Description

GRAND BANKS 32 RC READY

FULLY BUILT AND READY TO DISPLAY MUSEUM QUALITY SHIP MODEL

Dimension approx.: 31″ (long) x 7″ (wide) x 6″ (high)
The model is already built. THIS IS NOT A MODEL SHIP KIT
RC READY - hatched open for easy installation of RC equipment, propeller(s) and motor (not included)

When the Grand Banks 32 debuted in 1964, it marked the moment when American Marine shifted from custom wooden yachts to a new idea entirely: a production trawler yacht built for ordinary cruisers who wanted extraordinary reliability. Designed by Kenneth Smith and developed from his earlier 36‑foot Spray, the 32 became the smallest member of what would soon be the world’s most recognizable family of cruising trawlers.

American Marine, founded in Hong Kong in 1962 by Robert Newton and his sons John and Whit, had already earned a reputation for craftsmanship. But the 32 was different. It was the company’s first truly mass‑produced model — a compact, seaworthy diesel cruiser with the look and feel of a working trawler and the comfort of a small yacht. With its salty profile, tall bow, walkaround decks, and teak‑trimmed pilothouse, the 32 looked like it belonged in any harbor in the world.

Early boats were built of wood, but by the mid‑1970s the design transitioned to fiberglass, a change that preserved the 32’s classic lines while giving it the durability that would define the Grand Banks brand. The hull remained a semidisplacement form, capable of pushing through rough water with the steadiness of a much larger vessel.

The heart of the GB32 was its single Ford Lehman diesel, a slow‑turning, fuel‑sipping engine that could run for thousands of hours with minimal fuss. Cruising at around 8 knots and burning roughly 2.5 gallons per hour, the 32 became a favorite for long‑range voyagers, Great Loop cruisers, and Pacific Northwest boaters who valued economy and reliability over speed.

Its layout was simple, practical, and deeply appealing with a bright saloon with port and starboard settees, a forward galley with real appliances and generous storage, a cozy V‑berth cabin down three steps, a teak joinery throughout, and a wide side decks and secure rails for safe movement underway

Despite its modest size, the 32 felt like a “real ship,” with watertight bulkheads, a heavy layup, and a deep keel that protected the running gear and kept the boat tracking straight in a seaway.

Between 1964 and 1996, American Marine and later Grand Banks Yachts built 861 Grand Banks 32s — an extraordinary number for a boat of this size. It became the entry point into the Grand Banks family, sitting alongside the 36, 42, 46, and later the Aleutian series.

Owners loved the 32 for its Commercial‑grade construction, Predictable handling, Low operating costs, Warm, timeless interior, and Ability to cruise safely in almost any weather. Even decades later, many GB32s still carry their original gelcoat and teak trim, a testament to the conservative engineering and heavy fiberglass layup that became a Grand Banks hallmark.

No classic boat is perfect. The GB32’s most notorious issue is fuel tank corrosion, especially in older fiberglass models where the steel tanks were glassed into place. Replacing them is a major project — but once done, the boat is often good for another generation of cruising.

Today, the Grand Banks 32 remains one of the most beloved small trawlers ever built. Late‑1980s models often sell around $100,000, and well‑maintained examples are prized for their simplicity, charm, and seaworthiness. They are boats that inspire loyalty — vessels that families keep for decades, passing them down like heirlooms.

More than any other model, the GB32 captures the essence of the Grand Banks philosophy: build it strong, build it simple, build it to last. It is a small yacht with a big heart, a cruiser that has carried thousands of owners safely across bays, sounds, and oceans for more than half a century.