Contessa 32 headroom?

L

Longshanks

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 Aug 2007
Messages
158
Location
Lands of the Druids
Visit site
Just seen a lovely Co32 going by, and this ought to be our next boat. What put's me off is headroom. The one I was on earlier this year didn't have 6ft headroom anywhere in the saloon, not even by the chart table or galley. I know (and would accept) the clearance drops off rapidly forward of this, but being able to stand upright at least in this area is a MUST for me. The question is whether this is typical of all Co32s or perhaps the one I was on had the cabin sole raised for some reason??
 
A beautiful yacht, my favourite but no room below for a 32ft boat and very wet to sail to windward with no real freeboard to speak of.......but then again she is the best looking yacht you will ever set your eyes on and take you over the ocean without any hassle no matter what the weather.........look at the 79 Fasnet disaster!!

Paul.
 
Contessa 32s are not built for normally sized people.

They are also very wet to sail in anything above force 2.

They aren't even very quick.

But I would quite like one. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]

but then again she is the best looking yacht you will ever set your eyes on and take you over the ocean without any hassle no matter what the weather.........look at the 79 Fasnet disaster!!

Paul.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh dear, I have a deep and dark confession to make, I don't think the C032 is a particularly pretty boat at all! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

For seaworthiness and looks, I think the S&S 34 is a much better boat /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
(A boat also proven in the Fastnet 79 race)

clicky & click

(and it's got 6'2" headroom...)
 
[ QUOTE ]
Contessa 32s are not built for normally sized people.

They are also very wet to sail in anything above force 2.

They aren't even very quick.

But I would quite like one. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

On finished the RTIR with an elapsed time of 7 hours 59 minutes. I don't think that is very slow at all. It's just outside the top 25% of those taking part.

Take a look at these spread sheets it is a really good way of comparing boat performances.

http://www.roundtheisland.org.uk/web/cod...ge=resultsexcel
 
Available headroom depends a little on what age the boat is as there have been some modifications. I have a 78 CO32 and max headroom is just by the gally where you have about 6', this drops down as you go forward.

Boats that have been referbed by the Rogers often have their floor replaced (and the water tank underneath), it can then be dropped an inch or so. If you are seriously looking then contact the owners association (or me) for more help/advise.

One thing you never get boored of as a CO32 owner is all the admiding looks and comments when coming in after a sail. great boats....
 
I am afraid the clue is in your name Longshanks. If you are 6ft or above, look elsewhere - the saloon berths would also drive you nuts. As has already been said, headroom varied a bit but not by much, if you are of average height or below, no problem.
The matter of being a "wet" boat has been brought up. I have pondered this a good deal, because I have never really seen a problem. In fact I came to the conclusion it is another urban myth, it has been repeated so often that it is accepted without question, even by some Contessa sailors. Of course you do get spray and some will be shocked to see the rail under in brisk conditions, but wet?
A very very experienced racing singlehander who now sails a large J, was looking over my boat this summer and, misty eyed, recalled his early racing days. His one telling comment was ".....and I never really understood how they desingned such a dry boat for its size....."
See can look a bit boxy if viewed from some angles forward of the beam, the paragon mentioned above is even worse. In my view the most attractive plastic boat ever built is the Marieholm IF - difficult to find a dodgy line in it. However the 32 is pretty enough in most peoples eyes, and in mine.
 
I dont think they are the prettiest boats afloat either,give me a Nic 32 or any MG designed boat any day,and yes i have done some sailing on one and we did get wet. but agree they are nice to sail and very seaworthy.
 
Ahh, the submarine with sails - I saw one and wanted to buy one but at 6'2" it was not an option!

Submarine.jpg
 
Am not ashamed to be counted as an admirer of the Conti having raced and cruised one extensively: Round the Island, cross-Channel, an excellent all-rounder sadly beyond my pocket. I've raced against them and in them, lost and won, and IMHO the virtues far outweigh the vices: , the gutsy way she keeps going in a blow, the slick gybing with twin poles, the ease of drying out against the wall at Grandcamp (or Newport!)
But there are more modern i.e roomier and faster designs: my last would fall astern on the beat yet plane past downwind. You pays yer money . . .
 
the spreadsheets of round the island race times are very interesting - for example the starlight 39's were slower than their smaller sisters the 35's - interesting to compare times of different designs - as a dinghy racer am used to being able to compare handicap figures to get an immediate idea of comparable performance boat to boat and these figures help do that for yachts - thanks
 
Surely in the conditions shown in the photo almost any yacht will be pretty wet?

Re headroom, when looking for a boat last year a CO 32 was top of my must see list as I have always admired them, but had never been aboard one.

I was immediately disappointed by the fact that I could only stand upright at the foot of the companionway.

SWMBO couldn't cope with the narrow berths, and very cramped heads, so it was easy to cross it off the list.
 
Yes, the leading Contessa finished the race one second short of 8hrs., but the last one took 9hrs 17mins, we were on a Konsort and finished just 4mins behind it and had just white sails. I think you have to be very careful using the ISC ratings as a yardstick as there are very large differences between boats of the same type and also some nos. which are difficult to reconcile i.e. Macgregor 26; 0.948, Hanse 312; 0.948, and Contessa 32; 0.947. There are lots of other anomalies too, a much more reliable source is IRC nos.

Ted
 
I used to teach on Contessas and found them superb for what they were designed for; sailing.

Not much of a marina caravan, admittedly.

Wet? I really don't remember them being particularly we by the standards of the day. Mind you, that was before folk sailed to windward with a dirty great sprayhood/airbrake.
 
Wow...lots of replies...unfortunately confirming my fears about headroom. The strange thing is I spent a week on Southern Sailing's Co32 in the early 90s doing my CS ticket, and if felt fairly roomy even with 4-5 of us on board. Either I've got taller, or just more sensitive to headroom. Don't mind the "sailing submarine" design...got one of those right now. SWMBO loves the sea swishing past the windows. Not so far to fall she says /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Might have another look and see if I could come to terms with the height. I'm a great believer in the "if it looks right, it probably is right" school of yacht design, and the Contessa is up there with the top bunch! For some strange reason the Bavaria 38 keeps catching my eye as well /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif. Do I need glasses? No answers please... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
Bav 38s a nice boat also,nice down below, lots of headroom, well thought out in my veiw,for what its worth i did one overnight trip in one this "summer"and she seemed well found,i belive they have bolt on fin keels.
 
Well, when I were a lad (back in the 60s), a Halcyon 27 was regarded as being at the upper end of the range for a family cruising yacht. Of course, then a 27 footer seemed quite big! But expectations have radically changed since those days; the Halcyon 27 is still a pretty boat, but by todays standards she would be cramped, slow and wet. The Contessa is of a similar vintage, and is definitely a classic design. But she doesn't have modern accommodation, and although a good sea-boat, she can easily be sailed badly; I know - I chartered one for a week in the 1980s, and a week wasn't long enough to get the hang of handling her well. Also, the ladies aboard on that trip hated the accommodation!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Contessa 32s are not built for normally sized people.

[/ QUOTE ]
This is a broad problem applicable to classic designs. Many boats designed in the 60's and 70's were scaled to the dimensions of National Service vintage man. Average heights have increased since.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top