Moody 33 Eclipse Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The Eclipse 33's hull lines read as those of a reasonably modern yacht, and the beamier-than-era section gives it volume without the slab-sided look of later max-beam cruisers. The deck saloon is the defining architectural move: a raised structure with large deckhouse windows that keep the entire saloon, galley, and navigation areas bright and cheery whatever the weather, while affording a fantastic all-round view of the anchorage from the seating below. Practical documentation trails confirm the boat's production seriousness — the Moody Owners Association holds early build dates and yard numbers, a transport cradle drawing, a P bracket installation drawing, and decking documentation shared with the Moody 33 and Moody 38, all of which anchor the model within the Marine Projects production system rather than as a one-off.

Below the waterline the structure carries known vulnerabilities that any owner must respect. The keel bolts are galvanised steel rather than a nobler alloy, and they show their state of corrosion clearly by rusting, so the owner should definitely take a look at them. At the mast step a laminated wooden block is built into the structure; moisture penetration can rot that block and strip it of both functionality and strength. The railing supports tend to leak, a separate but related entry-point problem that bears inspection alongside the mast base.

Rig and Handling

The Eclipse 33 is a masthead sloop carrying 51.78 square metres of sail area — an 18.4 square-metre mainsail and a 33.38 square-metre 150 percent furling genoa — on a mast 13.56 metres above the waterline, with aft-facing lines and halyards that contribute directly to the safe feel of movement on deck. Test sailors found she can reach five knots of speed at 60 degrees to the wind in seven to nine knots of breeze, and on a 10–12 knot south-westerly with a flattish sea she reached at 5 knots comfortably, tacking through 88–90 degrees swiftly and hoving to impressively. She showed no signs of weather helm even when a 24-knot gust tried to round her up, and the fact that she remains safe and easy to control in stronger winds is described as being in Moody's DNA.

What tempers the picture is steering feel. The standard configuration places a wheel in the saloon connected by long ropes to the cockpit, and testers described the result as sticky and not particularly sensitive, with the linkages hanging like rubber. A later Mk-II version replaced the inside wheel with an autopilot, freeing saloon space and, per the reviewer, making her easier to steer with the autopilot disengaged. Both wheels on the tested boat gave a light but stiff feel due to the extra linkages. Off the wind her 5.9-tonne weight tells and she slows markedly, though a good cruising chute or spinnaker would overcome that.

Accommodations

Below decks the Eclipse 33 offers a surprising amount of comfortable living space for a 32-foot-6-inch hull, centred on the raised saloon with seating for four to dine in comfort or six for cosy drinks. Standing heights are specific and generous: 1.80 metres in the saloon, toilet room, and foredeck, 2.09 metres in the galley, 2.00 metres in the aft cabin, 1.90 metres under the boom in the cockpit, and 1.70 metres under the sprayhood. Berths run to six — a big vee-berth forward at 1.97 by 1.65 metres, a surprisingly roomy double aft at 1.80 by 1.50 metres, and a pull-out double in the saloon. The galley is well-equipped with stowage and worksurface aplenty, and the wet room holds a usable shower in which one can sit, though one tester noted having seen a smaller heads compartment in a 40-foot boat.

On deck the cockpit is deep and cosy, well protected behind the high saloon and completely weatherproof with the sprayhood, while the gangways and path to the foredeck are pleasantly wide and feel safe thanks to the superstructure. The inside helm station gives a good forward view until the boat heels heavily to port, and although there is no access to the sheets from there, steering and all-round visibility are rated perfect.

Known Issues

Beyond the galvanised keel bolts, rotting mast-base block, and leaking railing supports already noted, the engine compartment is quite cramped, complicating routine service. The original Volvo Penta options were a 28 hp or a Volvo Turbo 42 hp, and the turbocharged unit can become a problem in the course of the boat's life — a consideration weighted against the otherwise adequate 28 hp Volvo 2003 with shaft drive. Documentation exists for a general shaft change to a Perkins engine across the Eclipse 33, 336, and 35, hinting at drivetrain evolution but not altering the baseline vulnerability profile.

Refits and Ownership

The Mk-II's substitution of an interior autopilot for the saloon wheel is the most significant factory refit distinction, trading inside steering for space and better manual feel. Owners' documentation covers windlasses, prop shaft lengths from 1991, two general propeller documents, water tank senders, and the wheel steering system spanning Moody 31 to 422, giving a used buyer a rare paper trail. The model was and still is highly sought-after, a status consistent with its documented production and the 253-unit run that kept numbers tight without scarcity.

The Verdict

The Moody Eclipse 33 is a thoughtfully engineered deck-saloon cruiser whose Dixon-penned beamy hull and Category A ocean rating make it a genuine certified offshore-capable design, let down only by a handful of specific, inspectable weaknesses in its steering linkages, keel bolts, and mast step. Bought with eyes open to those points, it rewards with volume, visibility, and composed handling.

Pros