What yacht to buy!

[paull]

I want to buy a safe good quality yacht but am baffled by the selection. I am suspect of the Bavaria's, Beneteau, Jeanneau's quality. I Live in Luxembourg so I will do most of my sailing in Holland, There I have looked at a Friendship 35, which I have been told is one of the better yachts. I have around £30K to spend, and I hoped to get something pretty reasonable. There will be 4 of us, me, my wife and 2 boys 9 and 13, so I think anything below a 32ft would be two small. I will be looking at a Contessa 32 in a few weeks that looks great, but I am worried about the interior space.
Anyone any ideas?

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[Moose]

May I ask why you are suspect of the quality of Beneteaus? I am looking at a Beneteau and the build quality is certainly the same or better than my Fairline MoBo (Which are meant to be well made)

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[paull]

I understand that they are built to a price and have been getting lighter and lighter over the years...but like I say this will be my first yacht, so maybe I have been misinformed.

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[charles_reed]

Paull,

Sailing in the netherlands you'd be advisable to get a shoal draft boat.

It is true that modern production boats have been getting lighter and lighter - they get better performance that way and modern production techniques and materials knowledge give you adequate strength for the job they're doing.

have a look at the étap range and the Parkers.

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[Beagle]

Friendship (Dutch brand) is certainly no better than Ben/Bav/Jen/Duf. Some models surely did have their problems, especially towards osmosis and keel attachments. With your budget you might find yourself a little bit limited, perhaps you could look at something a little smaller. I know families sailing a Compromis 7.20 with 2 teenagers and having a wonderful time. Something between 30-32ft an option? Personally I wouldn't even rule out a good 28ft yacht.

For the whole of Holland a 1.5 meter draught is advisable. If you stick to the south, even 1.9m is still practicle.

Have a look at this <A target="_blank" HREF=http://botenbank.nl>site</A> for what the Dutch market does offer you at the moment.

Cheers, Rene.

<hr width=100% size=1>Climate is what you expect, weather is what you get

 

[wishbone]

Hi just had a look at the boatnbank site, allways a good selection, a couple that you could look at is the jeanneau melody a good strong built boat and good room down below, did all my trainging on one. also look at the ohlson 38 plenty of deck space and 2so i'm told" a good sailer.

good luck!

<hr width=100% size=1>Wishbone
Rolling, rolling, rolling keep them doggies moving!
Where’s me chuck wagon gone?

 

[brianhumber]

If you are sailing in Holland you ideally want a shallow draft and as low airdraft as possible. This will allow cruising the Friesland which you will very quickly want to do and should not be missed. Low airdraft will expand the range of canals you can use.

Boats, you are not proposing to go deep ocean sailing and will always be close to refuge so I would suggest any lifting keeler such as feeling, kelt etc or bilge keels. No need to worry about strength consdierations til you want to ventue further afield when a different vessel such as a Contessa are better

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[paull]

Thanks for the advise Wishbone, just taken a look and the Melody's.. dont look too bad. But I expect its all down to how they have been maintained. Still like the look of the Contessa's though, they look like a yacht should.

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[Evadne]

If you like the look of Contessas, then most of the Elizabethans will also appeal. They are mostly smaller, (23', 29', 30', 31', 33' and 35') and older, and have the same disadvantages from a dutch point of view (deep draught, fin keel, less accomodation than Ben/Jen/Bav types) but are as traditional looking as the Contessa and generally built like a brick out-house. Made in the UK by Webster's of Lymington (long gone), then various others, some home completions; in France by Wauquiez.

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[paull]

Thanks Dave, you seem to know about these type of yachts. Can you please give me your opinion on the Contessa that I have seen, its on the Contessa website:www.co32.org
If you go to the boats for sale on the left hand side of the page and open it, you will see a Contessa called Blue Beauty. See what you think if you have time.
Cheers Paul.

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[Aeolus_IV]

Centurion 32 by Wauquiez - much like a contessa, but roomier inside. Mine was kept in Medemblik by its previous owner for 25 years, so it "fits" if that's a good way of putting it. Also more common on the continental side of the North Sea and the Channel. Naturally I am biased.. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Regards, Jeff.

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

 

[philbrown]

If you like the looks and performance of the Countessa 32 but are concerned about interior space, I suggest you look at the Sigma 33C (cruising version) This has an easily managed masthead rig a reasonable draft at 4' 10" with a foot longer keel and additional ballast over the one design (Sigma 33OOD) which is in all other respects identical, and sails equally well with far better accomodation than the Countessa. This is a very capable sea boat and also very pretty as it falls between the earlier extremes of the offshore rules and today's big tubs. Performance wise you will not be disappointed and the great thing is they have yet to achieve the cult status of the Countessa 32 and the silly prices asked, although there is no doubt that they will achieve classic status. Buy now while they are still so affordable. I have sailed my Sigma 33C on the west coast of Scotland for more than 14 years and I still love it.

