Glossary · Keels, foils & rudders
Canting keel
Also called: Quille pendulaire, pendulaire, canting, quille basculante
A keel that swings sideways, to windward, to better counter heeling.
A canting keel is hinged under the hull: a hydraulic ram swings it towards the windward side. Moved away from the boat's centreline, the ballast rights the boat much harder than a vertical keel of the same weight. The boat carries more sail, heels less and goes faster.
The trade-off: a tilted keel resists leeway less, so daggerboards or foils are needed. It is also a complex system whose failures (ram, pivot, fin) have caused many retirements. IMOCAs have canting keels.
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