30 ft bilge keel yachts for sale

• Used motorboats
• Used sailboats
• All used boats
• New motorboats
• New sailboats
• All new boats
• Boat brands
• Boat models
• Boats ad visibility booster pack
• Boat quotation
• Frequently asked questions

Used bilge keel sailboats for sale

Consolation 37 aluminium, allures 39.9, wrighton biloup 89, lagoon 450 s, barbican 33, moody 31 mk i, moody 31 mk ii, hunter 265 ranger, westerly 36 conway, related searches.

13 Most Popular Bilge Keel Sailboats Worth Considering

One of the main advantages of bilge keel sailboats is their ability to maintain lateral resistance, allowing them to sail close to the wind and perform well in choppy conditions. They also have two keels that provide stability and allow the boat to stand upright even when the tide goes out. If you're looking for a sailboat that can handle shallow waters and dry out on the beach, let me introduce you to 13 of the most popular bilge keel sailboats worth considering.

The 13 most popular bilge keel sailboats that are worth considering are the following: Snapdragon 747, Snapdragon 890, Snapdragon 600, Achilles 24, Westerly Centaur, Westerly Griffon, Westerly Pageant, Sadler 32, Moody 33, Westerly Konsort, Moody 346, Hunter Horizon 26, and Fisher 25.

The Westerly Konsort is a bilge keel sailboat that is known for its stability and comfort. It is a popular choice for family cruising. Let's learn more about each sailboat, including its features, specifications, and performance.

• The Snapdragon 600 is a smaller bilge keel sailboat that is known for its good performance and easy handling.
• The bilge keel design of Westerly Centaur can help reduce heeling and improve upwind performance, but it may also create additional drag and reduce overall speed.
• The bilge keel design of Westerly Konsort provides excellent stability and allows the boat to sit upright on the mud or sand when the tide goes out.
• The bilge keel of Westerly Griffon provides excellent lateral stability, which makes the boat less prone to rolling in rough seas.
• The Sadler 32 is another bilge keel sailboat designed for easy handling, even for novice sailors, with a simple rigging system and a responsive helm.

On this page:

Snapdragon 747, snapdragon 890, snapdragon 600, achilles 24, westerly centaur, westerly griffon, westerly pageant, westerly konsort, hunter horizon 26.

Below is a table summarizing why you should consider the following bilge keel sailboats:

The Snapdragon 747 is a popular bilge keel sailboat that is known for being easy to handle and comfortable to sail. It has a spacious cockpit and a cozy interior that can accommodate up to six people. The boat has a length of 24 feet and a beam of 8 feet, making it a good choice for day sailing or weekend trips.

In terms of performance, though it is not the fastest sailboat on the water, it is reliable and stable. Its bilge keels provide good stability and allow the boat to sail close to the wind, making it easy to handle in a variety of conditions. The boat's sail area is around 240 square feet, which is sufficient for most sailing needs.

The Snapdragon 890 is a bilge keel sailboat designed by Thames Marine in the 1970s. Instead of having a single keel in the center of the boat, it has two keels that are located on either side of the hull. This design allows the boat to sit upright on the ground when the tide goes out, which can be useful for coastal cruising and exploring shallow waters.

Get to understand more about bilge keel in this article.

In sailing, the Snapdragon 890 is known for being stable and easy to handle. The bilge keel design helps to reduce heeling and increase stability, which can be especially helpful in choppy or windy conditions.

The boat has a moderate sail area, with a mainsail of around 200 square feet and a genoa of around 150 square feet. This means that it can be easily handled by a small crew or even single-handedly.

Like the Snapdragon 890, the Snapdragon 600 has a bilge keel design that allows it to sit upright on the ground when the tide goes out. This can be useful for coastal cruising and exploring shallow waters. The boat has a displacement of around 2,500 lbs, making it lighter than the Snapdragon 890.

The boat has a moderate sail area, with a mainsail of around 100 square feet and a genoa of around 70 square feet so it is perfect for a small crew or even for solo sailing.

The Achilles 24 is a bilge keel sailboat that was designed by Oliver Lee in the UK in the early 1960s. Like other bilge keel sailboats, the Achilles 24 is designed to be stable and easy to handle.

The boat has a moderate sail area, with a mainsail of around 140 square feet and a genoa of around 150 square feet. One of the key features of the Achilles 24 is its spacious interior.

The boat has a large saloon area, a galley, a chart table, and a separate head compartment. It can accommodate up to four people, making it a great choice for weekend cruising or short trips.

In terms of sailing performance, the Achilles 24 is known for being a responsive and well-balanced boat. It can be easily driven by its sails and can handle a variety of wind conditions. The boat has a relatively narrow beam, which helps to reduce drag and increase speed.

The Westerly Centaur is a bilge keel sailboat that was designed for coastal cruising and has a reputation for being a sturdy and reliable boat. The bilge keel design is intended to provide greater stability and the ability to take the ground, which can be useful for exploring shallow waters and anchoring in tidal areas.

Although the Centaur is not known for being a particularly fast or performance-oriented boat, it is a comfortable and safe cruiser that can handle a variety of conditions. The bilge keels can help to reduce heeling and improve upwind performance, but they may also create additional drag and reduce overall speed.

Want to weigh the pros and cons of bilge keels ? Here's an article you might find helpful.

The design of the Centaur is fairly traditional, having a spacious interior with good headroom that can accommodate up to six people. The cockpit is also roomy and well-protected, which can make it comfortable for extended cruising.

The Westerly Griffon is a popular bilge keel sailboat designed by Ed Dubois and built by Westerly Yachts in the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1989. It is known for its stability and ease of handling.

