam. Beamy sailboats are far more comfortable in rolling seas, as they tend to buffett and pitch much less than leaner, narrow boats. Most ideal liveaboard bluewater sailboats balance length and beam carefully to make the most of the space and hull shape.

Space is another important quality to consider when choosing the best bluewater liveaboard sailboat. Interior space comes first, as living quarters are a key element of comfort.

Cockpit space should also be considered, especially if more than one person comes aboard. Most liveaboard bluewater sailboats sacrifice cockpit space for cabin space.

A comfortable liveaboard sailboat should include several amenities, including a head (toilet), a shower, two sinks, a galley with a stove, an icebox, a place to eat, and a place to sleep. Ideally, the dining area is separate from the primary sleeping area.

A separate chart table is ideal as well because it keeps food and clutter away from important navigational equipment. A chart table is less important on liveaboard sailboats that spend the majority of their time docked. That said, the chart table functions well as a spot for a microwave, toaster oven, or TV when you're not underway.

A separate forward V-berth, known as a master cabin, is a big plus on liveaboard boats. Separating the sleeping area from the rest of the cabin can increase comfort and coziness.

However, on a bluewater sailboat, a side berth near the hatch is essential as well. This is because you may need to quickly take control of the vessel after waking up, and it's best to sleep close to the helm.

Power and Water

Power and water shouldn't be overlooked when choosing a bluewater liveaboard. Many liveaboards spend most of their time docked and hooked up to shore power, water, and sewage. But bluewater liveaboards are designed for cruising, which means everything must be self-contained.

The best bluewater sailboats have sufficient freshwater storage tanks for several weeks on the water. Some have desalination (water maker) machines, which require electricity to run.

Solar panels are an excellent option for power generation, and they can be installed on almost any sailboat.

But all bluewater sailboats should have battery banks and a gasoline or diesel generator built into the system. On many vessels, the inboard engine also functions as a generator.

Safety is an essential factor to consider when choosing a cruising sailboat , especially if it doubles as your primary residence. Basic safety equipment such as bilge pumps and radios should be maintained and tested regularly. Backups and spare parts should also be kept aboard.

Other safety features, such as watertight hatches, can keep your cabin safe and dry during inclement weather. Self-draining cockpits are helpful when sailing offshore, as spray and waves drain from the exposed cockpit without the use of electric or mechanical pumps. If the drain ports are kept clean, no bailing is ever necessary.

Radar is another useful safety feature that, while not mandatory, can keep you in-the-know and alert you to the presence of nearby ships. Radar is especially useful at night, as the automatic alarms can wake you whenever a potential obstacle appears nearby.

Bluewater Sailboats for Living Aboard and Cruising

Living aboard a sailboat is one of the most interesting and rewarding lifestyles available today. It's even more alluring when you can sail your vessel across oceans, which is what bluewater sailboats are designed to do.

A liveaboard cruising sailboat combines comfort, seakeeping ability, and ease of handling in a compact and thoughtfully-designed package. Here are the best liveaboard sailboats for bluewater cruising.

1. Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20

{{boat-info="/boats/pacific-seacraft-flicka-20"}}

The Flicka 20 is the smallest and most interesting sailboat on our list. At only 20 feet overall in length, the interior accommodations of this vessel are spartan at best and suitable for minimalist living.

What makes the Flicka 20 stand out is its exceptional bluewater performance. This sailboat is truly an ultracompact pocket cruiser. With a full ballast keel, self-draining cockpit, and wide beam, the Flicka 20 is more capable offshore than some boats almost twice its size.

This sailboat has the profile of a traditional keel cruiser. From a distance, it would be easy to mistake for a much larger vessel. Its hull shape, manageable Bermuda rig, and small size make it a perfect starter sailboat for single handed offshore cruising.

Inside, you have (almost) everything you need to live comfortably, albeit in a minimalist way. The cabin features standing headroom throughout, which is highly unusual for a 20-foot sailboat. On the port side, you're greeted with a small but functional galley. On the starboard side, there's a small head with a toilet and a shower.

The Flicka 20 displaces a hardy 5,500 lbs. Due to its large keel, there's no centerboard trunk to obstruct interior space. A V-berth upfront makes up the sleeping accommodations, and some models feature settees on both sides with a pop-up dining and chart table in between.

The Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20 has achieved somewhat of a cult status amongst bluewater sailboat enthusiasts. Only about 400 were built, so purchasing a Flicka 20 is somewhat of a rare and expensive proposition. That said, the benefits of owning a 20-foot bluewater liveaboard sailboat are hard to beat.

Cheap slip fees, low maintenance costs, and simplicity are the major selling points of this vessel. It's trailerable behind most heavy-duty pickup trucks and technically small enough to store on the street or in a driveway.

2. Pacific Seacraft Allegra 24

{{boat-info="/boats/pacific-seacraft-allegra-24"}}

If the Flicka 20 is too small for your taste, try the Pacific Seacraft Allegra 24. It follows the same design principles of the Flicka 20, but with four feet of additional space for cabin amenities and seaworthiness.

Four feet may not sound like a lot, but it makes a world of difference on a sailboat. The additional space on the Allegra 24 adds room to the head, extends the port and starboard settees, and increases the size of the galley.

If you like the idea of a small, semi-trailerable offshore sailboat with liveaboard amenities, you'll love the Allegra 24. This stout sailboat has almost miraculous handling and seakeeping qualities while retaining the benefits of small overall size.

With the Allegra 24, you'll be able to make virtually any offshore passage and save on slip fees, maintenance costs, and overall labor. This vessel is easy to sail single handed and large enough for a minimalistic couple to live, eat, and sleep comfortably.

The Pacific Seacraft Allegra 24 is not ideal for people who need space for pets, children, or guests, as the interior is quite small when compared to other sailboats. That said, there's enough room for an occasional passenger, and the cockpit is comfortable enough for four adults to sit and interact.

