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Catamaran Daggerboards and Keels – Woods Interview # 9

Post author By Diane Selkirk
Post date March 27, 2021
No Comments on Catamaran Daggerboards and Keels – Woods Interview # 9

I am with Richard Woods, and we are talking about catamarans. He’s a legendary catamaran designer and experienced catamaran sailor of many different designs. This is one of several interviews we’re having on different topics. Today, we’re talking about daggerboards versus keels. Richard will tell us a little bit about how daggerboards work, how keels work, and what some of the benefits of each are.

For more from Richard Woods, please go to his website .

Richard, can you start off with what dagger boards and keels do for a boat?

There’s the three basic ways of preventing leeway, which is what you’re going to be doing with a multihull. On a monohull you’ve got the keel. Essentially, it’s for stability to balance the heeling, to stop the boat heeling too much. You don’t have that as a problem on a multihull. You are just trying to stop leeway.

You can do it either with using the hull shape, which would be like a Catalac or Wharram catamaran. Then the next would be to have keels. The third would be to have daggerboards.

You could essentially say that a catamaran with keels is a bit like a long-keel monohull, and the daggerboard catamaran is a fin keel monohull in more terms. I think we all know and all agree that the best sailing boats are going to be the one with fin keels. Then progressively a long-keel boat or keel or one with low aspect-ratio keels on the catamaran, that would be the next best. Then the one relying just on hull shape, whether it’s a test barge or a Catalac is going to be the the least good.

There’s two things on that. One is that the daggerboard prevents leeway better, but also prevention of or reduction of pitching, increasing potential top speed. You want to have buoyancy at the ends of the boat and not in the middle. You imagine a diamond shape sailing to windward, and it pitches up and down, up and down, and you end up hobby-horsing. Whereas a boat with fuller ends isn’t going to do that. Unfortunately, the thing with their keels, is that the buoyancy is more in the middle of the boat.

So there’s the two factors: one is the the sea kindliness of having daggerboards, and the other is the better performance.

A daggerboarded boat is always better, but it does have some disadvantages. The main one is that if you want to beach your boat or dry it out. To me, that’s always a major advantage of a multihull. You got to be able to have lifting rudders, and essentially, you don’t want your propeller to be the deepest part of the boat, or if you’ve got an inboard engine.

The daggerboarded boats work really well when you’ve got outboard engines and when you’ve got tiller steering, because it makes it easier to get the rudders. It is still possible on bigger boats and you can also have a bit of a compromise of having a small keel, and then the daggerboard. Or you can have like your boat was, which had daggerboards in the lead hull, so you didn’t need to lift the rudders. The rudders are still higher than the bottom of the keel.

Although there’s a lot of places in the world where you don’t have to beach the boat, the most obvious to say: the Great Lakes in North America, Florida, the Bahamas, most of the Caribbean in fact, you don’t have to. The Mediterranean. They don’t have tides and so you’re not in the beach.

I’ll just show you this. I’m just going to turn the camera around a bit now. As you can see, this is our house now. In fact, it’s low water and we have about an 18-foot tidal rise, so that’s more than you. It actually is neat, so it goes up quite a bit further. But we are used to drying out for six hours a day, every day when we moor our boats. So for us, it’s much more important to have good protection for the bottom of the boat.

If you’re sailing in Florida and then you sail up to say, Cape Maine, you suddenly get to the box and you get this 10, 12-foot tide, and you do want to go around, either deliberately or what not. With daggerboarded boats, you’ve got to think about a lot more when you’re beaching a boat.

The interior room, you might think that was a problem. But usually you can make the daggerboard, say, fit around the side of a heads compartment, or the galley worktop, or something like that, so it’s never really a problem. You can have the dagger board on the inside or the outside of the hull, it doesn’t seem to make much of a problem either.

But the other thing is that the daggerboards are more expensive to make because you’ve got to make the daggerboard case, which is in effect, same as making a keel. Then the daggerboard and then the controls for the daggerboard, so that all adds to cost and complication.

And there’s definitely a learning curve to knowing how to use the daggerboard effectively, and have that experience. So are they less of a beginner kind of attribute on a catamaran and more of a somebody who’s been sailing for a while?

Yes. There’s no point really, in having daggerboards if you’re not going to use them. Essentially, that means having them in simplest, both down sailing to windward, and then lift the leeboard when you’re reaching, and lift both when you’re sailing downwind. That’s the normal.

But you can have the position of, if you’re sailing in big seas, especially big quartering sea downwind, the tail wags the dog. In other words, the rudder steers, and it’s not actually doing anything, because there’s no hull in the water. Then, it makes it a lot easier having the daggerboards both half down.

So yes, you learn quite quickly how your boat behaves according to whether the daggerboards are up or down.

The other thing that I found, is that a lot of people, when they break a daggerboard, it tends to be the lead daggerboard that breaks. When you’re sailing, that’s the side that gets powered up when you’re pushing down on being hit by a wave, and pushing sideways tends to break the daggerboard.

Of course the other thing is, it’s quite a good ultimate echo sounder. We have never actually broken a daggerboard, on any boat, I don’t think. When we were, this is a good excuse because it was an unmarked reef, but we were sailing off Nicaragua, and we were sailing at eight knots. We hit a reef with the daggerboard and the boat stopped dead. In fact, my wife fell over. It was driving a car at 10 miles an hour into a wall, sort of effect, and once we sorted ourselves out, and we lifted the daggerboard, we lost about the trailing edge, about a foot by four inches being totally destroyed. We had a mill u-volt, a 5/16th u-volt, as an up haul, and that was bent completely flat by the force of the boat stopping.

I guess it was a sacrificial item!

We still sailed.

Right. That’s what I’m thinking. Rather than hitting the reef with your boat, you hit it with something sacrificial. They can be expensive to replace, but…

Yes. We didn’t hit it with the boat, no. We hit it with something that we could carry on for another three months before we actually had it taken out of the boat and repaired.

Of course, that’s always something. If you can take the broken bit to the mechanic, or to the boat yard, that’s always better than doing it the other way around. Usually, you can carry on sailing with one daggerboard or two half-daggerboards, whatever, but it is quite a common problem.

As I say, if you’ve got a conventional inboard engine with fixed rudders, there are quite a lot of multihulls around, even here, but they’re treated like monohulls. You can’t, for example, go to the Scilly Isles and go to Hawaii, and Green Bay, which is a wonderful place to spend a lifetime, really. It’s the nearest the equivalent of going into the Bahamas. But you can’t do that if you’ve got a boat you can’t dry out.

I guess that’s why multihulls became so much more popular in the UK before other places.

Everything in design, it’s always interconnected. Going back to the comfort, and the rolling. If you look at the Scilly Isles, which are 30 miles off the Southwest corner of England, sort of like saying you’re going out of Miami, and there’s the Bahamas. It’s not quite that far, but it’s pretty near the same as going to Bimini.

There’s a whole stack of islands, but the pilot guide says there is no safe anchorage, because it was written by a monohull sailor. We’ve been and they say, “You know, if you go into this anchorage, then you’re going to be as protected as you can be.” We’ve been into those anchorages, and they’ve been horrible, because you’re open to when the tide’s in. You’re open to the ocean because when they’re out, it’s out in the Atlantic. When you can dry out, you go onto these lovely sandy beaches, and you can dry out and you’re safe then.

Well that’s cool. So thank you Richard, that was fascinating on daggerboards and keels.

Tags Buying Advice , Richard Woods

By Diane Selkirk

I love to travel and have spent the past seven years sailing with my family aboard our 40 Woods Meander catamaran - traveling from B.C.'s north coast, to the west coast of the US, Mexico, the South Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia, across the Indian Ocean to South Africa and on to St Helena, South America, the Caribbean and Central America.

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Catamaran daggerboard design and use

Discussion in ' Multihulls ' started by Steve W , Aug 2, 2017 .

Steve W Senior Member

I am a bit confused over the pros and cons of different types of daggerboard setups. A lot of performance cats such as those designed by Tennant, Grainger etc use boards installed down the inside face of the hulls meaning that the board is vertical when the windward hull us just clear of the water whereas a lot of newer cats are installing them following the outside angle which to me seem less than optimal for a couple of reasons such as being more difficult to operate hanging out over the water usually requiring some kind of apparatus to raise them and also longer boards since you cant cantilever them down inside the trunk so , more weight, also it would seem to me that as the boat lifts a hull the board would be less vertical so provide less lateral resistance so maybe need more board deployed. I'm talking straight boards here, c foils would seem to be worse still at providing lift ( as in to weather, not upward lift) Using a straight board following the angle of the outboard face of the hull does not seem like enough angle to provide significant hydrodynamic lift to me to be worth the disadvantages ( hence c foils) but I could be wrong, just trying to understand the reasoning. Steve.

Doug Lord Flight Ready

If you haven't seen it, this article may be of some help: Daggerboard Debate http://www.proboat.com/2010/04/daggerboard-debate/

jorgepease Senior Member

That was a good article!

farjoe Senior Member

Are there any websites dedicated to the design and construction of homebuilt lifting foils for boats under 6m?

Don't know of any websites so far, but there is an excellent book: "Hydrofoils Design Build Fly" by Ray Vellinga and available on Amazon.

