Bristol 32

[Mainebristol]

Originally Posted by reed1v

Your ignorance is quite astounding. When Bristol first produced the 32 back in the 60s, it oil canned a lot in rough seas(think the gulf stream). In the 70s, they reworked the specs to add stringers forward to reduce this. And while the cabinetry was tabbed direct to the hull to add lateral support, the hull was otherwise filled in with liners, basically to hid the relatively rough layup.

This is just stuff and nonsense. There are no stringers in my '76 B32, nor any liners. The layup is so thick you could easily make a daysailer out of the excess glass used in her construction. The layup is 'rough?' What are you smoking?

A couple years ago I had her out in a nine foot steep sea near Petit Mann. The boat was right in her element. Oil can? Seriously? I doubt you've ever been in a B32. Yes, they are small below decks. Sure, you have to keep up with systems, bedding, aux. engine and so forth. But I have often staked my family's existence on Bristol's incredible construction, and will do so again this summer. Incidentally, what yard? It sounds like you are in Maine. I'll sail my boat to where you are, and we can go over her construction together.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Mainebristol

(...)

I'll sail my boat to where you are, and we can go over her construction together.

Look guys, one piece of external experience that may help finding out why opinions differ.

We are here in a (non B32) boat designed in 1967 and built thru late 80'ies. Our hull is one of the late ones. Now the going opinion about the design is they are super sturdy and the lamination "inch thick". I drilled some new holes in our boat three years ago and I found the statements (propagated a.o. by the class official website!) to be untrue - the hull is about average thickness and definitely NOT what the official story about this specific design holds. Alas, our friends on the same dock have an earlier build and she sits at least one inch deeper on her lines ... she is also some 15 years older ... More glass perhaps?

I think the same may apply to designs elsewhere that were built over many years' span: the boatyard crew changed, the materials changed, our understanding of how much meat is enough changed ... You may in the end be both right: perhaps some B32 hulls are more sturdy and stiffer than others. It would make sense to try and trace one of the poorly built ones (if they exist) and compare them then.

Big hug from here in the sun,
barnakiel