The Catalina 380, initially emerging from the factory in 1997, is one of the best cruising boats ever designed. A boat that could fit a sugar scoop transom, an island bed in the aft cabin in a conventional aft cockpit sloop and offer room to cruise has plenty to offer. But more on this design later. First, let’s look at the comparisons of its day.

Dufour 40

Dufour Yachts is a French producer that has been making boats since 1964. The Dufour 40 footer measures out to 40.41 ft. (12.32 m) and is a culmination of building experience and knowhow built into a performance-oriented cruising boat. Production of the 40 began in 2005 and, of all the boats we’re looking at in this article, the Dufour 40 is by far the fastest. If you’re a club racer, you’ll like the PHRF rating of 83. She is quick.

She is also spacious and accommodating with a 13 ft. (3.90 m) beam and, weighing in at 17,000 lb., she is all too happy to be out there 25 knots of wind with a reef in the main. With no wind at all she hustles along reliably with her 55 hp Volvo.

On the market, a reasonable condition Dufour 40 can be had for about $100,000 USD which makes the boat not only the fastest in this comparison, but also the most expensive.

Downsides

A downside to the Dufour 40 is the interior accommodations. Spacious as she may be, it appears that the designers were expecting more of a close quarter racing crew, not a small family. The V-berth would have to be considered the master stateroom. It’s the largest sleeping accommodating aboard but without a great deal of extra space. The two aft cabins are very tight doubles, more likely single berths.

Something to be aware of from a maintenance perspective, the 20-plus year old teak side decks will probably be in need of work. Watch out for deck core rot, which is an issue common with fastened teak decks.

Hunter Legend 40.5

Unlike the later model Hunters with the B&R rig, the Legend series of Hunters came with a regular backstay. Owners love these boats and there is an active, dedicated owners’ group ready to share wisdom on upgrades and maintenance. You won’t be alone with the purchase of a Hunter.

With an overall length of 40.17 ft. (12.24 m) she is the largest boat in this comparison group. At 20,000 lb. she is also the heaviest. But because of her age, 1991 to 1997, she will also be the least expensive in the group. A decent model will come in at around $75,000 USD. Where the Dufour only provided a V-berth as a master stateroom, the Legend 40.5, like the Catalina 380, provides room for an island bed in a reasonably spacious aft cabin.

Maneuvering under power should be relatively easy as power options were either a Volvo MD22L for the early models, or a JH4 series Yanmar. Club racers loved these boats because they are quick to the windward mark with a PHRF rating of 108.

Downsides

But the Legend does have its drawbacks. Being a 90s boat, there are things to look out for. Number one was the factory installed aluminum waste tanks. They are subject to early internal corrosion, so hopefully a previous owner has already replaced this item. The interior fit and finish is not quite as nice as the comparison boats, but these boats are getting old now. That age could also pose problems for financing and insurance.

Island Packet 35

If you can spell the word sailboat, you know the name Island Packet. Ocean going, full keel, and over-built; all those words synonymous with Island Packet. The 35 has an almost cult following-esque owners’ group. You’re not just buying a boat here, you’re buying into the Island Packet family. That can be a pretty big selling point.

A well-maintained boat can be had for about $85,000 USD. That sounds like a lot for the smallest, and oldest boat in this comparison. It was manufactured from 1988 to 1994, yet it is still fetching close to $100,000 USD. That is a testament to the longevity of these sturdy boats.

At 17,500 lb. for a 35-ft. boat and powered with reliable 35-hp Yanmar, the Island Packet is well suited for ocean work and keeping your family safe in a blow. With a full keel and relatively narrow 12-ft. (3.66 m) beam, she is by far the most comfortable boat in a seaway when compared to the others in this article. Island Packet has been building these heavy boats for a long time—she has plenty of fiberglass and brute force strength.

But every boat is a compromise and Island Packet is no exception. With a full keel and maximum wetted surface, Island Packets may be comfortable but tend to be slow and much less likely to point to windward well. With a PHRF rating hovering around 185 she won’t be rounding any marks first. Compared to the other boats with fin keels and spade rudders, there will be more tacks to if your destination is to windward. Maneuvering in close quarters will also pose a challenge.

Downsides

Far and away though, research identifies a glaring problem with this boat—chainplates. Constructed during the 80s and 90s, Island Packet was using 304 stainless steel and imbedding the chainplates in the glasswork. This caused premature corrosion and chainplate failure. Not particularly reassuring for an ocean-going sailboat. If the boat has had the chainplates replaced, consider yourself fortunate. This project is both time consuming and excessively expensive. If the chainplates are replaced with 316 stainless steel, the boat would be a good choice.

One of the other compromises with this heavy design is that the narrow 12-ft. (3.66 m) beam limits the expected interior space for a 35 ft. (10.77 m) hull. As a true ocean-going boat you wouldn’t be sleeping in the V-berth anyway, but the very tight aft berth that runs fore and aft does not provide a great deal of space either. While it is appropriate in a seaway, it is probably not so comfortable at anchor or secured to a dock.

Hunter 386

One of the most popular boats in this comparison, the Hunter 386, is hard to beat as far as comfort goes. At 16,000 lb. she is relatively light but still heavy enough to do some coastal cruising and island hopping. The average PHRF rating hovers around 140, certainly not the fastest in this comparison. Powered with a reliable 40-hp Yanmar, the Hunter 386 has a 12-ft. 6-in. (3.83 m) beam and very generous freeboard, making for one of the most livable interiors of sailboats in this class.

The 386 is from the 380 family of Hunters and owners love them as floating condominiums or summer cottages, frequently anchoring out for days on end in their favorite spots. This is a very livable boat for weekends and extended trips.

The 386 provides a reasonable master stateroom aft with a bed athwartships. The first one in will have to climb over the partner to get out in the middle of the night. The V-berth is also a reasonable size with a small vanity, but not much in the way of everyday storage.

Downsides

Where this boat falls short for some sailors is in the sailing department. While the Hunter 386 sails just fine, this is the Hunter with the B&R rig that doesn’t have a back stay. The mast is supported fore and aft by raked spreaders and additional rigging. Trimming the massive mainsail for that last bit of boat speed can become frustrating for the sailing enthusiasts. The aft raked spreaders prevent the main from going all the way out on a broad reach or running downwind. With a fractional rig where most of the sail power is in the main, that can get on your nerves.

Stepping the mast for repair or winter storage can also become a real effort in removal and re-stepping. Mast tuning may best be left for professionals.

Beneteau Oceanis 373

The boat that compares best with the Catalina 380 is the Beneteau 373. It is in relatively the same price bracket on the used boat market at about $80,000 USD—the Catalina 380 and Beneteau 373 are trimmed out about the same. They have the same beam at just over 12 ft. (3.7 m), allowing for generally the same amount of space in the salon.

