BoatsIslander 32

Islander 32

Masthead Sloop · Fin Keel · 1963–1967

A J.H. McGlasson-designed masthead sloop that served as the foundational hull for the later Islander 33 and 34 models

Designed by J. H. McGlasson & Joseph McGlasson, built by Wayfarer Yacht Corp.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin Keel

See her sail

The Islander 32, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Sailing Solé

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her heavy displacement on a moderate beam gives 26 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 26
CoastalBluewater

1.88 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.88
LightHeavy

283 — heavy for her waterline, built to carry stores and ride steadily.

Displacement / length 283
EasygoingPowered-up

16.0 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 16.0
TenderStiff

47% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 47%

A capable cruiser that sits just inside the offshore line — coastal work with real passages in her.

  • Draws less than ~84% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2837 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Islander 32, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Islander 32 is a Masthead Sloop designed by J. H. McGlasson and built by Wayfarer Yacht Corp., Islander, and Tradewind Yachts from 1963 to 1967. This fin-keeled sailboat measures 9.9 meters LOA, with a 3.0-meter beam, 1.4-meter draft, and 4399 kg displacement. The design proved successful, selling in significant numbers on both US coasts, and served as the basis for the Islander 33 (a raised deck version) and the Islander 34. An Islander 32 named Aeolus was among the impounded vessels inspected at a Long Beach, California, auction, alongside a Catalina 30, an Islander 30, and a Cal Boats 46 III (1975).4:09

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Islander 32 on video

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
47.4%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
16.0
Displacement / length
282.9
Comfort ratio
25.7
Capsize screening
1.88
Hull speed
6.7 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
887
Hull
Hull type
Fin Keel
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1963–1967
Designer
J. H. McGlasson, Joseph McGlasson
Builder
Wayfarer Yacht Corp, Islander, Tradewind Yachts

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Beneteau Oceanis 319.66 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA Finot-Conq designed fractional sloop balancing a modern hull form with a stable 1.8-meter bulb keel
Boat for both cruising and racing25:17from SEILmagasinet
Contessa 329.75 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA 1973 London Boat Show winner with a skeg-hung rudder and a ballast-to-displacement ratio of 47 per cent
Contessa 32 - A Yacht Delivery from Gosport to Falmouth0:17from Halcyon Yachts - International Yacht Delivery
Cal Boats 3410.13 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA masthead sloop with a fin keel and spade rudder, favoured by Jensen Marine founder Jack Jensen for personal cruising
Episode 1 - Sadie Johnson5:11from SheHelms Sailing
Hunter Marine 339.96 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1977 masthead sloop with a 38% ballast ratio, designed for stability and coastal performance
Why is THIS SAILBOAT so CHEAP?!3:08from Practical Sailor
Mirage 3310.21 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA Robert Perry-designed masthead sloop offering a balanced, performance-oriented cruiser profile in a 33-foot hull
C&C Yachts: The Canadian Sailboats That Changed Racing & Cruising Forever10:11from Practical Sailor
Endeavour 329.75 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterEndeavour's debut model, this masthead sloop evolved from the Irwin 32 hull into a stable, shoal-draft cruiser
Parsifal III vs Bayesian | Perini Navi Superyacht Comparison & Tragic Sinking Story8:06from Practical Sailor

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Islander 33A raised-deck masthead sloop with a 1.37-metre draft, built between 1964 and 1971 for coastal cruisingIslander 34A masthead sloop featuring a rudder profile inspired by the 1964 America's Cup defender ConstellationIslander 21A lightweight, high-performance masthead sloop designed by J.H. McGlasson for spirited coastal sailingIslander Yachts 30A raised-deck masthead sloop with a shallow 1.12-metre draft, produced briefly as a distinct variant of the Islander 29Islander Yachts 29A short-lived masthead sloop also marketed as the Wayfarer 29, featuring a shallow draft and a raised-deck variant.Islander Yachts 32-2A Robert Perry-designed masthead sloop also sold as the Yachtcraft 32, available in both shoal keel and tall rig versions

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Islander 32, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

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