When Jeremy first started building boats the keel was made by carrying molten lead in ladles up into the boat and pouring it into the keel cavity, a highly skilled and quite dangerous job. Nowadays the keel is cast at the Henry Irons factory down in Cornwall and sent up ready made. I find it hugely reassuring to see two tonnes of lead being lowered into Calypso, knowing that this (together with a great design) will keep us upright! During the disastrous Fastnet race of 1979 when so many boats and lives were lost the Contessa 32 stood out as an exceptionally seaworthy boat - since then she has been used as the benchmark for stability. There is, of course, a compromise when it comes to space down below, but for me there's no question which is more important.
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This remains me of a passage to Hawaii on the Odyssey with Kit. There was a good bit of weather, we were getting tossed around, and Kit proceeds to tell me of how when the Odyssey was originally launched for sea trials, it was discovered she did not have enough weight in the keel. So she was taken out of the water and a second section of keel was attached. For the remainder for the passage, every time the Odyssey was violently thrown to her side, I was left quietly wondering how well that second section of keel was actually attached!
ReplyDeleteHeh Jonah, great story, It is great to see the boat being built, knowing it that well will be good - non of those sort of uncertainties. Really hope we'll get to take you on some adventures again.
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