QUESTION FROM NEW BUYER

[mikemak777]

Hi all ..... I am seriously considering the purchase of a 1996 32 and have a question .... actually many, but the most important at this point is whether it is normal for the bottom of the scoops to be submerged a couple of inches? If so, do the scoops drag while under sail or do they rise with sail pressure? Thanks for your help!!!!

Mike

[doubledutch]

Yes it is normal for the stern to be submerged a bit however the amount varies depending on the weight of the dingy and how much load is being carried forward. I find that with my dingy on the davits and full water tanks the stern will be pretty much even with the water at rest. I have been contemplating extending the sterns a bit to keep them higher however it was interesting to see a discussion on the Multihulls4usForums that had test data indicating slighly submerged sterns made for a faster boat.

[Page 83]

This question has been discussed in other forums recently. See http://www.multihulls4us.com and http://www.boatdesign.net. One our members has designed hull extensions for the 36 to address this issue. See http://www.pdq36.blogspot.com

In a nutshell, submerged transoms create drag at lower speeds, and rise above water as the speed increases, where having less wetted surface enhances speed. A lightly loaded PDQ 32 will leave a clean wake at around 6 knots, in 10 or so knots of wind on the beam.

PDQs are cruising machines, and are frequently loaded up with equipment and stores for long periods away from shore power and grocery stores. These boats need another couple knots of wind, but thats in good supply in our typical cruising grounds.

To my knowlege, less than 5 out of a hundred owners are worried enough about transom submersion to think about extending their hulls.

You should also know that PDQ 32s benefitted greatly from lessons learned in the design and production of the 36s. They are quite nice sailing machines (especially the later years with taller masts) and are very comfortable. Current market prices don't really reflect the value they offer. Its a good time to be a buyer!

Strictly aside, I was looking at Bob Oram's 39 foot design; http://www.boboramdesign.com.au/39-mango/
It struck me as a PDQ 32 with seven foot extensions on the sterns!

[thinwater]

Lightly loaded they are barely submerged (reasonable short term supluys, parts, full gear and tanks, but not enough for months), at least not in my Altair Clasic. Perhaps 1/2 inch. On the diesel versions they sink more.

They were ~2" submerged on my Stiletto, and once it hit stride, who could tell! At 2-4 knots, yeah, there was some harm, but once the exit is clean, the water doesn't know where the boat was. It is more important that the hull form leading to the exit was relativly horizontal rather than rising sharply.