The interior of the Oceanis is laid out similar to the Catalina, with the L-shaped galley and aft head with separate shower stall. There is an adequate aft cabin, whoever climbs into the athwartship bed first is trapped there. Need to use the facilities in the middle of the night? Climb over your mate to get out.

The average PHRF rating for the Beneteau 373 is 130, comparing favorably with the Catalina 380’s 126. The Beneteau 373 came with a 40-hp 3JH4E Yanmar.

One of the downsides with the Beneteau line is the cast iron keel, a perpetual maintenance issue. The boats are kind of the same tool for the same job. But that’s where the similarities end.

Catalina 380

The Catalina 380 is a full foot and a half longer than the Beneteau Oceanis 373. Catalina used that extra length to provide a longitudinal bed with access on both sides. Clever.

The Beneteau is spry at 14,000 lb. and performs well in light air, is quick around the marks and a lot of fun to sail. But the Catalina is almost in a different class. This is likely the most important difference between these boats, the Catalina 380, and all of its competition. The Catalina is a full 5,000 lb. heavier at 19,000 lb. in weight before you add water, fuel and cruising gear. Grossing at 20,000 lb. ready to sail, the Catalina will provide a more comfortable ride, and is more capable in a squall or big waters. When you’re halfway across the gulf stream from Florida and things get scary, you’re going to wish you had bought the Catalina. The slightly higher PHRF rating of 126 won’t mean much.

Owners’ Opinion

In discussion with Catalina 380 owners, it was learned that most shopped around a lot, even creating spread sheets to document different models, pros and cons, resale values, and capsize ratios. Catalina owners are pretty smart, careful sailors. The general consensus was that they love their 380. Of course they do, they have one. The 380 was better than anything else they looked at. They loved the cockpit layout, the interior space, the galley, the massive salon, and simply adored the aft cabin island bed. Although the aft cabin is generally the accepted sleeping quarter, the V-berth is also large enough for a 6 footer’s comfort. The headroom was most welcome for those sailors over 6 ft. in height. They loved the separate shower stall in the head, which is a luxury on a 38 ft sailboat. They loved the over-weight build of the boat, and not bothering to reef until well past 20 knots.

Catalina 380 Specs

Sailboat Specifications	Courtesy of Sailboatdata.com
Hull Type:	Fin w/spade rudder
Rigging Type:	Masthead Sloop
LOA:	38.42 ft / 11.71 m
LWL:	32.42 ft / 9.88 m
S.A. (reported):	723.00 ft² / 67.17 m²
Beam:	12.33 ft / 3.76 m
Displacement:	19,000.00 lb / 8,618 kg
Ballast:	6,800.00 lb / 3,084 kg
Max Draft:	7.17 ft / 2.19 m
Construction:	FG
First Built:	1997
Builder:	Catalina Yachts (USA)
Designer:	G. Douglas / Catalina
Make:	Westerbeke
Type:	Diesel
HP:	42
Fuel:	26 gals / 98 L
Water:	102 gals / 386 L
S.A. / Displ.:	16.31
Bal. / Displ.:	35.79
Disp: / Len:	248.92
Comfort Ratio:	30.24
Capsize Screening Formula:	1.85
S#:	2.12
Hull Speed:	7.63 kn
Pounds/Inch Immersion:	1,428.31 pounds/inch
I:	50.92 ft / 15.52 m
J:	14.67 ft / 4.47 m
P:	44.83 ft / 13.66 m
E:	15.67 ft / 4.78 m
S.A. Fore:	373.50 ft² / 34.70 m²
S.A. Main:	351.24 ft² / 32.63 m²
S.A. Total (100% Fore + Main Triangles):	724.74 ft² / 67.33 m²
S.A./Displ. (calc.):	16.35
Est. Forestay Length:	52.99 ft / 16.15 m

The Beneteau is newer, manufactured from 2004 on. The Catalina is a bit older and may be harder to finance and insure. Unlike the Beneteau, the Catalina 380 started production with a Westerbeke 42-hp diesel, eventually switching over to the Yanmar 3JH series at Hull #225 in 2000.

Engine access is under the companionway steps for the front of the engine, and then a large box structure in the aft cabin is removable allowing unfettered access to the aft end of the engine and transmission.

Downsides

But as with any boat, there were some complaints. Sleeping in the aft cabin island bed, the headroom is very low under a box that contains the steering pedestal gear. It’s a relatively small box, but probably right where you don’t want it.

There is very limited space in the galley for cooking gear. More storage would have been nice. Most owners would have liked to see the open storage selves in the salon as cabinets, which would clean up the space visually and keep items in place when the going gets rough.

On deck, the mainsheet arrangement is available at the trailing edge of the cabin trunk, both port and starboard side. It gets a bit awkward. Most sailors simply put a stopper knot at one end and adjust the mainsheet on the other. With a massive interior, the cabin trunk is taller than that of the Beneteau. Getting around on deck, particularly towards the bow, is a bit more difficult. The cockpit table has supports that always break, which is an expensive repair each time.

But the biggest complaint, by far, was early 380 owners wishing they had a Yanmar instead of the Westerbeke. Owners have reported burned/broken valves a long way from home and having to limp back at low speed on less than all four cylinders. Reports of issues with the Westerbekes are all too common.

Conclusion

If you’re in the market for a 35- to 40-ft. sailboat under $100,000 USD, you too are compiling spreadsheets to get the most value for hard earned dollars—you’ll find that the Catalina 380 quickly rises to the top. After weighing all the pros and cons, and all other things being equal, it may just come down to that aft cabin bed. And that may be a good enough reason.

MARKET SCAN

Market Scan	Contact
1997 Catalina 380	Crow's Nest Yachts
$110,000 USD	949-779-5575
San Diego, California	Yacht World
2001 Catalina 380	Southwind Marine LLC
$125,000	414-626-1490
Milwaukee, Wisconsin	Yacht World
1999 Catalina 380	Bluenose Yacht Sales- Newport
$82,000	508-419-9304
Warwick, Rhode Island	Yacht World

The post The $100K Cruiser Showdown: How the Catalina 380 Stacks Up appeared first on Practical Sailor.

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Ironically, the evolution of boatbuilding techniques engendered by the fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) revolution has brought us closer to the primitive dugout canoe. Like the dugout canoe, the contemporary fiberglass sailboat is a skin-stressed structure: Most of the structural loads are spread and dissipated in the same material that works to keep water out and provide buoyancy. Building boats with a heavy timber framework and adding planks to create a watertight skin have gone the way of cotton sails.

However, wood is still a viable material, especially when used in veneers or sheets and bonded with epoxy glue. This approach allows a builder to easily bend batten-like veneers over a male jig to cold-mold a seamless, monocoque hull. Multi-chine metal boats are also built over a male jig that often becomes part of the framework, and plating is attached with an arc welder rather than epoxy resin. Round-bilge development made of aluminum or steel is a more challenging process, as shaping compound curves in flat metal requires specialized jigs and shape formers, plus highly skilled metal workers.

