Contessa 32 GRP Quality

I think Concerto was lucky to get 30 years out of his headlining. On my Westerly Ocean 33, the Fulmar's replacement, it started to go after about 15 years. You can replace it yourself, and there is a company that does kits, but removing the old stuff and adhesive is a filthy job. I had mine done professionally by an ex-Westerly employee and the cost was about £3.5K for the whole boat. If you do decide on a Fulmar and it needs doing, I would factor this into the offer price. Where Concerto is spot on is that the Fulmar is a great boat, as is the O33.
 
Should your interest drift towards Sadler 32s be warned there are some very tired ones around. Last time I looked before Xmas they ranged from 9K to 28K . In my humble opinion (and knowing whose boat the 28K is ) IMHO the latter is the better value.
 
doug748 said:
I see what you mean and think you are right, it looks to be starboard side looking forward towards the area of the switch panel. So it could be more evidence of accident damage, as mentioned by Sonic. Either that or someone has tried to stop a deck leak from the inside.

What threw me was the apparent glimpse of timber to the right of the marked ellipse - that should not be there, on the hull side.
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Correct, I took the shot from inside the pilot berth towards the switch panel. There is timber in all kind of strange places, part of the rather improvised repair...
 
doug748 said:
Just a point of interest.....there is a Ballad for sale for c 14k which is outstanding. I suspect it belongs to a fellow forumite. The old dictum is: "Always buy the best you can afford". However, they are more race orientated design and, looking at your shortlist, probably not for you.

If your requirements are fairly typical and mainstream, I would seriously favour the Sadler 34 as the best alternative; they can be got for under 20k now and, for a crewed boat, the accommodation is lavish compared with the others, even if the sailing is more laid back.
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Well, my shortlist is work-in-progress. Because of Yellow Ballad's comment I have looked into the Ballad and it seems a really good boat with blue water capabilities. I'll look for the one on offer.
 
richardbrennan said:
I think Concerto was lucky to get 30 years out of his headlining. On my Westerly Ocean 33, the Fulmar's replacement, it started to go after about 15 years. You can replace it yourself, and there is a company that does kits, but removing the old stuff and adhesive is a filthy job. I had mine done professionally by an ex-Westerly employee and the cost was about £3.5K for the whole boat. If you do decide on a Fulmar and it needs doing, I would factor this into the offer price. Where Concerto is spot on is that the Fulmar is a great boat, as is the O33.
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Excellent advice, thanks. I helped a friend to remove the old linings on his Attila 32, simply terrible job. I'd rather service an engine...
 
Yellow Ballad said:
If you're considering alternatives have a look at the Albin Ballad just as good in my eyes and half the price.
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Great boat, as I wrote earlier. One concern/question: I anticipate to do quite a bit of single-handed, and none of the Ballads I found so far have electrical windlasses, which makes single-handed anchoring a lot easier. It seems to me if I wanted to fit one I'd have to give up on the bow cabin to make place for the anchor locker and windlass support. Wouldn't be a tragedy as it anyhow turns into a place to store the sails rather than to sleep. Is that assumption correct?
 
eddystone said:
Should your interest drift towards Sadler 32s be warned there are some very tired ones around. Last time I looked before Xmas they ranged from 9K to 28K . In my humble opinion (and knowing whose boat the 28K is ) IMHO the latter is the better value.
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Right, I'm not looking for a project.... although the thought is appealing. But for now I just don't have the time to rework a boat before I can sail it safely and comfortably.
 
Concerto said:
A friend of mine is selling this Ballard as he has already bought a larger boat. He has done lots of work improving it during his ownership and some repairs have been articles in PBO. It is currently out of the water at Chatham Marina and listed with Clarke and Carter.
1971 Albin Ballad Chatham, United Kingdom - Clarke and Carter
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I saw it in my search earlier today. It looks really well maintained and hence a good option. Only concern is the location, sailing it home would take 3-4 weeks. Wife will not be happy...although maybe it could be trucked to Greece, then it would be only a week. Just thinking aloud...
 
There are a few people that have done it. I considered it but to be honest I cope find without one and I singlehand quite a lot. Most ballads have a chain locked in the bow now and to retrofit a windlass wouldn't be the end of the world.
 
Make sure any Ballad is thoroughly surveyed around the mast step. There is a well known problem with a mild(?) steel fabrication rusting and destroying the strength of the mast step.
 
JumbleDuck said:
I'm sure I remember a long illustrated article, here or in the mag, about making that repair.
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Indeed, I think the boat already mentioned and owned by a fellow of the site. See the outstanding pages here:

The Mast Truss - Triola - Albin Ballad #50

I have not checked this info (so I could be well wrong, as the kids say) but I recall this chap was looking for a new boat and his old was for sale
 
Definitely the same boat as I recommended for sale on Clarke and Carter. His mast had started to sink, and the rigging slackened off. The worst part was he was just being launched and had to be immediately lifted out and the mast removed.
 
still working on my shortlist I have come across both a Sadler 32 and a Sadler 34 in reasonable condition, as far as I can tell without actually looking at the boats (which in my case requires a flight ticket, can’t do that every other week...). In both cases the standing rigging is 10 years or older, so a replacement is necessary, if only for insurance purposes.

How much is a new rigging going to cost? And while that is being done, what’ else should be looked at/replaced (chain plates?...)
 
Possibly if raced or used intensively. As far as I know, rigging on a lightly used boat should last longer - my insurer doesn’t insist on replacing after 10years. Check the tangs for cracks. Specifically on the S32, I believe that the chain plates might be suspect on early ones but not after - check mounting of the baby stay under the deck - these have been known to pull through on boats if over-tensioned. Also check for bowing of the deck around the mast step with a straight edge.
 
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