Choosing a boat depends on your sailing plans and the body of water you’ll be sailing on. Sailing in the Mediterranean is quite different from sailing in northern Brittany. Along the Var coast, you’ll need a boat that can handle sudden gusts of wind, and a keelboat will do the job perfectly. But if you’re sailing along the Pink Granite Coast in Brittany, you’ll likely need a shallow draft, or even a movable keel. Between a keelboat and a centerboarder, one compromise is the twin keel. Today, I’d like to talk to you about these, and in particular, twin-keel sailboats under 8 meters.
Why sail on a twin-keel sailboat?
Let’s start at the beginning. When we talk about twin keels, we’re referring to sailboats equipped with two fixed keels. type of ballast was popularized by the English. They have always loved to innovate in the field of boating, even going so far as to offer three-keeled sailboats. Yes, indeed. While several English shipyards, such as Thames Marine and its Mirages, quickly offered twin-keel sailboats, it was the Westerly construction site who really popularized these sailboats around the world.
In France, one of the pioneering projects is the Wrighton shipyard and its biloupthat everyone knows. The Bénéteau shipyard. Not to be outdone, the company also offered its Évasion range of fishing and leisure boats in a twin-keel version. Subsequently, amateur boat builders turned to these boats.
However, twin-keel boats had their drawbacks. While they allowed for easy beaching, they lacked the seaworthiness of keelboats. They were slower and did not sail well upwind.
However, in the 1990s, architects like Pierre Rolland, Marc Lombard or even Michel Joubert and Bernard Nivelt will be interested in this type of ballast for their sailboats. And the work of these architects will greatly contribute to boost the popularity of twin-keel boats among recreational boaters.
Imagine: You’re sailing on a fast, seaworthy sailboat that can go anywhere and, most importantly, can beach itself on sand, or even mud (but not too soft), and requires no mechanical maintenance, unlike… a dinghyThat’s what these twin-keel boats offer. And when they measure less than 8 meters, they are truly suited to coastal and, for some, offshore cruising.
Here’s a list of 10 twin-keel boats under 9 meters that I think are a cut above the rest. As always, these lists will be missing some. Feel free to add others in the comments, such as the Maxus, the Mirage 28, and more.
Escape 22
The Evasion 22, from the Bénéteau shipyard It’s undoubtedly the oldest of them all. But it’s also the boat that best maintains its value; it’s impressive. Boaters who are looking for a twin-keel Evasion 22 They are willing to wait as long as it takes to find one, but they will not compromise. This interest stems from undeniable qualities. The Evasion 22 is a robust, well-built, seaworthy fishing and leisure boat, easy to sail, and offering very comfortable handling for its size.
The boat offers a navigation station with a wheel in the cabin, along with a galley, a head, and a convertible saloon. After 45 years of service, no unpleasant surprises are expected.
Biloup 77
How can we talk about twin-keel boats without mentioning the Biloup 77?The star of the two-keel boats, right up until the 2000s. It was in 1986 that the first Biloup came out of the Wrighton yardin the Pas-de-Calais. The boat will quickly find its audience. It’s a comfortable family cruiser. Indeed, the Biloup 77 is certainly not a speed demon, but it offers more enjoyment than a fishing boat for pleasure trips.
The Biloup 77 is very well built and was offered in different versions of layouts and finishes.
Tilapia 6.50
Tilapia is not the most well-known in our selection, and yet it has many advantages. The Tilapia 6.50 was built by the Ocqueteau shipyardThe shipyard has since been taken over by Pinball, and I’m not sure if they’ve resumed production. The Tilapia is a twin-keel sailboat that’s easy to transport, use, and maintain. A cross between a cruiser and a dayboat, this design by Bernard Veys and Pierre Shapiro is rigged as a catboat, without standing rigging and with a furling mast. A real advantage for maneuvering. A true sailboat for enjoying the sea with the family without worrying about anything else.
Yaka 6.50
Okay, let’s change the plan, and radically so. I propose we now sail in mini-transat mode. mini 6.50 sailboats They are excellent boats, seaworthy, fast and simple. But their keel is a problem for coastal navigation, as with the Coco 6.50, for example. The Yaka 6.50; designed by Pierre Rolland and built by the Breton shipyard Marée HauteThe ideal solution. If you love surfing and camping-style cruises, this sailboat is for you. The twin keel design reduces the draft to 1.35m. Not bad, right?
