An unavoidable issue with the newer boats on this list is that many of them are built with interior fiberglass hull liners to save money on construction. Does anyone know her name and the book title, please? Because of the nature and origins of this design, the Contessa 26 has a narrow beam and limited elbow room down below. About 389 built between 1975-84. Apparently some 300 MKI and MKII versions were built between 1962-67 but I noticed only two were on the market when I did a google search in January 2009. Ballast: 3,800 lbs. Circumnavigation Books.
Some have optional outboard well in lazarette and the others would be suitable to make the conversion yourself. Follow along as Wave Rover starts her solo ocean voyage of 1100 Nm from Horta in the Azores to Calero in the Canaries. Rig height varied by 4-foot for heavy and light air versions. Sail area: 500 sq. You can always cut away non-structural portions of the liner to gain the access needed but good luck on getting rid of a roach infestation on a linered boat with many inaccessible areas. [1] Rigged as a masthead sloop, with a deep keel and a hull-mounted rudder, the Contessa 26 was launched in 1966 and early boats proved to be very successful racers, including long-distance events. The Rogers boat works built approximately 350 Contessa 26s from 1966 to 1977, after which the moulds were sold to Chris Carrington of Maclan Marine, Lymington, who produced a few more during 1977/8. Minuses: If you dont particularly need the shallow draft, the bilge plates along with full keel add drag reducing sailing efficiency. Ballast: 3,100 lbs. Minuses: Expensive. The boats on this list range from inexpensive moderate displacement classic coastal cruiser/racer designs like the Pearson Ariel 26 to the heavy, more traditional, more expensive boats like the Westsail 32 designed for comfortable and safe offshore voyaging even in heavy weather. Minuses: Lots of exterior wood to maintain even on the fiberglass version. Worst features: Low coach roof and narrow beam give the cabin a closed-in feeling. Around 1970 there were several changes made including going to a fiberglass interior hull liner, adding a molded fiberglass toe rail with teak cap instead of an all teak toe rail, and improved mast step reinforcement. Despite my own preference as a sailor who makes the effort to sail rather when others find it more convenient to motor, most sailors prefer to have the ample power and ability to motor in more adverse conditions that comes with an inboard diesel over the limitations of an outboard motor. Since the Jesse Martin voyage, records claimed for the youngest person to circumnavigate the world are not recognized by the World Sailing Speed Record Council, nor by any other formal council. Some 2,500 were built from 1969-80. More info:https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/h-28-herreshoff. Rare, expensive and heavy. Before 1970 the weak laminated mast support deck beams usually need extra support added.
Also, their long production runs mean there are always some available on the market. Ballast: 3,000 lbs. Our English friend, Tony Curphey, completed a circumnavigation in his folkboat in the 1990s. Several versions available, including the Seafarer with more beam and draft in later models. Headroom 59. I realize there are many other capable designs and that other sailors will disagree with my preferences. Up to about 40 of these pocket cruisers were built mostly in Taiwan around the early 1980s. LOD: 2410 LWL: 18 Beam: 73 Draft: 3 Displacement: 4,000 lbs. internal lead. Ballast: 1,800 lbs. I might further subdivide them as follows:26-30-foot pocket cruiser21-25-foot mini-cruiser20-foot and under micro-cruiserA category not on this list are trailer-sailers that are generally under 5,000 lbs. Minuses: Recessed deck anchor locker on some boats does not allow storage space for long rode or anchor windlass but it can be converted to a standard chain locker below deck similar to what I described in my Columbia 8.7 refit article. Chain plates are mere 8mm U-bolts bolted through the deck to hull flange in the European style and although most boats have not had problems with them, some have so you might consider adding external chain plates. Now if the Contessa 26 is the same as what was offered in Australia in the 1970's then I would prefer to be on that than a McGregor 26. Total sail area: 363 sq. Much has been written about the Contessa 26. More info:https://sailboat.guide/rawson/30, LOA:36 LOD:31 LWL:276 Beam:96 Draft:46 Displacement:15,835 lbs. LOA:2811 LWL: 207 Beam:811 Draft: 47 Displacement: about 7,800 Ballast: 3,003 lbs. J.J. Taylors built another 400 or so boats, originally being sold as Contessa 26s, but after 1984 being called J J Taylor 26s - some of these later boats had a slightly modified deck moulding with an enlarged 'hump' by the hatchway to give greater headroom, and a slightly revised interior layout, although the hull always remained the same.
