I have limited use with the 130 so I have yet to be full confidant in my use in it but it was good with 5-10 knot winds, below 5 knots, it did not matter how much sail I had up. From the very begining I like the 110 but that was because I could easily work with it. I guess part of the problem is that 130 is still new and stiff, making handling a challenge for me on putting up and getting it down. Hopefully with use it will become easier to use. jklee
52 2008-07-14 15:09:33
Re: 180 genoa (11 replies, posted in Sails & Rigging)
From all the roller furlers I have worked with, I have furled them all the way out and points in between depending on the wind conditions. A 180 is a lot of sail but on those days with little wind, it is nice to have. I have a 130 and 110 hank-on sails (latter I am having resown, as it is the original sail to the boat) and have used the 110 alone in 15-20 knot winds and felt safe. I just got the 130 last summer and it worked well but I was not in any wind over 12 knots. Unsure why your sail is not a true furler type. jklee
53 2008-06-15 13:35:25
Re: Refurbishment of Morava (17 replies, posted in Repairs/Modifications/Upgrades)
I think you'll still have to rob a bank, buy the winning lottery, work 48 hours in a 24 hour day and still sit on the corner with you tin cup to get all of this paid for. It is costing me enough just to buy yhe new gaskets for my two hatches to stop that leak. If you do this, please do a before, after and during photos of all this work. This will make a great to-do book for Contessa 26 site. Sorry for not being more helpful, since I am on Lake Erie - USA side, but maybe tie in with those that work on the Spirit of Canada these day (can remember the marina name). Good luck! jklee
54 2008-06-12 13:41:36
Re: BIKA suggests CO26 Gathering in May (7 replies, posted in Cruising)
Can you be so nice and take photos of the event for those of us unable to wonder north for the enjoyable time. jklee
55 2008-06-08 16:15:46
Re: auto bilge pump installation (7 replies, posted in Repairs/Modifications/Upgrades)
Though this is an old thread, though it does has some info for me. I am in the market to buy a blige pump. The guy at the marina told me to get the floating switch. I hate to make a mess of this, but I am looking at "Rule 8000" 800gph with a Rule-A-Matic Switch. Is this a good combination? Has anyone got any other ideas? Is there anything else I need? Thanks a head of time for any help given. jklee
56 2008-05-27 17:01:21
Re: Image Gallery Added! (11 replies, posted in Site Support/Comments)
Adrian, Unsure what I did wrong but I got a "Return Value 127" when I tried to upload a pics. . . help? jklee
57 2008-05-27 16:48:40
Re: Spring Start-up (17 replies, posted in General Questions/Comments)
I do the same thing with the main sail, just that boom is usually over the water, thus the tail end of the sail usually finds the water while I am racing to tie up the forward and mid points of the sail. Once these two ties are secured, I then pull in the boom and tie up the usually wet 1/3 of the sail. I do this via heave-to method, thus the boom is over the water. The mast is in a track while the boom is loose footed.
I have a photo of what I was thinking for the battery set-up. jklee
58 2008-05-26 15:02:04
Re: Spring Start-up (17 replies, posted in General Questions/Comments)
Well, it has been a few weeks since I was last at my boat, but this weekend found me cleaning and polishing the hull and other odds and ends. A couple of thoughts were on my mind that I wanted to ask the group. 1- has anyone used lazy-jacks and if so how did they like them? I have 2+2 battens on my main sail. I am thinking this way as I mainly sail solo and I yet to learn to douse the mail sail without pulling it out of the water. And 2- has any one fitted their battery under the steps and how did they hold it down? I have a good idea of what to do but wondering what others thought. Still hoping for a mid-June launch. I hope everyone has a great weekend. jklee
59 2008-04-27 17:13:48
Topic: Spring Start-up (17 replies, posted in General Questions/Comments)
Well, after a long winter and spring fire season, I finally got up to my boat for the first time. I pulled off the traps and there before me was my Contessa 26 wondering what took me so long! Did I not not know how much clearing she needed inside and out plus there are the repairs I need to start working on. So I looked at the deck and the coal dust from the local power plant was all over the boat, even with the traps on, so I figured the boat needed a good rainstorm before I took on that job. Thus, I went below and started wipping down everything and thought about what I needed to do just to get her in the water by mid-June at the latest. I did find someone three boats down that will re-stritch my old 110 genoa for me, one job down by days end.
