Can of worms here! Most of you will have read the reports of the Beneteau lost in the Atlantic when the keel snapped off a couple of weeks ago. My sympathies to the relatives of the crew. Always a tragedy to lose people at sea. (anywhere for that matter.)
But brings to my mind the seemingly ignored question of the safety of fin keels in the ocean. Used to be a discussion topic years ago, but seems to have dropped out of fashion recently.
Cisco has posted that he doesn't like cats because of their possible problems in a decent storm at sea. But what about fin keels?
I have seen a few yachts on the hard with cracks around the keels. (Don't ask me what and when! Just a few over the years.)
We all love the way fin keelers slice to windward, pointing like crazy. But a few seem to have come to grief in recent years.
I rented a Beneteau 39ft in New Caledonia a few years ago. Like a loungeroom inside.
But pounded fit to shake your fillings out when motoring to windward in about 15 knots. (Narrow channel and wind right on the nose and family aboard - my excuse for the donk.) And moved around at anchor enough to make you dizzy.
39 ft big dinghy really.
So for ocean cruising, I prefer the longer keels with more wine glass sections. I have delivered a Laurent Giles designed 30 footer (modified Vertue design) and found the lovely motion in a decent seaway a revelation.
And I do like the Walkers (along with HGO2!) We seem to have become speed obsessed, and want windward performance above all else.
I expect to be shouted down here, but any thoughts?