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Jimmy Cornell: Why aluminium centreboarders are ideal for serious explorers

• Jimmy Cornell
• November 12, 2020

Having covered 100,000 miles in his aluminium centreboarders, Jimmy Cornell explains why he rates them so highly for adventure sailing

A true exploration yacht: Jimmy Cornell’s Ovni 43 Aventura III in Antarctica

Both Aventura III , an Ovni 43, and Aventura IV , a Garcia Exploration 45, were aluminium centreboarders. Having clocked some 100,000 miles with them, including passages to Antarctica and the North West Passage , I can state unequivocally that for safety as well as convenience, a centreboard is a great advantage on a cruising boat.

In my case, the choice of aluminium for a boat intended for exploring areas off the beaten track was logical, and so was that of a centreboard. One of the main reasons for the latter was to increase my cruising options. The ability to reduce draught instantly is also a safety factor, as it allows access to a protected shallow spot if needing shelter in an emergency. Also, with a flat bottom, the boat can dry out.

Another advantage is that the board can be used for sounding when entering an unfamiliar anchorage, a new meaning for the term ‘sounding board’. While in the North West Passage we hit an uncharted rock quite hard, but the centreboard did its job and swung up, scraped along the top of the rock, then dropped back into its lowered position. The only damage was to my ego, but any other boat would have been in serious trouble!

Both yachts have integral centreboards, so that when fully raised, the board retracts into the hull. The ballast is also internal, with a ratio to displacement of 32 in both cases, which is similar to that of most modern cruising yachts. This brings considerable performance advantages.

The main role of the board is to provide lift when sailing close-hauled, and to reduce leeway when reaching. With the board fully down Aventura III drew 2.4m, and, when trimmed properly, it could point as high, or almost as high, as most fixed keel cruising boats. With a draught of 2.8m with the board down, Aventura IV performed even better than her predecessor.

To take full advantage of this special feature, a centreboarder needs to be sailed quite differently, both on and off the wind. This is when the centreboard becomes a true asset as it allows the wetted surface to be reduced. The technique is to lift the board gradually as the apparent wind goes past 135°, and continue lifting it up to the point where the board is fully retracted. This is, for me, the greatest advantage as the risk of broaching is virtually eliminated.

Article continues below…

Zero-carbon cruiser: Jimmy Cornell explains his electric multihull project

In 2010 I sold my [Ovni 43] Aventura III and, as I was 70, I felt the time had come…

Allures 40.9 vs Ovni 400: French aluminium centreboarders go head-to-head

Back in the mid-2000s the niche market for aluminium centreboarders was disrupted by the arrival of a new upstart, Allures…

The absence of a keel to act as a pivot in a potential broaching situation means that the boat does not tend to round up when, in a similar situation, a fixed keeled boat would do just that. This has allowed me to keep the spinnaker up longer than I would have done otherwise.

With the board up, steering the boat in strong winds was easy, as there was no keel to act as a pivot if the person at the helm made a mistake, or a large wave forced the boat into a broach. With a flat bottom and no keel, Aventura III acted just like a large windsurfer, with the rudder having no difficulty keeping the boat on course. Aventura IV has twin rudders so tracked even better and was a joy to helm.

Alloy alternatives

If you are considering an aluminium centreboard, make sure to read our head-to-head test of the Allures 40.9 and Ovni 400 . If neither of those suit, you probably need to go up a level in size and price, to the more semi-custom options offered by shipyards such as Garcia, Boreal or even KM. It is pertinent, however, to note that many of these traditional monohull brands are now branching out into the multihull market too.

Photo: Morris Adant

Designed in collaboration with Jimmy Cornell to transit the North West Passage, this model set a new rugged standard for mid-size exploration yachts. In inclement weather, watchkeeping can be done from a completely protected position at the forward end of the cockpit, or from the helmstation inside the pilothouse.

Price: €498,000 (ex. VAT)

Boreal 44.2

Boreal is a brand born from the experience of Jean-François Eeman, who spent six years sailing around the world with his four children. The new 44.2 will replace the ten-year-old, award-winning, Boreal 44. It has the same interior as the 47.2 (pictured), but with a single helm and rudder and a more enclosed cockpit.

Price: €485,520 (ex. VAT)

Garcia Explocat 52

Garcia is maintaining its exploration focus with its first catamaran. Once again there is plenty of protection on offer. A hard-top runs almost back to the transom and there is a complete interior navigation station similar to Garcia’s monohulls. The Explocat also has a forward cockpit accessible from the saloon via a watertight door.

Price: €1,159,000 (ex. VAT)

Vaan is a new brand, which uses recycled and sustainable materials – its first 42ft R4 is due for launch in early 2021. The aluminium hulls are formed from drinks cans, road signs and window frames, it uses cork decks and the upholstery is made from bio fabrics. It’s offered with electric propulsion and an optional regeneration system.

Price: €399,000 (ex. VAT)

Allures & Ovni catamaran update

Plans to launch the first Allures multihull, the aluminium hulled and glassfibre decked C47.9 (above), have been put on hold due to the success of its sister company’s new Explocat 52.

