CS 33 Shoal draft sailing qualities.

[Siberianhusky]

Can anyone tell me the good, bad or ugly about the sailing qualities of the shoal draft version?
Not exactly boat shopping but as they say the best deals appear when you aren't looking. (ya right it's a boat!)
Found one close to home that has an extensive recent refit including repower(For real! Not the famous - "new engine 1996"), all sails are newish (in the last decade so some may even still be servicable).
Problem (possible) is it's the shoal draft version.

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by Siberianhusky

Can anyone tell me the good, bad or ugly about the sailing qualities of the shoal draft version?
Not exactly boat shopping but as they say the best deals appear when you aren't looking. (ya right it's a boat!)
Found one close to home that has an extensive recent refit including repower(For real! Not the famous - "new engine 1996"), all sails are newish (in the last decade so some may even still be servicable).
Problem (possible) is it's the shoal draft version.

Not sure why shoal draft is a problem. Lots of areas on Lake Ontario are much more navigable with shoal draft! It won't go upwind like the deep keel version but any time you have 5ft or less draft is a major plus. Frenchmans bay (east of Toronto) now has very skinny water and will only be navigable outside of the designated channels if you have shoal draft and this years expected high water!

[robert sailor]

CS yachts were very nicely built boats with good all around sailing qualities. On average a better built boat than C&C yachts. I owned and sailed a CS36 Traditional offshore for a couple of years and I was more than pleased with it. The 33 while smaller had similar sailing qualities. I'd highly recommend the brand if it was well maintained.

[Siberianhusky]

Thanks Robert, I'm very familiar with the brand and have sailed the standard draft 33, plus dozens of 27 and 30's. If I wasn't a 99% of the time solo sailor the 36 would be near the top of my list. I'm not even sure I want the 33. This one just appears to be worth a look if I decide I can tolerate the shoal draft version. LOL spring and just happened to be looking at adds....always a dangerous thing to do if you aren't boat shopping at the time.
To be honest I probably won't bother looking at it.

[Tetepare]

As said, the shoal draft will inhibit pointing upwind, but that's about it.


I've sailed Lake Ontario for 26 years with a shoal draft, and love it.



I got into Fisherman's Cove, but our companion with an identical boat with a full keel could not, forcing us to cross the lake.


I sat out a massive storm in Rusho Bay, in a meter of water, keel buried in the mud and watched a tornado go overhead.


We got into Fairhaven (Little Sodus) during a low water season, when other boats, having previously bumped, wouldn't enter the channel.


I've seen two boats hit Barn Rock off the Sodus lighthouse. I've yet to see a low-water year we wouldn't clear it.


When Schoolhouse Bay on Main Duck was busy, we squeezed past everyone and anchored far in.


We never haul early because the water at the dock is too low.



We can take "shortcuts" others dare not. We can get into anchorages others cannot. We can anchor off the south shore beaches and walk ashore. And I can anchor and walk around the boat to wash the waterline.

[Siberianhusky]

I'll accept that I won't be happy with the performance of the boat and won't bother looking at it.
Thanks for the info.
Mods can close this thread now.

[GordMay]

CS Yacht Owners West ➥ CS 33 - CS West

[Siberianhusky]

Originally Posted by GordMay

CS Yacht Owners West ➥ CS 33 - CS West

Thanks, I looked through there and read Pats review last night, nobody wants to talk about the shoal draft version for some reason.
This was a last resort long shot for getting some straight info.
No worries wasn't really shopping, just a seemingly nicely taken care of boat that briefly caught my eye.

When you add a number of things up the shoal draft was the final nail in the coffin even without looking at the boat in question. I'm also not nuts about V drives and the resulting maintenance access, but that wouldn't have been a deal breaker on a deep draft version...
Owned enough boats over the years to know what I like and don't like, too many checks in the don't like column and the boat is off the list.
No boat is ideal but some are much closer than others for your own personal use.

[KP44]

I have two friends here on the Sea of Cortez with shoal keels and they both sail comfortably to windward. Neither moves like my tall cutter rig, but few boats do.

[Scaramanga F25]

Many years ago I repaired the broken fiberglass inner liner grid, in the bilge, above the keel. So a week spot for sure, otherwise I like the boat...just don't run aground.

