| Unlike most boat purchase advice, written by | | | | provides better maneuverability and quicker response |
| manufacturers and designed to persuade to one brand | | | | at slower speeds than a full keel boat. So, for light air, a |
| or another, the suggestions in this article are written | | | | fin keels win over full keels. |
| from the perspective of a sailboat buyer and are | | | | In addition, cruisers should also lean toward a shoal |
| drawn from the collective wisdom of my dozen or so | | | | draft keel to reduce weight (and gain access to more |
| sailboat purchases as well as conversations with | | | | anchorages). Racers have a more difficult dilemma. |
| many, many other sailboat buyers. This article will | | | | While racing in light we will still prize the maneuverability |
| focus on applying the buying process to purchasing an | | | | of a fin keel, shoal draft keels don't perform as well up |
| appropriate vessel for light air sailing. | | | | wind. Racers will need to balance upwind pointing ability |
| The Buying Process | | | | against weight and downwind speed when selecting |
| We recommend a multi-step process to purchase a | | | | keel depths. Next to consider is sail area and sail plan. |
| sailing vessel. Our emphasis was on assuring that | | | | In light air, we will want a generous amount of sail area. |
| purchases are based on a detailed description of how | | | | As we did with keel design, we will lean toward more |
| and where the vessel would be used and then | | | | sail area and sacrifice a little stability, again without |
| identifying the best set of vessel characteristics for the | | | | sacrificing safety. Racers will clearly want the most sail |
| specific type of sailing to be completed. Five vessel | | | | area (SA/D over 20) while cruisers may opt for slightly |
| characteristics to be considered in the purchase of a | | | | less sail area (SA/D 17-20), but either way, assuring a |
| Keel design, keel depth, sail plan, sail area and | | | | generous sail plan is key to good boat speed in light air. |
| displacement. In this article, we apply those five | | | | Equally important, we will want sail area high off the |
| characteristics to light air sailing areas. | | | | water where there is more wind. This means the sloop |
| Let's start by describing light air sailing areas. Light air | | | | rig is the winner over both the multiple mast rigs |
| areas are sailing areas that average 10 knots of wind | | | | (ketchs and yawls) and the cutter rig since the sloop |
| or less. Moreover, winds over 15 knots will rarely be | | | | rig raises the sail plan for a given amount of sail area. |
| experienced either due to lack of wind or lack of | | | | Finally, we consider displacement (i.e. size). Heavier |
| desire to sail when stronger winds are present. | | | | vessels accelerate slower and move slowly in light |
| What areas would be considered light air areas? Most | | | | winds, so we will want a light vessel for light winds. |
| of of the US in Summer! Light air areas include the | | | | The balance will be to assure that we preserve |
| Chesapeake Bay, Long Island Sound, the Great Lakes, | | | | sufficient space to comfortably accommodate the |
| San Diego, the New Jersey Coast, and most inland | | | | typical number of passengers on a normal trip (don't |
| lakes throughout the US. (Note- If your sailing season | | | | forget to plan for space for safety gear, tools, spare |
| extends into late Fall, some of these areas might no | | | | parts and provisions). However, we will want to make |
| longer be light air areas). | | | | the same compromises we did with sail area and keel |
| Vessel Characteristics For Light Air | | | | design and get the space we need at minimum weight. |
| To begin, find a vessel that best fits the usage in light | | | | Summary |
| air areas. Our primary consideration in light air areas will | | | | When sailing in light air, a primary consideration is |
| be to trade some stability and weight to gain speed | | | | assuring we have a boat that can move at a |
| and maneuverability, exactly how much depends upon | | | | comfortable turn of speed and maintain |
| our desired usage. Note that this does NOT mean | | | | maneuverability in the normal light air condition. While |
| sacrificing safety, stability is relative. What we mean is | | | | we never sacrifice safety, light air means reducing |
| to opt for a lighter vessel rather than a vessel | | | | some stability (compared to an ocean going vessel) to |
| optimized for the trade wind belt. | | | | gain performance. The clear winning design is a fin keel |
| Our first vessel characteristics are keel design and | | | | vessel with a sloop rigged sail plan. Displacement (i.e. |
| depth. While cruising in light air, we look for | | | | size) will vary depending upon the average length of |
| maneuverability and responsiveness more than stability | | | | trip and number of passengers aboard and the keel |
| (Again, this does NOT mean sacrificing safety, stability | | | | depth may vary based on usage (e.g. cruising vs. |
| is a relative measure). Given this trade, a fin keel boat | | | | racing). |