Ontario 32 Help

[RobbyBobby]

Ahoy Sailors,

Looking at Ontario 32 (moving up from Catalina 27). Cannot find any information on the web. Could you please help? What to look at the used one? What are the weak spots? Any happy owner of Ontario 32 out there? Much appreciated!
One thing that worries me is the status of the rudder. Please take a look. Any suggestions?
Second, she has prop on the starboard side (asymmetric) how difficult is handling of such sailboat?
Thank you very much!

[Cruiser2B]

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/ontario-32

[GordMay]

The Ontario 32 was conceived as a quality performance cruising boat incorporating the industry's latest design features (C&C Design).
As a consequence of her offset propeller, the prop’ will cavitate in certain rough conditions, and she is slow to get moving under power. The original Yanmar (15HP) is probably a little undersized.
About the ONTARIO 28 & 32 ☞ Ontario 28 sailboat website
☞ Ontario 32 - Used Sailboat Market in Canada

[palardyg]

Have had my 1984 Ontario 32 for 2.5 years now. I like the abundance of space both in the cabin and cockpit. Loads of storage in cockpit lockers. Yes, I too have obsessed over the smallish looking rudder. Fast Composites has an MK3 rudder "upgrade" which looks a bit longer. Might change out to this one if mine starts to get loose again. It had been rebuilt once already just before I bought it. New C&C sailboat rudders | Competition Composites Inc.. It seems to handle well enough in what the Chesapeake has thrown at it though I have only put in the first reef so far. There have been reports of trouble maintaining steerage while surfing down big waves which could be due to the rudder. Mine had not been actively maintained for at least 2-3 years so needed some upkeep. Rebedding stanchions, cleats and whatnot. Had my steering fail the second year which took some time to repair. Pin fell out of the wheel cog. Fuel tank full of crud so had to drain it and cut a clean-out hole. The fuel filter would clog every few hours. It's all good now. Yanmar 2GM underpowered but a very solid little engine for a 15hp. Can almost make 6 knots in flat but then again it is an auxillary engine. The original rod rigging probably needs replacing and my mainsail is pretty shot. Genoa not far behind. Stove oven didn't work so had to fix. I can continue but you get the idea. There have been alot of weekends. I enjoy the work so it is not a chore. Originally they sold for about $65000. Would love to get a look at some other O32s if you know of any in the Annapolis area. I brought this one down from Kingston, ON. sv/Behaviour.

[brad torrence]

Originally Posted by palardyg

Have had my 1984 Ontario 32 for 2.5 years now. I like the abundance of space both in the cabin and cockpit. Loads of storage in cockpit lockers. Yes, I too have obsessed over the smallish looking rudder. Fast Composites has an MK3 rudder "upgrade" which looks a bit longer. Might change out to this one if mine starts to get loose again. It had been rebuilt once already just before I bought it. New C&C sailboat rudders | Competition Composites Inc.. It seems to handle well enough in what the Chesapeake has thrown at it though I have only put in the first reef so far. There have been reports of trouble maintaining steerage while surfing down big waves which could be due to the rudder. Mine had not been actively maintained for at least 2-3 years so needed some upkeep. Rebedding stanchions, cleats and whatnot. Had my steering fail the second year which took some time to repair. Pin fell out of the wheel cog. Fuel tank full of crud so had to drain it and cut a clean-out hole. The fuel filter would clog every few hours. It's all good now. Yanmar 2GM underpowered but a very solid little engine for a 15hp. Can almost make 6 knots in flat but then again it is an auxillary engine. The original rod rigging probably needs replacing and my mainsail is pretty shot. Genoa not far behind. Stove oven didn't work so had to fix. I can continue but you get the idea. There have been alot of weekends. I enjoy the work so it is not a chore. Originally they sold for about $65000. Would love to get a look at some other O32s if you know of any in the Annapolis area. I brought this one down from Kingston, ON. sv/Behaviour.

I know many Ontario 32s, but do not own one. I do not think they ever came with rod rigging. They are all wire, unless changed. No one reports handling issues, so I think the rudder is okay as designed. It's a well-mannered boat in most conditions. There is enough sail to get you going in very light airs, and in 35+ knots it just sails on (reefed down of course). No bad habits I am aware of. They have been sailed all over, including Greenland, BC to New Zealand, to Alaska, Haida Gwai (formerly the Queen Charlottes. That is a challenging, windy destination), and many times through the Caribbean which as you know can also be very windy. It will take care of you. It's nice to look at, built extremely well, and has a huge interior. I don't know of a better all around boat in the price range.
Also, only the design is by C&C. Ontario yachts asked C&C to design a cruising boat for them.

