Boat test for the 2007 Avalon 32 with boat pictures, boat specifications, and boat test results. Includes pricing, videos, engine test reviews, and ratings for the 2007 Avalon 32.

But airborne sound is only part of the quietness equation. The other is vibration, and here's where the 32 is really different. A thrust-bearing assembly allows soft-mounting of both the engine and the marine gear. Two live mounts affixed to the forward end of the gear and a transversal farther forward absorb thrust and let the drive- train move vertically and horizontally but not fore and aft. It's a simple system that works. I've never been on a diesel-powered boat anywhere near this size so devoid of vibration. If it weren't for the exhaust, you wouldn't know the diesel was running, even during full-throttle acceleration.

But there's a price. The aft sunpad that creates space for the engine means no open cockpit, and it's too deep for a seat. You still have six feet of open cockpit forward, but not much stowage beneath; it's mostly taken up by the shaft and gear assembly. On the other hand, there's that big stowage space beneath the saloon.

And that saloon is nicely finished in teak (solid teak drawers!) and equipped with a large port-side dinette that's accessible from the cockpit, thanks to a removable aft bulkhead window. The area beneath is also available for stowage, with additional access from the cockpit. Part of the space can be allocated to air conditioning, a second refrigerator or freezer, or an ice maker. To starboard, the galley includes a one-burner butane stove (electric is available), 41/2 -cubic-foot under-counter refrigerator, and single sink—everything you need for a weekend away. Not only do two small forward hatches and a large one over the V-berth provide air, but the port and starboard windows retract electrically, and the composite bifold cockpit door basically disappears, which pretty much brings the outside in. You can also a drop a curtain in place of the aft bulkhead.

The Avalon 32's aft-mounted engine allowed for rather quick planing with moderate bow rise.

The head-shower (to port) and V-berth are down a step and generous in size—the V-berth is 6'4" wide by 6'11" long. To starboard is a cabinet with a small hanging locker and the electrical panel, which is hinged so that its internals can be exposed on two sides. A hinged teak panel on the door flips up and attaches magnetically to provide additional privacy for those in the forward area.

Up to this point I considered the 32 an interesting mini-cruiser, but I did not become intrigued with her until I went back to my hotel room and crunched her performance numbers. Because her Yanmar was not electronic, I couldn't get real-time fuel-consumption data and so was forced to rely on the propeller curve provided by Yanmar. But even discounting the accuracy of this method, the 32's mpg data looks pretty impressive all the way to 2500 rpm (24.4 mph). Future 32s will be equipped with the electronic 480-hp version of this engine and the electronic data display that goes with it. You can be sure we'll go back and check those numbers against the extrapolations given here. However they stack up, one thing is undeniable: The Avalon 32 represents a real rethinking of the basic family cruiser.

For more information on Avalon, including contact information, click here.

SPOTLIGHT ON: V-Drive, Aussie Style

V-drives have been around for years, but I’d never seen one combined with a thrust-bearing system until I tested the Avalon 32. A V-drive configuration is really not unusual, save for the engine hushbox that quiets things. A stainless steel jackshaft with constant-velocity (CV) joints is a bit different; the CV joints ensure that alignment won’t be an issue, either during installation or over time. What is truly out of the ordinary is the horizontal thrust bearing the builder fabricates and mounts to the forward end of the gear. It’s just a couple of conventional engine mounts affixed to a steel bracket and bolted into a composite crossmember, but it allows both the engine and the marine gear to be soft-mounted. (In most installations the marine gear is hard-mounted to absorb thrust.) The result is the best example of vibration isolation I’ve seen on a boat anywhere this size range. —R.T.

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