Nicholson 32 - sailing performance upwind and in heavy weather

[prv]

That said Northshore will build you the spiritual inheritor of boats like the Nic with their Vancouver. But it will cost. As indeed would a similar quality from Sweden or even the US.

...and as the Nic did when it was new. Go-anywhere boats are expensive, full stop.

Pete

 

[Adrian_]

I appreciate how boring and predictable this is going to sound but if your looking for a boat of this type and price have you thought about and Excalibur 36? They tend to go for under 20k and have far more room than a nic 32, Sail better and have surprisingly roomy interiors. despite their age there is little to go wrong, encapsulated lead keels, No balsa core and very solid construction and fitout. Sadly the one for sale in scotland seems to have been sold.
Excalibur 36
http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=3800
Nic 32
http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=1192

That's a very valid tip. I know the ad about the boat in Scotland, but it was a project boat.
But I'm keeping an eye for Excalibur 36's as they don't seem to carry the Nicholson premium.

 

[Tranona]

Rustler have built 21 Rustler 36's in the last 10 years. It is almost consistently 2 per year.

Just as Seajet says - does not challenge the fingers. Bet if they stopped nobody would take up the challenge to reintroduce the boat.

 

[wklein]

That's a very valid tip. I know the ad about the boat in Scotland, but it was a project boat.
But I'm keeping an eye for Excalibur 36's as they don't seem to carry the Nicholson premium.

Thanks for that, worried i was turning into one of those owners who think their boat is perfect. If you want any honest insight or background into them let me know, i have one and a couple of friends with them too.

 

[matelot]

Well, I don't think a Vancouver has been built for at least 5 years and suspect that the number of Rustler 36 built recently would not challenge your fingers.

Is it really that few? I cannot see a boat building business being viable on those sort of numbers.

 

[Adrian_]

Thanks for that, worried i was turning into one of those owners who think their boat is perfect. If you want any honest insight or background into them let me know, i have one and a couple of friends with them too.

Sure, I even have a topic where I'm looking exactly for such advice http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=336032

 

[prv]

Is it really that few? I cannot see a boat building business being viable on those sort of numbers.

Presumably they build other things as well.

I think Crabbers will still build you one of their 30-foot "pilot traders" if you ask them, but until anyone does ask they're churning out Shrimpers and 24 / 26 footers.

Pete

 

[Vara]

Sailed many miles in a Nic32X, solid,very stable motion, pointed well, could maintain a stately progress when other boats were struggling, heaving too was a delight in nasty weather.
Rubbish speeds off the wind and erratic progress when manoeuvring in marina.

Overall speed was sedate, but the advantage was that its comfortable operating envelope was so much bigger than the lighter modern boat.

If I was buying a boat just for myself I would have one again like a shot, if I could find a decent one, there are a lot of pretty poor examples out there.

 

[FWB]

Adrian_
I have just had an email from a friend who had owned a Nic32 in the past.
Here are his comments...

I had a Nic 32 for about three years in the early 80s. I know they had a lot of trouble with osmosis with some of the hulls and they were really a bit under canvassed by modern standards, but all in all the boat was really solid. Because it was under canvased it wasn't much fun going down wind unless the spinnaker was up, but it went up wind really well. I sailed mine in a full gale many times and although it was uncomfortable it never really felt dangerous. It was a predictable boat to sail in tight corners, so anchoring under sail and sailing into harbours was usually OK. Like many full keel boats it used to roll at anchor, but we got used to that. The mark 10, which we owned was one of the later ones with the chart table facing aft. That meant you could sit at the chart and see the helmsman, which I quite liked.

 

[Adrian_]

Thank you Vara and Dylan, this is the kind of input I was hoping for

 

[Seajet]

I think an Excalibur is an excellent suggestion if you can find one, I remember being seriously impressed.

Maybe even a She 36 if you could adapt her for short handed sailing, one hell of a boat.

As for taking on Rustlers if they went, I wouldn't mind giving it a try, they have boats to die for by international standards and they know it !

How are Oysters getting on ? - Genuine question.

 

[Wansworth]

Mate of mine has one ready for sea in Galicia and its for sale.

 

[Adrian_]

Excalibur or Nicholson? PM me the link please.

 

[Wansworth]

Excalibur or Nicholson? PM me the link please.

a nic 32......cant do liks send pm and will send info

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

Hmm, there's more to it. A Nic 32 has 3000 kgs of lead in it's keel, that's roughly 6000$ at current price. Of course no one makes encapsulated lead keels anymore, that would probably mean a 5500$ handicap on price over the construction cost of a iron cast keel.

Rustler 36's have encapsulated lead keels. About 3500kg of the stuff.

 

[Mark-1]

I'm seriosly considering a Nicholson 32 but so far my knowledge of the boat is purelly theoretical.
So, before moving forward with the purchase, I could use some advice about how she sails upwind and in heavy wather.

Hopefully there are a few Nicholson 32 owners here that can help me.

thanks a lot

Plenty of owners on the Facebook group:

http://www.facebook.com/groups/54106563709/

AS you can guess from looking at them, they go very well upwind in a blow at the cost of diving under waves, both due to low volume.

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

Is it really that few? I cannot see a boat building business being viable on those sort of numbers.

Of course you cannot run a boat building business on those numbers. They also sell Rustler 24's, 33's, 42's an 44's and have other new models coming out soon as well.

 

[Tranona]

Of course you cannot run a boat building business on those numbers. They also sell Rustler 24's, 33's, 42's an 44's and have other new models coming out soon as well.

That is the point. The 36 hangs on because it has a home where they have been prepared to build them, but their main business is elsewhere. More importantly they are trying to find a new formula (with seemingly some success) that has a future rather than cling onto the past. Same with Northshore. Why beat your brains out trying to sell an obsolete boat when you have a long queue (by today's standards) for newer designs.

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

That is the point. The 36 hangs on because it has a home where they have been prepared to build them, but their main business is elsewhere. More importantly they are trying to find a new formula (with seemingly some success) that has a future rather than cling onto the past. Same with Northshore. Why beat your brains out trying to sell an obsolete boat when you have a long queue (by today's standards) for newer designs.

They are prepared to build them because there is still a demand for them. To call it an obsolete boat is not correct. Some people like big, wide, lightweight mass produced boats. Some people like sleek, elegant, traditional heavy boats. There is a market for both, although the modern trend is to the former.

Here is the latest one being delivered to a new owner.

 

[Tranona]

They are prepared to build them because there is still a demand for them. To call it an obsolete boat is not correct. Some people like big, wide, lightweight mas produced boats. Some people like sleek, elegant, traditional heavy boats. There is a market for both, although the modern trend is to the former.

Here is the latest one being delivered to a new owner.

Perhaps I should have used the word obsolescent - going out of use or date: gradually disappearing.

However much spin you try and put on it a 30 year old design that only two people a year want to buy is not a particularly sound basis for a business!