Doug Lord said: ↑ Don't know of any websites so far, but there is an excellent book: "Hydrofoils Design Build Fly" by Ray Vellinga and available on Amazon. Click to expand...

catsketcher Senior Member

Gday Steve One major reason is because of accomodation. Some early cats had vertical boards but these severely impacted the use of the hulls. So you have to go either outboard and cant one way or inboard and cant the other. From there it may come down to safety vs speed. For a non lifting board (all Tennats are non lifting) all the board does is provide a vertical force. In a racing boat that flies a hull and sails at a high angle an inward board will be more vertical when hull flying as well as easier to pull up and down. On top of this you don't have any worries about boards at the marina hanging over the side. Against this is safety. A little Aussie cat, the Seawind 24, had outboard boards that were heavily angled. Owners reported that when hit by a gust the boat would slide to leeward, lifting the leeward hull and pulling down the windward hull. The little Seawind was a pretty great boat. So a cruiser/racer designed by say Lock Crowther, that was not meant to fly a hull regularly would have the outboard boards. On my cat the boards are outboard and only have a modest cant. I have never flown a hull so it works pretty well. cheers Phil

UpOnStands Senior Member

Also, more recent cat designs tend to have more vertical outboard hull sides. This can minimize some of the problems.

Thanks guys, I used to own a Macgregor 36 cat that had a single vertical board in the port hull that you had to crawl past to get into the berth, It was a cantilevered board like Malcolm Tennants boats so the strong points were the bunk top and the hull bottom. On a cat with a single board vertical was probably a reasonable compromise but they went to 2 boards on later models. All beach cats are vertical (until the introduction of lifting foils) as they don't have accomodations to impact, although they are not cantilevered. It seems to me that unless you are getting significant hydrodynamic lift from the outboard boards they would be more of a pita as I would think they would need to be longer and need some kind of frame to raise them ( heavier). Even if you can push them down manually it can be precarious doing so, they can as Phil mentioned hang way out the side when raised and be less effective at preventing leeway as the boat heels and lifts a hull whereas the inboard style board gets more vertical so I would expect you would need less board deployed (less drag). So, what I'm curious about is if the lift generated by a board that is angled inward at, say, 5-8 degrees enough to be worthwhile given all the negatives in every other area in the real world ? I have a friend who bought a cat where the boards have been moved from inboard to outboard so someone thought it would be but who knows if it panned out. Grainger has some interesting thoughts on his website, he considers Mad Max to be one of the fastest cats in Aus and I see it still has its boards inboard. I'm sure the choice of inboard or outboard location at the design stage would depend a lot on the type of layout of the cat, ie, with a net and tube racing cat such as a GBE inboard is very convenient and simple whereas outboard would make more sense on a cat with a bridgedeck cabin but on a net and tube racing cat where efficiency is the only goal which way would you go? My other question relates to the actual use of the boards, how much to deploy on the various points of sail at different wind speeds. Obviously you would use more board upwind, less reaching and even less to none running but how much? I would guess that the more speed you have upwind the more lift you are generating so the less board you would need. It seems to me that you would want as little board as possible deployed for drag reduction but I don't know. Thanks for any insight, Steve.

groper Senior Member

to go upwind its pretty much more board the better. practical size limits the ultimate size. As to cant - the more vertical the better for upwind performance. some race boats cant them inwards so they are vertical once flying hull - not applicable to cruising boats. A good cruising boat still needs good upwind performance tho, and they normally travel with little heel - hence the vertical boards are ideal for performance but they ruin the interior space - which is also important for cruising . So the best compromise on a cruising boat would be whichever cant was less - inward or out, and keep the board running down the topsides so you don't have a trunk in the middle of the hull and maximise interior utility. Really big cats however - can have a trunk in the center and you still have enough room in the hull to fit full size accommodation spaces on both sides of it - this doesn't apply to smaller boats tho. For racing it can go either way depending on whether the boat is designed to float or fly. Some vertical lift may increase speed - such as the C boards used on the racing trimarans, however you loose some leeway due to the angle. The racing tris offset this loss by including the centreboard in addition to the C boards in the amas. If the race boat is a floater only - then inward cant is likely best so the board is vertical providing maximum lift upwind whilst the boat is heeled and flying a hull. This concept is proven as the fastest smallish catamaran in Australia right now is setup like this (40fter). Round the bouys racing is usually won on the upwind performance - less so on the downwind and reach legs. Assymetric boards is another consideration - again is depends on the intended usage. For racing maximum lift to drag ratio is paramount - hence better to use assymetric boards 1 at a time and size them accordingly. For cruising - most people cant be bothered rasing and lowering on every tack and the total performance not so important to most people. Hence they normally use symmetric boards both down at once. More area in the water but and not as good lift to drag ratio - set and forget when tacking upwind... Horses for courses steve - no simple answers I'm afraid

Hi Groper, thanks for the insight, pretty much my thoughts also. On cruising cats you either have low aspect keels or either kickup centerboards or if it is more performance oriented daggerboards which, as you say, usually follow the outside angle of the hull topside because of how they fit with accomodations rather than any sailing related issue. However with net and tube type racing cats you get to choose whether they angle in or out at the design stage based on performance alone. To my way of thinking angling out such as most of Tennant and Grainger cats have them place for two reasons, easier to raise and lower so they can be cantilevered down into the trunk so they can be considerably shorter for the same draft so , lighter. Daggers are rarely very light so any savings in length is worthwhile plus you don't need any additional structures for raising them which is also a weight saving. The other more obvious advantage is of course the board is close to vertical when the windward hull is just out of the water. I would guess that with them angled inward ( underwater) you would need to deploy more board for leeway resistance (more drag). I have however seen cats switch from outboard angled boards to inward angled which leads to my confusion, I totally understand the desire for hydrodynamic lift and on tris its a no brainer as, as you say, they have a daggerboard in the main hull for upwind work and also the boards in the amas can, and are angled at a much greater angle than can be achieved on a cat so provide real lift, even with simple straight boards. I just question how much lift a board in a cat angled at maybe 5-10 degrees give vs the disadvantages. As far as asymetrical boards go they only make sense on actively sailed cats, ie racing cats and I think would be necessary on cats with inward angled boards. In the US we have Gemini cruising cats with asymetric centerboards that require you to go down into one hull and crank a winch handle to raise one and then cross over to the other lower the other. Not going to happen imho on a cruising boat. Steve.

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9 Best Cruising Catamarans With Daggerboards or Centerboards!

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Many sailing enthusiasts shopping for their first cruising catamaran might find it rather challenging to determine the best choice for their needs. If you’re in the market for a cruising catamaran with a daggerboard, then look no further. I have done the research and built a list of nine of the best daggerboard catamarans.

The best cruising catamarans with daggerboards or centerboards provide great cruising capability, comfortable living, ease of handling, and strong construction. Based on different styles, designs, sizes, and prices, some of the best catamarans are Outremer 45, Catana 50, and Balance 526.

If catamaran cruising is a passion you have been longing to pursue, keep reading. You might find your dream boat and become inspired to make your cruising vacation a reality.

Dagger/Centerboards and Their Role in Catamaran Sailing

Unlike a traditional sailboat with a single hull (monohull), a catamaran balances on two hulls, with the sails sitting in the middle. Some catamarans come equipped with daggerboards (or centerboards) whose work is to balance the force of the wind acting on the sails.

Understanding the difference between centerboards and daggerboards can help you make an informed decision when selecting a sailboat or when considering modifications to your current vessel.

If you’re sailing a catamaran with daggerboards, you’d raise the daggerboard on the leeward hull while fully extending the upwind daggerboard. This improves the catamaran’s stability when sailing windward during heavy conditions. The adjustment thus makes the boat less susceptible to capsizing.

When will a catamaran capsize?

Should You Choose a Catamaran With Daggerboards?

In general, catamarans with daggerboards perform far, much better than those without. That’s because the boat’s design focuses heavily on performance. What’s more, renowned experts design the boats with the best hulls and make the boats lighter by tweaking the materials used.

In general, catamarans with daggerboards perform far, much better than those without.

So, if you’re looking to reach speeds of 28 all the way up to 30 knots (55 km/h), then choose a cruising catamaran equipped with daggerboards. When sailing upwind, such catamarans sail much closer to the wind and are way faster than their comfort-focused counterparts. In comparison, most traditional cruising boats can only manage 10-15 knots (18-27 km/h).

What makes the catamaran so fast, and why is this type of boat even faster?

You can cover much longer distances in a day with a daggerboard catamaran.
Their high speed allows for faster ocean crossings.
They deliver superior performance, particularly in upwind directions.
You can anchor your catamaran on shallow waters – after raising the boards.
A faster cruiser means additional safety since you can outrun a storm or avoid an incoming one.
They entail more work and maintenance.
They require you to learn how to operate them safely.
They are expensive – daggerboards come with an additional amount of up to $30.000 on the construction price.
The daggerboard compartment consumes some of the space from the hull’s living area, thus limiting your comfort.

Now, let’s have a look at some of the best cruising catamarans with daggerboards.

The Dolphin Ocema 42

The Dolphin Ocema 42 is a cruising catamaran built in Northern Brazil. The boat comes equipped with daggerboards and can thus point higher windward. But it also boasts a smaller wet surface when running and can pull with ease into shallower anchorages – 3 feet ( 0.91m) or less. That means that you can anchor your catamaran far from the crowd (or beach it ), then walk ashore. It also gives you more anchorage space to choose from.

However, it’s important to note that:

Raising the Dolphin’s daggerboards means exposing her rudders from underwater hazards.
The daggerboard could place the hull’s integrity at risk in case of a grounding.
The trunk consumes valuable interior space.

Created by designer Philipe Pouvreau, the Dolphin 42 is the only Dolphin model that boasts daggerboards. The boat strives hard to balance performance and comfortable cruising in a compact package. As a result, the cruising catamaran sports a foam core which helps in reducing its overall weight.

