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The Contessa Corner → Posts by jcfoto
Hi Suzeh,
I have an instruction in text form from the folks at Force 10 but it's for the cabin heater which by the way has the same operating instructions as the stove. I'll e-mail that to you right away. One advice, however, is that I would take the stove home and experiment with it's functions until and find out if it's safe to use then re-install it in the boat. They work really well, by the way, and I use mine all the time. Enjoy!
José
Hey Sue!
Let me be the firs to congratulate you on your new Contessa. From what you described to be, she's quite the catch.
May you log at least a thousand nautical miles on your first season with her. Your life will never be quite the same again. Enjoy the ride!
José
Thanks for sharing the process with us, Stefan. It's always very intimidating to even ponder giving any boat a paint job so this gives us all a much appreciated glimpse of what to do and expect. Will you be ready to sail by next spring? I'm itching to have a closer look at your Contessa and perhaps we could have a CO26 Rendezvous in and around the Thousand Islands next season.
Good luck with the rest of the process.
José
Count me in. I'll bring a camera to snap a few for the site. Hey! I might even sail there! We'll see how much time I have to spare.
José (the other one! ;-))
and4ew,
stefan_d would be the best bet for that answer. Just out of curiosity, were you using GPS or the traditional dead reckoning when you miscalculated your bearings? Hope you're back in the water soon thereafter. Best Regards.
José
I think that if we can get either a very informal lecture venue or just a few of us even to meet BIKA in Toronto, then that would make my very dismal summer (sailing wise) perk up just a hair. I'll probably want to sail to Toronto from Hamilton, ON but I'm not sure about the Labour Day Weekend coming up. How long are you staying in Toronto? You could even contact the organizers for the Toronto Boat Show and get a lecture series started and perhaps refill your coffers for the trip ahead. By the way my e-mail if it doesn't work through this site is: jcfoto@mountaincable.net. We could discuss a few options.
José
Hello Henrik and Nina!
Give us a more comprehensive itinerary for the month and perhaps we could base our boat meet around your schedule and perhaps a talk would be possible at the same time. Perhaps a boat meet at Toronto Island could garner an even bigger crowd for the meet/talk.
Looking forward to your response and everybody else on the forum who would be interested.
José
Hi Group!
Could somebody post or e-mail me a line drawing (port and starboard views and please include all blocks, clutches, etc. to the cockpit) of a single line reefing system for both reefs #1 and reef #2? I've seen many variations on the theme and I was just wondering what all of you have for your Contessas. By the way, I don't have a loose footed main but I did discover a couple of opening at the foot of the sail directly below the #1 and #2 reef points on the leech which I'm sure serves to attach each reef point to the boom. Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I hope everyone's having a fabulous sailing season thus far. See you all next month? Maybe?
José
Welcome back Shannon! Glad to hear that things worked out in the end.
Hey Stefan! What's the skinny with your project? Does it float? Have you gone a couple of rounds with it in the river? I'd be interested to see some updated pics. Updates please!! Haven't heard from you for a while. Welcome back as well.
José
Hey Jose!
You can bunk with the cruising spinnaker in the V-Berth. Have we set a date and location? Am I picking you up at some port along the way? Looking forward to it. Again, just let me know when and where.
Cheers!
José
Hi Guys,
I'm definitely game for a rendezvous. It doesn't matter if it's in Kingston/Thousand Islands or Bronte. Just give the dates and I'll be there. Looking forward to seeing those who can make it. Those who won't have a boat has an option to sail with me. Again, just let me know.
José
Peter,
Thanks for the pics and advice on the positioning of the pilot pin on the tiller. I e-mailed you regarding what kind of fasteners you used for the pedestal/post which connects the tiller pilot to the boat. Did you reinforce the post with a wood backing below the fiberglass deck complete with a washers and a nut or did you use self tapping screws with the wood reinforcement on top of the fiberglass and directly below the post unit? The reason I'm asking is that I've tried reaching to where the post is supposed to go as you've illustrated with your posted pics and I need another 5 inches added to my arm to comfortably install anything below the deck. Any advise regarding this is much appreciated.
José
p.s. Thanks also to bilgeret for he response but I'm just scratching my head on how the tiller accessory bracket and post could cost as much as the tiller pilot itself? Just wondering......
Hi Adrian,
Actually, that's the problem. I feel that it should come forward at least another 5 inches or so. I just need to know how it's going to affect the pilot's function to tack properly.