Ovni’s multihull solution, meanwhile, is the Ovnicat 48, which has been on the drawing board for a couple of years but has yet to be built.

First published in the October 2020 issue of Yachting World.

Alan Payne Custom Designed Centreboard Yacht

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What we know about the Bayesian superyacht that sank

The Bayesian, which capsized in the early hours of Monday, was an award-winning yacht with the second-tallest mast in the world.

News reporter @niamhielynch

Friday 23 August 2024 12:37, UK

The Bayesian, an award-winning superyacht, sank during bad weather off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of Monday.

On Thursday, authorities confirmed divers had found the bodies of British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, Morgan Stanley International boss Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy, and one of Mr Lynch's lawyers Chris Morvillo, and his wife Neda.

Recaldo Thomas, the on-board chef, was the first to be confirmed dead earlier this week.

Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, was rescued along with 14 others - including Charlotte Golunski, a mother who told la Repubblica she held her one-year-old baby above the waves to save her from drowning.

Mr Lynch's 18-year-old daughter Hannah is missing, but believed to be the seventh body recovered from the wreckage on Friday.

But what do we know about the ship?

The British-flagged 56-metre ship - previously called the Salute - was built in 2008 by Italian shipyard Perini Navi, and refitted in 2020.

More on Superyacht Sinking

Superyacht sinks: Italian authorities expected to announce manslaughter investigation

'My little angel': Sister of final yacht victim Hannah Lynch speaks for first time since tragedy

How is the sinking of Mike Lynch's Bayesian superyacht being investigated?

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Its 72-metre mast was the world's tallest aluminium mast, and the second-tallest overall. The yacht could reach a maximum speed of 15 knots and weighed 543 tonnes.

The French design house Remi Tessier fitted out the Japanese-style interior decor, with touches of light and dark beige and dark wood furnishings, as well as a teak deck.

It won the best exterior styling at The World Superyacht Awards in 2009, and best interior at the International Superyacht Society Awards 2008.

It had six guest bedrooms - one master, three doubles, and two twins - holding 12 people, and could carry another 10 crew members.

Pictures show air conditioning units in several of the bedrooms, which could counter expert claims open windows may have caused water to rush in and tip the boat over faster.

Shipspotting.com says it was owned by a firm called Revtom Limited. Mike Lynch's wife, Ms Bacares, is named as the sole shareholder of the firm on company documents.

Read more from Sky News: Lynch's co-defendant dies after being hit by car We can learn from Lynch's unsuccessful prosecution

The yacht's name would resonate with Mr Lynch because his PhD thesis and the software that made his fortune involved a statistical method known as Bayesian inference, based on an 18th-century theory, which helps forecasters predict outcomes more reliably.

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

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It was listed for rent for up to €195,000 (£166,000) a week, according to online charter sites.

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Centreboard 40 : Heavy metal for blue water

Alexander Worms

 ·  06.01.2013

Until now, the Hungarians have mainly built steel motorboats under the management of Dutchman Jan van der Weide. However, after Pedro, the company's largest customer, had to file for bankruptcy, it helped that the shipyard boss, himself a sailor, had already built a prototype of a 38-foot Dick Koopmanns design. "I took my time and tested it for four years. I noticed many points that needed to be improved in detail. The result is now the Centreboard 40." The word centreboard is somewhat misleading: the first customer order for the centre cockpit yacht is being built with a deep keel with a lead bomb instead of the eponymous centreboard with internal ballast. One advantage of steel is that you are not slavishly bound to the specifications of a laminate mould and can follow the owner's wishes.

Solid steel ship

They appreciate the safety reserves of a base that is not made of plastic. Eight millimetre thick frames every 40 centimetres, a 12 millimetre thick floor plate and 4 to 5 millimetre thick outer walls ensure exactly that. Collisions with floating debris or ground contact, for example on a reef, are thus significantly less frightening. This is also due to the full-skeg rudder attached to the transom. The disadvantage of solidity is the weight: the Centreboard 40 weighs around 15.5 tonnes fully equipped and fuelled. With a main, jib and 40-square-metre jib, the Hungarian with Dutch genes therefore has a sail load factor (STF - ratio of weight to sail area) of less than 4. A Hallberg-Rassy 40 weighs around 10 tonnes and with the larger genoa still achieves an STF of 4.48. While this makes the Swede a good sailor, the rather low sail horsepower in relation to the Centreboard's weight indicates moderate low-wind performance. However, many long-distance sailors will find this worth the extra safety, especially as additional performance can be teased out of the rig on rougher courses by using larger headsails.

Rust was yesterday

According to the shipyard, rust is no longer an issue thanks to modern paint systems. And indeed, once the welding work has been completed, the ship is first blasted with glass beads and then primed and finished with a system of 2-component PU paints from Hempel and AWL-Grip. Particularly vulnerable areas, such as the centreboard, are also hot-dip galvanised.