The bilge keels provide excellent lateral stability, which makes the boat less prone to rolling in rough seas. The Griffon also has a relatively shallow draft, which allows it to access shallow anchorages and marinas that are off-limits to deeper-draft boats.

The Griffon's design is characterized by its spacious and comfortable interior, which features a large saloon, a galley, and two private cabins. The boat is also equipped with a head and shower, which makes it suitable for longer trips. The cockpit is also well-designed, with ample seating and good visibility.

In terms of features, the Griffon is equipped with a number of standard amenities, including a roller furling genoa, a mainsail with lazy jacks, and a self-tailing winch. The boat also has a variety of optional features, such as a diesel engine, a windlass, and a chartplotter.

The Westerly Pageant is a bilge keel sailboat, which means it has two keels instead of one. This design allows the boat to sit upright on the ground or on a low-tide seabed, making it easier to access shallow waters.

In terms of performance, the Westerly Pageant is known for being a stable and sturdy boat, with good handling and maneuverability. It has a moderate sail area and a relatively low displacement, which makes it a good choice for cruising and day sailing.

The design of the Westerly Pageant features a spacious cockpit and a comfortable interior with two cabins, a saloon, and a galley. The boat can accommodate up to six people, making it a good choice for families or small groups.

The Sadler 32 is a bilge keel sailboat designed by David Sadler in the 1970s. It is known for its excellent sailing performance and sturdy construction, making it a great choice for cruising and offshore sailing.

The bilge keel design allows the boat to be more stable and sail in shallow waters. The boat is also able to handle strong winds and rough seas with ease.

Despite its relatively small size, the Sadler 32 has a spacious interior that can comfortably accommodate up to six people. The boat has a large saloon area, a well-equipped galley, and plenty of storage space. The Sadler 32 is designed to be easy to handle, even for novice sailors, with a simple rigging system and a responsive helm.

The Moody 33 is a popular bilge keel sailboat designed for cruising and coastal sailing. It was first introduced in 1974 and remained in production until 1985. This boat is known for its sturdy construction, excellent performance, and spacious interior.

Since the Moody 33 has a bilge keel design, this means that the boat has two keels, one on each side of the hull, which provide excellent stability and allow it to stand upright on a hard surface. This design also allows the boat to sail closer to the wind and makes it easier to maneuver in tight spaces.

The Moody 33 has a spacious cockpit with ample seating for the crew, and the deck is designed for easy handling of sails and rigging. The boat is powered by a reliable diesel engine and has a fuel capacity of 20 gallons (76 liters).

Below the deck, the boat has a comfortable living area with a full galley, a head with shower, and sleeping accommodations for up to six people. The interior is finished in teak and offers plenty of storage space for extended cruising.

The Westerly Konsort is a popular bilge keel sailboat that was designed and built in the UK. It is a sturdy and reliable cruiser that is well-suited for coastal and offshore sailing.

One of the key features of the Konsort is its bilge keel design which provide excellent stability and allows the boat to sit upright on the mud or sand when the tide goes out. This makes it easy to explore shallow waters and anchor in tight spots.

The Konsort has a moderate displacement and a relatively low sail area, which makes it easy to handle even in rough conditions. The boat is also known for its good upwind performance and its ability to maintain speed in light winds.

It has a spacious and comfortable interior that can accommodate up to six people. The boat has a large saloon with a U-shaped seating area, a galley, and a navigation station. There are also two private cabins, one forward and one aft, as well as a head with a shower.

The Moody 346 is a popular bilge keel sailboat that was designed by Bill Dixon and built by Moody Yachts. This boat is known for its excellent performance, design, and features, making it a great choice for sailors of all levels.

In terms of performance, the Moody 346 is a fast and responsive sailboat that is easy to handle in a variety of conditions. It features a long waterline, which helps to provide excellent stability and maneuverability. The bilge keels also help to reduce the boat's draft , making it easier to navigate in shallow waters.

The design of the Moody 346 is both practical and elegant. The boat features a spacious cockpit and a comfortable interior, with plenty of room for living and entertaining. The interior is finished in high-quality materials and features a range of amenities, including a galley, a head, and sleeping accommodations for up to six people.

In terms of features, the Moody 346 is well-equipped with everything you need for a comfortable and enjoyable sailing experience. The boat comes with a range of navigation and communication equipment, as well as safety features like a life raft and safety harnesses. It also features a range of storage compartments, making it easy to stow gear and supplies.

The Hunter Horizon 26 is a popular bilge keel sailboat that was designed and built by Hunter Boats in the UK. It is a versatile and practical boat that is ideal for coastal cruising and day sailing.

It is a stable and responsive boat that is easy to handle. Its bilge keels provide good stability and allow the boat to sail in shallow waters. The boat also has a moderate sail area and a well-balanced rig, which makes it easy to control and maneuver.

In terms of design, the Hunter Horizon 26 has a classic look with a sleek and modern profile. It has a spacious and comfortable cockpit that can accommodate up to four people.

The boat's interior is well-designed and features a large saloon, a galley, and a separate head compartment. The boat also has plenty of storage space, making it ideal for longer trips.

The Fisher 25 is a classic bilge keel sailboat that was designed by Wyatt and Freeman in the late 1960s. It is a popular choice among sailors who are looking for a sturdy and reliable cruising boat that can handle a variety of weather conditions.

This boat is known for its stability and seaworthiness. The bilge keels provide excellent stability both at sea and in harbor, and the boat's heavy displacement and full keel design make it easy to handle in rough weather. The boat has a moderate sail plan that is easy to handle, and it can be sailed single-handed or with a small crew.