3. O'Day 28

{{boat-info="/boats/oday-28"}}

The O'Day 28 is a popular sailboat that makes a great liveaboard cruising platform. This affordable vessel was produced between 1978 and 1986, and over 500 examples were produced over the years.

All in all, the O'Day 28 is a stout cruising sailboat that's suitable for offshore and coastal sailing. It features a raked stern and hidden rudder, and a helm that's similar to what you'd find on much larger boats.

The O'Day has a large fuel tank for its inboard engine and an even larger 25-gallon freshwater capacity, which is excellent for offshore cruising. Additional tanks can be added in storage spaces, making the O'Day 28 suitable for long voyages.

The cabin of the O'Day 28 is spacious and includes everything you'd need to live aboard comfortably, along with plenty of storage space throughout. The wide beam of the O'Day 28 gives it lots of space, so the cabin doesn't feel cramped for its size.

Two models of the O'Day 28 were built; one featured a swing keel, and the other had a fixed swing keel. The swing keel model is ideal for coastal cruising and shallow-water sailing, while the fixed keel O'Day 28 is more suited for bluewater cruising.

That said, both keel variants make fine offshore sailboats. The cabin of the O'Day 28 features a large galley with a stove and icebox, two large settee berths, a large center table ahead, and a V-berth forward. The head serves as a separator to the forward cabin, giving the V-berth an extra layer of privacy.

4. William Atkin "Eric" 32

{{boat-info="/boats/atkin-co-eric-32"}}

"Eric," designed in the 1920s by famous marine architect William Atkin, is a radical departure from typical modern liveaboard sailboats. However, as a bluewater liveaboard sailboat, this vessel likely outshines all the others on this list in almost every conceivable way.

Eric is a 32-foot traditional wooden ketch. This planked full- keel sailboat displaces over 19,000 lbs and has a draft of about five feet. The basic design of the hull is based on early Norweigian fishing boats, which were known for their resilience in rough North Sea storms.

Eric is a traditional gaff-rigged vessel with two short masts and a long bowsprit. Though complex to rig, it sails beautifully in all weather conditions. One of the earliest examples built survived a hurricane offshore in the 1930s, and subsequent models have completed numerous long-range ocean voyages.

Eric is a purpose-built long-range ocean cruiser. Interior accommodations are spacious and designed for comfort and utility. Unlike most sailboats of the time, Eric features a full head with shower, a 'master cabin' style V-berth forward, a full galley with an icebox, and standing headroom throughout.

William Atkin's Eric is, by all definitions, an ocean-crossing sailboat designed to take between one and four adults just about as far as they want to go. It has all the qualities of an oceangoing sailboat in a compact package, along with excellent seakeeping characteristics.

The primary drawback of this 32-foot Atkin sailboat is maintenance. Most of these hulls were constructed using traditional oak planking, which lasts forever if taken care of but requires skilled maintenance. The planks are caulked using cotton wadding, and they'll need recaulking if the boat stays out of the water for too long and "dries up."

If you're looking for a beautiful and historic liveaboard sailboat with serious offshore cruising capabilities, consider an Atkin Eric 32. Although somewhat rare, examples of this design occasionally pop up for sale on the used market.

5. Pearson 35

{{boat-info="/boats/oday-28"}}, {{boat-info="/boats/pearson-35"}}

The Pearson 35 crosses the rubicon into the 'big boat' category, as it has everything you'd expect of a large oceangoing sailboat. The vessel also has a unique displacement keel with an additional swing keel at the base.

The Pearson 35 is a roomy sailboat with excellent seakeeping abilities and a large sail plan. It's a typical Bermuda-rigged sloop with a tall mast and the usual sheet and halyard arrangement. As a result, it's fun to sail and easy to handle. It's also a fast boat, making it ideal for longer voyages.

The swing keel certainly doesn't make the Pearson 35 a shoal-draft sailboat. It has a modified full keel which (with the swing keel retracted) draws 3 feet 9 inches. With the additional swing keel down, the draft of the Pearson 35 increases to over 7 feet.

The Pearson 35 is a heavy boat with good sea keeping abilities. It was introduced in 1968, and over 500 units were produced. That makes it one of the more popular sailboats in its class, and plenty of Pearson 35s are still sailing around the United States.

Down below in the cabin, the Pearson 35 is roomy and comfortable. It features a full galley, an enclosed head with a shower and sink, and several berthing areas, including a forward V-berth. Plenty of storage is available throughout the cabin, making the Pearson 35 an excellent choice for living aboard.

There's something empowering about piloting a 35-foot sailboat through rough weather. The size of the boat provides both safety and a sense of security, which can help you keep a clear head during stressful situations at sea. The vessel is beamy as well, making it less likely to heel aggressively and increasing roll comfort in dicey seas.

Overall, the Pearson 35 is an excellent choice for a liveaboard bluewater sailboat. It's a large boat in comparison to the others on this list, and it's known for easy handling and excellent windward performance. The Pearson 35 is a common sailboat that's widely available on the used market.