Fully equipped

The boat is ready to go. In addition to the complete cutter rig with all sails and carbon fibre spinnaker pole, a dinghy is included along with an outboard motor. A life raft is on board, complete electronics with radar, AIS and plotter. Heating and hot water boiler go without saying, as does the VW Marine (now Cummins) diesel with thrust bearing in the shaft and diesel day tank. Also included is a complete photo documentation of the construction as well as a database with all suppliers and the article numbers of the installed parts. Unquestionably practical for repairs anywhere in the world. A long-distance yacht fully equipped in this way, on which even the bracket for a windvane control system is already installed, costs 380,000 euros and is therefore significantly less than comparable GRP or aluminium boats. Individualism included.

More information can be found on the Website of the shipyard .

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This Stolk & Jansen 41 Centreboard with decksaloon is ready for a trip around the world. The current owner has done everything to bring the ship in a top condition. Everything on the ship is documented from the moment of construction. All equipment on board has been checked, and if necessarily (preventively) renewed to asure a 100% technical condition. The ideal ship to fall dry or to cross the oceans. The absence of teak decking makes the ship the ideal low maintenance sailing yacht.

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What is a Sailboat Centerboard?

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

June 15, 2022

A sailboat centerboard is a retractable fin that protrudes from the bottom of the hull. The centerboard keeps the boat stable and on course.

Centerboards are an important and often overlooked part of a sailboat, but they're essential to stability and effective navigation. Centerboards perform the function of a keel and keep the boat on course regardless of wind direction. Centerboards are primarily found on small trailerable vessels, which vary in length from 12 to 25 feet.

Table of contents

How a Centerboard Works

Centerboards look similar to fin keels, but they have one notable difference: they're retractable. Small sailboats use centerboards for stability and to keep a straight course, especially when sailing windward .

Technically speaking, a centerboard is a rudimentary form of a hydrofoil. In practicality, it's like a rudder that always stays amidships. This is beneficial, as it forces the boat to track a straight course regardless of what direction the wind is blowing.

Without the centerboard, the wind would push the sailboat in whatever direction it was blowing. Tacking would be nearly impossible, and attempting to sail windward could simply knock down the boat. In this sense, the centerboard performs the same function as a fixed-keel.

Centerboard Sailboat Characteristics

Centerboard sailboats are typically less than 25 feet in length and designed for shallow water. In fact, centerboard boats are perfect for shallow water. Cruising in lakes and rivers is a joy with a centerboard boat, as the board can be retracted for towing, beaching, or skimming over shallow water. Centerboard sailboats are the ultimate shoal-draft vessels.

Centerboards descend from a hollow cavity in the center of the boat. This cavity is called the centerboard trunk. Some centerboards are removable and slide vertically into the centerboard trunk. Others are hinged or enclosed, allowing them to be raised and lowered from inside the cabin without removal.

Removable Centerboards

Removable centerboards are usually found on the smallest sailboats. These blades tend to be roughly twice the length of how they look from under the boat. This is because the centerboard trunk has to be above the waterline. Remember, the centerboard trunk is effectively a hole in the boat, so it can't be the same height as the water.

Enclosed Centerboards

Enclosed centerboards are common on mid-sized and larger 'small' boats. They're especially common on vessels equipped with cabins. The primary benefit of an enclosed centerboard is water tightness, as the board is housed within a sealed centerboard trunk.

Enclosed centerboards can be raised and lowered from inside the cabin and never needs to be removed from the boat. They're also shorter (overall) than removable centerboards, as they don't mount to the very top of the high centerboard trunk.

The primary drawback of enclosed centerboards is increased complexity and access issues. But in most cases, small centerboard craft are not usually in the water long enough for severe growth issues. Additionally, retracting the board can protect it from excessive marine gunk.

Hinged Centerboards

Hinged centerboards (or 'swing keel' centerboards) are the most common enclosed variety. Hinged centerboards pivot on a forward hinge. They're long and thin and sometimes stow in a hidden centerboard trunk that's mounted to the bottom of the hull.

These 'stealth' centerboard trunks free up cabin space at the expense of a few inches of draft. Hinged centerboards offer an increased level of grounding safety, as they retract on their own if they hit the ground (instead of shearing off). It's the collapsing steering column of sailboat keels .

Advantages of Centerboard Sailboats

The primary advantage of a centerboard boat is its inherent shoal-draft capability. That means centerboard boats can go a lot closer to shore than fixed-keel vessels. They can even go on shore, and drying out during low tide is rarely hazardous. They sit upright on dry land, and they're easy to trailer around.

The cost to construct, own, and maintain a centerboard cruiser is often far less than a traditional fixed- keel sailboat . This is primarily because you usually don't need a crane to pull it out of the water. Centerboard boats are often small and light enough to leave on a trailer, and their small size avoids excessive marina fees.

Disadvantages of Centerboard Sailboats

Can you cross an ocean in a centerboard sailboat? Most would caution against it. Some would say, "absolutely not," but it has happened a time or two. The issues with centerboard sailboats are size, displacement, draft, and stability, which cause problems in rough weather.

Most centerboard sailboats are only comfortable in calm coastal and inland waters. Conditions aboard a shoal-draft sailboat in foul weather range from uncomfortable to downright perilous, which is a major tradeoff. Additionally, small centerboard sailboats typically lack the cabin and storage space necessary for seagoing provisions.

Also, most small centerboard sailboats simply aren't designed for extended cruising. Things like generators, VHF radios, large freshwater tanks, and bathroom facilities usually aren't up to the task on small boats.

