Widgeon draws 3'6" with the centerboard down, And if you get one of the early style (1963-70) models the CB will easily pivot up if you were to sail over a shallow spot (CB is moved by a lever). Later (1971-89) models will have a line-operated CB and on those as long as you don't tie the CB down it will pivot up just like the lever-operated models.
On the line-operated Centerboard, there are 2 lines, one pulls CB up, the other pulls it down, but the CB is just heavy enough (about 20# +/-) to stay down without being tied down if you are concerned about hitting bottom.
My Widgeon had the lever-operated CB and I never had a problem when sailing over shoals. My current boat, a 1979 DS II has a line-operated CB (like the newer Widgeons) and I usually do tie (at least loosely) the CB down while sailing... but even then it is usually easy enough to quickly untie the line if I hit shallow waters.
You can sail with the CB partway raised, but raise it too far and it affects directional control. The big edvantage over that SAILFISH wil lbe the the CB on the Widgeon (all years) is pivoted, and so..unlike the Daggerboard of the Sailfish... you won't usually shop suddenly if you hit a shoal.
I'd say that a WIDGEON wil lbe a great little boat for that lake and will nicely handle 2 people in far more comfort (Well ,definitely a LOT Drier!!) than the SAILFISH.