The bottom line is that well over 90 percent of recreational sailboats built today are fiberglass, built in female molds; these boats will be the main focus of this discussion of sailboat structure.

Understanding Scantlings

To better recognize how sailboat structures vary, we need to understand what is meant by scantlings. This traditional boatbuilding term originally referred to the thickness of planks and the spacing and cross-section of ribs, frames, and other key timbers used to reinforce the hull. Higher scantlings correlated with stronger and heavier hulls and decks.

From the earliest days of boatbuilding, there were appropriate scantlings for inshore light-duty craft and higher scantlings for ocean-going vessels enduring more arduous conditions. This habit of designing and building to the demand of a vessel’s mission continues today, and it’s no surprise that an around-the-world raceboat, which must endure bone-jarring slamming loads, incorporates structural details that are alien to run-of-the-mill sailboats at local boat shows. A crew preparing to wander down the Intracoastal Waterway has no need for a hull and deck that’s fortified to endure the torment of the Roaring Forties, but that’s no excuse for shortcuts in critical load-bearing areas.

The Design Process

When approached by a builder with an idea for a new recreational sailboat, naval architects prefer to have a clear picture of the boat’s mission spelled out in the specifications (specs). Vague or wide-ranging specs understandably make a naval architect nervous. The problems of an ill-defined or vaguely defined mission are compounded when a boat that was intended as a superior coastal cruiser is touted by over-enthusiastic brokers as a go-anywhere passagemaker. This sort of mission creep can lead to serious trouble for the crew.

European Standards

Working under the auspices of the International Organization of Standards (ISO), European boatbuilders have developed a Small Craft Directive that defines four categories of usage based upon specific structure and stability attributes: ocean, offshore, inshore, and sheltered waters. The consensus among most naval architects is that this is a good approach, but there are some questions over the efficacy of vessels that just squeak into the bottom-end of the ocean category—Category A.

The Problem With Vague Standards

Ocean-approved Category A boats are defined as designed for extended voyages where conditions may exceed wind force 8 (Beaufort scale; fresh gale, 34- to 40-knot winds) and significant wave heights of 4 meters (approximately 13 feet) and above, but excluding abnormal conditions. In our view, this abnormal label is too vague, rife with waffle words that leave the consumer wondering why force winds and 4-meter seas were spelled out rather than putting an upper limit on the operational range as exists with the three other categories.

Interestingly, in the original draft of the guidelines, there was a reference to force 10 and under conditions, but this was watered down in later drafts. Now, terms like avoiding abnormal conditions leave a consumer wondering if a severe thunderstorm, gale, extra-tropical storm, or tropical storm, fall under the abnormal label, or whether it’s hurricanes and the worst of extra-tropical storms that deserve such billing. Naturally, a hurricane would be regarded as abnormal, but what about a severe thunderstorm?

The EU did a much better job specifying missions with empirical references in Categories B, C and D. So why not Category A, arguably the category in which hull structure is most critical?

Some say there’s nothing wrong with waffling on the structural mission for Category A, especially since most coastal cruisers aren’t launching off wave faces at 20 knots and dropping into troughs. However, when you’re caught offshore in a nasty gale or storm, and can hear and feel the stress and strain wracking the hull, knowing that your boat barely makes it over a vaguely defined threshold for an ocean-going boat offers little reassurance. When the chips are down, staying afloat is the number one priority, and the boat’s structure becomes paramount.

An Absence of Data

One of the reasons we assume that our boats—even those built to deliberately vague standards—are quite bulletproof is the encouraging statistics revealed by loosely compiled data. New boats sailed in inshore or coastal waters have a very good track record when it comes to tallying up an equal number of departures and arrivals. The cheerful brokers claim that coastal cruiser X has seen hundreds of thousands of miles at sea is true—to a point. Look closer, and you’ll find that those so-called sea miles include hour upon hour of summer bay sails.

For better or worse, accidents at sea tend to grab headlines—at least those in which lives are in peril. We can all recall news stories about a one-design keelboat swamping, a crew colliding with a reef, or a vessel run down at sea. More often than not, though, these offer an example of operator error rather than a structural shortfall. And if there is a structural issue, it rarely gets publicized.

Obvious Structural Failures

There are other instances, however, in which a structural failure seems obvious (at least to the knowledgeable sailor), and apparently induced by nothing but the sea and wind—the keel of a racing sailboat snaps off, the oversized window of a cruising boat gives way to a boarding sea.

When these types of incidents occur, justifiable outrage ricochets through the forums, and for a short time, there’s some serious thought given to a wide range of structural changes. So far, however, regulatory bodies in the United States, most noticeably the U.S. Coast Guard, American Bureau of Shipping, and voluntary agencies such as the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) have side-stepped the structural issue. As a result, recreational boat builders in the U.S. are left to adopt their own version of appropriate scantlings. When failures like a spate of broken rudders occur, only then are changes made.

The Impact of Litigation

In the end, U.S. sailors must often depend on the courts to determine whether a builder or design is at fault. Sadly, many court cases involving major structural failures are resolved through out-of-court settlements that conclude with a gag order. Gag orders keep the problem and potential solutions from becoming part of the public record for a specified period of time. In the realm of production boats, this approach ignores owners of sisterships that might suffer the same defect. The U.S. Coast Guard has begun taking a closer look how the marine version of an automotive recall should be handled.

One of the greatest impediments to more rigorous structural standards is the lack of data. Despite the headline-grabbing nature of maritime accidents, many structural failures involve no loss of life, and are resolved in the boatyard rather than the courts. When it comes to older boats and more off-the-beaten-path voyaging, the data gets even murkier. Even the Coast Guard is not tracking incidents involving recreational vessels voyaging beyond territorial waters.

Then, there are the tragic incidents in which the details are lost at sea. A boat and crew that set sail on a lengthy passage never makes landfall, leaving more questions than answers in their wake. It is up to others to speculate whether the vessel was run down, consumed by fire, torn apart on a surf-swept reef, or succumbed to a structural flaw that left it open to the sea. With no advocates surviving the incident, there’s no feedback as to what actually went wrong.

Standard Industry Practice

Although less regulated than European boatbuilding, U.S. boatbuilding still has a pretty good track record when it comes to ensuring structural adequacy. However, the paradigm for building fiberglass boats has shifted over time, presenting new challenges.

The modern era in boatbuilding abides by a lighter-is-faster theme, presenting a two-fold challenge. First, there is cost: Legitimate lightweight boats are simply much more expensive to build. Second, there are technical challenges: Creating a structure that’s just as stiff, strong, and seaworthy as a structure that is 30-percent heavier requires specialized equipment and individuals skilled in fabrication with high-modulus materials.

These efforts make the most sense when it comes to racing boats or high-end performance cruisers. However, when a plant that has historically focused on high-volume production for the mainstream market tries to adopt the light-boat approach, the result is too often a lighter boat that misses out on the stronger element of high-tech construction. By cutting down on the materials and technical skills that go into building a lightweight structure, the safety margin shrinks, and the end result is a fragile product that isn’t cut out for the sea—an approach most builders and boat buyers would rather avoid.

