Keelboat

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Keelboat with a view of the fin keel

A keelboat is a sailing vehicle that carries a heavy ballast keel in the shape of a fin on the underside of the hull . The keel is usually made of lead or cast iron and is screwed to the hull in the bilge (deepest point in the hull) by means of the keel bolts ( with the exception of a swivel keel ). The weight of the keel can be more than 50% of the total weight of the boat.

General

Keelboats are built either as an open keelboat or as a sailing yacht .

With the exception of catamarans , all seagoing sailing yachts are keelboats, as they are very safe from overturning due to the weight stability caused by the keel and, in accordance with the stand-up principle, can stand up again independently after capsizing .

A dinghy, on the other hand, is not a keelboat.

Keel designs