Design and Construction
The LM 32 carries a hand-laid fiberglass hull with a balsa-cored deck, and the larger LM models used an iron-and-lead alloy cast into fiberglass for ballast, enclosed integrally in the hull — the builder's claim, though the precise composition was never fully documented. She was offered with a long-ish fin keel drawing just under five feet, or twin bilge keels that reduce draft to four feet one inch. Fin-keel versions carry a spade rudder behind a small partial skeg. Practical Sailor's survey of a 28-year-old example found no delamination or soft spots in the deck or pilothouse top, a notable result for a boat of that age, and the interior mahogany joinery — a legacy of the builder's furniture-making roots — is well executed, with cabinets and drawers that show care even where they are out of sight.
Rig and Handling
Her rig is a conventional single-spreader masthead sloop carrying a standard 150-percent furling genoa, with smaller sails and a spinnaker as options. A rigid boom vang was standard to compensate for the lack of a mainsheet traveler, and the sheet runs to a single cam-cleat at the pilothouse rear. Halyards and reefing lines pass through a channel at the pilothouse side to cam cleats ahead of stainless Andersen winches; the genoa winches on the tested boat were adequate but not oversized, and none were self-tailing from the factory. Testers found her nimble and relatively quick, sailing nearly to hull speed in 8 to 10 knots of wind under full main and genoa, coming about readily and tacking through 90 degrees. She is stable though narrow, and needs no reef until about 15 knots. The prop sits well forward of the rudder with little sidewise thrust, so reverse and tight-quarter maneuvering are sluggish challenge in close quarters. Steering from the pilothouse is awkward because all sail controls lie behind in the cockpit, and the attachable tiller at the rudderhead gives poor visibility from the cockpit seats.
Accommodations
The pilothouse holds the helm to starboard with a raised captain's seat and a fold-out companion seat, a sliding hatch above so the helmsman can stand for a sail view, and a chart table ahead of the wheel that is good for display but poor for work. The compact port-side galley — possibly the smallest of any 32-foot production boat — has a two-burner propane stove, small sink, and a front-loading refrigerator beneath. Below, the saloon has a port settee and starboard dinette-double, with 6-foot settees and lockers outboard and under. The head is forward to starboard with a sliding sink and teak shower grating; the V-berth fills to a roomy double but is only six feet long. With her narrow beam and long cockpit, interior volume feels closer to a modern 28-footer, and there are no quarter-berths — she is fundamentally a couple's boat.
Known Issues
Cockpit drains are adequately sized but with no bridgedeck, boarding seas from astern could overwhelm them. The steering gear near the rudder post is sealed off with only two six-inch ports, making access difficult, and owners report that reconnecting the wheel after using the tiller disconnect requires careful alignment, with some units developing excess play. Saltwater buyers should scrutinize rigging and chainplates for corrosion, and the aluminum saildrive demands careful saltwater maintenance. The 55-gallon fuel tank can harbor old fuel and algae over time, and the 15-gallon holding tank leaves no practical room for enlargement. Original wiring was tidy but 25-year-old boats usually show cobbled additions, and the canoe-stern boarding ladder is awkward given the limited aft deck.
Refits and Ownership
The Volvo saildrive installation is compact, waterproof, and soundproofed, with testers noting quiet running and good access; a folding prop was optional and would improve performance over the standard fixed unit. Four 90-amp batteries sit ahead of the engine under the pilothouse sole, with shorepower. Standard equipment included a bimini, basic instruments lacking a wind meter, and a small bowsprit with an anchor locker sized for ample rode. Some hulls were sold for home completion, so finish quality can vary between boats.
The Verdict
The LM 32 is a genuinely surprising sailor disguised as a pilothouse cruiser, with furniture-grade interior work and a seakindly, easy-handed character that belies her looks. She is best suited to coastal cruising rather than offshore passage-making, and her tight aft cockpit, small galley, and access-limited steering gear ask compromises of the buyer.
Pros
- Sails far better than her appearance suggests, nimble and quick to hull speed in moderate air
- Excellent mahogany joinery and well-made hidden storage
- Soundproofed, accessible Volvo saildrive installation
- Stable narrow hull with good light-air performance
Cons
- No bridgedeck and limited steering-gear access complicate safety and service
- Smallest galley in class and cramped interior volume for 32 feet
- Sluggish reverse maneuvering and poor pilothouse helm visibility
- Holding tank too small to enlarge; fuel tank algae risk over time
