Full-keel ban

[John Vigor]

You may already have read this news agency report elsewhere, but just in case, I think all Cape Dory owners should be aware of it:


Reuters: Oslo, Friday

NORWAY is to be the first country to ban full-keel yachts in marinas. But other countries, including Britain and the USA, might not be far behind.

Dr. Loof Lirpa, current chairman of the International Marina Owners’ and Operators’ Association, said in Oslo today that the ban was the result of expensive collisions that caused damage to marina facilities and other yachts.

“The committee has known for years that full-keeled yachts are less maneuverable in tight spaces, particularly in reverse gear,â€

[moctrams]

This must a "April Fool Joke".

[Duncan]

Somebody's spelling things backwards tonight.

[Steve Laume]

They also tend to do more damage to sensitive bottom structures. I see this as more of an environmental issue, Steve.

[Neil Gordon]

Why is Dr. Lirpa quoted in English and not Osloian? Sounds a bit fishy to me.

Just to be safe, I'll use this weekend to modify my bottom. Good thing the weather is bad and I'm still on the hard. Even if it's not true, the benefit I'll get from being able to steer in reverse seems worth a couple of hours of yard time.

I wonder if I can use some of the material I cut from the keel to fashion some sort of wheel, to replace the antiquated tiller. That's dangerous, too, what with having to push left to turn right and vice versa. Who came up with that one?

[Dean Abramson]

That Norwegian news article was translated into English by Professor Rogiv of Oslo's Tihsllub University. His work is widely known to be suspect.

[M. R. Bober]

[quote="John Vigor"]You may already have read this news agency report elsewhere, but just in case, I think all Cape Dory owners should be aware of it:


Reuters: Oslo, Friday

NORWAY is to be the first country to ban full-keel yachts in marinas. But other countries, including Britain and the USA, might not be far behind.

Dr. Loof Lirpa, current chairman of the International Marina Owners’ and Operators’ Association, said in Oslo today that the ban was the result of expensive collisions that caused damage to marina facilities and other yachts.

“The committee has known for years that full-keeled yachts are less maneuverable in tight spaces, particularly in reverse gear,â€

[Neil Gordon]

They also tend to do more damage to sensitive bottom structures. I see this as more of an environmental issue, Steve.

This being a family board and all, are we sure that discussions relating to sensitive bottoms are okay here? I'm not sure how much I want to know about Cape Dory owners' bottom environments.

[Neil Gordon]

>> It is very disappointing to think that you would attempt to bamboozle such an informed and august readership. <<

I don't know about you, Mitch, but most of us read this board year round. In fact, many of us are too busy sailing in August to check in here as much as we like. We could check with Cathy, but I suspect our August readership is the low point for the year.

[tartansailor]

Reminds me of a by-line on another forum:
"If a dirty bottom slows you down, just think of what it does to your boat"
Happy April 1st.

Dick

[Carter Brey]

Mitchell Bober
Sunny Lancaster, (where you can pretty much take my word for it because I'm always right and I never lie) VA

Mitch! Firesign Theater??!!

[Troy Scott]

If you ADD a fin to the bottom of a Cape Dory..., it will be instantly transformed into a "fin-keeled" boat. No need to remove anything. Just think of the original keel as a "skeg".

I love solving these problems for you guys.

[tartansailor]

If you ADD a fin to the bottom of a Cape Dory..., it will be instantly transformed into a "fin-keeled" boat. No need to remove anything. Just think of the original keel as a "skeg".

I love solving these problems for you guys.

I like that.

[Warren Kaplan]

Well I say, Its about time!

I'm sick and tired of polluting the environment with all that extra bottom paint that these full keelers require!! And just think of the extra benefit of not having to spend all that time scraping, prepping and painting the huge surface area a full keel boat requires!!

Bravo to Dr Lirpa! A forward thinker and a man of extraordinary insight!

[Neil Gordon]

And just think of the extra benefit of not having to spend all that time scraping, prepping and painting the huge surface area a full keel boat requires!!

Not to hijack this quite serious and well organized discussion with a diversion, but I was at the boatyard yesterday and happened to notice one of those modern fin keel setups. This one had its leading edge mangled along its entire length and an open seam between keel and hull. I suspect that scraping, prepping and painting are the least of the owner's worries.