What makes the Shoalsailer design revolutionary?
The conventional wisdom for the past century has been that the ability of a sailboat to sail in the general direction of the wind is predicated on the depth of the keel. The deeper the keel, the better the windward performance. The penalty for this improvement in sailing characteristics is the inability to sail the boat to weather in shallow water. The Shoalsailer is the first design, probably since the Viking dragon ships, that achieves performance to weather by the shape of the hull rather than by the depth of the keel. Walt Schulz was able to make this breakthrough by using a state-of-the-art relational geometry computer design program. This program allows a designer to make changes in the hull sections, and then instantly calculates the effect on sailing performance. The Shoalsailer is a revolutionary breakthrough as it provides exhilarating sailing (especially to weather) while still drawing only 30".
What is different about the Shoalsailer from other "shoal draft" boats?
The big issue the Shoalsailer design addresses is "sailing draft". What is the point of having a 3 foot "shoal draft" sailboat that must lower a centerboard or daggerboard to over 6 or 7 feet to actually sail? The Shoalsailer draws 30" and sails without daggerboards!
How does the Shoalsailer achieve such good performance sailing to windward with such shallow draft?
The totally unique hull shape of the U.S. patented Shoalsailer provides stability through its beam, and achieves lift to weather by the accelerated laminar flow of water rushing past the leeward side of the hull. The fine entry of the Shoalsailer's bow helps define the direction of the water as it moves under the hull. Per the Bernoulli Principle, a sausage-shaped torpedo of aerated water is moved along the keel. This vortex of aerated water pressing against the hull and long shallow keel resists the leeway pressure on the hull created by the sails.
How well does the Shoalsailer sail to windward?
The Shoalsailer can sail 35 degrees relative to the apparent wind. In 10 knots of true wind, the Shoalsailer will sail to windward at 6 knots. At 14 knots it will sail to windward at 7 knots. At all times going to weather, the slight angle of heel is only 8 to 12 degrees, similar to a multi-hull. At 5 degrees angle of heel, the wetted surface is dramatically reduced as the hull lifts out of the water and the Shoalsailer rides on the bulge along the center of the hull. The helm balance of the Shoalsailer is exceptional, with no weather helm pressure when sailing to windward. The Shoalsailer has an extraordinary ability to climb to windward without slipping sideways, and will not pound in a head sea. The Shoalsailer has sailing characteristics comparable to a fixed keel 32' monohull with 5' draft, and much better than those of a 32' catamaran .
How does the Shoalsailer sail off the wind?
The long shallow keel of the Shoalsailer gives it great tracking characteristics sailing down wind. In very light air, 5 to 8 knots true, an asymmetrical spinnaker provides significantly more sail area to offset the wetted surface of the Shoalsailer's beam that is carried well aft. Compared to a fin keel/spade rudder hull which acquire great attention to the helm when sailing down wind, the Shoalsailer is a joy to sail off the wind.
What is the leeway factor or sideslip on the Shoalsailer?
All boats sailing to weather demonstrate some leeway from the side forces of the wind on the hull. Typically, an America's Cup type racing boat with a very deep keel will experience about 3-5 degrees of leeway, a fin keel moderate draft vessel will see about 6-8 degrees and a centerboard catboat or cruising catamaran will measure about 10-12 degrees of sideslip. The Shoalsailer was extensively sea-trialed using a J 30 and an older C&C 35 as trial horses. It was found that the Shoalsailer had approximately 7 degrees of average leeway over wind and sea conditions ranging from 8 knots to 22 knots, not quite as good as the J30 but better than the C&C.
How does a Shoalsailer sail compared to a catamaran?
In spite of advertising claims, most cruising catamarans do not sail very well to weather or tack easily. Like "shoal draft" monohulls using a centerboard or daggerboards, 30 to 35 foot catamarans have an actual "sailing draft," (with board down) of well over 6 feet. The Shoalsailer sails better with 30 inch draft than a 35 foot monohull or catamaran drawing over 6 feet.
Is the hull strong enough so the Shoalsailer can be beached?
The Shoalsailer hull laminate schedule was specifically engineered for beaching. There is a layer of incredibly strong and abrasion resistant uni-directional Kevlar/glass hybrid that runs down the bow all the way to the lead keel. The composite sandwich core hull utilizes 3/4" linear closed cell foam through-out to stiffen the entire structure without adding a lot of weight. The triaxial laminates on either side of the core provide amazing strength. While this hull will be impenetrable in normal beaching situations, in case of a high speed grounding on rocks, a watertight crash compartment under the V berth will keep the Shoalsailer afloat in a worst case scenario. Shoalsailers have been run up on the beach over twenty times during the video and promotional shoots in New England and the Keys sustaining only scratches to the bottom paint.
How stable is the Shoalsailer?