General Comments: Over 3,400 of these boats were built in Sweden between the mid 1960s to 1979. Minuses: Heavy and slow in light airs, particularly to windward. for easy towing, road legal beam of less than 8 (or 86 covers most states), hinged mast steps for easy mast raising, and shoal draft under about 3-foot or swing keel for ease of launching. More info: https://sailingmagazine.net/article-2125-pacific-seacraft-orion-27.html. ft. cutter. 363 built between 1976-86. lead. ft. General Comments: Alberg design. But a smaller, less-complex boat will give you as much or more pleasure and is safer to sail in most situations. Ep. At some point you may want to put your boat on a trailer to refit in your backyard and as I mentioned earlier this becomes difficult or costly for boats over 30-foot and 10,000 lbs.
Partial fiberglass liner inside with chainplates bolted through solid fiberglass rather than wood knees or plywood bulkheads. Pluses: Exquisite design details and quality Morris construction. Post by admin Mon May 04, 2020 8:39 pm Minuses: Expensive. Minuses: Limited numbers were built and not many are on the market. Blue Heron is a good example of this rugged yet comfortable pocket blue water racer/cruiser. Its just the right size: small enough to single hand, but big enough to take 4 or 5 people for a weekend or weeks cruise. Pluses:63 headroom if you happen to need it. ft sloop 100% foretriangle. A final word of advice to the novice sailor resist the temptation to undertake a major refit and extensive modifications on your new old boat right at the start. external iron or 2,750 lbs. LOA: 28 LWL: about 22 Beam: about 8 Draft: 46 Displacement: 7,850 lbs. The list, though incomplete, is aimed at helping those who have asked me for recommendations on buying a small boat for cruising and potential offshore voyaging. Engine Various Sail area: sq. The Contessa 26 was drawn up in 1965 by Jeremy Rodgers, whod built Folkboats for a number of years, and David Sadler, who had ideas on how to improve the design. Pluses: A good size overhanging transom permits a custom tilt-up outboard well installation in lazarette but some modification of cockpit is required. ft. General Comments: Thomas Gilmer design built by Allied Boat Company of New York. ft. General Comments:Bill Luders design built in Hong Kong. Some differences between cruising model, dinette model and the weekender that has shortened cabin and too large a cockpit for offshore. Minuses: Some of these boats lack opening ports, reducing ventilation. LOA: 346 LOD: 31 LWL: 25 Beam: 96 Draft: 46 Displacement: 13,600 lb. Once youve found your boat, now go challenge your distant sea! internal lead. About 42 built by Morris Yachts, also called the Morris 26. General Comments:Alberg design. Minuses: Many have wooden spars that require more vigilance and maintenance than aluminum. On Watch: Chuckling Our Way Around the World. Most were fitted with inboard engines. ft. (100% foretriangle), General Comments: This UK built boats shallow draft and ability to stand upright on her twin keels may be a priority for some sailors which is why I made an exception to this lists modified full keel requirement and included it here. (early models before hull #383 external lead, later models encapsulated lead.) At any rate, make a list of your own requirements in a boat, such as cost, draft, amount of headroom needed below deck, inboard or outboard engine and so on. Ballast: 4,200 lbs. LOA: Just under 32 including pulpit and outboard hung rudder. A downwind flyer, some 160 boats were built in a 16-year production run that began in 1972. More info:http://www.cheoyleeassociation.com/N_CadetMain.html, LOD: 27 LWL: 21 Beam: 8 Draft: 3 Displacement: 7,000 lbs. For a boat to become legendary, it doesnt