On board the Sunbeam 32.1 - a small boat full of big ideas

Modern and different, the Sunbeam 32.1 has plenty of fresh, interesting ideas - even if they come at a high price. Toby Hodges looks at a day/lake sailer designed to suit modern watersports users
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[@pangrac1]

Love this design a layout and all over idea. And it looks grat in full wind. Truly one cozy boat for me. Interior is even more impresive and funtional on top. The see thru effect is something and its at eye level too.

[@cherrypickerguitars]

As a “Great Lakes sailor” who is about to move across Canada to British Columbia’s Lake Okanagan, this is a perfect boat! I think there is a huge market for this vessel in Canada. Specifically, Ontario and BC. I sailed a 38’ C&C on Lake Erie (and all over the Great Lakes - Thunder Bay, Chicago, all around Manitoulin Island and Georgian Bay, to Toronto and Kingston. My new lake, Lake Okanagan is 150 kms long and 8-10 k s wide - again, this boat is perfect! Pricy, but perfect! Cheers

[@towhitby1]

Wow that's a huge lake

[@gerloczyek]

Sorry to say, Okanagan lake is nowhere 8-10 k wide, it is rather 135 km (84 mi) long, between 4 and 5 km (2.5 and 3.1 mi) wide and its widest points, most I would say is 2.5-3 kms wide. I lived there for over 10 years and sailed a Hunter 320 for most of the time. Sailing is so so, with high mountain flanking a relatively narrow lake, so lots of flukie days with not much wind consistency. The local sailors win the races, some apparently figured out the tricks of the local winds.

[@cherrypickerguitars]

@@gerloczyek Abbsolutely correct. It’s 5km at its widest. Amazingly, the internet seems to be a more accurate source than local folks! I’ve only lived here for a couple of full turns thru the seasons, now. It’s a very different sailing experience on the Okanagan , than the Great Lakes , the Atlantic, or the Caribbean ! Peace

[@Grantly]

Bloomin hell, I'd just fall out of the back of that.

[@andre1987eph]

🤣

[@lunes-1]

Looks great 👍

[@jeffdunn890]

Nice looking day sailor. A little pricey though for what you get.

[@Nils_Hammarsten]

Looks like a goblin shark

[@erickrueger6885]

Innovative looking boat, I wonder how well it will do in the market. I will miss their traditional cruising boats and I wonder what the real story is why Gerhard Schochi left the boatyard. I know he was very proud of the boats he built.

[@mrjeff4832]

Feels like a much bigger boat

[@rt-uh6mt]

I love the open design and use of space. Looks very fun to sail and you could have some friends aboard and have a great time inside too despite the lack of privacy. Large cockpit but still more spacious than any 32 footer I've seen.

[@yayaya6799]

How do you see, yet alone work, the chart plotter when you at the helm, does it have a remote?

[@AlexGoesSailing]

It’s not small but it is cool!

[@chikken_soup]

Smart interior

[@philippegaspart3311]

Great test & analysis. Any chances you've planned to trial Finot-Conq's brand new FC 56' in a near future?

[@yachtingworld]

Good suggestion Philippe - and certainly if I get given the chance. In the meantime, here's one Pip did for us on the FC53 a few years ago: www.yachtingworld.com/boat-test/finot-conq-fc3-53-120154

[@philippegaspart3311]

@@yachtingworld I ve watched it already (several times) with great interest, and that's why I am patiently waiting for the new 56's test since she's the new "hot girl" on the block.

[@lindsaymcrory4215]

The first thing I noticed was not the amount of light, but the absence of a bulkhead. I am really curious how they maintain hull stiffness without one.

[@Danndamannn]

Compression post probably. Remember the boat & rig are a giant bow and arrow. With a deckstepped rig the deck is under compression which transfers to the stringers/keel, while hull sides are in tension (clamping in on the sides of the cabin top) balancing the forces from mast & post providing stiffness . At least that's what I would guess.

[@user-hv5gv6xz6h]

Правильное решение конечно , нос не будет зарываться в воду , а будет лететь над волной и не так забрызгивать палубу кокпит . Так же больше рабочего места носовому матросу и для отдыха и для загара девочкам на носу . Идея понравилась очень 👌.

[@rileybri]

200k can buy you a lot more boat then that offers. Looks nice and all but not were I would put my $$.

[@chuckaddison5134]

Hidious!

[@calvinh208]

Speaking of the interior, is there a different kind of MDF that doesn't turn to mud when it touches water?

[@cbat09]

"Woodwork is superb" and "Finish quality is superb" would not be true if MDF is present, particularly in a sailboat.

[@calvinh208]

@@cbat09 I actually think the boat is cool. I just heard the presenter say MDF and plywood. I hope that was wrong.