While some of the Dolphins built later at various custom shipyards bear some additions or structural modifications, most Dolphins are high-quality, safe, comfortable, and perform successful circumnavigations.

Pricing : $220,000-$350,000

The Outremer 45

The Outremer 45 is a Gerard Danson design. This classic cruising catamaran is unique in that it didn’t undergo mass production like most multihulls. Instead, the French Outremer came from a semi-production manufacturing line where all interior parts are laminated directly to the hull, forming an extremely stiff structure.

This classic cruising catamaran is unique in that it didn’t undergo mass production like most multihulls.

One downside to this catamaran is that it comes with a much smaller interior than other boats. Also, it doesn’t come cheap. However, everything else about the Outremer makes it the perfect sailor’s boat because:

It’s highly responsive to the helm.
It has a high bridge deck clearance.
It comes with well-proportioned bows.
It features balanced weight distribution, which helps to minimize pitching.

Earlier models featured soft canvas bimini (optional) covering a stainless framework, while later ones had optional overhead composite panels. The latter provides a better option since canvas tends to become waterlogged when it rains.

You can order the Outremer 45 as an owner version, a club version with additional berths, or a four-cabin layout.

Pricing: $320,000-$560,000

The Atlantic 42

The Atlantic 42’s efficiency and aesthetics have resulted in the growth of a massive loyal following. Despite being the smallest of the Atlantic cruising catamarans, the A42 is quite popular with sailors due to its ocean-faring capabilities, ease of handling, and excellent use of space. This catamaran embodies a true classic right from the forward cockpit, through the pilothouse, the sleeping cabins, to the galleys.

Unlike other catamarans, the Atlantic 42 has a waist-high cockpit located in front of the pilothouse and behind the mast. It boasts a solid construction owing to the large metal bearers running over the bulkheads.

Unlike other catamarans, the Atlantic 42 has a waist-high cockpit located in front of the pilothouse and behind the mast.

This setup provides the boat with maximum strength, better air circulation beneath the engine, and high flexibility when it comes to engine size and positioning.

At first, the vessel’s style and outlook appeared rather conservative, but with time, it was evident that the Atlantic 42 was a long-lasting catamaran built using high-quality materials. The boat’s exterior looks stunning, and the interior is quite impressive as well, while spacious aft cabin accommodation and shower compartments are an additional bonus.

Pricing: Contact Chris White Designs

The Gunboat 62

If you’re looking for a vessel that can fit all your gear plus more during your voyages, then the Gunboat 62 is the ideal cruising catamaran for you. And guess what? You can stuff all your gear and equipment in this vessel and still outperform a similar-sized racing monohull. The boat’s helm seat is not only comfortable but also offers 360-degree visibility, ample storage space, a working surface, and a luxurious cabin.

The Gunboat 62 is among the best top-performing catamarans in the market, and this particular series set up the Gunboat brand. It performs incredibly well during storms with speeds of 35 knots (64.82 km/hr) and beyond despite its epoxy, E-glass, and carbon-fiber build. Furthermore, its design features a distinct angular outline, quite unlike most similar-sized catamarans.

The Gunboat 62 is among the best top-performing catamarans in the market, and this particular series set up the Gunboat brand

Since it’s light in weight, this catamaran can sail upwind at speeds above 17 knots (31.48 km/h) while pinching up to 30 degrees. Indeed, this catamaran boat can easily tack through 95 degrees and still manage to outshine the fastest racing monohull. And, like most performance catamaran cruisers, the Gunboat 62 can reach almost 20 knots (37.004 km/h) under the right conditions.

Pricing: Contact Gunboat

Check out this list of the fastest cruising Cats on the market!

Gemini 105Mc

The Gemini 105Mc is the ideal cruising catamaran for you if you’re in the market for a boat to use for weekend sailing trips. The boat is also comfortable enough for long cruising vacations since it boasts spacious accommodation, great design, and delivers a stable cruising platform.

This vessel is more of a sailing cottage. Designed by the renowned Tony Smith, the 35 feet (10.6m) floating cottage is also cozy, safe, and good value for money since its price is quite reasonable.

This vessel is more of a sailing cottage.

The boat comes with incredibly slim, teardrop-shaped hulls with flat bottoms and a smaller wetted surface, allowing for minimal drag. It also leads towards more leeway when under sail. The hulls sport a kick-up centerboard which helps to enhance the catamaran’s windward pointing abilities. Furthermore, the rudders rise to enable the boat to cruise in shallow waters with ease, while most vessels tend to run aground.

The Gemini 105Mc has a narrow beam measuring about 40% of its length. This is quite unlike today’s beams at 50%. Still, the boat’s low center keeps it upright, stable, and safe. Although no longer in production, you can still purchase a preowned Gemini 105Mc .

Pricing: Contact Gemini Catamarans

The Catana 50

There are only 2 Catana production sites in France, this guarantees exceptionally high-quality standards in every boat. The Catana infrastructure is more advanced than that of other catamarans and features spacious bridge-deck clearance and a high freeboard. In addition, its curved daggerboards drastically reduce the drag, while crash boards ensure the buoyancy of any of the Cantana models.

The Catana 50’s daggerboards angle slightly inward to maximize lift under sail and enhance lateral resistance underwater. They are thus more effective than the long but shallow keels found in other catamarans. As a result, this catamaran performs exceptionally well to windward. When sailing off the wind, raising the boards helps to minimize drag.

The Catana 50 is an ultramodern catamaran designed to make long-distance passages easy and safe. This massive sailboat measures almost 50 feet (15.24m) long and sports a beam of around 26 feet (7.92 m). Most people consider it the best-built and most fashionable cruising catamaran, but the boat is bound to test your sailing skills if you plan to sail it solo.

The Catana 50 is an ultramodern catamaran designed to make long-distance passages easy and safe.

The amazing catamaran features a rig that allows you to use a screecher or a self-tending jib. While this might sound complex, the Catana 50 is fairly easy to tack once you set out on the course.

This performance-oriented catamaran boasts efficient hulls and rigs that allow for fast speeds. Also, its long waterline, along with the bow’s subtle underwater shape, helps boost volume while lessening wave drag. The stern platforms can also aid in stretching the length of the waterline while allowing easy access from a dock. If a collision were to occur, the sturdy board trunks would protect the hulls.

Pricing: About $1.4 million

McConaghy MC50

The McConaghy MC50 launched in 2018. A fast cruising cat designed to cross oceans, this catamaran came with impressive features such as a skylight smack in the center of the coachroof that allows light to flood in. Also, the saloon has an extending table that provides adequate space for up to eight diners and converts into a lounging room when you install the fill-in cushion.

The galley boasts an induction hob and molded-in sinks, while a navigation station occupies a spot at the front of the saloon – providing good visibility and systems access. The vessel’s unique design simulates a penthouse apartment on the deck with 35 to 40m2 (376.74 to 430.56ft2) of space, possibly the largest in a 50ft (15.24m) yacht.

The MC50’s 3.5m-deep (11.48ft) hydraulic centerboards boost the boat’s upwind performance and include a fail-safe if an underwater collision occurs. The boards take only 12 seconds to raise. This catamaran delivers great pace and upwind capability, all wrapped up in a high-quality, stylish, and roomy interior.

The key to the MC50’s outstanding performance is the optimized hull shape and the 40% carbon fiber lay-up, which result in greater stiffness. Exhibiting great engineering detail, the hydraulic centreboards swing into the hulls, providing a welcome solution to the challenge of having daggerboards without eating up too much accommodation space.

Pricing: Contact McConaghy Boats .

Atlantic 47 Mastfoil

The Atlantic 47 is one of Chris White’s spectacular designs. It places the cockpit forward of the deckhouse, the aft deck sits behind the pilothouse, and the large pilothouse has easy hull access.

This unique design enhances the safety and functionality of the Atlantic 47 as it provides the crew with full forward visibility and easy, safe access to the sailing controls. It also transforms the traditional deckhouse into an appealing and more comfortable pilothouse.

All Atlantic cats come equipped with daggerboards, with the majority sporting vertically retracting ones. That’s because to sail upwind really well, a catamaran requires deep, well-shaped hydrofoils underneath the boat to enable it to claw windward.

An excellent top performer, the Atlantic 47 combines great cruising capability, comfortable living, and ease of handling. This spacious boat also boasts a generous aft deck, a high all-around bulwark, and a starboard walk-through for quick and easy access to the dinghy.

All Atlantic Cats sport an impressive safety record owing to their robust construction, innovative design, and easy handling. Besides, the indoor watch-keeping capability helps to minimize crew fatigue, allowing safe and more enjoyable cruising. To further enhance their safety, all boats contain watertight collision bulkheads in addition to emergency capsize habitation.

Pricing : Contact Chris White Designs .

The Balance 526

A passion for building the best-performing cruising catamaran d esigned for speed, comfort, and perfect for families . The ability to carry cruising payloads inspired the Balance 526 . Designed by a team highly experienced in sailing, cruising, racing, and building catamarans, the 526 is simple to operate, maintain, and offers gracious, elegant living.

With state-of-the-art beds, showers, cabinetry, and finishes, the European-styled interiors feature high-end interior design. What’s more, you can pilot this exceptional vessel single-handed owing to the innovative design, reefing station, and self-tending blade jib . These features allow almost anyone to maneuver the catamaran safely through any weather.

If you’re seeking optimal performance under sail, you can configure this cruising catamaran with either dual daggerboards or high-performance fixed keels . The great thing about using the fully retractable dual daggerboards is that you can sail in shallow waters and beach your catamaran without any problems.

