Creighton 32 Cruisers

[Shropshire Landlubber]

Hello - for a number of reasons my wife and I have decided to go down the GRP Centre Cockpit route for our retirement project (cruising not residential).  Vikings and Normans spring to mind and plenty of info is out there but whilst searching for available boats I've come across the Creighton 32 Centre Cockpit which seem to suit all of our needs, having an inboard diesel, low access to the cockpit, second private cabin area and plenty of outside space.

 

However, I can find out very little about them on the internet and would love to hear from anyone who has owned one or has experience of them - in particular any construction / osmosis issues, strengths or weakness of drive set-up, guidance or general thoughts.  Yes, I know they're yogourt pots and yes, I know that those that are still afloat are pretty old, but I'm not afraid to take on a "project" as long as the hull and propulsion are in good order, the rest is well within my skills

 

Thank you in advance ot any kind souls who can assist !

Doug

[doratheexplorer]

Creighton 32s are older GRPs, from the 60s/70s.  Not sure if they made any after that.  They were very well made, which is why there's still quite a few about.  The thickness and quality is a notable step up from Normans/Shetlands etc. (not that theres anything wrong with them).  The 32 with the centre cockpit is big enough to be a liveaboard and even has a clever hidden shower just behind the cockpit.  If I was buying one, I'd look for one with an inboard diesel, but also a standard drive/propellor.  Some have been fitted with Z-drives which are notoriously unreliable.

[Shropshire Landlubber]

Thank you Dora - agree, an inboard diesel would be preferable but I guess it will come down to what I can find with not many seeming to be on the market

 

I think it will have to be a 32 footer to meet our needs so I guess that does limit what I can find, but I gather from another source that the Creighton 32 was only built as an inboard (not sure if that is a correct statement or not)

[Mad Harold]

There were recently two Creighton cruisers for sale on e bay or Facebook, but seem to have been sold.There is  a Dawncraft 32 on e bay at the moment very cheap and is advertised as a project, but if the photos are current, it looks fairly decent.

BMC diesel with Enfield outdrive, so maybe not suitable.

If you are not tied to narrow canals (6'-10" beam) there is a much wider choice of wider beam cruisers.

[Naughty Cal]

If you don't limit yourself to narrowbeam then there are some great centre cockpit cruisers around.

 

Seamaster 30's offer a lot of accommodation for their size.

 

https://www.newark-marina.co.uk/used-boats/seamaster-30-2/

 

ETA: Depending on your budget they did do a newer version of the Seamaster, I believe it was Viking that took over the moulds. They have a more modern fit out and are lighter built.

Edited February 15 by Naughty Cal

[Shropshire Landlubber]

9 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

If you don't limit yourself to narrowbeam then there are some great centre cockpit cruisers around.

 

Seamaster 30's offer a lot of accommodation for their size.

 

https://www.newark-marina.co.uk/used-boats/seamaster-30-2/

 

ETA: Depending on your budget they did do a newer version of the Seamaster, I believe it was Viking that took over the moulds. They have a more modern fit out and are lighter built.

Thank you, but has to be narrow beam.  Will be mooring on the Llangollen and intend to cruise as many canals as possible in retirement, so over 6'10" would not be workable for us.