[C320-list] Cracking in sump area and the Wing Keel debate (again)

[David Gleason]

Stephen:

I also have the wing keel and have not noticed any appreciable
performance difference.  Then, I have not raced against any full keel
320's.  However, I have found in our cruising that if you do go aground
you are most likely to stay there.  With the narrow bottom of a full 
keel, I was always able to do a 180 with power and get myself off.  If
that did not work, we would heel the boat to reduce draft and get off. 
With the wing keel, when you are aground there is too much resistance
from the wing to power off.  Also, if you heel the boat, your draft gets
deeper, so that option is not available.  If the depth in for your
sailing area allows you to use the full depth keel, I would recommend it.

As for the cracks in the inner lining, we also have a couple that look
somewhat similar to yours, however they are on the starboard side.  We
have owned the boat for 6 years and they have not gotten worse or caused
any problems.

Good luck in your search.  

Dave Gleason
Proud Mary, #150
 

On Fri, 24 Nov 2006 02:59:09 +1100 "Stephen Cox"
<sgcox at velocitynet.com.au> writes:
> I am still not a C320 owner but am getting far closer.  Although now 
> that I
> am ready to buy, have sorted out a mooring and the money, there is a 
> dearth
> of 3 to 4 year old C320's for sale on the Australian eastern 
> seaboard!
> There's only been a couple in the last three months.  I missed the 
> first one
> but now a 2002 build / 2003 launch C320 has just come onto the 
> market.  I
> did the 375 mile round trip today to check it out and it appears to 
> be a
> very nicely looked after boat.  I have only two concerns:  
> 
> Firstly, some cracking in the sump area, which the salesperson 
> assured was
> just the bonding of the furniture mould to the hull and of no 
> consequence.
> A survey may comment otherwise.  I would be interested in the List's 
> views.
> See a picture at http://tinyurl.com/yj98jg  (This is a 67K 
> picture).
> 
> The second concern is that despite the advertising to the contrary, 
> it
> turned out to be a wing keel.  I have always had some concerns about 
> the
> wing keel from a performance point of view, the extra weight carried 
> on wing
> keel boats and the potential stresses if it took the bottom at an 
> angle
> should the skipper get the tides or depth wrong.  Am I being overly
> concerned given that I don't intend to race the boat?  
> 
> Stephen G Cox
> Canberra AUSTRALIA 
> 
> 
> 
>