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| Motor Boat & Yachting Online | Return to www.sea-ventures.co.uk |
| Aquador 32C | Report date: January 2005 |
| The Aquador 32C offers a tad more interior
comfort than its predecessors, but have changes been made at the expense
of the marque’s enviable all-weather capabilities? A gusty Force 6 should provide the answer |
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Contents |
| Introduction | |
| On deck | |
| Driving the Aquador 32C | |
| Accomodation | |
| Engineering and construction | |
| Verdict | |
| Specifications | |
| Engines | |
| Contact | |
| This report was published in the January
2005 edition of Motor Boat & Yachting. Text Carl Richardson Photos Graham
Snook It is independently hosted by ybw.com, the home of www.mby.com and offered exclusively to view in this full version by www.sea-ventures.co.uk |
| Introduction |
|
| Top |
| On deck |
 It
seems fitting that production of the Aquador has moved to Scandinavia –
the spiritual home of practical boating. Aquador’s obvious rivals
are Nimbus, another purveyor of Nordic sense, who are a hard act to beat
because of their build quality and fit-out. But Aquador have a few tricks
of their own to make a compelling case for their new 32-footer, not least
of which is the walkaround-style deck.Everything about the deck area is first class. The solid transom gate from the integral bathing platform presents the first evidence of quality – fastened by a proper door latch rather than a simple barrel bolt, it is a very professional job. Two flush hatches on the platform open up the bathing ladder and the very useful self-draining locker. One of the few layout options available on the 32C concerns the cockpit, which can either be left open or fitted with a teak bench seat – in either case, the lazarette storage beneath is easily accessed. The cockpit is deep and partly covered by a decent slice of overhang from the wheelhouse roof, so protection from the elements is good. The semi-walkaround design is the real eye-catcher. The recessed side decks, complete with courtesy lights to lead the way, are afforded 9in (230mm) of gunwale, making the journey forward a breeze and delivering security in the areas where you and your crew will be working. Importantly, they also create room for another of the 32C’s major selling points – its side doors.  Boats
of 60ft (18.3m) often struggle to offer such levels of access and it cannot
be overstated how useful side doors are. As with the large patio door into
the cockpit, these backward-sliding side doors are extremely robust and
can be securely locked at various points providing plenty of ventilation
as well as access. Corresponding breaks in the chunky 11⁄4in (30mm)
guardrails allow an easy hop across to a pontoon, which is perfect when
single handing. Forward of the side doors the decks rise, with a useful
toerail, allowing space below to be maximised.The exterior looks are boosted by the addition of £3,766 worth of teak decking; it’s neither cheap nor completely necessary but the boat certainly deserves this touch of class. If you decide to forgo this option, your foredeck will still come dressed with a teak pad around the optional anchor position. An electric windlass will set you back £2,044. In keeping with Scandinavian boating tradition, the bow is left open as a point of access, and anchoring is usually done from the stern – the transom-mounted windlass is an £3,658 option. This stern-to way of thinking may also explain why the forward cleats are tucked outboard of the stanchion posts when they could just as easily be brought back a few inches and be far more easily got at. The rest of the deck area was as good as I’d hoped – the coachroof has an anti-slip finish, there are grabrails where you need them, and the quality of the exterior finish and detailing is spot on. |
| Top |
| Driving the Aquador 32C |
 The
wind howling down the Solent at 30 knots and more, and the tide doing battle
with it, provided ideal conditions to test the attributes of the enclosed
helm. When safely insulated within the wheelhouse the ferocity of the conditions were lost on me, but the insulation from engine noise was particularly impressive. At 2,800rpm the sound levels in the wheelhouse hovered around 80dB(A) – such peace within can only be achieved if the hull is up to the job. The 32C’s underwater design includes a satisfyingly deep vee with a convex section towards the transom to create additional stability. Running on a single shaft, with a whopping 370hp Yanmar turbo-diesel connected to it, the 32C’s steering is helped by dual rudders. Pushing into a head sea, the bow’s natural trim made easy work of the chop, while the shaft and rudder set-up returned the kind of dependable and smooth feedback that stops many boaters from turning to the far more economical sterndrive options. Plenty of spray was kicked up and out, the hull doing an amazing job of keeping the curved two-piece screen clear. What did make its way inboard was swiftly dealt with by two chunky wipers, although a boat with such practical credentials should surely have auto-park. Running at between 18 and 20 knots the hull happily tracked across the waves, refusing to be pushed around by the conditions, and making incredibly light work of a breaking 6ft following sea. The Yanmar just about returned the power needed to pull the boat around the waves. In calmer seas there should be plenty in reserve. It was not a day for high speeds, but we managed a respectable 26 knots at 3,450rpm running in the lee of a western shore. Lower down the rev range the boat feels more at ease between 17 and 21 knots – a pace that