Sailboat Keel Types: 10 Most Common Keels Explained 

Great video man, drop the music to like 35% of current volume and you're golden :)

For bluewater cruising, I like comfort and safety more than speed, therefore a modified full keel with a skeg rudder is my preference. For better maneuverability in a marina, a bow thruster is a big help. The only annoying thing was needing to go back several times and replay due to the 'music' blotting out your voice. Thank you for these keel instructions!

Well-explained indeed. For me, modified full keel is king !!!

Well done. Good information for the beginner sailor. Thank you.

Some very important details were left out here. Maybe mostly important that the keel also creates lift in a very similar way as the sail does. Another left out fact about winged and bulbed keels is that their main purpuse is not so much the added weight for countering heeling but rather to reduce water flow from the high pressure side of the keel to the low pressure side of the keel as this unwanted flow creates vortices and induced drag which slows the boat down. I highly recommend the book "The physics of sailing explained" by Bryon D. Anderson which goes through all this and more in very fine detail including lots of equations to prove the physics behind it all.

I'm currently sailing on a volvo 70 and I have to say, performance wise canting keels are phenomenal. They easily increase speed by 2-3 knots and provide much stability and less heeling as well.

Great starter video for beginners. The "comfort speed maneuverability" triangle is excellent. Wing keels seem great unless you run aground at which point it can turn into an "anchor" and make it difficult to pull the keel out of sand or mud. Of course this should never happen...

Lots of great information, great format and the humour is a great part of keeping interest. The music I must agree with others is more of a distraction than anything else. Keep up the great work and I look forward to seeing more great videos.

Enjoyed and learned - thanks!

I enjoyed watching. Looking forward to more!

I'm looking at smaller monohulls at the moment and trying to get all the info I can get. This was bloody helpful, thanks!

Cat videos, production values skyrockets!!!🤣🤣🤣 needed a good laugh! Awesome video, second time watching your video.

Nicely done, sir!

I think your video was very informative. I did not know the different effects on sailing that each type of keel made. I also want to say that you have a voice that doesn't make the video seem boring. Thank you

Well done!! Thanks

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I've been waiting for this exact video to come my way and here it is. I'm just learning about sailing and all the different keel types had me baffled. I live off a huge tidally influenced river the Columbia. Wondering what would be best type of sail boat for my area. Very helpful.

Excellent video explaining keels. Only negative factor is background music which adds nothing to video.

Thanks for this video. Learned a lot from it. 👍

Excellent. Thank you!

Nice video Floki! Very good information.

Great video and you explained things well. I notice that many people said you left things out and I hate being one of those people but, I'm going to be one of those people. Bolt on verses integrated keels. Most new bolts come with bolt on keels which are much more prone to breaking off. The integral keels are built in as part of the hull making them much more stable and safe, important if you are on a blue water boat.

The production value of this series comment was hilarious! never seen one of your videos had to check more out just because of that statement 😂

Well done....Very informative!

Awesome video, thanks for posting!

Thanks!!! This is great info. And very well presented . Cheers from the US !

It’s difficult to concentrate with the music, either way, great video. Thanks for the content.

Very cool video, I never realised there were so many types of keels😄

One of my top ten channels.

Very informative.

Great channel. Thanks for posting.

Hey I appreciate the video very informative don't change the thing you explain things well and I am definitely one of those beginners that is 101 for dummies and you made it quite clear for me to understand, PS I've seen your doppelganger here in Arkansas I see him quite often

Very informative- thank you

Lots of great info. Thanks!

Thanks for sharing 👌that’s was very helpful

Great explanation, really appreciated it :)

Very helpful. Thank you.

great video, thanks for making it!

I would like to add the "multiple keel" category for catamarans and trimarans. Also explain the roll at 3:30. The center of mass of the keel MUST BE below the center of buoyancy of the ship in order to be stable in roll. Also also, is it possible to make a similar video about sail types ?? Good video, keep it up !!

Very good information. Great job

I "feel" it much better now. I was thinking, off-hand, the fin keel just "pressed against" the water sideways to counter the sail wanting to roll the hull over in the opposite direction, but it's actually, also (mainly?) pulling down and wanting to sort of "center" or "right" the boat at all times. Thank you.

Very informative!

