Design and Construction
Comar built the 801 in solid fiberglass with a fin keel, and the yard offered the model with different keel alternatives during the run. The fin-keel version draws about 1.45 to 1.55 meters dependent on load, while an unknown keel-type version reaches roughly 1.53 to 1.63 meters; both figures keep her into all but the shallowest marina entrances. Displacement is 2,000 kg with 700 kg of ballast, giving a stiff, manageable platform for short-handed coastal work. The wetted surface runs about 20 square meters, and the immersion rate of 136 kg/cm (766 lbs/inch) tells you how little she settles under crew and stores — a useful number when judging load capacity on a used example.
Rig and Sail Plan
The 801 carries a masthead sloop rig. The working sail plan is modest: an 11 m² mainsail, a 22 m² jib, and a light genoa of the same 22 m², with a 17 m² intermediate genoa and a 6 m² storm jib for heavy air. Offwind, a 23 m² reacher and a 50 m² light spinnaker extend the range. Sheet sizing is thoroughly documented — jib and genoa sheets run 7.6 meters at 10 mm diameter, the mainsheet is 19.1 meters, and spinnaker sheets are 16.8 meters, all 10 mm — so a new owner can re-rig to spec without guesswork.
Accommodations
The beamy hull is the headline. At 2.84 length-to-beam, the 801 uses width rather than length to create volume, and the comparison placing her ahead of 69% of similar sailboats in spaciousness is a direct consequence of that proportion rather than a loose compliment. Below, the broad floorplan reads as a small boat that punches above its 7.80 meters for weekending.
The Verdict
The Comet 801 is a Finot-designed, Comar-built small cruiser that trades length for beam to win interior room, backed by a documented sail range and a known keel-draft envelope. She is a sensible used-market entry for sailors who want a solid-glass Finot without the size or cost of the later 850 or 1000.
Pros
- Beam-driven interior room exceeding most comparable designs
- Multiple keel options with shoal-draft capability
- Fully documented sheet and sail-area spec for easy re-rigging
Cons
- Small overall size limits offshore range
- Unknown keel variant has less certain documentation