The Fisher 25's design is classic and timeless, with a traditional look that is both elegant and functional. The boat has a spacious cockpit that provides plenty of room for relaxing and entertaining, and the interior is cozy and comfortable, with ample storage space and a well-designed galley.

The boat is also built to high standards using high-quality materials, and it is known for its durability and longevity. The hull is made of solid fiberglass, and the deck and cabin are constructed of marine-grade plywood and fiberglass. The boat's rigging and hardware are also of high quality, and the boat is designed to withstand the rigors of offshore sailing.

Leave a comment

You may also like, pros and cons of the bilge keel (5 surprising benefits).

As far as sailboats go, you won't see that many bilge keel designs - at least compared to full or bulb keels. The design has a lot to offer though, despite its …

Sailboat Keel Types: Illustrated Guide (Bilge, Fin, Full)

What's the Best Keel Design for Bluewater Sailing?

The Best Sailboats for Rough Sea Conditions (13 Examples)

Practical Boat Owner

• Digital edition

Best bilge keel yachts and twin keel yachts for drying out ashore

• Peter Poland
• April 12, 2023

Peter Poland reveals how bilge keel yachts and twin-keel designs won his respect – those that could sail well and stand on their own two feet…

Back in the late 1970s, I found myself on the horns of a dilemma. For the last decade or so I’d dismissed bilge keels and twin keels as ugly and performance sapping appendages. To my eyes, they invariably had the look of casually designed afterthoughts that had sprouted beneath nice hulls just to enable the boat to stand on its own two feet.

The boats that my company built, on the other hand, were aimed at serious sailors and I rashly assumed that anything other than a state-of-the-art fin keel or hydrodynamically efficient lifting keel would never be likely to satisfy this market.

Then my own personal boating needs underwent a change, so I had to take a flyer. Breaking my own rules and ignoring my preconceptions, I went out and spent my own hard-earned loot on a second-hand twin keeled Westerly Centaur.

Why? Because my factory and home were on the East Coast but a lot of high-profile sailing activity took place down south. So I needed a habitable floating base that could be parked on a cheap mud mooring and be able to follow the regatta circuits on which the boats I built (Sonatas, Impalas, Deltas, Medinas etc) competed.

This boat had to provide a general all-purpose home from home. And a bit of undemanding weekend pottering would be an added bonus. With my limited budget, there was only one obvious solution at the time – a Centaur.

Article continues below…

Best cruising boats under 30 feet: Is this the ideal size for a yacht?

Cruising boats of around 30ft can often become a ‘boat for life’. Having graduated from dinghies to small cruisers, many…

Classic cruiser boats: Why GRP models are now being welcomed into the fold

Sprawled, glass in hand, in the cockpit of my friend James Stock’s beautiful Stephen Jones-designed Mystery 35, I pondered on…

I soon discovered that the Centaur’s windward performance – while adequate – was hardly stimulating, especially when compared to the close winded precision of a Sonata or Impala to which I’d become accustomed.

As a result, the Centaur’s Volvo Penta motor got a lot of use when the wind went light or ahead, whereas on a reach or a run she performed satisfactorily and got us from A to B with a minimum of fuss and at a respectable speed. And she also offered comfort down below – despite the Centaur being only 26ft long I could stand up.

Design challenge

All of which got me thinking that maybe there could be more to these twin keel things than immediately met the eye. And as the sales of our fin and lifting keel speedsters began to slow over the ensuing years, I could not help noticing that the sales of our bilge or twin keeled competitors seemed to be on an ever-rising upwards trend in the 1970s and 80s.

Around 2,500 twin-keel Westerly Centaurs were built, which means there are plenty on the second hand market. Photo: Peter Poland

If we were to continue as a viable boatbuilding business, maybe we’d have to cast aside our prejudices and take a long look at these two-legged options.

So I took courage in both hands and asked our designer whether he might be willing to consider agreeing to design us some twin keels. I hastily added that of course – being the genius that he undoubtedly was – he was bound to come up with something far better than anything that had ever graced a cruising yacht’s bilge before.

Then I stood back and awaited the inevitable broadside of shock, horror and indignation. “Well,” said David Thomas (who had never designed a slow yacht in his life), “I might. I just might.

“But first I’ll need to think about it. In case you’d not noticed, twin keels have far more variables than a fin keel. The positioning of the roots relative to the centre line, the splay, the angle of attack are all variable and important. I’ll have to think twice as hard and for twice as long.”

I took this as a ‘yes’ so left it at that. And patiently awaited developments.

Gib’Sea 76 (26ft 11in) with ‘swept’ twin keels that draw 3ft 3in. Photo: Peter Poland

History of bilge keel yachts

Of course, bilge and twin keels were not a new phenomenon. They had been around for many years. When researching an earlier article on the Westerly story, I’d been fascinated by the development work done on his twin keel and twin rudder yachts by Lord Riverdale. As had my sales manager, Andy Cunningham, who wrote an excellent treatise on twin keels.

Lord Riverdale’s first twin keel sailboat was the smaller self-designed 25ft Bluebird of Thorne , built in 1924. Later Riverdale built the bigger Bluebird of Thorne (50ft) in the early 60s that he designed in collaboration with Arthur Robb. He claimed that tank-tested models indicated a 15% improvement on his earlier twin keel designs.

Bluebird of Thorne ’s owner, Lord Riverdale, had designed and built a string of cruising yachts (all with twin keels) over a period of around 40 years prior to the culminating glory of his and Robb’s 50ft steel twin keeler.

