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Encapsulated Keel?

18K views 41 replies 12 participants last post by  Brent Swain 
#1 · (Edited)
Saw this Ericson in the yard the other day. I'm under the impression Ericsons have encapsulated keels and was struck by the narrow profile of this one. If this keel is encapsulated, it's hard for me to believe the narrow profile of the FRP could take the lateral stress induced by the led while heeling. How does it work? Does the lead become a structural component? What would the ratio of lead to FRP be 3/4 down the keel? How day do dat?
 

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#35 · (Edited)
Thanks Bob, I'm adding both books to my shopping list.

The big keel, skeg and high displacement of the Yankee 30 seem like they'd create a lot of wetted surface area, but maybe the extra sail area more than makes up for it.

It would be nice if there were easy to find drawings of most boats that showed the hull form, not just the interior layout.
 
#38 ·
scary bolts to look at. seems you got it just in time. that's why I went with an encapsulated keel. Understand you lose a little by ending up with a fin that's slightly wider than it may need to be. Some boats (mine included) have encapsulated keels and bulbs ( they bolt the two halves of the bulb on then glass it over). guess what scares you is what you've seen in the past. if I ever had a bolt on again would look into monel or something where crevice corrosion is unlikely to occur. My PSC bolts are perfect. think if done right it's a nonissue but nice to no longer have it on the list to check
 
#40 ·
Keel notes



That's an 80's-era Bruce King-designed Ericson - external lead fin keel. Offhand, it looks like a 35-3 or 38, to me.
I did a delivery up to the Straits in a 38-200, last summer. We were surfing north on an un-planned-for southerly (20 kt +) around midnight, making consistantly over 8 kts water speed, genoa only. Same keel profile as the boat pictured.
:cool:

FWIW, Ericson started the design changeover from internal ballast to external lead keels in the late 70's-early 80's, and the changeover happened over several years, depending on model.

Loren
 
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