Further to my post Contessar 32 doppelganger.

[BurnitBlue]

At last my new passport arrived so I was free to travel and search for my ideal boat. Heeding all the advise about contessas and Fulmars and other alternatives to the overpriced Contessa 32s and armed with my laptop with roaming access to the internet.I set forth. My Primary target was the Contessas in UK just fo a look at one. I did not get far before a new advert appeared on Apollo Duck. One day later I reurned home with a Prout Snowgoose 37 elite.bought unseen because the seller was a gentleman and as honest as any Brit. Travelled to Greece yesterday and I was proved right in my judgement. The catamaran is everything and more. I am delighted with her. And for a price that made me feel guilty although I paid his asking price. I still have not been aboard a Contessa

 

[Zagato]

Speechless

 

[ridgy]

As a great man called Stingo once said...if it's not a cat it's a dog. You've both seen the light and made the right choice all at once. Enjoy.
Is there a link to the ad so we can admire it?

 

[BurnitBlue]

As a great man called Stingo once said...if it's not a cat it's a dog. You've both seen the light and made the right choice all at once. Enjoy.
Is there a link to the ad so we can admire it?

The add is long gone. I spotted the add as I was loaded for bear and was on it within minutes and already set-up to buy. Just plain luck and being ready at the right time. Also i had experience of long distance sailing my Prout Quest 31 so I could judge from his description the actual state of her. Not many Prout 37 elites have recently appeared on Apollo duck so there may be an archive. The Boats name is ZOE.

I always regretted selling my Quest 31 for a go at monohulls. Since then the price of catamarans have skyrocketed and out of my price range. So when the ad appeared I went for her despite a massive switch from the search for a Contessa 32.

 

[dunedin]

Wow, well done. That is about as far away from a Contessa 32 you could possibly buy - and probably 6x the interior space.
Enjoy

 

[BurnitBlue]

Wow, well done. That is about as far away from a Contessa 32 you could possibly buy - and probably 6x the interior space.
Enjoy

Thanks. An added bonus after I paid the cash was to discover that she was in Cleopatra a five minute walk from my Moody 34. I Remomber a buddy of mine used to raise his eyes to heaven and say "Thanks dad" every time he hit double top at darts. When I sat in the saloon of ZOE yesterday I felt really wierd. I wondered if my buddy did have a link with the supernatural, because I certainly did this time.. So I did the same "Thanks dad" even though I am not a believer. But it did shake me up a bit when without any input from me a chain of events put me back into my dream boat.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

You’ll be delighted to know also that Contessa 32’s are similar to Anderson 22s. In that their owners claim the most improbable performance, and to refute it would be deemed to be trolling. And yet, we were handicapped against one yesterday. Apursuit race, upwind start. They had 8 minutes on us, we caught them in 15, including the 4 minutes it took us to cross the start line due to the wind temporarily disappearing. I’d expected a long chase. Your Prout,whilst not designed primarily for smoking performance, I would say is at least the equal of the 32, but no sailing on your ear, or failing to swing a cat.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

You’ll be delighted to know also that Contessa 32’s are similar to Anderson 22s. In that their owners claim the most improbable performance, and to refute it would be deemed to be trolling. And yet, we were handicapped against one yesterday. Apursuit race, upwind start. They had 8 minutes on us, we caught them in 15, including the 4 minutes it took us to cross the start line due to the wind temporarily disappearing. I’d expected a long chase. Your Prout,whilst not designed primarily for smoking performance, I would say is at least the equal of the 32, but no sailing on your ear, or failing to swing a cat.

Ah, but you. would never catch my Twister upwind

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Ah, but you. would never catch my Twister upwind

The performance of my boat is an aside, just a measuring stick. In light airs, you against a Contessa, I’d bet on you.

 

[BurnitBlue]

As a great man called Stingo once said...if it's not a cat it's a dog. You've both seen the light and made the right choice all at once. Enjoy.
Is there a link to the ad so we can admire it?

I am still trying to work that one out. Cats are warm and cuddly and care not a jot about their owners. Dogs are smelly, agressive and intensely loyal to their owners.

 

[ridgy]

I am still trying to work that one out. Cats are warm and cuddly and care not a jot about their owners. Dogs are smelly, agressive and intensely loyal to their owners.

It's was a long time ago now but I vaguely recall that he was expressing an opinion of the suitability of cats vs monos for Caribbean living.

 

[Frogmogman]

At last my new passport arrived so I was free to travel and search for my ideal boat. Heeding all the advise about contessas and Fulmars and other alternatives to the overpriced Contessa 32s and armed with my laptop with roaming access to the internet.I set forth. My Primary target was the Contessas in UK just fo a look at one. I did not get far before a new advert appeared on Apollo Duck. One day later I reurned home with a Prout Snowgoose 37 elite.bought unseen because the seller was a gentleman and as honest as any Brit. Travelled to Greece yesterday and I was proved right in my judgement. The catamaran is everything and more. I am delighted with her. And for a price that made me feel guilty although I paid his asking price. I still have not been aboard a Contessa

Congratulations !!

 

[Baggywrinkle]

... this one?

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Now that’s med cruising on a sensible budget.

 

[doug748]

".............In that their owners claim the most improbable performance,"




So unlike the humble and pious multihuller in post 7. ;-)


.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

".............In that their owners claim the most improbable performance,"




So unlike the humble and pious multihuller in post 7. ;-)


.

The performance of my boat is widely known. I have no need to make it up.

 

[Tranona]

The performance of my boat is widely known. I have no need to make it up.

Just that it is in a different league from the performance of a Prout. The only thing in common between the 2 boats is that they have more than one hull.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Just that it is in a different league from the performance of a Prout. The only thing in common between the 2 boats is that they have more than one hull.

It’s a 30 year newer design for starters. Roland and Francis were admirers. Our first Dragonfly we bought from Roland’s estate. I still have a picture of him helming her

 

[Blueboatman]

To the OP
Well done
You made the first steps and the rest fell into place.

For what it’s worth my last boat ‘benchmark’ was to be a truly sorted, newer Co32, then I bought a ( bigger)Rustler which was just so much more boat with great sailing and a liveable loveable interior and easy on the eye..
And then one early day, out in a bit of wind, I noticed that I was relatively effortlessly eating up to windward past a Co32….. and that squared the circle ..

I think you’ve made a great pragmatic choice .
Now enjoy learning the new boat

 

[Tranona]

It’s a 30 year newer design for starters. Roland and Francis were admirers. Our first Dragonfly we bought from Roland’s estate. I still have a picture of him helming her

Little to do with age. There were fast multihulls around when the Prout was being designed and built. Sailing performance was low on the priority list. Volume for a given hull length was top priority. Sails were just a means to an end which was transporting people and their gear comfortably without heeling over. It sort of succeeded (although uncomfortable heeling was replaced in part by uncomfortable pitching!) but in reality was no faster on passage than monohulls of similar capacity. Any saving in cost arising from reduced length for given capacity was soon wiped out by increased operating costs, particularly berthing.

End result is they only sold in very small numbers. As soon as potential buyers put all the factors into their calculations they found better value elsewhere.

Of course for current used boat buyers there are big benefits - few people are interested in old. slow cats like the Prout so prices are low compared with what they cost when new.

So, for the OP who knows what he is getting a potentially good buy (don't know what he paid). and hope it lives up to expectations.