Contessa 32, are they really that good?

[Shuggy]

P.S. If I was going to replace her then a Pogo would be top of the list.

 

[Kukri]

Party.

 

[Shuggy]

Party.

You're invited. Well, your boat is. Guess that includes you too!

 

[Concerto]

Shuggy, your post reminds me of another race in the 1970's on the Nicholson 30. It was Round the Goodwin Sands. At the southern rounding mark the wind was about 35 knots true and we were the only boat to consider flying a spinnaker. The star cut was selected as it was heavy duty and flat. I remember how hard hauling the spinnaker up was. It opened at about half hoist and the boat took off. As soon as the boat dropped off the plain, I could not shift the spinnake halyard, but as soon as we returned on the plain it became fairly easy. Still remember passing all of the other half tonners. One Scampi we went from 5 boat lengths astern to being 6 boat lengths ahead in about a minute. The spray was spectacular, but we kept dropping off the plain. The hull shape of the Nicholson 30 was not brilliant for plaining as it was not flat or wide on the transom. By the time we reached the next mark to turn towards Ramsgate, we were about half a mile ahead. That was exhilarating with an experienced crew.

 

[Spyro]

I think they are vastly over-rated.
They are slow.
They are cramped inside.
They have a fugly masthead rig.
They are wet to sail.

Go back 20 or so years and I'd forgive some of that because they had some interesting OD racing, and some boats in a similar vein to race against but that's gone the way of all things.

Most of them are now also very tired. No point having a hull shape with a reputation for seakeeping if all the gear is knackered and things start breaking at the first sniff of a gale.

You forgot over priced

 

[Kukri]

The boat tells me she misses Scotland. Mainly because anchorages good for 8’6” draft are rather scarce round here.

The Great Pre-Covid19 Master Plan was to spend a season poodling gently round the southern North Sea and then head to Scotland in 2021.

Now reviewing that idea.

 

[Shuggy]

The boat tells me she misses Scotland. Mainly because anchorages good for 8’6” draft are rather scarce round here.

The Great Pre-Covid19 Master Plan was to spend a season poodling gently round the southern North Sea and then head to Scotland in 2021.

Now reviewing that idea.

I think we've conversed privately on your plans. Get yourself up here! We're heading south then west in 2023... the Caribbean beckons.

 

[westhinder]

OK if everything goes well, you have sufficient crew, nothing breaks, storm doesn't last too long. How about an epic storm. Days long, sails ripped to shreds, crew ruined. No choice but to lay ahull and strap yourself into your bunk. How would a Dehler 39 with a AVS of 126 https://ircrating.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/stix_web_latest.pdf be compared to a CO32 with an AVS of 155? Which boat will look after you better in extremis?

Too hypothetical for me to base the choice of boat on, I’m afraid.
what I do know from experience is this:
My previous boat was a Rival 34, very much in the same vein as the Contessa 32, even prettier (I would say that, wouldn’t I ?) and built more strongly. I sailed her in pretty atrocious weather and had absolute confidence in her. I still love her to bits.
My current Starlight 39 is much more an AWB, although I wouldn’t call her average and she isn’t white, and I’ve also been out in nasty weather.
I have no hesitation in saying I much prefer the current boat in bad weather: stable, surefooted, easy motion, much faster, much more comfortable even when it’s rough. And why is that? Because of the accumulated wisdom and the progress in insight and techniques that were incorporated into the Starlight. Progress, in a word. And that progress has continued since then. By which I’m not saying all development goes in the right direction, far from it.
But it makes no sense suggesting nothing has improved in the 50-60 years since the Co32 was designed.

 

[Shuggy]

Too hypothetical for me to base the choice of boat on, I’m afraid.
what I do know from experience is this:
My previous boat was a Rival 34, very much in the same vein as the Contessa 32, even prettier (I would say that, wouldn’t I ?) and built more strongly. I sailed her in pretty atrocious weather and had absolute confidence in her. I still love her to bits.
My current Starlight 39 is much more an AWB, although I wouldn’t call her average and she isn’t white, and I’ve also been out in nasty weather.
I have no hesitation in saying I much prefer the current boat in bad weather: stable, surefooted, easy motion, much faster, much more comfortable even when it’s rough. And why is that? Because of the accumulated wisdom and the progress in insight and techniques that were incorporated into the Starlight. Progress, in a word. And that progress has continued since then. By which I’m not saying all development goes in the right direction, far from it.
But it makes no sense suggesting nothing has improved in the 50-60 years since the Co32 was designed.

