1

(0 replies, posted in General Questions/Comments)

I've sold my beloved Co26, Eagh Marrey.  Long story short, my family needed the headroom.  I know this forum isn't very active lately, but I just wanted to thank anyone who's listening for the advice, comments, and pictures over the last 17 years.

Andrew

Sadly I'm selling our beloved Co26.  Hoping to find a someone to lead Eagh Marrey on her next adventures around Nova Scotia and beyond.

1974 Contessa 26
LOA: 25’ 6”
Beam: 7’ 5”
Draft: 3’ 11”

Engine:
2008 Honda 9.9 long shaft in very good condition. 

Sails:
Fully battened main
100% Jib
150% Genoa
Drifter
Spinnaker
Spare main

Electronics/Navigation:
Faria depth sounder (new in 2018)
Standard Horizon C180 GPS Chartplotter
Standard Horizon VHF
Battery voltage gauge (new in 2018)
Compass (new 2018)
Radar reflector

Plumbing:
Sink with hand pump
55-litre water tank
Marine head (2015)
55-litre holding tank
Y-valve for holding tank/overboard discharge
Electric bilge pump with float switch
Manual bilge pump (new in 2017)

Cooking:
Two-burner alcohol stove
Propane barbecue

Berths:
V-berth – 6’ 5”
Two quarter-berths - 7’
Custom cushions, pillow

Other Equipment
9’ Mercury Quicksilver inflatable dingy with cover
Docklines
Fenders
Boat hook
Whisker pole
Anchor and rode

All electronics and cushions removed during winter.

3

(1 replies, posted in Site Support/Comments)

I am hoping that given the recent facebook debacle that people will use this forum more.  It's definitely more secure and you don't have to worry about AIs slurping your data for target advertising etc., figuring out your demographic and how many kids you have (see below). 

Recently I made a comment to my 13 year old about kids at his school and facebook to which he responded, with the kind of disdain that only a 13 year old can generate,"Dad, no one in my class has facebook".

Like most CO26 I've seen, I have a compass on the port side of the cockpit.  On the starboard side I have a chartplotter and a depth sounder. 

My old compass has been deemed unrepairable so I'm replacing it and I thought I'd take this opportunity to move it to the starboard side also.  This would mean that the port side of the cockpit bulkhead (I don't know what else to call it but I mean the flat, vertical surface to port of the companionway) would now be flat.  This would make crew who want to lean back in the cockpit very happy as they would no longer have the compass bulging into their back.

I'm thinking of cutting a roughly 9" x 12" rectangular hole that would accommodate a panel on which my instruments are mounted.  In other words, I mount my instruments on the panel and then mount the panel on the bulkhead rather than having individually cut-out holes for each instrument in the bulkhead.  My question is this: how much of the part cockpit bulkhead can be safely cut out?  Does this bulkhead support any load at all?

Like most CO26 I've seen, I have a compass on the port side of the cockpit.  On the starboard side I have a chartplotter and a depth sounder. 

My old compass has been deemed unrepairable so I'm replacing it and I thought I'd take this opportunity to move it to the starboard side also.  This would mean that the port side of the cockpit bulkhead (I don't know what else to call it but I mean the flat, vertical surface to port of the companionway) would now be flat.  This would make crew who want to lean back in the cockpit very happy as they would no longer have the compass bulging into their back.

I'm thinking of cutting a roughly 9" x 12" rectangular hole that would accommodate a panel on which my instruments are mounted.  In other words, I mount my instruments on the panel and then mount the panel on the bulkhead rather than having individually cut-out holes for each instrument in the bulkhead.  My question is this: how much of the part cockpit bulkhead can be safely cut out?  Does this bulkhead support any load at all?

My compass has lost fluid over time.  Thanks for this tip.  Any ideas on what to do about "crazed" plastic I.e. What looks a bit like wide scratches?

7

(3 replies, posted in Sails & Rigging)

I've got a reefable working jib.  I haven't really thought about a storm jib.  Be interested in comments as to whether a lot of people have them and if they do consider them a must have insurance policy.

8

(5 replies, posted in Wanted)

There must have been a door on my boat at some point because there are faint scratch marks in the coachhouse ceiling, it's been gone at least 20 years I think.  As Virago Deb says "... for a reason...".

My head is on the starboard side opposite the hanging locker immediately aft of the v-berth.  I put four hooks up, two on the bulkhead on the aft side of the head/hanging locker (the hooks are on the forward side) and two on the bulkhead aft of the v-berth.  The hooks are as close to the ceiling as I could get.   I have a piece of curtain with a bungie cord run through the hem at the top (not sure if that's what it's called but I mean the part where a curtain rod would go through).  The bungie cord has hooks at each end.  With this I can curtain off the head, curtain off the v-berth when I'm on the head, curtain off the rest of the cabin when I'm on the head and curtain of the hanging locker (though I don't have a reason to do this).  I can also draw the curtain along the bungie if I want it completely out of the way.  This arrangement seems to be sufficient privacy for guests.

