Downeaster 32
Description
The Downeaster 32 (often referred to as the Down East D32 Cutter due to its traditional Down East styling and cutter rig) is a rugged, heavy-displacement blue water cruiser designed by Bob Poole and built by Down East Yachts in Santa Ana, California, from 1975 to 1980. Founded by Poole—a former Columbia Yachts executive with East Coast roots—this model was the company's bestseller, with 134 units produced, reflecting its appeal as an affordable, seaworthy alternative to pricier imports during the 1970s fiberglass boom. Inspired by classic Maine workboats, it combines a full-keel underbody for offshore stability with a cutter rig for versatile sail handling, making it ideal for couples or single-handers eyeing coastal passages or circumnavigations. Compared to the Tayana 37's ketch balance or Dana 24's compactness, the D32 offers more interior volume and stiffness in a trailerable-adjacent package (though at 12,000 lbs., it's best towed by a truck).
Construction Details
| Designer | Bob Poole |
|---|---|
| Builder | Down East Yachts |
| Length | 32.000 ft |
| LOA | 32.000 ft |
| LWL | 25.830 ft |
| Beam | 11.000 ft |
| Displacement | 17000 lb |
| Max Draft | 4.750 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 41.50 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 16 ft |
| p | 35.50 ft |
| e | 15.20 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41.50 ft | 16 ft | 35.50 ft | 15.20 ft | - | - | - | - |
Blueprints
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 35.5 ft - (10820 mm) |
| Foot | * 15.2 ft - (4633 mm) |
| Leech | * 37.85 ft - (11537 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 38.13 ft - (11622 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 277.51 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 35.58 ft - (10845 mm) |
| Foot | * 21.96 ft - (6693 mm) |
| Leech | * 29.92 ft - (9120 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 18.4 ft - (5608 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12 ° |
| Area | * 327.34 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 42.25 ft - (12878 mm) |
| Foot | * 26.5 ft - (8077 mm) |
| Leech | * 39.22 ft - (11954 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 24 ft - (7315 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.99 ° |
| Area | * 507.04 ft² |
| Sail Type | ASYMMETRICAL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 42.25 ft - (12878 mm) |
| Foot | * 26.4 ft - (8047 mm) |
| Leech | * 38.87 ft - (11848 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 837 ft² |
| Sail Type | YANKEE |
|---|---|
| Luff | 41.5 ft - (12649 mm) |
| Foot | 16 ft - (4877 mm) |
| Leech | 31 ft - (9449 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 64.31 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 10.29 ft - (3136 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 28.91 ° |
| Area | * 213.42 ft² |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.