Looking for advice about wing keels and other wider, flat(ter) bottom keels at very low tides, particularly in thin waters with mud/sand bottoms. Each boat and keel will be different, but in general, are there bigger potential problems for smaller cruising boats with a wing keel (or say a beavertail bulb keel) when sitting on the bottom during an occasional very low tide, vs. those for a more conventional shoal fin keel, keel/cb, or full/long keel?
Two potential issues occur to me, being: (1) possible structural damage to the keel itself, or more likely to the hull or bolts above the keel, from the boat resting on the bottom for several hours at a time; and (2) the possibility of the keel becoming stuck in a mud bottom even after the tide starts rising (with little/no room to kedge from abeam).
The depth in my Florida slip at low tide varies from about 3 feet to 5 feet, depending on the season, winds, etc. A neighbor has a Flicka (3'3" draft, long keel) that rests on the bottom of his slip during especially low tides, maybe 6-8x year, particularly in winter. (The Flicka is a tough little boat and seems to have suffered no damage as a result.) This doesn't happen often enough to warrant the disadvantages of twin/bilge keels, but it does happen often enough to prompt this question.
Yes, there are differing opinions about the merits of various keel structures in a grounding while underway, but today my question is mainly about any adverse effects of too-low water due to tidal changes at the dock (or at anchor) for wing-keeled boats.
Recently a couple of wing keel boats with drafts in the 3' to 4' range have caught my attention, in particular the Pearson 27 (3'4" wing) and Catalina 30 (3'10" wing). Any thoughts on the keel structures of these boats resting on the bottom in particular?
Advice based on first-hand experience is preferred, but I'll be grateful for other reasoned opinions too. Thanks in advance.
Two potential issues occur to me, being: (1) possible structural damage to the keel itself, or more likely to the hull or bolts above the keel, from the boat resting on the bottom for several hours at a time; and (2) the possibility of the keel becoming stuck in a mud bottom even after the tide starts rising (with little/no room to kedge from abeam).
The depth in my Florida slip at low tide varies from about 3 feet to 5 feet, depending on the season, winds, etc. A neighbor has a Flicka (3'3" draft, long keel) that rests on the bottom of his slip during especially low tides, maybe 6-8x year, particularly in winter. (The Flicka is a tough little boat and seems to have suffered no damage as a result.) This doesn't happen often enough to warrant the disadvantages of twin/bilge keels, but it does happen often enough to prompt this question.
Yes, there are differing opinions about the merits of various keel structures in a grounding while underway, but today my question is mainly about any adverse effects of too-low water due to tidal changes at the dock (or at anchor) for wing-keeled boats.
Recently a couple of wing keel boats with drafts in the 3' to 4' range have caught my attention, in particular the Pearson 27 (3'4" wing) and Catalina 30 (3'10" wing). Any thoughts on the keel structures of these boats resting on the bottom in particular?
Advice based on first-hand experience is preferred, but I'll be grateful for other reasoned opinions too. Thanks in advance.