To enhance upwind performance, place the boards in the down position, and raise them to improve off wind performance. In dangerous cross seas, the Balance 526 side-slips prevent the tripping effect related to large fin-keeled catamarans.

The balance 526 comes with the all-weather Versahelm design. A first in catamaran design, it accords serious cruisers the best of both worlds. You can slide open the hardtop and sail in the open air during fair weather, close it in foul weather, and get into the aft cockpit. The down position allows you to scan around as you look for docking and provides a warm, safe, and comfy place to pilot the 526 in any weather.

To combat fatigue, the Balance 526 thoughtfully comes with adjustable helm chairs. There’s also a retractable helm standing platform that you can raise to increase sightlines whenever you pilot over the bows, navigate narrow channels, or cluttered estuaries.

Strong but light, this vessel weighs under 12.5 tons (11,339.81 kg). Hence, if you ever need to outrun or position away from bad weather, the Balance 526 will speedily and safely take you wherever you need to go.

Pricing : Contact Balance Catamarans

Final Thoughts

As you can see from this list, cruising catamarans with daggerboards are available in a wide range of designs, styles, and sizes. This can make choosing the best one a bit overwhelming. Still, whether you’re looking to get a catamaran at a bargain, an exceptional performer, or a classic, there’s a boat to suit every need and budget.

The best thing is to look beyond the fancy designs, layout, or equipment and consider fundamentals. These include sound construction, a good sail plan, cruising capability, ease of handling, and comfortable living.

Wikipedia: Daggerboard
McConaghy Boats: McConaghy Boats
Sail magazine: 10 Great Cruising Cats
Sail magazine: Catana 50
Gunboat: Home
Gemini Catamarans: Home
Gemini Catamarans: Gemini 105Mc Design Touch Overview
Chris White Designs: Atlantic 47 Mastfoil
Chris White Designs: Home
Catamaran-Outremer: Outremer 45
Sail How: Which Catamarans Have Daggerboards?
Yachting World: Performance cruisers: the best new catamarans for racing and fast cruising 2018
Dreamy Yacht Sales: Best Catamaran Brands Guide – 6 Top Catamarans
Hellenic Shipping News: Daggerbards in Demand on Cruising Boats
Balance Catamarans: The Perfect Harmony of Performance and Livability
Multihulls-World: Catamaran Basics the Daggerboards: Understanding and Adjusting Them

Owner of CatamaranFreedom.com. A minimalist that has lived in a caravan in Sweden, 35ft Monohull in the Bahamas, and right now in his self-built Van. He just started the next adventure, to circumnavigate the world on a Catamaran!

Daggerboards: how to adjust them on your catamaran

Author : Nikki Henderson

When I asked the Outremer Ladies’ community for suggestions on webinar topics, ‘Daggerboards’ was top of the list. I wasn’t surprised. I don’t think I’ve had a day out on an Outremer with prospective or current owners where daggerboards were not discussed.

It makes sense that there is a curiosity about daggerboards; using them properly is essential if you want your Outremer to perform. What is interesting though, is how confusing people find them.

One thing I’ve realised is that for some people, the issue is similar to my relationship with electronics (hate) and engineering (love). Things I cannot physically see are inherently cloaked in mystery and much more challenging for me to understand. This can be the case with daggerboards: they are hidden underwater and so are often forgotten or misunderstood.

The other reason that daggerboards can be confusing is that they affect not just the performance of a catamaran, but also the safety. Sometimes the theories contradict each other and lead to conflicting advice as to the right and wrong way to use them. In fact, there is no one ‘rule’ about daggerboards. The key, as with anything on a boat, is to understand the reasoning behind the basic daggerboard practices, so that you can make your own decision based on your own unique circumstances that you encounter at any particular time.

I hope this blog will help you build this critical foundation of understanding so that you can set sail safely and with confidence. Daggerboards – like sail trim – is a subject of continual learning. See this as step 1 in the life-long journey.

Catamaran daggerboards: how should they be adjusted for optimum sailing?

Daggerboards are best thought of as an ‘underwater sail’ – sometimes called a ‘foil’. Just as a sail above the water needs trimming – so does the sail under the water. But unlike the sail above the water, the daggerboard only has one trim option: how much of it is exposed below the hull.

When sailing upwind the daggerboards provide resistance and lift under the water to balance out the sideways effort force from the sail above the water. In more simple terms, daggerboards help the boat move forward rather than sideways when sailing upwind. Therefore, when sailing upwind, the assumed best practice is to have the daggerboards down. [UP-wind = DOWN-board]

When sailing downwind, the effort force from the sail works almost entirely in the direction you need the boat to go. Therefore, you do not need the resistance under the water from the daggerboard to help with the direction. In fact, it will probably hinder you from sailing deep downwind and slow you down. Therefore, when sailing downwind, the assumed best practice is to have the daggerboards up. [DOWN-wind = UP-board]

Generally, when sailing with wind on the beam – a good ‘go-to’ trim set up is one that is somewhere in the middle of downwind and upwind trim. Therefore, a good starting point for a beam reach would be to lift the daggerboards half-way up.

Which catamaran daggerboard for which sailing conditions?

For any competent dinghy sailors who understand daggerboards, this is the most common question as they are typically used to using only one!

An important key principle, is that a daggerboard is only effective when it is submerged in the water. Therefore, if you were sailing the boat purely for performance in a flat sea, you would always need to be trimming at least the leeward one. If the windward hull lifts slightly here and there (which it does fractionally in any substantial wind) then the windward daggerboard is not working efficiently.

Do you drop the windward board? In relation to performance, this depends on how much underwater resistance you need.

In very light winds, the standard practice is to lift the windward daggerboard all the way and only trim the leeward board. When both daggerboards are down, (for simplicity) there is now double the ‘underwater sail’ area. This would likely imbalance how much power there is from the light winds on the sail above the water, and literally ‘drag’ the boat and slow her down.

As the winds increase, there may be a time where you feel you want more underwater resistance, and you could consider lowering the windward board as well. You might find your course over ground improves. Then it was a good decision. If your speed decreases, it might be creating too much drag and you should lift it back up.

If the wind continues to increase further, it is likely you will choose to reef the main. If we return to the concept of the daggerboard being the ‘underwater sail’, if you reef the main, then consider reefing the daggerboard and lifting some up slightly with each reef you put in upwind to keep the boat balanced.

You may be wondering how such a tiny thing as a daggerboard could balance out the enormous sail area of a main sail. The answer here is that water is a much denser fluid than air, and so the daggerboard needs much less area to create the same force than it would do if it were in air.

Safety at sea: adjusting daggerboards to avoid risks

This is where things start to get a little confusing.

The leeward daggerboard being down will increase the risk of ‘tripping up’. Therefore, in any significant sea state – or possible impending increase in wind/seastate such as if you are close to a mountainous shore line – where you feel that the hull is, or may, lift a lot, it is in fact safer to lift the leeward daggerboard and only use the windward one. Be aware that you will see a drop in performance as this contradicts the performance best practice of trimming the leeward board and not the windward.

The safest option entirely in very large sea states where the sea is actually tilting the boat significantly from side to side as she rolls down waves is to lift both daggerboards, so you float along waves like a raft.

‘Tripping up’ is a phrase used a lot and in fact sometimes misunderstood. To explain what it means: if there is wind/waves coming from the side of the boat and the windward hull lifts slightly in a wave, or there is a gust and the sail powers the boat forward – the leeward hull can ‘dig in’ to a wave and trip the boat up. The best way to imagine this is imagine getting one of your shoelaces on one of your feet stuck but the rest of your body is still walking. You will fall over. Same with the boat.

A converse argument to lifting the daggerboards up, is that dropping both of them will protect the underside of the boat – from grounding, or from hitting a submerged object. Having both daggerboards partially down can protect the propellor. Having them at ‘deck level’ can protect the rudder. In other words, if you hit something then it will hit the daggerboard before the more fragile underwater equipment.

Another argument against lifting the daggerboards entirely, is that with no daggerboards, your rudder is doing all the ‘resistance-work’. It is hard to believe, but it also acts as a very tiny underwater sail too. There will be a huge load on the rudder with no daggerboard at all and this risk is probably not worth the gain in speed on a long downwind ocean crossing. One way to spot if the rudder is working too hard is just look at your autopilot rudder angle – if it’s maxing out and having to work very hard to keep the boat going straight then you probably have too much sideways slip. It’s a bit like the boat is sailing on an ice rink. In that case, I’d recommend putting both of them down a touch. This will benefit both the ruder and the autopilot (therefore power consumption).

(Read our Safe Sailing article to learn more about safety on board)

Using daggerboards is a balancing act! Boat weight, weight distribution, sail area, wind strength, sea state, sail trim are all things that effect the decision for how to use the daggerboards: how much daggerboard to use and which one (or both) to use. This is why it’s not an exact ‘one size fits all’ rule and anyone who tells you so is probably oversimplifying it which could lead to a dangerous sitaution. But start using them and see how the boat feels. The beauty of buying an Outremer is that if you keep her lightweight and trimmed well, then she will talk to you and tell you what feels good. Don’t believe me? Try sailing a brand-new Outremer out of the factory before she has anything on – then compare it to one with four peoples’ life belongings on – and you will see what I mean. 😉

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40.000 miles and 3 years to get from La Grande Motte to La Grande Motte

Marijke and Mark sail the Outremer 55 Great Circle.

Since its launch in 2021, the boat has sailed around the world with the GLYWO 500.

Setting off on a catamaran with the best sailing weather

When you’re getting ready to set off on a sailing trip, it’s vital to find out about the seasons and weather phenomena in your chosen sailing area. Even before choosing your cruising destination or travel itinerary, or even selecting your yacht!

