Who in their right mind is buying this

[Tranona]

I actually think it’s a different boat than the one discussed before that was for sale and was not going to sell. It did!!.

You do get the boaty thing don’t you. It’s not all about a jaquizy and double oven. I can just imagine you lot all stood next to one tied up whinging why it’s so bad, but secretly wishing your own boat looked quite so good in and out the water. Makes me smile

Steveeasy

Not sure about that. There are many things I admire aesthetically (not just boats) but would not want to own. Good examples would be an E type, an Aston Martin DB$ or AC 428, all three of which I "knew" when they were new and frightened the living daylights out of me, never mind the appalling build quality even for the day which led to huge bills for my mates who owned them.

So not sure that onlookers are secretly envious of you even though they recognise the qualities of the boat and admire the looks. Probably just grateful there are still people around who are willing to own one so that they can enjoy looking at it.

I get exactly the same sort of reaction with my Morgan. Everybody seems to love it but when I offer sell it for what today is a modest price they all refuse.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

I’ve been racing on one recently. To be frank, it's horrible. Hard to steer, the foredeck is a nightmare, it’sca design that is basically completely superceded. The other boats you can buy for £125k are the reasons it hasn’t sold. You could even join the Dragonfly owners club for that

 

[Fr J Hackett]

I actually think it’s a different boat than the one discussed before that was for sale and was not going to sell. It did!!.

You do get the boaty thing don’t you. It’s not all about a jaquizy and double oven. I can just imagine you lot all stood next to one tied up whinging why it’s so bad, but secretly wishing your own boat looked quite so good in and out the water. Makes me smile

Steveeasy

At the price there are much better boats in every respect on the market no matter whether you want to race or cruise. I am very traditional in many respects when I think about boats and have thought seriously about returning to sailing initially influenced by my past yachts but have realised they are very limited and in fact vastly overrated and priced as is this and other Contessas and for that matter Vancouvers and the like.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

It might well have been the best you could buy in the 1970s. And as a piece of history it deserves to survive. But whatever your sailing inclinations, thete are more modern boats that do everything better. I guess the classic boat market differs from classic cars in that a boat is just for Sundays effectively, even if not literally, whereas your usual classic car owner has a modern, practical car as well as the classic. Not many people could pay £125k for such a boat, and run another boat to seriously sail on, saving the C32 for rallies and Contessa regattas. Hence the market is pretty limited. Either a rich 2 boat owner, or one who’s prepared to put up with it’s shortcomings compared to a modern boat. The one thing it has over a lot of modern boats is the looks, of course.

 

[jbweston]

There are at least two types of 'overpricing':

- One type is where a seller asks more than any likely buyer is prepared to pay. That results in no sale unless the price is dropped.

- A second type of 'overpricing' is where the item (boat or whatever) actually sells at or near a price that I/we can't understand because we wouldn't be prepared to pay that even if we could afford it. Some Ferraris and vintage cars, works of art or collections of things we aren't interested in fall into that category. In my case it's clothes. I can't understand why anyone will pay big money for a designer label when my old M and S corduroys cover my legs just fine, yet I'm happy to pay the cost of owning and running several 'interesting to me' cars that cost far in excess of a perfectly good new generic vehicle.

It remains to be seen which of those two categories that Contessa falls into. Probably the seller is hoping it's the second - that there's a buyer out there that's prepared to pay for what many of us don't value.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

It might well have been the best you could buy in the 1970s. And as a piece of history it deserves to survive. But whatever your sailing inclinations, thete are more modern boats that do everything better. I guess the classic boat market differs from classic cars in that a boat is just for Sundays effectively, even if not literally, whereas your usual classic car owner has a modern, practical car as well as the classic. Not many people could pay £125k for such a boat, and run another boat to seriously sail on, saving the C32 for rallies and Contessa regattas. Hence the market is pretty limited. Either a rich 2 boat owner, or one who’s prepared to put up with it’s shortcomings compared to a modern boat. The one thing it has over a lot of modern boats is the looks, of course.

If I were to buy a yacht for the row away factor of a yacht like the contessa it would be a Dawn 39 which has some of the antiquated benefits but looks far superior to the contessa 32 and could be bought for less if you could find one.

 

[Stemar]

Ultimately, a boat - or anything else - is worth what someone is willing to pay. I kind of think the C32 is a bit like the Cooper S, a fantastic beast and a game changer in its day, but times have passed and, while I remember mine through the rose-tinted glasses of nostalgia, I reckon I could have got my late lamented diesel Focus estate round a track quicker. None of which would stop a tidy S selling for silly (to me) money.

