I appreciate that some may be tired of this question but please bear with me. My career took me away from my home waters of Narragansett Bay in 1984 and I have been wanting to return to sailing ever since. My only practical option is to sail on Lake Lanier in Georgia. I am considering the purchase of a very clean, lightly used 2007 Catalina 34. It has a wing keel and I know that some think that this keel has a noticeable and negative effect on the performance of this model. Lake Lanier is an enormous fresh water body (over 35,000 surface acres) and the winds from the fall through the spring allow for good sailing. That said, it is a lake and will not provide the more steady winds that Narragansett Bay once provided. I am not looking to race or to always have a rail in the water so speed is not my biggest concern. I will often be single handed and I want a boat that is responsive as I tack. The one clear advantage of the wing keel is that the lake has many coves and the 4' draft should be helpful exploring them for an overnight anchorage. Thanks for you counsel.
To wing keel or not to wing keel
- Thread starter Mark O'Connell
- Start date
Thanks for your reply. Yes, 33 years. My work took me to Phoenix and the sailing options were dismal. San Diego would have been great but it wasn't in the budget. So, in the meantime, I have owned a Flying Junior, two Sunfishes and a Laser. I also own an Old Town Camper canoe, a 15' Perception kayak. But none of these scratched the sailing itch in the way that my old O' Day 27 did in Rhode Island. It's time to give it another try even if it's on a large lake.
I had an O'day 240 that had a wing keel. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another sailboat with a wing keel.
"The one clear advantage of the wing keel is that the lake has many coves and the 4' draft should be helpful exploring them"
Your answer is in your question.
Your answer is in your question.
Keel depth affects only upwind performance, particularly close-hauled pointing direction and speed (correct me if I'm wrong, Jackdaw). If you're not racing competitively, how much do you really care about your close-hauled Velocity Made Good? It's a cruising boat built for comfort and safety. BTW, the C34 is a fine example of a well-designed and made production cruising boat. The interior is very large for a 34-foot boat, and well laid-out. The V-berth is palatial. If the boat is in good condition, you can't go wrong with owning one.
That’s mostly it. Normally a fin will be several hundred lbs lighter as well vs a wing, but again the average sailor will not notice st all.
It's good to hear so many comments stating that the wing keel should not be a deal breaker. I have set up a time to see the boat on Saturday.
Any suggestions for successfully getting the best price (best to me means fair to both parties) price?
The boat seems to be in very good condition. I tend toward buying something that has been well cared for...even if the price may be a little higher...rather than something that has been abused but is priced lower as a result. I am not sure that I have the skill, time or patience to take a "beater" and put it in Bristol condition.