Catamaran VS Monohull: what should you choose to sail around the world?

Sailing around the world is a dream come true: you discover the world to the rhythm of the wind and the stopovers, exploring new destinations every day as you sail. If you’re just starting to read this article, you’re probably nurturing this project. Are you planning to sail around the globe? Then the choice of ship for your next voyage is crucial.

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Multihull Keels and Daggerboards

Fountaine Pajot BELIZE 43 resting on her keels, showing good bridge deck height

Uncovering the compromises of both underwater appendages and analyzing their disadvantages and merits.

Man has learned much from nature, and sailboats and their underwater appendages are one of the areas that we have applied what works and what doesn’t. As we all know, boats – as most things in life- are compromises and often we are prepared to make concessions in one area in order to gain an advantage in another. Not only should this brief discussion illustrate the basic virtues and drawbacks of daggerboards and mini keels on multihulls, but also point out their active and passive safety aspects.

Most multihulls in todays marketplace come in two varieties. By far the vast majority of the production cruising catamarans (about 90%) are keelboats and have low aspect ratio, unballasted keels. These well known French, Australian or S.African boat manufacturers market their boats for private ownership and the charter industry and make a great product. Without sounding too general, these boats have very spacious interiors and are perfectly adaptable for live aboard families or the charter trade. This multi million dollar charter industry, has an obvious influence on the requirements and design of their charter fleet, which further has a trickle down effect to other builders who also market their cats for private ownership. Design parameters for these charter cats are often centered around 2 week multiple family vacations in the steady Trade Winds and day sails between closely spaced islands of the Caribbean. The features of these keel catamarans obviously put less demand on pure sailing performance or extreme upwind sailing characteristics, but rather try to please by offering solid construction, live aboard comfort and simple and reliable handling characteristics.

The other type of multihull is the catamaran with articulating daggerboards or centerboards. Centerboard and daggerboard multihulls both share the same basic concept, except their deployment and storage relies on different principles. The daggerboard lives in a scabbard, or daggerboard trunk. It moves up and down, vs. a pivoting centerboard, which is raised and lowered around a massive pin. High aspect ratio daggerboards are by far the most efficient foils. They have none of the problems associated with centerboards, which when fully lowered are only braced by a small area on top. When going upwind in a hurry, loads on the trunk act as a giant lever, which constantly work to spread the trunk apart. This is the reason why it is recommended to operate foils as pairs in heavier conditions to divide the loads. Also the large area of the remaining centerboard slot creates a lot of unwanted turbulence making them unpopular for performance minded sailors. Lastly declining popularity of the centerboarders can also be lead back to the often large intrusion on the interior space the trunks create. Although the Gemini catamaran is a good example of a very popular and well thought out production catamaran, there are few other mass produced centerboarders around. It should be noted that one great advantage centerboards have vs. any other underbody configuration is that they theoretically retract when colliding with an object. In spite of this, most offshore or performance orientated sailors clearly favor daggerboards or low aspect ration keels.

Illustration A

Daggerboard catamarans have several advantages over their keel counterparts, some of which are well known and others that are more subtle and sometimes only recognized by people who have used them. Active safety aspects are advantages created by speed and the ability to retract underwater appendages.

I am a firm believer of “faster” rather than “slower” on ocean going performance multihulls. Many people might say, going fast is only for racers. But lets think about this. The ability to reduce exposure time through speed is invaluable for cruisers. If say on a transatlantic passage you can shave off 5 days you have already increased your safety factor, in some cases, by 25%. Not being a “sitting duck” is a nice thing indeed. By being able to have the choice, bad weather can be avoided, which can sometimes lead to a negative spiral of incidences. In general, especially on long passages, a daggerboard cat will have the edge on speed over her keel counterpart.

Lets face it, we are all in it for the fun of sailing as famed designer Francis L. Herrshoff said: “The fun of sailing is directly proportional to the speed of sailing”. Maybe this is the reason he designed Amaryllis, his revolutionary catamaran, which was later banned from racing. Generally speaking daggerboard catamarans will always be slightly faster than their keel equivalents. The speed advantage of most daggerboard catamarans vs. keel catamarans though is often exaggerated. On a typical day sail a well trimmed and tuned keel cat will only be slightly slower than a daggerboard cat.

Multihulls lack the feeling of being in the “groove”, which monohull sailors enjoy. Effortless high average speeds, acceleration and sustained high velocity surfs is something fast multihulls compensate with. It should be noted that anything (even a barn door) surfs in the right conditions. Even keel catamarans can surf at speeds up to 30 knots down large seas.

Upwind Advantages: Depending on sea state going upwind, daggerboard catamarans vs. their keel relatives will point up to 5 degrees higher and also experience 2-5 degrees less leeway, which isn’t much one would think. But in an uncomfortable 100 mile beat this ads up to being more than 17 miles closer to your destination! (Illustration B).

Illustration B

sin A=a/c (sin A) c =a (0.1736) * 100 = a a = 17.36 miles

Lets take a 45’ catamaran: the lift (to windward) generated by a daggerboard is almost twice that of a low aspect ratio keel and the drag with the board all the way down would be almost 20% less. The most recent generation cats with large beams and stately bridge deck houses benefit especially from high lift foils, since the windage of their projected area can ad up quickly. The same cats with keels usually suffer from excessive leeway and sideslip. Keel cat’s however, especially in a calm sea state, lessen this disadvantage as boat speed and flow over their keels increases.

Reaching and Running Deep: When running deep in fresh conditions the fixed could act as a brake, that one cannot disengage. Since they cannot be retracted, their volume and resistance slows the boat’s progress and in combination with the forward pressure of the sails forces the bows down. This is especially the case with catamarans that have long bridgedecks, heavy extremities and low volume- fine bows. The bigger the friction in the water, the bigger the pressure on the mast and the more the boat is burdened. Another neat trick is lifting the daggerboards, one can actually increase apparent wind by pointing up and induce leeway, crabbing faster to ones destination.

Tacking and Helm Feedback: Cruising catamarans are often mistaken to tack slowly and behave sluggishly to movements of the helm. This is certainly true for some heavy keel catamarans and much less so for ones equipped with boards. In complex seas, some of the heavier keel cat’s only option for a safe tack is back winding the jib. Monohulls with only one fin will always tack quicker than multihulls, just as foil equipped catamarans will be more responsive than keel multihulls. Modern hydraulic steering systems are easy to build and with most forward helm stations behind the main coachroof, pose sometimes the only alternative for the builder. Mechanical steering and daggerboards will give the ultimate feedback and fun at the helm…if one is driving at all, since usually the autopilot is engaged for longer legs.

Inclined foils on the Aeroyacht H42 performance catamaran built by Edel

Another advantage of daggerboards is the better maneuverability under one engine. If you loose one engine and retract the board on the hull which has no engine power, but leave the powered hull’s foil down, the boat will turn easier. Because of the retracted foil on the un-powered side there will be much less drag induced turning moment, the boat will be more balanced and the other sides deployed board will provide sufficient bite for “survival” steerage. Especially in high crosswind situations a catamaran with both boards down is much easier to maneuver than one with shallower keels. Usually harbor maneuvers under power are low speed operations, and this is where the high lift capacity of twin boards excel yet again and facilitate handling and precision steerage. Daggerboard cats also can motor a bit faster, since by retracting the foils they have less resistance.

Keel and daggerboard cats usually have less draft than keel monohulls, opening access to shallow anchorages. An advantage daggerboards have, are their gauging characteristics when entering shallow harbors or unknown territory. By lowering them, one actually creates a “safety depth”. When they touch bottom one still has the possibility of raising them, performing a U-turn and getting into deeper water. With fixed- non retractable keels, especially with a monohull, groundings or unplanned bottom encounters could end tragic. At least a monhull can attempt in heeling the boat to reduce draft and re float. This obviously is not an option on a keel cat. If you get stuck in the mud you are dedicated to await the next high tide to get you off. Crashing into a coral reef could be a different story altogether and only a haul out can asses and repair damage. Depending on their design, boards could be rotated or flipped, and even repaired underway. In general daggerboard cats also have less draft than keel multihulls allowing access to even more harbors and anchorages. They can be beached high up for repairs or inspections, increasing the window of exposure time between tides. I know, I once performed a 5 hour long emergency repair on our 43’ catamaran this way, saving 1000’s in yard bills and days of headaches.

It should be notes that keel catamarans however, can be beached just as easy as daggerboard cats. They can be left sitting, high and dry, completely safe on their keels, without having to worry about damaging the hulls or getting debris or sea life stuck into the vulnerable daggerboard trunks.

Bruno Nicoletti is an old friend and one of the most low key-expert sailors I know. He has logged more than 130,000 miles (geriatric miles as he calls them) on his 44’ daggerboard catamaran.. At a recent meeting with him in France we talked about his experiences of his record, double handed – one stop- Southern Ocean circumnavigation at age 63. The French Press compares Bruno to sailing legend Vito Dumas and has published his accounts in an article called: “The Impossible Route”. He explained, that in the Southern Ocean, in the most convoluted conditions he would simply raise both boards, lock the helm to windward and lay a-hull with no sails. “Brumas Patagonia” would safely slide down the steep faces of waves and minimally drift to leeward at about 1 mile per hour while he was either resting or reading. The water spoil of his side wards drift would help keep the edge off cresting waves and often prevent them from breaking (Illustration D) While it was blowing 70 knots and higher he felt very safe and in fact the world around him turned peaceful and quiet. His confidence in this system is impressive: I am currently helping him with sea trials on his new 47 footer for a yet another go at a High Latitude – geriatric- circumnavigation. This time he is planning to take his 78 year old brother and do it non stop !

