Originally launched in 1980 and named ‘EYMET’, MINNIE has had just four owners since new. Her first owner, Dr M W May kept her until 2003 and used her cruising and competitive racing, including completing the Fastnet Race in 1989 and 1993. During this period, she was continually maintained and upgraded,  including a sizeable refit with Jeremy Rogers in 1995.

In 2003, EYMET was sold to Dr M Tate, who kept her in Lymington and continued her competitive racing history with club racing in and around the Solent. Berthed in the Berthon Lymington Marina, all maintenance was carried out professionally by either the Berthon Boat Company or Jeremy Rogers until her sale in 2015.

In 2015, EYMET was purchased by professional mariner Mark Thompson and renamed SYZYGY. She was updated and refitted to prepare her for a single-handed Fastnet Race entry in 2018. Following her Fastnet adventures, SYZYGY was further refitted internally and externally including a complete hull strip with fresh epoxy and Coppercoat applied during the late Spring and summer of 2021.

Purchased by her current owner in the late summer of 2021 and renamed MINNIE, the decision was taken to ‘zero-hour’ the boat and embark upon a total refit and restoration, replacing, updating or overhauling every single aspect of the boat to create a ‘new-old’ Contessa 32. Professionally completed in the boatyard where she was built, with project management by well-known CO32 owner and YDSA surveyor Robin Milledge, craftsmanship by CO32 specialists Cooks Maritime and George Isted, rigging upgrades by appointed Jerremy Rogers rigging company Ocean Rigging, and sails by Sanders, a healthy six-figure sum (excluding her original purchase cost) has been invested between Autumn 2021 and Autumn 2022, including all of the ‘big CO32 jobs’ such as replacement of the keel-sump fresh water tank (requiring dismantling of the most of the interior and building new floors). MINNIE is quite possibly the most complete classic Contessa 32 afloat today.

Her refit highlights include:-

·        Professionally repainted hull, deck and superstructure in Awlgrip Awlcraft 2000

·        Replacement coachroof windows

·        Professionally revarnished interior

·        New high quality marine upholstery including reflex foam bunk cushions

·        Custom Corian galley with inset fridge and refrigerator

·        Eberspacher heating

·        New refrigeration

·        New hot & cold pressurised water supply

·        New stainless steel fresh water tank

·        New Beta Marine 25hp fresh-water cooled engine with Featherstream 3-bladed feathering propeller

·        Sander Sails carbon tri-radial mainsail and genoa

·        Tidesmarine low-friction mainsail track

·        Replacement standing rigging with upgraded 6mm lowers

·        Selden carbon spinnaker pole

·        New Selden boom with single-line reefing and Selden rod vang

·        Harken self-tailing genoa, companionway and spinnaker winches

·        Harken mast winches

·        Harken and Spinlock deck gear

·        Complete Raymarine instrument package with Axiom+7 plotter, i70 instruments and Evolution tiller pilot pack p70s control head and wireless remote control

·        Vesper Marine Type-B Wifi AIS transponder

·        New 220vAC shorepower system

·        New AGM batteries with Victron Bluetooth battery charger

·        Electric heads

·        Quick DP2E electric anchor windlass with remote control

·        New Sanders Sails canvas including custom sprayhood and ‘roll away’ regatta stackpack

Berthed in the Lymington Yacht Haven and the home of Jeremy Rogers and the Contessa 32, MINNIE is maintained professionally with regular professional valeting and wintering ashore.

Offered for sale due to lack of time to make best use of her, MINNIE is presented in 100% turn-key condition, freshly serviced, and with absolutely nothing left to do. MINNIE represents an excellent middle point between a brand-new Contessa 32 (now costing upwards of £350,000) and an unrestored original boat, with the bonus of avoiding the 12 months plus wait for a new build or complete renovation project to be completed.

Full service file included with all invoices for recent refit/rebuild plus historical invoices and notes stretching back 20 years.