In pilot guides and the like one often sees that a creek, bar or jetty is suitable for "shoal draft" vessels.
But just how deep is "shoal draft"? It seems that, to manufacturers, it simply distinguishes the standard keel from a shallower option such that one make's shoal draft keel is another's standard.
Or, to put it another way, at 1.3m, am I "shoal draft"?
Cheers
Bristol (tucked up before the big blow tomorrow )
All Northerners are deep keel I reckon. Shoaldraft I always think of is something less than about 80cm draft, some bilge keelers and centreboarders with a drop down board in a stub keel.
This is all a variable, as at eighty feet with 1.2 m draft I , am shoal draft . And yes sailing into the wind is a non event.
Select to expand quoteBristolfashion said..
In pilot guides and the like one often sees that a creek, bar or jetty is suitable for "shoal draft" vessels.
But just how deep is "shoal draft"? It seems that, to manufacturers, it simply distinguishes the standard keel from a shallower option such that one make's shoal draft keel is another's standard.
Or, to put it another way, at 1.3m, am I "shoal draft"?
Cheers
Bristol (tucked up before the big blow tomorrow )
With a draft of 1.3m you are not a "shoal Draft vessel"
I draw 1.3 m and have been aground before [won't say how many times] so if it says "suitable for shoal draft vessels'
That's definitely not us Bristolfashion!
I have seen places marked on charts as shoal draft that you would not get a tinny through on low tide. If a chart shows it that shallow you would want to do some checking no matter what your draft. For example, 'The Narrows' up at Gladstone. At a low tide you can't get a row boat through and on a good high tide you can get through with an eight foot draft.
I wonder if the authors of guides are a touch lazy here. Just checked out the "shoal draft" jetty here. 4m under the keel down to 2.3 at the shallow end. Deducting a metre for a very low tide means that you'd need a draft of 2.6m to touch at the shallow end and a 3m draft boat could easily fit on in the middle. Hardly "shoal draft".
It would be much more useful to say "suitable for boats up to X.Xm draft "
Cheers
Bristol (not touching the bottom -YET!)
Select to expand quoteBristolfashion said..
Interesting that Stupid at 1.2m IS shoal draft whereas NSWsailor at 1.3 isn't! 
Well at least I think it is ? 
Looks like I'm in with 1.2m. Maybe a bit more subjective tho, I think it relates to wether or not one can stand in the depth of water one has run aground in ! 
Shoal draught!
Not draft for truth's sake!
If we use esoteric language at least use it properly.
Shoal draught was up to 2 feet no more. Like the Adams shoal draught with daggerboard is 2'1" or 63cm with board up and 5'11" with daggerboard down if l remember properly.
The other yacht is about 11" but with the board down, over 6'.
