hi i am interested in the cavalier 32 and wondering how seaworthy and strong it is since i would be using it for long distance cruising or are their better boats out there about the same length and price range all responces will be appreciated thankyou.

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winsten said..
hi i am interested in the cavalier 32 and wondering how seaworthy and strong it is since i would be using it for long distance cruising or are their better boats out there about the same length and price range all responces will be appreciated thankyou.

Yes there are better boats out there. There are always better boats about for us to lust after.

Mate has a Cav 32 and likes it. Sailed out to Lord Howe [solo] and made it. Knocked down a couple of times and the boat looked after him. Not the fastest boat about but fairly comfortable and solidly built.

cav 32 ........... great yachts !!!!!!!!!!!!

When I was on the market for a yacht last year I would have been quite happy for a Cav 32 to have been on the market at the time.
Remember that the NZ Cav 32 had a slightly smaller rig than the Ausie built ones.
The Cavs were built in NZ until the great yacht industry destroyer, Piggy Muldoon,, the NZ Prime Minister single handedly taxed the NZ boat building industry out of business.
The moulds then came to Australia and a slightly taller rig was added.
The boats raced offshore quite successfully and were well know for their seaworthiness.
They competed in many offshore classics including the Sydney/Hobart where I think they won their class on one occasion and were still doing Hobarts until quite recently.
If you found a good one that hadn't been raced to hard at the right price you would be hard pushed to find something better in the size.

I raced on one in the harbour about 11 years ago. Pretty wet and too tender as an offshore yacht for my liking. Ramona's comment about knockdowns on a Lord Howe trip probably confirm my perceptions.
My humble view, a very nice harbour or weather dependent coastal passage yacht but I wouldn't want to be in one somewhere you can't run for shelter.

Hi Winsten
Is it the Cav 32 for sale in Manly, Brisbane? Had a look at the boat and liked it nearly made an offer, quite well maintained inside but not much to the sails or rigging and very few extras, I would knock the price down at least 20%. Ended up buying the Carter Passage 33 shown in my Avatar, not quite so pretty inside but fantastic gear and lots of extras, brought it up to Bundy from Tin Can Bay in late May. The crappy weather we've had lately has meant I haven't done much sailing yet but it has given time to clean up the interior and get to know her a bit.

Good luck

Hi Wander66. If you aren't in touch with Cisco you might want to make his acquaintance as a Bundy native. I like those Carter 33s.

Hi again Winsten.

A few members seem to not like the Cavs and they probably have their reasons.

I almost bought one last year and did a bit of pre purchase research.

Have a look at this link,

http://bluewaterboats.org/cavalier-32/


If you think they are not seaworthy after that I would have to ask "what is"?

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Franrick said..
Hi again Winsten.

A few members seem to not like the Cavs and they probably have their reasons.

I almost bought one last year and did a bit of pre purchase research.

Have a look at this link,

http://bluewaterboats.org/cavalier-32/


If you think they are not seaworthy after that I would have to ask "what is"?

That's an advertizing blurb. It even says the Yanmar YSE 12hp single cylinder diesel is a good motor or implies it. Winston asked if there were better boats out there for the money and the answer is yes, hundreds of them.

I wasn't implying that there were not better boats out there.

My point was that they were raced offshore quite successfully. From memory I believe they won their Div in a Hobart at least once and were still competing in Hobarts until just a few years ago.

To be raced offshore and be used as cruising platforms in later years I would hardly think they are as unstable as is implied. When I was thinking of buying one I spoke to two separate current Cav 32 owners who were more than happy with their vessels.

I remember in the 80's the Cav's were one of the boats to have if you could afford one.

But to he honest, we can all find something positive or negative about just about any boat. It depends on what you want and what you are comparing it to. Just because somebody had a bad day or trip out on the water doesn't mean the boat was built wrong.

I think the Cavs you refer to in Hobart races are the bigger ones, 37 or 38's. I can not imagine a cav 32 racing to Hobart.

Dad did a few S-H's pretty sure one was on a 32, pre 975.

The 975 has definitely done many, Gillawa for instance is a training vessel.
www.rolexsydneyhobart.com/the-yachts/2005/gillawa/

Edit, yes in a 32 there is a pic of him prestart that I remember.

Hard race, 50% retired.

http://www.yachting.org.au/last-boat-gillawa-finishes-marathon-rolex-sydney-hobart-race/

m.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/gillawa-completes-hat-trick/story-e6frexni-1111112764195

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Ramona said..
Winston asked if there were better boats out there for the money and the answer is yes, hundreds of them.

Oh yes!! This is one of them. A great yacht and begging for a buyer. Mine was listed at $35,900 and I got it for $28,000.

You might do better with this one.

http://yachthub.com/list/yachts-for-sale/used/sail-monohulls/lotus-9-2/164105

This is my Cav 975.

Nice looking rig Propwalk! I almost purchased a Cav 32, eventually settled on a Yamaha 33. Nothing wrong with most IOR era boats in my opinion?

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bigfred said..
Nice looking rig Propwalk! I almost purchased a Cav 32, eventually settled on a Yamaha 33. Nothing wrong with most IOR era boats in my opinion?

Nice choice! Where do you keep her?

Botany Bay Ramona. Better range of options than my home port of Wollongong. Hope to get down your way come summer.

Nice boat - to me they were one of those boats that was faster than they looked and therefore they have got a reputation as a cruiser rather than a cruiser/racer.

In fact, even the short-rigged Kiwi version (and the first 4? Aussie boats, which also had the short rig) were as fast as anything in their class in their day - East Coasts, Currawongs, S&S Defiance 30s, etc. They actually pushed Bruce Farr's first yacht design, Tituscanby, very hard in championships over the other side of the Tasman and beat the Lidgards, S&Ss, Spencer 30s and early Davidsons. One of the top Kiwi boats came over here for the half ton titles around '72 and finished well up against boats like the East Coasts and Defiances, and close to Plum Crazy which went to finish an unlucky top 10 in the world titles in Scandawegia.

I assume it was the fact that the Cavs looked a bit more classical that saw them stereotyped as cruisers (and they may well be "cruisier' than comparable boats) which meant that many of those who sailed them blamed the boat when they fail to keep up with the contemporary halves.

I just got an email about some social sailing with tweed valley sailing club.

Unbeknownst to me, the ex commodore, Hugh, has recently bought one of these Cav 32's, got it ready and recently left Coffs harbour for kiwi land.

The email said they had 200nm to go.

I have been trying to do asearch for a blog or something, but can only find a crew search on NZ crew finder.


Boat is called risky business of anyone can find out more about it.

And yes, many Cav 32's and 975's have raced to Hobart!







Just been following the thread as I think they are a great coastal cruiser with plenty of room, and would buy a good one tomorrow if the missus would let me!

I have a Cav32, Paloma, based in Newcastle. They are a great boat. Doesn't stop me spending way too much time trawling through boatporn looking at all the other options out there.
As I mainly sail singlehanded the size of boat is perfect. Not too big to manhandle, but big enough to be very comfortable out on the ocean.
Most places I've sailed to, someone will come up and tell me a story about the Cavs. They won themselves many fans over the years.
They sail well, are fast enough for me, and are simple enough and strong enough to see me out.
The only reason I would upsize is if I found a boat with standing headroom, but at 6'7" I don't think that may ever happen.
Go for the Cav32, I am really happy with mine
Cheers

Beautiful
though I am possibly biased
having purchased a cav 32 a couple of years ago
great boats!