suits the boat’s more conservative image. If there is a snag it lies with the reduced economy of the shaftdrive. Running at a very sedate 17 knots at 2,800rpm, our speed and power figures show that the Yanmar is burning its way through 10gph, rising to 12gph once 20 knots is passed. As an alternative the new 350hp Volvo Penta D6 and Yanmar 440hp diesels should be available soon, providing a possible improvement to power and economy. One of the side-effects of an enclosed helm can be the build up of heat. With so much foam around, opening the side doors or overhead hatches was out of the question. But we could open the solid patio door – not a drop made it inside, the overhang above doing a superb job even when it all went green. Less convincing are the forward screen run-offs. These are probably there to deal with condensation as much as anything, but the pressure of water hitting the forward screen meant some ingress under the frame and past the small run-offs. The water continued aft along the interior moulding and settled under the saloon cushions. But the conditions were extreme; a simple rubber stopper behind the track should be the solution. In improved sea conditions the 32C’s arsenal of opening windows and doors will really come to the fore. It is hard to think of a better coupé-style cruiser in terms of visibility at the helm; it’s head and shoulders above the competition, you could say. For wind-in-the-hair boating the large overhead hatches provide a proper view from the helm, rather than a tiptoe peep over the top. When you stand the controls still fall easily to hand, and with the side doors opened up you are pretty close to open-top cruising. The helm console is a fairly simple design that provides a chart table in front of the wheel. The bolster helm seat is adjustable and would be improved if it did not need to tilt forward to create more galley workspace, which results in the mechanism lifting the seat up higher than it needs to be. One thing that works perfectly is the transformation of the forward section of saloon seating into the navigator’s seat to port. This one-handed operation creates a two-seater navigation position with a chart table, plus a useful grabrail and thoughtfully positioned cushioning pad. |
| Top |
| Accommodation |
 It’s
a year since I’ve been aboard an Aquador, and the upturn in creature
comforts and overall finish is noticeable – and, depending on how
you feel about glossy cherry wood, very welcome. What hasn’t changed
is the fabulous window area. From the sides and above light floods in and
really opens up the saloon space. With the side doors and large overhead
hatches open, any loss of width created by the walkaround decks is certainly
not felt.The interior layout is pretty much set in stone though the standard equipment is to a high specification. In its dual role as helm position and comfy retreat the wheelhouse works very well. To deal with the rigours of life under way the snap-in carpets can be lifted to reveal a hardy imitation teak and holly floor, and there are plenty of faultless white mouldings to deal with any inboard spray. Warming all this up is the cherry wood – a slightly darker, reddish variant, adding richness to the recesses of the wheelhouse deckhead and the cluster of lights above the saloon seating. The biggest chunk of cherry makes up the neat galley arrangement. The assumption goes that this style of boat will appeal to those people who pursue a more serious type of cruising and who will, therefore, make more use of the on-board facilities. This may be so, but I am yet to be convinced by the cooking capabilities of the diesel-powered Wallas equipment that come as standard, though it looks the part and does away with the need for gas. In any case, the diesel kit is an improvement on an alcohol type, or a 220V system that requires you to be marina based before you can make a cup of tea.  Set
into a cherry cabinet, the two-burner hob has a smart, easy-clean glass-plate
top and the oven unit is a great bit of kit, with a heavy brushed-steel
door finished with a teak bow handle. A possible benefit of the Wallas cooker
is that it can form part of a hot-air heating system, although this is not
an issue for Aquador owners because a heating system comes as standard.
Below the countertop there are plenty of storage lockers, although only one is compartmentalised. The hinged worktop covering the sink and hob provides room for food preparation, although the cook could make use of the dinette table as well. An extra bit of workspace can be salvaged by tilting the helm seat forward but the benefit of this when set against the effect it has on the helm are questionable, especially with the dinette table so near by. This chunky piece of embossed furniture will fold out to easily look after those relaxing on the U-shaped seating. The table can be removed and replaced by an infill to make up an occasional berth, adding to the two double cabins forward. The double-berth mid-cabin is, if anything, a preferable hideaway to the forward master, which has no ensuite access to tilt the balance its way, although its confines are perfectly pleasant. The cherry cabinetry that greets you as you enter the mid-cabin makes a luxurious statement, while a great little bench alongside is the perfect place for a spot of passage planning and comes complete with a reading light above. If you can get over the limited headroom, I fancy you’ll be spending your evenings here and sending guests forward, allowing you to look magnanimous in the process by offering them the master cabin. Both cabins have full hanging space and plenty of lights. As with the rest of the boat, lighting