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Southern Cross 32
Designer: Ken Upham/Mike Price  ·  Builder: C. E. Ryder Corp. (Usa)  ·  First built: 1980
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About the Southern Cross 32

Designed by the talented duo of Ken Upham and Mike Price, this thoughtfully conceived 32-footer emerged from C.E. Ryder Corp in 1980 as a serious cruising yacht with blue-water aspirations. The Southern Cross 32's substantial displacement of 11,391 pounds and generous ballast ratio create exceptional stability and seaworthiness, making her well-suited for offshore passages and extended coastal cruising. The cutter rig configuration provides versatility in sail handling, particularly valuable when conditions deteriorate or when short-handed sailing becomes necessary. Her fin keel with rudder on skeg arrangement offers a good compromise between performance and directional stability, while the moderate beam of 10.75 feet ensures comfortable motion at sea without sacrificing interior volume. With a comfort ratio of 27.1, this yacht falls into the moderate range, suggesting she'll provide a reasonably comfortable ride in typical cruising conditions while maintaining enough performance to make satisfying progress. The capsize screening formula of 1.91 indicates good stability characteristics for offshore work. Her fiberglass construction ensures durability and low maintenance, important considerations for serious cruisers. The 30-horsepower auxiliary provides adequate power for maneuvering in harbors and motorsailing in light conditions.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 32.25 ft / 9.83 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 25.42 ft / 7.75 m
Beam 10.75 ft / 3.28 m
Max Draft 4.92 ft / 1.50 m
Displacement 11,391.00 lb / 5,167 kg
Ballast 4,357.00 lb / 1,976 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 524.00 ft² / 48.68 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin with rudder on skeg
Rigging Type Cutter
Construction FG
Designer Ken Upham/Mike Price
Builder C. E. Ryder Corp. (USA)
First Built 1980
Related Sailboats Cape Dory 32 · Pearson 323 · Morris 32 · Endeavour 32 Cb · Sabre 32
Owner Reviews

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Performance Ratios
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 16.62
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 38.25
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 309.59
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 27.1
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 1.91
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 6.76 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 1.68
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 976.41 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 17.09
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 43.42 ft / 13.23 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 14.25 ft / 4.34 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 38.25 ft / 11.66 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 12.00 ft / 3.66 m
SA Fore 309.37 ft² / 28.74 m²
SA Main 229.50 ft² / 21.32 m²
SA Total (100%) 538.87 ft² / 50.06 m²
Est. Forestay Length 45.70 ft / 13.93 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make Universal
Engine Model 25
Engine Type Diesel
Horsepower 30
Fuel Capacity 20 gals / 76 L
Water Capacity 60 gals / 227 L
How It Compares

vs. Cape Dory 32, Endeavour 32 Cb, Morris 32, Pearson 323, Sabre 32

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Southern Cross 32 ★
32.3 ft
Cape Dory 32
32.2 ft
Endeavour 32 Cb
32.3 ft
Morris 32
32.4 ft
Pearson 323
32.3 ft
Sabre 32
32.2 ft
LWL
Southern Cross 32 ★
25.4 ft
Cape Dory 32
24.2 ft
Endeavour 32 Cb
25.3 ft
Morris 32
26.2 ft
Pearson 323
27.5 ft
Sabre 32
26.2 ft
Beam
Southern Cross 32 ★
10.8 ft
Cape Dory 32
9.9 ft
Endeavour 32 Cb
10.0 ft
Morris 32
10.5 ft
Pearson 323
10.0 ft
Sabre 32
10.3 ft
Displacement
Southern Cross 32 ★
11 lbs
Cape Dory 32
11 lbs
Endeavour 32 Cb
11 lbs
Morris 32
11 lbs
Pearson 323
12 lbs
Sabre 32
10 lbs
Ballast
Southern Cross 32 ★
4 lbs
Cape Dory 32
4 lbs
Endeavour 32 Cb
5 lbs
Morris 32
4 lbs
Pearson 323
4 lbs
Sabre 32
4 lbs
Sail Area
Southern Cross 32 ★
524 sq ft
Cape Dory 32
509 sq ft
Endeavour 32 Cb
464 sq ft
Morris 32
514 sq ft
Pearson 323
477 sq ft
Sabre 32
480 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Southern Cross 32 ★
—
Cape Dory 32
192 s/nm
Endeavour 32 Cb
168 s/nm
Morris 32
186 s/nm
Pearson 323
174 s/nm
Sabre 32
150 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Southern Cross 32 ★
16.6
Cape Dory 32
15.8
Endeavour 32 Cb
14.5
Morris 32
16.3
Pearson 323
14.0
Sabre 32
16.1
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Southern Cross 32 ★
38.3 %
Cape Dory 32
40.0 %
Endeavour 32 Cb
42.7 %
Morris 32
41.0 %
Pearson 323
35.2 %
Sabre 32
39.1 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Southern Cross 32 ★
27.1
Cape Dory 32
32.2
Endeavour 32 Cb
30.8
Morris 32
27.4
Pearson 323
31.8
Sabre 32
25.9
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Southern Cross 32 ★
1.91
Cape Dory 32
1.75
Endeavour 32 Cb
1.77
Morris 32
1.87
Pearson 323
1.71
Sabre 32
1.89
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Southern Cross 32 ★
309
Cape Dory 32
371
Endeavour 32 Cb
324
Morris 32
283
Pearson 323
274
Sabre 32
261
Hull Speed
Southern Cross 32 ★
6.8 kts
Cape Dory 32
6.6 kts
Endeavour 32 Cb
6.7 kts
Morris 32
6.9 kts
Pearson 323
7.0 kts
Sabre 32
6.9 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Southern Cross 32 ★
1.7
Cape Dory 32
1.2
Endeavour 32 Cb
1.4
Morris 32
1.8
Pearson 323
1.7
Sabre 32
2.0
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