cole 32 yacht review

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Thread starter christmas
Start date 29 Dec 2006
29 Dec 2006

Hi, Can anyone give me a view on a cole 23 grp with fixed fin keel designed by peter cole built by northshore boats. I am new to this game and would like anyones view on the performance handling comfort etc... pros and cons. Can anyone tell me were to get info on this boat specs etc...

Well-known member

Hello Christmas (as usual) I can't answer your question however.... We have 3 Cole 26 and one Cole 32 at our club. They are fine cruising boats but quite slow in racing. I am slightly familiar with the Cole 23 retractable keel (briefly sailed on one many years ago) which is a fine trailer sailer but quite heavy. It has a big cabin and if I remember corectly a flush deck ie the cabin top extends to the gunwhales. A fixed keel version should be good(for its size) for rough water open ocean. good luck and look out for those maxis doing 16knots up the Derwent. olewill

30 Dec 2006

fishermantwo

Active member.

[ QUOTE ] 3 Cole 26 and one Cole 32 at our club. They are fine cruising boats but quite slow in racing. olewill [/ QUOTE ] William, I'm hoping they are badly sailed. Ive lusted after Cole 31's, Nantucket31 etc for years. Grasshopper is a timber 31 and has won the Sydney Hobart and other major races. As for the Cole 23 trailer sailer, I have never raced on one but they seem a bit tender, that large genoa might have been fashionable in the 70's but where I sail they get a hiding from Castle 21's. The fixed keel versions seem plentiful on Sydney Harbour. Would be a roomy smaller cruiser and a better bet than say an Endeavour 24 for not much more money.

Yes very likely the Coles are not sailed very well. I sail a 25year old (#1) Castle and while I don't race against the 31 only one of the 26s has kept up in fairly heavy weather once or twice out of perhaps 50 encounters. I have several times passed the 31 when he does race even though he starts 5 mins earlier. But of course the Castle is not so comfortable and is more of a lightweight sports boat. However this also goes well when you tow it. good saing in 07 olewill

All good information thankyou, now does any one know if there is a Cole club or Cole website etc... Thanks...

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Review of Cole 23

Basic specs..

The hull is made of fibreglass. Generally, a hull made of fibreglass requires only a minimum of maintenance during the sailing season. And outside the sailing season, just bottom cleaning and perhaps anti-fouling painting once a year - a few hours of work, that's all.

The boat equipped with a masthead rig. The advantage of a masthead rig is its simplicity and the fact that a given sail area - compared with a fractional rig - can be carried lower and thus with less heeling moment.

The Cole 23 is equipped with a swing keel. A swing keel is a pivoting lifting keel, allowing to sail both coastal and inland waters.

The boat can sail close to the beach as the draft is just 0.35 - 0.45 meter (1.15 - 1.45 ft) dependent of the load. See immersion rate below.

Sailing characteristics

This section covers widely used rules of thumb to describe the sailing characteristics. Please note that even though the calculations are correct, the interpretation of the results might not be valid for extreme boats.

What is Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)?

The capsize screening value for Cole 23 is 3.13, indicating that this boat would not be accepted to participate in ocean races.

What is Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed?

The theoretical maximal speed of a displacement boat of this length is 6.0 knots. The term "Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed" is widely used even though a boat can sail faster. The term shall be interpreted as above the theoretical speed a great additional power is necessary for a small gain in speed.

The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Cole 23 is about 123 kg/cm, alternatively 688 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 123 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 688 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.

Sailing statistics

This section is statistical comparison with similar boats of the same category. The basis of the following statistical computations is our unique database with more than 26,000 different boat types and 350,000 data points.

What is Motion Comfort Ratio (MCR)?

What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?

What is a Ballast Ratio?

What is Displacement Length Ratio?

