Contrast 33 Buyer's Guide
The Contrast 33 is a late-seventies Rolf Magnusson design built in Sweden by Contrastbåtar AB and a few other yards, with home-completion kits sold alongside factory boats. Around 240 were produced from 1979. For a shopper in the brokerage market, the key is separating factory-finished examples from owner-completed shells and verifying systems on each individual hull.
Layouts on the Used Market
The boat carries three cabins and six berths with a mahogany interior, a galley, and a toilet. The 10-foot-1-inch beam gives a roomier belowdecks feel than many 33-footers of the period. Because some were sold as kits, a used 33 may show owner-installed bulkheads, wiring, or plumbing that differs from the production standard — the layout may be intact while the execution is not.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Engines vary across the fleet. One documented configuration is a freshwater-cooled Volvo Penta MD7B two-cylinder diesel with a 120S saildrive, later replaced in 2011 on that hull, and a folding propeller. Other boats carry a Yanmar 2GM/SD20 with saildrive. Tankage runs 65 liters of water plus 20 in the heater, 35 liters of fuel, and 55 liters of septic. A buyer should confirm which engine and drive is present, as the Volvo and Yanmar figures and transmissions differ.
What to Inspect
The single documented fleet-wide caveat is the home-completion program: some Contrast 33s left the factory as kits and were finished by their owners, so hull-to-deck joint quality, interior tabbing, and system wiring may not match production standards. At a viewing, open the liner and inspect bulkhead tabbing for gaps or soft spots, trace the electrical runs for non-marine connectors, and confirm the keel bolt bedding is original and dry. On any example, verify the engine is the noted Volvo Penta MD7B or Yanmar 2GM/SD20 and that the saildrive seals are sound, since a failed seal is a flooding path.
Buyer's Takeaway
- Confirm whether the hull was factory- or home-completed
- Inspect bulkhead tabbing and hull-deck joint for owner-built variance
- Verify engine model, saildrive condition, and tank capacities
- Check keel bolt bedding for corrosion or weepage
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Contrast 33. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 2 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 26 | 1 | $27,283 | — |
| Jul 26 | 1 | $38,713 | +41.9% |
Where they're listed
Contrast 33 listings appear across 2 countries. Denmark has the most listings with 1 (50.0%), followed by Sweden.
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
5 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comfortina 35 | 35.83' | $ 121,924 | 26 | 5 |
| Conyplex 33 | 32.25' | $ 24,500 | 13 | 2 |
| Scanmar 35 | 35.1' | $ 38,000 | 13 | 5 |
| C&C 32 | 31.5' | $ 21,759 | 12 | 4 |
| Contrast 33You are here | — | $ 32,976 | 2 | 1 |