Riverdale also liked to draw the distinction between what he called ‘bilge keelers’ (meaning boats with a ballasted or unballasted centre keel and two stabilising bilge keels) and ‘twin keelers’ (boats with twin ballasted keels).

To go further back to bilge keel basics, it was probably Maurice Griffiths who did most to put bilge keel benefits into practice and bring creek crawling and ‘upright drying out’ to numerous leisure sailors.

Built from GRP, the Golden Hind 31 is a double chine, shoal draught cruiser. Photo: sailingscenes.com

Classics such as the 1957 Eventide 24 and 26, Waterwitch and 1968 Golden Hind 31 (to name but three of his many popular designs) all came with bilge keel options – featuring a substantial central ballast keel and two supporting bilge plates. The resulting shallow draught would never provide dynamic windward performance; but that was not Maurice Griffiths’s aim.

He set out to supply honest, seagoing small yachts that would be equally at home in the rough and tumble of a hostile North Sea as they were weaving between the withies and nosing their way into peaceful and shallow backwaters.

East Coast pottering is a specialised and delightful pastime that can only be enjoyed to the full in a shallow draught yacht that is capable of drying out – whether by mistake or on purpose.

Then along came Robert Tucker and his popular twin keel plywood pocket cruisers such as the Silhouette that took off in 1954. Around the same time, a French designer began to play with twin keels.

François Sergent designed the attractive 22ft Sargue with a beam of 7ft 5in; generous for that era and with reasonable accommodation. Several of this mahogany strip planked twin keeler (drawing 2ft 4in) were built, and they not only sat happily on the Breton mud – they sailed well.

The designer said: “In passage races in the St Malo-Granville area one won two firsts and a fourth in three starts against deep keel boats and centreboarders.” It’s a pity none of them made it over to our UK shores. With pleasing performance and Gallic grace, the Sargue class looked a cut above what was available over here at that time.

Westerly Nomad’s longer coachroof offered improved accommodation to the Westerly 22. Photo: Carolyn Jenkins/Alamy

Westerly 22

Mass-produced and affordable bilge keel GRP yachts only really began to fill up our foreshores after Denys Rayner set up Westerly Marine in the early 1960s. Enthused by the tractable sailing he had enjoyed in his earlier bilge keeled designs such as the jaunty little Westcoaster, he decided that the time was right to invest in a new GRP cruiser.

And so the Westerly 22 was born in 1963. The twin keels drew just 2ft 3in and gave a ballast ratio of 33.3% while a long central ‘keel’ supported the rudder and gave a secure ‘three-point landing’.

The Westerly 22 sailed adequately, sat happily on a drying mooring, and the 22 Young Tiger was seaworthy enough to make a transatlantic crossing in 1966. The longer coachroof of the later Westerly Nomad (1967) improved accommodation.

Following on from the 22’s success and Westerly’s bursting order book, Rayner pushed ahead with 25ft and 30ft models that used the same keel recipe. The burgeoning market for family cruisers was growing fast after the post war dinghy boom.

In a remarkably short time, Westerly sold almost 1,000 of these Rayner-designed yachts and the bilge keel revolution was well and truly on its way.

But even their greatest fans will admit that the sailing performance of these early models was unspectacular. Their modest draught meant that lateral resistance was minimal, so leeway when sailing to windward was considerable compared to that of a yacht with the extra bite given by deeper keels.

When buying a used twin keeler, like the Westerly Centaur or Mirage, get keel roots surveyed. Photo: Peter Poland

And the drag incurred by all that surface area on three shallow appendages cut speed through the water – especially in lighter airs. But the early Westerlys sold like hot cakes because they brought economical sailing, low cost drying moorings and carefree coastal cruising to thousands of sailors taking to the water ‘en famille’ for the first time.

As Westerly pushed remorselessly ahead, other players soon entered the twin keel market. Thames Marine set up on Canvey Island in Essex and, over many years, produced hundreds of Snapdragon cruisers. Like the early Westerlys, these boats were not – by any stretch of the imagination – racers.

While a few models offered a centreboard keel configuration, the majority were twin keelers. Accommodation was always spacious and later models had a pleasing look, thanks to their nicely proportioned coachroofs.

At the smaller end of the market, makes such as Leisures, Silhouettes, Hurleys, Tridents, Macwesters, Cobras and Alacrities – to name a few – offered twin keels as standard or as an option.

But nobody was yet putting that much thought into the designs of the keels themselves. Some builders even produced twin keels that were an integral part of the hull moulding, then filled the GRP keel cavity with iron punchings.

As a result, the keel had to be vertical (to release from the hull mould) – which is far from ideal from a performance perspective. Add a fibreglass moulding filled with iron, and it is a disaster waiting to happen if the boat dries out on rough or rocky ground.

Once the GRP keel base is worn down or punctured, saltwater can get in and rust the iron, whereupon the rest of the fibreglass keel ‘casing’ can get blown away from the rusting iron ballast inside.

Painting a Westerly Centuar while dried out. Photo: Gary Blake/Alamy

Westerly Centaur

The next real leap forward in twin keel design came courtesy of the originators of mass-produced GRP twin keel cruisers – our old friends Westerly again. As Denys Rayner’s health was fading, he enlisted the young David Sanders to take over the running of the company. Unlike Rayner, Sanders was no yacht designer. “Go to Laurent Giles,” advised Rayner.

He was aware of the bilge keel development work and tank testing that had been done by Jack Giles so reckoned design firm Laurent Giles was the most likely to take twin keel design to its next stage. It was wise advice.