Sadly to say, our Marina did not have a good winter, as a storm pushed Lake Erie higher then piling thus the docks got loose and when the water dropped, the docks ended up on top of the pilings and tore then up. There are docking section all over the marina in a state of repairs.
So, how was everyones spring cleaning going? It has been pretty quiet lately, even from me.
jklee
60 2008-03-30 17:25:58
Re: wiring gauge (9 replies, posted in Technical)
Sorry for not being around earlier. I have been busy with family history stuff.
Anyway, I think you might think I was crazy but inside the mast is a plastic housing that slipped up a T-shape guide (or whatever) that held the original wires. Because I had more wire to put up the mast, I bought 3 8-ft pvc 1-inch diameter and cut a slit into them (3-times to get wide enough). This took days as all I had was my leatherman to do the cutting the straight line! Once I was done, I pushed these up the mast on the other empty T-guide (other side of the mast) then ran the top mast wiring up it. The original plastic housing was used for the running light (mid-mast) only. This project took 3 of my weekends last year as I needed help at times to get everything together. I will try and put photos of this in the gallery. Hope this helps, jklee
61 2008-03-30 17:13:28
Re: How old are your sails? (55 replies, posted in Sails & Rigging)
Yes, I got my sails and the 2 reef points I thing is the way to go. We are just pleasure boat sailors not racers in my book and it is one less then to think about. jklee
62 2008-03-30 17:10:54
Re: Sail Weight (5 replies, posted in Sails & Rigging)
My 130% and working 80% are both 6.5 oz while my storm jibe is 8oz. I got my from Scotts sails, you can find them on the internet. jklee
63 2007-11-19 13:29:46
Re: Well, I am boatless (14 replies, posted in General Questions/Comments)
I am sorry to hear this news. If there is anything I can do to help you out, please get a hold of me. Lake Ontario will not be the same without you and your family on it. jklee
64 2007-10-29 08:09:16
Re: Stemhead / Anchor Arrangements (8 replies, posted in Repairs/Modifications/Upgrades)
Okay, can you tell me the different between a bolt-on roller and non-bolt-on roller. I am starting to think next years projects. jklee
65 2007-10-26 15:52:47
Re: Stemhead / Anchor Arrangements (8 replies, posted in Repairs/Modifications/Upgrades)
I have an old photo (see gallery) from Shannon with an anchor setup I like but not sure how to go about finding the parts to make it. Is this what your thinking about? jklee
66 2007-09-20 09:11:32
Re: Rogers Contessa that has been LOVED (16 replies, posted in Repairs/Modifications/Upgrades)
Still, what started this thread, is still a really nice boat and I love to sail it to other far off harbors just to show off! Maybe the Toronto boatshow can get it to let us see it. I do have dreams this late fall and next spring of redoing my cabin but mainly to make things more open and keeping stuff from flying around inside the cabin when in rough seas. jklee
67 2007-09-20 02:43:36
Re: Rogers Contessa that has been LOVED (16 replies, posted in Repairs/Modifications/Upgrades)
I just read someplace that Beneteau's and the likes are just moving hotel rooms from one anchor spot to the next and the sailing part is only to get you there. Thus sailing is not what pulls people to these boats, so being a well made sailing boat is not what these boats are all about. Myself, that is why I got a sailing boat, to sail and someday over the ocean blues. jklee
68 2007-09-18 14:37:31
Re: Rogers Contessa that has been LOVED (16 replies, posted in Repairs/Modifications/Upgrades)
If they made a Contessa 26 for 70,000 pounds, that would make it $115,000+ USD and $140,000+CND. A 34 foot Beneteau cost that much with all the fancy stuff on it. So I have a hard time with this cost. My guess is that they want the same profit that the big boats give. That is why car companies want to sell SUV's and big truck and not compact cars, bigger profit margin. Though with a small market and start up cost being so high . . . . , I am glad I have my CO26. jklee
69 2007-09-16 14:45:46