Centerboard Sailboat Propulsion

The smallest centerboard sailboats, such as Sunfish and Laser racers, have no propulsion system other than the sail itself. However, anything beyond 15 feet in length will probably have some alternative propulsion. Small boats have an oar or two on board, but most utilize a 5 to 10-horsepower outboard motor.

Inboard motors are rare, but a one or two-cylinder marine diesel can sometimes be found below the cockpit of a centerboard cruiser. Some small 'motor-sailer' boats have inboard engines and a centerboard for sailing.

Best Centerboard Sailboats for Cruising

Centerboard sailboats are ideal for coastal and inland cruising, and many of these pocket-sized vessels include surprisingly comfortable accommodations. These aren't dinghies or converted rowboats; they're serious sailing vessels in a compact package. Here are a few of the best 'all-around' centerboard sailboats available today.

Catalina 22

The Catalina 22 is one of the most popular sailboats ever built. It has the profile of its larger cousins (like the Catalina 27) but features a compact swing keel centerboard instead of a fin keel . At 22 feet long, the Catalina 22 is about as hardy as centerboard cruisers get.

And thanks to its retractable hinged centerboard, there's enough cabin space for a V-berth, porta-potty, stove, sink, settee, and a convertible dining area berth. The trailerable Catalina 22 is widely available on the used market, often for entry-level pricing.

West Wight Potter 19

The West Wight Potter 19 is a small centerboard pocket cruiser with a cult following. It's a fiberglass V-bottom trailer sailboat with a spacious cabin, retractable centerboard, and foldable mast. This little cruiser is capable and convenient, and it's still produced today.

West Wight Potter sailboats are famous for being (quite literally) unsinkable. They're loaded with flotation foam and stay afloat even when completely flooded. Plus, they're easy to sail, and they have an enormous amount of natural stability.

The Hunter 22 is a remarkably well-balanced centerboard cruising boat. Like the Catalina 22, this Hunter sailboat features a compact swing-type retractable centerboard. It has a spacious cabin with room to accommodate the whole family on short voyages.

Hunter designed this compact cruising sloop with a masthead rig, which is simple to operate and robust. These vessels were only produced for a few years in the 80s, but variants are plentiful, and they're plenty of fun to sail.

Centerboard Vs. Fixed Keel

Are you interested in buying a sailboat ? Deciding between a centerboard and a fixed keel is an important decision that shouldn't be overlooked. If you're looking for a trailerable weekender for short voyages and an occasional offshore run, then consider a centerboard. They're cheap and easy to store in or out of the water.

Centerboard sailboats are also ideal for island hopping, as long as the islands aren't too far from your homeport. Florida to the Bahamas is a common and manageable journey for cruising centerboard boats.

And since centerboard sailboats tend to be smaller, it's important to consider how much provision storage you'll need for the journey. Running out of food or fresh water isn't much fun in the middle of the ocean.

Fixed keelboats are ideal for extended offshore voyages and coastal cruising, especially in choppy waters. A fixed keel cruising boat offers superior roll comfort, stability, and handling in a wide range of weather conditions. They're safer in storms as well. For serious sailing, it's difficult to find an ideal alternative.

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I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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Aluminium centerboarder sailboats

Seen as the 4 wheel drive vehicle of the seas, aluminium centerboarders are an interesting choice for travelling, it is an internationnally accepted idea as a French shipyards speciality.

Accepting heavy loading due to their wide hull shapes, offering offshore safety thanks to the aluminium strength, allowing to go to the most beautiful moorings and go up rivers thanks to her centerboard. The most recent boats offer two rudders that providing more stability, requiring less autopilot.

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Alu Deckhouse Sailingyacht 42, centerboard Sold

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Oceangoing / blue water aluminium deck house sailing yacht with cockpit and aft cabin. Her Ketch rigging as well as the inside/outside steering positions make her very suitable for long trips in all wind directions. The seller has already made numerous trips to the Baltic. She is well equipped, with a new engine among other features. The interior is nicely maintained. The ship was entirely painted in 2013/2014 using a two-part component system. All in all, recommended for anyone who wants to do the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, the East Sea or even further.

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Alu Deckhouse Sailingyacht 42, centerboard

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Making the Most of Centerboards

Understanding how centers of effort shift can help make you a better sailor and reduce loads..

A deep, ballasted keel does a lot of good things. It lowers the center of gravity, provides lift to windward, and stabilizes the boat. It can add great strength if integrated into the construction of the hull, allowing the boat to sniff soft bottoms without damage.

There are downsides. Trailering is impractical. Countless shallow creeks and snug harbors become inaccessible. Docking is more expensive.

A centerboard is one solution, but there are differences. You probably read something about raising and lowering the centerboard or daggerboard in a book on dinghy sailing years ago, and unless you’ve been racing centerboard boats all these years, you’ve probably forgotten the details. Here’s a little refresher.

Even for the cruising sailor, centerboard position is as vital an adjustment, as sail balance and trim.

