Where have all the centerboards gone?

[CapnRon47]

I have done the sailing schools in the US, coastal cruising in the BVI's and we have chartered in the Chesapeake. I found that I truly enjoy sailing. We are approaching retirment. We have built a home with a dock on a creek in NC just off Pamlico sound. We built the house for the view, as I figured I could always find a boat to squeeze into the creek. The nominal depth is 4'6", but the wind tide varies that by more than a foot at times. I would love to go sailing everyday for a few hours and the two of us would like to take trips up and down the intercoastal and perhaps venture further out. I am concerned that even with a shoal draft boat of 4' I would not be able to get out of the creek 30% of the time. I am looking for a centerboard boat, that I can single handle but big enough for the two of us for extended trips. I am not looking at muli-hulls, yet. I have searched YachtWorld for centerboards/swing keels, but I have not found many. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[bestfriend]

Tartans? Have you looked at those yet?

[nolatom]

Morgan 24 or 30??

[sailaway21]

Cal or Catalina swing keels?

[CapnRon47]

Originally Posted by bestfriend

Tartans? Have you looked at those yet?

Bestfriend,
Yes, I have looked at Tartans, I was sailing on a friends when we bottomed in our creek (just lightly touched and backed out). I have found them with drafts down to 3'11" for the 34, which I think is still too deep. The other issue is that the sound can get pretty rough and I want a fairly heavy boat so I can't go too small.

[uspirate]

Irwins also

[CapnRon47]

Originally Posted by nolatom

Morgan 24 or 30??

The Morgan 30 looks interesting, 3'6" draft; but its a 1970. I am not sure I am that handy (anymore).

[CapnRon47]

All good suggestions, I will keep looking. Part of the problem is that you cannot search on draft in YachtWorld. It is a bit late to be hearing from locals, but I would like to hear if anyone has any info on what I might actually expect the depth to vary and how often in the southern Pamlico sound. We have not moved there yet, probably a year or two away. So my search for a boat is a bit theoretical, at this time. But the few weeks we have spent there I have seen the water at the dock drop to 3' in the extreme case when the wind blows for several days. So, I am trying to find out what my options are. If I go fishing every couple of days when I cannot get out of the creek, then there are probably lots of sailboats that would meet the 4' + or so draft requirment and be big and heavy enough for comfortable cruising for two. There is of course the ShoalSailor or Southern that can literaly beach, but they are too expensive and not much of a seconds market on them yet. So to some extent is it a trade off between sailing time and money. I am looking for an optimum solution.

[msl]

Borrow/rent a Catalina 250 (waterballasted, swing up rudder and keel w/9.9 hp four stroke outboard). Or consider a "sharpie" (there are many versions).

Probably not what you imagined for your self - but an idea to consider, never the less.

[Joesaila]

My Morgan 30' draws 3.5'. S-2 shoal draft are similar. Both are good for extended trips. My Morgan is a 77 but is very solid.