SA/D (Sail Area Displacement ratio) Indicates how fast the boat is in light wind: - Cruising Boats have ratios 10-15 - Cruiser-Racers have ratios 16-20 - Racers have ratios above 20 - High-Performance Racers have ratios above 24 Sail-area/displacement ratio (SA/D ratio): 21.94

Maintenance

When buying anti-fouling bottom paint, it's nice to know how much to buy. The surface of the wet bottom is about 20m 2 (215 ft 2 ). Based on this, your favourite maritime shop can tell you the quantity you need.

If you need to renew parts of your running rig and is not quite sure of the dimensions, you may find the estimates computed below useful.


Usage	Length		Diameter
Jib sheet	7.0 m	(22.8 feet)	10 mm	(3/8 inch)
Genoa sheet	7.0 m	(22.8 feet)	10 mm	(3/8 inch)
Mainsheet	17.4 m	(57.1 feet)	10 mm	(3/8 inch)
Spinnaker sheet	15.3 m	(50.2 feet)	10 mm	(3/8 inch)

This section is reserved boat owner's modifications, improvements, etc. Here you might find (or contribute with) inspiration for your boat.

Do you have changes/improvements you would like to share? Upload a photo and describe what you have done.

We are always looking for new photos. If you can contribute with photos for Cole 23 it would be a great help.

If you have any comments to the review, improvement suggestions, or the like, feel free to contact us . Criticism helps us to improve.

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Sailing and buying a boat in Australia

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Hi, My husband and I have been looking at sailboats in Australia. Our plan is sailing around Queensland (up and down the Great Barrier Reef) May to October. Then to get away from the cyclones and to do some work, we plan to sail down to Sydney during the summer month (November to March) and moor the boat there. We will make my way back up again starting April. We consider myself to be a sailing novice, so we take things very slowly. Sail only during the day and anchor at night. Is this a realistic sailing plan? In a few years time, once we are more competent. We would like to go visit the South Pacific Islands and maybe even venture into South East Asia. We don't mind fixing things up over time, but the boat needs to be strongly built and capable of crossing oceans to get to the South Pacific Islands. It will only need to accommodate 2 people and maybe a dog in the future. We prefer to have a boat with a shower (not in the cockpit) due to sailing in cooler months and I can't imagine showering in the cockpit as we make our way down to Sydney in cold weather. Our budget is AUD40k after all necessary work to make the boat sailable for coastal cruising. Some of the smaller boats I've been looking at (Compass 28, Clansman 30 etc) do not have showers. Is it realistic to put in a shower in smaller boats? Would it be better off finding a cyclone safe storage in Brisbane for the summer months (November to March) when we need to work full time, hence forgo the need for a shower? What do you guys think about our plans? Any recommendation for the boat?

Join a Sailing Club in Australia, to meet other Australian sailors. There are probably some online groups. You will meet people who sail in the same areas you plan to do. Other Australian sailors in a club, will also offer you advice about the types of boats available in your area that are suitable for your plans. Retrofitting an in-cabin shower on a boat, particularly a smaller one, is not a very feasible proposition. You might have to consider going a little bigger.

Eastcoast 31 Sailing Yacht Boat Pittwater for sale from Australia

There's some good old boats around. Although it might be nudging your budget a bit, my pick would be the Martzcraft 35 because it was designed from the start to do more or less exactly what you are wanting to do. Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Hevene said: Hi, My husband and I have been looking at sailboats in Australia. Our plan is sailing around Queensland (up and down the Great Barrier Reef) May to October. Then to get away from the cyclones and to do some work, we plan to sail down to Sydney during the summer month (November to March) and moor the boat there. We will make my way back up again starting April. We consider myself to be a sailing novice, so we take things very slowly. Sail only during the day and anchor at night. Is this a realistic sailing plan? Click to expand...

