Chiara’s slave
Well-known member
Exactly. However, of all the boats discussed, mine would get you to the bar first.No accounting for taste
Spotless Contessa 32 for those with deep pockets and a yearning for a bit of nostalgia ....
- Thread starter Baggywrinkle
- Start date
Charlie Boy
Well-known member
Just seen this thread.
You could have 4 Sadler 32’s, designed as an upgraded (ie more headroom!) C32 by the same man. Layout looks just like the pics in that ad, although I wish my electrics had had that look!
You could have 4 Sadler 32’s, designed as an upgraded (ie more headroom!) C32 by the same man. Layout looks just like the pics in that ad, although I wish my electrics had had that look!
prestomg27
Active member
It's true it was his next design for his own production. I did think of buying one before getting a co32. They do have more freeeboard and slightly quicker downwind but they the have differences i didnt like. Cored decks that often give problems. Bolt on keels. Not quite as good stability and crucially not aged as well looks wise. Imho.
V1701
Well-known member
Well I haven't read the whole thread but you only do that to an old boat if you plan to keep it for a very long time. You do not do that to an old boat if you plan to sell it...
gaylord694
Active member
Just look at what the great Tom Cunliffe says ... The older thicker laid up hulls Are far superior to,as in his words "BATHTUBS" of the modern era..... He's got a video where he's trying to beat to windward in force 4-5 in a Plastic fantastic boat and just gives up as it's so uncomfortable........... There's another thing that if these BATHTUBS were that good then the Sailors in the GGR would be falling over themselves to sail one around the World but surprisingly there all choosing Rustlers,Trade winds S&S,s. Says something for the older designs
Poignard
Well-known member
Pass the popcorn. 
westernman
Well-known member
But just look at the kinds of boats people are designing for the 4000 mile mini transat. They are falling over themselves to sail these bathtubs long distances.
Things like this:-
And lightly built.
The hull is so thin in some areas you can see where the height of the water is on the hull from the inside.
V1701
Well-known member
I don't know why you're quoting my post above, what you're talking about is an entirely separate subject to the point that I was making...
awol
Well-known member
A coat of Danboline would fix that!
steveeasy
Well-known member
Hey not sure a CO32 is laid up that thick. Compared to guess, a Twister they are quite light.
The weight of a CO32 and a Twister are similar but the Contessa is 4ft longer.
The Comfort ratio of the Twister is that of an oil Tanker and the Hanse is a light weight. The Contessa has the best sail Displacement Ratio of the three.
So no point me racing DDB on a calm summers day but might be ok in a hooley, The Twister despite how heavy it is probably due to inch thick hull sails remarkably well. Funny really cos there is little between any of them and it’s all dependant on the flappy things and of course the skipper. !!
Steveeasy
The weight of a CO32 and a Twister are similar but the Contessa is 4ft longer.
The Comfort ratio of the Twister is that of an oil Tanker and the Hanse is a light weight. The Contessa has the best sail Displacement Ratio of the three.
So no point me racing DDB on a calm summers day but might be ok in a hooley, The Twister despite how heavy it is probably due to inch thick hull sails remarkably well. Funny really cos there is little between any of them and it’s all dependant on the flappy things and of course the skipper. !!
Steveeasy
prestomg27
Active member
Despite being on here as a co32 defender that is plainly stuff and nonsense. The only reason ggr sailors use rustler 36s is that they are the best boat within the age and constraint rules of the race.
Many new fast designs, including 6.5 metere scow bowed minis, have proved themselves capable of fast ocean crossings. I have owned fast light cruiser racers and most are perfectly capable of beating into wind in a blow. Maybe not as comfortably as an older design but very capable. And i wouldnt be able to keep up on a beam reach or downwind with any modern fast boat, even as small as a beneteau first 24 se.
dunedin
Well-known member
Yawn
Tom Cunliffe has plenty of opinions. Some are valid, but not all. And trying to extrapolate throw away broad brush statements to 5m plus boats built in the last 30 years to hugely different designs and scantlings is frankly absurd.
westernman
Well-known member
Not really comparable.
The First 24 SE does not have a proper marine toilet.
flaming
Well-known member
It's an odd comparison, a Contessa with a Hanse.
The Contessa, when launched, was a cruiser racer. The Hanse is a cruiser.
And to be honest, that's where I always get to with boats like the Contessa for over £100k. If you want to race, then you're paying the sort of money that would get you, well, a JPK 1010 for example... And unless you really want to race Contessa 32 OD events, you will win a lot more in a JPK, and go a damn sight faster. And it's the same length so your bills will be broadly similar, maybe sail bills a bit higher... And you still have as much creature comforts as the Contessa. Arguably more...
And if you want to cruise you could buy something like that Hanse and be a lot more comfortable...
If people want to spend that sort of money on a Contessa, then good luck to them. It does feel like an occasion where the brand image is pushing the value rather than the utility though....
justanothersailboat
Well-known member
It's hardly "brand image" when nobody is marketing Contessas. I'd be rather happy if someone, somewhere with daft amounts of money to spend did so on getting the best available version of an old classic and enjoyed it - isn't that enjoyment the point of boats? it's not going to buy them to the top of Contessa One Design race results unless they also put a lot of effort into sailing...
Sure, personally, if I had that budget on hand and was buying a boat right now I wouldn't pick that one. And if I bought an old Contessa and did her up I wouldn't tell myself that that made it worth a load. But things are more or less worth what you can persuade someone to pay for them, and if someone wants to spend their £100k on a Contessa and the privilege of getting to go straight off sailing a Contessa without having to do a bunch of work, good for them.
Sure, personally, if I had that budget on hand and was buying a boat right now I wouldn't pick that one. And if I bought an old Contessa and did her up I wouldn't tell myself that that made it worth a load. But things are more or less worth what you can persuade someone to pay for them, and if someone wants to spend their £100k on a Contessa and the privilege of getting to go straight off sailing a Contessa without having to do a bunch of work, good for them.
doug748
Well-known member
I agree about the comparison but it was not mine; nor was the even more bizarre Dragonfly speculation.
We all know that, with matched crews and equipment, the Hanse mentioned, in many cases will prove a faster boat. However that is not the end of the world, certainly nothing I would argue about generally but you have to set the record straight. A lot of the attraction of the boat is not to do with sailing speed or racing, for many folk it's a good cruising package.
When the Contessa 32 is mentioned it's not long till abuse starts and it descends into a bun fight - often between two sets of people who know nothing about the boat, are not interested in the type and simply want to justify their own convictions. Plus the others who just like a row. Such is life.
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dunedin
Well-known member
Yes. Rather than a £115k Contessa 32 I might be more inclined to try to find a small Arcona or similar - faster, great fun to sail, massively bigger interior and beautiful Scandinavian interior. Or an X332 perhaps. Or an Elan 333, a bit cheaper but brilliant sailing boat and lovely practical wood interior.
Tranona
Well-known member
Fixed that for you
Charlie Boy
Well-known member
A better analogy might be a quashquai compared to an old Bugatti, or a Jag. We all know that the Qhaushquai will perform better, but where’s the cachet?
Daydream believer
Well-known member
Is a Contessa comfortable up wind in a blow? Some tell me that they are very wet. I also believe that they heel quite a bit. I do not know if either statement is true. But if it is, then I would not call that comfortable. I know that My Hanse is very dry & propery set up does not heel significantly more than other boats. Does not slam either.
I do not know about later model Hanse as I would not buy one. I have to admit that when I went to buy a new boat the Bavaria on the next stand was finished & laid out better. However, I could not bring myself to buy a Bavaria, so I did not get one.