Designed in 1972 as a scaled-up Carter 30, the 33 hails from Greece – one of the first mass-produced yachts built in Europe. Early models used large amounts of plywood in the cockpit area, but later boats were all glass. There were two rig options: a 50m2 racing rig, which performs well, and a shorter, rather underpowered 45.5m2 cruising rig, which suffers from lee helm in light airs. The propshaft on some boats is offset to one side, making her heavy to steer under power. She offers seven berths in a conventional 1970s-style cabin layout, with galley to port, chart table to starboard and heads forward of the mast. A lot of Carter 33s are found in the Med, at an attractive price,
but a thorough survey is a must and prospective buyers would be wise to insist on a sea trial before doing the deal. But if you find a good one, she will look after you at sea and give you a lot of space down below for your money.

LOA 9.9m (32ft 7in), LWL 7.9m (25ft 9in), beam 3.4m (11ft 2in), draught 1.7m (5ft 5in),
displacement 4,680kg (10,318lb). YM Test Report April 2002.