Design and Construction
Enderlein's Mistress 32 was conceived as a competitive offshore racer rather than a comfortable coastal cruiser, yet she carried a pleasant interior that separated her from pure race boats of the period. The hull is solid fibreglass built by Hallberg-Rassy Varvs AB, with a 9-foot-4-inch beam and a slender proportion that yacht-database analysis places ahead of 73 percent of comparable designs for narrowness. At a displacement of 3.4 tons and a ballast keel of 1.5 tons, her displacement-length ratio of 297 slots her into the "heavy cruisers" category even as her racing pedigree suggests otherwise, and her length-to-beam ratio of 3.42 reinforces the lean hull form. The yard's own record notes she was a really fast boat despite the nice interior, a combination that explains her enduring appeal.
Rig and Handling
As a masthead sloop the Mistress 32 carries 445 square feet of sail area with jib, and her sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 15.88 supports the lively performance her racing record implies. Hambo demonstrated that potential immediately, winning both the Baltic Race and the Skaw Race and placing well in the 1968 Half Ton Cup before series production began. Under power the Volvo Penta MD1B — a 10-horsepower, two-cylinder diesel — drives her at a recorded 6.5 knots, just above the theoretical displacement hull speed of 6.4 knots. The capsize screening value of 1.89 and a motion comfort ratio of 23.9, which the comparative data ranks as more comfortable than half of all similar designs, speak to a seaworthy platform beneath the race-bred deck.
Accommodations
Below, the Mistress 32 offers five berths arranged around a galley and a toilet facility, with the interior finished in mahogany like many of her contemporaries. The builder described the accommodation as nice, and the layout served double duty as a weekend racer-cruiser rather than a stripped-out campaign boat. With a draft of 1.65 metres empty in standard trim — rising to roughly 1.65 to 1.75 metres under load — she can still tuck into most marinas despite the racing-derived hull.
The Verdict
The Mistress 32 is a fascinating anomaly: a Hallberg-Rassy built to win races, not to coddle passage-makers, yet finished with the yard's characteristic interior care. For a buyer who wants a small, pretty, genuinely quick classic with a verifiable competition history, she is difficult to ignore. The limited production of 110 hulls means rarity, but also a need for careful survey of a 50-year-old racer-cruiser.
Pros
- Most racing-oriented Hallberg-Rassy ever built, with proven IOR half-ton success
- Elegant, enduring lines from Olle Enderlein's late-sixties design
- Solid fibreglass hull with a comfortable motion rating above half of peers
- Five berths and mahogany interior make her usable as a cruiser
Cons
- Only 110 built, limiting fleet support and parts commonality
- Heavy-cruiser displacement ratio sits awkwardly against racing intent
- Modest 10 hp engine and shallow racing draft suit light use more than heavy voyaging
