boat choice

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jellidreamer

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I am short listing boat choice, have seen low cost sigma 33 and a ood 34 contessa. Both need work which am willing to do over time.My max budget is only £16000 . I known a little bit about sigma but no much about ood 34.
Boat will be mainly for cruising and holiday trips across channel.short handed most of time. Based medway.more information appreciated. Thankyou in advance.Already looked at albin ballad/cumulus and hustler.Do most of my sailing in a squib and a sonata so this will be a big step up.merry xmas to you all.
 
Welcome to the forum

Boats like that are "low cost" because nobody wants to buy them - usually because they are worn out and need a lot of work - which means money. So not the sort of boat to buy if you have limited resources and want to use the boat rather than spending all your time and money trying to fix it. Would not be high on the list for single handed sailing either, although possible, they were designed for full crew racing.
 
I would be very careful buying a boat that needs work, on a tight budget.
Better to get something that works IMHO.
Even then there will be work to do.
My first boat was an Impala. Worked OK as a 2-up cruising boat on a low budget.

Sigma 33 probably similar, I know a couple who cruise theirs a fair bit as well as racing it with the lads.
Also buy something that will be reasonably saleable in a few years if possible, the Impala was easy to sell as they were well regarded for club racing.

There are some good value boats for sale, be very choosy.
 
jellidreamer said:
I am short listing boat choice, have seen low cost sigma 33 and a ood 34 contessa. Both need work which am willing to do over time.My max budget is only £16000 . I known a little bit about sigma but no much about ood 34.
Boat will be mainly for cruising and holiday trips across channel.short handed most of time. Based medway.more information appreciated. Thankyou in advance.Already looked at albin ballad/cumulus and hustler.Do most of my sailing in a squib and a sonata so this will be a big step up.merry xmas to you all.
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16k will buy you a nice 25-28 footer... If you are based in the Medway it would be worth considering something that will take the ground. Bear in mind that the bigger the boat the bigger the running costs.
 
Disregard Tranona, he dismisses anything beyond his own narrow experience.

First of all, think where you are going to to keep the boat, have you a decent place - with the boat staying upright, security against lowlife and your being able to spend happy hours on board just tinkering with bits and pieces, I've had my boat for decades but still find any excuse to visit the chandlery !

If on a mooring, a secure place to launch and recover the tender at all states of tide is worth its' weight in gold as is a secure place to keep the dinghy - surprisingly rare - check !
 
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Replacement engine was high on my list, at least one set of decent sails, sound hull, basic instruments, preferably not too old standing rigging, the rest can be sorted out over time. Look at lots of boats, many will fulfill your requirements so best not to fixate on particular makes/models & treat each on its relative merits. Good luck, be patient & you'll find a nice boat for that money...:)
 
jellidreamer said:
I am short listing boat choice, have seen low cost sigma 33 and a ood 34 contessa. Both need work which am willing to do over time.My max budget is only £16000 . I known a little bit about sigma but no much about ood 34.
Boat will be mainly for cruising and holiday trips across channel.short handed most of time. Based medway.more information appreciated. Thankyou in advance.Already looked at albin ballad/cumulus and hustler.Do most of my sailing in a squib and a sonata so this will be a big step up.merry xmas to you all.
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Jelldreamer,

why are you looking at racing boats aimed at full crews then ?!

Much better cruising boats are available, I'm sure suggestions will be along in a moment !

I had a Carter 30 ex-racer/cruiser years ago but I'm sure forumites can suggest something better nowadays:
 
Seajet said:
Jelldreamer,

why are you looking at racing boats aimed at full crews then ?!

Much better cruising boats are available, I'm sure suggestions will be along in a moment !

I had a Carter 30 ex-racer/cruiser years ago but I'm sure forumites can suggest something better nowadays:
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Thanks for replying, looking at a fast cruiser as i am based at chatham and need to get out in estuary/ramsgate in one tide. Need boat to be seaworthy,fast,large enough to spend holidays on, as plan to sail across channel as often as possible,moody 29 looks good but described as pedestrian ,probably know exactly what i need once i start using it, which will be too late.good fun looking though.
 
Seajet said:
Zagato,

I get fed up with constant idiotic digs, especially on subjects he knows nothing about, which is rather often...:rolleyes:
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Oh Drar! Did Santa leave you out again!

Funny, my substantive comment is almost exactly the same as yours! So, If he wants to he can ignore both of us.

You really should learn to read before making a fool of yourself - again!
 
At that price you are likely to be looking at some fairly serious work on both. The Sigma may be a better bet if it is the 33c (cruising spec) which tends to be cheaper because it's not the one design. It will come down to being ruthless about what each need to get them to the standard you want. Both can be made to good fast cruisers it's just how you set them up. You MUST consider the state of the expensive bits - sails, engine, auto pilot, instruments, winches, upholstery etc. Things like interior cosmetics and deck leaks can be sorted with hard work. The Sigma can leak round the chain plates and is a pig to get to, also watch out for floorboards that don't fit well - if the boat has been grounded badly the bottom can flex up and require significant repairs to get right. From what you say the Sigma 33C may be a good option.

Yoda
 
Just because it has the Contessa name, don't confuse the OOD 34 with the vastly superior Contessa 32. The OOD 34 used an experimental injection-resin building system and was a design that rather lost its reputation in the '79 Fastnet - one of the boats lost was the National Sailing Centre's OOD 34, Griffin...
I saw one in Lymington Yacht Haven about 15 years ago that had just returned from a hard sail in a stiff breeze - the crew just dumped it on the pontoon and left, sails not stowed, and a quick glance inside showed the whole cabin covered in vomit...did nothing to improve my confidence in the design!
 
I have sailed both boats a lot and both were good to sail.

The OOD34 was very stiff and fast, she had lead ballast and I don't know if they were all made that way, masthead rig. The boat was very old but we went all over the West Coast of Scotland in it. However, all the Contessa OOD34's I have seen have a hungry look, you can see the hull indented between the ribs and stringers. The one I sailed had a lot of small voids here and there on the deck and coamings as if there was never any glass matt or resin in the first place under the gel coat. Based on that I am not sure if they are a hull that will last well into very old age.

The Sigma 33 would be my choice out the two. I have an old boat and its cost me far more than my budget. I could have had very nice modern boat for the sums I have spent, be warned.
 
If you like the Sigma and the Contessa 34 then I would suggest that a Contessa 33 would fit the bill - I'm not sure that there are many about, but on our local handicap system the Contessa 33 is quicker than a 32 or 34, and indeed quicker than a Sigma 33. I also prefer the accomodation on the Co 33.
 
jellidreamer said:
Need boat to be seaworthy,fast,large enough to spend holidays on
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This is the problem, big fast cruisers that fit the bill here will tend to bust your budget. Popular marques like the Sigma will be flogged at that price as these boats have been around a long time.

I have no experience of it but it occurs to me (based on the market) that something like a She 31 could fit the bill and be in much better nick for your budget.

Cheers
 
I have sailed the Sigma 33, brilliant boat; it is fast and good as a cruiser too. I am not familiar with the Contessa 34. I agree with the others that the boat is very likely to be tired, but it is expected.

Engine, standing rigging and sails are the expensive bits, all of which can be rectified in time for as long as the boat can be used without having to replace the engine, sails and rigging immediately.

I presume you will be able to secure a deep water mooring suitable for fin keelers. The recession will help you to buy the boat at a much lower price than the asking price; so go for it; great opportunity.
 
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