Design and Construction
Robert Evelyn's own Formula Yachts shop in Groton, Connecticut, turned out the first seven hulls before C&C Yachts of Middletown, R.I., completed the remainder of the production run built by Formula Yachts for the first seven and then C&C for the rest. The earliest boats used Divinycell coring in the hull while the later C&C-built hulls switched to balsa cores early hulls had Divinycell and later ones balsa, a material change that coincides with owner claims that the first boats feel lighter, stiffer, and faster. Most observers credit the C&C-built examples with a nicer molded interior, suggesting the later production boats gained a modest finish upgrade without abandoning the original's racy intent. At 32 feet 1 inch overall with a 28-foot 2-inch waterline and a 9-foot 8-inch beam, the hull carries 4,500 pounds of displacement over a 2,000-pound lead ballast bulb on a 6-foot fin keel and spade rudder.
Rig and Handling
The boat is a fractional sloop rather than a masthead, with a bendy mast and adjustable backstay that let a tuning-minded crew shape power in different breeze fractional rig with adjustable backstay for tuning. The standard sail plan shows a 199-square-foot mainsail and a 234-square-foot jib, with a 363-square-foot genoa and a 740-square-foot spinnaker available for reaching and downwind work. On the water the Evelyn 32 is a light-displacement "PHRF killer" built for club racing, often rating in the mid-90s to low-100s and documented as fast in light air with excellent upwind bite and real planing potential off the wind. Owners describe her as fast, responsive, and genuinely fun, but she is no solo weekender: in a breeze she wants seven or eight hands and can turn demanding when the wind pipes up.
Accommodations
This is more racer than full cruiser, and the interior tells that story without apology. The layout gives a V-berth forward, settees in the saloon, and a small galley and head that let a crew of four to six overnight modestly. Sailing World's survey found the boats generally carried simple but comfortable interiors, with the C&C-built examples standing out for a nicer molded finish. The open cockpit layout reinforces the race-first character and keeps crew movement clear during a buoy-set or spinnaker peel.
Variants
Minor variants exist alongside the standard Evelyn 32-2, which is the most common version afloat. Early "32-1" hulls carry half-ton influences, and a tall-rig option was offered for teams chasing more power in displacement-limited conditions. The differences are subtle against the boat's consistent performance brief, but they matter to a buyer comparing an early Groton hull with a later Middletown one.
The Verdict
The Evelyn 32 is a focused light-displacement racer/cruiser that rewards a sailing-minded owner with pace and responsiveness few 32-footers of its era can match, at the cost of cruising creature comforts and a crew-hungry nature when the wind builds.
Pros
- Light-air speed and excellent upwind performance with downwind planing potential
- Tuneable fractional rig with adjustable backstay
- Rare, purpose-built club racer with MORC/IMS lineage
- Simple, comfortable overnight accommodations for a race boat
Cons
- Demands 7–8 crew in breeze and can be hard work in heavy air
- More racer than cruiser; modest galley and head
- Small production run limits choice on the used market