[@tomhuck9640]

@@calvinh208 Normaly thats marine ply or in that case mdf underneath the veneer used on the outside. Everyone does it to save weight

[@Danndamannn]

@@tomhuck9640 yes almost everyone does it and almost all modern boats I've worked on have atrocious build quality

[@calvinh208]

@@tomhuck9640 I'm not a boat builder, but I build homes and MDF is a money saver. Maybe there is a difference in marine grade MDF, but adding resins to make it water resistant doesn't seem like it would make it lighter. It's fine if boat builders want to save money.

[@gerloczyek]

Upon delivery I would immediately try and convert the electrical swim platform to a mechanical wheel and pulley system to get rid of an almost definite failing point.

[@vorda400]

A small boat for big fun has everything a man needs

[@graeme-sailingskeptic]

I'd like t see one stripped down as a racer! Short handed looks like a ton of fun

[@StemtoSternSailing]

What do you know...... a modern design I actually like. But dont tell my wife that 😂

[@pavementsailor]

I like innovative designs, but locally we had a cruiser drive itself to the bottom via a broken forward portlight. This looks like a whole fire brigade worth of hoses would be turned loose forward if they broke.

[@tomwilliams8675]

What keeps you from not falling off the back of the boat while underway, just that wire?

[@ross82]

A lack of stupidity along with the wire.

[@nic8810]

One of my previous yachts was a UFO31, very dated by today’s standards but a boat I’d happily go offshore in and have the confidence that it would look after me in rough weather, unlike this thing.

[@tsubadaikhan6332]

Draught is listed as 1.30 or 1.80 metres. Does it have a retractable keel, or a choice of keel? And how hard is it to operate a fold down swim deck? Because we all know water level electrical equipment never fails...

[@johnny_123b]

I'd much rather have classic drop down swim deck and extra storage.

[@sunsriseinvestment]

For a 32 plus foot sailboat i don't think the inside is big.

[@user-hv5gv6xz6h]

Сейчас все яхты начнут делать подобный нос . Широкий нос по палубе и широкая корма для глиссирования . Как всё изменилось в яхтах !👍

[@allykatharvey]

Rather fun! I’d take it across the Channel but it’s a fair weather boat kitted out like Star Trek for innovation. Honestly, I love it! It’s overpriced though. Nice and beamy for stability.

[@johnwilde4953]

Amazing how little 32’ gets you these days. It looks tiny, like a dinghy with a coach roof. Would need a hell a lot of day sails to cover the purchase cost and the per metre mooring fees.

[@erichaskell]

While you were in the cabin there was a lot of odd noise. Was this the electrical winches?

[@kykyzim24]

bow thrusters

[@erichaskell]

@@kykyzim24 While sailing or were the other people on board having a spot of fun?

[@cyprusdaedalus]

@@erichaskell they were docking while he was below.

[@erichaskell]

@@cyprusdaedalus thanks, this now makes sense.

[@Seawizz203]

As a cruiser, it doesn’t really appeal to me. It does have some innovative features that could be incorporated into cruising/racing designs, however.

[@stephanechollet5863]

Nice boat hower the price is not nice 169 000 €, is expensive for me If i want little boat , there is TES 246 Versus ( half price) But i reconize this boat is very beautifull

[@tonelada8683]

Seeeehr gut!!!

[@spaceinvader534]

C'est beau , mais le prix aussi est beau 169000€

[@peterbrameld696]

rubbish sound, which is a shame because it looks like a very good video. SORRY THE FAULT WAS MINE, I will now watch thank you!

[@intelectualize]

A kind of IPhone, Good designe, but very expensive.

[@HerzausStahl]

I hate the open stern. But the rest is interesting....

[@ohnezuckerohnefett]

11:23 is about the best view of the whole boat.

[@secondstartotheright]

For 170 K EURO's you can buy a used 47' catamaran

[@brambonnema3068]

🤡

[@Theguyunderyourbed22]

Sailboats are a premium commodity but an even more premium commodity is time. I know a lot of people with boats but only a couple of them actually have the time to consistently use them. The rest pour money into them every year hoping it'll be the year they'll use them for more than a week. In that regard it doesn't matter how big your boat is. A boat like this is not larger than it really has to be for most owners. You can spend a week on it no problem or take it out for a weekend trip. Can accommodate 4 people comfortably which is about as much as most people can actually arrange to have. Everyone fantasizes about entertaining lots of guests on their huge boats but it rarely actually happens except on charters because it splits the cost. Honestly if it were me I'd definitely go for this over anything else. I'd rather have a small fast comfortable boat over a huge empty one I can barely justify

[@alamos8]

Expensive it is, but very cool

[@nicholaspye6765]

Dear Santa...