Gib Sea 76
Here’s one of my favorites. The Gib Sea 76 isn’t very well known. Yet, nearly 200 of these sailboats were built and, in my opinion, it’s one of the best 7.5-meter sailboats.The Gib Sea 76, designed by the GRAAL group, has nothing to do with the other Gib Sea models.This is a fast, seaworthy, and very safe sailboat. Inside, the very large volume has no impact on the boat’s elegance.
The Gib Sea 76 offers a spacious aft cabin and a double berth with a very large and bright saloon. The small aft deck is easily accessible for swimming or accessing the tender.
Django 75
Please note, the two sailboats arriving are neither the same nor from the same shipyard. The Django 75 was designed by Pierre Rolland and built by the GL Compostes shipyardIn northern Brittany, the Django was designed to be a compromise between a 6.50 and the Pogo 8.50. It’s a racing-oriented boat, like the Yaka 6.50. It’s very fast and organized like a racing sailboat. It’s even equipped with crash boxes.
Inside, it must be acknowledged that the amenities are minimal, but that’s not why we choose it.
Django 7.70
Let’s move on to the Django 7.70, also designed by Pierre Rolland. The Django 7.70 was voted sailboat of the year in 2011And for good reason, this boat has everything to please: Well built, seaworthy and fast, intelligent in its organization and layout.
The Django 7.70 is built by the Marée Haute shipyard in Tregunc. It is capable of adapting to both short coastal voyages and offshore sailing.
RM880
The RM 880 was launched in 2005 from the Fora Marine shipyardMarc Lombard designed this boat, which has become a benchmark for small cruisers. This twin-keel boat is robust; it can beach almost anywhere, with its keels attached to a metal hull.
In terms of layout, the boat offers a double cabin aft and a Breton-style berth forward. The accommodations are designed for comfortable living aboard. An ideal sailboat for exploring the sea.
Surprise
Who doesn’t know the surprise. This dayboat is one of the greatest successes in boating. Designed by Michel Joubert and Bernard Nivelt, this 7.50-meter sailboat is a benchmark.It was the key to the Archambault shipyard’s success. This sailboat perfectly suits two purposes: racing and family outings. The boat is easy to maneuver, pleasant on the water, and fun to use.
Its cabin allows for short camping-style cruises without any problems.
Ikone 7.50
Here’s another sailboat that I think is fantastic. It’s a shame that the Espace Vag construction site did not survive its new owner. The Ikone 7.50 was released in 2015. Voted boat of the year, this design by Julien Marin is a pragmatic and well-thought-out sailboat. The boat is easy to sail, with its catboat rig. Everything is designed for coastal sailing with the family.
Inside, the boat is also very well designed and easy to maintain.
Boat specifications:
| Sailboat model | Length (m) | Width (m) | Draft in twin-keel version (m) | Engine type | Weight (kg) | Weight of ballast (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beneteau Evasion 22 | 6.70 | 2.60 | 0.86 | IB | one thousand eight hundred | seven hundred thirty |
| Biloup 77 | 7.60 | 2.50 | 0.85 | IB or HB | one thousand five hundred | six hundred |
| Tilapia 6.50 | 6.50 | 2.55 | 0.60 | H.B. | one thousand three hundred | six hundred |
| Yaka 6.50 | 6.50 | three | 1.35 | H.B. | one thousand three hundred | five hundred eighty |
| Django 75 by GL Composites | 7.50 | three | 1.35 | HB or IB | one thousand seven hundred eighty | eight hundred sixty |
| Django 7.70 High Tide | 7.70 | 2.99 | 1.20 | HB or IB | one thousand seven hundred fifty | six hundred fifty |
| Ikone 7.50 | 7.50 | three | 1.20 | HB or IB | nine hundred thirty | |
| Gib Sea 76 | 7.50 | 2.84 | one | HB or IB | two thousand | eight hundred |
| Surprise Archambault | 7.65 | 2.48 | one | H.B. | one thousand three hundred fifty | six hundred |
| RM880 | 8.72 | 3.25 | 1.25 | HB or IB | three thousand two hundred | nine hundred ninety |