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Full Keel Blue Water Sailboats Boats for sale

50' Blue Water Cruiser Skookum Center Cockpit Sloop 1972, full keel

Waianae, Hawaii

Make Skookum Marine

Model 47 Center Cockpit Sloop

Category Cruiser Motorcycles

Length 50.0

Posted Over 1 Month

You want this, she will take you anywhere and accommodate your wildest dreams. Once in a lifetime opportunity to own one of the finest cruising sailboats built for person looking to spend less upfront and fix her up to your own purpose. Vessel as is can make major crossing to Fiji or West Coast, currently sailing inter-island and at anchor in Hawaii. Great sailing boat, simple sail plan for ease of sailing. Vessel tracks well, very forgiving to inexperienced or rough water action. Great live aboard, large flush deck, center cockpit, raised aft cabin. 6'3" headroom average throughout. Midship main salon with sofa/double bed, galley. Forward unfinished but framed in double bed cabin, wash basin, storage area. Built in USA no inferior metals, craftsmanship or materials used as was common to similar Asian built vessels. This is a live to see another day serious blue water cruiser not a cookie cutter cheap build. Never had teak decks so deck is not compromised - has retained original strength, no hidden rot or leaks. Hull is 3/4" solid fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) that thickens at waterline and below to encapsulated full keel. Rare. Vessel requires TLC, cleaning & some project cosmetic work. Main engine not starting needs new starter, overhaul recommended. It is a boat for someone who has money to invest or who's hobbies include being handy. Price reflects that and need to sell NOW. Serious inquiries only. Reasonable offers considered. Motivated Seller for empowered motivated Buyer. Open to trade into smaller 31-38' vessel with cash. Vessel is sold as is where is, free clear title through USCG Certificate of Documentation Sale/Transfer of Vessel notary and Bill of Sale. Skookum Center Cockpit Masthead Sloop 1972, full keel renowned Ed Monk design built by Skookum Marine Inc., Port Townsend, WA. Do research the value & uniqueness of full keel bulletproof hull era, top end designers & builders. Online you can find similar 47-53' Skookum vessels in better condition priced up to $549,000. There are several in the $80,000 range with the original old interior and engine that need to be redone, rebuilt or replaced. If you look on Yacht World, Sailboat listings, etc. you will find Skookum 47' to 53' vessels. There is a 47' Custom Built Cutter Skookum for $549,000. Owners took the same 1970's hull to a boat builder for refit had everything inside topside redone. It's much more cost effective and a seaworthy vessel than new. S/V Aulani Aloha USCG Doc. # 1231261 with original build cert. - operational endorsements: Recreation, Registry for foreign waters, Coastwise for commercial passengers/cargo & fishery. Foreign built or State registered do not enjoy such liberties. LOA: 50', LOD 48', LWL: 38' Hull Speed: 8.5 knots Beam: 13' 6" Draft: 6' 6" Ballast: 11,500lbs; Displacement: 32,000 lb Internal volume: 1 ton equals 100 cubic feet - GT 29, NrT 26 Compare to other vessels. Hydraulic Windlass deck-mounted drum, pump clutch (new 2010); Simpson Lawrence Tiger 555 (2011 $1500) Anchor Rode - 66lb Bruce claw, 45lb Danforth, 44lb Delta; Chain 150' & 90' 3/8" G3/G4; 350' line Wagner hydraulic Ram, helm pump A2-W (new 2009) 44" Edson Destroyer Wheel (new 2009) Autopilot Hydraulic Comnav 1500/1510 with Fluxgate compass (new 2004 $2000) HRP100 Accu Steer Reverse Pumpset (new 2011 $2000) Large inboard hung spade rudder attached to keel, system serviced (2011), new cutlass (2011) 5 Batteries/2 banks - 350 amps, 220 amps (new 2014) 10 Amp Marine Battery Charger (new 2013) 2 Solar panels 80 (new 2011) & 100 watt (new 2013), controllers (new 2013), 200 Watt Invertors, DC/AC Circuit Break Panel Distribution, 3 Battery Selector Switches (new 2011), 75% of wiring (new 2011) all boat cable, marine grade Yanmar 2GMFL 5 kW diesel generator ($10,000 new), low hours, new 55 amp charger (2013) 1982 Ford Lehman 80 hp diesel main engine (rebuilt 2001). Gear Reduction 2:1. Fuel Tank 85 gallons, Dual Racor filters, booster fuel pump, SS Day Tank 10 gallons. Bronze Stuffing Box & Bearings (serviced 2011). Bronze thru hull ball valves (new 2011) 3 blade bronze propeller 22 X 15 LH, polished/balanced (2011); 1.5" SS Shaft Rule 12 VDC Bilge Pumps - 3500 gph (new 2011), 1100 gph (new 2014) 3 Fresh Water Tanks capacity 305 gallons; 12 VDC PUMP pressurized (new 2014); 10 gallon Hot water tank/heater 115 VAC Toyotami OM 22 (22,000 BTU) oil-diesel heater electronic ignition (new 2007), clean efficient no diesel smell. 3 Fire extinguishers, Flares, Eprib, Horseshoe life ring, 12PFDs, Ships bell, barometer Galley stove propane 3 burner & 20lb aluminum tank, Microwave Oven, SS Sink, 12vDC Igloo Ice Chest Jabsco Marine toilet (new 2013), 30 gallon holding tank. Aluminum mast, boom, spars by Yacht Riggers (new 2002). SS Rigging 3/8" and 5/16" (new 2002), (reconditioned 2008, 2011) chain plates all above deck easy to inspect - very good condition, insulated backstay for SSB-HF radio, spinnaker/whisker pole Winches - 2x Barient #28 (dual), 1x #22 and 2x #20 (cleaned serviced 2015) Sails: Dacron main with 6 battens (serviced by SLO Sail & Canvas 2011) fair condition & 130% dacron Genoa with sail cover UV (new 2010) good condition, Profurl headstay system. 4" Gemini & 3" Tell Tale Compasses JRC LCD Radar 1500 MK II (new 2010 $2000) Furuno Echo Sounder FCV 620, bronze transducer (new 2011 $1500) WM VHF 600, new antennae (2015) Extensive haul out 2011 - Barrier paint 2 coats, 3 coats ablative antifouling, 2 coats 2 part marine exposy hull & decks. Edson cast aluminum tender davits, SS swim ladder and boarding rails Walkthrough Layout: Entry from cockpit to aft cabin 14' long by beam with queen size bed, enclosed head to port and vanity/nav area stbd. 7' long passageway forward with storage clothes hanging area to stbd can be converted to berth. Main engine and gen set center under cockpit easy access. Main Salon midship 10' by 13', galley 9'x5' port side opposite machinery compartment into main salon. Forward space 14' to chain/rope locker. Stairwell entry exit to flush deck port side. Starboard side has thru hull fittings for second head original with construction. There is a framed in double bed to starboard with port side shelving for storage. Large Cockpit area 8' by 7' designed so one can easily add a pilothouse. Pictures of haul out, prop/stern/rudder are from several years past. Interior, deck, sailing and at anchor or mooring pics 2015-2016. See videos at my you tube channel Ocean Maverick for footage of history, underway, etc. Rare original insulation core high quality dense laid up inside of hull 1 1/14" with 1/8" FRP barrier inside to glass in any type of interior and use. Best type for heating cooling temperature control inside and noise reduction. Deck is 1 1/2" 2 layers solid and cored FRP laminates. I've lived on her last five years dockside, underway, on the hard, at anchor and sailing cruising often solo across 20,000 miles of ocean from Seattle down West Coast thru Hawaii into South Pacific & back to Hawaii. I had a two phase plan to refit, fix her up allowing me to enjoy cruising the Pacific Ocean and isles. I completed phase one but developed a condition two years past that now forces me to sell. An alternative to paying $150,000 for a similar in excellent condition or $80,000 with a running old engine worn and soon to fail or mandates a rebuild. Is to buy cheap get a great hull, good rigging & sail gear, anchoring system, versatile spacious interior to be used as is & continue remodeling or redo to your own liking while enjoying life aboard and/or sailing. Or an alternative housing scenario. That alternative is this. The 2010 survey put the boat at a $400,000 replacement cost, a $115,000 - $140,000 refit complete value and $85,000 market value. The prior owner needed a survey for bank loan and insurance. 2010 survey available upon request plus 2012 addendum.

