Design and Construction
The 32-200 has a solid-fiberglass hull, fin keel, and spade rudder. She displaces 9,800 pounds and carries 4,200 pounds of lead ballast. Her ballast ratio is 43 percent—higher than that of 62 percent of similar sailboats—while the ballast-to-displacement figure is 42.86 percent. Together, those numbers give her a sure-footed character.
With a length-to-beam ratio of 3.00, the 32-200 is among the beamier 32-footers afloat. By that measure, she is roomier than 69 percent of comparable designs.
Wetted surface is about 322 square feet. Her immersion rate of 974 pounds per inch means she settles noticeably as weight comes aboard, and draft varies from 6.04 to 6.34 feet depending on load.
Rig, Handling, and Performance
The masthead-sloop rig carries 495.8 square feet of mainsail and jib. Sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 17.3 with the standard reference sail and 20.9 with a 135 percent genoa. That gives the 32-200 a light-air speed advantage over 62 percent of similar designs.
Even so, she is slightly underrigged compared with her peers, carrying more rig than only 46 percent of similar boats. The light-wind advantage is real, but this assessment suggests that she benefits from a larger foretriangle sail.
Her displacement-to-length ratio of 254 places her among “moderate racers,” and theoretical hull speed is 6.8 knots, a function of the 25.8-foot waterline. The wetted surface and immersion rate keep her firmly in displacement-hull territory.
The 43 percent ballast ratio, moderate displacement, and genoa-driven sail plan give the 32-200 a distinct character: quick in light air, but bounded by a coastal-oriented capsize screen. Her capsize screening value is 2.02, which means she wouldn’t be accepted for ocean races. That marks her clearly as a coastal and inland cruiser rather than a bluewater competitor.
Cruising Capacities and Comfort
Fresh-water capacity is 30 US gallons, while fuel capacity is 21 US gallons. That tankage supports weekend and coastal cruising rather than extended voyaging. The boat may be equipped with an inboard Universal M25XP diesel.
Her Motion Comfort Ratio is 22.6, better than 38 percent of similar designs. It’s a middle-of-the-pack result, reflecting the combination of moderate displacement and a beamy hull rather than a particularly soft-riding character.
The Verdict
The Ericson 32-200 is a Bruce King-designed coastal cruiser-racer with a beamy, roomy hull and an edge in light air. She is well ballasted and moderately comfortable, but her capsize screen and rig profile place her firmly in sheltered-water and coastal use rather than offshore passage-making.
Pros
- Roomy for her length, with a beam ratio exceeding that of 69 percent of similar designs
- A ballast ratio higher than 62 percent of her peers, aiding stability
- Light-wind speed ahead of 62 percent of comparable boats when carrying a genoa
Cons
- A capsize screening value of 2.02 excludes her from ocean racing
- Slightly underrigged compared with class norms
- A Motion Comfort Ratio better than only 38 percent of similar designs