[palardyg]

Hi Brad
I hadn't heard of someone sailing to Greenland. Would be interested to hear their story. While I love this boat, still not sure if I would be comfortable sailing the north Atlantic route west to east. The capsize ratio is a little high and comfort factor more like a coastal cruiser. No bridge deck nor staysail stay. This all being said, I am still getting to know this boat and what it can take.
Greg

[Newfoundgal]

We have an Ontario 32 we purchased from the original owner's estate in July 2018 while it was sitting on the hard. When we got her she was in rough shape and took about 5 weeks of almost every day working on her to get her close to the way we like.

She had not been sailed in 5 or 6 years at least, but put in the water every year. Engine would not run on last haul out, but mechanic who serviced the boat the last 15 years said not to worry. Only big surprise was cone clutch gone on transmission, which added about $2,000 to repair job for the engine. Also put on a brand new furler.

We moved the boat down the lake about 20 kms to our home port where I sailed a Mirage 24 for 18 seasons. It has been a non-stop upgrade project for us since and she is looking mighty fine now. Over last winter we re-did all the back cushions ourselves and had the bottoms done with new sponge at a local shop. My latest project was making some wood floors for the cockpit using molding from RONA cut into strips. I will finish it better over the winter this year.

We get lots of compliments on "Newfoundgal" and one of our senior club members even said to me "yours is one of the nicest good old boats I've seen in a long time". She's worth it, because the original owner kept her up well while he could, sitting on her for the last time in the water at his slip when he was 88 years old. I think he would be proud what we have done with her.

[Newfoundgal]

I would load some photos, but don't know how!

[SV Trillium]

Originally Posted by RobbyBobby

Ahoy Sailors,

Looking at Ontario 32 (moving up from Catalina 27). Cannot find any information on the web. Could you please help? What to look at the used one? What are the weak spots? Any happy owner of Ontario 32 out there? Much appreciated!
One thing that worries me is the status of the rudder. Please take a look. Any suggestions?
Second, she has prop on the starboard side (asymmetric) how difficult is handling of such sailboat?
Thank you very much!

I’ve owned a 1976 Ontario 32 for 3 years. As with all boats - a series of compromises. The boat handles well a variety of conditions from light to heavy. The construction is solid - everyone that has ever worked on her comments as to the quality of the build. With all that said here is my wish list: less weather helm (solution is to reef the main early), wish it did not have a fiberglass liner to allow easier interior remodeling, don’t like the built in tanks (water and waste). That’s a pretty short list, and all things I can live with. I sail commercially as a delivery and charter captain, so I’ve sailed dozens of boats in a variety of conditions - I’m always glad when I sail mine - I guess that’s a good sign. While there are days when I wish my boat was a bit bigger, I have a hard time imaging that I will ever sell her. Cheers.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Newfoundgal, and Trillium.

[Green T]

We have lived aboard ours for 5 years now and are members in the Ontario Yachts group, and I worked as a marine mechanic for many years so I've been through our boat extensively. The offset propeller does create interesting characteristics in slow speed maneuvering, so you'll have to learn how to use it to your advantage with a little thinking ahead but it's nothing insurmountable or drastic. Under motor at cruising speed, autopilot is essentiel to track straight if wanting to let go of the wheel as a result of the offset. One thing to note, half of all O32 built had their props offset to starboard, while the post-1980ish and younger boats tend to have an offset to port. The port offset are rumored to be slight more user friendly. But the reason to buy this boat is not for it's motoring ability, it's a really easy and forgiving boat to sail and with a solid construction. C&C designed the boat and it shows in its sailing abilities, if you search in the archives you will find hull#1 came 2nd in her class in the Vic-Maui race in the 1970s along with taking first in her class in Van Isle 360 on the west coast. The only downside I personally experienced is the rudder. It handles fine, but I wish it had a partial skeg as it sits almost as deep as the keel, so if you run over a sand bar (like I have) you will bend the ss hollow stock it has for a rudder post or any impact from a log or sizeable debris. The keel is a bolted on lead shoe, they will get the famous "C&C" smile at front of the keel to hull joint but once again, minor, fairing compound and just check your keel bolt torque and off you go. Glass is approx. 1.5" thick under the waterline. They came standard with yanmar 2QM15 or optional 2QM20. If it still has either motor, do yourself a favor and repower now as parts don't exist on planet earth. They are good motors by all means, but the parts turn into desperate hunts for treasure and with most being raw water cooled...well that's 40 years of salt water running through your whole engine so you can imagine the troubles that can insue. Other than that...balsa cored deck with deck hardware through bolted, so check all the areas around stanchion bases, cleats, etc. Solid rig, keel step mast, standard rigging was wire. I met an owner that sailed from Vancouver to New Zealand and got knocked down in a storm off the coast of California, the rig and sails all in the water...and she popped back up and kept on sailing with no damage. The boat was designed to 1970s coastal cruising standards, overbuilt in most areas compard to modern coastal cruisers, really only lacking a bluewater cockpit (bridgedeck with cockpit well) and maybe a stronger rudder design, but all in all you couldn't ask for a roomier well built all purpose good sailing boat in a 32' package. Their prices have gone up considerably on the west coast as they have a bit of a cult following that is growing, so if you find one at a good price, even if it needs a little work, they are well worth the time and effort to refit.

