I am looking into purchasing a c-22 and would be trailering the boat every time. I used to have a swing keel in Florida and was able to trailer the boat quite easily, however, I may have interest in purchasing a winged keel boat and was wonering how much more difficult it would be to trailer and launch. Any help woudl be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Rick
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W
Warren
Swing vs Fixed
I have had an O'Day 22 for 31 years....it would be a real pain to trailer everytime I wanted to sail(its on a season mooring). Go with a "swing keel" or better yet a boat with internal ballast and a center board. If you decide to go with a swing keel, check the boat very carefully, as a swing keel can have placed alot of stress on the hull and interior trunk. Good Luck!
I have had an O'Day 22 for 31 years....it would be a real pain to trailer everytime I wanted to sail(its on a season mooring). Go with a "swing keel" or better yet a boat with internal ballast and a center board. If you decide to go with a swing keel, check the boat very carefully, as a swing keel can have placed alot of stress on the hull and interior trunk. Good Luck!
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Ron Mehringer
ramp depth
I'm no expert, but my understanding is that a wing keel boat will require deeper water at the ramp to launch, thus limitting the number of places that can accomodate you. Ron Mehringer H26 Hydro-Therapy
I'm no expert, but my understanding is that a wing keel boat will require deeper water at the ramp to launch, thus limitting the number of places that can accomodate you. Ron Mehringer H26 Hydro-Therapy
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Ed Allen
if you want to trailer in florida?
This is a no brainer. gettig a wing keel off a trailer in most places in florda is tough. and just think of pulling up the board to go in to the beach.
This is a no brainer. gettig a wing keel off a trailer in most places in florda is tough. and just think of pulling up the board to go in to the beach.
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MArk of OSMS
And then there's the ground *pop
*box In a grounding, you can't heel a wing keeled boat over to decrease draft and float off the sand bar. Heeling a wing keel actually increases draft making you stucker (more stuck? *o ).
*box In a grounding, you can't heel a wing keeled boat over to decrease draft and float off the sand bar. Heeling a wing keel actually increases draft making you stucker (more stuck? *o ).
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R.W.Landau
Wow, am I going to be unpopular.
I have to argue every point made here so far. Heeling a wing keel boat will produce the same as a fin keel to get off the bottom. Yes, you may have to heel abit more but that angle is quite small. Launching...If you are talking a 27' boat I would worry about launching. The Catalina 22 wing is a wonderful boat. It is fast easily launched and retrieved. The one on the lake that I sail is fast compared to the swing keel models. Rollers on the trailer are a plus. but don't give up if it is a bunk trailer. Tongue extensions on a trailer are a great option. I have never had to use it. The draft is minimally deeper than a swing keel and shallow and small enough that if it requires a push.. it should not be a big problem. Go for the wing! r.w.landau
I have to argue every point made here so far. Heeling a wing keel boat will produce the same as a fin keel to get off the bottom. Yes, you may have to heel abit more but that angle is quite small. Launching...If you are talking a 27' boat I would worry about launching. The Catalina 22 wing is a wonderful boat. It is fast easily launched and retrieved. The one on the lake that I sail is fast compared to the swing keel models. Rollers on the trailer are a plus. but don't give up if it is a bunk trailer. Tongue extensions on a trailer are a great option. I have never had to use it. The draft is minimally deeper than a swing keel and shallow and small enough that if it requires a push.. it should not be a big problem. Go for the wing! r.w.landau
A
Alan
I'll not argue..
...the merits of the wing vs swing sailing. However, RW you are wrong about the grounding of wing keels. When the wing runs aground it acts as an anchor. Backing off can become impossible. Heeling the boat is much harder and it does in fact increase the draft as the boat is heeled and digs in deeper not to mention the risk of bending the wing. On the other hand, with a swing keel you can simply pull up the keel and you are free.
...the merits of the wing vs swing sailing. However, RW you are wrong about the grounding of wing keels. When the wing runs aground it acts as an anchor. Backing off can become impossible. Heeling the boat is much harder and it does in fact increase the draft as the boat is heeled and digs in deeper not to mention the risk of bending the wing. On the other hand, with a swing keel you can simply pull up the keel and you are free.
