Contessa 32..views please

[poter]

Just looking a present but was delighted with the lines on this yacht.
Anyone have any experience, drawbacks, comments?

poter

<hr width=100% size=1>Lookin for new Shady! /forums/images/icons/frown.gif

 

[sailorman]

Hi Peter
guess you have been "paid-out", will post u later i owned a Co32 4 10 yrs
roger

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[Robin]

The Co32 to me is one of the prettiest boats on the water as well as being a very capable cruiser/racer.

At the risk of upseting a lot of people however, it is a very much a boat to admire rather than own for the kind of cruising that most of us do, it is the yottie equivalent perhaps of driving an MGB. As a 32ft LOA boat it is very small inside and in the cockpit, indeed much smaller than the Sadler 32 the 'update' from the same designer. Because of it's perceived 'status', prices are much higher than for equivalent boats and good ones are way up there. There is also a big market in renovation to as new condition, Jeremy Rogers the original builder does this.

The upside is that there is class racing for those who wish to race and even a class start in Cowes Week or the Round The Island Race.

If you are really interested there have been many articles over the years in the mags covering the various changes & updates made over the years, it would be well worth getting back copies of these as some of the early mods were structural (I think involving stiffening the bow sections to prevent cracking across forward bulkheads?).

Have a look though and judge for yourself, I think you will find them very small compared to Shady albeit infinitely more beautiful.

<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1>Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!</font size=1>

 

[bedouin]

The Contessa 32 is a very good boat but has an exaggerated reputation. That means that it tends to be signficantly more expensive than boats of a similar age that are just as good if not better.

IMHO the only real reason for buying a Co32 is if you want to race in a one-design series. Otherwise you can save yourself £5-10K and get a boat that is every bit as good (probably with a better interior). Look for anything designed by the likes of Holman & Pye, David Sadler, Sparkman & Stevens, Van Der Stadt.



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[flaming]

Phenomenally seaworthy. A Contessa 32 was the only boat in its class to finish the 79 fastnet.
You get more room on a modern 25 footer though.

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[A_7]

Except that an MGB will let you down all the time and has terrible performance which a CO 32 won't and doesn't.

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[jonjo]

If you think an older 32ft yacht equates to a Westerly Fulmar 32 then you are in for a shock down below in a CO32.

The lightweight contruction of the CO32 might disappoint compared to the Moody.
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by jonjo on 16/11/2004 09:37 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[jimi]

They're also pretty "wet" boats, sail superbly to windward but need a spinnaker off the wind, accomodation "limited" also a lot will now have had a hard life if raced.

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[Aeolus_IV]

I'll just second these comments.

Regards, Jeff.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://users.swing.be/FDB/centurion/index2.html>Centurion 32 Web site</A>

 

[Cobra]

We were looking at the CO32, but after having had a look at a couple, we have now ruled them out. As a sea boat, I don't think that anyone would ever doubt or query the pedigree, excellent seakeeping qualities, a strong class association, good racing fleets...

BUT

If you are looking for a good cruising boat with half decent accomodation, you will be very dissapointed. I would be happy enough with the CO32...SWMBO's comments were "What is the point of selling a 28 footer to buy a 32 footer with less space in the cockpit and down below". Sadly the aesthetics of the CO32 were lost on her!

We are now looking at amongst others the Maxi 95...a very spacious 31 footer that has a good level of performance and good seakeeping qualities.

<hr width=100% size=1>When God invented time he didn't give me enough of it.

 

[Evadne]

As an owner of one of the "other" older boats mentioned above I think the comments are fair and accurate. Especially about price, Contessas are a "known" brand so attract premium prices, both buying and selling. When you're sailing you don't always get to see the beautiful lines of your boat, you get to look at all the ugly ones out there and they get the view! On the other hand if your sailing is the typical weekends and holidays, and you can put up with the lack of space, mod cons, varnishwork and admiring comments then don't be put off.

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[NigeCh]

David Sadler's original occupation was designing tanks for the MOD. Firstly he modified/borrowed/stole the masthead version of the Folkboat design to become the CO26 whilst 'pinching' some ideas from Van der Stat. Then with the racing success of the CO26 and the demand for JR to build a bigger version, he adopted the same philosphy and 'borrowed' the key bits of the underwater design from various other designers and came up with the CO32.

David Sadler was the right person, right place, right time, with the right nouce to be able to filch the best of what was available then and put them all back together again into something that worked .... for then.

IMHO, having made many ocean passages on CO32s, there are far better boats available today that will give what you want at a more realistic price. Bedouin has summed the bang for bucks aspect. If you want comfort and sailability for daysails and ocean passages for reasonable £££££'s then you will have to look elsewhere.

IMHO, the CO32 is way overpiced and VERY dated.




