Dehler 39CWS Performance - Wing Keel (1.5m)Vs Deep fin (1.9m)?

[frym]

I would be interested to hear views on the relative sailing performances of the wing keel versus the deep fin versions of the Dehler 39CWS (or similar). Comments on the sailing performance of the wing keel version alone would also be valuable as would comments on wing keel general pros and cons.

 

[PaulR]

as a dehler fan hope your posting gets replies re 36 and 37 too as we have long fancied a wing keel version of one or the other

 

[Billjratt]

don't put a wing in the putty, peeps may try to drag you off sideways (especially if there's a language problem)

 

[rudolph_hart]

We have a Dehler 35CWS with a wing keel. Before that, we had two fin-keeled (1.7m draft) Dehler 34s, both of which we raced under CHS & IRC, as well as cruised.

While the reduced draft (1.5m vs. 1.95m) has proved to be a very real advantage on the East Coast, my main concern was that the wing keeler might be tender. This has proved not to be so, and the wing keel also seems to have a damping effect on pitching, making her 'feel' bigger.

Though I've not raced the boat, she's faster than the 34 and our windward performance is as good as I want. I couldn't live with a boat that won't sail well to windward (been there, done that with a gaff-rigged Leigh Cockler 35 years ago).

Although I've not touched the floor with her keel (yet), I would expect the fact that she draws more when heeled will enable us to 'touch & go' if we immediately luff to bring her upright, thus reducing draft.

I have allowed her to just touch a mud/shingle bottom at low water when at anchor, and we motored off easily because the wing 'tobogannned' over the surface of the mud/shingle.

If we do 'park her good & proper', we may well be in the sh*t. If the bottom is flat, she will stand upright on the wing and rudder(I've done this alongside scrubbing posts). If that happens, I guess it's "Nobody Move!" and pray for no wind. If she dries out heeled, the wing will lay her over much further than a fin.

Finally, Dehler don't fit a shorter rudder for the wing keel, so it draws almost the same as the keel.

 

[PaulR]

Rudolph,

be interested to see a photo of yours when dried out or ashore as on our 34 the rudder is within a whisker of touching the bottom when we dry out if the ground is anything other than firm and flat and if it is sloping noticeably and at all soft the rudder does ground - that is with our 1.7 m so with ,2 less suspect there must be hardly any clearance - good to hear that you have found the 35 wing goes so well - we just missed out earlier this year on a wing 37cr and the appeal of reduced draft continues (must be legacy of learning to sail on east coast and so far - finkeel/then lift keel/then fin keel/ then lift keel / then bilge and now back to fin again (different keels on different yachts!)

 

[rudolph_hart]

She's ashore at the moment, so I'll take a photo or two at the weekend and get back. We looked at a 36CWS with a wing (also 1.5m draft) but didn't care for the single electric winch or the dinette/linear galley layout.

 

[frym]

The Dehler 39CWS I have just seen in Holland indeed did have the rudder drawing about the same as the wing keel. See the YBW brokerage listing for photos of this boat.

 

[rudolph_hart]

The similar draft of wing keel & rudder has its pros & cons. When drying out (hopefully intentionally), it means she'll sit on the keel and the rudder tip more or less level fore & aft.

However, it can make the rudder tip vulnerable. In the Goes canal in Holland, while waiting for a bridge to open, we moved over to the side to allow a rowing 8 to go through (under the closed bridge), and we clipped the bottom and knocked about an inch off the rudder tip- easily fixed.

We learned from that, and make allowances for it.