have to be particularly fast or of groundbreaking design. Sail area: 377 sq. internal lead. Sail area: 370 sq. Ballast: 2,400 lbs. 184 built between 1981-85. Low freeboard gives a wet ride in rough conditions. Pluses: Proven circumnavigator. Ballast: 3,019 lbs. Although small double-ender designs such as this are a good candidate for going engineless with a sculling oar or pair of sweeps or an electric inboard if you dont require more than a couple hours motoring between charges of the battery bank, the only other option is to keep the inboard diesel. Sail area: 340 sq. Down below, the boat has a V-berth forward and a small head and hanging locker aft of that. Rigged as a masthead sloop, with a deep keel and a hull-mounted rudder, the first Contessa 26 was launched in 1966. More info:Tartan Owners Group. ft. General Comments: Over 900 hulls built by Hallberg-Rassy in Sweden between 1974-82. Minuses: Expensive. 510 headroom in salon and galley. Minuses: Headroom is limited to about 5 feet. Apparently most came with wheel steering though some have a tiller. More info:Tripp 29.
The boat has more than expected stowage area. [2], The Contessa 26 was first manufactured by Jeremy Rogers in Lymington, England in 1966. Ballast: cast iron. Ballast: 3,950 lbs. early and 4,100 lbs. Right away, the Contessa 26 proved itself a strong, seaworthy vessel. Details at:http://www.southerncross-boats.org/. In most cases you can convert back to tiller. Re: Keel depth in Contessa 26 I think the moulds sent to Canada included a self draining cockpit, most of the Uk ones don't. If I remember he started building ply cold molded international folkboats then sawed the bottom keel flat so it would sit upright and jacked the hull apart to increase beam and displacement then made a new top. Four decades later, the popular and widely loved vessel is still safely taking sailors to the far reaches of the globe. Ballast:3,500 lbs. Ballast: 3,500 lbs. Minuses: Boats built prior to 1978 had plastic ports instead of bronze and no bridgedeck, with low companionway entrance that is best modified for safer offshore passages. Choosing one winner proved difficult so the final design was effectively decided by committee and Tord Sundn was commissioned to draw a boat based upon designs from Sweden's Jac Iversen and Denmark's Kned Olsen. And dont forget to keep at least 50% of your boat fund in reserve for the inevitable cost overruns on a fitting out project. Ballast: 2,500 lbs encapsulated lead. Pluses: 62 headroom. Ryan Langley is a 19-year-old adventurer, sailor, writer, and musician from Port Angeles, Washington. Not the fastest on the lake, but it will get up and go in all but the lightest air. Sloop rig. An outboard motor under 10 HP is far less costly to replace and maintain than a diesel and provides adequate thrust for boats under 30-foot. LOA: 3110 LOD: 306 LWL: 242 Beam: 910 Draft: 4/411 shoal option/standard full keel.
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Tiller or wheel options. Ballast: 2,750 lbs. Another set of moulds was shipped to Canada, where they were built until 1990 under licence by J. J. Taylor & Sons Ltd. of Toronto. A boat any larger than around 30-foot and 5 tons means significantly bigger, heavier, more expensive gear, higher maintenance costs and more labor to maintain and operate. LOA: 31 LOD: 27 LWL: 25 Beam: 8 Draft: 310 Displacement: 8,100 lbs. The proportions seem just right. Most were powered by two-cylinder 15-hp Volvo diesels that may be reaching the end of their lifespan. Ballast:3,750 lbs. Pluses: Proven circumnavigator. (2,449 kg.) Ballast: 1,900 lbs. More info:https://veronaleslie.wordpress.com/category/vancouver-25s/. More info: https://www.spinsheet.com/boat-reviews/westerly-centaur-26-used-boat-review.