The Nicest 42’ Aft-Cabin Cruising/Chartering Sailboats - Located in Costa Rica

Make Gulfstream

Model Aft Cabin

Length 42.0

The following is from when we had purchased her just two years ago. She is Literally, one of the Nicest 42’ Aft-Cabin GulfStream Blue Water Sailboats Ever Built and in Absolutely Excellent Condition ‘Beautiful & Spacious’, Loaded with Extras including ‘Central-Air Conditioning’ and Costa Rican Flagged. A Perfect Business Opportunity She’s Completely Renovated and Fully Equipped for Live Aboard, Tourist Business or for Comfortable and Safe Extended Cruising She is ‘Beautiful & Spacious’ Inside and Out including ‘Central-Air’ Costa Rican Flagged and offers a Perfect Business Opportunity New Exotic Wood Interior including over $75,000 in Upgrades and Electronics Sailing capabilities: Offshore Cruising and without limitations. This GulfStream-42 is in Excellent ‘Ready to Go’ Condition. She only needs someone to Appreciate and Enjoy Sailing with her. Please see attached pictures for details. She is Flagged and located in Costa Rica, Certified and All Taxed are Up to Date. We purchased this Beautiful Sailboat last year from a local sailor with 20-years of extensive offshore sailing experience but since we have had little time to enjoy her, we have decided to let her go to someone who would appreciate her as much as we have and has more time to enjoy a Lifetime of Wonderful Memories. BOAT DESCRIPTION: COMPLETELY UPGRADED AND FULLY EQUIPPED GulfStream-42 'Center-Cockpit' in Tip-Top Condition. Central Air-Conditioning, 6'8" Head Room with 2 private cabins, Two Full Bathrooms with Private Showers. Walk-through Aft Master Suite. Costa Rica Registered and Flagged. Title transferable through a Costa Rica Corporation. Perfect Income for Tourism. Boat is in overall excellent condition and well prepared for extended blue-water or costal excursions. Electricity is provided by both Shore Power, Solar and her onboard "4.5kw Northern Lights" generator. Interior/Cabin: Central Air-Conditioning provided throughout with a Comfortable and very roomy 'Walkthrough' Aft Cabin Stateroom with private head and shower, Forward V-birth with Private Head and Shower with lots of head room. Enjoy watching Movies or local Television Channels from her ‘Sharp 26" 720p HD LCD Television’. She sleeps 6 with lots of storage, Universal Gas Stove/Oven, fridge/freezer, very Spacious Cockpit, Newly Painted Bottom and Deck. General remarks: All New Navigation Electronics including the INTERPHASE (1,200') Forward Looking Sonar, Garmin 5208 8.4" 'Touch Screen' GPS, Garmin 18" HD Radar. She is an Excellent Sailor, Very Comfortable, Roomy, Extremely Strong and Well Built, Well Kept boat. Perfect for Chartering, Single Handling or as a Spacious Family Boat. Sails: 1992 and in very good condition. DETAILED SPECIFICATIONS Description GulfStream built many designs but this one's tough to beat as an outstanding cruising design. Her cutaway full keel and skeg-hung rudder offers uncompromising performance between comfort and stability. She's ready to store your provisions aboard, cast off her lines and make way for an Experience of a Lifetime. Dimensions LOA: 42/00 ft/in LWL: 33/00 ft/in Beam: 12/00 ft/in Maximum Draft: 4/10 ft/in Displacement: 22000 lbs Bridge Clearance: 56/00 ft/in Galley REFRIGERATION/FREEZER: Adler Barbour 2.8A@12vDC STOVE: Universal SS three-burner propane stove with oven (LPG) with GAS ALARM SINK: Single SS WATER SYSTEM: Pressure SEAWATER WASHDOWN WATERMAKER: New and Never Activated Powersurvivor-35 Accommodations A very spacious, cruise-friendly, Live Aboard interior lay-out! Provides Central Air-Conditioning throughout. The Aft Master Stateroom has a full-width KING-SIZE BED with Private head/shower. The Forward Stateroom has a roomy v-berth and storage in lockers, drawers and bins. The guest head is to port. The salon features a H-shaped dinette and a spacious L-shaped galley to port and an adjacent settee to starboard. The navigation stations is center and to starboard. Engine ENGINE: 50Hp Perkins-4107 diesel, completely overhauled 1998 HOURS: 150 hours since rebuild. New April, 2012 Heat Exchanger SPEED: Cruising Speed: 6mph / Maximum Speed: 8mph