Balance. On a poorly trimmed boat, one of the largest sources of drag is often excessive rudder angle. Assuming you have the typical rudder profile (NACA 0021), the optimal helm range is generally 2-4 degrees when close hauled. A few degrees helps it share the work of the keel, providing lift to windward. More rudder angle and you are increasing drag, and if the angle exceeds 6 degrees, you are courting a stall when a strong turn to leeward is needed.

What causes excessive load on the rudder?

• Too much sail area aft. Sailing with main-only or a partially rolled-up genoa can do this.
• Over-trimmed mainsail.
• Excessive mast rake. Check the manual. Beach cats and planing skiffs have very specific reasons for radical mast rake. It only translates into more speed or better handling if the boat was designed for it.
• Excessive heel or bow-down trim. The hull form itself can force a turn to windward. A deeply buried bow can act like a forward rudder.

Centerboard trim

There are ways to fix these tendencies. Ease the main or lower the traveler. Reef the main and the headsail in balance. When sailing off the wind, it is often better to reef the main before the jib, to help keep her head down. Rake the mast to spec. Sail the boat flat. Bear away in the puffs when sailing deep, before the boat begins to heel excessively. Always steer for balance.

However, a centerboard or daggerboard adds an additional trim tool that is often forgotten. When the centerboard first begins to swing up, it moves more aft than up. In fact, a centerboard that is half up has typically lost only 20 percent of its draft and 15 percent of its projected area. On the other hand, the center of lateral resistance (CLR) on a 4-foot centerboard has moved aft about 1½ feet.

What about the change in righting moment of a weighted board? You have lifted it no more than 15 percent of the distance to the waterline, and depending on the board’s maximum depth, you’ve probably lost no more than 10 percent of the board’s contribution to righting moment. Don’t lift a weighted board more than this under sail, but experiment with how a slight movement aft changes things. Always mark the pendant so you know how far you have lifted the board.

Rising windspeeds

Consider the case of our Corsair F-24 test boat. As the wind rises, we might furl the jib for easier sailing. Reefing the main gives better balance, but rolling up the jib is easy and eliminates handling a whole set of sheets. Unfortunately, the sail center of effort (COE) then moves aft three feet, badly overloading the rudder.

In this situation, sailing becomes sluggish and we get trapped in irons every single time we try to tack. And there is no escape from irons, because even when we back the boat out as far as possible by reversing the rudder and fully easing the main sail—as deep as a beam reach—the moment we attempt to sheet in to make way, the bow swings right back into the wind.

However, if we lift the centerboard halfway, the center of lateral resistance moves aft about 1½-feet with very little change in area. We have less sail up, so the loss in area does not significantly increase leeway. The rudder will still be slightly overloaded and successful tacking requires easing the mainsheet as the boat comes through the wind, but you won’t be trapped in irons and the boat  accelerates well as the main is slowly brought in. The rudder angle remains a little higher than normal, but it isn’t a brake.

Reaching in Strong winds

Strong reaching conditions are another time when centerboard adjustments help. When the wind gusts, the boat heels, and the resulting submerged hull form wants to turn to windward. In the case of a multihull, the lee bow digs in, acting as a forward rudder. The helmsman tries to bear off, but the rudder stalls and the boat swerves to windward anyway. Apparent wind accelerates, flow over the sails becomes better attached (reaching sails are often partially stalled, so rounding up attaches the flow), apparent wind increases, and power increases dramatically, just when you don’t want it. Centrifugal force from the rapid turn adds to the mess. A monohull will broach. A multihull can capsize.

The solution? First there are the standard solutions. Reef the mainsail early and fly more headsail; this will help keep her head down. Bear off early and smoothly before the boat heels excessively rather than waiting until the need is urgent. The earlier correction is actually faster, because the rudder angle relative to the water stays low, keeping drag low.

But also consider lifting the centerboard halfway or a bit more. Because there is little side force from the sails when reaching deep, you don’t need as much area. The boat will probably be moving faster through the water relative to the side force, generating more lift with less area. But don’t lift it all the way up unless the boat has a stub keel; you still want some board down as a leverage point for steering. The goal is to move the center of effort aft, so that the boat doesn’t want to round up.

You cannot adjust a board under load. If you apply enough force, you will only break something or hurt your back. Even if there are slides and a sturdy tackle, only adjust the board when traveling straight upwind or downwind, slowly if possible. This will reduce the load. Sometimes shooting straight into the wind for just a few moments is enough; quickly make the adjustment and then return to your original course.

Centerboard adjustments are not just for racers. It is a cruiser adjustment, just like reefing, for those who value good handling and safety. It’s all about balance, and by swinging the board aft just a little bit, you can cure certain handling problems.

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Professional BoatBuilder Magazine

Building foil-shaped centerboards.

By Reuel B. Parker , Sep 28, 2011

The fin component of the steel centerboard is started. The sides are welded to the nose pipe at the angle determined by the NACA 0009 foil. The struts are welded to the foil sections and bottom pipe. The holes in the foil sections will allow resin to fill the fin after completion.

