Hi Bryan,
1/32 = 3/8"to 1'-0" when I went to school, any way you work it out.
I'm no mathematician but have always worked on there being two scale series which where adhered to in British established countries.
One, going 1/2 (6'), 1/4 (3"), 1/8 (1 1/2"), 1/16 (3/4"), 1/32(3/8"), 1/64 (3/16"), etc.
The other going 1/3 (4"),1/6 (2"), 1/12 (1"), 1/24 (1/2"), 1/48 (1/4"), etc.
1/36 is from the odd series 1/9, 1/18, 1/36, 1/72, etc
These where all drummed, over and over, into all us cadet draughties, back when we all used Imperial measure for everthing, and it sort of stuck in a couple of the old grey cells, even though its all metric now with the very odd scales due to iso reductions in sheet sizes.
Anyway, have been following you build with interest, especially your plating technique, as I am about to embark in plating a 1/48th scale hull of a kiwi riverboat from the 1860's, which fortunately for me uses a very simple transverse in-out, & longitudinal butt method. Also find your ship tales from your life facinating, keep them coming.
Hope this helps a little
kiwi