When I asked Barry van Geffen (later the MD of the Laurent Giles design office) how the new generation twin keels as first used on the Centaur came into being, he said that Laurent Giles’s research and tank testing had been very revealing.

Westerly Centaur interior. Photo: sailingscenes.com

“What was learned had a significant impact on keel design, as it was discovered that through various angles of attack, heel and yaw, there was a marked change in efficiency (lift versus drag) with keels that were aligned exactly fore and aft on the hull.

The LG [Laurent Giles] team considered all the implications, along with Westerly’s insistence that for production reasons both port and starboard keel castings should come out of the same mould – and settled on a design with a 2° toe-in and veed keel base.”

Twin keel changes

So what does this tell us about Laurent Giles’s suggested changes in twin keel design? Firstly, Westerly’s insistence on symmetrical keel foils for ease of manufacture and economic considerations was fortuitous for other reasons.

Early twin keel designs were often asymmetrical – as originally advocated by the Lord Riverdale of Bluebird fame before he realised these were less effective than symmetrical keels. The theory was that the foil shape on the inside face of the leeward keel and flat shape on the outside face would generate lift (like an aeroplane’s wing) and therefore lift the boat up to windward.

Unfortunately, however, the reverse could apply to the windward keel. In addition, the water flow between the keels could produce a braking effect, thereby slowing the boat down. The effect is not unlike putting the brakes on by adopting a ‘snow plough’ stance when skiing down a mountain.

So Laurent Giles’s move to a modest 2° toe-in for maximum efficiency combined with symmetrical foils was the right way to go. The result was a marked improvement in windward performance over older bilge or twin keel yachts. And if they had gone for slightly more draught than 3ft, it would have been even better.

Westerly Griffon 22

But perhaps they continued to learn, because Centaur’s later and smaller sister – the 23ft Pageant – drew only 2in less (at 2ft 10in) despite being 3ft shorter overall. The Pageant sails well and even used to win club races in her early days. And when Ed Dubois came to design the Centaur’s successor – the 26ft Griffon – he went for 3in more draught than the Centaur and drew finer foils with less drag. So twin keel performance continued to improve.

But the early Griffon’s finer keels (with finer roots) also brought boatbuilders’ attention to the often-overlooked risks attached to bilge keels. Westerly fitted their symmetric twin keels by bolting them to small GRP ‘roots’ that formed part of the hull – rather like a GRP version of old fashioned ‘deadwood’. So the finer the keel, the finer this ‘deadwood’ stub also became.

As a result, it needed greater internal reinforcement to resist sideways movement. And the greatest ‘force’ imparted to twin keel roots – where they attach to the hull – is not necessarily encountered when the boat dries out on soft mud. It happens when the boat tries to break free from the firm grip of the mud as the tide returns and attempts to lift the hull clear of this grip. The deeper and more glutinous the mud, the harder it grips and the longer the boat’s natural buoyancy takes to lift it clear. And this is what caused damage to the early Griffon’s keel roots.

Westerly repaired the damage and reinforced subsequent models. But the lesson was there for every builder of twin keel boats to learn. It also explains why a buyer and his surveyor should inspect keel roots when assessing any possible second-hand purchase.

Hunter Horizon 26. Photo: sailingscenes.com

Hunter Horizon 26

So – to return to the request I put to David Thomas in the early 1980s for a world beating twin keel design. What did he come up with? Predictably perhaps, he took his time. We all reckoned he’d vanished into a mystical twin keel retreat. But the design that finally emerged was well worth the wait.

Thomas reckoned that the optimum angle of heel for comfortable cruising (as opposed to flat out racing) is around 15°. So he designed the keels to attach to the bilge with a 15° splay and to be slightly ‘toed in’. This way the leeward keel would be vertical when the boat was heeled 15° – thereby working at its maximum draught and presenting the biggest possible lateral area to reduce leeway.

Then he placed the keel roots as close to the centreline as was feasible while still making sure that the boat would be stable when dried out. The reasoning behind this was that the closer the keel roots are to the centreline, the less likely the windward keel is to break surface and ‘thump’ when the boat is heeled in a seaway.

The final ingredient to the new generation Thomas twin keel designs produced the most animated discussions with the builder. Any sensible designer wants as much draught as possible – to lower the centre of gravity, increase overall stability and maximise lateral resistance to reduce leeway.

The builder, however, wants to keep the draught low to increase the boat’s appeal from a marketing perspective. So a compromise always had to be negotiated, although Thomas usually won. As a result his twin keelers invariably drew more than the equivalent sized competitors’ boats .

Hunter Horizon 26 interior. Photo: sailingscenes.com

And how did such twin keels actually perform? Extremely well. Having done initial trials on a Delta 25 hull, the Thomas keels were declared to be a success by boat testers and buyers alike. The time was ripe to introduce the first Thomas-designed spacious family cruiser that could sail well and stand on its own two feet.

The long-suffering Delta hull was dragged into the tooling shop again and given a brand new deck moulding for full standing headroom, an aft heads compartment and a spacious stern cabin. The new model was named the Horizon 26 and duly won the Best Production Yacht Award at the 1984 Southampton Boat Show .

We then walked into an unexpected marketing problem. Boat owners were so used to Thomas performance and handling that they could not believe that a twin keeler would be anywhere near as good. Some potential Hunter buyers even said that they “wouldn’t be seen dead in a bilge keel yacht”.

After a bit of head scratching a solution was found. Every demonstration boat for this and subsequent Thomas cruising Hunters had the twin keel option. Any client asking for a trial sail in a fin keel version would be politely told “I’m afraid we only have one demo boat for each model and it’s a twin keeler. So why not try that and if you aren’t impressed, we can always build you a fin keeler.”