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[Evadne]

I can't say I know a lot about Contessas, as such, but since you asked: She looks, from the advert, a well loved, well maintained and updated boat. Obviously the final opinion would be got by actually looking at her, nobody is going to tell you the bad points of their boat but the photos look good. Few points leap out: the age of the sails is not given, though two were altered a couple of years ago, but I'd make a point of inspecting them and ascertaining their age; I saw no reference made to osmosis protection. She was built in 1979 so I'd have expected some problems or prophylactic action to have been taken by now, but there's no substitute for a survey. Another thing to keep an eye on that's not mentioned is keel bolts. On a boat of this type they last nearly forever, but it's worth asking if they've been drawn or x-rayed and investigating the owners' site further. A 2-bladed prop is not going to drive her along at any great speed, in common with other boats of her class I think the prop is in a notch between the keel and the rudder. If that's so, then expect all the other tribulations under power, especially in reverse, though it's nothing you can't live with.

Other minor points are: I'm not keen on sprayhoods, they spoil the lines and it doesn't look like that one folds down, but that's personal taste. Are you sure 5' 6" draught fin keel is suitable for Dutch waters? I sailed the east coast of the UK for a year and spent some time on my ear as my boat dries out at a 45 degree angle. £30k for a 25 year old Elizabethan would be a lot, but not necessarily for a Contessa, especially a well-maintained one, as they are popular and hold their value well.

My advice is if you see her, sail her and fall in love then buy her. You can forgive anything in a boat you love and you should never buy a boat you don't like, however illogical it is.


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[paull]

Thanks Dave, The yacht has never had any osmosis treatment because as the owner says its out of the water every winter (from end October to End of March) so its not been sat in the water continually for the last 25 years. Obviously whatever I end up buying would have a full survey, so I expect that any major problems would be picked up then.
I spent all of last week going around Dutch brokers looking at different yachts, but not one grabbed me as soon as I saw it, and I must have looked at around 30.
One of the other posters recommended a Jeanneau Melody as being a good yacht, its around the same price as the Contessa but should have a bit more space. Just arranged to look at one in a couple of weeks, during the same trip when I go to look at the Contessa. What are your thoughts on the Jeanneau range in general?

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[doug748]

Paull,
I noticed the Contessa you are considering a couple of weeks ago and thought what a super buy it looked. From it's description it seems a cracker. The photographs show an excellent interior, and the specificaton is all you could ask for this age of boat. The price is in the sensible range - in my view it is always better to pay a liittle bit more for a good boat than buy the cheapest possible - which then needs a lot of money spending on it.
I have owned a Contessa 32 for 10 years and it suits me down to the ground, as Dave says however, you must be sure it will suit your style of sailing/cruising area.
Two points on Dave's reply; One, the 32 has no keel boats, the lead ballast being bonded into the GRP keel, This is one ot the advantages of this style of construction and one of the things that make the boats so expensive to construct (this months Yachting World reports that Jeremy Rogers is building a new boat - with EVERY extra... £150,000!) Two, the Contessa is a well balasted and low boat and is therefore a relativly "wet" sail, most owners agree that a sprayhood is vital, myself I keep it folded away till it is needed.
My only worry about the boat are the brown cushions! If its a Contessa you want, this looks a good one to get a survey on, quick. Brian

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[Kurrawong_Kid]

Agree with Aelious 4, but I am also biased! Have sailed, and motored!, extensively through The Netherlands with our Centurion 32. The draught of 1.65 or thereabouts is a bit deep, but I have three times been through the Fiesian canals via Dokkum to Delfsil and only bounced on the bottom a bit. Mind you, the forepeak headroom on a Contessa 32 is higher even if the Centurion's saloon, navigatorium and cockpit are vastly superior. Both good boats.

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[paull]

Thanks Brian for the Contessa info, I agree with you about the brown cushions! If I do buy it would be the first thing to go. My only serious doubt is the interior space for two adults and two boys aged 9 and 13 and getting bigger every day. As far as I can see before looking at the boat or having a survey, is my only problem. Although its suposed to have an cockpit summer cover, this could give a bit more space.

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[tjfmmaes]

Or you could try the Vindo, a swedish yacht which has no real following in the UK. My sister used to have one in the Netherlands and I spent many a week aboard. They are lovely to look at, have very cozy interiors, lots of mahogany etc, sail really well and are relatively shallow draught. I sailed her in Friesland and the Ijsselmeer without any problems. My sister at the time had 3 kids, ranging from 1yr to 5 yrs and that was no problem with 2 or sometimes 3 adults (husband coming over on the weekends). She is very safe & dry (the boat that is, not my sister...)

One (minor) drawback is because she is an older design, the room below is less than on a modern boat. But if you find one with a cockpit tent("kuiptent"), which a lot of them have, (or get one made) you double the space. There are always plenty Vindos for sa(i)l(e) in the Netherlands, which is another benefit & saves on transport.

see http://www.botenbank.nl/boten/82088/view for the smaller Vindo 32 which she had (8.95m) and http://www.botenbank.nl/boten/brambrink/view
or <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.botenbank.nl/boten/82114/view>http://www.botenbank.nl/boten/82114/view</A>
for the larger vindo 40 (9.45m)

Good luck!

Thomas


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[paull]

what about Jeanneau Melody 34 or Sunshine 36, or the Beneteau First 345.

Any good or not?

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