The Early Days of Fiberglass

The 1960s ushered in a Wild West revolution in materials combined with a cautious East Coast approach to construction. On one side was a full-speed transition to molded FRP boatbuilding steered by some gifted, seat-of-the-pants engineering. On the other, there was an allegiance to traditional boatbuilding techniques. Many of the boats from this era have stood the test of time because of their solid FRP hulls, built with hand layups of alternating layers of 24-ounce woven roving and 1.5-ounce mat.

Built before the widespread use of the chopper-gun (an apparatus designed to apply a stream of resin and fiberglass filaments), the boats of this period involved a lot of hands-on elbow grease. Serrated rollers were used to force air bubbles out from between the layers of laminate to reduce the number of voids. A variation of this hand-layup process is still used at many builders today. In the 60s, with oil at $15 per barrel and polyester resin costing only a couple of dollars per gallon, thicker hull skins became the answer to most engineering challenges.

Increasing skin thickness was used to deliver both strength and stiffness throughout the boat. During this period, sailboat buyers had yet to latch onto lighter, faster boats, and builders had yet to equate less material with more profit.

In the end, what these overbuilt arks delivered was longevity. It’s no surprise to see a nicely refit 40- to 50-year-old, solid FRP sailboat still going strong.

Varying Density

In past decades, better engineering has led to the use of different-density material in different regions of a sailboat’s hull and deck. In high-stressed areas, such as where the keel joins the hull and where chainplates secure standing rigging, all lower-density core material is often removed, and a thicker solid laminate prevails. This is also true for hull-to-deck joints and where the rudderstock and prop shaft exit the hull. Elsewhere, the core material, and number and type of units (layers) of reinforcement depend upon the loads carried by that part of the hull skin.

Computer-aided finite element analysis helps engineers determine what locations in a specific panel or area of the hull will be subject to higher loads, and how these loads will spike when the boat is sailing or the panel is impacted by a point-load such as a rock or a reef. Factors such as righting and heeling moments significantly influence this data.

The Enemies are Time and Water

As time goes on, the cycle loads that continually pass through the structure, slowly but surely break down the resin bonds. The less bending a hull and deck endure, the slower the deterioration of the laminate. Keeping water, the universal solvent, out of the structure is vitally important. Freezing winter temperatures can further exacerbate inter-laminate shear issues: Balsa core will rot when wet, and heat and flex can damage foam. When a sandwich structure fails over a large area, associated repairs can be very costly and time consuming.

The hull and deck are the meat and potatoes of a sailboat, and when something is wrong with the engineering or build process of these structures, it’s a big problem that only gets worse. In many cases, the worst problems are localized to certain areas of the hull or deck, areas that might easily escape the notice of an untrained eye.

Identifying Stress Points

All it takes is a basic understanding of where forces are focused on the hull and deck of a sailboat to get an idea of where problems often arise and what to inspect. For example, imagine what goes on as a keel silently hangs day after day from a buoyant hull, putting the nearby structure in tension for years or even decades with what might be equivalent to the weight of a submerged pickup truck. This tension alone starts to flex and torque as the vessel heels and begins pounding to windward.

Next, think about the rig loads that induce this heeling moment, and you’ll quickly come to the mast step, chain plates, and points around the deck that support winches, rope clutches, and other highly stressed hardware. With a little head-scratching, and follow-the-load-path logic, your own mental image of potential trouble spots will begin to mirror the graphic image generated by finite element analysis software. And what you’re after when you look closely at the hot spots are signs of cracking and crazing on the FRP skin around these high-stress areas.

Deflection of the coachroof under a deck-stepped mast or torn tabbing on a chain plate supporting a bulkhead need attention—as does a rudder blade showing signs of horizontal cracks in the skin or rust weeping. In short, regular close inspections of highly loaded points on the hull and deck can alert an owner to problems that will only grow more serious.

Bottom Line

Modern boatbuilding techniques such as resin infusion, vacuum bagging, and other closed mold processes lead to better laminates. They reduce void content and can increase the ratio of fiber to resin, resulting in a higher strength-to-weight ratio. Make sure that this improvement in laminating a hull is not offset by a heavy complement of resin-rich, low-fiber-content hull liners, pans, and other non-structural components.

It is encouraging to see custom cruisers and race boats that show off their inside hull skin by carefully finishing the molded surface, instead of trying to hide everything with heavy, chop-strand-sprayed liners and pans that contribute little to keeping the water on the outside of the hull, but add a lot of weight.

Buyer Strategies

If you’re buying a new boat, think twice before buying if it’s the first unit and the largest model the builder has ever made. More often than not, this is less familiar territory and reflects a scaling up of what has been done on smaller models. Every builder has a mid-sized model and a boat size that they have a long track record of building. Buying a boat that has been in production long enough to have all the bugs worked out, delivers value that a customer will come to appreciate.

Builders who have been around for a while have a good grasp on why new boat problems are a lose-lose situation, and they do all they can to avoid them. With the advent of better engineering approaches and manufacturing techniques, they provide products with adequate, if not exceptional, structure. The goal is to deliver a structure that is free of defects for at least 10 years.

A new builder may have a gifted approach to boatbuilding—or not—but the consumer doesn’t have hundreds of 10-year-old-plus boats in the used market to evaluate a builder’s expertise. When buying a new boat, especially one from a new builder, it makes sense to have a new boat survey done prior to final acceptance, and perhaps even enlist a consultant or owners representative to help evaluate procedures during key phases in the building process. Past Practical Sailor contributor Steve D’Antonio is one of a few experts who offer these services.

Evaluating Used Boats

Used-boat buyers need a marine surveyor who is very familiar with construction and repair issues. Price is an important variable, but in most used boat sales, it is not as important as the condition of the sailboat. Vessel structure often trumps the price tag.

Major structural flaws fall into several categories. One of the most critical is when the hull or deck laminate is so compromised that it requires the entire structure to be rebuilt. Core delamination that spans much of the sandwich structure can lead to repair costs that outstrip the value of the boat. Single-point structural shortfalls, like a keel stub or sump that is flexing too much and conveys a risk of complete failure is often able to be remedied in a cost-effective manner. The combination of available access and the localized context of such a keel problem often make it a justifiable repair.

Time and deterioration are directly correlated, but the better a boat was originally built, the more gracefully it shoulders the accumulation of both miles and years.

Catamarans

Pros & Cons: Core

Dealing with Spar Loads, Rudders, and Chainplates

This article was published on 20 January 2015 and has been updated. 

The post Rethinking Sailboat Structure appeared first on Practical Sailor.

