Contessa 38

[Phideaux]

Does anyone here know much about the Contessa 38. I've looked under Contessa Association but its mainly 32's and some 26's?

I'd be very grateful if anyone has a deck and interior layout plans as .pdf that they would be willing to email me.

Obviously the 32 has a fantastic reputation; is the 38 as good? I'm looking for something for short and single handed sailing (love to try a Westerly Typhoon) and I was pointed towards a Contessa 38 that up for sale.

 

[DavyMac]

Hi Phideaux

We have a contessa 32, but I was invited to take a look round one of the Army's contessa 38s the other day. They are pretty much the same boat, just bigger!

In case you don't get a plan, the interior layout is pretty standard for the day - a forepeak V berth (or rope store and fold down pipe cots), enclosed heads immediately aft of the forecabin on port and the saloon aft of that having a C shaped settee around the table on port and a settee on starboard. There are pipe cots outboard on each side. At the foot of the companionway steps there is a large galley on port and chart table on starboard. The ft cabin has two separate pilot berths either side of the cockpit/engine and is accessed by a door on star board aft of the chart table.

The boat we saw was a sloop with an inner forestay, but i think some were proper cutters (the CO32 is a sloop, though some have inner forestays fitted for a storm jib). The cockpit is deep and large, and there's a high bridge deck aft of the main hatch (giving the headroom to create an aft cabin).

You say you're looking for something for short or single handed sailing - why not a contessa 32? Or are you keen on swinging the odd cat...?

 

[sailorman]

Does anyone here know much about the Contessa 38. I've looked under Contessa Association but its mainly 32's and some 26's?

I'd be very grateful if anyone has a deck and interior layout plans as .pdf that they would be willing to email me.

Obviously the 32 has a fantastic reputation; is the 38 as good? I'm looking for something for short and single handed sailing (love to try a Westerly Typhoon) and I was pointed towards a Contessa 38 that up for sale.

which 38 there were 2 Classes
a friend had the Co32 look alike & hated it so much he sold within 9 months & bought Nic 35 which he just loves & owned for 9 yrs

 

[Phideaux]

which 38 there were 2 Classes
a friend had the Co32 look alike & hated it so much he sold within 9 months & bought Nic 35 which he just loves & owned for 9 yrs

Cutter I think, at least it has two forestays. That's about all I know.

 

[theforeman]

i think the dawn 39 is virtually the same boat. one of the services sailing asociations has one on the clyde

 

[Bajansailor]

Here is an interesting B-log by some folk who are off cruising on their Contessa 38 - http://www.yachtbreila.com/Boat_Gear/boatgear.htm
Their B-log was mentioned in a post on the CO26 Forum here at http://www.co26.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=416
David Alan Williams (who designed her) lives in Lymington, and you can find his contact details by googling.
Some internal photos of one for sale here - http://www.boatshop24.co.uk/V0FMUjAxLTc3MzYyfldBTFIwMQ==-Contessa_38.html
I very nearly sailed on one in the 1986 ARC Race - am trying to remember her name..... think it started with M.....

 

[Malabar]

There was an earlier Contessa 38, designed to the One Tonne rule for level rating sailing in the early 1970's. I sailed in one, Victoria ex Winsome, in the 1974 One Tonne cup at Torquay. (David Alan-Williams, then a young lad, ran the foredeck!). Very nice boat; quite fast; comfortable at sea; but just off the competetive edge against the then new generation of boats such as Gumboots. About 8 were built.

 

[Phideaux]

Bajansailor, thanks for the various links, most appreciated.

 

[PierreVH]

There was an earlier Contessa 38, designed to the One Tonne rule for level rating sailing in the early 1970's. I sailed in one, Victoria ex Winsome, in the 1974 One Tonne cup at Torquay. (David Alan-Williams, then a young lad, ran the foredeck!). Very nice boat; quite fast; comfortable at sea; but just off the competetive edge against the then new generation of boats such as Gumboots. About 8 were built.

Nice to read this sir ! I happen to be the new owner of the Contessa 38 Victoria ex Winsome and now named "Mantra" since at least 25 years. Here attached a picture of the boat you sailed on back in 1974, here taken in 2020 in Tresco, Scilly's. I know I reply to this post dated year 2010 now in 2021 but in case you read it you are welcome on board again for a chat in case we pass by where you live this summer . Cheers. Pierre Van Halteren

 

[doug748]

I realise it's undignified to bring back an old thread like this but if anyone does have hard information, maybe building specs, original adverts or real experience of the Alan-Williams boat I would be grateful.

 

[youen]

I think that the contessa 38 built on 73 74 was a Sparkman and Stephens design quite similar to the Swan 38

 

[56DegN]

I realise it's undignified to bring back an old thread like this but if anyone does have hard information, maybe building specs, original adverts or real experience of the Alan-Williams boat I would be grateful.

Hi Doug748,
As a relatively new owner of a Clyde-based CO38 I stumbled across this forum whilst searching for some information. It seems that other than this forum, a couple of for sale adverts of boats in the Med and a not entirely flattering 2009 Yachting Monthly article, there is a real dearth of CO38 information online. The only logical explanation for this that I can think of is that the Navy own several CO38’s and as their largest and most secret fleet of vessels, they have removed or redacted online information for security reasons. I wouldn’t be surprised if the previously mentioned 2009 YM article is in fact a ruse by the Royal Navy to divert attention. Only logical explanation .

With a season sailing my CO38 - Quarterwave (formerly Quailla, hull #007) - on the West Coast of Scotland I can report that she sails beautifully in all conditions and, to me at least, looks great. She is comfortable, sea worthy and holds a bit of pace. In a breeze with staysail and reefed main, she points high and powers on. I have pushed her hard with some friends and I have cruised with my family, including two young children; perfect both situations. I would say though that she is not very good at going astern under engine, so ever forward I go.

Thanks to the previous owners for fastidious record keeping, I also have quite a few documents recording some of her history.

Quarterwave is a DAW designed CO38. Hull and deck built by J Rogers in 1982 and fitted out by JS Hill boat builders in Glasgow. Originally a sloop but now cutter rigged.

interestingly, on my last sail of the season in the Gareloch, upper Clyde we saw 3 x CO26s, 4 x CO32s, 1 x CO35, 2 x CO38s and 1 x CO43, all within within a few hundred metres of each other.

Anyway, I’ve rambled. Happy to try and answer any questions you have and maybe learn a little more myself from the experience of forum members.

 

[doug748]

Great, thanks for that 56Deg. I can confirm that the 38's were alongside and crewed in Dartmouth, in September. Sounds like they are a popular choice for northern waters as well.

For a brief time I toyed with the idea of one of those 38's in the Med, using it there and then bringing it to the UK. However attractive the adventure, it just did not make sense, in the face of events and with prices moving in the wrong direction.

Good luck with your new (ish) boat.

.