Shoal draft keel

[Joe Nagy]

I'm wondering of anyone  owns or has owned a Passport 40 with a shoal draft keel.  The difference is relatively minimal - 6 inches.

I'm wondering if/how much the shoal keel affects performance?. 

[Ross Hoag]

We have a P41 with the shoal keel and we have the tall mast option as well. I can't say what the impacts actually are as we have never sailed with another P40 straight up.  For sure we would not point as well, all else being equal, but how much may be in the weeds or be driven by sailing skill and the quality of the sails. We would have more leeway. 

I will say the taller mast has turned out to be a great thing when the wind is light. 

The shoal draft has been great when down south and in the ICW where the water is shallow and the bottom is sand and mud. We can get in most places with our 5'6" draft. I am guessing it will come in handy in the Bahamas as well. 6" does not seem like a lot but when the bottom comes up it actually is. We dragged bottom for over a mile in the soft mud on the ICW in one section in GA. I doubt we would have made it through that section if we had another 6" under us without waiting for peak tide. 

We are now in Maine where the deeper draft would be great as far as sailing, as the water is much deeper...but the bottom is much much harder if you screw up!

Ross