As part of your boat’s routine maintenance, tapered plug seacocks should be disassembled, cleaned, lubri­cated and reassembled on a regular basis. Even if maintenance has been neglected and the seacock is completely seized, open or shut, it can probably be recovered to workable condition, and can usually be made as good as new.

Although bronze plug seacocks by different manu­facturers will vary slightly in construction details, the general principles are the same, and maintenance pro­cedures are for all practical purposes identical.

Disassembly

1. Remove Outer Retaining Nut

The first disassembly step is to remove the outer retaining nut on the side of the seacock opposite the handle. Most seacocks also have an inner nut, which is frequently a casting which also incorporates a washer. These nuts should only be backed off until they are flush with the end of the threaded stem on which they are screwed.

2. Tap On Nut and Stem Using Cushioning Block

Next, tap straight in on the nut and stem, using a hardwood block as a cushion between the hammer and the soft bronze parts of the seacock. If you fail to use a cushioning block, or if you hit the stem directly with a hammer, you can damage the threads or even bend the stem.

3. Remove Retaining Nuts and Washer

Once the tapered plug starts to slide out of the seacock body, the retaining nuts and washer can be removed completely from the stem, and the plug pulled out.

What To Do If the Seacock is Seized

You say the seacock is seized, and you can’t even open or shut it, much less get the tapered plug out?

1. Loosen Retaining Nuts, Heat Seacock Via Torch

First, loosen the retaining nuts. Heat the body of the seacock thoroughly using a propane torch—the type using throwaway 14 ounce cylinders.

2. Use Pipe Wrench In Place of Seacock Handle

If the seacock handle simply fits over a square stud on the big end of the tapered plug, take the handle off and use a big adjustable end wrench or pipe wrench in place of the bronze handle. A pipe wrench will scar or even ruin the square stud, so only use it as a last resort.

3. Add Extra Leverage Only If Necessary

It may be necessary to even add an extender to the wrench—called a breaker bar—in the form of a piece of steel pipe slipped over the wrench handle to give more leverage. Before using an extender try hitting the handle of the wrench with a hammer, in the direction that would open or close the seacock. A sharp blow from a hammer usually is more effective than a lot of steady pressure on a long handle.

If you’re forced to resort to a breaker bar, you run a real risk of damaging your boat. With enough lever­age, you can easily tear the hull laminate, or even tear the seacock out of the hull. Use leverage judiciously. If the hull starts to deform around the seacock when you lean on the handle, you’re going to break something—like your boat—if you put any more pressure on it.

4. Remove Seacock Via Chisel

Still no luck? It’s time to remove the seacock com­pletely from the boat. If the seacock is glassed to the hull—a poor practice—you’ll have to chip away the glass on the inside with a chisel. Wear safety glasses, and use a junk chisel, because you’ll destroy the edge.

5. Remove Fastenings

If the seacock is screwed or bolted to the hull, re­move the fastenings. If it is throughbolted from the outside, with the nuts on the inside, you may be able to get away with only removing the nuts on the inside, leaving the bolts in place.

6. Remove Seacock

There are two ways to remove a seacock. You can either unscrew the body of the seacock from the threaded stem of the through-hull fitting, or you can unscrew the through-hull fitting from the seacock. Usually, it’s easier to unscrew the seacock from the through-hull fitting, but the bolts have to be completely removed from a through bolted fitting in order to do this.

If inside clearances prevent unscrewing the seacock, you’ll have to remove the through-hull fitting. Most through-hull fittings have two ridges inside the pipe that allow you to insert a piece of flat bar into the fitting, turning it out using a wrench on the flat bar for leverage.

A through hull without these inside ridges can be a real problem, and may be so damaged during removal that it has to be replaced. Fortunately, this is the cheapest part of the seacock assembly.

7. Use Piece of Oak To Remove Through Hull, If Necessary

You can try to remove this type of through hull by driving a piece of oak into it firmly, then trying to turn it out with a wrench on the piece of oak—in exactly the same fashion that you’d unscrew a through hull with the internal ridges. Unless the through hull is glassed in, the friction of a well-driven piece of oak in the fitting is enough to allow you to turn it out.

8. Use Plumber’s Inside Pipe Wrench, If Necessary

For large through-hull fittings, you can use a plumber’s inside pipe wrench, which uses cams to lock into the inside of the pipe. That’s a pretty esoteric tool for most people.

As a last resort on a through hull that isn’t recessed flush, you can sometimes grab the flange with a pipe wrench laid flat on the surface of the hull. You can also damage the hull surface this way.

If this sounds like a lot of trouble to go to for a seized seacock, but remember that a 1 1/2-in. seacock—the size on the head discharge—costs around of $570. You can’t leave a seized seacock in place. If it doesn’t work, it might as well not be there.

Seacock Cleaning

Now that you’ve got the recalcitrant piece of hardware out, you can assault it in earnest. Nothing is more effective in loosening seized metal to metal parts than heat. Lots of heat. Put the seacock in a bench vise and fire up your propane torch. Make it sizzle, and pound on the small end of the tapered plug—don’t forget to leave a nut in place on the threaded stem of the tapered plug, and don’t forget to use a wood block for a cushion between your hammer and the relatively soft bronze stem.

The reason tapered plug seacocks seize so badly is that they consist of lots of closely machined, tight fitting surface that depends both on the smoothness of the surfaces and a good layer of lubrication for easy operation and watertightness. If you don’t keep it cleaned and greased, it won’t work.

1. Clean With Solvent

Now that you’ve got it apart, clean the seacock thoroughly, inside and out. Use a mild solvent such as kerosene to remove dried and caked grease. On a salt water boat, clean the salt out of the inside of the plug, as well as all passages in the seacock and tailpiece.

2. Sand Bearing Surfaces

After all old grease is removed, use fine wet or dry sandpaper, used wet, to brighten both the bearing surface of the tapered plug and the bearing surface of the inside of the seacock body. Silicon carbide paper cuts bronze amazingly fast. Don’t sand one spot on the plug hard, or you’ll quickly create a hollow.

Note: On a seacock that is left closed most of the time, there is likely to be pitting and corrosion on the part of the plug that serves as the barrier to water coming in through the through hull. Don’t try to sand out this damaged section, which appears on the plug as a discolored and perhaps pitted circle the diameter of the seacock opening. If the rest of the plug is smooth and tight fitting, the seacock should still be watertight.

3. Renew Machined Surface With Valve Grinding Compound

If the machined surface of the tapered plug is badly grooved, you can renew the surface by using a thin paste of valve grinding compound. Spread the compound on the plug, reassemble the seacock, and rotate the plug in place—grinding the tapered plug into its seat in the seacock body—using the seacock handle or a wrench.

Note: Valve grinding compound cuts the soft bronze very rapidly, so don’t overdo it.

The surface will not be smooth enough even after using grinding compound. You still must use successively finer grits of wet sandpaper to get a really smooth surface. Start with 220 grit, finish with 600.

