Twin Keels

OUT WIHUEIRIJE with Howard Rice

We all sail for different reasons, some of us race, some poke along the shallows, some daysail, so it makes sense that there is no one-size-fits-all centerboard or keel design. As is the case with many things in life there may be times when two are better than one. There is the double scoop of a favorite ice cream, twins, cuff links, matching socks, or a catamaran for those who like acres of space but here I am talking keels. Let’s take a look at the oft-misunderstood twin keel arrangement with a brief pros and cons analysis. In the world of common thinking about boats, rare is the twin keel unless you find yourself in the British Isles or a few other places on the planet where the type suits the environment. At the age of 21, I had an admittedly odd adventure-fueled boat jones” fantasy with an ungainly British design, the Westerly Windrush. The twin keels caught my attention, a concept I sort of understood. Like most of us, I quickly fell back into normal” thinking about boats and a lifetime of single keels, centerboards, leeboards, and daggerboards ensued. Then one day a few years ago I met a truly remarkable twin keel, 16foot motorsailor named Heather. As her new open-minded owner, I decided to dig deep into the twin keel type, setting misinformation and stigmas aside. Now for certain I know two can be better than one.

‘The majority of new boat buyers are in favor of full keels, fin keels, centerboards and the like, however there are a growing number of sailors who prefer boats that can stand up at low tide.