Submitted on November 27, 2005 by Charles Deitz

Question: Help. I have a 38' Irwin Citation with a 4'11" keel. Can I have the keel shortened so it will work on the west coast of Florida? About 4' would be Max in the winter.

Thank you
Charles Deitz

Answer: Hi Charles,

You need to get advice on the consequences of shortening your keel from the yacht designer. However, we can tell you that simply cutting off the existing keel will not be an option. If you reduce the draft by 20% you will need to increase the total ballast package. A shorter keel needs to be heavier than a deeper keel.

Regards,
Dan Neri

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