Pacific Seacraft Scheel Keel
If your plans call for a shoal draft vessel, consider the Scheel Keel and save almost a foot of draft!
A conventional keel allows water to flow from the high pressure leeward side to the low pressure windward side. What results is a drag inducing vortex, a primary contributor to residual resistance of the vessel's keel. The flared shape of the Scheel Keel greatly reduces the leeward-to-windward water flow, thus cutting down on residual resistance.
In 1976, the unrestrained mind of naval architect Henry A. Scheel accidentally stumbled onto some insights into the mysteries surrounding residual resistance. His deliberate response to this accidental observation was to redesign the keel of the modern sailing yacht.
And thus was born the Scheel Keel.
Today, this curious yet revolutionary innovation boasts a U.S. Patent, and its exceptional performance has been confirmed by rigorous towing tank tests. In fact, it is available as an option on more than 50 different boat designs, including Pacific Seacraft. At last count, Scheel Keels were guiding the destinies of more than 600 individual sailing vessels around the world.
The sketches above were Henry Scheel's favorite way of explaining how the thing works and why it's better than conventional keels.
The Scheel Keel causes an important change in the way water flows under a boat fitted with a conventional deep fin keel. The conventional keel allows water to flow from the high-pressure leeward side to the low-pressure windward side. What results is a drag inducing vortex, one of the primary contributors to residual resistance of the vessel's keel.
The flared shape of the Scheel Keel greatly reduces the leeward-to-windward water flow, thus cutting down on residual resistance.
At the same time, the Scheel Keel requires for less draft than a deep fin keel and there is no need for a centerboard. That makes life a lot easier.
Water flow along the sides of a conventional keel tends to be turbulent which further contributes to the negative effects of residual resistance. On the other hand, the water flow along the Scheel Keel seems to be more laminar than turbulent. So, residual resistance is reduced even more.
Best of all, the shape of the Scheel Keel provides the ballast with the lowest possible center of gravity. That means maximum vessel stability and sail carrying capacity, which produce the fastest possible boat speed.
The Scheel Keel demands no costly servicing and is easy for the factory to install.
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