Used BoaI tnts[nolr Contessa 32 This oceangoing dynamo has a special place in the author's history and heart

I nclulgc mc and try to undcr- 32 owners saìl thei¡ boats locally, fact, the Canadian boats have a slight- I stând-for nlc, the Contcss¿ J2 ruce in one-desigr or PHRF classr:s ly modifìed intelior along with other chline I is notjust arrother fìbcrglass pro- lrd sinrply enloy its soft nrotion in a fea¡;res tlut U.S. sailors tend to prefer. duction boat. I cut nly teeth on a seaway and ability to cany cauvas Co¡¡eeaå 32 Contcssa 12. rnd thc boat occupics when other boats are reefed to tlle First impressions Þr..lc¡ flcta a coveted spot in n-ry brain's hard nines. There is no denying that the The Contessa 32 is a very hand- Pricùl rrìil Írûm ¡ lûs ól t¡C&¡0 lâ ! !801 madsllûrlttr ilt{¡.000 drive. The Contessa 32 tolerated my tiller'-steered 32s can pro

42 SAILING . 2oo3 ocroBER What to look for and can house decent-sized ground Engine Despite its legendary status, the tackle, although few boats have a As noted earlier, 32s came with Cor]tcssa 32 has a fèw iteins to care- good set-up for anchoring. a variefy of engines. G¡gi was fitted Mpchlinq fully inspect. The Contessa 32 own- The on the new boats is from with a two-cylinder l5-horsepower SAILING Maoazine's ers'association Web site is a valuable Selclen. Oider boats will likely have Yanmar that performed brilliantly Value Güide tool for probing into the inner work- Sparcraft or Kemp spars. The chain- for more than 30,000 miles. We Contessa 32 ings ofthe 32. Also, Rogers, who has plates are U-bolts, secured througl-r rarely rnotored at rnolt thatr 5 kuots (S.sailboat rating system) been for years refurbishing old 32s the deck and by the hull. While they but the engine was stingy with fuel, (and has recently started building seem undersizecl, few ifany 32s have and we typically stretched our new 32s on a linited basis), is a font lost their rigs due to tunbuckle fail- modest 12 gallons into 30 or 40 Å Å å ; ff ',',,î.¡irì ifl liîìi,','lx, plunged recently against the English pound knowledge. I-Ie is a wonderful ure. Winches will likely be Lewmar hours of motoring. Access is frorn of mâking English boats 20 percent higher lhan rnan, rnodest, very gentlemanly ancl and rnost boats will have upgraded to behind the companionway and just lâst year. Slill, 32s on this side 0f the very accessible. selÊtailers along the lvay. Most of the through a panel in the quarter Atlantic can usually be had for less than The first thing to look for is a boat hardware on Grþ was also Lewmar, cabin. Gigi,like most 32s, was fit- $40,000, which is a good deal, that has been repowered. Although although rve dirl have one ofthe early ted with a conventional stuffing DESIGN QUATITY: the Contessa 32 has uever been a Harken headsail furling systems. A box, including a grease gland, and a ååååJ The only lhing keeping great boat under power, some engines feature I liked was the two-rvay bulk- fixed trvo-bladed prop. thìs from being a rare five-sailboat rat¡ng is are definitely better than others. A mounted conpasses that could the lack 0f comfort below. tew ¡f any boats of variety of diesels were used including also be viewed fi'om dorvn below. Under rvay lhis size handle a variety conditions as well Petter, Far;mann, Bukh, Volvo and Contessa 32 voyages have been as lhe Contessa 32. Yarrmar. A 32 with a fairly recent Down below rvell docunrented but voyaging ''¡rce-cylinder Yanmar is worth pay- The Contessa 32 interior is the accounts don't dwell on handling ååååB3i¡tiy'Ji,i,**, .ig a premium fòr. reason the boat was never lnore characteristics. Simply put, the rea- well-eng¡neered boat, which is always better Ar-rother item to look at is the popular in North Anerica. It is son to buy a Contessa 32 is because than simply being heavily constructed. Ïhe water tank in the bilge. The large srnall. Really srnall. It is easy to it sails beautifully. The boat is 32 has stood the lest of time and has proven inspection plate usually leaks, letting think you've stunbled onfo a 27- close-winded, does not make lee- itself on every ocean. bilge water into the tank. Some own- foot boat when you drop below. way, never poìrnds in a chop, is fast ers have done away with the inspec- Although Contessa brochures with respect to a 24-foof waterline åååå plates, or just giveü up on this as head- and handles extreme sea conditions. iiii;triïïl'rïìl' tion claimecl there was 6 feet of even for novices, as I proved with my early a ÍÌesh water tank. Aiso, check the room it was only the spotjust below The boat is easy to daysail, exciting voyages. The rig is simple, the loads are not hatches for signs ofsilicone and other the companionway. As you stepped to race and cruises with a confi- extreme and it ¡s very forgiving. lt is also