Wing Keel or Fin Keel

[Sue Innes]

I am ordering a new Catalina 31 and have yet to decide fin or wing keel. I have a Catalina 28 with fin keel. Are there any cat sailors out there with experience of both?. What are the advantages of either type apart from shallower draft with the wing keel which weights more than the fin keel (certainly on the C31). Also is there any difference in terms of sailing and handling ability?Sue

 

[Reid]

I have the wing keel

on my 310 and other than not being able to point quite as high as a boat with a fin keel there really is no difference in the sailing ability. The wing keel is nice to have in shallow waters like we have in Galveston Bay. The only down side is if you do run aground heeling the boat to free the keel, like you would do with a fin keel will only bury the wing keel deeper in the mud. Enjoy your new boat. Ours is a blast.

 

[RonD]

Have the C320 with wing keel

Unless you are a racer, the wing is fine and offers that little extra margin under your bottom. I watch my depth as if I had a fin keel -- charts don't always show those submerged rocks, old mooring blocks, etc.And, as Reid says, you don't point quite as high upwind & will have slightly more leeway. Also, your increased displacement slightly reduces acceleration.I've sailed mine off the east coast in the Gulf of Maine in some heavier winds & seas. The boat handled conditions better than the crew ....It would be interesting to hear from anyone with first-hand experiences in getting a grounded C310/320 wing keel un-stuck, too. And what repairs they might have had to make afterward.--RonD

 

[Tom S.]

I got a C36 Wing Keel Stuck in sand

No damages....though the sand took off a layer of Bottom paint off the keel (and the rudder, which is about the same depth.)A strange observation though. I hit a sand bar that was only a few feet wide, I could not back off that sandbar, but I found I was able to motor straight through going forward....weird. Plowing right through the sand. Maybe it had to do with design of a fixed 3- blade having much more forward thrust and poor reverse thrust?

 

[Sue Innes]

C310 feedback

Thanks Reid for that detail. Have you any comments re the c310 in terms of pluses and minuses and "must have" (ie extras,equipment etc)

 

[Reid]

C310 extras

I guess it really depends on what your going to be using the boat for. If your cruising I'd suggest a small gen set. We ordered our 310 with all the bells and whistles, full instruments, auto helm, ram mike for the cockpit, etc. The only extra we didn't add was a gen set to run the AC when anchored out. It can get very hot and humid here on the Gulf Coast and having the option of running the AC while away from shore power would be nice. The only other thing I'm thinking of adding is a whisker pole to aid in down wind sailing. You'll enjoy the 310.

 

[Jim]

Wing vs. Fin Keel

Greetings,I got the wing keel. Shoulda bought the fin keel and no in mast furling. It takes 16 knots of wind to get 6.5 knots. Also, wing keel does not point as well as the fin. Of course, if you're looking for a comfortable strictly cruising boat disregard the above.