Save-A-Boat - The Forum for Plastic Classic Rebuilds!

Really glad to find this forum. I love Classic Plastic and I'm a bit shocked their is a site like this dedicated to it.

Has anyone listed the boats that are considered Classic Plastic? I know some boats will be a matter of opinion but I'm sure there are many boats that most of us would agree completely are Classic Plastic.

For the record I live in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Currently I only sail a small cedar strip skiff I built called a Swift-Solo. It is the purest form of sailing. But I am looking for a Classic Plastic to do some cruising with. I've been looking high and low for a Contessa 32 to no avail. There have been a few around my area but generally they fetch top dollars. I think I need to increase the field of possibilities. Anyone have suggestions as to the ideal boat in their opinion?

By-the-way, I know of a Westsail 32 locally here that would go for a song. It had some dry rot and the young owner who brought it up from California discovered it has a termite problem. They have pretty much gutted the insides and now the project is beyond them. I'm not going to get into it. But contact me if that's what you've been looking for.

Grin...

I don't know about a list of classic plastic... But the wooden boat guys have an "honorary wooden boat" list. http://www.woodenboat.com/forum//archiv ... 45765.html

solosailor

Since you're considering Contessa 32's as your "next boat" you're probably not interested in something as humble as a Shark24 (my boat).

However, as your currently sail a fast one design, I would recommend the Shark as a one-design worth considering. They do plane under the right conditions, are an adequate weekender and can be trailered pretty easily. There's something to be said for simplicity!

Here's a link to our class website with an interesting photo of a "flying" Shark. http://www.shark24.org/intro.htm

Another good boat worthy of consideration and less expensive than a Contessa 32 but with more creature comforts and sea-keeping ability than the Shark24 is the Albin Vega.

My list would basically be anything that looks like it could have been a wood hull....but I wouldn't exclude any boat that was either significant (eitehr due to design or other factors) or well accepted (catalina and pearsons) or stylish (swede 55) in the eye of some beholder.


So pretty much everything. Except maybe a mcgregor 26. (sorry you mcgregor 26 owners!)

You love it? It isn't brand new? It is a classic plastic!!!

Zach wrote:Grin...

I don't know about a list of classic plastic... But the wooden boat guys have an "honorary wooden boat" list.

I notice a few Plastic Classid forumites represented in that thread, including Figment, who started it in 2002 when he was considering a Triton :)

R.

solosailor wrote:Has anyone listed the boats that are considered Classic Plastic? I know some boats will be a matter of opinion...

Here is a recent thread that contains some relevant responses.

I don't know if folks outside of California ever heard of the annual Plastic Classic Regatta in SF Bay Area. Their rules are pretty loose, basically any plastic boat manufactured 25 years ago qualify. Here is the field for the 2008 Plastic Classic. Note the turn out of Triton on the list. It is actually a class of its own. Here is the link: http://www.bayviewboatclub.org/RacingDo ... ners08.rtf

As you might have guessed most of the boats that entered are west coast built. Other than west coast Tritons, Catalinas, Islanders are heavily represented. There definitely is a west coast bias.

I agree with the views expressed here. Other than a few qualitative descriptions the rest is pretty much in the eyes of beholder. But I think most people would agree Triton is a Plastic Classic. In my view Contessa 32 is one as well. I know John Kretschmer highly recommends it as it carried him safely around Cape Horn.

If we're going to talk Plastic Classics then let's talk the Contessa 26!

Yes, I consider the Contessa 26 a Classic Plastic. It's just too small for me to get too excited about. But I do agree with you.