Hevene said: We don't mind fixing things up over time, but the boat needs to be strongly built and capable of crossing oceans to get to the South Pacific Islands. It will only need to accommodate 2 people and maybe a dog in the future. We prefer to have a boat with a shower (not in the cockpit) due to sailing in cooler months and I can't imagine showering in the cockpit as we make our way down to Sydney in cold weather. Our budget is AUD40k after all necessary work to make the boat sailable for coastal cruising. Some of the smaller boats I've been looking at (Compass 28, Clansman 30 etc) do not have showers. Is it realistic to put in a shower in smaller boats? Would it be better off finding a cyclone safe storage in Brisbane for the summer months (November to March) when we need to work full time, hence forgo the need for a shower? What do you guys think about our plans? Any recommendation for the boat? Click to expand...

chall03 said: If you want solid and liked the Martzcraft I would suggest looking at the South Coast 36. It is the same hull as the Martz, built by one of Australia's best boat builders and so built like the proverbial brick outhouse. If you would like something with a reasonable head you can swing half a cat in while having a shower it ticks that box too. It's not a speed machine, but it is a respectable cruising yacht. Most might now need a bit of cosmetic love, but that's all part of the fun. The one below is on the market for 45K. It would sell in the high 30s I believe. It would be a good candidate. South Coast 36 for sale Another boat I like a lot is the Arends 33. It was designed and marketed as a boat a couple would cruise the East Coast in. Comfortable boat, well built. Around this price and similar to the Cole 31 Mark mentioned I would look at the Traditional 30s. Also you could look at the Duncanson 35's. Jarkan 35's. Do you know if you want centre cockpit or aft cockpit? I would note that you will see large differences in asking prices in all these boats depending on condition. Understanding that you are happy to do some work, I would still be carefully considering the age/condition of engines particularly. In terms of showers, you can absolutely put something into a small boat. My friend has a Compass 29 with a shower. However you have to then think about the practicalities of water in side the boat, in a non enclosed space. Also if you want hot water, things become more complicated again as most of these size boats still have raw water cooled engines. FWIW most new cruisers spend a lot of time talking about inside showers. We certainly did! By the end of our first cruise up and down the coast we had gotten more and more in the habit of using a solar shower at the back of the boat and then sure when in a Marina making sure we smashed their showers! A lot of veteran cruisers hate inside showers and shower off the back of the boat 90% of time Click to expand...

No worries - best of luck with the boat search, always happy to answer any questions you may have. You can often expect to see boats sell at least 20% or more less than their asking price - again it's all pretty highly variable. I figure it never hurts to make an offer. They can only say no. When we bought our Martzcraft (in 2010) the asking price was 105K. We bought her for 75K. There is wisdom in keeping some of your budget in reserve for upgrades & repairs. Another boat to perhaps consider is the Cavalier 32. A great cruising boat for a couple. The example below looks to be in good cruise ready condition ( It has just done Brisbane to Cairns) with new standing rigging and low hours on the engine. They are two things I would value highly in this price bracket. Cavalier 32 For Sale I agree with your conclusion in regards to showers, marina showers during winter if you are working are the way to go!

chall03 said: You can often expect to see boats sell at least 20% or more less than their asking price - again it's all pretty highly variable. I figure it never hurts to make an offer. They can only say no. When we bought our Martzcraft (in 2010) the asking price was 105K. We bought her for 75K. Click to expand...

MarkofSeaLife said: Yeah, what Chall says. Also you can do your first overnight passage as what you would normally call a day sail...: Sydney to Pittwater is the normal day sail from Sydney. Just do it leaving Sydney at midnight arriving and anchoring before dawn. You get the basic full effect of an overnighter But doing day sails all the way up the coast will get boring real quick. All the work is getting going and stopping, and you add on a lot of miles and time. So overnighters are the way to go Click to expand...

Strictly FWIW.... I know of an Aussie sailor that shopped and bought an Ericson 39 on the west coast -USA- and sailed it home. He post a little about it on the Ericson owners' site and seemed to find that prices were much lower here than at home. I have zero idea how local taxes affected the decision, but he seems to have made it work. I recall that he first sailed it south to Mexico where yard work was less expensive, did some cruising upgrades, and then sailed it home. That's certainly a lot more trouble than finding your dream boat in your local geography, but it's not the first time I've read about someone shopping in the US. (My surmise is that larger boats are expensive in Australia / NZ.)

olson34 said: He post a little about it on the Ericson owners' site and seemed to find that prices were much lower here than at home. Click to expand...

