steveeasy
Well-known member
Seriously, Prefer really does not come to mind. A fun day maybe though if you can deal with the crew on board. A boat is no use to anyone if you cant handle it single handed. Think your living in cuckoo land
Steveeasy
Spotless Contessa 32 for those with deep pockets and a yearning for a bit of nostalgia ....
- Thread starter Baggywrinkle
- Start date
Seriously, Prefer really does not come to mind. A fun day maybe though if you can deal with the crew on board. A boat is no use to anyone if you cant handle it single handed. Think your living in cuckoo land
Steveeasy
Chiara’s slave
Well-known member
Not my boat, I just get on and sail. Fun, though my dragonfly can rip the arse out of her performance wise. She’s waymore challenging and entertaining that the contessa, and can and has been sailed 2 up. Solo, ok maybe not.Seriously, Prefer really does not come to mind. A fun day maybe though if you can deal with the crew on board. A boat is no use to anyone if you cant handle it single handed. Think your living in cuckoo land
Steveeasy
steveeasy
Well-known member
Oh I love racing and am utterly bad at it. But as they say its the taking part that counts. Looking forward to returning to the Solent in 2025 if only to race the boats out on the water. ive never grown up. Perhaps ill pass you when you wave me past.
Steveeasy
Edit
ok I agree, the Dragonfly looks pretty cool and I bet lots of fun too. Perhaps ill be waiving you past. either way all good fun.
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fredrussell
Well-known member
Until the wind really gets up and you turn tail and run (admittedly, very quickly) whilst the contessa just ploughs on (admittedly, very wetly).
Chiara’s slave
Well-known member
I was actually comparing to Kelpie. A classic as exciting as a DF to sail. You’ve hit on a common factor of all 3 boats though. Good waterproofs essential.
Daydream believer
Well-known member
I had one from new - It does not. It is show, not performance. But I would have another if I had somewhere to keep it & somewhere to go in it.
prestomg27
Active member
To many, many people 115k is not a lot of money. Less than any new boat over 25 foot sells for.
Also, to many people a boat purchase is from the heart not the head and the contessa 32 pulls a few heart steings for some.
I'm restoring, or re-fitting, a contessa 32 and hope to spend a fraction of that. But i'm not really counting as it makes absolutely no financial sense to do what I am doing.
Daydream believer
Well-known member
A second hand boat- the owner says fully fitted out-- I wonder what his/her definition of that is & what wonderous cock ups one would find once one started delving. Do not take any owners word for such descriptions.
alastair2707
New member
Someone looking for a Kelpie. There are 2 of them here in Falkirk!
Stemar
Well-known member
At my age I want my liver firmly in place, thank you. It's got far too much work to do to go gallivanting around like that
Neeves
Well-known member
prestomg27
Active member
Very wise words.A second hand boat- the owner says fully fitted out-- I wonder what his/her definition of that is & what wonderous cock ups one would find once one started delving. Do not take any owners word for such descriptions.
One good thing about the contessa 32 is the amount of information on line over any issues and how things should be done properly. Both in the association's papers and the eponymous youtube videos.
Hugely helpful that jeremy rogers ltd still makes them and sells updated spares for them. For example, I've got new chainplates for mine from them and they are slightly different from the originals.
I think i would only use a surveyor who knows the boat and how it should be put together.
I think what also helps the marques longevity is having a fully encapsulated, inert lead keel and solid grp deck rather than cored.
As to how they sail, my mg27 might point slightly higher and be niftier in the confines of the Crouch but I know which I will choose to take on our semi planned trip to Ireland in '25.
doug748
Well-known member
You are doing the best thing for the dreaded carbon emissions and for yourself. Fiscal sense does not come into boating whatever you choose, big or small, new or old. The financial trick is to spend your money, do the work and keep your favourite a long time.
The Contessa is a market leader because they are good sailing boats, plus you can race one design, plus they are visually attractive to most people, plus they are well proven inshore and offshore, plus they reached critical mass in terms of numbers and are readily available at most price levels. They were well built and a huge hit when launched partly because the standard of fit out was a quantum above most boats of that era (and many since).
They also met the sweet spot in size and the accommodation is good without compromising performance. There are often schoolboy comparisons where the disgruntled say they have a bigger boat or a faster one but they generally sound a bit desperate and often bizarre, Nobody can say they have a better boat because that crucially depends on what the individual values.
The trick is to be happy with what you have. The boat in question is a quarter of the new price which is a snip if the equipment is what you would choose. The yard rebuild cost to that level is in excess of £225,000, I know this from talking to people that have done it.
It's a good example but a bit too fussy, electric bog? Those sails, no windvane steering. Too much electronic stuff it's good value but too many frills for me, I would prefer a simple boat.
But there we are, someone will love it.
.
Daydream believer
Well-known member
You would be far more comfortable & do it quicker in my Hanse 311 for half the cost in a boat that does look quite good. ( as commented by passers by). I really cannot understand the fascination with old out of date designs. True some look very nice - outside- but go below or sit in a deep cockpit with straight sides that push your back forward, rather than let you sit upright as the boat heels & things are not quite so good.
Daydream believer
Well-known member
No the accommodation is not good. It is cramped . How much room is there for a shower? I shower on my boat because it is quicker than walking ashore to the shower block. Tell us what the head room is. Mine is 6ft 3 ins. It is not good value compared to market rates for 32 ft boats & it is really just a simple boat. people are just buying on an aged reputation. Well earned, I can possibly agree, but one built on experience compared to others of it era. Not modern ones of this day & age.
I loved my first Stella. But when I rebuilt my second one 22 years later I realised how out of date it was & how many bruises I had suffered. It sailed beautifully for its size. Better than my latest one in relative terms. Just as a Twister will. But really? Nope it had to go- even after 3 years of restoration. I would never go back
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prestomg27
Active member
We all have our opinions on what we like.
It may not have as much room inside as your Hanse but I would far rather sail a Contessa. Each to their own.
steveeasy
Well-known member
Shower!!. It’s a sailboat not a Gin palace. You go sailing and then either tie up and go in for a shower and pint or use a bucket at anchor to wash. Get the boat too big and you loose that cruiser racer feel. It is what it is. There is ample headroom unless your a giraffe and plenty of cabin space. Twin tanks. Built to cover long distance sailing and to have fun round the cans. It clearly proves popular to many. Yes and it has a tiller which is far better for a boat of its size. You simply can’t replicate the feel with a wheel.
Steveeasy
Tranona
Well-known member
Only some models of Morgan are like that, and very few buy them. I agree with DDB. I bought mine new 20 years ago for exactly those reasons (and a bit like a CO32) aesthetic pleasure of owning such a thing, integrity (it does what it says) and longevity.
Daydream believer
Well-known member
I have a tiller. It is better for my Aries
As for washing with a bucket- well once again you are living in the dark ages. Still you would not need a lock on your toilet door, as I have never heard of anyone stealing a bucket of shit yet.
Racing? I could probably beat you round the cans in a single handed race in a decent blow as well especially with plenty of upwind tacking.
fredrussell
Well-known member
True enough, and yet, to be fair, here we all are discussing C32s again. Not quite as many Hanse 311 threads on this forum, eh?