Centerboards, Swing Keels, and Lifting Keels
Variable-draft boats are seductive because they appear to erase the keel dilemma. Board down, you get bite to windward. Board up, you slide into shallow water, trailer the boat, or dry out somewhere a fixed keel cannot go.
Sometimes that promise is real. Sometimes it is an expensive collection of pins, pennants, cables, hydraulics, trunks, leaks, and owner neglect. The difference matters.
The categories
The terms overlap in listings, but buyers should separate the systems by what actually moves and where the ballast lives.
| Type | What moves | Buyer implication |
|---|---|---|
| Centerboard | Usually an unballasted or lightly ballasted board | Draft and pointing improve, but stability comes mostly from fixed ballast or hull form. |
| Swing keel | A ballasted foil pivots down | More stability benefit, more load on pivot and lifting gear. |
| Lifting keel | A ballasted keel raises vertically or nearly vertically | Powerful draft range, often more complex structure and higher maintenance. |
| Daggerboard | A board slides vertically, usually unballasted | Common on small boats and multihulls; great lift, vulnerable if grounded hard. |
The essential question is simple: if the moving part fails, can the boat still be sailed safely, hauled, and repaired without drama?
Why variable draft can be worth it
For trailer sailors and lake boats, a swing keel or centerboard can be the feature that makes ownership possible. You can launch from ramps, nose into beaches, cross shallow bars, and keep the boat in water that would exclude fixed-keel designs.
::boat-collectionbest-trailerable-sailboats50 models
| Model ↕ | Listings ↓ | Year Built ↕ | LOA (ft) ↕ | Beam (ft) ↕ | Draft (ft) ↕ | Disp. (lbs) ↕ | Hull ↕ | Designer ↕ | Rig ↕ | Keel ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catalina 22 | 42 for sale | 1969 | 23.83 ft | 7.67 ft | 5 ft | 2,250 lbs | Monohull | Frank V. Butler | Masthead Sloop | Wing |
| Catalina 25 | 35 for sale | 1978 | 25 ft | 8 ft | 4 ft | 4,550 lbs | Monohull | Frank Butler | Masthead Sloop | Fin |
| Catalina 22 Mk II | 16 for sale | 1995 | 23.83 ft | 8.33 ft | 3.5 ft | 2,290 lbs | Monohull | Frank V. Butler | Masthead Sloop | Fin |
| Rustler 24 | 6 for sale | 2010 | 24 ft | 6.25 ft | 3.42 ft | 3,615 lbs | Monohull | David Boyd/Rustler | Fractional Sloop | Full |
| Leisure 23 SL | 5 for sale | 1979 | 22.64 ft | 7.84 ft | 2.66 ft | 4,050 lbs | Monohull | Frank Pryor | Masthead Sloop | Twin |
| Jeanneau Tonic 23 | 5 for sale | 1985 | 23.94 ft | 8.2 ft | 2.3 ft | 2,866 lbs | Monohull | Philippe Harle | Fractional Sloop | Fin |
| Virgo Voyager | 4 for sale | 1971 | 23 ft | 8.33 ft | 4 ft | 4,410 lbs | Monohull | Roy Lunney | Masthead Sloop | Fin |