We bought in Europe, the plan being to sail it home. The benefit of the Med is it isn’t a bad place for novice sailors to find their feet. Having said that it’s an adventure you may not want for the moment and I can appreciate that.

chall03 said: We bought in Europe, the plan being to sail it home. The benefit of the Med is it isn't a bad place for novice sailors to find their feet. Having said that it's an adventure you may not want for the moment and I can appreciate that. Click to expand...

SinbadOz said: Start trawling the online boat sale sites (e.g. BoatsOnline) to get a feel for what's available, and start kicking tyres to get familiar with what to look for and what appeals to you - just as you would do when looking to buy a house or car. When I started my boat buying journey in 2019 I found some useful stuff (advice re buying, inspection forms, survey checklists, etc. ) on www.sailingmates.com Good luck. Hasten slowly, and walk/sail joyfully! Click to expand...

On that note Hevene, Downunder your best bet is Yachthub. I would also recommend DBY yachts if you want to talk to a good broker in Oz very familiar with the kind of boat your after.

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04-10-2009, 14:47
Boat: a sailing boat	, add one or two things and set off around the world (our case). Or one can get same X $ value of a different that needs further XX $ to be spend towards making her usable to cross the pond (the one behind the house). Now, if it is your first boat, you may be unable to say the former type of boat from the latter trap (not a boat). If you want to go 4 of you I should not even consider any boat smaller than 30'. Mine is 26 sailed the 2 of us .... too small ? well - let's put it this way - very, very intimate. I see most under X feet intrinsically unsafe - I believe that under some length you never get the speed, and under some you are vulnerable even in the otherwise non-threatening sea conditions (say 40 knots for 24 hours). With my experience, I would go for a 32+ footer, just for the two of us. I believe a party of 4 will need at least such a, or preferably bigger, boat - think supply, think provisions, think the stuff you want to drag along. If you are persistent, & lucky, you will find the right boat at the right place. But hurry not. And cross off those little shooters - they are only just marginally good enough, but actually not quite the tool for the job. b.

04-10-2009, 15:07
Boat: Peterson 44.	design, aft , seperate , v berth (big enough for kids) sea kindly design with . We owned the other one still listed on the site (sold years ago but the brokers don't seem to want to take it off). The one that is in your range is $15000 and we loved ours very much. A friend is sailing one currently and is half way back from where he sailed to from Cairns a few years ago. Good luck - I think you would like this design. Fiona

04-10-2009, 17:53
Boat: 1969 Morgan 40 Cruising Ketch "Lady Catherine II", 1973 Bristol 34 - "Our Baby"(RIP), Catalina 22	be done and lots of folks willing to give 'em, but if you'll pardon my crude quote here (my military coarseness), "there's more than one way to skin a cat, even if you have to !" It may not be the way others think you should do it nor what is percieved as the right way. As long as it gets done! Do what you feel you need and just like your 2 year old, you'll learn from your . , I think your in for a lot of grey hair trying to keep your ON the boat and not in the drink next to it. Trust me from my personal experience when I say it needs only happen once. If you and they it, you may be ready to burn the boat to the waterline. If you don't, I guarantee you will! It only took once for me. Take your time, do NOT hurry, and turn your kids into the "little fish" they'll need to be as soon as possible if not NOW for their own . Ok, 'nuff of my ole' BS..... 36' . Read the thread then look at the ad. There is some controversy as to whether this is a true 365 (ketch) w/mizzen removed or erroneously identified. But honestly, you should be able to find plenty of candidates right there at home. I think with kids anything less than probably 40 is gonna get real small, real fast...... The video ad....