can be controlled independently or from main switches, intelligently positioned at each cabin entrance. The cabins are provided with opening ports, the forward master enjoying a large overhead hatch with a neat cherry frame. At more than 5ft (1.5m) long the toilet and shower compartment has plenty of room, and makes good use of it with three large cherry-fronted lockers and a comfy loo complete with shower seat. A black-waste gauge and pump-out switch are provided on a panel along with the shower drain. The only drag is the neat little shower nozzle sited in the wrong spot to get around the shower curtain. The 32C’s serious cruising credentials are highlighted by the plentiful storage. In addition to the space allocated to each cabin and the toilet compartment, the saloon seating hides away open cave lockers and bins, while the galley provides plenty of places for stores. The stowage should easily be able to look after the cruising needs of four and quite possibly six crew. Handrails are lacking in the wheelhouse but they are provided at the below-decks stairwell. It is at this point that the wheelhouse floor moulding cuts away – the slightly rough edge left is out of place on such a tidy boat. |
| Top |
| Engineering and construction |
 Aquador
use a standard lay-up of foam core to the deck and topsides with traditional
matting under the waterline. The quality of this plain construction is certainly
high and had no trouble dealing with the conditions. The interior fit-out was almost unnerving in its solidity with not a rattle or hollow slap to be heard. The tranquillity under way is explained when the engine bay is accessed. The engine’s roar has to make its way past two levels of insulation. There’s a separate plywood level lying beneath the main hatchway set into the wheelhouse sole. Both are neatly finished with aluminium-caged insulation. Beneath lies an equally tidy bay, the starboard side of which is immediately accessible, the only problem being that the chunky raw-water strainer lies to port. With the pressure to create as much comfort and seating as possible above, the engine below can be a tad confined on this style of boat. Aquador have done a decent job of ensuring that, if the need arises, the whole bay can be opened up, the two seat-bases above hingeing up. By simply moving the strainer to starboard, as they have done with the additional handed dipstick, this need will arise far less often. |
| Top |
| The Verdict |
 We’ve
endured a ropey summer that included the coldest July on record, so it’s
strange that more often than not we choose a boat in expectation of sunny
siestas rather than sweeping south-westerlies. It’s a wonder that
more of us aren’t cruising around in boats like the Aquador 32C. Few
would choose to go cruising in the tough conditions that prevailed on our
test day, but the 32C dealt with whatever was thrown at it without flinching.
A hull you can trust if you get caught out on a long passage is priceless.
The 32 is a wonderfully usable craft, packed full of sensible features. Along with the utterly successful focus on life on deck, there is the high level of interior comfort, especially in the excellent mid-cabin. These developments have seen a gentle increase in pricing across the Aquador range, but they add to the boat’s practical cruising capability. There is a theory that if you are safe you are happy, and if you are happy you must be having fun. In which case, the Aquador 32C is nothing short of a barrel of laughs. MBY |
| Top |
| RPM | 2,000 | 2,500 | 2,800 | 3,000 | 3,200 | 3,300 | 3,460 |
| SPEED | 11 | 14.3 | 17.5 | 20.8 | 23.2 | 24.1 | 26 |
| Trim | 3.5æ | 4.5æ | 4.5æ | 4.0æ | 3.5æ | 3.5æ | 3.5æ |
| GPH | 4.6 | 7.9 | 10.3 | 12.3 | 15.8 | 17.6 | 20.2 |
| MPG | 2.39 | 1.81 | 1.69 | 1.69 | 1.47 | 1.38 | 1.29 |
| RANGE | 294 | 223 | 208 | 208 | 181 | 170 | 158 |
| Speed in knots; GPH & MPG figures use imperial
gallons; Range in nautical miles. NB: calculated figures based on standard (idealised) engine propeller demand data.Your figures will vary (sometimes considerably) depending on: air, water, engineroom & fuel temperature; hull fouling; sea state; fuel, water, stores & crew load; build weight variations; boatbuilders’ changes & extras fitted; propeller and gearbox variations; pressure; humidity; sun intensity; trim-tab position; exhaust back pressure; running trim; generator use; fuel quality; engine condition; and other factors. Range allows for 20% reserve; 50% fuel, negligible water, 2 crew; 19æC air temp, 996mb pressure; 6ft Solent chop, Force 5-6 for speed trials Slow cruising 17.5 knots, 400 miles @ 2,800rpm Fast cruising 22 knots, 387 miles @ 3,100rpm Flat out 26 knots, 308 miles @ 3,500rpm |
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| Engines and speeds achieved on test | |
| Flat out | Flat out 26 knots |
| Engine | 1 5 Yanmar 370hp |
| Price from | £139,950 inc UK VAT (single 370hp) |
| Contact |
| Sea Ventures. Tel: +44 (0)1590 672472. Fax: +44 (0)1590 671924. Email: aquador@sea-ventures.co.uk Website: www.sea-ventures.co.uk |
| Motor Boat & Yachting Online | Return to www.sea-ventures.co.uk |
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| This boat report is hosted by www.ybw.com,
home of www.mby.com. No unauthorised reproduction permitted, all rights reserved. |
Boat design brings with it some very particular and demanding requirements.
If, for example, you take the finest creative minds from the car industry
and put them to the task of designing a boat, I’m sure they’ll
come up with something that will look a million dollars, but I bet that
trying to board the boat will result in a personal injury claim of a similar
amount.