Great video 👏🏻👏🏻

Thanks, great informative video

Music is too loud. You've got good content, why put music to distract it?

Great vid. Thanks.

I have owned three types, a SeaSprite 23 with a modified Full keel, a GP14 with a centreboard/lifting keel, and A montgomery 17 with a Hybrid keel/centreboard with the centreboard housed in a smaller "stub" keel beneath the boat. I prefer the Modified Full keel for just going for a sail, the SS23 would put her rail down and just go. No muss, no fuss, and very few surprises that can be inherent in other less stable designs.

Awesome information

Thank tou for great informations! Nice vídeo!

Great, thanks

Very informative

Informative..great video

superb commentary.. only wanted to see about a lifting keel but ended up watching the lot.😄

Best video explaining Keels. 👍💪

Very nicely done

Nicely done Sir

What a funny guy! I learned a lot about keels, too.

Great video. I have a 26' British Westerly Centaur bilge keel. It doesn't get any better. 3' draft and I can glide up to a sand bar and park.

I'm so glad my full keel days are done. Once you sail a fin it's hard to go back. At a certain point the enjoyment comes from sailing fast and well.

Very nice video. My sailboat has a wing keel.

Also remember some full keels are bolted on and some are "fully encapsulated" within the hull of the boat I believe this is the best design as you can never loose your keel.....it cant snap or be knocked off

master class in sailing

3:20 That joke was quite funny, subbed for that. Hoping to learn a lot watching you (^-^)

Thank you.

Thanks for the information so I have to look for comfort and a full keel 😎

Ótimo vídeo

Thanks mate

really nice video :) also, I love your facial expression, you look very much like one of my best friends :D

Thank you that helped me immensely, we are looking to buy a boat shortly.

I don't really even know how to sail really, found myself on here somewhat accidentally, and caught myself grinning for most of the video and watching it to the end. Funny guy. Thanks! P.S. Also, useful info.

This was great! My girlfriend benefited quite a lot from your delivery method and the info presented. Well done, sir! She said you have nice eyes!!

thank you

Thank you

Nice.

The intro alone made me subscribe.

Shane Acton sailed Super Shrimp, an 18' yacht, around the world in the 1970s. It had a double keel, which I guess must have been a bilge keel. He loved that he could bring it up onto the shore and stand it up on its double keel.

My favorite is the full keel cutaway forefoot. My Cape Dory Typhoon has one. Sooooo comfortable.

Een Nederlander !!! Gaaf ik woon op Aruba en ga over denk ik ( hoop it ) 3 of 4 jaar een boot kopen om op te wonen . Dank je voor de tips

super!

You know there are THREE categories of underwater appendages: KEEL Types which you covered in the current video ( bravo!) Also, there is the CENTERBOARD category( also used with KEELS) and the then the DAGGERBOARD category.....yup that's it, right? The total of sailing total history in three (3) groups REALLY? JUST 3, is the complete advancement of the underwater design excluding hydro foils which lift the boat. You did a great job presenting the many variants and issues of speed, shoal draft and a touch on safety. But really, with all the developments in sails and rigging it's taken hundreds of year's to address speed with SAFETY! NOW there is finally a FOURTH ( 4th) division of underwater appendages.... SCABBOARDS are the latest division of lateral direction stability that offers All the benefits of speed and performance , but most importantly SAFETY. As you pointed out in your video keels are fixed fins ( with in some circumstances LIFTING, that is to say Can be cranked up/ lifted over a period to provide for shoal draft but more so, not quickly to provide for safety for the crew, hull, or standing rig from shock. Typically, other than FULL KEELs impact with a submerged object causes much substantial damage and potential sinking due to breaching of the hull. CENTER- BOARDS like Leeboards rotate aft to relieve the impact, however, this moves the center of effort aft effecting helm and altering& negating the blade/foil. SCABBOARDs are a completely different mechanism, but offer the instant SAFETY of a CENTERBOARD without the rotation and alteration of the FOIL shape while maintaining the Hi-Aspect section for speed & performance. SCABBOARDs can be controlled to adjust the wetted surface dependent on the point of sail. Additionally, unlike CENTERBOARDS SCABBOARDS are not serviced below the waterline rather like DAGGERBOARDS they can be removed from above deck. However, unlike DAGGERBOARDS they do not extend above deck obstructing movement not adding windage. SCABBOARDS , a FOURTH division! Want to learn more? Let's talk Njsea7@gmail.com

we have a long fin (as in wide, not deep) on ours and with all things it is a compromise but it serves us well. Most long term cruisers and liveaboards will spend 90% of the time at anchor or in a slip if they have a few more pennies so at anchor comfort is also a very large consideration..

