Keel? Or no Keel? | SouthernPaddler.com

Keel? Or no Keel?

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gbinga

Well-Known Member
Nov 7, 2008
736
2
Hoschton, GA
My UJ Pirogue is essentially complete. I just lack a bunch of cosmetic sanding before I paint.

I am debating whether or not to put a small keel on the bottom to improve tracking and reduce wind drift.

I read a post (It may have been on the JEM site) where Mick built a pirogue and put a keel on it for those reasons.

I'd love to have opinions from anyone who has built and used an Uncle John's Pirogue with or without a keel, or has used a similar boat with or without a keel, or has had a couple of drinks and just feels like spouting off on the subject of keels.

-How big? I was thinking maybe 3/4" wide by 1" deep and perhaps three quarters the length of the boat.

-One keel? or twin keels? I was thinking about two, as described above, running parallel to each other about eight or ten inches apart.

My boat will be used in lakes, and on calm rivers. I've no interest in rapids, and North Georgia doesn't have many swamps worth boating in.

Help me out, guys. I need to make up my mind so I can finish this boat.
 
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oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
I don't add keels to mine since I paddle in areas that have a lot of items , stumps , logs , branches to slide over and trees to dodge. For that reason I want a boat that will turn around on itself.
The guys with keels usually get hung up on them and I can slide over them without a problem.

The sides on mine are lower then normal so wind signature is not a problem , heck most of the time it can be blowing and the wind still does not get to me.

The other thought is that a keel will help in windy situations and when paddling over items the keel is a sacrificial item to be worn down ( replace later ) and not the bottom of the boat.

As Matt suggested , try it without and if it is not right then add one and try that.

Chuck.
 
G

gbinga

Well-Known Member
Nov 7, 2008
736
2
Hoschton, GA
Matt - 1x2 which way - - flat, or tall?

John - What you are describing is exactly what I was thinking; stiffening the bottom with twin keels perpindicular to the frames.

Chuck - your advice makes sense, except that I'm not a very gracefull paddler. My limited experience tells me that spinning around in circles is the easy part! You might say that it is my default mode of operation. :?

Thanks to everyone - I love this forum.

George
 
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