Electronics CHARTPLOTTER: New Garmin 5208/GSD22 FISH FINDER: Sounder/Fish-Finder BlueChart G2 2012 Garmin Vision VSA002R South America West Coast BlueChart G2 2012 Garmin Vision VUS031R Southwest Caribbean RADAR DOME: Garmin GMR 18 HD 18" Radar Dome DEPTH/TEMP: Garmin B60-12, 12 Degree Tilted Element Transducer VHF: Icom IC-M80 & Garmin VHF 200 Marine Radio HANDHELD Uniden MHS75 New Submersible Two-Way VHF Radio SONAR: 1,200' INTERPHASE COLOR TWINSCOPE FWD LOOKING SONAR STEREO: Dual MXD50 AM/FM/CD Marine Receiver AM/FM/CD WIND SPEED & DIRECTION: Horizon Standard AUTO PILOT: Alpha Marine Spectra "Top of the Line AP" KNOT METER/LOG: Horizon Standard COMPASS: Danforth Constellation (at helm) Electrical ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 12vDC/120vAC AIR CONDITIONER: Mermaid 16,000btu Air Conditioner GENERATOR: 2008 Northern Lights Generator (710 hrs) BATTERIES: 3-marine deep cycle House Batteries - 2-Starter Batteries - Both New May, 2012) AMP HOURS: 100Ah each BATTERY PARALLEL SWITCH: (2) Yes BATTERY MONITOR: Sterling ProReg D Marine 12/24 Volt Advanced Regulator DOCKSIDE CABLE: 50' 30-amp INVERTER: Power Bright 1,500w (New May, 2012) INTERIOR LIGHTING: 12vDC ALTERNATOR: Powerline Series 25 - 120amp (+ Control) BATTERY CHARGER: Progressive Dynamics 40 AMP Marine Charger PD2140 OTHER: 1-250W Mono-Crystalline Solar Panel Mechanical Equipment PROPELLER: Three-blade bronze BILGE PUMPS: New April, 2012 (1) New Rule 3000 automatic RAW WATER SEA STRAINERS: New April, 2012 Bronze FIRE EXTINGUISHING: Manual dry chemical FUEL FILTERS: (1) Racor STEERING: Wheel, cable to quadrant FUEL SHUT OFFS: Diesel, LPG FRESH WATER COOLING: Yes ENGINE ROOM HEAT EXTRACTOR TRANSMISSION: Hydraulic Borgwarner MASTER TOILET: Thetford Tecma 'Silence Plus' Electric Toilet - (New) GUEST TOILET: Jabsco 'Manual' Toilet - Guest Bathroom (New) HOLDING TANK: None WIND VANE SELFSTEERING: None FIRE SAFE: (New) Sails & Rigging SAILS: 2-Main (extra as backup); 1-Genoa (Roller Furling); Spinnaker ROLLER FURLING: Hood 808-SL (New) TOTAL SAIL AREA: 691 sq. ft. MAST: Aluminum, keel-stepped STANDING RIGGING: SS wire (New) SPINNAKER POLE: (1) WINCHES: (2) Barlow-16 at the mast with Barlow-2 wire main halyard winch. Lewmar 48 2-speed and a single Barlow-16 winch. Deck & Ground Tackle ANCHORS: 45lb. Bruce; 45# CQR, 40lb Grapnel stern anchor TOE RAILS: FG LADDER: Folding SS and Plastic swim BOW PULPIT: SS ANCHOR WINDLESS: 'MAXWELL' (12vDC) ANCHOR TACKLE: Two Forward Compartments. Bay-1: 250' Grade-40 High Test Genuine ACCO Brand Windless Anchor Chain Bay-2: 90' Grade-40 HT ACCO Chain with 300' of 1" Rode DINGHY & MOTOR: 2009 9.5 Caribe-C9 10' Hard Bottom Inflatable with Evenrude 15-h.p. Outboard. Both serviced April, 2012 ANCHOR DAVIT/ROLLER: Double SS LIGHTS: Deck-mount Navigatin, Masthead Tricolor, Spreader COVERS & CURTAINS: Custom aluminum Bimini with full enclosure, cockpit and aft deck awnings LIFELINES & STANCHIONS: Double SS wire on SS stanchions DECK MATERIAL: FRP with integral nonskid BOARDING GATES: P&S Safety Equipment LifeSling Overboard Rescue System 7-Adult & 2-Children Life jackets Exclusions Owners' personal effects She's located in Costa Rica and Import as well as all other Taxes are Fully-Paid and Up-to-Date. FYI: Import Taxes in Costa Rica for Sailboats are 65% of their Book Value. We've Invested over $125,000 since owning her however,she could be yours today for only $109,000 Reasonable Offers Considered.

1981 Island Trader Center Cockpit Ketch

Miami, Florida

Make Island Trader

Model Center Cockpit Ketch

Category Sailboats

1981 Island Trader Center Cockpit Ketch Big Price Reduction!  Don't miss this great buy on a classic sailing yacht..   A William Garden design. Arete is a heavily built blue water yacht that features striking good looks and hard to find old world teak woodwork.    Solidly crafted with a full no nonsense keel she is designed to be sailed on any of the 7 seas.  Below decks you will find a comfortable layout along with a galley redesigned by her knowledgeable owners.  Two staterooms each with private head / shower access,  a forward  facing navigation station and abundant storage all combine to make this boat an excellent choice for cruising.

