Rather than starting with a clean sheet, Tripp based the design on the molds used for the Columbia 32, giving the Watkins 32 a lineage rooted in an established hull form.
Design and Construction
The Watkins 32 is built primarily of fiberglass with wood trim. It has a raked stem, an angled transom, a fixed fin keel, and a medium-depth, skeg-mounted rudder controlled by a tiller. Period reviews noted its high freeboard and low cabin, the latter intended to reduce windage. The result trades some visual heft for a more contained silhouette aloft.
The boat measures 32.50 feet overall, with a 26.58-foot waterline and a 10.17-foot beam. Displacement is 10,800 pounds, including 5,500 pounds of ballast, making it a substantial coastal cruiser. With the standard keel, draft is four feet—shoal enough for gunkholing, which testers identified as a practical advantage in shallow anchorages.
Rig and Handling
The Watkins 32 carries a masthead sloop rig. Its halyards and outhaul are led internally, and the factory fitted a topping lift and internal jiffy reefing. Two jib-sheet winches are standard, but halyard winches were a factory option rather than standard equipment.
Total sail area is 468.53 square feet, comprising a 202.13-square-foot mainsail and a 266.41-square-foot jib or genoa. The foretriangle measures 38.75 feet in hoist and 13.75 feet at the base.
The moderate fin keel, skeg-hung rudder, and tiller provide a direct helm feel in keeping with the boat’s cruising purpose rather than racing responsiveness.
Accommodations
Below deck, the Watkins 32 has a practical cruising layout. The galley is to starboard and can be fitted with a two-burner alcohol or propane stove, plus a refrigerator. Farther forward, the head and a hanging locker sit just aft of the V-berth in the forepeak.
To port, the dinette table converts into a double berth. A quarter berth occupies the main cabin alongside the port-side navigation station. All interior doors are louvered teak. Ventilation comes from six opening ports and a forward hatch over the V-berth. An anchor locker is fitted in the bow.
The design is also supported by an active class club, the Watkins Owners.
The Verdict
The Watkins 32 is a small-production, Tripp-designed cruiser that uses Columbia 32 tooling to create a low-cabin, shoal-draft coastal boat with a straightforward fin-and-skeg hull and tiller steering. With only eight built, it is rare, though the active owners’ club makes the design more approachable for a hands-on cruiser.
Pros
- Four-foot draft allows gunkholing and access to shallow water
- Low cabin profile reduces windage, according to period observations
- Internally led halyards and jiffy reefing simplify deck handling
- Six opening ports and a forward hatch provide ventilation, while the louvered teak doors add warmth
Cons
- Only eight examples were built, limiting brokerage availability
- Halyard winches were a factory option rather than standard equipment
- High freeboard may not appeal to sailors looking for a low-profile sheer
