Douglas 32

[fifty360]

Does anyone own or have information about this Canadian made boat? There is one for sale locally.

32′ Douglas – 1974 – $24,995 | Used Boats for Sale Ontario - Kingston Yacht Sales

Have no idea how to evaluate the price etc. Seems like a nice sized boat to learn to sail on. Any advice appreciated.

[ramblinrod]

We have owned 3 boats over the last 15 years, and currently own a Douglas 32 (Silhouette) that we have now raced and cruised for 3 years out of Port of Newcastle in Lake Ontario.

The Douglas 32 is certainly influenced by the CCA rules of the era, and is very narrow of beam and has long overhangs and short LWL as compared to today's designs.

The Command Yachts boats were exceptionally well built, especially in the cabinetry below decks.

There is a lot of bouyancy and high bow forward, so she will take very rough seas with ease. She is slow downwind due to the short LWL. For a full keel boat she points exceptionally high (not like a high aspect fin but surprisingly good) assuming good condition sails of course.

Ours (and Kemana out of Kingston) have painted navy blue hulls whihc draws admiration from everyone who seas her. (Kemana was first sailed in the South Pacific (Hawaii, Tahiti, and Fiji from Vancouver) for several years.)

The accomodation space below is quite small for a 32 footer, (also due to CCA influence), and really this is a 31 foot boat with a reverse transom added after initial production as a Douglas 31.

The interior is very well thought out with lots of storage. The only drawback is that there is no room for an oven (ours is fitted with a gimballed propane stove.)

Like any full keel boat, backing up is an interesting challenge. If there is any crosswind, the bow blows downwind, else stern walks to port. When we back out of a slip, we wait to see which way she has decided to go, and then work with that.

With a quartering sea, she can develop quite a wallow, compared to wide beam astern current production boats. The CCA design, means the boat begins to heel with very little headwind, and sails fastest at 25 degrees (leeward rail 4 - 8 inches above the water), unlike most boats of todays design that start slowing down if you go much over 15 degrees.

However, in the rough stuff going to weather is where she really shines. When we are on the race course, and much larger current production boats are around us, they are pounding and belly-flopping fiercely, where Silhouette's bow just rises up and slices through the waves.

The Farymann 24 HP twin is very reliable (we have 1000 hours on hours) but does shake, rattle and roll. There are about 3 RPMs, 500, 900 and 1500 where ours runs smoothest.

We are slowly bringing Silhouette back to her former glory and upgrading to take her to the Caribbean in 2017. Whether she gets outfitted with a new Diesel depends on time and budget.

The Command Yacht boats were built and outfitted exceptionally well. Our has AC refrigeration that still runs like a charm after 35 years. (It pains to replace it with AC/DC refrig, but we'll have to do that in the next few years.) She is also equipped with hot and cold pressure water, head and cockpit showers, Espar type deisel heater, heavy, heavy bow roller and anchor holder.

We replaced the stock 2 speed Barlow 32 primary winches with Harken 44 2 sp ST, for my 4'10" first mate. World of difference.

We often question if she is the right boat for our adventure south and Great Lakes retirement and after reviewing countless others of any design or size, we always conclude she is the perfect boat for us.

Ramblin Rod
S/V Silhouette
Douglas 32 Mk II
and
S/V SeaQuell
Mac 26 Classic (daggerboard version)

[S/V Alchemy]

I believe the Douglas 32 and the Hullmaster 31 are the same hulls done by different companies.

Here's an archived link that may be of some help. I've seen them up close and they look as tough as old boots...very in the Alberg/Westsail/Contessa way of thinking.

Douglas Owners Group - Home of the Ted Brewer designed Douglas and Hullmaster 31' and 32' Sailing Vessels

[ramblinrod]

s/v Alchemy, thank you so much for posting the link to web archive.

I was so upset when this site went down that I had not copied the entire thing prior.

I have just copied the full site (less some mising images) to a word document. I am trying to contact the original webmaster for copyright release of his original content.

In coming months I hope to reconstruct the site on a free hosting site, so that hopefully it will be available to others.

[Boulter]

Hi:

I don't follow the Douglas 32 too closely due to my headroom issues, but I believe there are another 3 or 4 for sale between Kingston and Hamilton. I believe one or two I have seen on kijiji and one with a broker in Hamilton. I looked at one in Trenton that came with its own trailer, also $25K ask IIRC.

Boulter

[ramblinrod]

I believe that is the one that was referred to in the original post.

We toured the Trenton Yacht Club 2 summers ago and had a look at it.

Word around is that it was well maintained.

24K including trailer and winter cover is a darn good price if it is in good shape (sails less than 10 years old, deisel and transmission running flawlessly, and instruments up to date).

There is one in Brighton for around $9K but it needs a lot of work. You would certainly have way more than 15K into it, to bring it up to the shape of the one in Trenton, even doing all of the work yourself. It was rather sad to see a Douglas in such disrepair. There is another unfortunate Douglas at Whitby Yacht Club.

Kept up, they are a true beauty.

[SabreKai]

I agree with Ramblinrod. That price is a good price if she checks out. I flew out to PEI in Dec 2007 to look at one for $10k but she was a wreck. One of our club members sold his (very good condition, well maintained) for $32K. Times are rough so yes, I think that's a reasonable price. Go have a look at her. I've always admired them since the early days when they were shown at the Toronto Boat show in the 70s.

[S/V Alchemy]

Like the Ontario 32 or the Contessa 32, they are good old boats at newly unpopular sizes and features. It would be snug, and the pinched stern of the CCA-era design is not ideal downwind, but a couple (especially a compact couple) could probably take a Douglas 32 offshore in terms of safety and seaworthiness.

[tropicalescape]

I have a douglas 32 Command yachts MKll and I love it .They were the boat of show under 40 ft at Annapolis in 1974 and they are very good in rough seas.They are very dry to weather and have good motion and of course are very easy on the eye (if you like beauty)Mine has a Yanmar 20gf,pressure hot and cold water and lots of storage for extended sailing.The only problem I see is the cockpit sole is a little soft but I am re-enforceing it now as I am about to head south and then west thru the canal on to points farther west.She is a little tender at first but really moves out when the winds pipe up...I talked with Ted Brewer and he said she was designed for off shore racing and I think at least 2 have circumnavigated and one left hong kong for england and survived a major Typhoon...She is over built as some boats of the period and provides security when things get rough...everthing on her is oversized from the rigging to the hull thickness...She dosent pound and provides a comfortable ride...the best boat I have ever owned...you will be glad you have one if you get her .Go to face book and look at the Douglas site good people and info.DVC