[Siberianhusky]

Originally Posted by KP44

I have two friends here on the Sea of Cortez with shoal keels and they both sail comfortably to windward. Neither moves like my tall cutter rig, but few boats do.

Thanks for the reply, even though CS's are great boats I'm not willing to give up windward performance when there is a deep draft version.
Different if a boat is designed that way from the start, chopping a bunch off the keel and adding extra ballast to make up for the fact you lost that weight down low just doesn't inspire confidence. You've just got a heavier boat that doesn't point as well.
In some areas this might not be a big deal, if you are in an area where the prevailing winds mean one way of your sail is going to be upwind 90% of the time it makes a big difference.
Chalk it up to an add with pictures of a shiny very pretty boat, next morning it the light of day it isn't so appealing. LOL I really mean it, saw the add last night.
Whole reason you buy a boat with your head NOT heart!

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by Siberianhusky

This one just appears to be worth a look if I decide I can tolerate the shoal draft version. LOL spring and just happened to be looking at adds....always a dangerous thing to do if you aren't boat shopping at the time.
To be honest I probably won't bother looking at it.

I'm on Lake Ontario, and I'm looking for my next boat...and the CS33 shoal draft model is on my short list. My cruising ground is the 1000 islands region, and shallow draft opens up a lot more area...the interesting stuff, off the main channels, shortcuts, and shallow docks.

There was a CS33 shoal draft in Brockville for sale last fall, but I was too slow and missed it. Is there another for sale on Lake Ontario...I tried to send you (Siberianhusky) a PM but apparently thats not possible to your account...don't know why. Could you please pass along the contact info...??? You could PM me, or just post on this thread...thanks!!!

FWIW, I'm considering a local 1980 Hunter 33 with shoal draft for sale. Although similar on paper, I think the CS is a much better built boat, and more suited to coastal cruising.

...and if anyone else out there knows of a decent boat for sale at a good price on or near Lake Ontario, I'd be happy to hear from you. Yes, I'm already following many online sources...but I find the best boats don't need to be advertised...and they sell quickly. Seeking 30-35 feet, good diesel like yanmar or beta, tiller prefered, shoal draft, lots of bunks, more bluish water than racer...to keep the dream of heading south alive. THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!!

A sailor without a boat is like a cowboy without a horse.

[Siberianhusky]

Originally Posted by Scaramanga F25

Many years ago I repaired the broken fiberglass inner liner grid, in the bilge, above the keel. So a week spot for sure, otherwise I like the boat...just don't run aground.

I hear ya, not just an issue on Cs's. Seems to be a common point of failure on many of the "grid boats".

Seen and heard some interesting/horrific things when the crane sets a boat on the cradle for winter storage. Amazing how much the hull flexes as the weight is loading onto the keel. Can just imagine what it must look like the moment of impact in a grounding.

[Siberianhusky]

Originally Posted by hamburking

I'm on Lake Ontario, and I'm looking for my next boat...and the CS33 is on my short list. I tried to send you (Siberianhusky) a PM but apparently thats not possible to your account...don't know why.

There was a CS33 shoal draft in Brockville for sale last fall, but I was too slow and missed it. Is there another for sale on Lake Ontario...could you please pass along the contact info...??? You could PM me, or just post on this thread...thanks!!!

FWIW, I'm considering a local 1980 Hunter 33 with shoal draft for sale. Although similar on paper, I think the CS is a much better built boat, and more suited to coastal cruising.

Hmm. Guy named Andy selling the Hunter? LOL he bought his just last summer.

Kijiji add, boat is on Georgian Bay if I remember right. Didn't bookmark it assumed I'd be able to find it again.

Pat Sturgeon currently has 3 listed all shoal draft mid 30's. I don't think one of them has sails that are worth anything, pretty sure 2 still have the originals from the 80's. Amazed I can't find any solid sailing info about the damn things!
Saw a C&C 32 also on kijiji in Windsor with a really nice suite of very recent sails looks to be set up more for racing than crusing at the moment. Wasn't much of any comfort gear listed in the add.

[Scaramanga F25]

In PHRF ratings, shoal-draft performance is given 6 seconds per mile advantage to equal deeper draught.
Simply and quite approximately, in a closed course in 5 minutes the deep keel will have gained a boat length on the shoal version. In my racing experience, the better skipper easily makes up the difference.
The CS30 is almost as fast as the CS34.