34' Triangle Ketch?

[sarahjh22]

Anyone know much about the Triangles? I've found a little info on them saying that they were made by Grampion at one time. Can only find info on a 32' though. Would they be considered blue water cruising capable?

[Mike OReilly]

Hi sarahjh22, I just sold a Grampian 34 ketch, which we had for close to 10 years. The design was based on the Triangle 32, which I really don't know much about. But check out this page on the Grampian owners website.

Grampian 34s were designed as solid, comfortable coastal cruisers, but many have sailed across oceans. They were built simple, solid and strong. I would not hesitate to take one off shore as long as it was maintained and upgraded appropriately. In fact, that was my plan until footitis took hold and we moved up to our current 37-footer.

[sarahjh22]

Thanks Mike. We are going to look at a boat this weekend that is listed as a 1966 34' Triangle Ketch but I'm thinking it's either a 32' Triangle or a 34' Grampion. We're in the PNW and plan to liveaboard and eventually sail south to Mexico, cruise around the Sea of Cortez and maybe points beyond. By your experience it sounds like this boat has potential to do this with the proper outfitting etc.

[Mike OReilly]

Given the age I bet it's a Triangle 32. I don't think they started building Grampian 34s until the about 1972.

Give it a good critical going over. Get a survey if you can. It's a old boat, so a lot will depend on its maintenance history, but if it's as good as my old Grampian, you will have a good, solid platform to build on.

Hope the viewing goes well .

[wristwister]

Hi Sarah, Dan from The Lab here. I saw this Triangle come up too. Interesting boat at what may be a decent price.

One concern: it appears this model may be very shallow keel with retractible center board, can't tell for sure. If so, it may not have the stability needed for the open ocean.

Good luck in your boat search!

Edit: Just found this: http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=3260

Looks like TWO centerboards! I've never heard of such a configuration. Sounds complicated. And only 3000 Lb ballast for a 32 footer, seems a bit light. I'd really question how such a configuration would do in big wind and heavy seas. Also a fairly short mast for such a size, I'd question whether this thing can point itself off a lee shore, which I consider a major safety factor.

[sarahjh22]

Hey Dan! We did go and view the boat and it appeared to be super solid with some great upgrades such as new engine and rigging but after researching a bit we decided against it for our purposes. I think it might be a great buy for someone looking for a sturdy coastal cruiser that appears to need mainly a bunch of cosmetic work.

[wristwister]

Did it really have two centerboards?

[squarpeg]

I own a 1964 triangle 32 pilothouse. I have never heard of a triangle 34. They made a grampian 34 based somewhat on the triangle 32 but it had a different hull design and interior... so how close it was I am not sure. The triangle 32 was a center cockpit ketch and yes it had dual centerboards which is rare but I note that william tripp did also design some dual centerboard boats. Triangles are solid boats, the hull is hand laid old school thick, the interior is all wood, no fiberglass pans.

[Captain_D]

Very cool. I think I may have that exact boat that you are talking about Sarah... We purchased a 1964 Triangle 32' center cockpit masthead ketch in spring of 2013 from a young man named Harley out of Lake Washington. In my research I found another owner that re-powered it with a lister/petter LPWalpha3-30 hp diesel in 2007. She was in rough shape when we purchased her and we have been restoring our sailboat with plans of weighing anchor late summer 2016 for the south pacific... The keel boards are not even on the vessel and I'm not sure it needs them. In my research I found that this boat is very rare and out of the 3 that are still on the water I've found that one owner never used the dagger boards and the other owner only lowered the aft dagger-board one time.. She points fine in 25 to 30kt winds, just a little weather helm. I'm sure none of the sails are original or even fit the boat so once we finish the sail plan I'm sure she'll do fine.

[kjdavie01]

Realizing tha this thread is a bit cold, but I thought I'd chime in briefly, as we have one of the other remaining - and I believe one of the best preserved - Triangle 32's, based in Rockland Maine.
"Sionna" is hull #11. The hull was built in 1963 by Grampian in Canada, and finished out in Rochester NY by Triangle yachts.
Other comments are pretty accurate - two tandem (stainless steel) centerboards, the primary is centered and improves her pointing significantly when close to the wind, the aft is seldom used but does settle her down from the usual corkscrew motion when running downwind. If you forget it's down she WILL NOT tack!
Very comfortable, slightly under-rigged as you would expect for a boat with her relatively light ballast/weight ratio, and built like a brick outhouse, with very nice wood furniture and double cabins.
I'd say an excellent coastal cruiser (we'll be taking her to Florida from Maine in Fall 2016) winter and a passable blue-water boat IF properly equipped and sailed within her limitations, but ocean crossings was not her primary mission as designed.
For what it's worth - we love her!

[Captain_D]

Thanks for the in-put kjdavie01
We are refitting our Triangle32' center cockpit masthead ketch and just got the center boards back in with an ATV wench for the hoisting system ... I would agree with you... the center boards gave her much better performance, it's like we woke her up... she points well now with no weather helm... Habihoba is the name of our vessel. it was built in NS Canada and the hull was laid in Rochester NY then shipped out here from the great lakes, Chicago area to the Pacific NW in 97 and we have the only one on the west coast...
We have restored our vessel and gearing up for a 4 year open ocean voyage... I know, some would say we're crazy but I believe she is sea worthy due to the short rig.
I would love to connect and see some photo's of your vessel
I can be found on most media platforms
Darius Dayton aka bakatcha
HabiHoba <- our carefree philosophy