Like something from Back to the Future, the Sunbeam 32.1 is a boat that is designed to turn heads and divide opinion. You may love it or you may hate it, and that’s just fine by Andreas Schöchl, the third generation at the helm of this family boat-building business nestled on the shores of Matsee in the Austrian Alps.

While the company has been known for building high-end blue-water cruisers up to 53ft, when Andreas took over the reins in 2019, he took the boat back to what he saw as the yard’s core expertise of small and medium-sized dayboats, weekenders and cruisers – ideally suited to the Alpine lakes, the Med, and now, potentially, to UK coastal waters. He also wanted to stop making what he saw as generic white boats.

The Sunbeam 32.1 is certainly something different, and is conceived as a stylish ‘weekender’ that is utterly simple to sail without losing the element of fun.

Open-plan galley is modern and minimalist

It’s meant to be comfortable to host friends aboard for a day sail, with lots of socialising space, as evidenced by the foredeck sunpad space, the vast 2m x 2m bathing platform, which slides out electrically to sit flush with the deck aft of the wheels. A fixed table sits at the centre of a cockpit far larger than most boats of this size.

The boat is raked dramatically aft like a dreadnought bow, over which projects not only a bowsprit but a wide foredeck that Sunbeam is calling a ‘flight deck’, designed to maximise space to relax forward and presumably to keep spray down.

It might look radical, but with a self-tacking jib, in-mast furling main, and a moderate displacement, this shouldn’t be knock-your- socks-off sporty. Twin wheels and twin rudders are standard, while deep, shoal and twin keel versions are available, the latter allowing you to take the ground.

Below decks, she’s just as stark, with everything open plan, save a generous heads compartment. U-shaped seating in the saloon can be changed into a double v-berth, while there’s a huge square double berth below the companionway thanks to the engine being pushed right aft.

Electric power will be standard but inboard diesel is also an option. Galley and stowage is limited but adequate for an overnight or two, which is exactly what the boat is designed for. We’ll be testing the 32.1 in full in an upcoming issue of the magazine, so keep an eye out – you’ll struggle to miss it!

Sunbeam 32.1 specifications

LOA: 9.98m / 32ft 9in
Hull length: 9.85m / 32ft 4in
LWL: 8.85m / 29ft 0in
Beam: 2.98m / 9ft 9in
Draught (deep): 1.8m / 5ft 11in
Sail area: 56m2 / 603sqft
Displacement: 4,150kg / 9,149lbs
Ballast: 1,245kg / 2,745lb
Price: €229,000 ex VAT(base)
Builder: www.sunbeam-yachts.com

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