Design and Construction
Offshore Yachts Ltd. built the Nantucket Clipper 32 with a solid fiberglass hull and deck. The other yards that produced the model used the same material approach.
The boat displaces 8,290 pounds and carries 3,360 pounds of iron ballast, giving it a ballast ratio of 41 percent—higher than half of its peers. With a displacement-length ratio of about 400, it falls firmly into the ultra-heavy cruiser class.
Its 31-foot-8-inch overall length, 21-foot waterline, and 9-foot-2-inch beam produce a length-beam ratio of 3.48. That makes the Nantucket Clipper 32 slimmer than roughly four-fifths of comparable designs. The long keel draws between 4.27 and 4.57 feet, depending on load, allowing access to shallow marinas that would exclude deeper-draft rivals.
The wetted surface is about 215 square feet. An immersion rate of 665 pounds per inch indicates that the hull sits heavily in the water and moves little under changing loads.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The Nantucket Clipper 32 carries a yawl rig with 730 square feet of sail area, producing a sail-area-displacement ratio of 28.52. Its multiple smaller sails can make short-handed handling easier than managing a large sloop rig, while its sail-area-displacement ratio is moderate enough to support manageable sails.
Sheet specifications are practical and consistent. The jib and genoa sheets are about 31.7 feet long and half an inch in diameter. The mainsheet is 79.2 feet long, while the spinnaker sheet is 69.7 feet; both are also half an inch in diameter.
The theoretical hull speed for a displacement boat of this waterline length is 6.1 knots. A calculated maximum of about 3.7 knots reflects the conservative performance envelope of an ultra-heavy cruiser. Combined with its slim hull and draft that changes only modestly with load, the design trades outright pace and light-air acceleration for stability and access to shallow water.
The figures vary slightly between available calculations. The boat has a reported motion-comfort ratio of 27.8—higher than 73 percent of similar sailboats—and a capsize screening value of 1.80, which by the formula alone would qualify it for ocean racing. Elsewhere, the figures are given as a 27.7 comfort ratio and a 1.81 capsize screening value. In either case, they suggest a steady, forgiving platform rather than a spartan racer.
Machinery, Tankage, and Accommodation
A 10-horsepower Bukh diesel drives a shaft. Tankage consists of 20 gallons of water and 18 gallons of diesel.
The principal dimensions influence life below, but the available record doesn’t describe the interior arrangement in detail. Any assessment of accommodation and livability therefore needs to come from inspecting a specific hull.
Ownership and Refits
The single 10-horsepower Bukh diesel, shaft drive, and modest tankage imply straightforward mechanical upkeep. The yawl rig’s multiple smaller sails may also suit short-handed crews better than one large sloop rig.
With an immersion rate of 665 pounds per inch, added cruising gear or water weight barely changes the boat’s trim. That can be a useful advantage when outfitting it for cruising.
The Verdict
The Nantucket Clipper 32 is a purpose-built heavy cruiser with a slim, shallow-draft hull and a yawl rig. It prioritizes stability over speed. Its comfort and capsize figures suit extended coastal and ocean passage-making, while the solid fiberglass construction used by Offshore Yachts Ltd. and the other builders provides a simple, repairable structure.
Pros
- Long keel and load-dependent draft of 4.27–4.57 feet ease access to shallow marinas
- Motion-comfort ratio is higher than that of 73 percent of similar designs
- Yawl rig and moderate sail-area-displacement ratio provide manageable sails
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck were used by Offshore Yachts Ltd. and the other builders
- High immersion rate means cruising loads have little effect on trim
Cons
- Ultra-heavy-cruiser profile limits calculated maximum speed to about 3.7 knots
- Slim beam and heavy displacement don’t favor light-air acceleration
- Limited documentation of the interior means buyers must inspect individual boats