[@simulacrae]

Austrian yacht builder? Isn't Austria landlocked? :)

[@yachtingworld]

Yes but it's got some good sized lakes! And many European shipyards are actually well inland anyway

[@davart311]

I am struggling to make any sense out of it 🤔

[@HempBike]

Heavy as: 8% longer, 19% narrower, and 50% heavier than a Pogo 30.

[@scotttild]

Not a fan of open transom even for just a day sail.

[@GLNG]

Why do the LED lights flicker like that? With DC there should be no flicker right? Even if they get AC from the engine, only cheap LED lights flicker like that. Or am I wrong?

[@__justmyopinion___2314]

It’s because of the camera. Has nothing to do with the LED itself.

[@GLNG]

@@__justmyopinion___2314 I don’t think thats it. Normal AC powered lights flicker because of the 50/60hz alternating current. The human eye can’t pick up the flickering, but cameras can, at certain shutter speeds. Batteries provide direct current, which to my knowledge should make the light not flicker, right?

[@__justmyopinion___2314]

@@GLNG it’s because of the camera. It is filming in different Hz.

[@GLNG]

@@__justmyopinion___2314 If its a DC powered LED light, it doesn’t “have” a Hz. Are you sure you know what you’re talking about?

[@tmog1000]

@@GLNG Err. Yes it does. all the led light fittings have an internal frequency generator, which is quite high.. It's done to increase the light output

[@nickanderson8938]

Windows below the rub rail?quirky or foolish?I'm thinking the latter.

[@traveller924]

Pretty basic for that pricing. 31 feet length you can get much better interior you can live for a week.

[@adammallerman8153]

Its obviously totally subjective but I really think its an ugly boat. I love the idea of those portlights low down on the hull but windows develop leaks on even the best boats and I can just imagine the water ingress on a wet passage beating into the wind. And with the engine so far aft, that's a lot of weight over the rudder and presumably, it has to be sail drive if its that far back? And do I love the interior? Its nice to see space and design used differently and as a day sailor its lovely - not sure I'd want to spend more than a night or two in there - I'll bet that boat suffers condensation with a couple adults inside. I'll be watching the reviews over the next year or two with interest.

[@mytube001]

The engine is probably reversed, with the sail drive in front of the engine.

[@fingerhorn4]

Agreed. It is spectacularly ugly.

[@fabienh3943]

These boats are looking more and more like Audi A4 - A6 with useless options and an aggressive look. The target customers are very close, but it's only so-so if you still see sailing as an escape from routine.

[@StemtoSternSailing]

You have a good point there! I like it but I'm not buying it

[@tom1-]

Looks like iron😂

[@grahamlongley8298]

Very small for a 32 ft boat. Would not even consider it.

[@arthurturner3080]

modern boats are not pretty

[@NomadicPhoton]

Have you seen Sirius Yachts?

[@jerimymccray]

agree to disagree.

[@donaldmitchell6994]

Interesting yacht but video has poor production: muddy audio and shaky camera work. Probably spoiled by Sailing Uma's excellent work.

[@stefanoparadisoalessio6460]

The ugliest boat ever

[@Paul-ou1rx]

Too much boat for daysailing. It's like making hotel reservations for a picnic.

[@alessandrorossi5992]

190.000 euros for this dinghy???? At those price I take a real yacht.

[@19midnightsun87]

Yeah, agreed. The price is insane for the amount of boat you get for it.

[@paulpaul9914]

An extensively ugly & perverse sailboat inside & out, possibly the result of a nightmare.

[@puertola7186]

Good to see different designs. This boat has a lot of different ideas. But all due respect, it is ugly and overpriced. If you want to look different, it is a good boat to have. Have your own Edsel!

[@SpeedDemonExpress]

This thing would flood in rough water. One wrong step and you fall into the ocean.

[@stuartcrane9409]

It looks well overpriced for what you get!

[@peterm4475]

Why are modern sailing boats so pug ugly? Just asking

[@mangore623]

Absolutely awful down below relative to other boats of the same length. It’s like they decided to go for a quirky “look” first, then design the sailboat around the ideas of a designer who’s never been sailing. Should appeal to people who prize looks over function.

[@lorentosi]

Orribile.

[@thomaselliott573]

silly

[@boatbuilderjon5636]

did Toby say "MDF" and fail to make any observation??!! Gets wet, gets soggy, falls apart. Starting to worry about the independence of these reviews.

[@Jarek12010]

It is a horrible boat. Just horrible. Ugly hull design, the 28th century styling serves no purpose whatsoever. Navigation display in the cockpit about 8 feet from the helm, good luck using it. The same goes for the wet compass, which is so far from the helm that it is useless. In the cabin, no gimballed stove, so no cooking underway, especially that the boat seems to be quite prone to heeling. No fiddles on the counter top. No grabrails in the cabin...but it has a stereo.

[@bitkong9445]

but is he 4 x vaccinated?!