Douglas 32

[Kim Gregory]

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

Hi all, I'm the latest owner of 'Kemana', and yes, she was in the Pacific for seven years. Brita Zeldenrust wrote a 215 page book about her and Niek's trip. They returned from the Pacific through the Panama, and sold it in Kingston Ontario.

This is not my first Douglas, I bought a holed hull of a 31 'Wind Spirt' in 1980 , and sailed it to the Bahamas and back to Toronto in 1982 ( mentioned in 'Canadian Yachting' Feb.1983 and Jan.1984 issues). It has a comfortable motion in waves, and a keel you can run into anything with! No fear about leaking keel bolts. The solid ( no core) hull will stand up to a lot of abuse. Sadly there were few built when compared to the number of Alberg 30s produced.

Any interest in getting a number of the Douglas yachts together somewhere in the Great Lakes in the next few years?

- Kim Gregory

[brad torrence]

I was wondering, how was the Douglas with regards to weather helm?

[Kim Gregory]

Hi Brad,
You have a brother with an Alberg 30, you've been sailing with him, right? Similar sailing balance.

Like any boat, you trim the sails to meet the conditions. The Douglas does have a long main, that if you sheet in too tight will produce weather helm. If is blowing 10 to 15, it is well balanced, over that, put a reef or two in the main. My 31 would go anywhere with just the jib, have not tried it with the 32 yet. I was out in 20 knots with just the main in October, and had a lot of weather helm, but I could still steer. Unlike my CS22 that would stall the rudder in heavy wind.

Have you sorted out your rudder clunk, packing nut issue?
Maybe the clunk is not in the packing nut, but inside the rudder.
Lock the steering, and push the rudder side to side while it is on the cradle, and see where the noise is - inside the rudder, or from the top or bottom bearing?

- Kim Gregory

[Netteypatch]

"Maybe the clunk is not in the packing nut, but inside the rudder.
Lock the steering, and push the rudder side to side while it is on the cradle, and see where the noise is - inside the rudder, or from the top or bottom bearing?"

I had a 'clunk' my rudder, but resolved it by dropping the rudder shoe ans replacing the bottom bushing

Rob

[Kim Gregory]

1978 Douglas 31 listed for $14,900 with teak deck, and 15hp Yanmar!
1978 Douglas Douglas 31 sailboat for sale in Outside United States

- Kim Gregory

[Kim Gregory]

Just listed Mar 14, 2015, Douglas 31, Teak decks, diesel, $14,900
North Bay Ontario, Canada
on sail boat listings.com/view/48754

Very pretty in the photos!
- Kim Gregory

[longjonsilver]

There is a douglas 32 FREE this weekend in Belleville ON on kijiji

[Kim Gregory]

Douglas 32 photos of my new fold out sink in the head. Folds flush into the port cabinet, and is high enough that the through hull drain does not need to be closed on a starboard tack.
Built using the existing cabinet door, and a stainless steel mixing bowl.

Cruisers & Sailing Forums - Kim Gregory's Album: Douglas 32 - before installation
Cruisers & Sailing Forums - Kim Gregory's Album: Douglas 32 - front of cabinet

[Kim Gregory]

Hi all Douglas owners!

It is sad to say, the Douglas Owners site has disappeared off the internet, and can only be seen in the way back machine:
http://web.archive.org/web/200710061...douglas32.com/

If any Douglas owners are interested, I can work on making another web site with the contents of the old site ( I saved all the pages back in 2014 ).

I have other Douglas Owner member photos of 'STATION OMEGA', 'Argonauta', 'BRIGSTAR II', 'Aderyn Môr', 'FOREPLAY', 'SNOWBIRD V', 'WHISKY RUN', 'NAIAD IV', 'Little Sister', 'JOSH', 'SEAQUEST', 'WILDHEART', 'TARA', 'Ariel', 'Solong', 'Rebel'.

Want to add photos of your Douglas to the new web site?

Photo:

Other data from the Douglas owners site:
The Douglas 31 was Ted Brewer's first design after he left Bill Luder's shipyard In 1967 and established Brewer, Wallstrom & Associates, Inc. in Brooklin, Maine. The design is based on concepts Ted formed while working and sailing with Bill Luders on STORM and the Luders 33. Ted's partner, Bob Wallstrom subsequently founded the Yacht Design Institute, and is now part of the Maine Maritime Academy at Castine Maine."

