Inducing heel

kgl51 · **Joined:** 11 Aug 2007 16:34 **Posts:** 16

We sail our T 37 hull #216 on Leech Lake in central MN. Leech is a large lake, and you can sail for 8-10 miles without too much difficulty. My problem is that the Corps of Engineers has a dam and they've started letting out more water to "manage water levels as they were historically". The marina where our summer slip is at is about 9 miles from the marina where we crane out and spend the winter. Our summer marina doesn't have the space for a crane to be able to stay there. I have to go from the big lake into Walker Bay through what is called the Narrows, about a 2 mile long stretch of shallow water. All the lake charts indicate this is 5 ft. deep but based on my depth finder, it was more like 3-3 1/2 feet. Fortunately, I was able to use genoa to heel the boat enough to make it through. I am thinking about trying to rig something to attach to the end of the boom that would allow me to deliberately induce a significant degree of heel to help my passage through this shallow area. I only have to do this in the Spring and Fall. I've thought about rigging a plastic barrel that I could pump water into perhaps. at 8 lbs/gallon, that would add up. But would it be enough? Any thoughts? Obviously moving the boat to Lake Superior would solve the problem but we live 125 miles from Leech, it would be another 125-150 miles or so further to Superior and my wife isn't interested in that. So I either need to figure out a way to make our Tartan more adaptable or else get rid of it and go with something smaller. I have a wire topping lift for the boom. I would use a preventer type line forward and the main sheet to control the boom. I think webbing straps sewn together would support a barrel. I can use a 12 volt pump to fill it up. How much wt would I need? I have all winter to figure this out so if you don't have any thoughts now, keep this in mind. I would appreciate any help.

DAEDALUSCAN · **Joined:** 09 Dec 2007 21:03 **Posts:** 114

I heard of A family of knife hunting pig farmers who heel boats for a living with 40 gallon drums of water to get under a bridge on Lake Okechobee (sic). Not sure that I would want to sail the boat though....

Tortuga's Lie · **Joined:** 27 Oct 2006 10:32 **Posts:** 827

Sounds logical, but risky none the less. Certainly, there should be another marina where you could haul out without having to go through the "Narrows". If you are heeled way over and run aground, it could be a real mess trying to heel even further. Maybe the Corps of Engineers could flood the lake if you aske REAL nice and say :pretty please" !!! Very Happy

kgl51 · **Joined:** 11 Aug 2007 16:34 **Posts:** 16

Actually, there are several other boats, Catalina's, and other makes with drafts from 4'10-5' and they have to get through that area too. I guess they just motored through but didn't work for me this fall.

Tartan37.com

Inducing heel

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