 

[oldgit]

Fortunately there is never ending stream of dreamers/optimists/mugs and the cussedly determind who buy " interesting"boats
Without them the boat market would collapse from the bottom up.
For proof just visit any " proper " boatyard.
Some boats make Bitcoin look like a sound solid investment. ?

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Ultimately, a boat - or anything else - is worth what someone is willing to pay. I kind of think the C32 is a bit like the Cooper S, a fantastic beast and a game changer in its day, but times have passed and, while I remember mine through the rose-tinted glasses of nostalgia, I reckon I could have got my late lamented diesel Focus estate round a track quicker. None of which would stop a tidy S selling for silly (to me) money.

The ongoing costs of a classic car are a bit different to a 32ft boat though. I could buy a Cooper S, put it in the garage, and drive a few hundred miles a year for under £500. A classic boat is a serious drain on the finances, upkeep, moorings etc see to that.

 

[justanothersailboat]

The time an old Contessa came up in genuinely amazing condition I could understand that a rich nostalgic might think it a good idea. This one, though, the weird interior refurb fights the "classic" idea and the "classic" feeling loses. It must have very niche appeal.

(and I say this as someone who has a boat with a weird interior refurb... but I never claimed she was a valuable classic)

 

[doug748]

There are at least two types of 'overpricing':

- One type is where a seller asks more than any likely buyer is prepared to pay. That results in no sale unless the price is dropped.

- A second type of 'overpricing' is where the item (boat or whatever) actually sells at or near a price that I/we can't understand because we wouldn't be prepared to pay that even if we could afford it. Some Ferraris and vintage cars, works of art or collections of things we aren't interested in fall into that category. In my case it's clothes. I can't understand why anyone will pay big money for a designer label when my old M and S corduroys cover my legs just fine, yet I'm happy to pay the cost of owning and running several 'interesting to me' cars that cost far in excess of a perfectly good new generic vehicle.

It remains to be seen which of those two categories that Contessa falls into. Probably the seller is hoping it's the second - that there's a buyer out there that's prepared to pay for what many of us don't value.

This is a point I have been thinking about, every time I hear someone say overpriced. You have more of less nailed it. The second example of the common usage is just a bit of humbug, another way of saying: "I would not pay that, it's too expensive" or "I can't afford it" both of which are more honest.

Contessa's are relatively expensive because people want them, the market is good. People post that they are are looking for one and ask to buy. So, in general they are not overpriced, the boat in question probably is overpriced not because it is a Contessa 32, not because it is in poor condition, not because of the 120 grand - but because the interior has been done in a very particular fashion and people are looking for something that conforms to their expectations and taste.

.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

This is a point I have been thinking about, every time I hear someone say overpriced. You have more of less nailed it. The second example of the common usage is just a bit of humbug, another way of saying: "I would not pay that, it's too expensive" or "I can't afford it" both of which are more honest.

Contessa's are relatively expensive because people want them, the market is good. People post that they are are looking for one and ask to buy. So, in general they are not overpriced, the boat in question probably is overpriced not because it is a Contessa 32, not because it is in poor condition, not because of the 120 grand - but because the interior has been done in a very particular fashion and people are looking for something that conforms to their expectations and taste.

.

All true enough. And the last one to cause a discussion here was all original in style, probably even had an original pair of flared Levis ready for the new owner. And if you want a bit of nostalgia, that’s what you want.

 

[jbweston]

There are some boats from the 60s and 70s that still look great. I remember going aboard Nic 43s when they were 'just secondhand boats', and this boat that's now a lovely classic but back in 1972 was a rather tired 10 year old wooden yacht when she was for sale ashore at Moody's on the Hamble:
Whirlaway

Sometimes I wish my Dad had bought her, but would we have spent the time and money on her to make her look like that 50 years later? And at the time she seemed 'overpriced' to us. They were asking maybe £12-14,000 - I forget exactly, but they turned down my Dad's lower offer.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

There are some boats from the 60s and 70s that still look great. I remember going aboard Nic 43s when they were 'just secondhand boats', and this boat that's now a lovely classic but back in 1972 was a rather tired 10 year old wooden yacht when she was for sale ashore at Moody's on the Hamble:
Whirlaway

Sometimes I wish my Dad had bought her, but would we have spent the time and money on her to make her look like that 50 years later? And at the time she seemed 'overpriced' to us. They were asking maybe £12-14,000 - I forget exactly, but they turned down my Dad's lower offer.

