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Old 11-02-2007
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kwaltersmi kwaltersmi is offline
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I can't comment from experience about swing keels on large boats, but I do have a swing keel on my 25' boat. For me, the swing keel allows me to have a very shallow draft (18") with the keel up, which is perfect for gunkholing, exploring backwaters, and getting to the beach and shallow anchorages.

The downside is that there are two additional holes in the hull: 1 for the keel cable and another for the keel's pivot bolt. I am not sure if other boats are set up the same way. For my particular boat, I'm told the cable assembly and keel pivot bolt are both well designed and hold up for many years. However, a regular visual inspection of both is necessary.
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