Traditional centerboards, with few exceptions, are pie-shaped (triangular), and pivot from their forward lower corner. They typically have little or no foil shape. As long as they are located such that they maintain a proper center of lateral plane to complement the center of effort of the sail plan, they function adequately. Modern science, however, has revealed that traditional centerboards often make poor hydrodynamic foils. Indeed, daggerboards are much more effective as foils, but can’t be pushed up into their trunks when they hit underwater objects.

The modern fin keel represents the most efficient underwater foil shape known. Because foil shapes favor straight edges, and because wing shapes are more commonly rectangular than triangular, the traditional centerboard has largely passed out of common use.

Until recently, all my centerboards were made with solid wood cores covered with laminated marine plywood and finished with Xynole-polyester fabric and epoxy. We power-planed some foil shape onto the solid cores prior to sheathing, but the geometry required to maintain true foil shapes throughout the depth of the boards was impossible to maintain. The boards contained just enough lead ballast to overcome their buoyancy. These traditional-style centerboards did not add to the self-righting abilities of the vessels in which they were employed. I avoided heavier centerboards because they impose high loads on their trunks, keels, pivot pins, bushings, and lifting tackle. Boards that are only slightly heavier than water are easy to raise with simple tackle, and don’t require a winch. But for extreme shoal-draft hulls intended for seagoing, a heavy centerboard can add substantially to the righting moments of the vessel.

Because modern construction (cold-molded wood, composite, and metal) permits stronger keel and trunk structures, I decided to investigate metal centerboards ballasted with lead and raised by mechanical devices.

In 2003 I contracted for the design of a modern high-performance racer/cruiser, Australia 47 (14.3m), to be built in aluminum alloy. Because I had freedom to locate the centerboard trunk wherever I wanted it, I chose a centerboard that would act as a fin keel in the down position but would still retract upon running aground—a hybrid that combines the properties of the fin keel, daggerboard, and centerboard. This was inspired in part by a 19th-century Maryland Crabbing Skiff, whose model featured a rectangular centerboard that resembled a fin keel in the down position but still pivoted from the forward corner.

A 19th-century Maryland Crabbing Skiff with centerboard resembling a fin keel.

It occurred to me that if this centerboard were lowered to vertical, and if it were shaped to a NACA foil, it would become a high-aspect-ratio fin keel. (It would also need to be shifted aft to maintain the correct center of lateral plane.)

In traditional centerboard design, the center of lateral plane of the centerboard is typically located aft of the center of the trunk. In daggerboard design, the center of lateral plane is typically centered below the trunk. With this new design, the center of lateral plane is forward of the trunk’s center, requiring that the trunk be located farther aft than is conventional. The only drawbacks I could see were that the lateral plane would shift from aft to forward as the board is lowered, and that the foil shape would not be optimized until the board was in the full-down position.

The Australia 47 (14.3m), designed by the author and built in aluminum alloy with a centerboard/fin keel.

I chose a shape that would have a leading edge 15° from vertical, with a vertical trailing edge. I tapered the board thickness so that a NACA 0009 foil shape would be maintained throughout the height of the board.

The Australia 47 has a low-aspect-ratio fixed keel incorporating a delta-wing, through which the centerboard projects. I designed the new centerboard to be constructed in aluminum around two vertical struts and three foil sections. I used a pipe section for the bottom of the board to streamline it for abrasion resistance, and to reduce turbulence when partially lowered. I also used a pipe for the leading edge, to establish the constant-radius foil nose. The part of the board remaining in the trunk is rectangular.

Inboard profile of the Sharpie 45 (13.7m), showing centerboard and trunk location. The board is lifted with a 3,000-lb-pull (1,361-kg) all-terrain-vehicle winch mounted on an aluminum bracket on the back of the foremast tabernacle. The winch—fitted with ¼” (6.35mm) 7×19-strand stainless steel wire rope doubled using a traveling snatch block shackled to the end of the centerboard pennant—also raises and lowers the tabernacled masts.

Foil-shaped centerboard (Sharpie 45SJI designed by the author) to be fabricated in aluminum or steel, and the lower portion filled with lead and polyester resin.

Several years later, in 2007, I designed a 45′ (13.7m) cold-molded plywood sharpie schooner, and decided to employ the new centerboard design so I could experiment with it firsthand. I chose 10-gauge steel for the skins, 3/8″  (9.5mm) for the struts, and schedule #40 black pipe for the leading edge and bottom. I used a gas metal arc (MIG) welder for assembly, and cut my material with a mini-grinder where straight, fine cuts were essential, and with an oxy-acetylene torch where rough cuts were acceptable. Dimensions are approximately 4′ x 8′ x 4½″ (1.2m x 2.4m x 114mm).

After extensive sail trials in the Gulf Stream and the Bahamas, I concluded that this new type centerboard is a success, and I have adapted it to many of my designs where the unusual shape and location of the trunk does not present a problem. Starting with the opening photo at the top of the page, you can follow my construction of the steel centerboard for my 45′ sharpie in the gallery below.

Inserting lead ballast prior to welding the fin’s sides closed.

Using a mini-grinder to cut slots in the sides. The slots will be filled with weld metal to join the side plates to the center struts in a process called slot welding.

The fin halves are closed by slot-welding the sides to the struts. Note the two rows of slot welds on the top side.

