Daggerboards

practicalfocus · #1 (**permalink**) 10-15-2006

I'm thinking about sailing a catamaran with daggerboards. Someone offhandedly remarked that daggerboards are "noisy". Does anyone know what they are referrring to (as I have never sailed on a boat using them). Is this "noise" something associated with travel above a certain speed, or is it a constant, or does it even exist?

Rickm505 · #2 (**permalink**) 10-16-2006

Yeah, he could have meant that they're real noisy when barnacles have invaded the housings, and clog the the opening, effectively jamming them so they won't move.

Or he could have meant that they're noisy when you hit a sand bar with them down and snap one off.

On the other hand , he could have meant that in a major gust or heavy weather, the leeward board digs in, the boat doesn't slide and over she goes.

Do they still sell cats with daggerboards?

Rick in Florida

Rick in Florida

Chuteman · #3 (**permalink**) 10-16-2006

PF:
Sailed on a Gemini 105 twice this summer...............no noise heard. Although the controls & "sleeves" are inside the cabin & we were outside in the cockpit.
Skipper chose not to adjust on each tack = just left same one down during sail

Don't know if Rick's comment was tongue in cheek.......but even big Catanas have daggerboards

practicalfocus · #4 (**permalink**) 10-19-2006

Wow, sounds like Rick has experienced or heard of some unpleasant experiences with daggerboards. The cat involved is a Catana. I understood them to contribute to the "safety" aspect of sailing. Any thoughts?

Chuteman · #5 (**permalink**) 10-20-2006

PF: Given the cost & advertising Catana's boards should be perfect.
Here's their blurb on safety

http://www.catana.net/frameset.php?p...&lang=us&rub=3

practicalfocus · #6 (**permalink**) 10-20-2006

Thanks Chuteman!

Rickm505 · #7 (**permalink**) 10-22-2006

My comments were only slightly tongue in cheek. Gemini 105's have a history of capsizing. Another one went over off the coast of Jacksonville FL this past summer, in a squall.

Arguments have been made that when weather get's nasty, just lift the boards to stay our of harms way.

Anyone who has actually 'been there' knows that when things go bad, it happens all at once with little time to react. The 'just lift the dagger boards' comments are made by armchair pundits, not by sailors.

Boats with dagger boards point higher and perform better. No argument. They are also inherently dangerous on a light boat, slightly more stable in a heavier boat.

Happily sans daggerboards

sailingdog · #8 (**permalink**) 10-22-2006

BTW, Geminis don't have daggerboards. They have centerboards, which are a very different beastie... but perform much the same function. The major difference is that daggerboards generally do not swing up in the case of an impact or grounding, centerboards can, and if properly designed will generally be far more forgiving in such an occurrence. Centerboards can also be used to help balance weather helm on a boat, by varying the depth they are lowered. The more they are lowered, the further forward the CLR moves.

Having the ability to retract the dagger/centerboard allows a cat to slip more easily, and not trip over the keels, that are found on some other catamaran designs, in heavy weather.

Rick- I'd be interested in seeing the articles or links you have about Geminis capsizing. I don't believe they have any more a history of it than any other catamaran, especially given that they have one of the largest production bases of any catamaran ever built, with somewhere around 900 currently out there.

Rickm505 · #9 (**permalink**) 10-22-2006

I'm not sure about that. There were about 400-500 of my boat manufactured with an excellent safety record. The same could be said for other British Cats .. ie.. Heavenly Twin and Prout. The only Prouts that 'triped' were modified for racing with a much taller mast. I think there were 2. Granted these are older, and heavier designs, all of which have circumnavigated. I don't believe I've read about any dagger/centerboard cat that has.

As for the last Gemini article, I read it in Florida Today, a Florida daily paper. There were two articles on it. The first reporting what happened and the 2nd giving more details about the rescue and the boat, which washed up on a Jacksonville beach.

If it sounds like I'm picking on Gemini's, I'm not. This is a discussion about boats with boards!!

Rick in Florida

Chuteman · #10 (**permalink**) 10-22-2006

Learn lots of stuff everyday........add one more for today.
As I was saying, the Centerboards did not make any noise.

Here's a link that helped = it had a diagram....pictures always help me.
http://www.geminicatamarans.com/Perf...nterboards.htm

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