It worked a treat. Initial scepticism invariably turned to disbelief followed by delight. Sometimes a client was taken on a trial sail without being told what sort of keel lurked beneath the waterline. When invited to have a guess after returning to the marina, it was amazing how often the client thought it had a fin rather than twin keels.

This Horizon 32 twin keeler (draught 1.3m) won a Round the Island race division. Photo: Peter Poland

Bilge keel yacht design evolution

As the years passed by, Thomas’s twin keel designs continued to evolve and performance got even better. In one memorable demolition derby Round the Island Race , a Thomas-designed twin keel Horizon 32 took the heavy winds head on and won its class and its entire division.

The twin keel Horizon 21 and Horizon 30 also excelled in the CHS divisions. Recently a twin keel Horizon 232 helped her octogenarian owner Murdoch McGregor win the Yachtsman of the Year Award for sailing solo around Britain .

Meanwhile other designers began to tweak their twin keels. Ranges such as Moody, Sadler and Westerly also moved up a gear in performance. Thomas refined his twin keel designs by adding long hydrodynamically shaped bulbs to their bases. These had the effect of throwing the centre of gravity even lower and lengthening the ‘footprint’ on which the boats stood when they dried out.

The extra weight located in bulbs lower down also meant keel foils could become finer and narrower, reducing drag. Other boatbuilders have taken note, with ranges such as the American-designed but British-built Legends displaying prominent bulbs on their twin keels.

So, as marinas get ever more expensive, will more builders offer twin keels on their smaller models? Interestingly, the answer is ‘yes’. But it’s not coming from the UK. It’s coming from France.

Django 770 twin keel yacht drying out

French bilge keel yachts

In the past there were economical marina moorings aplenty available in France, so twin keels did not feature high on the French agenda. But now things are changing. The cost of a marina berth in France is still reasonable compared to the UK: but only if you can find one.

The French Nautical Federation reckons there is now a shortage of around 50,000 marina berths. As a result, twin keels (or bi-quilles as they’re called over there) began to appear in greater numbers.

Now, with the exception of the traditional and long running Biloup Range, French twin keels are expanding the design envelope. Archambault, the builders of the Surprise range, decided that their hugely successful One Design (7.65m) cruiser-racer would have an increased market if they also offered a two-legged version.

Designer Michel Joubert went for deep (1m) twin keels with narrow chord foils and race boat bulbs on their bases. The roots are well inboard and the performance is said to be exceptional.

RM-Fora Marine specialises in multi chine plywood-epoxy hulled cruisers, invariably with twin keels. The latest models, from the pen of leading French designer Marc Lombard, are anything but conventional.

A new RM890 ready to hit the road. The twin keels draw 1.5m. Photo: RM Yachts

Draught is generous (for example the twin keel RM890 draws 1.5m) with keels that are as fine as you’ll find on a top-level racer. And the bulbs on their bases are just as sophisticated.

These RMs are exciting and versatile boats, although I wonder whether their futuristic looks and multi chine wooden hull construction will find favour with many British buyers. I hope so, because the combination of a plywood-epoxy hull with a GRP deck offers excellent insulation and a substantial strength to weight ratio.

The Django 7.70 designed by Pierre Roland and built by Marée Haute in France has also proved to be a speedy twin keel 25-footer capable of crossing many oceans. Christophe Mora and Carina Juhhova are currently in South Africa after sailing L’Envol across the Pacific and Indian oceans. Their progress reports on intothewind.fr are fascinating.

Django 7.70 L’Envol has a scrub in Brazil on her round the world cruise. An aft strut supports the stern. Photo: Christophe Mora

So far Django 7.70 L’Envol has crossed the Atlantic, cruised down the East coast of South America to Patagonia, across the Pacific and sailed the Australian coastline before moving on to South Africa.

The Django range comprises the 6.70 (lifting keel only), the 7.70 (fin or twin keel), 9.80 (fin or twin keel) and 12.70 (fin or lifting keel). The twin keel Django 7.70 that I tested was a total delight.

The future of bilge keel yachts?

So what lies ahead? With only a handful of French yards offering new twin keel boats, there is a dearth of choice in the new boat market. Of course, sailors can always buy second-hand while they await new arrivals. But be sure to get those keel roots surveyed and check rudder and keel bases for grounding damage.

I can’t help thinking that as designers come up with ever improved twin keel designs, something will soon have to give. As British marina costs move beyond the means of many boat owners and French marinas reach maximum capacity, maybe there’s a new twin keel dawn just over the horizon?

Exciting new twin keel designs might even persuade production boat builders to market new boats under 30ft again? Some may even sprout foils and try to fly!

Why not subscribe today?

This feature appeared in the April 2023 edition of Practical Boat Owner . For more articles like this, including DIY, money-saving advice, great boat projects, expert tips and ways to improve your boat’s performance, take out a magazine subscription to Britain’s best-selling boating magazine.

Subscribe, or make a gift for someone else, and you’ll always save at least 30% compared to newsstand prices.

See the latest PBO subscription deals on magazinesdirect.com

Seawolf 30 Ft Sailing Yacht, Bilge Twin Keel, Sugar Scoop, Yanmar Engine

Engine Make: Yanmar

Featured Refinements: Sailing Yacht

1988 Seawolf 30 Sailing Yacht Bilge Keel Hi, here is for sale our Seawolf 30 bilge keel sailing yacht. It’s one of the later models built which has the rear sugar scoop. With Bilge keels the draft is only 1.1m, it is one of the last of the 500 of these great yachts built. She is the perfect size 30ft family Sailing Yacht, that can sleep up to 6 persons (4 comfortably). Safe, secure sailing with a large cockpit area and what I consider the best layout internally.