Great video, lots of interesting and useful info, thank you

Saya sudah klik tombol jempol dan subscribe. Aku senang dengan penjelasan di videomu. Terima kasih banyak. Slam dari Indonesia.

Nice, I am looking at making a small(14ft) boat with bilge/daggerboards. I think this design will give good performance, while not taking a lot of space inside the boat.

Super voice and presention style , like it Peter T England

I love Dutch barges & think they are very handsome boats, if they could cruise well & I could afford a boat they would be my choice hands down, esp for the shallow English waters.

I've seen on some larger sailing ships and motor yachts a type of hull with a "hybrid" dual keel design. A mix of Bilge Keel and Full Keel. They look like humps that run 3/4's of the hull's length under water. They are rounded and look like bulges. Have you seen this design before? I would think they add ballast under the waterline and add stability almost like a catamaran's dual hull.

VERY GOOD! - Sod off if I'm in a hurry, eh? Lol... Excellent video! Two questions: Q1: Canted bilge keels? (Keels could alternatively be used as ballast(s) with batteries inside as the ballast. Q2: What about low profile/horizontal sails? Seems counter-intuitive but someone I know wants to do it with a low 'X' profile of sails, bilge keels, and structure. Q2(A): Any advantage to catching wind off the top of the water?

Good info thanks. I would like to cut out my long keel, split it in two to make into twin bilge keel for beaching and shallow waters. But time is an issue its 23cm wide, would have to drill it to find out whats inside.

Kraken Yachts said, "hold my beer'' !

Wing keels have fallen out of favor with cruisers, mostly because of grounding. In mud and sand, the wings can kedge into the soil, making getting off the ground very hard.

A New and "wild" design being tested in offshore vessels is the " Hinged/Free Ballast Keel " these are attached to the hull on a large hinge that swings free from port to starboard and has a heavy bulb at the base. This keel is ALWAYS vertical to the waters surface and ocean floor ( mostly ) no matter how the vessel is heeling. While loosing an aspect of weight in ballast by the keel not being fixed to the hull, it does eliminate weather helm and increases upwind performance and boasts a 15-20% increase in speed. In heavy winds it can be tightened to different degrees to prevent knockdown making it more traditional in design. It can also be winched to a large degree in either port or starboard directions to achieve a very shallow draft if needed. Not sure if it'll make an appearance on a production vessel , but never say never.

Enjoyed to watch... I do have a question. Like many out there I'm looking for a bluewater boat to cruise possibly an Atlantic crossing however there is a 1000 opinions on which draft depth is better. If I had a full keel vs other types For example if I looked at a 10-14m sloop or ketch with full keel what is the minimum draft it should be or if I had other type of keel what am i looking for?

Great video. Loved your English! (Better than most natives!)

I liked and subscribed at go watch a cat video .Pluss you covered bilge keels . Most you tubers leave them out. Like yea let's not talk about the only boats that don't need slip fees and can live in the estuary for free. If a boat falls over when the tide goes out what use is it 🤷 Great video mate .

I wish I could find a list of boats by keel type. I have tried to look for this but have not had much luck.

Great video. You didn't mention shoal draft keels.

Great humour. Agree the volume of music can be a tad lower. You are definitely entertaining to watch. Do you have sailing basics?

I've been wondering why modern sailboats, even the bluewater oriented like Amel and Hallberg Rassy, never use full keels. Most commonly they use wing bulb keels. Is it because of the thecnologies that help sailors avoid rough storms, reducing the weather risks? Or is it that modern hull design can provide as much stability and confort as a full keel.

Excellent post! My query here is fin keel difference between shoal & deep given that I will be sailing most of the time in the Mediterranean, but would like to do the crossing of the Atlantic one day. Obviously one is deeper than the other, but sailing windwards, and ocean sailing in bigger waters, Is there that much difference? Shoal keel 1.60 & deep keel 1.90 Appreciate any advice Thank you