Dictionary Definition
daggerboard n : a removable centerboard on a
small sailboat that can be lowered into the water to serve as a
keel
Extensive Definition
A daggerboard is a retractable keel used by various sailing craft. While other types
of centreboard may
pivot to retract, a daggerboard slides in a casing. The shape of
the daggerboard converts the forward motion into a windward lift,
countering the leeward push of the sail.
Daggerboards are often longer and thinner than
pivoting centerboards, thus providing a better lift to drag ratio.
Daggerboards are usually found in small craft such as day sailers,
where their size is easily handled by a single person. Unlike
centreboards, daggerboards are not usually ballasted, but are
locked in place by a clip.
If a daggerboard is located off center, then it
is called a leeboard or
a bilgeboard.
The Mirror
Dinghy, for example, uses a plywood daggerboard.
External links
daggerboard in Swedish:
Sticksvärd