1985 Bluewater Ingrid

Muskegon, Michigan

Make Bluewater

Model Ingrid

1985 Bluewater Ingrid The Ingrid 38 from the pen of William Atkin is a heavy displacement blue water cutter derived from Colin Archer's famous double ender designed North Sea pilot boats, which in turn were inspired by Viking boats renowned for their heavy weather characteristics. Perhaps Atkin sums it up best by saying it's "the kind of boat that behaves herself in rough water and can be depended upon to sail herself". (To that part we do hear frequent mentions of the superb one-finger-on-tiller tracking and a comfortable ride.) With her old world style, Josette's a good looking boat with a sheer line reminiscent of Crealock's famous Westsail 32. Her seaworthiness is there to see in her full keel, heavy displacement and overbuilt construction. Her hull is heavily hand laid in fiberglass. There's robust outboard chain plates and an outboard rudder protected by extra fiberglass and a large bronze shoe casting should she scrub the bottom. Atkin's main rework on the Ingrid 38 from Archer's original design was finer entry on the bow which 'cushions' her landing off the waves and even may increase speed slightly. Below the waterline she has a long full keel with deep v-sections forward keeping her stable in the rough. The ballast is encapsulated and is distributed from bow to stern, to keep the weight as low as possible. Rounding this off, there's plenty of flotation designed in her ends, fore and aft which helps keep her dry. The trade off of heavy displacement and ultimate stability is usually in speed so the Ingrid 38 is not considered fast. By the numbers, her hull speed works out at 7.2 knots but she'll more often manage a consistent 6 knots while cruising. Surprisingly she's known to sail pretty well in light airs, as owners report she'll do half the wind speed in up to 8 knots of wind. However, she's a boat that comes into her own in heavier seas. The cutter rig gives plenty of options on all points of sail and she's an easy boat to single-hand. Josette is her original name and she has spent most all of her life in fresh water. She only spent one year in salt water in 1985, her original launch year. This is a one-owner vessel. The hull was built in 1974 by Bluewater Yachts in Washington state and it is reported that these are the same builders that build the Nordic Tugs. The interior cabin sides (ceiling) were finished in planking by the original owner. The hull is foam insulated to keep you cool when it is hot outside and warm when it is cold outside. The galley area is a great work space for any type of cooking. The mast is anodized aluminum construction by MetalMast Marine, with internal halyards. The hull is solid fiberglass construction and does have some gel coat surface blisters above the waterline, but they do not appear to be structural. She recently had the following engine work accomplished: new head gasket, two new exhaust valves, injector service,

1981 ISLAND TRADER Center Cockpit Ketch

1981 Marine Trading International Center Cockpit Ketch A true classic.  Arete is a heavily built blue water yacht that features striking good looks and hard to find old world teak woodwork.    Solidly crafted with a full no nonsense keel she is designed to be sailed on any of the 7 seas.  Below decks you will find a comfortable layout along with a galley redesigned by her knowledgeable owners.  Two staterooms each with private head / shower access,  a forward  facing navigation station and abundant storage all combine to make this boat an excellent choice for cruising.  Full Exterior Hull Detailing May , 2015!

1985 Bluewater Ingrid The Ingrid 38 from the pen of William Atkin is a heavy displacement blue water cutter derived from Colin Archer's famous double ender designed North Sea pilot boats, which in turn were inspired by Viking boats renowned for their heavy weather characteristics. Perhaps Atkin sums it up best by saying it's "the kind of boat that behaves herself in rough water and can be depended upon to sail herself". (To that part we do hear frequent mentions of the superb one-finger-on-tiller tracking and a comfortable ride.) With her old world style, Josette's a good looking boat with a sheer line reminiscent of Crealock's famous Westsail 32. Her seaworthiness is there to see in her full keel, heavy displacement and overbuilt construction. Her hull is heavily hand laid in fiberglass. There's robust outboard chain plates and an outboard rudder protected by extra fiberglass and a large bronze shoe casting should she scrub the bottom. Atkin's main rework on the Ingrid 38 from Archer's original design was finer entry on the bow which "cushions" her landing off the waves and even may increase speed slightly. Below the waterline she has a long full keel with deep v-sections forward keeping her stable in the rough. The ballast is encapsulated and is distributed from bow to stern, to keep the weight as low as possible. Rounding this off, there's plenty of flotation designed in her ends, fore and aft which helps keep her dry. The trade off of heavy displacement and ultimate stability is usually in speed so the Ingrid 38 is not considered fast. By the numbers, her hull speed works out at 7.2 knots but she'll more often manage a consistent 6 knots while cruising. Surprisingly she's known to sail pretty well in light airs, as owners report she'll do half the wind speed in up to 8 knots of wind. However, she's a boat that comes into her own in heavier seas. The cutter rig gives plenty of options on all points of sail and she's an easy boat to single-hand. Josette is her original name and she has spent most of her life in fresh water. She only spent one year in salt water in 1985, her original launch year. This is a one-owner vessel. The deck and hull was built in 1974 by Bluewater Yachts in Washington state and it is reported that these are the same builders that build the Nordic Tugs. The interior cabin sides (ceiling) were finished in planking by the original owner. The hull is foam insulated to keep you cool when it is hot outside and warm when it is cold outside. The galley area is a great work space for any type of cooking. The mast is anodized aluminum construction by MetalMast Marine, with internal halyards. The hull is solid fiberglass construction and does have some gel coat surface blisters above the waterline, but they do not appear to be structural. She recently had the following engine work accomplished: New head gasket, two new exhaust valves, injector service, new

