Design and Construction
Paceship Yachts built 41 Chance 32/28 hulls in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, between 1972 and 1974. Chantier Henri Wanquiez produced another 20 in France between 1973 and 1976, while Alexander Robertson & Sons of Sanbank, Scotland, handled finishing work.
The hand-laid fiberglass hull incorporates unidirectional roving throughout the laminate and is stiffened by a bonded grid of the same material. Fifteen stainless-steel bolts secure the cast lead keel.
The modified blister-type deck has molded non-skid and is laid up over a balsa core with mat and woven roving. A silver-anodized, perforated toe rail forms the hull-to-deck joint. Aluminum backing plates are molded beneath every winch and track position, allowing an owner to relocate deck hardware without drilling into raw laminate.
Rig, Steering, and Performance
The masthead sloop rig uses silver-anodized Procter aluminum spars. All standing rigging is 6 x 19 stainless steel, while the boom houses internal jiffy reefing and the clew outhaul.
Standard headsail controls included a Seaboard ball-bearing mainsheet traveler, twin Number 24 Barlow genoa winches, and recessed tracks. For serious buoy racing, an optional package added airfoil spreaders, extra winches, and internal halyards.
With a PHRF rating of 165 and a design brief aimed at IOR 3/4-ton competition, the Chance 32/28 was built to move. Its skeg-hung rudder and fin keel give predictable tracking. Buyers could order either wheel or tiller steering. Diesel engines were optional alongside the standard gasoline power.
Accommodations
The interior packs a full cruising layout into the boat’s 32-foot length. In the main cabin, a convertible dinette seats five and provides stowage behind and beneath the seats. Opposite are a slide-out berth and an upper berth.
The galley is genuinely equipped for passage work, with a stainless-steel sink, insulated ice box, and two-burner gimballed stainless-steel stove with oven. It also includes dedicated stowage for food, dishes, and utensils.
Opposite the galley, the navigator gets a lighted chart table, chart stowage, and a repeater instrument panel mounted above. A quarter berth and oilskin locker sit beneath.
Forward, the fully enclosed cabin repeats the main cabin’s trim. It contains V-berths over stowage, a teak dresser, and nylon-carpeted hull sides. The enclosed head has a Wilcox Crittenden unit, a molded sink, and a deck vent lite that provides both light and airflow. Cockpit lockers add exterior stowage.
Known Issues
The construction record shows no structural defect campaign, but after roughly half a century of service, two areas warrant an owner’s attention.
The balsa-cored deck is a classic site for water intrusion around fasteners or the toe-rail joint. Once saturated, the core loses stiffness, and the molded non-skid surface can delaminate.
The 15-bolt lead-keel attachment and the aluminum-to-fiberglass toe rail are also inspection points. Corrosion around stainless-steel keel bolts or rail fasteners is a known age-related concern on boats of this vintage.
Refits and Owner Support
The molded aluminum plates beneath the deck hardware make winch and track changes straightforward. The optional racing package also shows that the hull was engineered with upgrade paths in mind.
An active class club, The Paceship, once supported owners but is now inactive. Technical exchange therefore depends on general Chance-design and Paceship networks rather than a dedicated association.
The Verdict
The Chance 32/28 is a thoughtfully engineered small racer-cruiser, combining a hull designed for speed with a serious interior suited to weekend living. Its French and Canadian build histories also introduce some variety in finishing.
Pros
- Hand-laid hull with unidirectional roving and bonded-grid stiffening
- Complete cruising interior with an enclosed head and forward cabin
- Molded aluminum plates simplify deck-hardware changes
Cons
- Balsa-cored deck is vulnerable to water intrusion and delamination
- Inactive class club limits organized owner support
