Vancouver 32 specs/brochure?

MikeBz

MikeBz

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 Aug 2005
Messages
1,804
Location
East Anglia
Visit site
Can anyone furnish me with an electronic copy of a/the Vancouver 32 brochure from the 1980s? Every source of info I've found with Google (Yachtsnet archive, adverts etc) quotes a different draft - answers range from 4' to 6'1". Were they built with differing keel specs?

Mike
 
I think that all the V32 were encapsulated iron, I have never heard of a single problem associated with them, some of the V34s had an encapsulated lead keel.
 
It's on the "possibly interesting" list. Not really in need of a bluewater/ocean-going vessel but the modern AWBs have no appeal to me at all.

Mike
 
I don't think the Vancouver is exclusively a bluewater boat. Many couples find they suit everything from weekends away to long term live aboard.

However when buying one don't be lulled into a false sense of security by the general consensus that they are well built. Whilst this is generally true they, like a lot of boats, do have some issues. In particular they can leak badly with some knock on problems if the leaking has been ignored.
 
There is an owners association that has a wealth of information if you get seriously interested I have owned Vancouvers for over 15 years so could probably help. What Tim says is quite true that many are used for effectively coastal sailing but a lot will have sailed many miles and will still have their original equipment and like all boats there are issues with some of them but they are as a rule very well built and most if not all the problems will either have been sorted or the solution well documented. The last V32 was built in 1990 /91 by the way so you are going to be looking at boats over 25 years of age.
Finally they sail very well and are not sluggards even in light airs with the correct sail plan so don't be put off by that red herring.

Good hunting if you find a good one like as not it will short of a radical change of fortune be your boat for life.
 
MikeBz said:
Can anyone furnish me with an electronic copy of a/the Vancouver 32 brochure from the 1980s? Every source of info I've found with Google (Yachtsnet archive, adverts etc) quotes a different draft - answers range from 4' to 6'1". Were they built with differing keel specs?

Mike
Click to expand...

I am fairly confident of the length, beam and draught figures on our archive page - http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/vancouver-32/vancouver-32.htm although there is some minor doubt about the displacement and ballast and sail area. They were all moulded to the same draught - no deep or shallow keel versions.

The displacement is quoted in two separate contemporary sources at 14,000 lbs, although a YM review gave 14,531 lbs. YM also gave the draught at 4' 11" but this was a used boat test, so the figures were probably from the owner and not the builder or designer. Sail area is variously quoted between 600 and 795 sq ft, and any of them could be "right" depending on whether you measure a theoretical 100% foretriangle, or the actual area of main and genoa, main, working jib and staysail, etc.

Getting accurate data on older boats - even many recent older boats - is very difficult. Even with boats where I have builders brochures - I have some cases where two brochures for the same model yacht give differing figures. Also builders sometimes alter the build - I once owned a production boat where the builders spec was based on the original designers figures, but when my boat was built as the first production model ( I had the first owners build survey report ) sea trials came back with "too tender", so an extra half ton of ballast was added. They did not alter the brochure figures, but put the extra ballast in all later boats. I know why she was too tender, the designer had not anticipated the weight of solid teak the builder would put on deck and onto the coachroof !

John Wilson
http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/
 
jwilson said:
I am fairly confident of the length, beam and draught figures on our archive page - http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/vancouver-32/vancouver-32.htm although there is some minor doubt about the displacement and ballast and sail area. They were all moulded to the same draught - no deep or shallow keel versions.

The displacement is quoted in two separate contemporary sources at 14,000 lbs, although a YM review gave 14,531 lbs. YM also gave the draught at 4' 11" but this was a used boat test, so the figures were probably from the owner and not the builder or designer. Sail area is variously quoted between 600 and 795 sq ft, and any of them could be "right" depending on whether you measure a theoretical 100% foretriangle, or the actual area of main and genoa, main, working jib and staysail, etc.

Getting accurate data on older boats - even many recent older boats - is very difficult. Even with boats where I have builders brochures - I have some cases where two brochures for the same model yacht give differing figures. Also builders sometimes alter the build - I once owned a production boat where the builders spec was based on the original designers figures, but when my boat was built as the first production model ( I had the first owners build survey report ) sea trials came back with "too tender", so an extra half ton of ballast was added. They did not alter the brochure figures, but put the extra ballast in all later boats. I know why she was too tender, the designer had not anticipated the weight of solid teak the builder would put on deck and onto the coachroof !

John Wilson
http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/
Click to expand...

The question of ballast / displacement probably arise from the V34 which had additional ballast added to the front of the encapsulated keel and was changed to lead after the first boats were found to drag their sterns a little. Sail area can be calculated from a plethora of the sail combinations availlable as the early V32 were hanked on sails mainly a very large genoa was availlable 140% from memory also the Yankee was modified which will give a different figure. Not sure what the position with Northshore is at the moment but they used to hold impecable boat histories and build information also Ivan of Arun sails will advise on sail specification as they produced most of the original sails for the Vancouvers. There were at least two home completed V32s as well so depending on fit out their displacement will be different. I am also pretty sure that Pheon produced the first mouldings and a 3.5% variation in displacement figure could easily be lost in build variation so nothing to be concerned about.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top