Drying out a Sun Odyssey 33i

[Lizard]

On letting my Sun Odyssey 33i shoal draft yacht 'dry out' she sits on both the bulbous keel and rudder, which is only a couple of inches shorter that the 1.45m keel. Can anyone tell me if the rudder is designed to take this 'relative' weight, if not, what is the safest way to dry the boat out without putting pressure on the rudder. The 'curved' shape to the bottom of the keel means she will always sit back in this manner. Thanks.

[Zanshin]

Hello Lizard and welcome to the forum. I have never seen a fin-keeled and balanced rudder fiberglass boat sit on the hard with weight on the rudder. I don't know the 33i model but would be quite surprised if it were designed to take that sort of weight in that direction. I can imagine that in the worste case the rudder would carry 1/3 of the boat weight and I can't believe that the quadrant are is that beefy.
Does the manual state that this type of dry out can be done? Would this be for drying out between tides or more permanently onshore?

[Lizard]

Hi Zanshin. Only tried it once between tides to scrub the hull prior to a cross channel race. I agree it didn't look too healthy, (no damage done though), but won't be trying it again until we get some more definitive information on the subject/safe method of doing so. I have since spoken to a Jeanneau dealer who says pretty much the same as yourself. I can't, however, believe there isn't a 'safe' way of visiting a drying harbour in a Jeanneau cruising yacht - seems overly restrictive and defeating several objectives to me?

[MartyB]

I would NOT take a fin keel be it a shoal, ave or deep version to a drying out harbor. I WOULD TAKE the CB Jeanneaus to a drying out harbor etc, as those with twin rudders etc, ARE designed to do just what you are asking. I really really really doubt, your boat is ment to be on a daily basis dryed out! Or even on a semi temp basis. maybe if you do accidently ground, tide goes out, it can be down with out toooooo much damage......but still.

Another style that can dry out is a flatbottom CB style boat, or a CB style with a fold up transom mount rudder, or a bilge keel, ie two keels off set as one would see on a twin rudder setup.

I would not want my fin keel boat to rest on the rudder and keel in a dryed out situation.

marty

[MalcolmP]

In the right conditions - both weather and ground it can be fine - lots of fin keelers in France are kept on drying moorings by using beaching legs - in fact these were standard fixings on many shallow keel Beneteau's for many years and at least up to recently was a standard option that could be supplied. Don't think Jeanneau followed their cousins lead though.

Damage to the rudder is potentially a problem - but providing it is a vertical rudder shaft the load should transfer without too much stress - the rudder tip can be damaged - needs to be flat



As seen above I fitted legs on our 34.2 and dried out quite a few times and did not suffer any damage at all - we had previously regularly dried out our shallow draft First 305 on legs or against harbour walls without issue. It can be a really rewarding being in harbours like Lindisfarne and Ille de Brehat which are off limits to most

Ideally a third leg on the stern would be a great way of taking the strain off the rudder

There are risks - but if managed correctly - really worth taking

Malcolm