Ericson 32-3 Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

The 32-3 carries a V-berth forward with an enclosed head and hanging locker just aft, then a dinette and settee amidships and a corner galley to starboard with a 6-foot 6-inch quarter berth and a nav table to port. A bridge deck opens room at the galley, a feature the earlier 32 did not have. Headroom is 6 feet 2 inches. Fresh water is a 32-gallon tank amidships with an optional 20-gallon tank under the V-berth and a 17-gallon holding tank. Ventilation includes deck hatches, a Dorade, and opening portlights in the forward cabin and head, with Ericson's slanted-side fixed saloon portlights. Used boats will show the owner-cited shortcomings: a hanging locker one owner called too small and a starboard settee described as severely angled to the bow end and narrow.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

A short-handed setup is commonly fitted on these boats in the used market. The 32-3 originally came with a 21-hp three-cylinder Universal diesel and 22-gallon aluminum fuel tank, and later-model winches were Barient; early 32s used Barlow, so a rig inspection should confirm what an example actually carries. A tall rig was a factory option and helps in light air; the deep-keel model outperforms shoal and wing versions, so keel type matters when comparing listings. The recessed companionway drew one owner's complaint that it makes for a high and ineffective dodger, a candidate for owner modification.

What to Inspect

Some owners report oilcanning in the hull, most often in the large unsupported areas forward above the V-berth, and an owner of a 1987 model reported heavy seas flexing the hull and popping off starboard shelf trim. Some boats have thin glass where there are sharp turns in the mold, and quite a few owners of both models complained about gelcoat flaws. Rubber rubrails deteriorate over time. On the structural side, the 32-3's ballast is external with keel bolts through the TAFG and the hull/deck joint is glassed over with four layers of 3-ounce mat and 7-1/2-ounce cloth; confirm bond integrity and any prior core intrusion at wood hatch frames, which one 1972 owner reported leaking water to the balsa deck core. The 1969 generation's gate valves on through-hulls are a known item to replace, though the 32-3's later construction reduces that specific risk.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

These boats are typically found in the United States. For a buyer, the checklist is short and fact-based: verify keel-bolt and TAFG bonding condition, look for forward hull oilcanning and thin glass at mold turns, budget for gelcoat and rubber rubrail refresh, confirm the hanging locker and starboard settee suit your needs, and prefer the deep-keel example with tall rig if light-air or upwind performance is the priority.