Starlight 39s are beautiful boats.

 

[lustyd]

We take our first roll in the genoa at about 15 knots true. Second roll at about 18 knots true; third roll at about 22 knots. First reef in the main at about 22 knots; second at about 27; third at about 35.

Why would you base your reefing on true wind speed? Apparent is what affects sails and handling.

 

[awol]

Why would you base your reefing on true wind speed? Apparent is what affects sails and handling.

Have you never experienced the boat flattening transition at the leeward mark from exhilarating downhill spinnaker sleigh ride to over-canvassed beat? TWS warns you what's coming but exactly how it is measured has kept the forum busy before.

 

[lustyd]

TWS does warn you what's coming, but AWS is what your reefing is based on, which is why there's a change from downwind to upwind taht you need to be aware of!

 

[doug748]

The boat tells me she misses Scotland. Mainly because anchorages good for 8’6” draft are rather scarce round here.

The Great Pre-Covid19 Master Plan was to spend a season poodling gently round the southern North Sea and then head to Scotland in 2021.

Now reviewing that idea.

Scotland sounds a grand plan particularly as you have a good reason to get there. Especially true the coming season where continental visits may be a problem.

Me, I am off on a voyage of exploration to the Solent for the 50th anniversary celebrations. You can still buy a Contessa 32 today, as you could for the last 49, which is a fine record. Looking out my pith helmet as we speak.

.

 

[Stemar]

Would you consider a Dehler 39 an AWB?
If so you’re talking tosh. Have been caught in a 9/10 in one and would deffo rather be in that than a C32, by a very long chalk!!! Also a reasonable number of 7/8s so I do have some idea.

I don't know your Dehler. I do know my mate's Dufour 385. A great boat for going from marina to marina in reasonable weather, and a far better boat in bad weather than my little Snapdragon, simply because she's so much bigger; all that wonderful wide open space space with little in the way of handholds is great in good weather, but not what I want when things get nasty. I don't doubt your boat's ability to survive bad weather - bigger, other things being equal, is always better in bad weather, but the wide open spaces aren't. I was just pointing out one aspect, so I reject that "tosh".

It doesn't mean I'd rather have a Contessa. I'm at an age and level of fitness where I reckon bashing about in F9 is a grossly overrated business, but if I had to do it, and I can't have the Queen Mary 2, my weapon of choice would probably be a 36-40ft Halberg Rassey or Najad

 

[lustyd]

Scotland sounds a grand plan particularly as you have a good reason to get there. Especially true the coming season where continental visits may be a problem.

Indeed, it'll be much easier to get to Europe from Scotland once they break up the UK and join the EU independently

 

[westhinder]

Starlight 39s are beautiful boats.

I can’t disagree, but the traditionalist in me thinks the Rival 34 is a lot prettier. People used to come and compliment me on the beauty of her lines, and not just in the U.K. where Rivals were a more common sight.

 

[Frogmogman]

Me, I am off on a voyage of exploration to the Solent for the 50th anniversary celebrations. You can still buy a Contessa 32 today, as you could for the last 49, which is a fine record. Looking out my pith helmet as we speak.

Shouldn't that be mask and snorkel ? ? ?

 

[doug748]

Will be fully tooled up ?

 

[awol]

I can't see me making the trek south for a party but there may be something up here - always dependent on C-19, the march on Derby after May 6th, and whether I'm allowed out.

 

[Shuggy]

Why would you base your reefing on true wind speed? Apparent is what affects sails and handling.

It's just what we do. Each to their own etc...

I should probably add that this is generally with the wind ahead of the beam. When we're going downwind all bets are off.