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MArk of OSMS
We like you R.W.
We just don't always agree... and that's what makes life interesting... variety. I'm sure in PA the land is hilly and the launches are steep. In FL the land is flat the water shallow near the beach and the launch ramps typically have a 1 in 12 pitch. This means for every inch higher a boat sits on the trailer (measured ground to waterline), you'll have to back another foot into the water. For example: Catalina 22 Swing Keel - 36" Catalina 22 Wing Keel - 45" On a 1:12 pitch ramp you would have to back an extra 9 feet to launch and retrive the wing.
We just don't always agree... and that's what makes life interesting... variety. I'm sure in PA the land is hilly and the launches are steep. In FL the land is flat the water shallow near the beach and the launch ramps typically have a 1 in 12 pitch. This means for every inch higher a boat sits on the trailer (measured ground to waterline), you'll have to back another foot into the water. For example: Catalina 22 Swing Keel - 36" Catalina 22 Wing Keel - 45" On a 1:12 pitch ramp you would have to back an extra 9 feet to launch and retrive the wing.
Wingin' it
How well you do depends on the wings, and the draft of the boat. The wings on the 88 H23 are about 6" inches above the bottom of the fin and they stick out about 6" on each side. You'd have to heel the boat almost 45 degrees before the wings would touch, much less dig in. I've been aground more than I'd care to admit. On a soft bottom, heeling the boat and rocking back and forth by shifting weight side to side will free it. On a hard bottom, I use my transom swim ladder and step overboard. The loss of my weight is enough to free the boat and I just walk it back to deeper water. With the 27" draft, the water comes up to about mid-thigh. I admit that a swing keel makes launching and retrieving easier, but it's still doable with a fixed keel. You just have to be motivated enough. Besides, my boat feels very solid and I have no centerboard trunk crowding the cabin floor. Peter H23 "Raven"
How well you do depends on the wings, and the draft of the boat. The wings on the 88 H23 are about 6" inches above the bottom of the fin and they stick out about 6" on each side. You'd have to heel the boat almost 45 degrees before the wings would touch, much less dig in. I've been aground more than I'd care to admit. On a soft bottom, heeling the boat and rocking back and forth by shifting weight side to side will free it. On a hard bottom, I use my transom swim ladder and step overboard. The loss of my weight is enough to free the boat and I just walk it back to deeper water. With the 27" draft, the water comes up to about mid-thigh. I admit that a swing keel makes launching and retrieving easier, but it's still doable with a fixed keel. You just have to be motivated enough. Besides, my boat feels very solid and I have no centerboard trunk crowding the cabin floor. Peter H23 "Raven"
T
tom
a friend has a wing keel
and he says that it is like a four wheel drive. With a two wheel drive you get stuck close to the road and can get out. With a four wheel drive you get really stuck. His boat is a C-34 and draws about 42". He said that the one time he was aground it was very hard to get off and that he wishes he had a regular keel. He also said that he had touched bottom when turning under power. I love a swing keel for gunk holes. Also we could literally put the bow on the beach most places. The only thing I disliked about a swing keel is that under some conditions it would bang around. Another advantage of a swing keel is that you can balance the helm by raising or lowering it a little. Finally down wind raising the keel adds speed. Maybe a knot or so depending on the wind strength.
and he says that it is like a four wheel drive. With a two wheel drive you get stuck close to the road and can get out. With a four wheel drive you get really stuck. His boat is a C-34 and draws about 42". He said that the one time he was aground it was very hard to get off and that he wishes he had a regular keel. He also said that he had touched bottom when turning under power. I love a swing keel for gunk holes. Also we could literally put the bow on the beach most places. The only thing I disliked about a swing keel is that under some conditions it would bang around. Another advantage of a swing keel is that you can balance the helm by raising or lowering it a little. Finally down wind raising the keel adds speed. Maybe a knot or so depending on the wind strength.
J
Jim A
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