| Dehler Delanta 76 | 4 for sale | 1974 | 24.93 ft | 8.14 ft | 4.1 ft | 3,307 lbs | Monohull | E. G. van de Stadt | Masthead Sloop | Fin |
| Independence 20 | 3 for sale | 1999 | 20.5 ft | 8 ft | 4 ft | 2,080 lbs | Monohull | Gary Mull | Fractional Sloop | Fin |
| Sailart 19 | 3 for sale | 2016 | 20.67 ft | 8.2 ft | 4.27 ft | 1,741 lbs | Monohull | — | Fractional Sloop | Wing |
| LM 22 | 3 for sale | 1975 | 21.98 ft | 8.66 ft | 4.27 ft | 3,527 lbs | Monohull | Bent Juul Andersen | Masthead Sloop | Fin |
| Compromis 777 | 3 for sale | 1977 | 25.82 ft | 9.12 ft | 4.1 ft | 5,071 lbs | Monohull | Frans Maas | Masthead Sloop | Fin |
| Chrysler 26 | 3 for sale | 1977 | 25.98 ft | 8 ft | 6.17 ft | 5,000 lbs | Monohull | Halsey Hereshoff | Masthead Sloop | Wing |
| Leisure 22 | 2 for sale | 1971 | 22 ft | 7.83 ft | 2.67 ft | 3,300 lbs | Monohull | Graham Craddick/Frank Pryor | Masthead Sloop | Twin |
| Tanzer 22 | 2 for sale | 1970 | 22.5 ft | 7.83 ft | 3.42 ft | 2,900 lbs | Monohull | Johann Tanzer | Masthead Sloop | Fin |
| Baycruiser 23 | 2 for sale | 2010 | 22.9 ft | 7.74 ft | 4.92 ft | 1,874 lbs | Monohull | — | Fractional Sloop | Centerboard |
| Endeavour 24 | 2 for sale | 1966 | 24 ft | 7.83 ft | 3.5 ft | 3,307 lbs | Monohull | R. Gardner/L. Hedges/J. Bott | Masthead Sloop | Fin |
| Colvic Springtide 24 | 2 for sale | 1973 | 24.25 ft | 8 ft | 2.92 ft | 6,300 lbs | Monohull | Kenneth Evans | Masthead Sloop | Triple |
| Tanzer 7.5 | 2 for sale | 1977 | 24.58 ft | 8 ft | 4 ft | 3,800 lbs | Monohull | Johann Tanzer | Masthead Sloop | Fin |
| Newbridge Pioneer 26 | 2 for sale | 1986 | 25.83 ft | 9 ft | 3 ft | 5,875 lbs | Monohull | Bill Dixon | Masthead Sloop | Twin |
| Endeavour 26 | 2 for sale | 1969 | 26 ft | 7.5 ft | 4.33 ft | 5,040 lbs | Monohull | Reg Gardner | Masthead Sloop | Fin |
| C&C 26 Encounter | 2 for sale | 1978 | 26 ft | 10 ft | 3.92 ft | 6,120 lbs | Monohull | C&C | Masthead Sloop | Fin |
| Waarschip 21 CR | 1 for sale | 2014 | 20.34 ft | 8.2 ft | 3.28 ft | 1,653 lbs | Monohull | Arthur Peltzer | Fractional Sloop | Fin |
| Waarschip 660 | 1 for sale | 1979 | 21.65 ft | 8.2 ft | 3.28 ft | 2,646 lbs | Monohull | K.T. Kremer | Fractional Sloop | Fin |
| Jeanneau Love Love | 1 for sale | 1971 | 21.7 ft | 8 ft | 3.4 ft | 2,650 lbs | Monohull | Philippe Harlé | Masthead Sloop | Fin |
| Tylercraft 22 | 1 for sale | 1960 | 22 ft | 7.16 ft | 2 ft | 3,200 lbs | Monohull | Ted Tyler | Masthead Sloop | Twin |
| Marshall 22 Sloop | 1 for sale | 1965 | 22.18 ft | 10.18 ft | 5.18 ft | 5,660 lbs | Monohull | Breckenridge Marshall | Gaffhead Sloop | Centerboard |
| Samphire 23 | 1 for sale | 1977 | 22.75 ft | 7.75 ft | 2.92 ft | 5,376 lbs | Monohull | David M. Cannell | Masthead Sloop | Full |
