Sydney 32
Sydney Yachts · Murray Burns Dovel · 2002
Updated
The Sydney 32 is a 9.70 m semi-displacement racing yacht designed by Murray Burns Dovel and built by Sydney Yachts, first launched in 2002. It races in Class C. Across the measured fleet it goes better than its own numbers promise, ahead of 68% of the designs it races against. It comes alive as the breeze builds, and gives time away in the light.
Goes better than its own measurements promise, and does it better than 68% of the boats it races against.
52nd of 159 in its class.
Updated — First Race Edge for this design. Enough boats of this design have now been measured to rank it. It is strongest in medium and heavy air.
Length
9.70 m
31′ 10″
Beam
3.10 m
Draft
2.08 m
Displacement
3.6 t
Sail area
55 m²
On the podium
Where a Sydney 32 finishes when she goes racing.
Not enough data yet to show how this design finishes. It has not been found in the race results we have collected so far.
Recent regattas
The latest events where a Sydney 32 was on the start line, named as the organisers publish them.
No regattas found yet.
Raced one we are missing?
Report a regattaRound the buoys, or offshore
A short windward-leeward and a night at sea ask different things of a boat. Here is how this one does in each.
Round the buoys
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Not enough data yet: no races of 10 NM or less carry a published distance.
Offshore & coastal
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Not enough data yet: no races over 10 NM carry a published distance.
Who she races against
The designs a Sydney 32 actually lines up with, most often first. The bar shows how those meetings ended.
Not enough data yet to say who this design races against. No result we have collected puts it on the water beside another design we track.
Speed at every angle
The shape of this design's speed, drawn from the measured fleet. Pick a wind and watch it stretch.
Upwind VMG
5.21
37°
Beam reach
8.25
90°
Broad reach
9.54
135°
Downwind VMG
7.92
170°
Speed in knots at 20 knots of true wind. Green marks the angles that pay: the closest useful beat and the deepest run worth sailing.
Where it wins and where it pays
Every boat is judged against its own measurements — length, weight, sail area. The quicker those say it should be, the more it has to deliver just to break even. Going fast is not enough: it has to go faster than its own numbers promised.
The stronger it blows, the better this design looks. On a windy coastal course it is in its element; on a light-air windward-leeward it has to be sailed well to hold on.
Where it gains
Its best ground is cracked off when it blows, where it does more than its size and sail area promise, and by a margin worth having. It holds that advantage downwind as well, so the gain is not down to one leg of the course.
Where it pays
There is no condition where it falls away badly, which is worth something over a season of mixed weather.
Above the line it delivers more than promised and gains on the fleet. Below, it falls short. Move the wind: plenty of boats sit on one side in the light and the other when it blows.
Full width is 0.6 kn either way.
At 10 knots this design makes back more than its rating asks on the upwind.
How fast is a Sydney 32
Boat speed in knots, by true wind angle and wind strength.
| Angle | 6 kn | 10 kn | 14 kn | 20 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beat VMG | 3.40 | 4.69 | 5.10 | 5.21 |
| 52° | 5.17 | 6.67 | 7.08 | 7.22 |
| 60° | 5.44 | 6.83 | 7.26 | 7.46 |
| 75° | 5.61 | 6.96 | 7.50 | 7.87 |
| 90° | 5.59 | 7.08 | 7.62 | 8.25 |
| 110° | 5.62 | 7.24 | 8.04 | 8.75 |
| 120° | 5.45 | 7.15 | 8.05 | 9.32 |
| 135° | 4.88 | 6.83 | 7.81 | 9.54 |
| 150° | 4.10 | 6.22 | 7.37 | 8.80 |
| Run VMG | 3.55 | 5.40 | 6.70 | 7.92 |
How they are set up
The range each sail spans across the fleet.
Nearly all carry a folding propeller. Crew weight is declared around 560 kg.
Rigging
Sydney 32 rig and sail dimensions
A Sydney 32 carries 11.97 m of mainsail hoist on a 4.35 m boom, a forestay 12.25 m above the deck and a 4.07 m bowsprit. Typical figures across the 8 boats measured under the current VPP, with the range each one spans.
Rig
Sails