Sailboatdata.com error re: C&C 34 designer

[sgwright67]

Recently, someone on the EYO forums mentioned to me that the C&C 34, being a Bruce King design, might be one I should keep an eye out for, and there was actually one for sale near Seattle I believe.

I recently learned that the attribution of Bruce King as the designer for the C&C 34 (1977, not the later 34) is not correct, according to the chief designer at C&C during this time, Rob Ball. The fact that Rob currently owns a 34 would seem to support this, as it seems highly unlikely that a prominent designer would choose to own a boat designed by a rival. I don't have much more information, but am curious if anyone knows why Bruce King might have been credited with this design. I am a big fan of both Bruce and Rob's designs, but I'm also a fan of accuracy!

edit: From this page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_W._Ball

"Classic production and custom boats like the C&C 33, 34, 35 and C&C 40 and 41s, Amazing Grace, Magistri, Silver Shadow, Charisma, Archangel, and many more came off Rob’s drawing board and out of the design office under Rob’s supervision. "

 

[Christian Williams]

If you let the folks at sailboatdata know the error, and the correction, they will make it.

https://sailboatdata.com/contact

 

[sgwright67]

If you let the folks at sailboatdata know the error, and the correction, they will make it.

https://sailboatdata.com/contact

Done, thanks.

 

[bgary]

Innnnnteresting.

Until recently, sailboatdata showed Bruce King as the designer, and now shows Rob Ball.

I know that Rob Ball was the "designer of record" of pretty much everything that came out of the C&C shop during his time as "lead designer", but I had always heard that Bruce King designed the -34. And if you look at the lines, other than the cut-away trailing edge on the keel, the hull-lines are very very very similar to an Ericson 32-III/34-II/35-III.

The Wiki article (linked above) does NOT include the 34 among the list of Rob Ball's designs at the bottom of the page.

I'm starting to believe there was someone on the grassy knoll....

EDITED to add: the Wikipedia page for the C&C-34 does list Bruce King as the designer

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C&C_34

Maybe @Martin King could ask for a definitive answer?

Bruce

 

[sgwright67]

Innnnnteresting.

Until recently, sailboatdata showed Bruce King as the designer, and now shows Rob Ball.

I know that Rob Ball was the "designer of record" of pretty much everything that came out of the C&C shop during his time as "lead designer", but I had always heard that Bruce King designed the -34. And if you look at the lines, other than the cut-away trailing edge on the keel, the hull-lines are very very very similar to an Ericson 32-III/34-II/35-III.

The Wiki article (linked above) does NOT include the 34 among the list of Rob Ball's designs at the bottom of the page.

I'm starting to believe there was someone on the grassy knoll....

EDITED to add: the Wikipedia page for the C&C-34 does list Bruce King as the designer

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C&C_34

Maybe @Martin King could ask for a definitive answer?

Bruce

Sailboatdata just made the change based on my email (which of course just proves that you can't rely on their data!

Wikipedia got their data from Sailboatdata...

Rob Ball has confirmed that the 34 was a C&C design, and that Bruce King did not design any of the C&Cs. And he owns a 34.

I can't speak to the similarities as I have a hard time seeing details on the tiny drawings online, but the C&C 34 predates those boats by a few years (1977); the Ericson 34-1 followed it in '78, unless SBdata is wrong...

They're all great boats, of course!