| Sunbeam 23 | 1 for sale | 1979 | 22.8 ft | 8.2 ft | 3.94 ft | 2,976 lbs | Monohull | Manfred Schöchl | Fractional Sloop | Bulb |
| Sunbeam 24 | 1 for sale | 2002 | 22.97 ft | 8.2 ft | 2.36 ft | 3,527 lbs | Monohull | Georg Nissen | Fractional Sloop | Centerboard |
| Mantra 7000 | 1 for sale | 1998 | 22.97 ft | 8.2 ft | 4.92 ft | 2,646 lbs | Monohull | Andrzej Arminski | Fractional Sloop | Fin |
| Pearson 23 | 1 for sale | 1978 | 23 ft | 7.98 ft | 5.17 ft | 3,500 lbs | Monohull | William Shaw | Masthead Sloop | Centerboard |
| Grampian 23 | 1 for sale | 1971 | 23.25 ft | 8 ft | 5.33 ft | 3,200 lbs | Monohull | Alex McGruer | Masthead Sloop | Wing |
| Vivacity 24 | 1 for sale | 1969 | 23.5 ft | 8 ft | 3.67 ft | 4,200 lbs | Monohull | Alan Hill | Masthead Sloop | Fin |
| Balboa 24 | 1 for sale | 1981 | 23.58 ft | 8.33 ft | 2.92 ft | 2,600 lbs | Monohull | Shad Turner/William Downing | Fractional Sloop | Fin |
| Buccaneer 240 | 1 for sale | 1975 | 23.67 ft | 8 ft | 2.5 ft | 4,000 lbs | Monohull | Alan Payne/Bayliner | Masthead Sloop | Full |
| Seahorse 24 | 1 for sale | 1972 | 23.75 ft | 7.9 ft | 4.67 ft | 2,900 lbs | Monohull | Robert Finch | Masthead Sloop | Centerboard |
| Marauder 24 | 1 for sale | 1975 | 23.83 ft | 7.5 ft | 4.16 ft | 3,600 lbs | Monohull | Kevin Shepherd | Fractional Sloop | Fin |
| Waarschip 730 | 1 for sale | 1977 | 23.95 ft | 9.51 ft | 4.1 ft | 3,307 lbs | Monohull | — | Masthead Sloop | Fin |
| Seaforth 24 | 1 for sale | 1977 | 24 ft | 7.33 ft | 2.5 ft | 4,200 lbs | Monohull | Stephen Seaton | Masthead Sloop | Full |
| Nimble Kodiak 24 | 1 for sale | 1998 | 24 ft | 8.5 ft | 4.33 ft | 4,100 lbs | Monohull | Ted Brewer | Masthead Sloop | Centerboard |
| Eventide 24 | 1 for sale | 1957 | 24 ft | 8 ft | 2.75 ft | 4,000 lbs | Monohull | Maurice Griffiths | Cutter | Twin |
| Seaward 24 | 1 for sale | 1984 | 24 ft | 8 ft | 3.5 ft | 3,100 lbs | Monohull | Nick Hake | Fractional Sloop | Centerboard |
| Sailart 24 | 1 for sale | 2003 | 24.28 ft | 8.2 ft | 3.12 ft | 2,866 lbs | Monohull | — | Fractional Sloop | Wing |
| Balaton 24 | 1 for sale | 1966 | 24.44 ft | 7.55 ft | 3.94 ft | 4,189 lbs | Monohull | Gunnar Cardell | Masthead Sloop | Fin |
| Watkins 25 | 1 for sale | 1985 | 24.92 ft | 8.5 ft | 2.5 ft | 4,800 lbs | Monohull | — | Masthead Sloop | Fin |
| Victoire 25 | 1 for sale | 1967 | 25.16 ft | 8.2 ft | 3.75 ft | 4,180 lbs | Monohull | D. Koopmans Sr. | Masthead Sloop | Fin |
| Tanzer 25 | 1 for sale | 1986 | 25.25 ft | 9.58 ft | 4.7 ft | 4,200 lbs | Monohull | Joubert-Nivelt | Fractional Sloop | Fin |
| Sunbeam 25 | 1 for sale | 1993 | 25.26 ft | 8.14 ft | 4.1 ft | 3,638 lbs | Monohull | Schöchl | Fractional Sloop | Fin |
| Morgan 26 | 1 for sale | 1969 | 26 ft | 8.75 ft | 3.16 ft | 5,000 lbs | Monohull | Charles Morgan | Masthead Sloop | Centerboard |