32 Oceanfarer Background
The 32 Oceanfarer's hull was designed by
Walt Walters & Jim Wynne (Jim Wynne designed the Volvo Aquamatic outdrive)
with design and styling by Hans Bruun Bertelsen of Botved Boats.
Usually they left the yard fitted with twin Volvo Petrol 170/280 Aquamatics but
they were also fitted with twin Volvo Petrol 225hp Aquamatics. Diesels were an
option with the Perkins 145hp T6.354 V-drives and later the Volvo 106hp AQAD32.
Actually the 32 was originally a
30 but they increased the length, around 1969, to 32ft which gave her a better
ride and of course additional space mainly in the aft cockpit. It is not a true deep-vee, the
deadrise falls off to 16° at the transom, giving the lift required for full
planing performance down to 14-15 knots. A long chine-flat gives added
lift and with considerable flare in the bows makes for a dry ride.
The
first Oceanfarers were imported into the UK in 1969 and cost £11,500 for the
170hp Petrol Volvos (by the mid-70's the price was £18,000). Less
than 60 of these were imported into the UK. Dell Quay Sales were the first
importers who sold 35-40 by 1972 and later Poole Powerboats, later to evolve
into Sunseeker International, sold another 17 up to 1976.
Looking at all the variety of
pictures of Oceanfarers, I have noticed that there were quite a few minor
differences between them over the years they were built. Navigation lights
are built into teak handles on some earlier models but later were chrome-type
lights. The fuel tank vents on earlier models are on the starboard side
below the fillers but on later models they are either side of the transom.
There are also air vents in the transom & side protection fins on some
models. The cabin lights also changed over the years but generally the
design remained unchanged apart from the addition of a fiberglass bathing
platform and radar wing which distinguish the Oceanfarer Wing model which was
still being sold in 1985 but it isn't believed to have been sold in the UK?
Revised: 18 Feb 2004 15:14