I've been offered a manitou 32 as swap. For tophat. Seems a bit of an ugly design. Weird layout and big overhangs bow and stern. Any opinions or experience with these boats?

I think one of our members has a Manitou Steve. Hopefully he'll be along soon.

Also known as a Manaboo boo. A lot were home finished so beware of all sorts of fit outs.

They are a good boat I sailed on one for a while doing coastal passages up and down NSW coast.

I sailed on one on and off for about 5 years. Because of the over hang at each end they say its a 32 ft boat but actually the waterline length is a lot less. The one I sailed on hobby horsed (pitched) a fair bit. I think they are solid though.

Paging Oldboyracer, where are you.

They have been described as the ugliest boat ever built ,but I love mine . It wouldn't be any faster than your tophat as they have a waterline length of just under 24 feet . Not very Roomy inside and as such I tend to live outside the boat in the cockpit most of the time . Plus side is aft cabin ,yes it's tiny as well but sleeps me comfortably. You can't quite sit up straight on my bed though. Rear bulkheads rot out ,not too hard to fix . As said before owner fitout ,can be really rough or really nice . Sail ok ,no speed records will be broken . Any questions ,ask away

The canoe stern is quite handy to hang stuff off of though ,milk crates are an optional extra ,price is right though .

We have one in the club down here (I have never sailed on it) and she needs a bit of wind to get her going but once she is wound up she goes pretty well

Regards Don

Interesting

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Shanty said..
Interesting

Stick with a tophat mate you don't need the extra realestate... Everything is more expensive when you're 7 feet longer and have a second mast... Sector Steve's boat might even be a good buy for you!

Sector Steve have you considered something bigger like an S&S34? Endurance 35 or a Duncanson 35? There are a couple of Duncansons with good gear on them getting around for $35k....

A young fella Braiden (Youtube: the bearded sailor) who used to own the Tophat 25 Triada now owns a Manitou 32. I think he's still on the Tophat facebook page, it'd be interesting to ask his thoughts / get a comparison?

Cheers

I sold a Manitou and bought a Top Hat (later sold it as well but that's a story about a relationship...)
The dongle stick Manitou actually perform a bit better. For me, the ketch (it's not actually) rig was un-necessarily complicated. Keep in mind that with 10 year rigging replacement by insurers, two sticks mean a lot more wire.
I think the Manitou was un-necessarily maligned, but is prone to hobbyhorsing if stores and gear not well balanced. The rear cabin was two-person tent size, but is handy for separating living and sleeping space.
For all that, the Top Hat was so much more enjoyable to sail!

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Toyboata said..

Shanty said..
Interesting

Stick with a tophat mate you don't need the extra realestate... Everything is more expensive when you're 7 feet longer and have a second mast... Sector Steve's boat might even be a good buy for you!

Sector Steve have you considered something bigger like an S&S34? Endurance 35 or a Duncanson 35? There are a couple of Duncansons with good gear on them getting around for $35k....

A young fella Braiden (Youtube: the bearded sailor) who used to own the Tophat 25 Triada now owns a Manitou 32. I think he's still on the Tophat facebook page, it'd be interesting to ask his thoughts / get a comparison?

Cheers

It's braiden that offered to swap. Tempting, but in this case i dont know if bigger is better. to me simpler is better.
I can sleep athwartships in the TH cabin for those rolly anchorages. I do want something bigger but it would have to be pretty good for not much money. 30 k tops. Very keen on the UFO 34 for speed. prepared to spend a bit extra on a fast , good boat like the UFO if its been used as a racer.

Select to expand quote

Sectorsteve said..

Toyboata said..

Shanty said..
Interesting

Stick with a tophat mate you don't need the extra realestate... Everything is more expensive when you're 7 feet longer and have a second mast... Sector Steve's boat might even be a good buy for you!

Sector Steve have you considered something bigger like an S&S34? Endurance 35 or a Duncanson 35? There are a couple of Duncansons with good gear on them getting around for $35k....

A young fella Braiden (Youtube: the bearded sailor) who used to own the Tophat 25 Triada now owns a Manitou 32. I think he's still on the Tophat facebook page, it'd be interesting to ask his thoughts / get a comparison?

Cheers

It's braiden that offered to swap. Tempting, but in this case i dont know if bigger is better. to me simpler is better.
I can sleep athwartships in the TH cabin for those rolly anchorages. I do want something bigger but it would have to be pretty good for not much money. 30 k tops. Very keen on the UFO 34 for speed. prepared to spend a bit extra on a fast , good boat like the UFO if its been used as a racer.

Wow small world! Yeah $30k is lots of $$ plus the $5-6k you'll spend on fitting it out over the next couple years buying all the bits you "had" on your TH... UFO 34's are a nice size though if you find one with all the gear...

I've just had my TH out of the water for 3 months tidying it up. Looks mint at the moment.

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Sectorsteve said..

Toyboata said..

Shanty said..
Interesting

Stick with a tophat mate you don't need the extra realestate... Everything is more expensive when you're 7 feet longer and have a second mast... Sector Steve's boat might even be a good buy for you!

Sector Steve have you considered something bigger like an S&S34? Endurance 35 or a Duncanson 35? There are a couple of Duncansons with good gear on them getting around for $35k....

A young fella Braiden (Youtube: the bearded sailor) who used to own the Tophat 25 Triada now owns a Manitou 32. I think he's still on the Tophat facebook page, it'd be interesting to ask his thoughts / get a comparison?

Cheers

It's braiden that offered to swap. Tempting, but in this case i dont know if bigger is better. to me simpler is better.
I can sleep athwartships in the TH cabin for those rolly anchorages. I do want something bigger but it would have to be pretty good for not much money. 30 k tops. Very keen on the UFO 34 for speed. prepared to spend a bit extra on a fast , good boat like the UFO if its been used as a racer.

