Centerboards

[Hartley18]

Flipping through the latest copy of Australian Sailing, I've just noticed that the latest 'Open 60' surfboards have the following crap hanging off the bottom:

1. A swinging keel (no surprise there..)
2. Two rudders (well okay, they're fairly beamy for a surfboard so I guess they need them.)

..and..

3. Two centerboards!!

That's a total of five things sticking down under the hull searching madly for something to break off on. Can someone explain this latest madness in yacht design? Is this in case the keel falls off??

[sailingdog]

The fact that they have five things sticking down into the water that move, and can either fail, break off or start to leak is more worrying IMHO. Swing keels have been known to fall off. Centerboard slots create turbulence and are a possible structural weak point. Rudders fall off. Not to mention how much drag all of this must add to the boat.