A work mates Dad is looking for a live aboard around 28 /30 ft I guess with Bilge keels . I'm not to familiar with bilge keelers in Oz
Could some one give me a few leads on good boats please so I can forward them to him .
Cheers HG02

Why bilge keels? They are popular in countries with huge tides and drying harbours, but unless he lives way up North shouldnt need that in most places in Oz.

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Yara said..
Why bilge keels? They are popular in countries with huge tides and drying harbours, but unless he lives way up North shouldnt need that in most places in Oz.

Yara thats not an answerer . Thats where he intends to be. hes not a sailor as such .
he would like to be able to beach that bilge keeler.

Think you will have a hard time finding a suitable boat, as not many, if any, were built in Australia, and the only examples are likely to have been boats sailed or imported from Europe. There are some trailer/sailers like the Jedda, but that would be too small for livaboard.

Thats a good one, and he probably would take $30k. All you would have to do is sail it up North, and it looks quite capable of that. Has a real blue-water sailor's cockpit.

35 grand might get this little beauty, 38ft 6 berth , comes with bow thruster, solar, wind generator, radar, electric anchor winch and all the normal things associated with living aboard . laying at gold coast qld

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Yara said..
Thats a good one, and he probably would take $30k. All you would have to do is sail it up North, and it looks quite capable of that. Has a real blue-water sailor's cockpit.

When I was in muddy bay years ago a guy there had a wooden double ender bilge keeler made in Mckay many years before hand great little sloop tight for room 5 or 6 meters long but he lived on it
No head room only about 1.2 meter head room your head and neck would be above the hatch so it was OK while sipping a coffee . Hed made a a 3/4 bed in there plus a head and stove while he renovated it and sold it on.

The first yacht that Alan Lucas sailed out of Sydney and eventually up the Qld coast was a 30 ft steel bilge keeler called Solitaire.

If anybody wishes to correct me on that, they are welcome.

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chelsea70 said..
35 grand might get this little beauty, 38ft 6 berth , comes with bow thruster, solar, wind generator, radar, electric anchor winch and all the normal things associated with living aboard . laying at gold coast qld

That 38 feet must be counting the bowsprit or that bloke is a giant!

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Ramona said..

chelsea70 said..
35 grand might get this little beauty, 38ft 6 berth , comes with bow thruster, solar, wind generator, radar, electric anchor winch and all the normal things associated with living aboard . laying at gold coast qld

That 38 feet must be counting the bowsprit or that bloke is a giant!

It is the angle of the photo, look at the front windows they look very small and must be the same size of the back ones I guess?

Are not bilge keelers supposed to sit upright when grounded???

Looks like he may have caught the edge of a hump in the mud and possibly the starboard bilge may have sunk a little into the mud, but otherwise, yes they are supposed to sit upright.

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LooseChange said..

Looks like he may have caught the edge of a hump in the mud and possibly the starboard bilge may have sunk a little into the mud, but otherwise, yes they are supposed to sit upright.

Actually it looks like 3 shallow keels similar to the caravan that used to moor here. Bilge keelers usually have no centre keel and easy access underneath for painting etc. The rudder the same depth to give some stability on the hard.

That is another option, tricky aint it when you don't have 500 photos taken from every possible angle.

To me this is a bilge keeler
this below I do not think Id call a bilge keeler




To me theres are balancing legs which might be OK but not comfortable to utilize beached some where
If I was 15 year younger Id build one of these a Brent Swain origami bilge keeler





Thats one hull side pulled into shape with hand winches then welded

A Bilge Keeler has its main keel in the centre with two smaller keels off the bilge line as in the first photo of this thread. A Twin Keeler has two keels off the bilge line; usually angled at 15-20 degrees so as to remain closer to the vertical on there respective tack and thus minimise leeway. Additionally on some yachts like mine the keels are asymmetrical in profile allowing a wing shape so as to create lift on there respective tack. Pictured above is my Twin Keeler 'Warlock'.

Though very popular in the UK and France due to the extreme tidal range these yachts are not common here in Australia. Most here are one off custom yachts like Warlock.
A properly designed Twin Keeler will sail as well as a Single Keeled Yacht with the added advantage of allowing to dry out on the beach. The are very resistant to rolling around at anchor and resist rhythmic rolling when sailing down wind.
Some Bilge Keelers (as opposed to Twin Keelers) do not tack well and perform poorly to windward so a Twin Keeler would be my choice if sailing quality is important.
Lord Rivendale in the 1920s researched twin keel yacht design and built some very successful yachts. There is a lot of info online for those interested. Lord Rivendale's Bluebird of Thorn is pictured above. Built in the late 1930s she is still sailing in UK waters.

hi tknick ,a mate of mine had warlock for a while in dora creek lake maquarie ,
we spent many hours sailing around the lake on her ,she is looking good now

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TKNick said...




Though very popular in the UK and France due to the extreme tidal range these yachts are not common here in Australia. Most here are one off custom yachts like Warlock.
A properly designed Twin Keeler will sail as well as a Single Keeled Yacht with the added advantage of allowing to dry out on the beach. The are very resistant to rolling around at anchor and resist rhythmic rolling when sailing down wind.
Some Bilge Keelers (as opposed to Twin Keelers) do not tack well and perform poorly to windward so a Twin Keeler would be my choice if sailing quality is important.
Lord Rivendale in the 1920s researched twin keel yacht design and built some very successful yachts. There is a lot of info online for those interested. Lord Rivendale's Bluebird of Thorn is pictured above. Built in the late 1930s she is still sailing in UK waters.

I always thought they were the same design good to see Iv learnt some thing

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chelsea70 said..
35 grand might get this little beauty, 38ft 6 berth , comes with bow thruster, solar, wind generator, radar, electric anchor winch and all the normal things associated with living aboard . laying at gold coast qld

Hi Chelsea70,

My name is Bluey Turner. I'm the guy that HG02 mentioned that is interested in buying a bilge keeler.The photo you sent is pretty close to the type of yacht that I am thinking of getting. I would appreciate any information on this yacht that you could send me.

Regards,

Bluey.

Hey there bluey

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HG02 said..
Hey there bluey

Hi Mate,
Thanks for doing that for me. Lots of good info is coming in.

Hi Radar,
I probably bought her off your friend as I got her from Dora Creek. Spent about 10K doing a partial refit mainly new electronics, prop, prop shaft and a repaint. She was very scruffy and tired looking despite the work already carried out by your friend but I was impressed with her very solid construction and practicality. For a total investment of $37000 for a 36' FG Yacht I am happy with her. Had her at Jervis Bay for a couple of years but have now relocated the mooring to Shoalhaven Inlet due to poor choice of mooring locations in the Bay.

good to hear that nick .noel has had two boats since warlock, first one a 38foot crowther tri
and now he has a seawind 850 cat, cheers ray

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HG02 said..
A work mates Dad is looking for a live aboard around 28 /30 ft I guess with Bilge keels . I'm not to familiar with bilge keelers in Oz
Could some one give me a few leads on good boats please so I can forward them to him .
Cheers HG02

This is not a bilge keeler but I think for the money its worth a look! If only for the gear.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/251684757084?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

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starboard side . on firmer ground



HG02 said..
Hey there bluey

Hi,
I just found this old thread and was wondering if this yacht is still for sale?
Many thanks,
Dean.