£12 to £14K was a lot of money in 72

 

[oldgit]

£12 to £14K was a lot of money in 72

half of that would buy you a house.

 

[Stemar]

There are some boats from the 60s and 70s that still look great. I remember going aboard Nic 43s when they were 'just secondhand boats', and this boat that's now a lovely classic but back in 1972 was a rather tired 10 year old wooden yacht when she was for sale ashore at Moody's on the Hamble:
Whirlaway

Sometimes I wish my Dad had bought her, but would we have spent the time and money on her to make her look like that 50 years later? And at the time she seemed 'overpriced' to us. They were asking maybe £12-14,000 - I forget exactly, but they turned down my Dad's lower offer.

That really is a thing of beauty that totally justifies the classic label and price tag.

Not for me, though. I can afford a slightly scruffy Catalac as long as I do most of the maintenance myself, but I do have a life away from the boat. Much as I love wooden boats, I'll never own one until I'm rich enough to tell my man (or woman - I'm not prejudiced) to take care of that bit of varnish.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

That really is a thing of beauty that totally justifies the classic label and price tag.

Not for me, though. I can afford a slightly scruffy Catalac as long as I do most of the maintenance myself, but I do have a life away from the boat. Much as I love wooden boats, I'll never own one until I'm rich enough to tell my man (or woman - I'm not prejudiced) to take care of that bit of varnish.

My wooden boat is in the front garden, awaiting the arrival of varnishing weather. Or my race skippers shed to be empty, whichever comes first.

 

[lusitano]

There are some boats from the 60s and 70s that still look great. I remember going aboard Nic 43s when they were 'just secondhand boats', and this boat that's now a lovely classic but back in 1972 was a rather tired 10 year old wooden yacht when she was for sale ashore at Moody's on the Hamble:
Whirlaway

Sometimes I wish my Dad had bought her, but would we have spent the time and money on her to make her look like that 50 years later? And at the time she seemed 'overpriced' to us. They were asking maybe £12-14,000 - I forget exactly, but they turned down my Dad's lower offer.

I sailed many thousands of miles on Whirlaway including two transatlantics, gaining the a to z of RYA tickets along the way
Although I would never want to own a wooden boat, I can honestly say Whirlaway was the finest yacht I ever had the
privilege to sail on.

 

[steveeasy]

Please correct me if I’m wrong but it is not the same boat that was not sold that did sell. This is another boat built in 2012 and has not been refurbished.

Id say the internal design and materials look much better than the earlier design and im my biased opinion will be attractive to a potential buyer looking for this specific design of boat.

Of course I’ve been following what typically new contessa owners do and been amazed how they upgrade their old boats which is in reality what most owners of 70s and 80 boat owners do. I suspect it is quite easy to spend more than the original asking price on this.

So this massively overpriced 12 year old boat with significantly improved interior requiring little further expenditure suddenly might seam not quite so overpriced. However if you don’t want a contessa 32 then I appreciate it may seam a pie in the sky asking price.

I do understand with limited knowledge that all boats are a compromise. By that it is difficult to get a very seaworthy boat to perform like a Ferrari. So if you want a fast boat don’t buy something with a small rig and heavy displacement. It is also useful to highlight not every sailor or boat owner wants a forty footer or or large lump of GRP to sit in. Some owners just want ample room to be comfortable after a days sailing and don’t want to have to have crew with them.

I also appreciate the delights and attraction of much more modern boats that perform better and may be as good in a real blow. But it comes at a cost which is probably not far less than the price of this in my blinkered eyes stunning Contessa. My view is it will sell and not be too far off the asking price.

Steveeasy

 

[jbweston]

I sailed many thousands of miles on Whirlaway including two transatlantics, gaining the a to z of RYA tickets along the way
Although I would never want to own a wooden boat, I can honestly say Whirlaway was the finest yacht I ever had the
privilege to sail on.

That's interesting. I can remember thinking back then she was a throughbred, even though in need of some care to make her look good again.

I seem to recall when we viewed her she'd recently come back across the Atlantic and had a cracked forward bulkhead. Was that one of your crossings? It's funny what we can remember sometimes after 50 years.

I remember also that she was teak planked below the waterline. They don't build them like that any more. There were several Holman designed wood 40-ish footers for sale around rhat time. We looked at all of them but Whirlaway had the best layout.