Design Brief & Intent
The Comet 850 was specifically envisioned as a fast family cruiser capable of handling the fickle, often light-to-moderate breezes of the Adriatic and Tyrrhenian seas. At the time of its launch, it sat below the larger, more race-oriented Comet 910 in Comar’s lineup. However, Finot’s design was so efficient that it actively competed with larger models by packing what felt like nine-meter comfort into an 8.5-meter platform. This volume-forward approach distinguished the Comet 850 from contemporary competitors of the era, which often prioritized narrower, more traditional lines at the expense of interior accommodation.
The character of the interior reflected this space-maximizing philosophy, utilizing high-quality traditional Italian joinery and a clever layout. Below deck, the boat offers a warm, functional environment with a classic V-berth forward, a central salon with a convertible dining table that drops to form a double berth, a starboard galley, a dedicated marine head compartment, and a portside quarter berth. This practical configuration made the boat highly habitable for up to six people, though it was ideally suited for a family of four embarking on multi-week coastal cruises.
Variations & Configurations
Throughout its production run, the Comet 850 remained highly standardized in its primary internal arrangement, but Comar did offer key engineering variations to suit different sailing regions. The standard boat came equipped with a cast-iron fin keel drawing 1.60 meters, which provided an optimal balance of hydrodynamic lift and stability. For owners sailing in shallow estuaries or draft-restricted lagoons, the shipyard offered a shoal-draft variant drawing approximately 1.30 meters, though this compromise naturally reduced the boat's upwind pointing ability.
In terms of the sail plan, the standard configuration featured a masthead sloop rig with a mast height of 10.20 meters. For racing-oriented buyers or those sailing in consistently light-air venues, a tall-rig option was made available with a mast height of 10.60 meters, boosting the sail area. The legacy of the 850 culminated in 1983 with the launch of the Comet 860, which utilized the same high-performing hull form but featured an updated, more modern coachroof profile and premium interior joinery upgrades, reflecting the evolution of Comar's brand toward a higher-end clientele.
Sailing Performance & Handling
With a design optimized by Groupe Finot, the Comet 850 is a lively and predictable performer on all points of sail. It features a moderate displacement-to-length ratio of 265.9, reflecting its solid fiberglass hull construction and moderate-weight cruising ethos. Its sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 19.36 indicates a generous and powerful sail plan that allows the boat to easily ghost through light summer calms where heavier cruisers of the era would stall.
This performance is supported by a ballast-to-displacement ratio of 36.66 percent, providing excellent initial stiffness. At the helm, the 850 quickly finds its shoulder at roughly 20 degrees of heel, where the cast-iron keel effectively counters heeling forces. Jean-Marie Finot’s signature hull shape carries a wide beam aft, creating a teardrop waterline that ensures a high level of form stability. While this wide stern results in impressive cabin space, it does make the boat somewhat sensitive on a reach when over-canvassed, requiring prompt reefing to prevent the spade rudder from losing grip. In tight quarters, the balanced spade rudder and short keel enable exceptional maneuverability, though backing under power requires a firm hand on the tiller to handle sudden prop wash and rudder swing.
Market Snapshot & Economics
Decades after its final production run, the Comet 850 occupies an endearing and highly economical niche in the European brokerage market. It remains primarily concentrated in Italy, France, and Croatia, where it is regarded as an excellent entry-level cruiser. The boat historically commands a small premium over generic pocket cruisers of its era due to the prestige of the Comar name and the design pedigree of Groupe Finot, yet it trades at a highly accessible absolute value.
Prospective buyers should approach these vessels with realistic refit expectations. Because the purchase price is modest, major projects such as repowering with a modern diesel engine, full osmosis peeling, or purchasing a new suite of sails can easily match or exceed the market value of the hull. However, because of the boat’s structural simplicity and active owner networks, it remains a highly viable candidate for DIY restoration, holding its residual value well once modernized.
Known Issues & Triage
When surveying a classic Comet 850, there are several age-related vulnerabilities that demand close examination. The original auxiliary propulsion typically consisted of small, vibrating Farymann or Bukh single-cylinder diesel engines, for which parts are now exceedingly scarce and expensive. The spade rudder is another key focal point, as water ingress over decades can rust the internal steel armature, and the upper and lower rudder stock bushings frequently develop significant play or slop. On the hard, a surveyor should check for play by physically shaking the rudder blade.
Additionally, the cockpit drainage system has a documented design quirk where deteriorated hoses can allow bilge water or rainwater to migrate into the port aft locker near the fuel tank. Under sail, the boat's drainage geometry requires attention; if the galley sink or marine head seacocks are left open on a hard heel to starboard, water can back up into the cabin. Finally, standard wear-and-tear items include leaking deck hatches and deteriorated chainplate seals, which must be re-bedded to prevent moisture from reaching the load-bearing bulkheads.
Modernization & Upgrades
To keep these classic pocket cruisers viable for modern cruising, veteran owners frequently undertake targeted upgrades. The most impactful of these is a complete engine repower, often replacing the outdated, raw-water-cooled Farymann engines with modern, freshwater-cooled twin-cylinder diesels from Yanmar or Nanni. These modern drivetrains run smoother, offer improved fuel economy, and fit well within the compact engine bay.
In the electrical department, owners regularly swap out the original minimal wiring for contemporary marine panels, moving the house battery bank out of the damp, engine-adjacent bilge areas. To support off-grid domestic loads like 12-volt refrigeration and navigation electronics, retrofitting a 50-watt to 100-watt solar panel on the coachroof or on a custom stern arch is now a common modification. Finally, installing an electric anchor windlass on the foredeck has become a popular upgrade, though this typically requires reinforcing the underlying deck laminate and fiberglassing a backing plate inside the anchor locker to handle the structural loads.
The Verdict
The Comet 850 stands as a triumph of late-1970s naval architecture, demonstrating that a sub-nine-meter pocket cruiser can deliver legitimate offshore safety, comfortable family accommodations, and sparkling light-air performance. It is a forgiving, structurally sound, and characterful vessel that represents the very best of Comar's golden era. For the budget-conscious sailor or DIY enthusiast looking to explore coastal waters in a boat with true pedigree, the Comet 850 remains an unmatched classic.
Pros
- Generous interior volume and headroom that rival many nine-meter yachts of the same era.
- Sparkling light-air performance and high initial stability due to the Finot hull design.
- Solid fiberglass hull construction that resists structural fatigue and provides a reassuring feel in a seaway.
- Extremely active European owner associations and readily available historical documentation.
- Highly maneuverable under sail and easy to single-hand.
Cons
- Original Farymann and Bukh engines are noisy, vibrate heavily, and replacement parts are difficult to source.
- Spade rudder assembly is prone to bushing wear and requires periodic rebuilding.
- Rudder can become heavy and sensitive if the boat is over-canvassed on a reach.
- Drains in the galley and head can backflow on a hard tack if seacocks are left open.
- Sizable refits like engine replacements can easily exceed the overall market value of the vessel.
