Cavalier 32 Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

Production spanned New Zealand boats and Australian boats whose moulds were transported across the Tasman; the Australian-built Cavalier 32s carried a revised rig 1.5m taller and various layout changes, so a used buyer will encounter two interior-configuration families rather than one fixed plan. The capacious interior slept up to eight in period specification with 6' 1" headroom, and the design goal was family-size cruising accommodations alongside racing potential. New Zealand-built hulls number 99 before the 20% “Muldoon boat tax,” with a similar number constructed in Australia and Japan, meaning regional provenance affects both rig height and cabin arrangement but not the core 32' 0" LOA, 24' 0" LWL, and 9' 9" beam.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

On the used market, solar, spinnaker, autopilot, chartplotter, inverter, freezer, bimini, dodger, and epirb are commonly fitted to Cavalier 32s offered for sale. Engine fitment varied at build, with various 12–20 hp diesels recorded and Yanmar YSE 12hp single-cylinder units frequently used, while an inboard Bukh diesel may be equipped; a used boat’s engine should be identified on its own merits rather than assumed. The commonly fitted kit list reflects bluewater cruising use rather than race-only spec, and no less-common or owner-upgrade tier items are noted for this model in the prevailing market picture.

What to Inspect

Because rig pressures must be high to preserve the Cav32’s outstanding close-windedness, some owners have overdone it, causing weariness, so wire terminals, rigging screws, and chainplates should all be checked alongside the mast fittings and mast itself. Examine the joints between the hull and the bulkheads for movement, particularly the main bulkhead, and inspect the chainplate knees as a well-engineered but high-stress area. The rudder stock should be checked for wear in the rudder shaft keyway and loose play in the tiller, and leaching of zinc concentration in various bronze alloys in saline water has been observed in some rudder stocks, indicated by pinkish powder on the surface. It has also been reported that boats built subsequently under licence may have had osmosis issues, distinguishing them from the initial Peter Smith boats that devoted special attention to preventing osmosis.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

Cavalier 32s on the used market are typically found in Australia and New Zealand. For a buyer, the checklist is short but non-negotiable: confirm rig tension history and terminal condition, check bulkhead joints and chainplate knees for movement, inspect rudder stock keyway and bronze for pinkish powder, and verify hull provenance for licence-build osmosis risk. A clean example with the documented hull-deck joint and balsa-cored layup remains a dependable blue seacraft.