Rudders

[Crikey]

Size matters....

[fdnynapes]

You cannot partially lower the rudders. I saw one sailor, for use in shallow water cut one rudder off about one foot. He sailed mainly in Barnegat Bay, NJ. He would lower that rudder only, and it gave home ok control. Also you can get releasing cleats in case the rudders strike the bottom. But then you lose control. I don't use these. You must have control. Obviously.

[fdnynapes]

Another option I use is the engine. Leave it running in gear at idle, it gives excellent steerage. Then move out to deeper water. Don't sail in shallow water, if you have option. If you get grounded with the sail up, your in big hassle. Damage to sails trying to lower, etc.

[Ixneigh]

I have small skegs glassed onto the bottom of my M model. Mostly for low power tracking but they do help in shallow water sailing. They hinder tacking a bit with the centerboard more then half up.
It's a trade off I am willing to make since i frequent shallow waters...else I would have bought any number of fine keel boats that are practically free.
Ix

[BOAT]

I wondered when someone would have made that point. I too had many many fine keel boats to choose from before I bought 'boat' - like 28 to 38 foot boats all under 30 grand in great shape. Because of where I live there are TONS of sailboats laying around left over by people from out of town that bought boats and never got around to really using them. I have people offering me really nice, large sailboats ALL THE TIME for CHEAP CHEEP CHEEEP!

But, instead I bought a new MAC.

Getting into shallow water was one of the features. I have a little different way to do the shallows than some - there are some sandy places I like to pull into but there is a little swell so I don't want to beach it. Instead I drive drop a bow anchor and then drive in backwards in revers with the engine at idle with the swim ladder in the down position and my long pole. Watching the bottom and doing an occasional poke I can get the boat into water about 2 feet deep. That's just right for me to step off from the ladder in my shorts with a stern line and tie off the boat to the shore.

Of course, all foils are up to do this. If I had to cross a sand bar of questionable depth this is an optional way to do it also.

Keel boats don't do these things so none of the skippers I talk to can give me any advice on this stuff - I sort of have to figure it out on my own. You guys might have better ideas for dealing with the shallows. I'm always wanting to know more about it. There are many places I have been in my previous boat where I would get out and walk the boat along in hip deep water. (Channel Islands, Mission Bay, Sea Of Cortez, Catalina Harbor: watch for sand sharks in that one!, and the swim beach at Dana Point (lifeguard chased me away from that one).

[Ixneigh]

I just keep the daggerboard pulled up while sailing over anything questionable. As soon as the rudders hit, I decide if I want to continue. The boat will slow down when the water gets shallow. It also won't tack or gybe quickly. Don't do this going dead down wind. Or with rocky bottoms. Avoid areas that break. Grass, mud, sand or hard bottoms you are familiar with only. I sometimes go out at night in our shallow waters here and don't worry at all. It's calm in the shallows, and no other boats. As the rudders kick up more and more the boat gets harder to steer. Choose to turn around or not. The skegs help my boat deal with her owners affinity for shallow out of the way places.
Ix

[dlandersson]

That's not what my wife said on our honeymoon?

Size matters....