Any advantage to a longer daggerboard?

M

matty

New Member
After crafting a new rudder out of white oak (I think that the trailing edge has a much better shape than allowed by the Class rules), I was wondering if anyone has toyed with the idea of making a longer daggerboard? The obvious drawback would be more drag, but are there any advantages? Better pointing? Less sideslip? And yes, I know that it wouldn't be class legal. Just a thought....comments welcome!

Thanks, Matty
 
Hello. Did you build your daggar board to the modern racing daggar board length?
I'm no expert, but I imagine that someone worked out that this was the optimum length of board for this boat. The old style board was 3 or 4 inches shorter. I have also wondered why the sunfish daggar board is not designed with a full aerofoil shape.
John.
 
The "plastic" dagger board does have an air foil shape. Wide rounded lead edge, tapering back to a finer trailing edge.
It would be interesting to build your deep draft dagger board and then sail against another Sunfish that is equipped with the shorter version. The deeper version would dominate upwind, especially in windier conditions. Down wind drag wouldn't be an issue as you would simply raise the dagger board as you do with the shorter one.
 
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