1972 Islander Yachts 40' MS

San Diego, California

Make Islander Yachts

Model 40' MS

1972 Islander Yachts 40' MS DAUNTLESS was designed by Charlie Davis as a serious blue water cruiser / live aboard. Built in Costa Mesa California this hull/model became the Islander freeport 41'. It has the same heavy duty / thick hull as the Islander Freeport 41'. She is ketch rigged with a center cockpit, full keel, wineglass hull. The center cockpit separates the full beam master suite with ensuite head and shower from the galley/salon and huge V-birth with giant closet and ensuite head. Which provides great privacy. This Coast Guard documented vessel has heavy duty construction throughout (most notably the super thick hand laid fiberglass hull). Think SAFE & STURDY ! The Dauntless has all new wiring and pluming and is solid Burmese Teak throughout, the person I bought this boat from 3 years ago paid $50,000.00 for her and put over $60,000.00 into up-grades and maintenance. With a 13'2" Beam, thereis plenty of living space, great storage and a very generous engine room with excellent access. I have been living on Her for the last few years and love to day-sail her around North Coronado and back. I can single hand her and fly four sails at once, this is knowledge that I would be happy to share with you over a couple of lessons. I just purchased a new much larger yacht and need to find a new home for DAUNTLESS. This boat needs cosmetic work like paint, varnish, cushions, curtains, etc. The guy I bought the boat from put most of his money into making sure the mechanical and operating systems were in good order at all times. If you are not handy with a paint brush you might not want this boat. For the person with basic skills I have priced the boat to move quickly. This boat in better condition would sell for $60,000 to $90,000. For all of you StarWars fans out there this yacht is like the Millennium Falcon, she's not much to look at but she has it where it counts. I have sailed all over the place and entertained countless friends on whale watching trips and parties at A-1 Anchorage, Glorietta Bay and quite dinners with that special someone to huge raft-up parities and everything in-between. This boat is designed to be safe and comfortable. All systems have been installed for simplicity, safety and durability. The Dauntless can handle gail-force winds with a reefed main and storm jib, Dauntless will take more punishment than most crew members. She needs some TLC so this is a tremendous opportunity to own a seriously built blue water sailboat that can take you anywhere in the world you desire in safety and comfort. She makes a fabulous live-aboard (witch I have been doing for the last few years). I AM GOING TO MISS DAUNTLESS BUT HOPE TO LEAVE HER IN THE HANDS OF AN ENTHUSIASTIC NEW OWNER!

1986 Canyon Industries 43 Sloop - Refurbished 2014

Pompano Beach, Florida

Make Canyon Industries

Model 43 Sloop - Refurbished 2014

1986 Canyon Industries 43 Sloop - Refurbished 2014 This 43' sloop was completely refurbished in 2014 and is a comfortable, solid blue water sailing yacht with classic layout. The spacious cockpit, the high freeboard and the tidy bow, along with the very generously sized deckhouse salon immediately convey comfort and safety. The steel hull with its moderate long keel and the rudder skeg make the Reliant an extremely seaworthy long distance sailboat. OWNER MOTIVATED! ***BRING ALL OFFERS*** Extended warranties and financing available. *** BROKERS WELCOME *** ... Click on "FULL SPECS" for pictures and details... TRADES ACCEPTED: up or down: including boats, yachts, cars, RVs, real estate... Worldwide Delivery and Financing Available!

1987 Irwin 38 Mk II

Fajardo, Puerto Rico

Model 38 Mk II

1987 Irwin 38 Mk II An extremely comfortable and well-thought out cruiser, this Irwin 38 has been meticulously maintained and in 'turn-key' condition! The center cockpit model Irwins are always hard to find, and there are good reasons for this. The Irwin is known as a blue water boat with exceptional sailing capability. It is quicker than most full keel boats.The long-keel design ensures a comfortable ride at sea, and the center cockpit layout allows for an extremely roomy and useful live aboard arrangement for cruising. Soon more pictures and specs...

1976 Fuji Ketch

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Model Ketch

1976 Fuji Ketch Namaste is a traditional, cutter-rigged ketch with teak toe and taff-rails, wide side decks, and a large cockpit. She has a fiberglass hull with a full keel, bow thruster and burns one gallon of diesel per hour at a cruising speed of 7 mph. The interior and exterior teak are in great condition and the decks are nonslip paint. All new canvas, cushions and upholstery (blue) were added in 2015. This much loved fresh water yacht has just traveled 2,200 miles leaving Charlevoix, Michigan in June of 2015. She has been with the current owner since 2000 and during their ownership they have made many upgrades and have maintained her well.

2006 Southerly 135 Galley UP

Charleston, South Carolina

Make Southerly

Model 135 Galley UP

2006 Southerly 135 Galley UP The Southerly 135 is the flagship of the Southerly range - the ultimate long distance cruising yacht with variable draught ability to reach lagoons and harbours that other blue water yachts have to pass by. Combined with Northshore's wealth of experience in custom design, you can make this the yacht of your dreams. Any amount of equipment can be added to enhance your creature comforts and with the Rob Humphreys design pedigree the sailing performance is assured. The Swing Keel Southerly 135 brings together the best in design and construction to provide a unique blend of performance, comfort and versatility. The twin rudder arrangement (which operates within the canoe body draft of 2'9" with the keel raised), provides easy handling and excellent sail carrying capacity. The 'tall rig' option maximises sailing performance by taking full advantage of the deep 'keel lowered' draft of 9'9", giving precise directional stability and powerful windward performance. She is a true world class cruising yacht capable of fast blue water passage making. The Southerly 135 can be easily sailed by two people. Halyard and reefing lines are fed back through the coach roof and the self tailing winches are positioned within the cockpit for easy handling. The large centre cockpit with ample stowage, is designed with both safety and comfort in mind. New Dodger & Bimini just installed, YAHOO IS GOING TO THE YARD to have a brand new awgrip paint job on the hull. Same color blue. And a new bottom job. Accommodations: High quality teak joinery, concertina blinds, tan micro-suede upholstery and new (2012) cushions and mattresses throughout.  Master stateroom with centerline double berth and extensive cabinetry.  Sylvania 15” f Request Information Call Now

