[C320-list] fin vs. wing keel

[Jeff Hare]

We've grounded our wing keel twice. First time was in muddy sand while waiting to be shown to our mooring. Tide fell enough and trapped us on a shallow flat near low tide. The boat just sat there upright for an hour or two until the tide floated us off again. We dropped the dinghy, had fun and even cleaned the waterline scum. No big deal. Pretty sure a fin would has laid over in this case and been more trouble, but each circumstance is different and you win some and lose some. 

Second time we barreled into a little sand shoal that built up following some weather. Stopped us really fast. We went into reverse and powered off the way we came in. No problem. 

Due to the slightly swept back wing, we don't seem to snag stuff on it for long anymore than a deep fin would. But if you sail in kelp or other really long weeds you would get used to backing up or heeling to clear it with either keel type. For the record we have never had to clear our wing keel in 10 years on the east coast US. The Propeller? Yes once but since it was a folding one no diving was necessary. 

Jeff 



Flyingmonkey <lou at flyingmonkey.im> wrote:

I'd like to hear from those who have actually experienced a grounding with the wing keel. This is my first wing keel vessel and I'd like to know what to expect when it happens. I'm a realist when it comes to these things. There are those who have run aground and those who have not "yet" run aground. 

Thanks,
Lou Hodac
S/V Blue Moon
Hull#702

Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 29, 2011, at 11:00 AM, Andrew Santangelo <andrew_santangelo at mac.com> wrote:

> Hello All, 
> 
> I would also add the fin keel works for most of the great lakes. We had some close calls in the Kalamazoo River in Saugatuck off Lake Michigan, otherwise the fin keel also works great in this region. 
> 
> The big issue is if you plan to race your vessel at all and want a chance to place you really need to go to the fin keel - the pointing ability and carrying less mass is a huge difference. Now I cruised extensively all over the great lakes before racing and I still cruise quite a bit and I have to say pointing better towards my destination and going a tad faster to beat some coming weather is an added boost I love. I have also see a few wing keels run aground. It is not pretty getting off vs. a fin keel. When sailing in shallow water, I really try to avoid cutting it close regardless of fin or wing keel. Of course that is what GPS, chart plotters and tide charts are for.
> 
> Regarding west coast sailing since I did the massive move/shipping of Dawn Treader to SFO - lots of wind, you fly with the tides (weather you want to or not), and a fin keel is totally fine.
> 
> Best Regards,
> Andrew 
> 
> C320
> "Dawn Treader"
> #333
> San Francisco
> 
> 
> 
> On Oct 29, 2011, at 9:03 AM, Brad Kuether wrote:
> 
>> If you can sail comfortably in your waters without worrying about going aground get the fin. The performace difference is remarkable. But if you have any doubt on depth, you open up a LOT of options with the wing. And to be honest, I move along OK. (folding prop really helps here...) Pointing is a different matter. I find with the 150 up front and sheeted in tight, I do better, but nothing great.
>> 
>> My prior C&C had a 5'4" fin, and that was boarderline. I did OK in the upper Chesapeake. Some anchorages were out of scope.
>> 
>> 6 feet plus under a Catalina 320? No way. Not here.
>> 
>> -Brad, Mary, Monica, and Jarod
>> "Independence"
>> 2004 Catalina 320 Hull 1006
>> Middle River, MD
>> 
>> PS - First snowfall of the season has begun in earnest. Its supposed to be bright and sunny with highs still in the low 60s!!!!!!
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris Burti" <clburti at gmail.com>
>> To: <C320-List at catalina320.com>
>> Sent: Friday, October 28, 2011 1:15 PM
>> Subject: Re: [C320-list] fin vs. wing keel
>> 
>> 
>> The simplest rule of thumb is for East Coast cruising...get a wing
>> keel...West Coast, a fin is fine.
>> 
>> There is simply too much thin water South of Norfolk not to take
>> advantage of the extra foot of clearance..
>> 
>> On Fri, Oct 28, 2011 at 12:58 PM, Gene Helfman <genehelfman at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Dear all: In our ongoing search for a 320 (ca. 2000 +/-), we've run into a
>>> mixture of opinions on the qualities of the shallow vs. deep draft boats.
>>> We have a harbor and hoist situation in our home port that makes 6 ft draft
>>> problematic but not impossible. Would anyone like to chime in on the costs
>>> and benefits of the wing keel boats (of which fewer were produced and are
>>> harder to find) vs. the deeper-draft fin keel boats? We intend to cruise
>>> not race so faster turning isn't much of an issue.
>>> 
>>> thanks,
>>> gene
>>> --
>>> Gene Helfman, Professor Emeritus
>>> Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia
>>> PERMANENT address:
>>> 498 Shoreland Dr., Lopez Is., WA 98261
>>> (360) 468-2136
>>> genehelfman at gmail.com
>>> 
>>> "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day,
>>> Teach a man to fish and he'll deplete the
>>> oceans."
>>>