Keel and rudder position
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JaynSusan
Keel and rudder position
there are 2 ropes that raise and lower my rudder on a78 chrysler swing keel. the boat is always in the water.does it matter if the rudder is kept down in running position? also same question about the keel- thanks alot for answers.
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EmergencyExit
- Site Admin
- Posts: 2956
- Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2003 5:02 pm
- Location: Mississippi Gulf Coast
Don't know that it matters, but personally I always kept the keel up. Tides on Lake Ponchartrain never varied by much at all, but I always figured if I left it down it might get stuck in the bottom. Wonder if it is less prone to marine growth tucked up in the pocket than left down ?
As far as rudder, I left that down because mine was always a pain to pull from full up to full down with just the lines - had to always give it a push with a pole. Down to up is easy.
By the way, my former neighbors here in southwest Mississippi moved to Key West last year.
As far as rudder, I left that down because mine was always a pain to pull from full up to full down with just the lines - had to always give it a push with a pole. Down to up is easy.
By the way, my former neighbors here in southwest Mississippi moved to Key West last year.
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rjbranch
keel up or down
The keel down will make the boat alot more stable around the dock. As to growth on it, there will be less when there is less light so in the well will produce less. Alot depends though on the particular growth where you sail. In the Great Lakes we don't have barnacles that you do in salt water, but we do have extremely heavy algae fouling. More if the river is not real clean. When I kept a boat on a river that produced alot of algae growth, I would clean the hull before races. Once we got to cold water after labor day that would end. On hauling the boat, there was rarely much if any growth on the keel. The hull shadows it and the light penetration decreases with depth so there was just a scum on the top foot of the keel. The rest was clean. As to the worth of antifouling paints in this water, none worked well enough to keep the bottom clean. You would always get a scum. Just not long stuff.
Where I live now which is on an island in the middle of the river that carries all of Lake Huron's flow to the lower lakes, the water is so clean that I never clean a bottom all year and even without bottom paint on my runabout it only has a slight discoloration.
These are my experiences in our water. Your expereince in your water may vary.(undoubltably will.) Glad I don't live with barnacles. Those were nasty to clear off the Tri I bought in Florida! ... and your eye's burning when water gets in them! Can't even imagine that. Bummer!
bob branch
Harsens Island, MI
Where I live now which is on an island in the middle of the river that carries all of Lake Huron's flow to the lower lakes, the water is so clean that I never clean a bottom all year and even without bottom paint on my runabout it only has a slight discoloration.
These are my experiences in our water. Your expereince in your water may vary.(undoubltably will.) Glad I don't live with barnacles. Those were nasty to clear off the Tri I bought in Florida! ... and your eye's burning when water gets in them! Can't even imagine that. Bummer!
bob branch
Harsens Island, MI