Illustration D

It is not only in the Southern Ocean that one encounters steep, breaking waves. Major capes or the Gulf Stream are notorious for rough conditions where the ability to navigate safely becomes imperative. In these environments any proven and strongly built daggerboard cat would have a slight advantage by lifting her boards, although a well designed keel catamaran could get through unscathed. In extreme weather, and I am talking beyond Force 10, it is very important to enable a catamaran to side-slip rather than encouraging the possibility to trip, and maybe flip. A catamarans behavior in towering side waves is decisive and the possibility to lift underwater appendages is essential, especially if one has lost the ability to steer. The disadvantage of a keel catamaran in huge beam seas is more psychological than real, as these types of vessels typically also slip sideways. In survival conditions or emergencies, the use of parachute anchors, which force the boat into a certain attitude is often thought to be the only answer for most boats. In my mind this tactic is questionable since it puts enormous strains on the boat, is accident prone and renders one helpless when the odd rogue wave from a different direction smacks into the boat. It is better to manage survival conditions, by controlling and slowing the vessel with the use of drogues.

We have learned a great deal from aerospace industry and the trickle down effect to monohull keels. Multihull designers and builders greatly profit from the advanced research, that has been done in the field of NACA sections (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) and foil performance. Keels and daggerboards come in a variety of aspect ratios but most are based on low speed foils, which drag/lift characteristics have been optimized. To increase lift even further, some performance catamarans even utilize asymmetrical shaped daggerboards, shaped flat on the outside (leeward) and cambered on the (windward) inside. As they can only be used one at a time asymmetrical boards are somewhat limited in their adaptation for cruisers. (Illustration E)

Illustration E

Since multihulls do not heel, their underwater appendages are more effective in retaining positive flow than their monohull relatives.(this is also the reason why autopilots burn out less often and can be used in heavier conditions on catamarans) As the monohull heels, not only is the upper part partly blanketed by the underbody of the vessel but also flow is lost as the water slips past the angled keel to leeward. (Illustration F) This was especially prevalent on the early IOR monos, which had extremely beamy and shallow bilges and high prismatic coefficient center sections. To compensate for this loss of heel induced flow, monhulls need deep draft keels to make good progress to windward. The keel or daggerboard catamaran on the other hand can more efficiently create lift for the same keel plan view area, not only because it has two vs. one keel, but also through its minimal heel is able to keep its underwater appendages perpendicular in the water.

Illustration F

Usually catamaran daggerboards have a higher aspect ratio and are deeper than the equivalent length monohull, since they have the ability to retract them and therefore have no draft considerations. It is therefore not surprising to see that in wind speeds starting at around 10 knots a well designed and sailed daggerboard cat, will often outpoint and outpace a performance monohull. Even well sailed keel catamarans can often arrive earlier at an upwind destination compared to heavy monohulls. The couple of degrees they sacrifice in their ability to point to windward is often made up by their higher speed and VMG (Velocity Made Good). This performance difference increases proportionally to the wind speed and is very noticeable in F.4 conditions and beyond.

A well known fact and possibly the single biggest psychological deterrent of daggerboard cats is the vulnerability of the boards and trunk in collisions. The true Achilles heel are actually ill constructed and designed trunks, which cause flooding in an impact. This obviously is not the case with keels, which would deflect a minor obstacle, or in case of hitting a container or whale, simply break off. In the case of sacrificial keels, they would sheer leaving the hull completely intact.

Obviously the most critical area in daggerboard design is the construction of the daggerboard trunk. It is usually heavily reinforced with massive gussets, especially at its aft bottom end and extends from the bilge to the overhead. Typical forces on the trunk easily exceed the pressure of the wind on the sails. Dynamic forces of wave action and the shock loads of slamming into seas or solid objects must make this area one of the strongest and best engineered of the entire vessel. Usually the foils are located just aft of the main- mast bearing crossbeam and are somehow tied into this unit to profit from its stiffness. The more “left over” daggerboard remains in the scabbard in the fully down position, the better it is braced, so it is not surprising to see foils that are 18’ long for a 60’ boat. Builders who take their job seriously go through great lengths to make this key area as strong as possible. In a recent conversation with the manager of a reputable French production yard it was pointed out that the daggerboard trunk is engineered and constructed 7 times stronger than the composite board. In case of a violent impact, the foil, which has weak spots designed into it, will snap and leave the daggerboard trunk unscathed. It is a type of sacrificial impact philosophy or a safety fuse, just as it is used on sacrificial fixed keels. The careful engineering and experience necessary in building reliable daggerboard or keel cats stresses the importance of a production yard, which has consistently built them. This aspect should not be taken lightly if one ventures out into the open sea, even if it is only 20 miles offshore.

Often builders of keel cats ad daggerboards to their designs, with the objective to market increased performance and safety. This usually ends up in a compromise, since the hydrodynamic hull requirements of both types could differ substantially, let alone the experience of proper integration, engineering and construction might be lacking altogether. Building with keels does not require the experience, careful construction and engineering which are necessary with retractable foils.

Keels offer advantages, as they do not need to be operated at all. They do their work silently and its usually one less thing to go wrong. On the other hand people who have never sailed with daggerboards think their operation is complicated. In fact they are as easy to use as outhauls or travelers. In normal conditions with 2 people – one pumping the daggerbaords up haul line directly at the board- the other taking up the slack of the up haul, it literally takes 3 seconds to raise a 15’ daggerboard. Single-handed it is a 10 second affair involving 2-3 wraps of the up haul around a winch and 10 cranks. Most boards are slightly heavier than the water they displace and often only weigh 80 lbs. Dropping takes half a second, by simply opening the up haul sheet stopper and easing the foil down. Loads on the boards increase as the speed and pressure builds, so if one has the choice, these maneuvers are usually performed just before tacking. It is a misconception that the operation of foils will depend on the wind speed. It is rather the boat speed, in regards to sea state – which in turn limits progress – which dictates the proper positioning of the daggerboards.

Nothing is perfect and this analysis would be worthless without mentioning the pro’s and con’s of either underwater appendage. Daggerboards, their surrounding structures and systems are more expensive to build, so builders prefer to stay away from them given the choice. In some catamarans, especially smaller ones or ones that have the trunk in the center of the hull, the interior passage in the hulls can be crammed. Lastly it should be mentioned that incorrectly designed and constructed, daggerboards multihulls can be more of a detriment than virtue and in some cases can be extremely dangerous. If the trunks are not massively reinforced and in case of a violent collision one could flood one hull and cause a capsize. In this case one is better off with a well designed and constructed keel multihull than a mediocre or untested one with daggerboards.

Yet daggerboards give you choices, that keels deny you. It is like the new generation of cars with Tiptronic gearboxes, which offer you an automatic transmission with manual override. By physically selecting the proper gear, torque can be adjusted to suit the conditions. It’s the same with the daggerboard equipped catamaran. The boat can be fine tuned to optimize the level of efficiency of the vessels motion through the water. By being able adjust the foils, superior sailing characteristics result in speed and generally more fun on the water. Active safety aspects of reduced exposure time, better maneuverability and shallow draft provide significant benefits.

For safety reasons, most catamarans builders opt for fixed keels and completely separate the keels from the hulls, a feature which preserves and protects the water tightness of the boat in the event of violent impact. Furthermore, if such a situation arises, it makes them easier to repair or replace. Fixed keels require no manipulation, such as daggerboards and give perfect protection to drive shafts, propellers, rudder blades and hull bottoms in the event of grounding. Lastly the absence of a centreboard case means saving of space in the interior of the vessel and usually results in a larger living space.

Back to the birds. We all know the giant Albatross as an extreme example of a sorer that can glide for days in varying conditions, without having to move its wings. This Southern Ocean beast, who calls his home the most inhospitable area on our planet, is better adapted to handle extreme circumstances than any other flying animal. The Albatrosses’ wings are sophisticated in shape, but basically are articulating high aspect ratio foils very similar to daggerboards. Similar to the Falcons “high speed” wings, the Abatross can modify its wings aspect ratio to adjust to the breeze. The designers of the Polynesian multihulls, legendary Viking long ships and American Cargo Schooners understood this too. By adding movable leeway devices, center- or daggerboards, they made their boats more seaworthy and even sailors in the past preferred them over fixed keels.

Today we continue to strive to find the perfect compromise in our vessels to satisfy our most important requirements. We should be extremely thankful to the 1000’s of keel multihulls that have revolutionized the charter industry and many good boats have evolved from this trend. Reputable dagger board catamarans and well designed keel multihulls will continue to be the choice of future generations of serious offshore voyagers. Both offer their advantages and disadvantages and it is important to understand both in order to make the proper choice.

Gregor Tarjan, a trained naval architect and longtime multihull enthusiast is writer of numerous articles for Multihulls Magazine and various other trade publications. He has been involved in Dennis Conner’s “Stars and Sripes” 1984 Americas Cup Campaign, is the founder of Aeroyacht.He is also the co-editor and contributing author of the “Sailors Multihull Guide”, the book by Kevin Jeffrey.

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Catamaran basics The daggerboards: understanding and adjusting them

Having a catamaran with daggerboards means enjoying better pointing ability than an equivalent model equipped with fixed stub keels, which are inevitably shorter. It means that you can also optimize drag, speed and even safety. Partially integrated, with foils...an inventory of the daggerboards on our boats and how to use these appendages.

