Why are Contessa 32's so loved

[whipper_snapper]

Surely better off spending the same money ona bigger, drier ,faster, more comfortable boat?

Probably.

But I have to say, that having sailed a weird and wonderful range of boats in my time, there is something awe inspiring about a boat that will just get her head down and power upwind when you really need it to. I will forgive a boat almost anything if I know I can trust it to do that. And I am never entirely comfortable on a passage in a boat that I know cannot do that.

 

[Robin]

Kim Holman certainly designed some lovely hulls.

Yes and I'll second the Centurion and Gladiateur as well as the Hustler 30 and 35. Bit more modern was the UFO 34 another one I liked and BTW fin keeled wide beamed and er.... class winner in the infamous 1979 Fastnet (Black Arrow).

As for going upwind in a gale, there are very many boats capable of that, but probably far fewer crews however. For the record, Paul Lees (of Crusader Sails) had a fairly extreme cold moulded racer in that event called 'Pinball Wizard' ( I had one of his spinnakers later on my then Liz 30 and am looking at a picture of it on my office wall right now!) that got home unaided and unheralded, as did many others. The memories are of the ones that were abandoned and of lives lost, some perhaps with 20/20 hindsight unnecessarily. Before that it was the advent of modern hulls that changed ocean racing from the days when you holed up and sheltered rather than carried on to windward in gales, back then the boats couldn't, now they can.

 

[snooks]

Bit more modern was the UFO 34 another one I liked and BTW fin keeled wide beamed and er.... class winner in the infamous 1979 Fastnet (Black Arrow).

Worth pointing out that the crew of Black Arrow were all strong fit and experienced servicemen, and they adopted their storm tactics early on.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

If owners and prepared to "invest" significant amounts of money to to bring a contessa back to A1 condition (normally more that they would ever get back if selling her) I would suggest that this is just another example of how loved and appreciated CO32's are.

As has been said above it's often a decision lead by the heart rather than the head.

Come on now - there are people doing the same thing with old wooden boats. Doesnt make it sensible that someone is spending lots of dosh and labour on a lost cause

 

[Jamesuk]

The first yacht I ever sailed was a contessa 32, Loved it - I got the bunk behind the Nav table which was almost like a coffin but age 13 it was like a den.

I have raced them off of Cowes a number of times but I must confess it has been at least 5 years since I last sailed one.

Would I buy one, Probably not, If I was given one would I sell it - not until I had some good years out of it before I felt like another project.

 

[Robin]

Worth pointing out that the crew of Black Arrow were all strong fit and experienced servicemen, and they adopted their storm tactics early on.

The same was I believe true of the Contessa 32 'Assent' whereas many of the other crews were less experienced and didn't get into their survival mode early enough, hot food, rested crew etc. Black Arrow not only finished the race but won her class.

 

[snooks]

Black Arrow not only finished the race but won her class.

I know, my dad was on board

 

[Robin]

I know, my dad was on board

Jeez now I know I'm getting old...

 

[mortehoe]

??? 26 upgrade ???

David Sadler took what was best at the time and amalgamated what was freely available into what became the CO32.

Same design logic as those who created the Folkboat ......(from 3 almost unacknowledged designs)

Doesn't matter. David Sadler put together a series of winning combinations .... even if he did the same as all other artists ---- He copied, modified and then put into practice somthing that was better than before.

N

 

[sailorman]

My Co32 was the first powerful Yacht I owned

we bought her about 22 yrs ago, she was a brilliant boat & very cosy below with the warm figured teak.
on one of the first Oostende trips with Mel my trusty Crew we skipped off early one friday for a w/e trip. we got out to the Sunk when we got the 17.50 forecast, s.w 7>8 imminent. i stuck my head out of the main hatch " Hi Mel looks like is going to get a bit windy mate". "Spangle" was Awesome, i even had to get out of bed @ one time to see her perform, taking all in her stride.
We came back over Saturday night motoring most of the way.

