I think a major consideration would be what wind do you consistently see where you want to sail. Full keel boats and fin keel boats will reach their hull speed with enough wind. If you have a 38 foot full keel boat (assume waterline is the same), and fin keel boat, both will hit hull speed on a reach in 15-20 knots. The full keel will be left behind in light winds. If you are trade wind cruising, would you really be at a disadvantage with a full keel boat?
Boat makers switched away from full keels to bolt on keels because of economics driven by the rise of the charter industry, not because of improvements in technology. The fact that hundreds of fin keeled boats cross oceans every year does not mean they are as safe as full keels. The guy who started Kraken yachts did so after hitting a whale in the Indian Ocean, which severely damaged the fin keel and rudder of his boat. If I was regularly crossing oceans I would only do it in a full keel + skeg rudder.
@ABC gang indeed. It’s a hair raising story. Cheeky Rafiki lost its fin keel and flipped over, drowning everyone on board. That was due to a previous crew grounding her at 7-10 knots and the boat wasn’t repaired. Too many scare stories with non-full keeled boats and the open ocean. Even the mighty Hallberg-Rassy only makes fin keeled yachts now, but carefully markets them as coastal cruisers. Sad.
Two companies, jenneau and beneteau are the main charter fleet vessels, very little of the market switch to a fin keel had to do with economics driven by the charter fleet as both of these companies had at the time specific models for charter not their entire fleet. The rest of the fin keel manufacturers do not even have a single vessel in charter. As far as the raferti vessel that was owner negligence not the design. There are pros and cons to all keels, if you feel you need a full keel because you think you might hit a whale them by all means get one. The reality is when compared to other keels they are inefficient, are they strong ? Absolutely, fast ? No, if they were the strongest and most efficient design then the vendee globe vessels would all have full keels
@@ChasingLatitudes Economics is the reason all makers give for the move to bolt on keels. They’ve been asked. If the trend is for bolt on fin keels because of the two European giants then everyone else pretty much has to follow. Also, poor maintenance was exactly my point: the Rafiki crew had no idea their keel was in trouble. The fact that a keel or rudder could ever get in trouble is what troubles me! It probably doesn’t matter much if just coastal sailing…you’re only an hour away from rescue. If I only wanted to coastal sail I’d be very happy to own a Beneteau or similar - they are lovely boats.
@@ChasingLatitudes I should also clarify that it’s not fin keels that make me nervous in blue water: it’s bolt on keels. And unprotected rudders. Kraken’s yachts have fin keels with bulbs but they are mated to the entire superstructure of the hull. And their rudders have a big ass skeg. He’s only building them because he couldn’t find a modern equivalent. Anyway, if I owned a Beneteau then I think I would still cross oceans. But I would definitely feel like a cyclist on a highway.
I suggest you’re tarring all full keels with a broad brush. You should check out some of the upto date designs and performances, the Kraken is a great but not the only design.
I'm amazed by the passion for both full kill and fin kill enthusiast. Like anything else, it's probably a matter of preference. This channel has always spoken not too great of full keel so there is probably a bias against it based on his preference and perhaps not so much on anything else factual
Full keels can be amazing depending on your needs. There are some very basic facts , they are not as maneuverable as fin keels, not as efficient and not as agile. Some huge pros to the full keel are that they are the strongest keel on the market, if you run aground you will almost always be fine. They can and do cross oceans every day, these are meant to withstand a storm vs out run it, they also require almost zero maintenance. Everything comes at a cost in sailing, its up to each individual to decide what compromises to be made and where. If I stated anything un factual in this video please let me know as I will remove the video and remake it however I try to deal in facts. A full keel does not work for me personally and I would never own one however that should have zero impact on what someone else chooses. I do agree people have outlandish passions for certain types of keels, you are correct as I have been guilty of this here on this channel previously. I try to only stick to facts though
I prefer not look like a crisp packet on top of the water. Full and fin are the only way to blue water and feel safe with my rudder prop protected. Just my 0.2c worth.
Another keel design i didn't see in this vid is the long keel.. usually comes with skeg rudder, not yet a full keel but not yet a fin but inbetween. My boat a Kings Cruiser 29 has such a keel.. slightly faster slightly better manouvering but still encapsulated so no keel bolts to worry about
@@haywood12 If you walk into companionway it is about 6 foot going towards the bow it slopes down to around 5.9 until the Vberth which is 5 foot, it is also narrow but is sleeps 2 and 2 in v berth... it is built like a tank though.. you can create more room by re arranging the interior but for me its perfect. If need any more info.. let me know
