Contessa 32

The Contessa 32 is one of the most admired yacht designs ever mass produced. Designed by David Sadler and built by Jeremy Rogers the design has been in production from its inception in 1970 until the current day. Having proved itself in the most arduous conditions during the infamous 1979 Fastnet with a Contessa 32 being the smallest boat to complete the race. Examples of the design can be found cruising in the four corners of the world, drawing admiring glances where ever they go.

With the current owners since 2023 the Contessa 32 RUBICON has undergone extensive refitting and upgrading since 2018, modernising and improving every facet of the boat. Now reluctantly offered for sale as her owners move to something larger her extensive inventory highlights include:

Topsides finished in AwlGrip Sable Brown two-pack paint, applied by Silvers Marine in 2011
Gelshield preventative epoxy treatment applied to underwater hull in 2011 and again in 2021
Alloy framed portlights refurbished by Eagle Boat Windows in 2018
Deck hatch replaced 2018
All seacocks and skin fittings removed and replaced in 2018
Beta Marine B20 diesel engine (2018)
Featherstream bronze, 3 blade feathering propeller, installed new in 2018
Full rewiring of the 12VDC system and installation of a new 230VAC shorepower system in 2024
Mastervolt Chargemaster, 25amp battery charger (2024)
50w solar panel with Victron Blue Smart MPPT charge controller (2025)
Victron Smart Shunt connecting to phone or tablet via Bluetooth with Victron App (2024)
Raymarine Axiom plotters in cockpit and at chart table
Raymarine RAY53 DSC VHF (2024)
Raymarine AIS700 Class B Transceiver (2024)
Installation of pressurised hot and cold water system with new calorifier (2024/25)
Fully insulated fridge with new compressor and chiller plate 2024/25
Eberspacher diesel fired, blown air heating system.
New cushions and upholstery in saloon 2022
All new standing rigging, February 2024
Mainsail and Yankee, new from Banks Sails in 2019
New Mainsail cover with lazyjacks, fitted 2024
Lofrans Royal manual windlass (2024)

Lying afloat on her mooring at Ardfern Yacht Centre, the Contessa 32 RUBICON is available for immediate viewing by prior appointment.

CONSTRUCTION

Hull Construction:
Single piece GRP moulded hull.
Hand consolidated, traditional heavyweight monolithic moulding
GRP formed structural members internally
Plywood bulkheads and furniture bases, glassed to hull
Topsides finished in AwlGrip Sable Brown two-pack paint, applied by Silvers Marine in 2011
Underwater hull stripped back to gelcoat and preventative Gelshield treatment applied in 2011. Antifouling blasted off back to epoxy in 2021 and hull inspected before additional coats of gelshield applied in 2021
Stainless steel stem anchor protection plate professionally fitted in 2025.
Hull finished below the waterline with blue Antifouling

Deck & Superstructure Construction:
Single piece GRP moulding incorporating coachroof and self-draining cockpit.
Hand consolidated GRP moulding.
Coachroof finished in white paint
Coachroof top and decks finished in Ivory non-slip deck paint
Alloy framed portlights in coachroof sides, all portlights removed and fully refurbished by Eagle Boat Windows in 2018
Deck hatch replaced 2018

Keel & Rudder:
Long fin keel
Encapsulated lead ballast.
Skeg hung rudder.

MACHINERY

Engine:
Beta Marine B20 diesel engine (2018)
20hp
3 cylinder, naturally aspirated, indirectly cooled.
Mechanical reversing gearbox
Single lever morse control

Maintenance & Performance:
Engine last serviced autumn 2025
Engine recorded running hours – 240.4hrs
All seacocks and skin fittings removed and replaced in 2018
Cruising speed under engine 5kts

Propulsion & Steering:
Stainless steel prop shaft
PSS shaft seal installed in 2018
Featherstream bronze, 3 blade feathering propeller, installed new in 2018, serviced spring 2026
Laminated hardwood tiller

Autopilot:
Raymarine ST2000+

ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

Voltage systems:
12VDC onboard power system, full professional re-wire in 2024
230VAC shore power system, professionally installed 2024

Shore Power:
Extension lead to connect shore power supply
Single 16amp connection point
RCD consumer unit
3-pin UK socket, battery charger and immersion heater

