My first boat was an beaten-up old marine ply kayak that my Dad bought for a fiver and my Grand Father, who was a cabinet maker, restored to full glory.
She was a bit heavy for a kayak but provided you were going in a straight line she was great. Her varnished woodwork shone like a mirror and as I trolled up and down the Thames in the spring sunshine I new she was a classic. From that moment on I was hooked on boating.

Fast forward thirty years and I'm now the owner of another classic, A Van de Stadt designed 'Trintella 29' sloop rigged cruiser built in 1969.
Rather like my old kayak she was purchased for a relatively modest outlay
(£10,000) and with some hard work and patience has turned out to be real gem.

I've found buying an older boat can be a great way of getting in to yachting without having to spend a fortune. When I first viewed my Trintella she was a bit of a mess but looked to be essentially a straight boat. I had a full survey done which showed that the hull was in good condition, as was the mast and rig and the engine just needed a good service. Admittedly below decks resembled a back street greasy spoon but the boat was sound. She certainly wasn't what I would describe as a major project. The work she required was basically cosmetic and well within my limited experience. I stripped out all the 1970's Formica from the interior and sanded and polished all the woodwork. I polished and anti fouled the hull, had the engine serviced and wiring checked and that was basically it. For a total cost of £13,000 pounds I have a 29 yacht that sails beautifully, looks great and has a build quality that many modern boats simply don't have.

A couple of years down the line I realise that more by luck than judgement that in choosing a Trintella 29, I had chosen the right model.
Obviously not all GRP boats built in the 1960's and 70's have gone on to be deemed classics. Below is a short list of yachts (26 to 32 feet) that are generally held in high regard and are sought after today. They are all renowned for their sea kindly performance and good build quality.

Twister 28
Trintella 29
Nicholson 32 MkIII
Elizabethan 29
Elizabethan 29
Contessa 26
Rival 32

These boats have a similar hull shape in common, with an elegant bow and stern overhang that makes for beautiful lines. The slightly narrower beam displacement hull also makes these boats easy to handle and very stable in heavy weather. Admittedly the narrow beam does mean that the accommodation may not be quite as roomy as many newer boats but the interiors of the 60's and early 70's boats can be very warm and inviting, with lots of polished woodwork. The models listed above have all proven that they are built to last. They have proven performance and represent a value for money way to get in to yachting. And last but not least they have that special charm that leads many people to describe them as GRP classics.

Contact Andy Manning at Boatshed Brighton for more info on GRP cruising classics

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