C-30 Wing vs Fin Keel

[Steve Romero]

I'm thinking about buying a 1990 Catalina C-30, with a wing keel. I sail out of San Diego Bay where shoal waters are not much of a problem. Should I pass on this wing keel model since it may not point as well & may be tougher to remove if I run aground? Any input would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Trevor - SailboatOwners.com]

The whole package

Hi Steve -Sounds like if all things were equal except the keel, you'd choose the fin keel. However, there are a lot of variables to consider, and if there are more "pluses" than "minuses", you might be able to overlook that aspect. Everything is a compromise, and you might reap the benefits of that shallow keel some day. My boat has a furling main, which I probably wouldn't choose if I had the choice. However, the rest of the boat is about perfect for me, and I've learned to enjoy the benefits of the added convenience. Make a long list with + and - columns and add values in a range of say 1 to 5 of importance to you. Tally the numbers and see if it tells you anything. I've used this method to make tough decisions in the past; it just might help.Best,Trevor

 

[mortyd]

fin or wing

we bought a 91 last year after a long search. she has a fin keel, but we had seen so many poor or mediocre boats by that time that fin or wing no longer mattered. nobody who has seen our boat has questioned our choice, or asked the kind of keel she has. if you also find the right boat, buy her; lots can happen to a boat in 15 years.

 

[Bob]

Wing Keel Owner

Their is no doubt where you sail has a lot to do with the keel you choose. For instance, the intracoastal waterway has some areas that make a fin keel a tough choice because of potential groundings in shoaling areas. Add shallow gunghole areas where only a wing keel (3'10") can enter and that makes for a better comfort zone and my preference. Wing keel models are highly sought after on the Atlantic side. Regarding grounding, you would be surprised how the vessel will literally spin on the wing and move off a bar. The only bad thing is that you cannot kedge off with a wing keel, but then that to me is not a major issue. If your planning on staying in deep waters the fin may well suit your needs, but if your a gunkholer and plan on anchoring in tight harbors, backwaters, bays, etc., where getting closer to land (shorter dinghy trip)is important to you, then the wing keel is a good choice. There in lies the answer. BobCat. 30Breezin II

 

[John]

Not All of the Atlantic

Generally speaking, the farther north you go on the Atlantic, the more likely you'd want to have a fin keel. If you're sailing on big water most of the time, a fin keel is probably better. I sail on the Chesapeake Bay. I purchased a 350 in 2002. I was thinking about a fin keel but my dealer advised that it would be harder to sell the boat if and when I chose to. So I got the wing.