Battery Banks:
Domestic Battery Bank – 2x 12VDC, 85Ah Hankook lead acid. Installed for 2019 season
Engine Battery Bank – 1x 12VDC, 75Ah Hankook lead acid. Installed for 2019 season
Charging:
Mastervolt Chargemaster battery charger (2024)
230VAC – 12VDC, 25amp

Alternator:
Single engine driven, 14VDC alternator
55amp
Solar Panel:
Deck mounted, 50w flexible solar panel (2025)
Victron Blue Smart MPPT charge controller, bluetooth connection with Victron App (2025)

Battery Monitor:
Victron Smart Shunt connecting to phone or tablet via Bluetooth with Victron App (2024)

General:
Blue Sea switch panels
All LED lighting throughout interior

PLUMBING

Fresh Water:
Pressurised hot and cold water system
Mixer tap in galley
Mixer tap in heads extending for use as shower head
Hot water provided from calorifier, heated by engine cooling water or 230VAC immersion heater
New pressure pump fitted in 2025

Bilge Pumps:
Manual Bilge Pump
Electric Bilge Pump – Manual and auto switching

Gas System:
Self-draining cockpit locker
Gas system inspected and gas safe certificate issued December 2024

TANKAGE

Fuel:
Single diesel tank
Approximate capacity 40ltr

Fresh Water:
Single fresh water tank in keel.
Stainless steel tank construction

Calorifier:
Nautic insulated calorifier (2024/25)
15ltr capacity
230VAC immersion heater or engine cooling water heating

NAVIGATION & COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT

On Deck:
Chartplotter – Raymarine Axiom+ 9” MFD 9 (2024)
Depth/Speed/Log – Raymarine ST60+ Tridata display
Wind - Raymarine ST60+
Repeater - Raymarine ST60+ Graphic display
Compass – Raymarine ST60+
Magnetic Compass

Below Deck:
Plotter – Raymarine Axiom 7” MFD

Communications Equipment:
DSCVHF – Raymarine RAY53 DSC VHF (2024)
AIS – Raymarine AIS700 Class B Transceiver (2024)
New VHF antenna fitted in 2024

DOMESTIC EQUIPMENT

Galley:
Galley Stove – Nelson gas cooker. 2 burner, grill and oven
Fridge – Professionally insulated with new compressor and chiller plate in 2024/25
Stainless steel sink with foot pump to drain waste water overboard
Mixer tap with pressurised hot and cold water (2024)
Sink waste manually pumped overboard using foot pump, new pump fitted in 2024

Heads:
Lavac manual marine toilet (2018)
Mixer tap, extending for use as shower (2024)
Wash hand basin

Heating:
Eberspacher diesel-fired, blown-air heating system.
Thermostatic cabin controller
Outlets in saloon and heads area

ACCOMMODATION

Summary of Accommodation:
6 berths over 2 cabins
Double cabin forward
Heads
Saloon
Galley
Nav station
Quarter berth

Accommodation Finish:
Traditional style joinery of teak veneered plywood with solid teak trims.
Teak veneered sole boards
Moulded GRP headlining
GRP moulded heads compartment
Traditional teak varnished soleboards
Galley worktop formica professionally replaced in 2025
New cushions in forward cabin fitted 2019
New saloon cushions fitted 2022

Description of Accommodation from Forward:

Forward Cabin:
V-berth in the traditional layout with central in-fill section creating a double V bunk when required.
Cushions replaced in 2019
Hull lined outboard with veneered plywood panels
Bin lockers beneath the bunks.
Canvas ‘door’ between cabin and heads, fitted new in 2024

Heads:
Spanning the full width of the boat forward of saloon.
Walk-through heads compartment providing access to forepeak.
Manual Lavac marine toilet outboard to port with moulded wash hand basin forward.
Vanity unit outboard.
Full-depth hanging locker outboard to starboard.
Sliding door between heads and saloon

Saloon:
Drop leaf table is mounted slightly offset to port
U-shaped settee to port
Bench type settee to starboard.
Cushions replaced in 2022
Table drops down to allow use of the port side saloon settee berth as a double berth.
Starboard saloon berth converting to a full-length single berth.
Storage is provided around the saloon with locker space behind the back of the settees and in overhead lockers outboard.