The trailing edge was the most difficult to weld. To avoid distortion, it was welded in segments before being continuous welded.

Forming the rectangular upper portion of the board. The lifting cable will attach at the slot cut at the back (top of photo). Note the slotted plug welds at left.

The board was sanded before being painted with epoxy primer (Sherwin-Williams SeaGuard 6000). It was then oriented vertically for infusion with polyester casting resin. Shown here is the finished fabric/epoxy-covered centerboard with the pivot pin bearing installed, at right. The board weighed 1,350 lbs (612 kg).

Lowering the hull onto the centerboard prior to launch. Note the wide box-keel.

For more information about PARKER MARINE ENTERPRISES , click here for its Web site.

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Boat Profile

Gartside’s Centerboard Lugger

Old ways at work

From Issue   August 2020

A bout 20 years ago, Long Island, New York, boatbuilder and designer Paul Gartside was commissioned by Steve Doherty, a publisher of marine books, to design a boat he could build in his retirement. Steve lived on Shelter Island on Long Island Sound and, Paul told me, “was a bit of an Anglophile and loved the British workboat types, so the resulting design is just a typical small beach boat of the type that was common throughout the British Isles, especially in the West Country, 100 years ago.” Typically, those boats carried mizzen sails, mostly to help them tack, and didn’t have centerboards. “It did concern me,” Paul noted, “that without a board, it would be slow to windward and there would be too much reliance on oars.” So, the addition of the board was the only significant difference in Paul’s design. As it turned out, Steve never got around to building his boat, and it is only recently that the first one built to this design has been completed.

The square hole in the transom is for the mizzen’s boomkin, which extends 4′ from the transom. The forward thwart is designed as a rowing station, though oarlocks are not installed here. The line at the aft end of the centerboard trunk is the tail end of a gun tackle on the port side of the trunk, which provides the mechanical advantage needed to raise the galvanized steel-plate centerboard.

When Kate Abernethy enrolled at the Boat Building Academy (BBA) in Lyme Regis, England, she arrived with an old Wayfarer dinghy that she hoped to restore as a course project. But when the Wayfarer was found to be beyond repair, she decided that she would build a new boat. Kate wanted something that would be trailerable and around the same size as the 16′ Wayfarer, and she liked the idea of a lugger. While searching online, the Gartside Centerboard Lugger, Design #124, caught her eye. “It just looked perfect,” she said. It would be well suited to learning about building boats as “it had all the boatbuilding joints you would want to know. It would be challenging with lots of problem solving.”

During the lofting process, there were concerns that there wouldn’t be room for the landings of the planks on the sternpost, and so its siding was increased from 2″ to 3″. Other than that, Gartside’s six sheets of clear and detailed plans were followed fairly closely. The centerline structure consists of a 4″ x 2 1/4″ fir keel (Kate used oak for hers and laminated it from three pieces for more economical use of the timber), an oak stem made up of three pieces scarfed together, and an oak sternpost, with a knee. Although Gartside prefers building the hull upside down—“because it is so much easier having gravity on your side”—Kate decided to do it the right way up “because I was inexperienced and it would be easier to ‘see’ the boat during the building process.” Once the 1-1/8″-thick oak transom and seven temporary molds were set up on the centerline, 11 ribbands were run around each side. Then 5/8″ x 1″ oak frames on 6″ centers were steamed and bent between the molds inside the ribbands. (If the boat is built upside down, the timbers would be steamed outside the ribbands, with a corresponding reduction in the dimensions of the molds.) Most of the frames run gunwale to gunwale, but three aft, four forward, and nine in way of the centerboard case are in two parts with their ends boxed into the centerline components.

The carvel planked hull has steam-bent oak frames on 6″ centers. The 3-1/2″ wide brace across the top of the transom serves as a partner for the mizzen mast.

For the planking, Gartside specifies nine strakes of 1/2″ red cedar, laid carvel, with red-lead putty in the seams and with a yellow-cedar lapped sheerstrake. Kate planned to store her boat on a trailer rather than on a mooring, and she was concerned that it would dry out during any long periods between outings. To keep the seams from opening up, she decided to use Accoya for the planking, and to glue the planks to the ribs with epoxy as well as riveting them, and to glue the seams as well. Accoya is a material that originates as radiata pine in New Zealand but then has its structure modified by a process called acetylation . This process reduces the timber’s hygroscopic properties (the ability to take in and expel moisture) and increases its stability.

The planks in the lower part of the hull at the bow and stern are required to twist as they are bent in place, so it was necessary to steam some of the planking. However, it was found that Accoya wouldn’t steam as well as more conventional timbers, to the extent that for the aft third of two of the strakes, oak had to be used instead and was scarfed onto the aft part of the Accoya planks. Kate also used oak for the sheerstrake, as it was to be bright finished, and laid it carvel rather than the lapstrake specified. Once the planking was complete, the molds were removed, allowing the remaining ribs to be steamed and fitted.

The Lugger is a big boat for solo rowing. The plans call for a second set of oarlocks forward. Two at the oars would comfortably keep the boat moving.

The hull could then be turned upside down to allow easier fairing of the outside, and over the next few days the hull was flipped several times so that the outside could be painted in the evenings while the interior fit-out progressed during the days.