sealants, the boat ships a lot of green forward it was tine to duck. British dence few other boats can match. rewârding for experienced sa¡lors, a rare combinâtion. Again, only the interior l¡mits water and the hatches tend to leak. boats were finished nicely with teak ûrost racers cany fulI þpically, th¡s rat¡ng. The elechical systern, especially on interiors, while the Canadians opted sail until the wind tops 25 knots the olcler Errglish boats, rvill need for rnolded liners and colnpo- and deal with puffs by ieathering upgrading to accommodate today's nents-practical but not as attrac- the main. When cruising, shotten- åå*åJmmt;l*'.:L; digital gizmos. Or-re final uote, rnany tive. The Canadian boats do have a ing up sail resr¡lts in a very lvell capable 0f standing up t0 severe conditions. 32s had factory colored hulls tltat will slightly wider cabin sole that helps behaved boat in most conditions. That is the flnal measure of safety. need to be painted, possibly for the nrake up for the narrow beam. Downwind sailing under spinnaker second or third time. These boats were designed for can be exciting. Most passagemak- å å å ïî,: ï:tî:liti" is ers repoft either a single or üîilîü northern sailing and ventilation flying hard. Th¡s is not a b0at t0 baby, s0 many On deck an issue. The overhead hatches in double poled out headsails in used boats have tired sails and gear, The 32 has a deceptively larye and the saloon and forepeak are only trades. Sailing from the Canary fairly comfortable cocþit. I spent adequate, and while opening port- Islands to Antigua we poled out many hours tucked up behind the lights would help, the freeboard is our 150 percent genoa and eased ååå ffirHî;Jîii;,',x'*' parts lodger, which was at times the only so low that they would be impossi- along at 6 knots day after day with access is tight, however, are still widely ava¡lâble and there is a l0l of documentat¡on ,y spot on deck, and nlany others ble to open under way except in little stress. and information available. sprawled against thc dccp coarnings light conditions. The 32 really shines in hearry reading while the windvane steered. The interior plan is predictable. A going. Read Adlard Coles' classic Tiller steering is de rigueur, at double that is best suited fbr very book, Heavy Weather Sailing, for å å å å lffill,lî*lxi,, least on English boats. Canadian good f iends is fòrward, fbllowed by an account of ltow Assent handled ation ¡s an excellent resource, conlact them^*., boats were occasionally fitted 'rvith the head to port and a lockel oppo- the wild conditions that ultimately at wwt ,.co32.org. Also, c0ntact Jeremy Rogers at wwwjeremyrogers.co.uk. whccls. Tllcre are srnall coanrings site. The head is compact to say the clairned 15 lives during the 1979 and a good-sized locker to port for least. Most older Contessa 32s have disaster. We used sim- stowing gear. The mainsheet traveler excellerf Lavac pressure heads. The ilar tactics several times during our å å å îilåiTil','J,\;îJåfi i, is rnounted on the bridgedeck just saloon feaílres a wraparound settee windward rounding of Cape Hom. boats for sail in Europe but less s0 in North of the companionway. The arld table to port and settee/sea berlh America. An Internet search lurned up five hellnsrnan can reach all sail controls to starboard. There is decent storage Conclusion boals for sale, all in Canada or on the U-S. East Coast. 32s are rare 0n the West Coast. rvithout stretching. Two scuppers beneath the settees. The small galley Prices for used Contessa 32s adequately drain the when is to port and usually inclucles two range from around $30,000 to water slops aboard. sinks, a two-bumer gas stove and a $50,000. This is a small price to Å å å i',ilffJil iilrïrorî:o"' There are low teak grabrails on snall icebox. The best aspect of the pay for a boat you can sail to the value fairly well, it is not an easy boat t0 sell the coachroof and double lifelines interior is the nav station located ends of the earth and back. in the U.S. where the small interior really hurls. and well-su¡rported stanchions are opposite the galley. There is plenty of However, like all boats, the 32 is a standard. The molded nonskid sur- room for instrurlent repeaters and the compromise. Its legendary sea- fäce is not aggressive and may be elechical panel is also mounted here. keeping traits are offset by a lack of well wom on older boats. A small Overall the interior works well for creature cornforts. At the end ofthe bulwark that rises lorward is an passagemaking and has enough clay, the Contessa 32 is about sail- åÅÅå excellent safety feature and looks space for a couple to cruise with ing and nothing else and that's why nice too. The chaiu lockcr is extemal sone degree of comfort. it is a classic. ) 2oo3 ocroBER . SAILING 43