5’10’’ standing head room and the galley and Heads at the bottom of the companionway, before the lounge seating (which converts into a large double bed) and twin V berths in the bow which has 6Ft sleeping room. Large cockpit – the seating is long enough to sleep under the stars if you so wish. She is set up with all lines leading aft for single handed sailing. She is very well fitted out and has been very well loved looked after, continually maintained and upgraded over the years. All the big item costs have been replaced in the last 10yrs.... Including a new Yanmar engine in 2014 which has only done 470 hrs.

She was just recently Antifouled and Anodes changed end of July 2020 Fractional rig Slab reefing mainsail, 4 reefing points in the main with stack pack and a furling Genoa headsail. The Standing rigging was replaced in 2009Genoa new in 2009, with the Sacrificial strip replaced in 2017. Running rigging replaced 2017 All seacock’s have been replaced 2017 Specs as follows: 30’ft long x 10’3”ft beam x 3’6” Draft. Weight 3600kg. SSR registered Engine: Yanmar 3YGM20 only 470hrs.

3 blade Folding Prop with New Prop shaft and Cutlass bearing replaced in 2016 A well equipped Galley; has fresh water pump, double sink, gas hob / grill & Oven. Fridge, old but still works. Removable dining table (that can also be used externally in the cockpit) Sleeping arrangements: Double berth in the bow 2 x single or master double by converting the lounge and rear double (tight squeeze) in the rear quarter, currently used as storage room for sails/tool spares etc. Bathroom: Has a pump action Lavvac toilet (brand highly rated) with small sink / tap and open wet locker space. In 2019 new flooring throughout & new cushion covers.

12v charge points on chart table and in Companionway so phones / tablets can be charged on deck, CD Stereo, Gas and Co2 alarm, clock and weather barometer also in Lounge.new bilge pump 2019. Windows were re-sealed in 2014-2016 with new electronics / full re-wire, VHF radio with DSC and AIS receiver. Garmin chart plotter. In 2020 new Perspex washboard for the evening / overnight stays (allows a lot more light into the cabin) Fresh water tank 95L Diesel Tank 61L Externally: all lines lead aft for single handed sailing. 6x self- tailing winches.

Main Sails are in good condition, no rips, repairs or tears (could do with a clean). There is also a spinnaker and Cruising Shute with pole. Lowrance Chart plotter (linked to VHF radio for AIS) Raymarine Wind meter (not working needs attention) Raymarine speed log Compass Nasa Echo sounder Depth gauge 240v hook up Spray hood Safety gear: Horseshoe(2019), throw line(2020), Dan buoy, Jon buoy, coastal flares (Date now expired) Jack stays (for clipping in) There is also a 4 person life raft (4 yrs old) that will now need a new service date. Fire extinguishers Raymarine st2000 Autopilot Fitted with CQR anchor 36m of 8mm chain. I have recently purchased a refurbished chain windlass (needs to be mounted possibly in the chain locker)& new diesel heater (not yet fitted) full set of LED interior lights, that can go with the yacht.

Sails comfortable for steady cruising, not a light weight flimsy boat, forgiving and lets you know when to put reefs into the sails. Perfect for a couple to venture far and wide or a family for short breaks sailing weekends with family weeks away, with low draft perfect creek crawling and bilges keels if you wish to dry out on the beach (give her a scrub)etc. We have sailed her around the Bristol Channel, Medway, Thames and east coast. I spoke to another Seawolf owner who had sailed his boat to India, so they are capable boats. We purchased her from previous owners in Bristol who’s owners had sailed her around the Bristol Channel, Wales and on the south coast regularly to Isles of Silly.

We sailed her in this area for the first year then In spring of 2019 she was bought by road to Faversham, gave her a good clean, spruce up, varnish & antifouled, new flooring before sailing her to current mooring at Queenborough in Kent. Jobs to make perfect; Give sails a clean, fit or repair wind vane / meter (it’s up the mast I’m scared of heights) new flares and get life raft serviced. Extras to fit in your own time, Fix windlass on, change lights (supplied)to LED, fit diesel heater for the winter. Engine Service due soon, runs lovely starts first time (I have all the parts ready for the service) Headlining in rear quarter berth is a bit saggy. "Penny Red" is ready to sail and be enjoyed by the new owner.

To ask any further questions or arrange a viewing for serious buyers please feel free to Call/text me on phone Any inspection is welcome. Asking a very reasonable £15,995 a lot of boat for the money.

Add new question to the seller

• Contacting us
• Our services
• Sailing yachts for sale
• Multihulls for sale
• Motorsailers for sale
• Motoryachts for sale
• Motor multihulls for sale
• Traditional wooden
• Bargain yachts
• Selling your boat ?
• Yacht purchase assistance
• Buying a boat in Greece
• Transporting a yacht
• Yacht availabilities
• The Yacht Broker & his role
• Sending us an e-mail
• Private Yacht Sales

Northney Marina Hayling Island, PO11 0NH

Hunter horizon 30.

Description

Hunter Horizon 30 1992 David Thomas design bilge keel cruiser, one of the faster bilge keelers with loads of space that’s very easy to sail single handed, the current owners have owned this boat for around 2 years but reluctantly a new baby forces sale.

The owner has spent lots of time and money on it over the last few years which makes it a joy to use and easy to keep on cost effective mooring. It has competed in the round the island race and sailed every inch of the Solent.

