Wauquiez 33 Gladiateur vs. more traditional boats for Cruising

[stipakb]

I am considering buying a Wauquiez 33 Gladiateur for cruising - to Mexico and maybe beyond.

I have also considered more traditional cruising designs: Valiant 32, Pacific Seacraft 34, Cape Dory 33. These boats differ from the Wauquiez 33 in:

1. elongated fin keel or cutaway full keel, versus higher-aspect fin keel
2. less beamy (10 to 10.4, vs. 11)
3. slightly greater displacement (11.8k to 13.5k, vs. 11k).
4. shorter LWL (24.5 to 26.3 vs. 27.3)
5. substantially heavier, measured by Disp/LWL (300 to 404, vs. 253)

If selecting a Wauquiez 33 compared to a Valiant 32, Pacific Seacraft 34, or Cape Dory 33, how much would I give up in tracking stability and in seakindliness in strong conditions?

Thanks for any comments!

Brian Stipak
Portland, Oregon

[blt2ski]

I've never heard any one say a Wauquiez is a bad sailing/tracking boat personally. I would take the Wauquiez over the ones mentioned too! There is something to be said about the ability to go faster at times too!

The only issue with the Wauquiez would be the keel depth depening upon where you are sailing at. Some area's over 5' of draft is supposidly an issue. Like maybe down on the columbia where you are currently, otherwise, once you get on the ocean, no issues! Dpeth guage is not usually registering any how!

You might also look at the 36' Preditor from Wauquiez too. I know a number of the have done the Vic/maui among other ocean races.

My .02 for what it is worth these days. You

[sailingdog]

BTW, it is a Pretorien 35, not a Preditor 36...

All four are fairly decent boats. Of the four, I would probably pick the PSC 34 over the others, followed by the Waq.