What is a twin keel boat?
Twin keels or bilge keels are two keels that emerge at an angle from the hull of a sailboat (and some ships), at or near the bilge. Twin keels are meant to make sailing safer and easier in shallow or extremely tidal waters while preserving the stability and performance of deep-keel vessels.
What is a motor sailer boat?
A motorsailer is a type of motor-powered sailing vessel, typically a yacht, that can derive power from its sails or engine, independently from each other during moderate seas or winds. A motorsailer may have a sail to engine power ratio in a range between 30/70 to 70/30 (percent sail power/percent engine power).
Can you motor a sailboat?
Dinghy sailboats generally only utilize wind propulsion, as well as sailboats whose owners prefer to go motorless. Sailboats have been around for thousands of years and only recently has it become standard for them to have engines. Small sailboats such as a Hobbie Cat or Sunfish do not have a motor.
What do bilge keels do?
A bilge keel is a nautical device used to reduce a ship’s tendency to roll. Bilge keels are employed in pairs (one for each side of the ship). Bilge keels increase hydrodynamic resistance to rolling, making the ship roll less. Bilge keels are passive stability systems.
What type of keel is best?
A full keel is one of the most stable keel types, which is why it is so common. Full keels are also safer should you run aground. If a boat with a full keel should come ashore, it will cut its way through the sand and eventually land on its side.
How fast does a sailboat go under power?
The average speed of a sailboat under power is 4-5 knots (5 mph or 8 km/h). Most sailors switch to engine at sailing speeds below 6 knots, especially when on passage.
Are sailboats cheaper than powerboats?
A sailboat is cheaper to purchase and to run than a powerboat. A second-hand sailboat is about half the price of a powerboat. The engines on powerboats are a lot more expensive than those on sailboats, which adds to the maintenance cost.
Are there any quick twin-keel boats?
Of course there are plenty of other quick twin-keel designs. In the early 1970s, for instance, the 24ft Foxhound, a product of the legendary Uffa Fox’s design office, was intended to demonstrate that a good bilge-keel boat could be as quick as a fin keeler of the same size.
When did the RM900 twin keel boat come out?
The company produced its first twin keel boat, the RM900, in 1989 and since then it has sold more than 10 models from 8-13.6m, with the current range encompassing five designs from 9m upwards. Of course there are plenty of other quick twin-keel designs.
How many bilge-keel boats are there?
The company has been building bilge-keel boats since the late 1990s, with the current range including five bilge-keel boats from 31-40ft.
Is this the fastest bilge keeler on the market?
The boat therefore has the accommodation of a comfortable and civilised cruiser, including an unusually large aft cabin that spans much of the full width of the boat, yet still leaves room for a good-sized cockpit locker. The bilge-keel version of the GT35 is likely to be the fastest bilge-keeler you’ll ever come across.