Should I buy a Coronado 32

redmans · #1 (**permalink**) 07-10-2006

I cannot find much information on this boat. It is a 1973 coronado with center cockpit and cast iron keel. One of my friends said that it would sail like a cork in the ocean because of the high freeboard. Another friend commented that it is a windabago, and that the wind would push it around. Others have negative comments on the cast iron keel indicating that rust would be a problem. It is not that I don't value their opinions, but they are novice sailors like me. I would be cruising off the coast of Southern California. The boat has been well maintained. Does anyone want to give me their opinion? Thanks.

Jeff_H · #2 (**permalink**) 07-10-2006

Listen to your friends. Friends don't let friends buy Coronado 32's
(unless you are simply looking for a cheap liveaboard.)

Your friends are right, these were worse than mediocre sailing boats of worse than mediocre build quality, sold cheaply 30 plus years ago. Unless this boat had a really knowledgeable owner who maintained and upgraded this boat a lot, it is really not a great boat for a starting sailor, and a more experienced sailor probably would know better than to be interested in a Coronado 32.

Jeff

sailingdog · #3 (**permalink**) 07-10-2006

I generally prefer lead keels, over iron ones. The iron ones, even the fully encapsulated ones, have some serious issues if they have started to corrode at all. And most of the ones 30 years old have started corroding.

As JeffH has pointed out... the Coronados were mediocre boats at best, and not of great sailing qualities... If the boat sails like a pig, you won't be happy sailing on it.

My boat does 5 knots in 4 knots of wind quite regularly... so I really enjoy going out, even in light winds.

windship · #4 (**permalink**) 07-11-2006

....and you won't be able to resell her.

ShirKhan · #5 (**permalink**) 07-12-2006

I keep running into people who are really anti Columbias and Coronados, and why there's this persistent thing that they're all lousy boats comes from, is beyond me. I've never sailed the 32 but the Coronados I have sailed on all seem to be solid boats with VERY satisfied owners, there's almost a Coronado "cult" they love the boats so much...a retired friend of mine justreturned from Bermuda on the 25', not too many 25 foot boats that can make that trip (although that is stretching the capabilities a little)...his home is in the Chesapeake and he and his wife sail south to the Virgins in his Coronado 25 every year. I've sailed the 25 and the 27, both are boats I'd feel secure taking my family to unknown destinations with. The only drawback I know of is that they're old and out of style. They're right about the resale value, though...you can always pick up a Coronado for pretty cheap if you look. I would also agree with only buying one that's been really well maintained and upgraded...because of the age more than anything else. IMHO it's a boat you buy when you're looking for bang for the buck but don't give a freak if the Beneteau crowd is impressed.

Another good bang for the buck boat are the Morgan Outisland models, share a lot of the characteristics with the roominess and high freeboard thing...AND there are also a lot of "Morgan haters" who unjustifiably say they're built like crap, strange coincidence. If you're sailing a $30,000 boat and you see someone having just as much fun on a $10,000 boat with the same accomodations, there are some predictable reactions...LOL Same thing with Pearsons, another affordable, solid boat...folks into racing craft regularly refer to them as "pigs" too, and they're a hell of a boat.

Again, I don't know anything about the 32 specifically but I would talk to some people who actually own and sail Coronados before I made a decision. I looked at SailNet BoatCheck and Lat38, but they didn't have a lot of info on the 32 either; lots of reviews for other Coronados, you might want to check them out.

hereicome · #6 (**permalink**) 07-14-2006

I have to agree with ShirKhan, you buy the Coronado becouse it fits what you plan to do. For me that is Sail tha Chesaperak south to the bahamas and west to Texas, and a few years from now i hope to sail her to the 17 Lat south to see the stars. Again as stated before by ShirKhan "I would talk to some people who actually own and sail a coronado" at one time on Sailnet there was a very informed email list for Coronado owners, and columbia owners, the Info you are looking for to make up your mind is out there keep looking. Yes i have a Coronado 25 she is my 2nd. Good Luck.