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Published 01/04/2015

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1) All the Catanas are equipped with daggerboards. They are very long, and held structurally in their cases by the whole height of the hulls. Simple and strong, but beware of the significant windage in the raised position.

2) The latest Catana models are equipped with curved daggerboards. On the 59, the foil effect is worth 500kg at a speed of 15 knots.

3) The latest Outremers have adopted shorter structural cases, to reduce the size of the daggerboards. Less windage in the raised position and less weight, but the construction is more complex…

4) Numerous trimarans are also equipped with daggerboards/centerboards. They can be central and integrated into the accommodation, as aboard this Dash 750.

5) Other trimarans, such as the Tricat 25, are equipped with centerboards integrated into the floats.

6) Builders such as Outremer provide stopper knots for the daggerboard control lines; a good way to judge the position when the daggerboard is not visible.

7) Once the daggerboard is out of its case, it is easier to judge: the lifelines are an excellent adjustment indicator!

8) To windward in light weather, the daggerboards are fully lowered, to take advantage of maximum 'grip' on the water.

9) When the speed increases, it is worthwhile raising the windward board to optimize drag. Note: a daggerboard which moves is no use. Therefore we raise it!

10) But for safety, it is preferable to raise the leeward appendage: in the case of a strong gust, the risk of the boat ‘tripping up’ is thus reduced. The compromise could be to raise both the daggerboards by half... It’s up to you to judge!

11) Downwind, the daggerboards are no longer useful, especially when the boat exceeds 10 knots... Keeping one third of the surface can however help the helmsman or the autopilot to steer a straighter course.

12) Heavy weather? Raise them completely so the hulls slide. On the other hand, with big seas from behind, (just like downwind in more manageable weather) it may be useful to keep a little daggerboard lowered to avoid yawing.

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The Lagoon 42 is the French yard’s top seller and that is because it hits that sweet spot for many buyers. It’s big enough to live aboard very comfortably while not feeling too big to handle for a couple. This review will cover the main Pros and Cons of this model and some of the options we think you should go for.

First Came the 420.. This VPLP design replaced the 420 and the 421 which were pretty big sellers for Lagoon (170 or so), so it had some pretty big shoes to fill. Read our Lagoon 410 review to get an idea how things have moved on since the 2nd Generation boats.

In common with her other fourth generation sisters (the 40, 46 and so on), the 42 has a curvier look than her predecessors. It’s a design that has evolved from the third generation models like the Lagoon 400 (another top seller) and the 450.

She’s solid and looks like she could handle a big sea. And then you have those trademark vertical windows in the saloon that maximise the living space and help keep the sun out of the saloon. You are not going to be sailing as fast as a C-Cat 48 , but that’s not the point of the Lagoon 42. It’s a great sailing/comfort package.

Photos credit: Nicolas Claris, Lagoon.

Charter a Lagoon 42 Catamaran

Why not test the Lagoon 42 in a charter? Browse our extensive list of Lagoon 42s’s for rent below ⇓

Find a well maintained, high quality Lagoon 42 for charter with Katamarans.

Living space. If you are looking to max out your living space per metre of length, then a Lagoon is always going to score highly and the 42 is no exception with a high beam to length ratio. You’ll notice the difference down below, especially. You can see from the side profile shot how far the coachroof extends forwards. That means a big comfy saloon. The shower in the owner’s version is huge.
The life raft is held in a dedicated open recess on the transom of the boat and can be easily deployed whatever the orientation of the boat.
Protected helm. The bulkhead helm is well connected to the cockpit and is well protected with a sturdy dodger. It´s a position that has proved popular with buyers. It is open to the sea though (see cons below).
Although the boom is higher than some of the 42’s competitors, it is lower than a flybridge cat and pretty easy to access- a good compromise
All the lines lead to the helm which sits to port on the main bulkhead. This make it an easy boat to sail short handed – the coach roof is just a short hop away.
There’s a nice big nav station to starboard in the saloon at the end of the sofa.
Resale. Although Lagoon sell a lot of boats, the demand for them is also high on the second hand market as they are a popular brand. If you look after your 42, she should fetch a decent price later.
This is a heavy boat, so you will need to put some money in your sail locker to power it. Off the wind, you can call these boats nippy (it’s a catamaran after all), but you won’t be setting any speed records closer to the wind, particular in lighter conditions. Make sure the square top mainsail is at the top of your options list. A code 0 would be nice too.
Lack of hand-grabs on the coachroof. We’d have liked to have seen hand rails here to improve safety going forward. There is a channel that runs along the coach roof to grab, but if its aesthetics vs safety, we choose safety.
Visibility from the helm. If you stand on tiptoes, and duck and dive a bit, you can just about see all 4 corners of the boat from the bulkhead main. It is easier for taller people. That helm seat is pretty low, you might want to buy an extra cushion!
Also, the helm is pretty open to port. On the one hand this makes it easy to nip around, but it feels exposed at sea and would worry me on longer night passages.
Because of the bulkhead main, there is less room in the aft cockpit than other “open” designs. It is hardly cramped though.
Ventilation in the saloon. There are no overhead hatches, only 2 forward opening windows.
With the mast stepped back, you have a pole in the saloon breaking up the space. On the other hand, it’s something to grab onto if the weather turns. You might find yourself doing a bit of impromptu pole dancing if the waves get up.
The edge of the coach roof can get slippy. Watch your step!

Living Space

Owner’s Review

Faqs lagoon 42, technical specification.

Draft	1.25m / 4'1''
D/L	161
Mainsail	55m² / 592 sq.ft
Code 0 option	68m² / 732 sq.ft
Water	300 L / 79 US gal
Fuel	300 L / 79 US gal
Self Tacking Jib	35m² / 377 sq.ft
Mast Clearance	20.65m / 67'9''
Beam	7.70m / 25'3''
Displ. Light	12.1 T / 26 681 lbs
SA/D (Sq Top)	18.1
SA/D (Std)	17.4
Length OA	12.80m / 42'
Bruce No. (Std)	1.04
Sq Top Main (option)	59m² / 635 sq.ft
Bruce No. (Sq Top)	1.07
Engine (std)	2 x 45 HP
EC Cert	A : 12 ; B : 14 ; C : 20 ; D : 30

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What Are Daggerboards on a Catamaran? (An In-Depth Look)

Have you ever wondered how catamarans move so fast and efficiently through the water? The answer lies in daggerboards, a unique and essential feature of these vessels.

Many sailors consider daggerboards to be one of the key advantages of sailing on a catamaran over a monohull sailboat.

If you’re curious to learn more about the science behind this nautical feature, then this article is for you.

Here, we’ll dive into the details of what daggerboards are, how they work, the benefits they offer, the types of daggerboards, and the best practices for maintenance and performance.

By the end, you’ll be an expert on the topic and be able to make an informed decision about the best type of daggerboard for your vessel.

Table of Contents

Short Answer

Daggerboards are vertical boards on a catamaran that can be raised and lowered to provide lateral resistance and stability to the boat.

When the daggerboards are lowered, they provide more stability and can help the catamaran sail closer to the wind.

When they are raised, the catamaran has less resistance and can move faster.

Daggerboards are an important part of a catamaran’s design, as they provide stability and control in difficult weather conditions.

What Are Daggerboards?

Daggerboards are a vertical fin-like structure found on a catamaran, which is a type of sailboat with two hulls of equal size.

Daggerboards are typically located on the centerline of the boat and can be raised and lowered at the skipper’s discretion.

This allows the skipper to adjust the center of effort on the boat, which in turn affects the boat’s maneuverability and control.

At the most basic level, daggerboards provide additional lift and stability to a catamaran, allowing for improved performance in light winds.

They work by creating forward thrust and lift, helping the boat move through the water more efficiently and allowing it to make tighter turns.

Daggerboards also help to reduce leeway, which is the tendency of a boat to drift sideways in the water due to the wind pushing against its sails.

By positioning the daggerboard at an angle, the skipper can reduce the amount of leeway the boat experiences, allowing it to maintain a more consistent course.

Overall, daggerboards are a key component of sailing catamarans and can have a significant impact on the performance of the boat.

With the right setup, they can make a boat faster, more maneuverable, and easier to control in a variety of conditions.

For sailors looking to get the most out of their catamaran, understanding how to use daggerboards is essential.

How Daggerboards Work

Daggerboards, also known as centerboards, are a vertical fin-like structure found on a catamaran.

They are typically located on the centerline of the boat and can be raised and lowered at the skippers discretion.

Daggerboards are designed to provide the catamaran with additional lift and stability in light wind conditions.

This helps to improve the performance of the catamaran by adjusting the center of effort on the boat, allowing for greater maneuverability and control.

When the daggerboards are lowered, they act as an underwater keel, providing additional stability and lift.

This helps the catamaran to cut through the water more efficiently, allowing it to move faster and with greater control.

The daggerboards also help to prevent the boat from drifting sideways in the wind, which can be a common issue with monohulls.

The daggerboards also help to reduce the amount of heeling (leaning) experienced when sailing upwind, making the sailing experience more comfortable and enjoyable.

When the daggerboards are raised, the catamaran will be more maneuverable and have improved performance in light wind conditions.

This is due to the reduced drag caused by the daggerboards not being in the water.

The raised daggerboards will also help to reduce the amount of heeling experienced when sailing downwind, making the sailing experience more comfortable and enjoyable.

The use of daggerboards can significantly improve the performance of a catamaran in light wind conditions and is a key component of sailing catamarans.

By raising and lowering the daggerboards, the skipper can adjust the center of effort on the boat, allowing for greater maneuverability and control.

The Benefits of Daggerboards

Daggerboards are an essential part of sailing catamarans for a number of reasons.

