![]() ![]() ![]() So when we first saw the boat online and noticed it had a centerboard, we were pretty ambivalent about it. It wasn’t on any “avoid ” list of ours either it just wasn’t on our radar. When first looking for our sailboat, weren’t specifically looking for a boat with a centerboard. This combination of characteristics makes it possible to build a safe, seaworthy boat, capable of easily sailing upwind off a lee shore, while still allowing the boat to tuck way up into shallow anchorages when necessary. Similarly, lifting the centerboard reduces the wetted surface area, resulting in lower drag while sailing downwind. Having the ability to raise and lower the centerboard allows the the boat to operate in shallow waters when lifted, while maintaining good upwind sailing characteristics with the centerboard down. Let’s dive in and tackle each point of view.Ī centerboard is a retractable appendage that pivots in and out of a slot (centerboard trunk) in the hull/keel of a sailboat. The questioner’s face scrunches up with terror in their eyes: “Why on god’s green earth would you want to maintain a system like that!”Īnd after three years of owning, maintaining and traveling aboard a boat with a centerboard, we’ve been in each of these 3 camps at one point or another.The questioner’s face lights up with a twinkle in their eye and responds with something like: “A perfect Bahamas boat, nice!”.The questioner wasn’t quite prepared for that answer and is dumbstruck because they didn’t know as much about boats as they thought they did, and were unaware of the centerboard concept or are unaware a boat of our size could have a centerboard.Up until this point, it’s only a Q&A session, but as soon as we divulge the boat has a centerboard - and that with the board up we draw between 4-4.5′ but when it’s down closer to 8′ - the discussion will turn one of three ways: “How much fuel do you carry?” or “How tall is the mast?” we will eventually hit this question: “What’s the draft?” Invariably anytime we get beyond the general pleasantries of “She’s a beaut!” or “What’s the length?” we know with more and more certainty that we’re talking with a sailor. It seems everyone has an opinion when it comes to boats, and if you’re not too careful, it can lead lead to hours upon hours of enjoyable and sometimes educational discussion. We’d like to take this opportunity to talk a little bit about the pros and cons of the centerboard system and shed some light on how we’ve been using it with real life examples. In this week’s video, This Little Thing could SINK our Boat, we’re highlighting another pain point and some of the additional maintenance that comes along with having a pivoting centerboard. This was the most dramatic and expensive example of the issues we’ve had with the centerboard thus far, but that’s not to say it’s been the only trouble our centerboard has caused us. Most of you who have followed our journey for some time are familiar with our somewhat infamous centerboard issue, where we ran aground in the Illinois river in 8′ of water when our boat should only draw 4′. ![]()
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