Wow small world! Yeah $30k is lots of $$ plus the $5-6k you'll spend on fitting it out over the next couple years buying all the bits you "had" on your TH... UFO 34's are a nice size though if you find one with all the gear...

I've just had my TH out of the water for 3 months tidying it up. Looks mint at the moment.

Select to expand quote

Sectorsteve said..

Toyboata said..

Shanty said..
Interesting

Stick with a tophat mate you don't need the extra realestate... Everything is more expensive when you're 7 feet longer and have a second mast... Sector Steve's boat might even be a good buy for you!

Sector Steve have you considered something bigger like an S&S34? Endurance 35 or a Duncanson 35? There are a couple of Duncansons with good gear on them getting around for $35k....

A young fella Braiden (Youtube: the bearded sailor) who used to own the Tophat 25 Triada now owns a Manitou 32. I think he's still on the Tophat facebook page, it'd be interesting to ask his thoughts / get a comparison?

Cheers

It's braiden that offered to swap. Tempting, but in this case i dont know if bigger is better. to me simpler is better.
I can sleep athwartships in the TH cabin for those rolly anchorages. I do want something bigger but it would have to be pretty good for not much money. 30 k tops. Very keen on the UFO 34 for speed. prepared to spend a bit extra on a fast , good boat like the UFO if its been used as a racer.

I thought it might of been Braidans one, I actually like the look of the Manitous, I think they look "seamanlike", There is one that gets around Port Stephans called "The Ducks Bum" which always makes me giggle.
Dont know if I would swap your top hat for it though, yours feels faster than the average TH, probably the different rig on yours??, unless he has done lots and lots of good works on it, like he usually does to his boats.

Manitou are Notorious for build quality , a Tophat will run circles sail wise around one , seen lots of shoddy fibreglass work in the hull .

Mouldings built at factory in Rozelle by a chopper gun operator that built swimming pools????

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BlueMoon said..

Sectorsteve said..

Toyboata said..

Shanty said..
Interesting

Stick with a tophat mate you don't need the extra realestate... Everything is more expensive when you're 7 feet longer and have a second mast... Sector Steve's boat might even be a good buy for you!

Sector Steve have you considered something bigger like an S&S34? Endurance 35 or a Duncanson 35? There are a couple of Duncansons with good gear on them getting around for $35k....

A young fella Braiden (Youtube: the bearded sailor) who used to own the Tophat 25 Triada now owns a Manitou 32. I think he's still on the Tophat facebook page, it'd be interesting to ask his thoughts / get a comparison?

Cheers

It's braiden that offered to swap. Tempting, but in this case i dont know if bigger is better. to me simpler is better.
I can sleep athwartships in the TH cabin for those rolly anchorages. I do want something bigger but it would have to be pretty good for not much money. 30 k tops. Very keen on the UFO 34 for speed. prepared to spend a bit extra on a fast , good boat like the UFO if its been used as a racer.

I thought it might of been Braidans one, I actually like the look of the Manitous, I think they look "seamanlike", There is one that gets around Port Stephans called "The Ducks Bum" which always makes me giggle.
Dont know if I would swap your top hat for it though, yours feels faster than the average TH, probably the different rig on yours??, unless he has done lots and lots of good works on it, like he usually does to his boats.

Haha Blue Moon, Yeah I spotted "The Ducks Bum" out at Coal Shaft Bay, Broughton Island a few years back! Did make me giggle that's for sure!

Select to expand quote

BlueMoon said..

Sectorsteve said..

Toyboata said..

Shanty said..
Interesting

Stick with a tophat mate you don't need the extra realestate... Everything is more expensive when you're 7 feet longer and have a second mast... Sector Steve's boat might even be a good buy for you!

Sector Steve have you considered something bigger like an S&S34? Endurance 35 or a Duncanson 35? There are a couple of Duncansons with good gear on them getting around for $35k....

A young fella Braiden (Youtube: the bearded sailor) who used to own the Tophat 25 Triada now owns a Manitou 32. I think he's still on the Tophat facebook page, it'd be interesting to ask his thoughts / get a comparison?

Cheers

It's braiden that offered to swap. Tempting, but in this case i dont know if bigger is better. to me simpler is better.
I can sleep athwartships in the TH cabin for those rolly anchorages. I do want something bigger but it would have to be pretty good for not much money. 30 k tops. Very keen on the UFO 34 for speed. prepared to spend a bit extra on a fast , good boat like the UFO if its been used as a racer.

I thought it might of been Braidans one, I actually like the look of the Manitous, I think they look "seamanlike", There is one that gets around Port Stephans called "The Ducks Bum" which always makes me giggle.
Dont know if I would swap your top hat for it though, yours feels faster than the average TH, probably the different rig on yours??, unless he has done lots and lots of good works on it, like he usually does to his boats.

He does alot of work to his boats but he also fills them up with stuff so much you can barely move! the pix he sent me show clutter everywhere. Im of the mindset that if i see any ad of a boat with crap everywhere , dishes in the sink etc , i close the ad and move on. FFS get your crap outta the shot. But in his case he wasnt advertising and he is a mate. i feel a bit sorry for him because he moves from boat to boat constantly and loses money. THe manitou is just not what im after. i need something im confident with in the tasman. id be more confident in my tophat.

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troubadour said..
Mouldings built at factory in Rozelle by a chopper gun operator that built swimming pools????

Not sure about the strength of the hull but on my mates Manitou it is about 1 inch thick

Regards Don

possibly with a lot of issues...