Deep keel vs Shoal keel experience

Jun 7, 2016
315
Catalina C30 Warwick, RI
I understand that this is an anecdotal experiment and not scientific in any way, but I want to share my experience between the same boat with two different keels.

I grew up/spent 25 years sailing on a Catalina 30 with a shoal keel which drew 4'6". I was very used to how she handled and what her characteristics were. I can't say I liked them or hated them as that was my primary experience and just knew how she handled.

Now, my wife and I own a different Catalina 30 but this one has a "deep" keel that draws 5' 6". I know that 1 foot doesn't sound like much of a difference, but in the short time we've been out sailing with her the difference in handling characteristics is amazing to me. The new boat feels much more balanced and seems to track easier and straighter as compared to the last boat. Even my wife who is not much of a sailor "yet" (she's taking an ASA 101 course soon:)), commented that she absolutely loves steering this boat under sail much more than the last one as it sails easier and doesn't make her work as hard.

I used to think that keel depth doesn't matter and that I'd rather have the shallower keel so that I could gunk hole in more places, but as of this minute if I had to choose a new boat with a deep keel or shoal/wing keel I would sacrifice the ability to anchor in skinny water and keep the handling characteristics of the deeper keel.

What are your experiences with different depth keels and how they effect the handling of the boat?
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
I think you got it. All design choices are a trade off. The other common variant is the retractable keel. You can get the deep keel handling, and the skinny water ability but now you give up considerable cabin space and you have more equipment to keep in good working order.
 
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RoyS

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Jun 3, 2012
1,739
Hunter 33 Steamboat Wharf, Hull, MA
There is also the fin keel vs the full keel. I have a deep fin keel and sometimes wish I had a full keel that would help defend the propeller and rudder from the cursed lobster pot floats. Wonder also about turning around distance in a crowded harbor.
 
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Nov 26, 2012
1,653
Hunter 34 Berkeley
I'm with you. I would much rather have a boat that sails well than a gunkholer. If you really want to experience a well handling boat take out a J-105 if you get a chance.
 

capta

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Jun 4, 2009
4,766
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
We have a centerboard that increases our draft from 6.5' to 10.5'. It makes a huge difference in the boat's sailing characteristics and comfort. It can also be used to ease weather or a lee helm by bringing it up or down some (not all the way), changing the center of lateral resistance.
It also minimizes roll in anchorages, so you could say we use it almost all the time, underway or not.
 
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Sep 22, 2018
1,869
Hunter 216 Kingston
We have a centerboard that increases our draft from 6.5' to 10.5'.
The 10.5’ got my attention so I went Googlin ;)

I couldn’t find a lot of detail about your Pearson but the draft is quoted in several places as 6.5’. Just curious how the extra 4’ got added?
 

capta

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Jun 4, 2009
4,766
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
The 10.5’ got my attention so I went Googlin ;)

I couldn’t find a lot of detail about your Pearson but the draft is quoted in several places as 6.5’. Just curious how the extra 4’ got added?
Two models, one w/a centerboard and one w/o.
 
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Ward H

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Nov 7, 2011
3,645
Catalina 30 Mk II Barnegat, NJ
Doesn’t it really depend on your primary sailing area? In my slip a foot shallower draft may mean the difference in going sailing or sitting at the dock during a blow out tide.
 
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Jun 7, 2016
315
Catalina C30 Warwick, RI
I get that it does depend on your area and I'm sure there is some other piece of knowledge I will gain later in sailing life that may change my current thought, but as of right now I am an advocate for deep keel boat handling over accessibility. YMMV and what's important to you will dictate which you like, but for me the drastic difference in handling and tracking makes my time sailing much more enjoyable and easy than it was before.
 

Tom J

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Sep 30, 2008
2,301
Catalina 310 Quincy, MA
Doesn’t it really depend on your primary sailing area? In my slip a foot shallower draft may mean the difference in going sailing or sitting at the dock during a blow out tide.
:plus:I bought my C310 in Florida. If she didn't have the shallow draft wing keel, I wouldn't have been doing much sailing at all. As Ward said, I wouldn't even be able to leave my slip 90% of the time! So, yes, it's a trade-off. Sailing or not sailing? Hmmm......
 
Jan 19, 2010
1,169
Catalina 34 Casco Bay
Had a Bristol 32 ( Ted Hood design) full keel, narrow beam.. we did sit aground during drainers.. Fun boat could burry that toe rail if a sea gull broke wind...Replaced it with an O'day 272 wing keel. Drew little water, had more room below than the 32 but was too tender for my liking. It was replaced with an O'28 shoal keel. Nice boat. Much more room below than the previous 2 boats, and fairly comfortable because of the beam, bit with that shoal keel it would crab a lot. It's current replacement covers all the bases for me. Fin keel, that tracks well. A great beam that provides a very comfortable ride and a ton of room below....
 
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Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
I get that it does depend on your area and I'm sure there is some other piece of knowledge I will gain later in sailing life that may change my current thought, but as of right now I am an advocate for deep keel boat handling over accessibility. YMMV and what's important to you will dictate which you like, but for me the drastic difference in handling and tracking makes my time sailing much more enjoyable and easy than it was before.
Yep!
It’s about how/why you use your boat and where you sail.
 
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Jan 4, 2013
269
Catalina 270 Rochester, NY
The basic problem is the Catalina 30 wing keel is a joke of a design. I have a Catalina 270 with a wing and it doesn't look anything like the Catalina 30 wing. You will not find any 270 owners that have anything bad to say about the handling of the 270 and most are winged.
 

BarryL

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May 21, 2004
1,000
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 409 Mt. Sinai, NY
Hey,

ALL boats are a compromise. If you sail in thin water like the Great South Bay (Long Island) or parts of the Chessy, or Tampa Bay, then a shoal draft is important to you. If you like to anchor close to shore then shoal draft is important. If you like to SAIL, then you really can't beat a deep keel.

My previous boat was an O'day 35. Nice boat, comfortable, easy to sail, roomy, etc. But it had a shoal draft keep and a fixed 3 blade prop. It just didn't sail all that well. I originally got that boat because my family of 5 would day sail, go for weekend sails and spend a week vacation on board. Once the kids started doing there own thing and we stopped vacationing on the boat my needs changed and I wanted a boat that sailed better. MY current boat (C&C 110) has a 6' draft and sails like a dream. For pure sailing fun it can't be beat. However there are not places that I either can't get into, or must take tides into account. Since I don't make that many trips i can easily plan for it but a shoal draft would be better if that was my primary goal.

Barry
 
Jun 7, 2016
315
Catalina C30 Warwick, RI
The basic problem is the Catalina 30 wing keel is a joke of a design. I have a Catalina 270 with a wing and it doesn't look anything like the Catalina 30 wing. You will not find any 270 owners that have anything bad to say about the handling of the 270 and most are winged.
The wing keel must be a gen 2 thing. My Catalina 30 shoal keel was just a shorter fatter version of the deep keel. No wings.
 
Oct 29, 2005
2,355
Hunter Marine 326 303 Singapore
When i ordered my h326, i studied the waters I'll sailing in and chose a shoal-keel. Some experienced years later I wish i had chosen a deep-keel as I came to realise that those shallow waters isn't going to be a problem 'cos I won't even go there with my shoal-keel. So if I were to buy a sailboat again, it'll be deep-keel for sure.

Ken Y
 
Mar 26, 2011
3,401
Corsair F-24 MK I Deale, MD
I wonder if there is a difference in yawing at anchor. This would have to be between two otherwise identical boats, because there are many factors. I know if I lift my board, with the rudder still down, she sails around a lot more.