This Canadian monohull was developed from the Nonsuch 30. It retains that boat’s hull but differs in its rig and sail plan.
Design and Construction
Rather than drawing a new hull, Ellis carried forward the same hull design as the Nonsuch 30. The 324 is built predominantly of fiberglass, with a plumb stem and vertical transom. An internally mounted spade-type rudder provides wheel steering.
The fixed, shallow-draft wing keel draws 4.33 feet. The boat displaces 11,500 pounds and carries 4,240 pounds of ballast, giving it a ballast-displacement ratio of 36.87. With an 11.83-foot beam and a 28.75-foot waterline, the hull has a steady, volume-rich profile rather than the stance of a fin-keeled racer. Overall length is 32.33 feet, and hull speed is 7.18 knots.
Rig and Handling
The 324’s main departure from the Nonsuch 30 is above deck. It retains the line’s cat rig and unstayed mast but has a taller rig and more sail area than the Nonsuch 30, driving a single 689-square-foot mainsail on a carbon fibre wishbone boom.
Without shrouds or a headstay, the foretriangle remains uncluttered. The wishbone controls the broad cat-rigged mainsail without a conventional boom. A PHRF average handicap of 174 to 175 places the boat fairly among casual club racers and daysailers.
The shallow wing keel suits shoal waters and makes storage easier, although the spade rudder and modest draft trade some offshore stiffness for that accessibility.
Accommodations and Tankage
The tankage suggests a boat intended for extended weekends afloat. Fresh-water capacity is 105 U.S. gallons, while the diesel tank holds 25 U.S. gallons and supplies a 27-horsepower Yanmar engine. That water capacity dwarfs the fuel supply, a proportion typical of a sheltered-water cruiser that relies on sail for propulsion and reserves the engine for calms or docking.
The cat rig also keeps mast partners and chainplates from intruding into the saloon, leaving the cabin trunk unobstructed.
Known Issues and Ownership
The main ownership caveat is scarcity. Because so few 324s were built, spares and rigging components such as the carbon fibre wishbone are harder to source than they are for the longer-produced Nonsuch 30. The hull-to-deck joint and the loads imposed by the unstayed mast on its partners are worth a surveyor’s attention.
The Yanmar diesel is a standard marine unit. The wing keel is a fixed casting rather than a lifting arrangement, so the underwater gear is straightforward. The carbon mast and wishbone are the main items to budget around: as late-generation composite parts made in low numbers, damage or wear may take longer and cost more to remedy than it would on a mass-produced sloop.
The Verdict
The Nonsuch 324 is a quiet footnote to a bold idea: a cat-rigged cruiser that kept the Nonsuch 30’s hull while gaining a taller rig, a larger sail plan, and composite spars. It suits sailors who value an unstayed rig, uncluttered decks, and shoal draft. It’s less attractive for those who expect strong fleet support and readily available parts.
Pros
- The last and most developed Nonsuch, with a taller rig and more sail area than the 30
- Shallow 4.33-foot wing keel and unstayed carbon mast make for uncluttered decks
- Generous 105-U.S.-gallon water capacity for a 32-foot coastal cruiser
Cons
- Very few were built, complicating parts supply and access to specialist survey expertise
- The single 689-square-foot mainsail leaves no headsail option
- Fixed wing keel and spade rudder limit offshore versatility