[Newfoundgal]

My O32 is hull #148, so they built less than 10 after that. Hopefully it has the latest upgrades as they went along building. My prop comes out to starboard and my motor is a 2GMF 13 hp only.

When we bought the boat it was on the hard and we were told that the motor would not start at haul out in the fall and had to be towed to the crane. Local club mechanic told us not to worry about motor because he had worked on it off and on over the last 15 years and motor should be fine. After a tune up with rebuilt fuel injectors she started instantly! He was right about that, but not about the cone clutch...that was nearly gone. He was able to find a used one with a fair amount of the brass material still on it and rebuilt the transmission with it.

In the survey the deck passed with "flying colours" said the surveyor, who was surprised for a nearly 40 years old boat. The only elevated moister area was right in front of the binnacle in the cockpit.

We were lucky our hull had been completely redone with InterProtect treatment by the same club mechanic a few years earlier and I never paint it over the winter. It feels almost like teflon it is so slippery. I find it has less gunge on it at the end of the season than my old Mirage 24 that I painted every year. Just one less pain in the butt things I don't have to do every season.

We just recently moved the boat back to the club we bought her at...PCYC. A member at my old club has been looking to upgrade from his C&C 27 for more cruising in retirement with his wife. Not sure what other models he fancied, but he fell in love with the O32 when he saw ours. He spent almost a year looking for one and saw several of them. He finally got one this spring from RCYC and moved it over to OYS...my old club. He just put it on the hard on Wednesday to do some work on it. I'm hoping to go see it soon.

[Green T]

I stand corrected on the prop offset then. The west coast owners have been putting together a log of all the prop offsets, the data we've got from about 30ish boats seemed to indicate a majority of the pre 1980 boats to be starboard and the post 1980 port offsets, but there were exceptions and we haven't been able to find any builder info as to why they couldn't make up their minds. We know why the port offset boats maneuver better, but as to the lack of consistency on the STB or Port...it is a mystery.

[Newfoundgal]

Originally Posted by Green T

I stand corrected on the prop offset then. The west coast owners have been putting together a log of all the prop offsets, the data we've got from about 30ish boats seemed to indicate a majority of the pre 1980 boats to be starboard and the post 1980 port offsets, but there were exceptions and we haven't been able to find any builder info as to why they couldn't make up their minds. We know why the port offset boats maneuver better, but as to the lack of consistency on the STB or Port...it is a mystery.

Unless you are in Australia, in which case starboard and port are reversed and you would be right!

[Newfoundgal]

Originally Posted by Green T

I stand corrected on the prop offset then. The west coast owners have been putting together a log of all the prop offsets, the data we've got from about 30ish boats seemed to indicate a majority of the pre 1980 boats to be starboard and the post 1980 port offsets, but there were exceptions and we haven't been able to find any builder info as to why they couldn't make up their minds. We know why the port offset boats maneuver better, but as to the lack of consistency on the STB or Port...it is a mystery.

Just had a look at my friend's new O32 he bought in the spring. I think he said the boat was from the late 70's. His prop off-sets to port.

Maybe it was the owner's choice which way to go when the boat was ordered? I am the second owner of my boat, but unfortunately, the first owner died at 89 2 weeks after we took ownership, so I could never pick his brain about the boat history.