Design and Construction
The 32 is a long-keeled wood monohull with a hard chine and solid hull core, carrying 3,000 pounds of lead ballast against 8,000-pound displacement and a 10-foot beam. Early Dickerson boats including the 32 were built of wood, designed and built simply and well in the Chesapeake workboat tradition. The ruggedness of the boats led the U.S. Navy to hire Bill Dickerson to build patrol boats.
Rig and Handling
As a ketch with 425 square feet of sail and a 6.9-knot hull speed, the 32 favors manageable canvas splits over speed. The long keel with attached rudder gives predictable tracking rather than quick pivoting.
Accommodations
Owners recall the early interiors as simple, solid, and made of plywood. The aft cockpit anchors the deck plan. Because carpenters accommodated requests and Bill Dickerson made impromptu changes, individual boats varied significantly in cabinetry.
Known Issues
Individual 32s differ because the shop altered layouts on the fly and the builder rethought cabinets overnight, so sister ships may not match. Wood and plywood interiors need disciplined maintenance against delamination. Practical found-material finishes, like a samson post pin from scrap rod, are untraceable to standard parts.
Refits and Ownership
Dickerson switched to fiberglass in the early seventies, placing wood 32s as the earlier generation. The devoted following, compared in period writing to Hinckley zealots, supports owner networks.
The Verdict
The Dickerson 32 is a wood ketch of unembellished Chesapeake logic: sturdy, simple, individual.
Pros
- Sturdy wood construction with lead ballast
- Simple ketch rig suited to short-handed handling
- Devoted owner following for support
Cons
- Significant per-boat variation in layout
- Wood and plywood interiors require maintenance
- Early custom fittings may need bespoke replacement