04-10-2009, 23:13
Boat: Nantucket 33	or good deal comes up I can identify it without wasting time researching and then find out its under by the time I realise what a good deal it was. I also know that If I have a number of suitable yachts to watch out for, I increase my chance of getting a good deal. I am willing to wait for the right one but at the same time for the right deal it could be possible to buy now and take our dream to the next step. this thread seems to have wandered a bit but still good information. I think I will get a list of yacht I that seem to be a possibility for and post them here to see what people know of them and if they would be up to the task? Thanks for the yacht suggestions and insight so far. Fishman, points taken, Little one already been in swim lessons since 6 months. (As part of my I used to certify lifeguards and taught lessons from 6 months to senior lifeguard as well as instructing operations. So I agree with how important early instruction is and also how fast an can happen. The only way for us to know if it will at there young age is to give it a careful go. If we start greying to much we can restratagize and proceed with a different tactic to reach our end goal. But oh yeah its not going to be easy although it wont be boring either LOL

04-10-2009, 23:41
Boat: pilot cutter	that somebody is looking to unload because A) they can no longer afford it, or B) are sick of the lifestyle (or in poor health). Here in the due to the poor economy its now a buyer's market. You can get a boat for half what was being asked for it a year ago, easy. Whatever boat you find, find a place that you can put the boat up and do as much of the work yourself as you can...which it sounds like you already have where you work. Put the word out on the what kind of boat you're looking for. Sometimes people that weren't even advertising their boat will see your 'wanted' ad and respond...with a great deal. Now is a great time economically to move over from a house to a boat. Waiting until everything is rosy means that you'll be back to paying top dollar for everything .....like some of the naysayers hereabouts apparently did

05-10-2009, 05:41
Boat: Valiant 50	Design Cat? Either to or to build in your back yard? and simple and most definitely not fancy. e.g.

05-10-2009, 15:17
Boat: a sailing boat	very difficult to find. Once you find one - it turns out to be sort of like expensive. But I would love a professionally built Wharram as a cruising platform. The lifestyle may suck to some while it will appeal to others - Wharrams are very much 'outdoor' - not fun when the turns nasty. But their stability & unsinkability (if made of or sandwich) is a very serious benefit. b.

05-10-2009, 18:08
Boat: pilot cutter	Arpege 30' for only $12,500 down in Naples . Nice boat. Probably some retired snowbird or their spouse ended up with problems and now needs to sell their sailboat. Happens all the time. About 2/3 down the page.

05-10-2009, 18:25
Boat: Pearson 26	8-ton : Not sure what sort of issues they may have, but they seem to be pretty solid, heavily-built boats. (But, alas...no quarter berths)

05-10-2009, 18:33
Boat: Beneteau 393 "Sea Life"	? How is a boat going to help? They are 2 totally differnt price point markets. What you can get for $30k in the USA just doesnt exist 20,000 kms away in

05-10-2009, 18:46

Boat: Pearson 26

05-10-2009, 21:58
Boat: VandeStadt IOR 40' - Insatiable	31 3. 31 4. Cole 32 All are good boats and there are plenty of them about... most will be at the upper end of, or above your price range, but there are cheaper ones around. They will accommodate 2 adults and 2 small , they are well designed vessels with potential to make blue-water passages. They are relatively simple to sail.

05-10-2009, 23:02
Boat: Fountaine Pajot Bahia 46 Maestro	This little Ganley Hitchiker looks sweet. - have a look at yachthub.com - monohulls 31-35ft. Quite a few possibilities there. Cheers.

05-10-2009, 23:12

and buy a yacht up to 30K AUD work out the bugs for a month or so (possibly sailing to and. doing or work there) then and sailing back. obviously locally is easier so we would like to explore this but man yachts here seem overpriced. ( I would 20K AUD to from US to Australia including all asscociated costs, IM not sure if thats low or not)

06-10-2009, 02:27

Boat: Beneteau 393 "Sea Life"