The refit project has to start somewhere and the owner and I wanted to understand the condition of the hull topsides, if they would need a painting or if they would respond well to a clean and machine polish. As it turns out what we thought was the original gelcoat is a painted hull and it cleaned up surprisingly well with a stain-removal wash and machine polish. I then made a start on the cockpit refurbishment by removing the old teak faced playwood in preparation for new decking to be installed, as always these projects grow in scope and there are some reinforcement and strengthening needed in some areas of the cockpit that will be the subject of a future video.
This classic Contessa 32 is looking better already and is no longer the sad sight she was when arriving at the boatyard a short while ago.
Many thanks to the owner for giving me permission to create this content based on the refit of his boat.
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For my day-job I run a small business repairing, maintaining and refitting sailing boats (often contessa 32’s due to my long experience with them) I'm mostly in the central Solent area of the UK. Being a cruising and racing sailor with many thousands of inshore and offshore sea miles logged I like to think that I bring a great deal of real world experience to my work and help many new (and not so new) boat owners to improve and maintain their sailing boats. When I'm not fixing boats I also provide some own-boat sail training, help owners with deliveries and provide consultancy services to those that are refitting their own boats for cruising or racing.
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Disclaimer - I hope that viewers both enjoy and learn something from my videos but please remember to take the appropriate precautions for any DIY refit works you undertake with appropriate PPE and the correct tools for the job. If you are in any way unsure as to how to go about a project or are unsure if something on your boat is safe please consult a professional.
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Music credit - Bensound.com