4. Clean Surfaces

When both the tapered plug and the bearing surface on the inside of the seacock body are smooth and bright, clean the surfaces thoroughly to remove any remaining sanding or grinding grit. First clean with a solvent, then finish off with soap and water. The bearing surfaces must be clean, clean, clean. Wrap the tapered plug in a clean rag until you’re ready to reassemble.

Reassemble the Seacock

If you’ve had to remove the seacock from the boat, you should reassemble it before reinstalling it in order to keep the bearing surfaces free of foreign matter.

1. Grease Surface

Reassembly is straightforward. Grease the surface of the tapered plug thoroughly with a light waterproof grease, such as Lubriplate.

2. Slip the Plug Into the Seacock Body

3. Reinstall Nuts and Washer

4. Make Final Adjustments

Final adjustment of the seacock takes a little common sense. Tightening the nuts on the small end of the tapered plug draws the plug more tightly into the seacock. The nuts should be tightened only enough so that the seacock doesn’t leak at either end of the tapered plug, not so tight that it takes two hands on the handle to operate the seacock.

5. Lubricate the Seacock Plugs

Most seacocks have two small plugs on opposite sides of the outside of the seacock body. Although they are usually referred to as drain plugs, they are also useful for lubricating the seacock during the season. Remove one of these small plugs—they are usually 1/8-in. pipe thread—and fit a grease fitting with the same thread on it. (An auto parts store will probably have what you need.) Be sure the business end of the grease fitting will accept the fitting on the end of your grease gun. You don’t have a grease gun? Get one now.

With the seacock in the open position, screw the grease fitting into the seacock body, and pump heavy waterproof grease through the fitting until it squeezes out around both ends of the plug. If you don’t have the seacock in the open position when you do this, you’ll just be pumping all the grease into the flow opening in the tapered plug.

6. Tighten Adjustment Nuts

Once the grease has begun to squeeze out, tighten down the tapered plug adjustment nuts until the seacock operates smoothly, but requires a little force on the handle. Operating a seacock should not be a one-finger operation, but it shouldn’t require you to put all your weight on the handle, either.

7. Remove Grease Fitting and Reinstall Bronze Plug

Remove the grease fitting from the seacock and reinstall the small bronze plug. Keep the grease fitting handy, and give the seacock a good shot of grease any time it gets hard to operate, or starts to leak.

If you’ve had to remove the seacock from the boat to free it up, wait until you’ve got it back in place before doing the final greasing and adjusting. Remember to use a bedding compound under the seacock flange when reinstalling. It is better, whenever possible, to screw the seacock onto the through-hull fitting, rather than the through-hull fitting into the seacock. Turning the through hull into the boat and the seacock tends to turn out all the bedding compound under the through-hull flange, with leaking the inevitable result. The best bedding to use for through hulls and seacocks is a moderately adhesive compound, such as LifeCaulk or another polysulfide, rather than a powerful adhesive such as 3M-5200.

Conclusion

If you are faithful in keeping seacocks greased throughout the course of the year, a complete disassembly and cleaning may only be necessary every three years or so, and the real hassle—freeing a totally seized seacock—may never be necessary.

It is absolutely necessary that all seacocks operate freely, even those such as the cockpit scuppers or the raw water intake for the inboard engine, which you rarely close.

A little grease—elbow and waterpump—goes a long way.

This article was published on 11 May 2011 and has been updated. 

The post Keep Tapered Bronze Seacocks Working Smoothly appeared first on Practical Sailor.

The post Boat Thru-Hulls & Seacocks 101: Inspection, Failure, Safety & Upgrades appeared first on Practical Sailor.

Skeptics assumed that the absorption of the smaller company would result in the loss of its identity, but results are the opposite. Beneteau and Jeanneau share the same top management, but marketing and dealer networks are separate operations.

Jeanneau benefited significantly in two areas following the merger. Its position as a purchaser of raw materials was significantly enhanced, and it gained better access to new technology than it would have had it remained on its own. A primary example is the parent company’s response to France’s institution of regulations requiring the elimination of styrene vapor emissions by 2008. With the cash available to invest in new technology, the company is now using more environmentally friendly machinery and techniques.

The deck of the Sun Odyssey 32, for example, was constructed (2002-2005) with a closed-mold, resin-infusion method that met that regulatory standard, which was new for that era of construction. In the process, glass fiber is placed between steel male and female tooling, the molds are sealed, and resin is pumped into the laminate. So, in addition to controlling vapor, more precise glass-to-resin ratios are achieved, as are smoother surfaces. The concept is similar to SCRIMP and vacuum-bagging techniques. Now, closed-mold resin infusion is commonplace among high-end production manufacturers.

Both companies also enjoy what Jeanneau describes as a “sympathetic government eager to protect domestic industries,” an attitude that has, perhaps, contributed to the conglomerate’s ability to enjoy substantial market share at home and abroad.

Identical Hulls, Different Characters

Sun Odyssey models are known primarily as cruising boats with full interiors and a turn of speed; the Jeanneau Sun Fast line lives on the performance-oriented side of the design arena, but offers identical creature comforts.

That Jeanneau simultaneously introduced the Sun Odyssey 32 and Sun Fast 32i is unusual, but provides potential buyers with an opportunity to compare two boats with identical hulls and decks that have significantly different sailplans and displacement. That’s a far cry from awaiting the introduction of a performance version of a new model during the decision making process.

Design

Veteran designer Philippe Briand is credited with the lines of the 32-footer, which combines good looks and large interior volume with sprightly performance.

In profile, she carries the combination of nearly plumb bow and reverse-transom that has characterized modern performance cruising sloops since Bruce Farr began the trend in the 1980s. However, compared to early French models, the intersection of her low, forward-sloping cabintop and the deck, coupled with triangle-shaped portlights, presents a sleek appearance. Her sheer line is nearly flat.

Despite having a large inventory of halyards and sail controls, her deck layout is clean. A wide beam carries aft to a wide transom, defined by a swim platform and two seats that break up what otherwise would be a broad slab. Like so many other designers these days, Briand tries here to maximize interior volume, cockpit space, and transom access without wrecking the looks of the boat. He succeeds better than most. Of course, you have to enjoy the plumb-stem, wide-transom look to begin with, and to do that you have to appreciate form following function.

Steering and Deck Layout

Tiller

Our first pleasant surprise upon stepping aboard the test boat was that a major manufacturer produced a 32-ft. cruising boat with tiller steering. Always at issue is whether a tiller requires more strength to manage than a wheel, and there’s no question that in many cases it does. It is observed, for example, in the venerable Skene’s “Elements of Yacht Design” that in order to steer a boat with the same amount of force needed to turn a 28-in. pedestal wheel, you would need a tiller 12 ft. 9 in. long.

