https://www.gov.uk/maib-...le-weighted-centreboards 

OK, this referred to a dinghy rather than a lift-keel yacht, but I have occasionally wondered whether there should be some way of ensuring that the keel on my P21 stays down if I'm knocked down or broach badly.

My view has always been that the ballast in the hull will right the boat, irrespective of whether the keel is up or down.

Am I right? Is it the same for other Parkers?

Hi Geoff
I think this could be a yes for the 26, as the keel is light and there is a lot of cast iron in the floor.
Even though I believe the keel was somehow fixed down when Miss Fidget was sailed across the atlantic!
The newer boats tend to have more of their ballast in the keel, so less likely to self right if the keel came up.
Is it possible the keel could come right out? In the 26 there is nothing to stop this happening.
Sometimes the answer is not to go!
Philip

Geoff,

Have a word with Kevin from Grace, which has a way to lock the keel down. Grace is a 27 footer but the mechanism may give you an idea on how to proceed.

Ken

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Geoff,

Have a word with Kevin from Grace, which has a way to lock the keel down. Grace is a 27 footer but the mechanism may give you an idea on how to proceed.

Ken

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On my P235 I have a pole, supplied by Bill, which fits on top of the keel to stop it running back and bolts through the bulkhead. Obviously this means that it is not possible to lift the keel if you accidentally run aground, (one of the benefits of a lift keeler!). So I do not fit it for normal sailing around the Solent but do put it in when going offshore such as doing the Parker Round the Island. Due to the weight of the P235 keel (300k) I think it unlikely it could run back in a normal knock down and only if somewhat more than 90 degs. I did suggest to Bill that perhaps a peg could be inserted through a hole in the keel box in the cabin but he didn't like that idea at all!


As most of the ballast in the 235 is in the keel, I think it might have difficulty in self righting in the event of the keel running back in a total knock down. The manual does show all the calculations for the righting moments etc but don't know if this aspect is covered.


Jim Hamilton on Sandy lady has a pole fixed down with a lanyard and that may be a better idea than a fixed bolt through the bulkhead


Peter (P235 Zephyr)