We owned her for 11 yrs & only changed when i saw my present Yacht for sale.
what we now have is certainly a better sailing boat & better built but nowhere near as nice & cosy below. Mrs Sm cried when we sold her & we still exchange Christmas Cards with the new owner
Would i have another Co32,yes

 

[sailorman]

But he didn't rest on his laurels, he went on to refine and improve on the Contessa 32 in the form of the Sadler 32, one of which he went on to cruise around the Med in [stir]not in a Contessa 32 you'll note [/stir]

Moi bias? never

Tee heee

As a Stir`er you might find yerself reported to the Mod

 

[snooks]

David Sadler took what was best at the time and amalgamated what was freely available into what became the CO32.

But he didn't rest on his laurels, he went on to refine and improve on the Contessa 32 in the form of the Sadler 32, one of which he went on to cruise around the Med in [stir]not in a Contessa 32 you'll note [/stir]

Moi bias? never

Tee heee

 

[sailorman]

But then he really saw sense so that when he went off round the world he did it in a Contest 43! I know because I was thinking about buying that one when I saw it for sale about 9 years ago, but it was overseas so we let it go. His son Martin however sails a Sadler 32 out of our club.

Sailorman. We have a half model of our old Liz 30 on the living room wall given us one Xmas by the new owner, he made two one for us and one for himself. Plus we both had tears streaming down our faces when our lovely Sun Legende moved off with new owners last month, still haven't got over that yet! Keep thinking I should go to the club and check on the boat.... oh sh!t, what boat!

Young Alison SY32 Davids own 32 is based on the Orwell

 

[Robin]

But he didn't rest on his laurels, he went on to refine and improve on the Contessa 32 in the form of the Sadler 32, one of which he went on to cruise around the Med in [stir]not in a Contessa 32 you'll note [/stir]

Moi bias? never

Tee heee

But then he really saw sense so that when he went off round the world he did it in a Contest 43! I know because I was thinking about buying that one when I saw it for sale about 9 years ago, but it was overseas so we let it go. His son Martin however sails a Sadler 32 out of our club.

Sailorman. We have a half model of our old Liz 30 on the living room wall given us one Xmas by the new owner, he made two one for us and one for himself. Plus we both had tears streaming down our faces when our lovely Sun Legende moved off with new owners last month, still haven't got over that yet! Keep thinking I should go to the club and check on the boat.... oh sh!t, what boat!

 

[KenMcCulloch]

Kim Holman certainly designed some lovely hulls.

In relation to the Twister (fine boats) I think 'designed' is overstating the process. 'Taking the Folkboat as a model and making it a bit bigger' is nearer the mark surely?

 

[Ubergeekian]

But he didn't rest on his laurels, he went on to refine and improve on the Contessa 32 in the form of the Sadler 32, one of which he went on to cruise around the Med

Bit of a tangential question, but is the Sadler 32 one of the unsinkable ones with foam between inner and outer hull mouldings? Just out of interest.

 

[photodog]

Bit of a tangential question, but is the Sadler 32 one of the unsinkable ones with foam between inner and outer hull mouldings? Just out of interest.

no

 

[contessa26]

We owned her for 11 yrs & only changed when i saw my present Yacht for sale.
what we now have is certainly a better sailing boat & better built but nowhere near as nice & cosy below. Mrs Sm cried when we sold her & we still exchange Christmas Cards with the new owner
Would i have another Co32,yes

I agree! Even a fairly tatty, preferably elderly (!) Co32 today is really rather cosy and nice below, in her - surprisingly - 'dark' (or is that gloomy, and rather basic?!) cabin! Not the sort of build quality as today's expensive HalbergR's and Malmos perhaps, but great for two or three folk. She has a protected prop, nice underwater lines (rather like an S&S34 or Elizabethan 30), low freeboard and top hamper and she warms every sailors heart - because even a tatty one sails quite well in a seaway. Flipping 'Eck - if you're used to cruising in a Dragon with a boom tent and a bucket'n'chuckit, the Co32 is Luxury! Everything's relative.

Disadvantages? expensive for us poor punters with no money (or cheap for multi-billionaires), and she has a (1970's IOR rule inspired) retrousé transom.

Best wishes.

 

[awol]

Bit of a tangential question, but is the Sadler 32 one of the unsinkable ones with foam between inner and outer hull mouldings? Just out of interest.

No, it's the one with the ugly pinched arse.

 

[snooks]

No, it's the one with the ugly pinched arse.

If you think my boat is ugly, I think you might need to go to the optician