How to Build a Dreadnought 32

Here is the original factory instruction manual that came with Idle Queen.  Click each image once or twice to view at a larger size.  

Dreadnought 32 Building Instructions Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Dreadnought 32 Building Instructions P. 1
Instructions Page 1
Dreadnought 32 Building Instructions P. 2
Page 2
Dreadnought 32 Building Instructions P. 3
Page 3
Dreadnought 32 Building Instructions P. 4
Page 4
Dreadnought 32 Building Instructions P. 5
Page 5
Dreadnought 32 Building Instructions P. 6
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Dreadnought 32 Building Instructions P. 7
Page 7
Dreadnought 32 Building Instructions P. 8
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Dreadnought 32 Building Instructions P. 9
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Dreadnought 32 Building Instructions P. 10
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Dreadnought 32 Building Instructions P. 11
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8 thoughts on “How to Build a Dreadnought 32

  1. I am the owner of Dreadnought 32 Irena.
    I believe this is a Bud Taplin built boat, per previous owners info: She is absolutely beautiful..
    This is my second Dreadnought 32.
    I previously owned Joya which we sailed to Mexico a few times on the Baja Ha Ha in 2009 and 2012.
    When we sold Joya in 2012 the new owner was off for Tahiti.
    I put a Dreadnought website together a few years ago to share information on the Dreadnoughts. https://sites.google.com/site/dreadnought32owners/
    I live just a few miles away from birthplace of the Dreadnoughts in Carpenteria. Not much but a tin building there now.
    Smooth Sailing All.

  2. I sent you an email, but will repeat some of it here. In the 1970’s, I had a custom boat building shop in Costa Mesa, CA, Workldcruiser Yacht Co. I made an agreement with John Schaefer, who owned Dreadnaught Yachts, to bring hulls and decks to my shop so I could build them for customers. I did six of them, both as ketches and cutters. The first, which I named Misty, John and I put in the Newport Beach boat show in 1974. He got orders for a few kits, and I got orders for finished boats. A win-win arrangement, as he sold only kits, and I went on to build about 100 different boats in the ensuing 15 or so years.

    I worked out the aluminum mast sailplan for the boats I built, in consultation with Bill Crealock, who I knew from my two years as Production Manager at Westsail when they first started.

    I still have lots of drawings and information on the Dreadnaughts I built, so contact me if you have any questions. bud@westsail.com

    These days I am supplying replacement parts, primarily to the Westsail fleet of about a thousand or so boats.

    1. Hi Bud- Great to hear from you. Sorry to take so long to reply, but I have been away from Internet access while underway (on someone else’s boat…). I will get in touch by email. It is fantastic to hear that you have so much info on the Dreadnoughts and that you are continuing to supply parts to the storied Westsail fleet.

  3. It has been great following you and seeing a bit of the history of our boats… I own Distant Star, D-32. In Newport, Oregon. Keep up the lessons in living for those of us not quite free yet.

  4. Hi Barry,
    Just wanted to say I’ve enjoyed your blog and am looking forward to your next post. Among other things your writing was the final encouragement I needed choose a full keel boat for my next set of adventures. I presume you are in the middle of some serious restoration work on Idle Queen. If so, first, good for you. She deserves your efforts and you will get a lot of enjoyment out of the finished project. Second, I know that it’s A LOT OF WORK, so hang in there.

    1. Thanks for the encouragement, Alan! I am looking forward to having IQ back in the water this fall. She is getting a lot of much-deserved attention. –Barry

  5. Barry,
    Great seeing you and Idle Queen the other day. Julia and I sure enjoyed our chilly weather (for April) boat yard tour. Good to know you can build a Dreadnought 32 back to new in “only” 9 months. Sorta’ puts the pressure on. Yeah, I know it doesn’t work that way….. Cheers. Bernie

    1. Hi Bernie- Sorry to be a while replying, but there has been lots to do around here, as you know. It was great to see you and Julia! I am reminded often during this refit process that it is much faster to build many things new than it is to try to restore them. I can currently say that I have zero desire to ever take on another “project boat”. Safe travels! –Barry

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