Of course, tillers far shorter than that do work, and on boats much bigger than 32 ft. Much depends on how the rudder is balanced, how the boat is balanced, and where the center of effort is in the sailplan. When all is in harmony, a tiller is responsive to the touch, rarely heavy to handle, and obviously simple, with no extra moving parts to break. While it can make some maneuvers tricky for a full cockpit crew under sail, it allows easy movement forward and aft, and can generally be lifted completely out of the way when the boat is at rest, opening the cockpit entirely.

Assuming that the boat can be steered easily enough with a tiller, the biggest trade-off is the loss of the pedestal, which today is home to so many instruments and controls, tables, and drink holders, that Edson Marine must be getting hard-pressed to find room for more.

Mast and Rigging

Both models of the 32-footer are equipped with Sparcraft masts, though the SO is deck-stepped, the SF keel-stepped. The SO is fitted with stainless steel wire rigging and one set of swept spreaders; the SF with rod rigging and double spreaders. Shrouds on the SF are farther inboard, to create closer sheeting angles.

Sails

The sail inventory on the SO is factory-supplied Technique Voile sails constructed of Bainbridge’s HSX hybrid Dacron. Jeanneau says the fabric is lighter than conventional Dacron, so produces less weight aloft, and is more tightly knit and durable. The sails also have a softer hand. The mainsail carries 80 percent battens that are easy to trim while producing excellent shape. Boats are equipped with a split backstay, but the owner of our test boat added a block and tackle arrangement that improves and simplifies tuning.

Jeanneau has equipped the boat with its version of a mainsail stacking system, a “lazy bag sailcover with lazy jacks.” In operation, the main is easily doused between lines and stacked inside a zippered sailcover attached to the boom. To our eye, the bag looks a bit flappy when the sail is up. The Doyle StackPack would be a neater alternative. Forward, the headstay is equipped with a 135% genoa and Profurl furler.

Mainsail Controls

A significant difference exists between the gear and arrangement of mainsail controls on the two models. The SO mainsheet is led from the middle of the boom to blocks located port and starboard on the coachroof forward of a spray dodger that houses instruments and provides a surface for the addition of a canvas dodger. Though the arrangement is easily manageable and keeps clutter out of the cockpit, it compromises the ability to tweak the mainsail.

The SF is equipped with more efficient end-boom sheeting, and a mainsail traveler in the cockpit at the helmsperson’s fingertips. The price is paid in some clutter and the loss of cockpit space. The SF also is equipped with a solid vang.

Our test boat was equipped with Harken 16 self-tailing winches on the cabintop. These are single-speed winches, but we’d go for the optional two-speed winches, and a second winch to port. The standard arrangement leads mainsheet, outhaul and jib halyard to a Spinlock XAS sheetstopper to starboard. A separate stopper handles the furler line. To port, a triple rope clutch controls two reef lines and the main halyard. Spinnaker gear adds the need for at least one additional double stopper.

Cockpit

Cockpit seats are generous, measuring nearly 7-ft. long and 15-in. wide, with 12-in. backrests, and so provide support and length to fully recline. The footwell allows plenty of room for crew to stretch their legs.

The length of the cockpit on the centerline from the tiller to the companionway is 73 in. A nice touch is that the helm seat drops out of the way to the cockpit sole, allowing swimmers and passengers easy access through the stern. Cockpit stowage is in a 38-in. long, 20-in. deep locker with a false floor that provides room for stores and an inflatable dinghy. Space below the seat to port is occupied by a stateroom.

Decks

Decks are 14-in. wide, and handrails span recesses on the cabintop, providing a full grip without interfering with her low profile. Tracks for headsail leads on the SO are near the base of the cabin, but there’s an absence of track for outboard sheeting of headsails or spinnakers. However, eyes welded into the base of the stern pulpit provide places to secure turning blocks when flying a drifter or spinnaker.

Bow

The space at the bow is large enough for crew work, but too short for sunbathing. The anchor locker is a sealed compartment designed to store an anchor, chain and rope secured to a Lofrans electric winch that is standard gear.

Accommodations

Spaces in the saloon are fairly conventional. Notable characteristics are a minimum headroom of 6-ft. 1-in. throughout, a minimal nav station, and the extensive use of teak and teak veneers, including battens on a white headliner running the length of the 9-ft. 6- in. long, 6-ft. 9-in. wide cabin. The headliner is secured by screws, and can be removed to reach deck hardware.

Add several portlights and hatches, including two in the hull at eye level when seated, and she has a feeling of spaciousness.

The port settee measures 5 ft. 7 in., and will seat three to four adults at the table, positioned on the centerline. Elevate a table leaf, and four passengers to starboard also have a dining surface. The wine is close at hand in a compartment recessed in the center of the table. Storage is below and outboard of the settees, and on shelves running the length of the hull.

Nav Station

The navigator faces aft at a chart table measuring 28 in. x 20 in. with a 4 in. deep storage area. A fuse panel is outboard, and fixed with screws rather than a piano hinge. Space for instruments is at a premium on a small bulkhead, though adequate for small GPS and VHF units. Outside, instruments will need to be mounted on the aft end of the house, and be large and well-lit enough to see from the tiller. Here’s where instrument fanciers may begin to miss that Edson pedestal.

Galley

The chef will operate in a smallish, C-shaped space that has all of the tools of the trade: two burner stove-oven, single stainless steel sink, dry locker outboard, and refrigerator aft. The working surface is 31-in. wide, so elbow room is adequate, and storage is in several cabinets and drawers.

Cabins

A bi-fold door encloses the forward cabin, which has adequate space for dressing and 6-ft. 2-in. of headroom. The berth measures 6 ft. 1 in. on the centerline, but comes to a sharp V at the foot. Storage is in a hanging locker, on shelves, and below the berth in a space shared with a water tank.

The aft cabin is an almost-queen-sized, almost-square area, that allows bunkmates to sleep athwartships more comfortably than fore and aft. The space is ventilated by a port in the cockpit, but could do with a second that would allow the aftmost passenger more ventilation.

Tankage

A large storage cabinet outboard shares space with a stainless steel holding tank aft of the head, above the waterline to allow for a gravity drain. The steel tank should be less odorous than PVC.

On balance, the area belowdecks provides space to lounge, is well organized, functional, and well appointed. Finishes on fiberglass surfaces and wood joinery are quite good. Cabins will accommodate four crew comfortably, and light and ventilation are adequate.

Construction

For its smaller models, Jeanneau continues to build solid fiberglass hulls in the traditional manner with production workers hand-laying fiberglass and distributing resin with rollers. After NPG gelcoat is sprayed on the mold, layers of woven roving are laminated with vinylester resin. Polyester resins are employed in the layup of the final layers of mat and roving. The use of chopped strand mat is disdained.

The company uses a grid system constructed of laminated plywood bonded to the hull and glassed with biaxial or unidirectional cloth, after which stringers are bonded to the hull sides. It continues the use of plywood in the stringers rather than lighter products.

All of the furniture bases for cabinetry are molded in a single pan that is bonded to the hull with epoxy. Cutouts in the pan accommodate underwater transducers and seacocks, and those areas are easily accessible for maintenance. Similarly, wires are run through heavy hoses to reduce chafe and ease modifications and maintenance.