There are two ways to calculate stability. Using the traditional "hull only" formula, the Shoalsailer shows 29,000 foot pounds of stability at 58 degrees of heel and remains positive until 112 degrees, meaning that the Shoalsailer will not capsize in any but extreme situations such as those encountered offshore in the Perfect Storm, or in the Roaring Forties in the Southern Ocean. More significant is the fact that the Shoalsailer has a stability curve similar to other monohulls but much better than the abrupt stability curves found in multihulls (see the stability curve). A few designers and builders use another method to calculate stability using the deck buoyancy, but this method provides a higher and somewhat misleading degree number so it is not used for the Shoalsailer.
Why is a company with Shannon's offshore reputation building a coastal boat?
Actually, it is a logical progression for the company that builds the ultimate offshore cruising yacht to be building the ultimate coastal cruising yacht. The Shoalsailer is the culmination of almost a decade of effort by Walt Schulz and George Carter that encompassed two patents, several prototypes, countless man hours, and much high anxiety to solve the problem of actually sailing in shoal water. The breakthrough design opens vast areas of shallow coastal waters and the Great Lakes to people who want to enjoy sailing.
What is Walt Schulz's experience in the design of shallow draft boats?
Since 1975 Walt has designed all the Shannon sail and motor yachts, ranging in size from 28' to 53'. During this period, Shannon has been acknowledged as one of the world's top cruising boat building companies, and Walt's designs have sailed the entire globe to critical acclaim. As so many of the best cruising areas like the Bahamas, Florida, the Chesapeake and northern Europe are shallow, Walt's Shannon bluewater hull designs are mostly keel/centerboard configurations engineered for rugged use.
Why does the Shoalsailer cost more than a 35' production sail boat?
Shannon's construction standards and materials are much different from assembly line production boats. The Shoalsailer has better (and more expensive) standard equipment (such as linear closed-cell PVC foam core instead of balsa wood), the fit and finish of its interior woodwork is done to a higher level, and features like the dual steering stations are expensive. Like Shannon's offshore sailboats, the extra cost of Shoalsailer 35 will more than be recaptured over the years through reduced cost of maintenance and repair, along with a much higher resale value than is found on a production boat. Shannon's historical high resale values over a 30 year period are the envy of the yacht industry. When trouble free enjoyment and pride of ownership are factored in, the Shoalsailer is an exceptional bargain. Ask any Shannon owner or marine surveyor about Shannon's quality.
Why does the cockpit have dual wheels and engine controls?
The big cockpit of the Shoalsailer would require a very large center wheel as found on Maxi boats to give forward visibility from the helm, especially when docking. Such a big wheel obstructs the cockpit, which is a critical area on a cruising boats, since 80% of daylight hours are spent in the cockpit. The dual wheels on the Shoalsailer provide a perfect position for steering while watching sail trim and boat traffic. With a boat as relatively wide as the Shoalsailer, docking is made much easier by the ability to see right along the side of boat and to be able to operate the engine controls from either wheel as you approach the dock. It is surprising how difficult it is to dock a wide boat with a single wheel like most catamarans, and amazingly, many dual station boats have only one set of engine controls. It gets even better when sailing, as the convenient location of the primary sheet winches immediately in front of the helm stations allows one person to easily tack the Shoalsailer by moving from wheel to wheel. Guests along for a day sail do not get in the way of the people sailing the boat with this dual wheel set-up. In addition, the dual wheels provide redundant systems for safety, as each steerer is linked to a rudder, and the rudders are connected by a drag link. If one steerer fails, the other will provide complete control.
Is the Shoalsailer suitable for a bluewater passage like a circumnavigation?
The Shoalsailer is designed, engineered and built to be the ultimate coastal cruising boat, and is not intended for a global circumnavigation. The size of the Shoalsailer's open cockpit alone precludes undertaking an transoceanic passage prudently. The Shoalsailer is more than ready for passages like crossing the Gulf Stream from Florida to the Bahamas, but a Shannon 39 would be a better choice for a Transatlantic passage.
How many people can the Shoalsailer comfortably accommodate?
With two doubles and two single berths, six adults can comfortable sleep aboard the Shoalsailer in three separate cabins. The cockpit can accommodate up to ten people for daysailing. There is room for a month's worth of food and provisions for a liveaboard cruising couple.
What optional equipment is available on the Shoalsailer?
Every Shoalsailer is built to order for an individual owner, and is delivered in the water fully commissioned with electronics, sails, etc. installed by Shannon personnel and fully functioning. Our options list is extensive, and there have been very few specific requests that we have not been able to accommodate over the last 26 years.
Where and when can I see and seatrial a Shoalsailer?
Contact Bill Ramos if you would like to arrange an inspection and seatrial on the Shoalsailer at your convenience. If we do not have a Shoalsailer at our yard in Rhode Island, we will try to accommodate you by locating a Shoalsailer near you.
If your specific question has not been answered, submit your specific question to bill@shannonyachts.com.
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