Re: Rogers Contessa that has been LOVED (16 replies, posted in Repairs/Modifications/Upgrades)
Actually, did love as it was sold but the new owner has a really beautiful boat. It is truly amazing work that was put into it. ~jklee
70 2007-09-12 11:59:10
Re: SPAM (1 replies, posted in General Questions/Comments)
I see someone made it through your latest and greatest system. If we could just harness these people energy, the world would not need all the oil from middle east. Even hamster use less energy when running on their wheels! I hope you the best on keeping these spammers off our webpage. ~jklee
71 2007-09-11 08:36:39
Re: Tacking Angle (5 replies, posted in Boat handling / Performance)
That is about right at times. I have sailed on other types of boats and the tack is between 90-120. After the tack, depending on the wind, I can close-haul between 35-50. Hope this helps. ~jklee
72 2007-09-09 10:35:12
Topic: muffer / exhaust system (1 replies, posted in Repairs/Modifications/Upgrades)
Due to an earlier mistake, I discovered that I had a meltdown of my muffer, in part. I have hunted down a replacement part from Hamilton Marine but wanted to know if anyone has bought something different. My old muffer system is/was: Vetus LP45 waterlock type 4 LP system. To replace it I get a Vet-Wlock L45R. The two models look the same along with dimensions but the new one would have a rotating inlet open to fit two different hose design/layout. My engine is BUKH DV 8 ME if that is need to know info. When I was working on my water cooling system the boat yard hand was surprised to see a plastic muffer system as water started to squirted out of it when we started up the engine to test the new water inpeller, the meltdown part. The meltdown did wonders for going into the cabin with blue smoke while the engine is running. Any, is there a better muffer system, non-plastic, out there that fits our little boat and is it worth getting? I was just wondering before I put in my oder. Thanks, ~jklee
73 2007-09-03 14:07:24
Re: Shroud swivels (5 replies, posted in Sails & Rigging)
Okay, I have the oppose problem. When the last owner re-rigged the boat, they made lower shrouds too short. I can barely get them to show up through the turn buckle, thus I cannot get a pin through them to keep them from loosing. Outside of buying new ones, they are on the list of things to buy, is there a way to fix the problem temperarily? I just finally got the boat in the water and the mast put back on. ~jklee
74 2007-09-03 13:19:51
Re: Contessa 26 Drawings (16 replies, posted in Technical)
This past weekend I spent time working on my boat and found something I wish was made different, toe-rail. CO26 has a solid one so water has to go the whole way down the boat before spilling off. When wishing the boat that makes life a pain. Also, the toe-rail with many opening can also be used to help tie stuff down on desk, like a large genoa, especially in the front of the boat. A second thought, when building the inside with wood, please leave gaps when 2 board come together. I spent an hour having to sand and cut away 1/8-1/4 inch off one piece just so it would fit back in place. That made my morning today. Hope this helps, ~jklee
75 2007-08-30 13:27:45
Re: Contessa 26 Drawings (16 replies, posted in Technical)
Yes, the seedler design and others design for storage behind the stove and the sink that would be more open but keeps everything in its place while heeling over plus a sliding door system along the bunk/couch shelves too also keep everything in its places. I like the extra battery option as I have been looking it to this problem w/o a solution. The post 1983 boom for reefing needs re-thinking as my rope claps will not stay open now. The top of the mast on my boat is not flat which created problems when I was tring to put a tri-light, radio antanna and windpix on top, so please flatten it again. Oh yes, having large conduit/pvc tubing running up the mast for extra wiring projects would be nice as I spend days dealing with problem when re-wiring my mast. Unsure about this, but a better traveller system for the mailsail. I had to make one for the boat. The ideas above would also be great improvements to a future Contessa 26. ~jklee