The Nicholson 32 Mk 10, a heavy displacement long-keeled sloop, was designed by Charles Nicholson & Peter Nicholson and built in the UK by Halmatic Ltd.
Underwater Profile: Long keel
Hull Material: GRP (Fibreglass)
Length Overall: 33'0" / 10.1m
Waterline Length: 24.0" / 7.3m
Beam: 9'3" / 2.8m
Draft: 5'6" / 1.7m
Rig Type: Masthead sloop
Displacement: 12,200lb / 5,534kg
Designer: Charles Nicholson & Peter Nicholson
Builder: Halmatic Ltd (UK)
Year First Built: 1978
Year Last Built: 1981
Number Built: ?
Owners Association: The Nicholson 32 Association
1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 16.7
2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 49.2
3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 441
4. Comfort Ratio: 40.
5. Capsize Screening Formula: 1.55
1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 16.7 suggests that the Nicholson 32 Mk 10 will, in the right conditions, approach her maximum hull speed readily and satisfy the sailing performance expectations of most cruising sailors.
2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 49.2 means that the Nicholson 32 Mk 10 will stand up well to her canvas in a blow, helping her to power through the waves.
3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 441, tells us the Nicholson 32 Mk 10 is firmly in the ultra-heavy displacement category. Load her up as much as you like and her performance will be hardly affected, not that it was ever startling. Few if any sailboats are built to this displacement category these days - but they remain popular with some long-distance sailors.
4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 40.9 suggests that crew comfort of a Nicholson 32 Mk 10 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a heavy bluewater cruising boat. Pitching and rolling will be well damped - your cup of coffee on the salon table stands a reasonable chance of staying there in most conditions.
5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 1.55 tells us that a Nicholson 32 Mk 10 would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0.
How many Nicholson 32s were built and what are the main differences between the models?
According to the Nicholson 32 Association, 369 Nicholson 32s were built between 1963 and 1981. The boats went through 11 model upgrades, from Mk I to Mk XI, with various changes to the hull, deck, cockpit, rig, engine, interior and windows. Some of the most noticeable differences are the raised freeboard and lowered coachroof of the Mk X and XI models, the enlarged cockpit and centreline companionway of the Mk X models, and the different window shapes of the Mk I to VIII and Mk X and XI models.
What are the dimensions and specifications of the Nicholson 32?
The Nicholson 32 has a length overall of 9.75m (32ft) for the Mk I to IX models and 10m (33ft) for the Mk X and XI models. The beam is 2.82m (9ft 3in) and the draft is 1.68m (5ft 6in). The displacement is around 6.5 tonnes (14,330 lbs) and the ballast is around 3.2 tonnes (7,055 lbs). The sail area is around 46 sq m (495 sq ft).
How does the Nicholson 32 perform under sail and power?
The Nicholson 32 is a lovely boat to sail, with a sea-kindly motion, good stability and balance, and a moderate speed. It can handle rough weather well and has a good track record of ocean crossings. It is not very agile or fast in light winds or tight manoeuvres, but it can be improved with a larger genoa or a bowsprit. The original engine was a BMC 1.5 diesel with 35hp, which was adequate but noisy and smoky. Many owners have replaced it with more modern and reliable engines, such as Beta or Yanmar.
What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of owning a Nicholson 32?
Some of the advantages of owning a Nicholson 32 are:
Some of the disadvantages of owning a Nicholson 32 are:
What are some recommended upgrades for a Nicholson 32?
Some recommended upgrades for a Nicholson 32 may depend on the model and condition of the boat, but here are some general suggestions:
The above answers were drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; we believe them to be accurate to the best of our knowledge.
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