SOUTHAMPTON SHOW REVIEWS
LOA: 32ft 6in (9.89m) BEAM: 8ft 8in (2.63m) ENGINE: Mercury inboard or outboard from 300-600hp TOP SPEED: 45-73 knots PRICE: from £254,356 inc VAT CONTACT: www.cormate.co.uk
Tucked into an unusually verdant corner of the Southampton boat show, the new Cormate T 32 looked even more colourful than expected. Resplendent in its turquoise gelcoat offset by a silver boot topping and golden teak rubbing strip, it stood out like a multi-coloured jewel among the ranks of white production craft.
It wasn’t just the colour scheme that set it apart. With its reverse-angled windscreen, subtly contoured topsides, voluptuous flared bow and razor sharp 24.5° deep vee hull, it offered a tantalising alternative to the ever increasing number of Axopar wannabes.
The other significant difference is that the Chase 32 derives much of its performance from the way it’s built rather than raw power. Strategic use of carbon fibre for some of the mouldings, along with a light but stiff foam-cored twin step hull, keeps the weight down to less than three tonnes. This in turn allows Cormate to fit one big engine rather than two, saving more weight, fuel and cost while still delivering serious pace.
The boat show example was fitted with an 8.2-litre Mercury V8 inboard, pumping out 430hp for an estimated top speed of 50 knots, but you can also opt for a single outboard engine, up to and including Mercury’s 600hp V12. The port side helm station, with a waisthigh console separating t
