Contessa 28?

[Swenns Dad]

My friends got a Contessa 28 - I'll let him know. Just for interest my previous boat was a Jaguar 27 and I was always faster than his Contessa 28, which always p***** him off - and we weren't even racing!

Must have been the anti-foul he was using! Cheers.

 

[Frogmogman]

They're decent boats. They were well built, and a cherished one could make a good buy. They really aren't to be compared with a CO32 our indeed a Twister; a more modern fin spade design, typical of a Doug Peterson design of that era.

There's a very tidy looking and seemingly well maintained example for sale in Holland which I already suggested on another thread. Its asking a sensible price, which I dare say could be negotiated down a bit.

Contessa 28 Used Boat for Sale 1982 | TheYachtMarket

 

[pragmatist]

Also keeping an eye out for decent Shipmans, Varnes and Sadlers...

Loved our Sadler 29 - huge fun but also a tough boat.

 

[Pete7]

The British Kiel Yacht Club had a fleet of Contessas in the early eighties, both 28s and 32s. I would guess maybe 8 to a dozen 28s from memory. If they retain their original names, they are all named after birds; Pochard, Grebe and Widgeon etc. I don’t recall any particular issues with them and they were worked and sailed hard.

Spent a week on Pochard in the Baltic sailing sideways. Skipper didn't have a clue even when we were at the back of an identical fleet of boats so all we had to do was copy them. Nope, sail trim dreadful, heaps of weather helm and leant over further than an Italian tower. Can't blame the boat or the blown out sails, but when the newish Sigma 33 race control boat glided past as if we were anchored, I made a note the 28 wasn't for me.