Draft of 1996 Mark II

[Barling]

Catalina published the draft of the 310 as 4'3', but it is actually 4'10", published the draft of the 320 as 4'3", but it is actually 4'10"+.  What is the "actual measured" draft of the Mark II 34, specifically the l996 model if there is any difference?

[Stu Jackson]

My understanding is that the wing keel draft is measured two ways:  one, at rest, horizontal; two, when heeled.  Heeled will give a deeper draft, hence the need to only go aground with a wing keel when sailing closehauled, so when you turn around the keel gets shallower!

[Barling]

All figures I"ve posted are "at rest" measurements.  I'm seeking confirmation of these measurements.  Thanks.

[Stu Jackson]

The Brouchures section of this website has all the statistics you are looking for.

[Barling]

Stu:  Go look at the statistics for a 310 and a 320 printed before this fall and then go measure any such boats built before this fall and you will receive an education.  Many of those owners did not believe it either without measuring a hull out of the water or speaking with a dealer confronted with the question.  Catalina has been replacing keels.  I do realize the 34 will is different in that they cut off a fin while the 310 and 320  formed wing was attached to a built up stuff(which was probably the problem).  I thank you for your response and others who may response as this is what these message boards are all about.

[beang]

Barling,
Out of curiosity, what made you suspect that 310 and 320 keels were deeper than their spec's indicated?  It never occurred to me to prowl the boat yards with a plumb bulb and a tape measure.  IMHO, a little deeper keel is a good thing, the boat should point better and a lower CG would allow you to carry more sail longer.  Do these two "out of spec" boats race?  And if so, how do they perform against their PHRF ratings?

As a general question, what is the minimum depth that C34 skippers are willing to sail in?  I'm not talking about marinas which we all expect to be shallow.  Until last year, 30 foot  was as shallow as I cared to get (yes, I'm a chicken).   Then I went up the Napa river, 18' (sweaty palms, cotton mouth).  Then later, on to San Leandro, 8' (heart palpitations, hyperventilation).   My concern in shallow depths is the accuracy of the chart, the ability to estimate the exact tide for that point and time, and the fear of hitting a submerged object like a drowned piling or a sunken shopping cart.  Is there any cure for my fear of shallow water?  I did suffer a traumatic experience in hitting a rock some 20 years ago.

[Captain Bob]

At 8' I start to slow the boat way down. At 6' I begin to mutter to myself about how much Insurance I really have on the boat. At 5' I am at dead slow saying small prayers that the bottom is nice soft mud. Below 5' I don't go. I also cheat since my depthsounder is set for 0 offset and it is really about a foot or so under the water at the leading edge of the keel.

[Stu Jackson]

While it is assumed that the water in SF Bay is deep, it isn't in most places, only the main shipping channels.  When we bought our PO boat two and a half years ago, the PO didn't know at what setting the depthsounder would advise of the real bottom.  Since I frequently travel in thin water, over soft mud, I tried it out, and determined that my depthsounder, with my keel, with the usual stuff on board, will hit at 4.4.  Therefore, I try to stay above 4.4 on the depthsounder.  When I see 5.0, that's my warning.  Seems to me that the effort to set the sounder to some specific offset or real actual depth may be a time consuming but unnecessary exercise.  Of course, if all you've got are rocky bottoms in your neighborhood, this concept isn't quite as useful.

beang's concern about shallow water is understandable.  One way to overcome that would be to rent a bareboat in the Bahamas where shallow water is a way of life, and you get a nice vacation to boot!

[bjmansfield]

Rather depends on what your used to.  The entire gulf coast from FL. to Brownsville, TX. is very thin.  Corpus Christi Bay is approx 15 miles X 20 miles in size with average depth of maybe 9 ft and much less in places. Around Galveston you can be 30 miles offshore in less than 60 ft.  The ICW probably runs an average of 10-12 feet deep but dont get to close to the sides.  
And the gulf side of FL is just as bad.  You just have to get used to the fact that you will run aground.  Fortunately, the bottom is sand/mud mostly, very few rocks but lots of oyster beds in places.
The plus side is we seldom anchor in water over 8 feet deep