Design and Construction
The 32 is a long-keeled wooden monohull with a hard chine and solid hull core. It displaces 8,000 pounds, carries 3,000 pounds of lead ballast, and has a 10-foot beam.
Early Dickerson boats, including the 32, were designed and built simply and well in the Chesapeake workboat tradition. Their ruggedness led the U.S. Navy to hire Bill Dickerson to build patrol boats.
Rig and Handling
The ketch rig carries 425 square feet of sail. With its canvas divided into manageable sections and a hull speed of 6.9 knots, the 32 favors easy sail handling over speed—an arrangement well suited to short-handed crews.
A long keel and attached rudder give the boat predictable tracking rather than quick pivoting.
Accommodations
The aft cockpit defines the deck plan. Owners remember the early interiors as simple, solid, and built from plywood.
No two boats are necessarily alike below. Carpenters accommodated customer requests, and Bill Dickerson sometimes made impromptu changes or reconsidered cabinetry overnight. As a result, sister ships can differ significantly in their interior layouts and cabinetry.
Known Issues
Wood construction and plywood interiors require disciplined maintenance to prevent delamination. The boats’ individual construction can also complicate repairs and restoration. Some practical fittings were made from whatever material was at hand—for example, a samson post pin fashioned from scrap rod—so replacements may not correspond to standard parts.
Refits and Ownership
Dickerson switched to fiberglass in the early seventies, placing the wooden 32s firmly in the company’s earlier generation. The marque’s devoted following—compared in period writing to Hinckley zealots—continues to support owner networks.
The Verdict
The Dickerson 32 is a wooden ketch shaped by unembellished Chesapeake logic: sturdy, simple, and individual. Its manageable rig and predictable tracking suit straightforward cruising, but prospective owners must be prepared for the maintenance demands and variations that come with an early, individually varied wooden boat.
Pros
- Sturdy wooden construction with lead ballast
- Simple ketch rig suited to short-handed handling
- Devoted owner following and supporting owner networks
Cons
- Significant variation in layout from boat to boat
- Wood construction and plywood interiors require disciplined maintenance
- Early custom fittings may require bespoke replacements
