swallow 32 yacht

Bay Cruiser 32 : Retro cruiser with eco credentials

Michael Good

· 11.06.2023

Pretty and retro: classic shapes with a positive stern, raised stern and plenty of deck projection

Shipyard owner and designer Matt Newland is thus increasingly focussing on ecological sustainability in the construction of his yachts. The hull and deck of the new Bay Cruiser 32 are made entirely from plywood and the hull is subsequently coated with a layer of epoxy laminate. In contrast, the hulls and decks of the smaller Swallow Yachts models are still made of GRP, such as the small Bay Cruiser 23 (YACHT 21/2016 test) or the Bay Cruiser 26 (YACHT 6/2017 test).

The new boat comes with a swivelling keel as standard, which can be retracted into the hull at the touch of a button, as well as a swivelling rudder blade. This should make it easy to manoeuvre the cuddly cruiser on the beach or even slip it over the ramp. With a width of less than three metres and an unladen weight of 2.3 tonnes, it can also be transported on a trailer with a special permit that is easy to obtain. The engine is located in the shaft and can also be retracted using a sophisticated mechanism. When not in use, the entire drive unit disappears into the fuselage. A cover plate then closes the opening under water. As an alternative to the outboard motor in the shaft, the shipyard also offers an electric drive for the Bay Cruiser 23.

Classic look with a sporty touch

The boat is already equipped with water ballast tanks as standard (total capacity 900 litres). The flexible counterweight, together with the swivelling keel and 600 kilograms of lead ballast, should ensure good and stiff sailing characteristics in windy conditions. When there is little wind and for transport, the ballast tanks are emptied. This keeps the boat light and the sailing characteristics agile.

The rig concept also stands for good performance. The mast is made of carbon fibre (also standard from the shipyard) and equipped with two strongly swept spreaders. This means that the backstay can be dispensed with in favour of a powerful mainsail with a wide squarehead. The sail load factor (sail area to total weight ratio) is a comparatively high 5.2, and the Bay Cruiser 32 is also equipped with an extendable bowsprit for an additional gennaker for even more performance.

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The 3.5 metre long cockpit with full-length thwarts offers ample space for a crew of up to six people. The high cockpit coaming, which extends far aft in a classic style, also provides good protection. The sheets for the main and jib are led to a central platform in the cockpit, where they can also be easily operated by the helmsman. The Bay Cruiser 32 is only and exclusively supplied with a tiller, giving the helmsman more freedom of movement and easy access to the halyard winches on the coachroof. In this respect, the concept offers uncompromisingly good single-handed capability. Wheel steering, on the other hand, is not an option. However, the upper part of the transom can be lowered as a bathing platform.

The interior offers comfortable living for family sailors. The bow is very voluminous, which allows for a very generous layout of the foredeck. Two adults can sleep there comfortably with plenty of space. The two sofa berths in the saloon are also long and wide enough to sleep comfortably. What's more, another double berth is built deep under the cockpit aft. A small galley and a completely separate toilet area also ensure unrestricted suitability for touring.

For the market launch, Swallow Yachts is quoting a base price of £154,000 for the Bay Cruiser 32, including sails. At the current exchange rate, this corresponds to a price of around 179,000 euros. The gross price including 19% VAT is around 213,000 euros.