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[Georgio]

I have sailed on CO32's for about 25 years and raced on them in the Solent for the last 12 or so. Fantastic boats to race due to the strict one-design rules with a very active class association (www.co23.org), competitive on the water and extremely social off the water.

One of the best looking boats on the water in the 30-40' range and built like a battleship if it starts to blow. Easy to sail short-handed as well as fully crewed.

The down side as everyone seems to be mentioned is the internal volume so I guess it comes down to what you want to do and with how many.

Price, well yes it could be seen as a little expensive for an old 32' boat but if you add in all the additional un-quantifiable stuff like the class racing and the priding in owning such a good-looking modern classic it starts to become easier to justify.

Hope this helps.

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[NDG]

We lived aboard Muscadet for 7 months last year, including a trip to the Azores and Spain and back. There's no doubt that Co32's are short on space down below compared to modern boats, but in my opinion (totally unbiased, of course) that's because many modern boats have too much beam and freeboard, not because Co32's have too little. I can confim it is certainly possible to cruise long distance on one, just as long as you dont want want too many creature comforts. On the way from Spain to the Azores we covered 850 miles in a shade under 7 days, so they can do the distance.

I've sailed many modern boats, some of them faster, but I would take the contessa out every time if given a choice. Everywhere we go, someone comments on her lines. She sails beautifully, and is well mannered in all weather conditions.

I have to dispute what Jonjo says - "The lightweight contruction of the CO32 might disappoint compared to the Moody". This is nonsense. The Co32 is a bullet proof boat and cannot be described as "lightweight" in any area. In fact, if anything I would put it the other way around.

I cannot disagree that they are probably a bit pricey, but modern classics like S&S, a Nicholson or a Co32 all attract fairly premium prices.

As a totally impartial recommendation I would say go and buy one! PM me if you want any more specific information. I assume you have seen the Co32 association website?



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[doug748]

Agree with much that has been said already. They are expensive, but when you sell you get your money back. They have already stood the test of time, so will not date and become unfashionable; whilst the shocking cost of a new one means that the market will never be swamped with clones. Keen class racing also helps protect your investment.
The argument that there are lots of similar vintage boats available seems a bit thin to me. Apart from the Elizabethan 30 and Marieholm 32 I struggle to think of many, unless you go for a stuck on keel and balsa wood decks.
It is an excellent single hander steady, predictable and will steer at low speed without being unduly affected by the breeze - ideal when picking up a mooring.
If I could change anything about the boat it would be:
7/8 rig
Deck stepped mast
5' draught (French canals)
but then of course it would'nt be a Contessa.
Brian

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[jonjo]

> have to dispute what Jonjo says - "The lightweight contruction of the CO32

Ok let me restate this. The overall CO32 package is robust but much of this is due to the inherant strength of the wine glass shaped hull. CO32's are lightweight in the areas you encounter every day.

If someone is used to the weight of interior joinery in a Westerly or Moody or their GRP stiffness in the cockpit area and on deck, then a CO32 will seem a bit flimsy.

At 20+ years CO32's exhibit problems due to underweight areas in their construction, it is all well documented. I have to ask why JR has established a good business in remanufacturing substantial elements of these yachts if they were so well made in the first place?

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[trouville]

I had a CO32 in th a long time ago, Then she was wonderful a dream come true, i sailed her for two years before selling her for £6000 more than i paid!!Yet having lived aboard the whole time while exploring Irland and the otherside of the UK.
Today i would rather recomend a S&S Alpa 11.50

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[zxc123]

Wonderful boats.

I've been joint owner of one for the last 13 years. In that time, we've never regretted buying and we'll not make a loss when we sell. The good resale values mean they're expensive to buy, but you can be reasonably confident of finding a buyer when the time comes to sell on.

Good cruising boat, popular racer, bulletproof design with a simple, solid rig.

Downsides? A little compact below, particularly compared with some more modern boats. Big genoa, so some work required when tacking.

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[durham123]

Well I bought mine in February this year having finally tired of timber. I was delighted with the 30 year old boat: in terrific condition with (nearly new) engine, sails, rigging, osmosis treament, teak rail capping, re-sprayed topsides. She cost me less than all the Nicholson 32s, and SHEs I'd been looking out for. She cost more (but not much than one or two Van de Stadts) and only a couple of grand more than many smaller boats including an even older Twister. So I was happy to sail off with my 'old' boat. In Honfleur three months later I returned from the baker's shop to find a brand new Contessa 32 rafted up alongside. She was even the same colour and had just sailed across from Lymington on her maiden voyage. On board were a young family of four. I later discovered they had paid more than SIX times what I had paid for mine. What works is always worth repeating. I have battled with feelings of smugness ever since!

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[bedouin]

QED /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

The fact that she is only 30 years old but has already need new engine, osmosis treatment, rail capping, re-spray... rather makes the point about build quality /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

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