José
Hi All,
I'm in the process of installing my new Simrad TP10 tiller pilot but I'm a bit lost about where to put the connecting pin along the tiller. The manual states that the pin has to be 18 inches from where the tiller connects to the rudder post but when measuring it up on Tessa, it just seems a little too far aft. I'd be interested to hear back from anybody whose had the same conundrum. It's sailing season!!! Have a great Victoria Day weekend to all you Canucks out there!
José
That's hilarious, and4ew! Can I see that on youtube.com? Seriously though, I would suggest using a hand operated crane to haul up a person which we have at Harbour West in Hamilton. We, of course, use the crane to step and un-step masts so the weight of one person wouldn't have any adverse effects on the equipment. I truly would recommend a bosun's chair just so you're snug and make sure that there isn't any excess movement of the mast to prevent injury to the hoisted volunteer. Once you're up there, tie a strap to yourself and to the mast loosely just so you have another thing catching you in case what's holding you up fails and make the necessary repairs. I've seen it done before but I've also done the bosun's chair hoisted via the main halyard and it worked fine. Mind you, I only weigh 165 pounds and the boat was snug to the dock so that may have played on its stability. In any case, good luck on the climb.
José
We liked you better as Tia.....Just kidding!;-) I hope you're wearing a harness when hopping around on deck. With regards to having a light shining on your sails at night, I would only do it sporadically and for short periods of time in the event that you have that nagging feeling that an oil tanker doesn't see you at night but keeping it on all the time will totally screw up your night vision.
José
Hi Tia,
If I were you, I would get this really good book by Nigel Calder called, "Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual", ISBN 0-07-143238-8 which retails for US$ 49.95 or CDN$ 66.95 but you can order it cheaper online. It pretty much covers everything electrical or mechanical (or most of it, at least) that you would need to know about boat repair. Good luck with the repairs and remember that it takes the same amount of time to do it right than to do it the wrong way!;-)
José
Hi Jura,
Bluehair had a spare engine circa your year that he might still have kicking around. Give him an e-mail offline perhaps. Good luck.
José
Just saw your Gallery post, Christopher. Fantastic!!! I just looked at Rolite's (Spec Distribution Inc.) site (yuck!) but it didn't post any prices and I was just confused with all the different products not knowing which one(s) to use. Could you guide this forum to how you got that hull to shine like that? Also, Spec is a little slow in giving me prices and info so if you could expedite that part and just tell us which product to use, how much it costs and how to apply it would be just amazing. No detail is too small by the way and thanks for sharing that pic. Can't wait for your response.
José
Hi John,
Hey, you found the pic! I'm just glad that I could help out. I'm in the water in three weeks so I'm getting that feeling! Lots to do before splash down and not enough time to do it. It's going to be a very busy pre-season but I'm pins and needles about getting out and spending time on Tessa over the next three seasons this year. Yep, she's going to be in the water a full 6-7 months this year which will make up for a very late season last year. Can't wait to meet up with some of you this spring, summer and fall. Cheers, all!
José
Hi John,
First of all, thanks for posting that fantastic photo of Tania on Varuna. It really is one of the best, raw photos of a Contessa 26 in action that I've seen. Secondly, there should be a descreen setting on your scanner menu selections and that should take care of the screen pattern which should make the photo look more like a photograph.
Alternatively, find out who took the picture in the credit section of the book. I could hunt him down fairly easily and request for a colour copy of the original or even contact the publisher for it.
That pic makes me want to sail now!!!!! Thanks again, John.
José
Ditto, John! I finally broke down and ordered, "Maiden Voyage" online and got it a couple of days ago. Man, what an adventure! I should finish the book tonight but I was very impressed with first of all, Tania Aebi's skill, courage, tenacity and sheer luck but also of Varuna's surprising speed and reliability which is a testament to our boats. This was before GPS was common as well! Wow! I hope she's at the next boat show.
José
p.s. Thirty days and counting until splashdown!
Hi Keelbolts,
I'm also 5'8" and I have to stoop a little and then a little bit more as I move to the V berth. The "coziness" of a Contessa interior lends itself favourably to a rough sea way as one would generally bend their knees and brace themselves solid against something or grab hold of the grab rails for support to maneuver within the cabin space. Can you imagine doing the same thing in a more open salon of a Beneteau which has almost twice the beam and a 6'+ headroom? In any case, it's a personal perspective so I'm offering mine. As bilgeret said, if you want to stand, go topside!
Just a question, however. Where abouts are you? My suggestion is to really take one out if you can and experience it for yourself. Perhaps someone in the group is close enough to give you that experience. Good luck with the hunt nonetheless.
Cheers,
José
The Contessa Corner → Posts by jcfoto
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