The design was heavily influenced by Cruising Club of America (CCA) offshore racing rules. As such, they have narrow beams, a relatively heavy displacement, moderate ballast and the graceful overhangs that were prevalent among boats of the era. The result is a beautiful, sea-kindly boat that is initially tender, but which firms up once heeled. Heeling provides more hull in the water, and this additional waterline results in greater speed. She is given high marks for seaworthiness, has made several successful ocean crossings, and has weathered big storms.

Jeffrey White of North American Fibreglas Mouldings Ltd. in London, Ontario acquired at least one set of Douglas 31 hull and deck molds, and modified them with a reverse transom designed by Ted Brewer to create the Douglas 32.

There were about 80 to 155 of these built by multiple manufacturers, I have owned two of them.

Sailboat Data Link: DOUGLAS 31/32 sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com

[sailorbear]

Hi, i am currently on a 1965 Laurin 32, which ive sold and waiting for my new to me 1976 Douglas 32. Kim, i love your bathroom, i want to copy that design. Check out go daddy 1$ a year domains. Anyways, here are pix of my next boat "Lia Marie" 1976? Douglas 32. Hmm. Cant send. Dont know how.

[ramblinrod]

Any Douglas Owner's who haven't yet, should consider joining...

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Douglas32/

[Kim Gregory]

Sailorbear, RamblinRod,
Thanks, I'll look into the $1 web hosting and have joined the Douglas Facebook Group!

I was at the boat today ( in this snow storm from Texas ) retrieving tools I need to start the nesting dinghy project.
- Kim

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by Kim Gregory

Douglas 32 photos of my new fold out sink in the head. Folds flush into the port cabinet, and is high enough that the through hull drain does not need to be closed on a starboard tack.
Built using the existing cabinet door, and a stainless steel mixing bowl.

Cruisers & Sailing Forums - Kim Gregory's Album: Douglas 32 - before installation
Cruisers & Sailing Forums - Kim Gregory's Album: Douglas 32 - front of cabinet

Great Job!

When Lori saw our sink, she gave Alain a fairly solid smack in the shoulder (in fun) for removing the sink from Kemana.

I have seen at least one example of a Stainless Steel enclosed flip down sink (like may be seen in antique train berths) on the aft head wall of a Douglas 32.

We have the fibreglass sink in the cabinet, similar to yours, but I like the way yours stops with catches, whereas ours has swing out brackets on fore and aft walls to prop the hinged sink on.

However done, I really like the Douglas 32 head configuration. It is tight, widthwise, but a brilliant use of very limited space. The head and hanging locker doors, to isolate the head from the salon and V-berth was absolutely genious.

And as Ondine and I have commented to each other often, if there is anywhere on the boat we would want minimum space devoted to make more room elsewhere it's needed, it is in the head, as this is the area we are likely to spend the least amount of time.

We have a cockpit shower (original, in the port cockpit locker on forward bulkhead) and use it whenever privacy is not a concern, to avoid the moisture in the boat from the shower in the head.

Soon, I plan to fill the reversing gear and throttle lever recess in the port cockpit sole kickspace, and will likely mount a modern, enclosed cockpit shower faucet and head in that wall near that space, with minimal hot water line run from the water heater.

[Kim Gregory]

RamblinRod,
In 2012 you wrote

I have just copied the full site (less some missing 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.

Did you hear back from the original webmaster? The URL is currently parked by a service provider, but we could easily create a new URL ( DouglasSailboat.com is available). I've got years of old html experience to contribute, have you got recent web site development knowledge? I can re-create the existing web site, but would not be able to add modern features like a user forum, or user accounts.

Good idea on using the shift lever recess for cockpit shower outlet. My current project is a binacle mount for all the engine gauges and autopilot. My mate is also 4'10", so have similar strength / reach issues to consider!
Are your plans for a 2017 cruise still on track?

- Kim

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by Kim Gregory

RamblinRod,
In 2012 you wrote

Did you hear back from the original webmaster? The URL is currently parked by a service provider, but we could easily create a new URL ( DouglasSailboat.com is available). I've got years of old html experience to contribute, have you got recent web site development knowledge? I can re-create the existing web site, but would not be able to add modern features like a user forum, or user accounts.

Good idea on using the shift lever recess for cockpit shower outlet. My current project is a binacle mount for all the engine gauges and autopilot. My mate is also 4'10", so have similar strength / reach issues to consider!
Are your plans for a 2017 cruise still on track?

- Kim

Hi Kim,

I didn't hear back from the old webmaster. I have very limited website development skills and just use the GoDaddy WYSIWYG (sorta) Website Builder for Sheen Marine. (I doubt there would be a big enough following for a forum, and besides, the facebook page works well for this.)

I'll send you a PM with other info.