1986 Slocum Cutter

Clearwater, Florida

Make Slocum

Model Cutter

1986 Slocum Cutter Stormy Monday is a USCG Documented aft cockpit blue water cutter rigged cruiser.  Designed by Stan Huntingford and built by Formosa Boat Building in Taiwan she shares the hull and interior layout with the mid-80’s Passport 42.  Stormy Monday has a modified cruising keel (encapsulated) with a skeg hung rudder and is surprising fast with a nice motion when sailed hard.An amazing amount of recent upgrades include: New bimini, dodger, full enclosure, cockpit cushions (2013)Furuno chart plotter, wind, depth, radar, sirius weather (2013)Ham/SSB Icom IC-7200 and Pactor P4 modem (2013)Standard Horizon VHF w/AIS receiver integrated to plotter (2013)Balmar 80A Alternator (2013)Island Time Wifi Antenea (2013)New Standing Rigging, Full Battened Mainsail and Furling Jib (2011)New Furling Staysil (2014)Mast & Boom Refurbished (2011)New Central Air Conditioning and Heat (2014)New Spectra Watermaker Ventura 200T (2013)420watts Solar panels (2014)Non-Skid Epoxy Decks (replaced teak decks 2010)

1974 Standfast - PJ Standfast 36

Make Standfast - PJ

Model Standfast 36

1974 Standfast - PJ Standfast 36 New Listing of a very reputable boat designed by Frans Maas, a successful Dutch Naval Architect that gained fame in the 60's and 70's, designing sailboats under the RORC rule and IOR. To add to the pedigree, this boat was exclusively marketed  by Palmer Johnson.  This is a fiberglass, not aluminum sailing yacht. This boat has been owned by a local sailor and his wife and they have enjoyed cruising the southern New England waters for many years.   The boat is well maintained.    It has fiberglass decks, a fin keel and a skeg for rudder support.  Mast height above the water is 54'.  Hull is dark blue.  Boat is stored outdoors with a shrink wrap for the winter. These boats were built as Standfast Yachts.  Sold in the US also as Palmer Johnson 36's.        I - 48.9' (14.9m)    J - 15.4' (4.69m)    P - 43'  (13.11m)    E - 12'  (3.66m)            Sail Area/Disp:  15.30    Bal./Disp:  40.69%     Disp/Len.:  314.84 The Standfast 36 is a strong, offshore capable boat that was designed ahead of its time.   Still carrying more modern, graceful lines with a reverse transom.  Boat has a comfortable interior, newer, easily accessed Yanmar 27Hp diesel, sheltered cockpit, full galley, dinghy, outboard, liferaft and plenty of extra gear.     This blue-water capable boat is ready for another season, as soon as spring breaks.

1995 Oceanis 351

Make Oceanis

1995 Oceanis 351 The Oceanis 351 was designed by Jean Berret and Phillipe Briand and produced by Beneteau between 1992 and 1997. Her sleek lines offer fast and efficient sailing and cruising, and her full-length galley and generous sized cabin are sure to prove popular amongst those seeking a genuine live-aboard cruiser for a longer trip.    The Oceanis 351 was designed for blue water cruising and sailing speed, and her bulb keel cuts an easy passage through the waves. Despite more conservative estimates from her manufacturer, she easily reaches an impressive 7 knots in good winds and 10 knots when cruising. She shares her hull with the Beneteau First 35.7, and her maximum waterline length and wide beam make for excellent stability in all weathers. In rough seas and strong winds, the Oceanis 351 has a good solid feel, whether under sail or in port.    The roller-furling main and genoa make for nice easy rigging and this is a yacht that makes for easy and safe light or short-handed sailing. The trademark balsa and fibreglass 'sandwich deck', also used on the Groupe Finot Oceanis, gives extra protection without weight. The downside of this light weight is that, when combined with a less powerful engine than some of the more recent Oceanis models, the Oceanis 351 performs less well in light winds.  Below decks, the Oceanis 351 truly comes into her own as yacht that was made for long distance blue water cruising. The salon and galley offer full headroom (1.9m) and there are two equal size aft cabins and a forward owner's cabin, all of which are generously sized. The galley runs the whole length of the large, U-shaped salon, and even the cockpit is big enough to seat the whole crew (with an icebox under the table to keep everyone happy too). Light and ventilation below decks is also excellent, thanks to the four portholes in the hull and deck. On the whole the accommodation is well set out for longer distance sailing, with plenty of nice touches such as the window above the sink for your resident galley slave to admire the view and the large hanging lockers in the cabins.    The Oceanis 351 makes an excellent choice if you are looking for a genuine ocean-going yacht that has enough accommodation and performance for a longer trip.

2016 Hans Christian Yachts 48 Traditional Cutter/Ketch

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Dana Point, California

Make Hans Christian Yachts

Model 48 Traditional Cutter/Ketch

2016 Hans Christian Yachts 48 Traditional Cutter/Ketch The Queen of the Hans Christian fleet has been proven over the decades as one of the worlds finest cruising yachts. All the specifications prove this out along with up to 12 year circumnavigations. Consider the High bulwarks, the custom teak work that can be as much or as little as you wish, The cutaway forefoot that allows quick tacking along with plenty of room for an optional bow thruster. Think of the masterful craftsmanship found in the interior and exterior, think of the fully hung rudder that is massive and fastened to the entire trailing edge of the keel, consider the propeller armature that protects the prop from lines and floating objects that are impossible to avoid. These blue water cruisers offer a great deal to all true sailors, in all conditions found at sea. There are many options such as full 1" stainless steel railing around the boat, bow thrusters, custom teak rub rails with bronze or stainless strikers, mast pulpits with pin rails and dunnage boxes, custom deck house for cockpit, full electronic packages that are installed at the area of commissioning. Generators up to 8KW, air conditioning, watermakers. and you name it, we can do it as long as it falls into the design objectives. These boats are all built to custom order, so a price must be quoted by the total picture. Shipping costs from your Thailand yard vary depending on the port of entry. ,

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