Ten 1-1/8″-thick sapele floors (oak in the plans) were fitted, all with level top surfaces to allow them to double up as bearers for the larch floorboards which are in four sections for easy removal. The 2″ x 5/8″ oak seat risers support the 7/8″ painted sapele thwarts and bright-finished larch sternsheets. The timber for the latter was left over from a larch-clad barn Kate had built, so she used it instead of the cedar called for. The 2 -1/4″ x 1-1/8″ oak gunwale, tapered slightly at the ends, had to be steamed along the outside of the sheerstrake before fitting it to the inside. Kate decided to install a 3/4″ x 1″ rubrail at the sheer “for aesthetics and practical reasons,” adding to the protection provided by the 3/4″ x 7/8″ oak rubrail at the bottom of the sheerstrake specified in the plans.

The centerboard is made of 5/16″ galvanized mild steel and weighs 99 lbs, and is controlled by an uphaul with a 3:1 pulley system. The rudder blade—not shaped in the elongated ovoid designed by Paul, but more of what Kate thinks is a “traditional lugger shape” with straight leading and bottom edges—is in yellow cedar sheathed in ’glass and epoxy, rather than the more traditional bronze-pinned oak in the plans. The cheeks and tiller are oak.

Each of the main’s reefs shorten it by about 2′. The mizzen mast is set about 9″ to port to keep well clear of the tiller.

K ate clearly loves her boat, but she now realizes that her expectation that she would be able to launch and recover it easily singlehanded may have been unrealistic. At around 770 lbs, it is not a light boat, but as long as she can back the trailer far enough down the launch ramp to float the boat off the trailer, and with a bit of patience, perhaps she will be able to meet the challenge. When I met up with her, she had three of her fellow former students with her and we had no problem at all with rigging, launching, and recovery. The solid spruce main and mizzen masts are both easily stepped singlehandedly. The mizzen mast is offset to port by 9″ to allow the tiller a full range of movement.

Unladen and with centerboard and rudder blade raised (the latter is then just clear of the level of the bottom of the keel), the boat’s draft is about 8″. With the wind directly onshore, we decided, as soon as we had launched, to row out to a nearby vacant mooring to hoist the sails. As you would expect with a boat of this weight, it took a bit of effort to get it going with the oars, but once it had some way on it became much easier. Kate didn’t install rowlocks for the forward thwart, and so it was difficult to get the right fore-and-aft balance with two people in the boat.

The powerful balanced lug mainsail has an area of 122 sq ft and an 18′4″ leach. The 20 sq ft mizzen provides balance and gives the boat good manners when luffed.

The 122-sq-ft lug mainsail and 20-sq-ft Bermuda mizzen sail were also made as part of the BBA course but, as the photos show, the mainsail needs some tweaking to lose the crease from the throat to the clew. With two of us aboard, we had a most enjoyable sail in a good Force-3 breeze with flat water in the sheltered waters of the River Torridge in North Devon, England. We had plenty of room: in fact, there were seven on board on launch day at the Academy and it didn’t seem at all crowded. The boat has a wonderfully lively performance and is easy and responsive on the helm. On a beam reach, it averaged about 5.5 knots, although when two others took over, the wind got up a bit and it looked as if it was going a little faster at times. It tacked through about 90 degrees and carried way very easily through the eye of the wind. After cleating the mizzen, it is easy to tend the mainsheet while steering and, with no headsail, there isn’t much for anyone else to do except enjoy the ride. Kate need have no fears about sailing the boat by herself.

Nigel Sharp  is a lifelong sailor and a freelance marine writer and photographer. He spent 35 years in managerial roles in the boatbuilding and repair industry, and has logged thousands of miles in boats big and small, from dinghies to schooners.

16′ Centerboard Lugger Particulars

Beam/5′ 11″

Depth amidships/1′ 10″

Displacement/550 lbs

Sail area/142 sq ft

Plans for the 16′ Centerboard Lugger, Design #124 are available in both print and digital format from Paul Gartside for $195.

Is there a boat you’d like to know more about? Have you built one that you think other Small Boats Magazine readers would enjoy? Please email us!

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One thought on “ Gartside’s Centerboard Lugger ”

Wow, what a beautiful sailboat! I’m planning on building an Arctic Tern this Winter, but would certainly take a close look at this yawl later. I think I’d probably install a Norwegian tiller though.

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Hartley 30 (Steel Version)

$ 246.00 – $ 261.00 (USD)

For construction in either plywood or steel. 30′ (8.98m) multi-chine flush-deck fast sailer.

Three versions – Centreboard – Fin Keel – Bilge keels. Centreboard draught is 2’3″ to 7′. Fin is 5’9″ and bilge keeler 3’11”.

Headroom is 6′ and there is accommodation for 5 adults. Takes outboards from 10hp and inboard engines from 15hp.

These are the plans for the steel version, click here for the plans of the plywood version .

There is also a study pack available for this plan. Click here to view .

Plans can be shipped folded in a large envelope or shipped in a sturdy cardboard tube (add $15.00 USD)

Please choose between the fin keel plan and the bilge keel plan.

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