I have a Damien II centerboard steel schooner, built in France by META in 1981. The unusual thing about these boats is that all the ballast (4.5 tons of lead) in the boat is in the centerboard. So the centerboard is always down and locked when sailing (3.2m / 10.5' sailing draft), but it can be raised (with an electric winch) when motoring, or at anchor, or when taking the ground. There is quite a bit of information about this boat on my website at [url=http://www.issuma.com/rhudson/issumaboat]http://www.issuma.com/rhudson/issumaboat[/url] I'm always interested in talking with owners of similar vessels. Richard

Thanks Richard I enjoyed reading about your boat and Your voyages. Simon

Thanks, Simon. Richard