Economies of scale are reflected in the methods employed in the construction of cabinetry. In previous years, Jeanneau’s joinery was considered to be slightly above average; then the company adopted computer-controlled woodcutting equipment which produces cuts that are within thousandths of an inch of specifications, so the final product evidences the changes. Varnishes are applied mechanically, which was a newer method in the early 2000s but is now standard.

Both boats are constructed to meet varying European CE standards, depending upon crew size.

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 32

Sailboat Specifications	Courtesy of Sailboatdata.com
Hull Type:	Fin w/bulb & spade rudder
Rigging Type:	Fractional Sloop
LOA:	31.50 ft / 9.60 m
LWL:	27.95 ft / 8.52 m
S.A. (reported):	565.00 ft² / 52.49 m²
Beam:	10.83 ft / 3.30 m
Displacement:	9,700.00 lb / 4,400 kg
Ballast:	3,020.00 lb / 1,370 kg
Max Draft:	4.92 ft / 1.50 m
Construction:	FG
First Built:	2002
Last Built:	2005
Builder:	Jeanneau (FRA)
Designer:	Phillipe Briand
Make:	Yanmar
Type:	Diesel
HP:	14 - 27
Fuel:	19 gals / 70 L
Water:	45 gals / 170 L
S.A. / Displ.:	19.94
Bal. / Displ.:	31.13
Disp: / Len:	198.33
Comfort Ratio:	21.64
Capsize Screening Formula:	2.03
S#:	2.74
Hull Speed:	7.08 kn
Pounds/Inch Immersion:	1,081.58 pounds/inch
I:	41.00 ft / 12.50 m
J:	11.88 ft / 3.62 m
P:	36.58 ft / 11.15 m
E:	13.15 ft / 4.01 m
S.A. Fore:	243.54 ft² / 22.63 m²
S.A. Main:	240.51 ft² / 22.34 m²
S.A. Total (100% Fore + Main Triangles):	484.05 ft² / 44.97 m²
S.A./Displ. (calc.):	17.09
Est. Forestay Length:	42.69 ft / 13.01 m

Performance

With assistance from Dan Krier of Marine Sevicecenter of Seattle, and a willing client of his, we tested the SO on a balmy morning on Puget Sound. The wind built to 13 knots during our test sail (before fading away later) and she performed well with the full main and 135% genoa. In 5 knots of breeze she sailed close-hauled at 3.5 to 4.5 knots; when winds piped up to 10 to 13 knots speed ranged from 5 to 6.3 knots. The semi-balanced rudder and tiller produced slight weather helm at the upper range, just about right, and the boat responded quickly to every move of the tiller. At 15 degrees of heel she settled into a comfortable groove, close to the wind, and tacked within 90 degrees.

With sheets eased and sailing on a broad reach in 9 to 10 knots of wind, speed held steady in the 6-knot range. We think she’ll add a couple of knots of boatspeed under a cruising or conventional spinnaker.

She tracked well and felt buoyant in the near-flat conditions. We’d want to sail her in heavier chop to better evaluate her motion if we planned on sailing offshore or in high-wind areas like San Francisco. And we’d sure like to compare the performance of the SO32 and her almost-twin sister.

Under power, her standard 18-hp Yanmar pushed her quietly at 6 knots in the calm water (a Yanmar 3GM 27 would be a wiser option in some areas), and her 4-ft. 11-in. fin keel produced good tracking and maneuverability in a tight marina.

Comparison Between Contemporaries

Here’s how she stacks up to two similar-sized, contemporary production boats, the Catalina 320 and J/32.

Catalina 320

The Catalina 320, designed primarily as a couples boat, or for a family with young children, measures 34 ft. 3 in. overall, including the bow pulpit, and 32 ft. 6 in. on deck, with a 28-ft. waterline. Her beam is 11 ft. 9 in., and draft with fin keel 6 ft. 3 in. According to Catalina, her approximate weight is 11,300 lb., including 4,000 lb. of ballast. Total sail area is 521 square feet, assuming a 100% foretriangle. Her SA/D is 16.5, on the high end of the low-power scale. The price in 2003 was approximately $91,000, FOB the factory.

J/32

The J/32 measures 32 ft. 5 in. on deck, has a 29-ft. waterline, and 11-ft. beam. She draws 6 ft., displaces 10,000 lb., and carries 3,850 lb. in her keel. Her SA/D is 18 (100% foretriangle), in the middle of the moderate scale. When introduced in 1997, the base boat retailed for $109,000. Base price in 2003 was $157,000.

The SO32 measures 31 ft. 5 in. at the stem, but her LWL is 27 ft. 11 in., within inches of the 310, but a foot shorter than the J-Boat. She’s the narrowest of the three, has a standard draft of 4 ft. 11 in., and displacement of 10,009 lb. She carries 3,020 lb. in her keel.

Sun Fast 32i

The Sun Fast 32i has the same hull and deck as her sister. Her displacement is 9,237 lb., the keel is 6 ft. 5 in. deep, with 2,491 lb. of ballast, so she’s significantly lighter, with most of the weight removed from the keel. Normally, this would make her more tender, but the added keel depth puts weight and leverage lower, and so compensation is made at the cost of added draft.

The interior layout and tankage are identical. A high-aspect mainsail is 11-in. shorter on the foot, but the sailplan is balanced by a larger headsail. Her mainsail carries 275 square feet, her genoa 307 square feet, and a spinnaker 721 square feet.

Pricing

Pricing for the SO32 in 2003 was $90,575; the SF32i list price was $95,575, FOB East Coast. Options with the SO32 include a mainsail furler ($1,620), and cockpit table on steering wheel pedestal ($700). Additional standard gear on the SF32i includes spinnaker halyard, foreguy and topping lift, spinnaker gear and barber hauler, tweaker system on the mainsail, and rigid boom vang. Sails are not included in her base price. An owner can expect to spend $4,337 for factory sails, or more for a performance inventory.

Conclusion

Jeanneau struggled for quite a while to create a presence in the U.S., a task made difficult by ownership changes in the 90s. Today, Jeanneau joins its sister company as a top competitor in the U.S. market. That shift to market dominance began in the early 2000s with the Sun Odyssey 32 and Sun Fast 32i , when the company introduced boats that  appealed to a broad spectrum of sailors at prices designed to compete with major U.S. production builders.

The boat is well designed, constructed, outfitted, and sails well. We’d like to know how she goes in stiff breezes and bumpy water.

Contact – Jeanneau 

MARKET SCAN

Market Scan	Contact
2004 Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 32	Nautical North
$62,027 USD	705-710-4373
Penetanguishene, Ontario	Yacht World
2003 Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 32	Yachts.Co Milford
£39,950	[+44] [0] 1646 278270
Neyland Yacht Haven, United Kingdom	Yachts.co

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