Design and Construction
The fiberglass hull has a long keel, giving the boat the directional stability and grounding tolerance associated with traditional cruising hulls rather than the fin-and-skeg designs that became fashionable in later decades.
The Fales measures just under 32 feet overall, with an 11-foot beam. Its length-to-beam ratio is 2.84, a proportion that yachtdatabase.com places among the roomier layouts in its class—more spacious than 79 percent of comparable designs.
A displacement-length ratio of 307 puts the boat firmly in the “heavy cruiser” category, with only 27 percent of similar sailboats being heavier. Its 35 percent ballast ratio is higher than that of 21 percent of its rivals. That ballast and displacement account for much of the Fales Navigator 32’s seakindly character.
Performance and Seakeeping
The Motion Comfort Ratio is 35.1, an exceptional figure for a boat of this size. The same review concludes that the Fales is more comfortable than 95 percent of similar sailboat designs.
A capsize screening value of 1.74 and a theoretical hull speed of 7.2 knots frame it as a steady cruiser for protected waters and offshore sailing rather than a racer. Its immersion rate is about 202 kg per centimeter (1,132 pounds per inch), indicating that the boat sits deep and moves little as the load changes. The wetted surface is roughly 30 square meters—the area an owner must keep faired and antifouled.
Draft ranges from 1.07 to 1.17 meters depending on load, or around 3.5 to 3.8 feet. That’s shallow enough for gunkholing yet stable under ballast.
Rig and Sail Handling
The cutter rig divides the foretriangle into manageable staysail and genoa sections, suiting short-handed crews who prefer that arrangement.
Straightforward running-rigging estimates call for jib and genoa sheets 9.7 meters long and 12 mm in diameter, a 24.1-meter mainsheet of the same diameter, and 21.2-meter spinnaker sheets. These measurements are useful when replacing worn lines or re-rigging the boat. The mainsheet is particularly long, so its routing and purchase require careful planning.
Accommodations
The broad beam and heavy-cruiser displacement provide interior volume that the design ratios suggest is well above average for a 32-foot boat. The roominess indicated by the length-to-beam comparison is one of the model’s defining traits, whether living aboard at anchor or making a long passage.
Verdict
The Fales Navigator 32 is a low-production, heavily built Crealock-Street cruiser whose comfort and volume figures outclass most peers of its era. It rewards an owner who values easy motion and interior room over speed or resale liquidity. Its long keel and shallow draft also suit a range of cruising grounds.
Pros
- Motion Comfort Ratio of 35.1, surpassing 95 percent of similar designs
- Roomy, beamy layout, more spacious than 79 percent of comparable boats
- Heavy-cruiser displacement and a long keel for stable, predictable handling
Cons
- Very few were built, limiting spares interchange and owner-network support
- Modest 7.2-knot hull speed caps pace under sail or power