The most obvious benefit of having daggerboards on a catamaran is that they provide additional lift and stability, allowing for improved performance in light winds.

By raising and lowering the daggerboards, the skipper can adjust the center of effort on the boat, giving them greater control over the boat’s maneuverability.

This can be advantageous in tricky situations, such as sailing close-hauled or in tight spaces.

Additionally, daggerboards can help reduce drag in certain conditions.

By raising the daggerboards, the boat can be steered more efficiently by using the hulls to provide lift instead of the daggerboards, which can result in less drag and improved performance.

Finally, daggerboards can help improve the safety of a catamaran.

In rough seas, daggerboards can provide additional stability, helping to keep the boat upright and preventing it from capsizing or being damaged.

This can be especially beneficial when sailing in unfamiliar waters or in bad weather conditions.

In summary, daggerboards are an invaluable component of sailing catamarans.

They provide added lift and stability, can be used to adjust the center of effort on the boat, reduce drag, and improve the safety of the boat.

With all these features, it’s no wonder that daggerboards are a must-have for any serious catamaran sailor.

Types of Daggerboards

When it comes to daggerboards, there are two main types that can be found on a catamaran: retractable and fixed. Retractable daggerboards are typically made of fiberglass and can be raised and lowered at the skipper’s discretion. This allows the skipper to adjust the center of effort of the boat, providing improved maneuverability and control. Fixed daggerboards are usually made of wood or metal and are permanently mounted in the centerline of the boat. These boards provide an extra layer of stability and lift to the catamaran, allowing it to perform better in light winds.

In addition to the two main types of daggerboards, there are also some other variations that can be found on some catamarans.

A daggerboard trunk is a type of daggerboard that is mounted inside the hull of the boat.

This allows the daggerboard to be raised and lowered without having to be removed from the boat.

A foil daggerboard is a type of retractable daggerboard that is designed to provide additional lift and stability to the catamaran, allowing it to perform better in heavier winds.

There are also battened daggerboards, which are a type of fixed daggerboard that is designed to provide additional lift and stability to the catamaran.

No matter which type of daggerboard is chosen, they all provide additional lift and stability to a catamaran, allowing it to perform better in different wind conditions.

By understanding the different types of daggerboards and how they can improve a catamaran’s performance, skippers can make the most of their sailing experience.

Daggerboard Maintenance

Daggerboard maintenance is an important aspect of owning and sailing a catamaran.

It is important to keep the boards in good condition to ensure they are performing as efficiently as possible.

This means periodically checking the boards for wear and tear, making sure they are properly lubricated and free of debris, and ensuring that the fastenings and connections are secure.

Regularly inspecting the boards for signs of corrosion or damage is also important.

If damage is found, it should be addressed immediately to prevent further damage and to ensure that the boards are performing as efficiently as possible.

In addition to inspecting the boards, it is important to keep them lubricated to ensure smooth and efficient performance.

The best way to do this is by regularly applying a lubricant specifically designed for marine use.

This will help reduce friction and keep the boards in good condition for longer.

It is also important to keep the fastenings and connections of the boards secure.

This includes the bolts that attach the boards to the frame, as well as the pins and clips that hold the boards in place.

It is important to inspect these regularly for signs of wear and tear, and to replace them if necessary.

Finally, it is important to keep the boards free of debris or dirt.

This can be done by regularly rinsing the boards off with fresh water after sailing, and by using a soft brush to remove any dirt or debris that has accumulated.

By following these simple maintenance tips, you can ensure that your daggerboards are performing as efficiently as possible and that your catamaran is sailing to its full potential.

Daggerboard Upgrades

The daggerboard is a key feature on catamarans, as it provides lift and stability to the boat.

It is located on the centerline of the boat and can be raised and lowered at the skipper’s discretion.

This allows the skipper to adjust the center of effort on the boat, enabling greater maneuverability and control.

For those looking to maximize the performance of their catamaran, there are several upgrades available for the daggerboard.

A taller daggerboard can be installed to increase the lift and reduce drag, while a lower profile board can provide improved stability.

Additionally, a carbon fiber board can be used to reduce weight, further increasing the overall performance of the boat.

Another upgrade is the addition of a daggerboard trim tab, which allows for more precise control of the daggerboard.

This is especially useful in light winds, as it allows the skipper to adjust the daggerboard to maintain the optimum angle of attack.

This can significantly improve the performance of the boat in light winds.

Finally, there are a variety of shapes available for the daggerboard.

Different shapes are designed to optimize the performance of the boat in different conditions, so it is important to select the shape that best suits your needs.

In conclusion, daggerboards are a key component of sailing catamarans and can have a significant impact on the performance of the boat.

By upgrading the daggerboard, skippers can maximize the performance of their catamaran and improve its overall maneuverability and control.

Daggerboard Performance

When it comes to sailing performance, daggerboards can have a significant impact on a catamaran.

When the daggerboards are up, the center of effort is lowered, allowing the catamaran to sail in light winds with better speed and efficiency.

When the daggerboards are down, they provide additional lift and stability, allowing for improved performance in heavier winds.

The shape and size of the daggerboard also affects the performance of the catamaran.

A wide, shallow daggerboard will provide more lift in light winds, while a narrow, deep daggerboard will provide more stability in heavier winds.

As such, it is important to choose the right daggerboard for your catamaran to get the most out of it.

In addition to improving the performance of the boat, daggerboards can also help reduce drag when sailing upwind.

When sailing upwind, the daggerboards create a venturi effect, which helps reduce the drag on the boat.

This can make a huge difference in performance and can allow the catamaran to reach higher speeds in upwind conditions.

Finally, daggerboards can make a catamaran more responsive to steering.

When sailing downwind, the daggerboards can be used to help the boat turn more quickly and with greater precision.

In this way, the daggerboards can be used to make a catamaran more responsive and agile.

By adjusting the daggerboards, the skipper can adjust the center of effort on the boat, allowing for greater maneuverability and control.

Daggerboards can also help reduce drag when sailing upwind and make the catamaran more responsive to steering.

Final Thoughts

Daggerboards are a key component of sailing catamarans, and their presence has a significant impact on the performance of the boat.

They can provide additional lift and stability, allowing for improved performance in light winds, as well as greater maneuverability and control.

With the variety of daggerboard types, upgrades, and maintenance available, there is something for every boat and sailor.

Understanding how daggerboards work and the impact they can have on sailing performance can help you make the most of your catamaran.

So, take the time to consider the different options and see what daggerboards can do for you.

James Frami

At the age of 15, he and four other friends from his neighborhood constructed their first boat. He has been sailing for almost 30 years and has a wealth of knowledge that he wants to share with others.

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23-11-2015, 09:30

Boat: WTB Lagoon or Leopard 38'-40'

using Cruisers Sailing Forum

23-11-2015, 10:48

Boat: Catana 471

against that objective.

I only know of one cruising type that was made with daggerboards, and that model (I can't even remember the name of it now) had been known to overturn under some conditions.

23-11-2015, 10:54
Boat: 1994 Solaris Sunstream 40	, Dolphin, Grainger, Atlantic, even the original cats, etc.,etc.? Wow! As to stabiity, most naval architects will acknowledge that having boards should actually improve transverse stability in heavy condition as one can raise the leeward board (or both) and eliminate the risk of the tripping up on its leeward . So yes, it was either a joke or an expression of supreme ignorance about catamarans.

23-11-2015, 10:57

Boat: WTB Lagoon or Leopard 38'-40'

23-11-2015, 11:31

Boat: Catana 471

23-11-2015, 12:44

23-11-2015, 13:22

Boat: Catana 471

23-11-2015, 13:38
Boat: 1994 Solaris Sunstream 40	than a shallow . This is why in both cases, the former typically sail better to windward than the latter. However, in the case of a board, unlike a deep fixed keel, a prudent sailor has the ability to raise the boards in heavy conditions so that it not only reduces resistance to leeway that then mirrors a less efficient LAR keel, but so that it has even less resistance (in effect, none except that which is generated by the hulls and rudders). As a result, it will have even greater resistance to in heavy conditions. To reject this notion is akin to suggesting that no cruising should have a sail area that requires reefing in heavy air! All require adjustments in heavy conditions in order to avoid ; fortunately, a cat with boards can be adjusted so that it is even harder to capsize than one with LAR keels. Brad

23-11-2015, 15:11

01-12-2015, 15:19

against that objective.

I only know of one cruising type catamaran that was made with daggerboards, and that model (I can't even remember the name of it now) had been known to overturn under some conditions.

If you're talking about catamarans, I'd be surprised if they didn't all have daggerboards, or at least the option to add them.

Fullfi Boa Sempor

02-12-2015, 11:18

Boat: Multihulls - cats and Tris

18-09-2020, 07:36

18-09-2020, 09:46

Boat: Shuttleworth Advantage

18-09-2020, 12:03

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Catamaran Daggerboards and Keels – Woods Interview # 9

Richard, can you start off with what dagger boards and keels do for a boat?

And there’s definitely a learning curve to knowing how to use the daggerboard effectively, and have that experience. So are they less of a beginner kind of attribute on a catamaran and more of a somebody who’s been sailing for a while?

I guess it was a sacrificial item!

Right. That’s what I’m thinking. Rather than hitting the reef with your boat, you hit it with something sacrificial. They can be expensive to replace, but…

I guess that’s why multihulls became so much more popular in the UK before other places.

Well that’s cool. So thank you Richard, that was fascinating on daggerboards and keels.

By Diane Selkirk

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Catamaran daggerboard design and use

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The Dolphin Ocema 42

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