Vendors comments: “This has been a great boat and I will be sad to see it go. It’s was launched mid-April and just before launch it had the hull scraped and new antifoul applied"

This boat is in the water on a swinging mooring on Hayling Island (South). The vendor is happy to do viewings using a small tender which can take two passengers.

Please don’t hesitate to call us or email us with your questions and to arrange your viewing.

Full Specification

Specifications include:

• Hull 29.11ft / 9.14m
• Draft 3.9ft / 1.1m
• Beam 9.25ft / 2.82m
• Displacement - 3295kg
• 45 L Fuel tank
• Inboard Yanmar 2GM20F serviced March 2022 + new injectors
• NEW interior upholstery 2022
• Saloon with seating for 6 people
• 2 single berths in main saloon
• Double berth in rear cabin
• Double berth in bow cabin
• Calorifier (hot water)
• Inside and outside shower
• Shore power and battery charger
• Gas oven/hob
• NEW Fresh water system; tank (120L), pump and stern shower
• NEW solar system 2021; 50-watt solar panel, MVPT charger, charge display
• NEW 12v-240 inverter
• NEW LED saloon lights 2021 & USB chargers

RIG AND SAILS:

• Fractional sloop - everything leads back to cockpit, very easy to sail
• NEW full battened main 2021
• NEW self-tacking Jib 2021
• 2x Self tailing winches
• Cruising shoot + pole
• NEW lazybag 2021
• NEW Spray hood 2021

Boats for sale

Jaykay Marine Sales Northney Marina Hayling Island, PO11 0NH

Email: [email protected] Tel: 02392 468 448

• Boats for Sale
• 31 MkII bilge keel

Boats similar to Moody 31 MkII bilge keel

1984 moody 31 bilge keel for sale.

OFFERED BY:

Private seller

2019 Moody 54 DS for sale

Portsmouth, Rhode Island

Berthon International

NEW Moody 41 Decksaloon for sale

For Delivery San Diego, California

Seattle Yachts

2018 Moody 54 DS for sale

Solomons, Maryland

For Delivery Anacortes, Washington

For Delivery Alameda, California

For Delivery Seattle, Washington

1979 Moody 36 for sale

Cape Saint Claire, Maryland

Boat not available.

Moody 31 MkII bilge keel for sale in Bursledon United Kingdom

Bursledon United Kingdom

Make & Model

Moody 31 MkII bilge keel

MEASUREMENTS

Description.

'White Wing' is a very popular design Moody 31 mkII Bilge keel, this is a design that packs a lot of boat into a very useable and friendly 31' platform. she has Bilge keels allowing her access places most can't and a huge saving on berthing.

Standing and running rigging replaced in 2017 and a new SImrad Crusie 7 was added in 2019

AVAILABLE ON THE HARD STANDING AT DEACONS MARINA - WHYBOATS

Construction

Moody 31 Mk II built by Marine Projects Ltd in 1990 Well presented example of the ever popular Bill Dixon design Skeg hung rudder Tiller steering Bilge Keel White hull colour

DIMENSIONS Length- 30' 8" / 9.37M Beam: 10.50ft / 3.2M Max Draft: 3' 8" / 1.12M TANKAGE 90L Fuel Tank 136L Water tank

Mechanical And Electricals

VOLVO 2003 3 CYLINDER 28hp DIESEL Diesel Fresh water cooled Serviced annually Shaft drive Three bladed feathering propeller Rope Cutter ELECTRICAL 12v Engine battery 12v Domestic battery Battery charger Alternator 240V Shore-power

Accommodation

SLEEPS SIX IN TWO CABINS PLUS SALOON Hot and cold pressurised water system SALOON Teak drop leaf table Two single berths/ seats with trotter box to starboard Lots of stowage under seating and in side cupboards FORWARD CABIN 'V' berth with infill Stowage AFT CABIN Stowage Double berth GALLEY Nelson Oven/ grill and two ring burner Stainless steel sink with hot and cold pressurised water Cool box HEADS Marine toilet Wash basin Shower pump Grated teak floor Mirror

Deck Equipment

Tiller steering Anchor with chain and warp Stern boarding ladder Mid ships cleats Warps Fenders Fender holders Spray hood Tiller cover Stackpack bag with lazy jacks Dodgers WINCHES Two Lewmar 30 two speed self tailing Genoa sheet winches One Lewmars two speed coachroof winches Two Lewmar single speed on mast

Slab reefing main Stack pack system Furling headsail - Furlex Standing rigging replaced 2017 Running rigging replaced 2017

SAILS fully battened mainsail Genoa Crusing chute Storm Jib Spare main and genoa

Navigational Equipment

Two compasses Stowe Windspeed and direction Stowe depth finder Simrad Cruise 7 GPS Chartplotter (2019) Raymarine SL72 radar Icom 603 DSC VHF Autohelm 2000 autopilot

Engine Count

Engine Horse Power

Propeller Type

3 Blade, Feathering

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Hull Material

Displacement(kgs)

4530 kilograms

Drive Transmission Description

Engine Year

Engine Type

Fuel Tanks Capacity

No of Heads

Water Tanks Capacity

1.12 meters

ABOUT MOODY 31 MKII BILGE KEEL

The Moody 31 MkII bilge keel is 31 feet long and has a 10 feet beam and a draft of 0.91 meters. This 1990 diesel Moody 31 MkII bilge keel powered by Volvo Penta 2003 with 28.0 horsepower. The Moody 31 MkII bilge keel is made of fiberglass.

SIMILAR LOCATIONS

• Moody in United Kingdom
• Boats in United Kingdom