Galley:
To port of the companionway
Gas cooker, two burner, grill and oven, gimbal mounted outboard
GRP moulded sink unit
Top-loading, insulated fridge outboard of sink, professionally insulated and new compressor fitted in 2025
Under worktop, top loading fridge locker beneath aft section of worktop.
Selection of storage lockers outboard of and below worktop

Nav Station / ¼ Berth:
Forward facing navigators seat on forward end of quarter berth.
Forward-looking chart table with storage for charts within table.
Ships switch panel outboard.
Sizable quarter berth extends under the starboard cockpit seating.

DECK EQUIPMENT

Rig:
Keel stepped, single spreader, masthead sloop rig
Standing rigging of 1x19 stainless steel wire
Full replacement of standing rigging in February 2024
Harken roller reefing system for genoa, serviced in 2024
Slab reefing mainsail
Mechanical backstay adjuster.
Alloy Spinnaker pole.
Removable Selden bowsprit
Clutches port and starboard side of companionway for lines lead aft
Harken mainsheet system
New Dyneema genoa and spinnaker halyards fitted in February 2024
New #2 genoa halyard and topping lift fitted in February 2024
Lazyjacks (2024)

Winches:
Primary Winches – 2x Lewmar 40, two-speed, self-tailing
Secondary – 2x Lewmar, single-speed.
Cockpit Halyard Winches – 1x Lewmar 25, two-speed. 1x Lewmar single-speed.
Mast Mounted Halyard Winch – 1x Lewmar, two-speed, single-speed.
Mast Mounted Reefing Winch – 1x Lewmar 8, single-speed

Sails:
Mainsail – White Dacron, slab reefing. Banks Sails 2019
Mainsail – White Dacron, slab reefing. Old and dirty. Saturn Sails. Not used in current ownership
Yankee – White Dacron, roller reefing. Banks Sails 2019
Genoa – White Dacron, roller reefing. Saturn Sails. Not used in current ownership
TriSail – Not used in current ownership
Cruising Chute – Fitted with Snuffer. Saturn Sails. Lightly used

Canvas Work:
Mainsail Cover – Stackpack type cover with lazyjacks, fitted in August 2024
Sprayhood
Cockpit Tent – Refurbished by sailmaker winter 2025/26

Anchoring & Mooring:
Bower Anchor – Vulcan 12kg plough anchor (2024) on chain (10m) and warp (30m) rode
Kedge Anchor – Delta 12kg anchor
Anchor Windlass – Lofrans Royal manual windlass (2024)
Mooring Warps – Selection
Fenders – Selection

General:
Stainless steel pulpit and pushpit rails.
Deck mounted stainless steel stanchions supporting stainless steel guardwires.
Double stemhead roller.
Alloy mooring cleats forward and aft.
Panama style fairleads forward.
Moulded toerail running the length of the deck outboard.
Solid teak capping rail.
Ivory non-slip deck paint to finish decks and coachroof top
Solid teak grabrails running the length of the coachroof outboard.
High moulded coamings protecting cockpit.
Primary and spinnaker winches mounted on coamings.
Cave lockers within cockpit coamings.
Deep, self-draining cockpit with bench seating around all edges.
Teak grating on cockpit sole.
Cockpit lockers under seating to port and aft.
Outboard storage bracket mounted to port on aft rail
SAFTEY EQUIPMENT:

General note on safety equipment: Any safety equipment such as liferafts, Epirbs, fire extinguishers and flares etc. are usually personal to the current owner(s) and if being left on-board as part of the sale of a used vessel may require routine servicing, replacement, or changing to meet a new owners specific needs.

Navigation Lights:
LED Masthead Tri-colour and Anchor light fitted new in 2023
LED Steaming / Deck Flood Light fitted new in 2023
LED Low level navigation lights
Lights all re-wired as part of 2024 re-wiring project

Life saving:
Jackstays
Gas Alarm (2024)
Liferaft cradle (2024)

DISCLAIMER
In this case we are acting as brokers only.
The Owner is not selling in the course of a business. whilst every care has been taken in their preparation , the correctness of these particulars is not guaranteed. The Purchaser is strongly advised to check the particulars and where appropriate at their expense to employ a qualified Marine Surveyor to carry out a survey and/or to have an engine trial conducted which if conducted by us shall not imply any liability for such engine on our part.
This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.

Unless otherwise stated on the published sales specification the following presumptions are made:

Shaft seal or sail drive diaphragms are more than 5 years old.
Fuel, gas hoses and gas regulators are more than 5 years old.
The vessel doesn’t currently have a GasSafe certificate issued within the last 5 years.
Standing rigging and sails are more than 10 years old.