If you do this you'll want the bungie cord to be reasonably tight but not so tight as to pull hard on the hooks as they will work loose.  Also, make sure there is a a gap between the curtain and the floor so the curtain doesn't get wet or stepped on.

9

(2 replies, posted in Technical)

I won't be at my boat until und of July.  I live in Ottawa and keep the boat in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia.  I will send pics in the summer for comments.  I will also try to remove the cockpit sole.  I do remember that the hoses do indeed cross port/starboard.

My real weight issues are the outboard hung off the transom, not much I can do about that, and 10 years of accumulated tools and "just in case" junk I had stowed behind the companionway step.  I got rid of all that was useless (almost all of it).  And I will move the pillows.

11

(3 replies, posted in Cruising)

Curious about the foot of your mast.  What's the metal thing?  Also, are your forward shrouds wrapped in something?

12

(6 replies, posted in Technical)

I can't answer the dimensions question but I can comment on mosquitos.  A few anchorage in Nova Scotia also have bad mosquitos (though i expect Alaskan mosquitos are like the ones I experienced in the Yukon and NWT - almost apocalyptic.)  I found lighting two raid coils and putting them on the bow   (on a piece of scrap wood) works really well.  The boat hangs off the anchor or mooring bow to wind so the smoke from the raid coils flows past the cockpit.  It usually doesn't come in to the cockpit much but seems to hover around keeping the mosquitos at bay.

13

(2 replies, posted in Technical)

My boat has rubber hoses connecting the cockpit drains to the through-hulls.  I check them every few years and they seem fine but are very hard to reach.  I don't have an inboard (there never was one) but still I have to be a bit of s contortionist to get to them.

My questions are:
Are inboard-powered CO26 the same? Ie rubber hoses between cockpit and hull.

If so, is there a recommended lifetime of the hoses?

Does the sole of the cockpit come off?

If one of the hoses fails sounds like I'd need to scramble and contort to get a bung in.  Any other suggestions?

Christopher, thanks for the reply and the detailed support info.  Very enlightening (sorry for the pun) and comforting.

15

(10 replies, posted in General Questions/Comments)

I believe the official displacement of a CO26 is 5,800 lbs (though not sure if this includes mast, rigging, engine outboard in my case).  Looking for your thoughts on what the total maximum weight of extra stuff could be without significantly impacting safety and performance. 

Assume costal cruising conditions and the ability to distribute weight.

My old SeaData depth sounder finally stopped working after a few seasons of being fussy.  Turns out that some of the electronics in the had simply oxidized away.

The old transducer is installed in a piece of PVC that is cut at an angle and epoxied to the hull under the v-berth starboard side.  It's filled with mineral oil and fits so snugly that oils does not leak out.

I'm debating to go with a through hull or simply replacing the existing Faria in-hull.  Here's the thing: My boat is in Nova Scotia and I live 1,500 km away so I don't get a lot of time to work on her.  Much as I love working on my boat I don't want to build a Swiss watch to install my depth sounder.   It looks to me like a through-hull is easy to install but then it would be pointing at an angle whereas the in-hull points straight down.  From the above posts it sounds like the only way to get a through-hull to point straight down is to build something.   

My questions are does having a through-hull point at an angle cause the depth sounder to be inaccurate and to measure what is beside you?  Since my PVC and mineral oil solution worked in the past is there any reason not to continue using it?

19

(3 replies, posted in Technical)

Dave,

How much did your new trailer cost?

I'm in the same boat...er...trailer...um...anyway, I haven't bought a trailer yet so I can't speak from experience but I was told that surge brakes are best. 

what would be cool is if we had some sort of trailer share program.

21

(5 replies, posted in Cruising)

Yeah...that's what I'm thinking.  If I get a trailer I may just keep exploring.  I've always wanted to sail Georgian Bay and the Bras d'or Lakes and they're pretty far apart smile

Not too worried about traffic around Ottawa as I live in the south west, just a few mins from the 416.

Thanks for the good advice, particularly about Brockville.

22

(5 replies, posted in Cruising)

I'm debating where to keep Eagh Marrey when I eventually bring her here from Nova Scotia.  Should I keep it in Ottawa (15 mins from my house) or down towards Brockville or further west along Lake Ontario.  Any input welcome.

23

(7 replies, posted in General Questions/Comments)

I talked to East River Marine (in Nova Scotia) about this.  He said you could get a trailer with an extendable tongue that would allow you to launch a CO26 from a ramp.  He also said a gin (sp?) pole would allow you to put up the mast without a crane. 

I am also going to look at short-term leasing an F-350.  The quote to move my boat from NS to Ottawa was $5k.  That would get me a high-end new trailer and probably pay for the lease and gas money.  I'd then have a somewhat portable boat.

Opinions?

24

(0 replies, posted in Wanted)

I'm looking for a road-worthy trailer to bring my CO26 from Nova Scotia to Kingston area in the summer of 2013.  I intend to keep her there for a while so I really only need the trailer for the one trip.  I'd be willing to rent or buy.

25

(2 replies, posted in Sails & Rigging)

If I had an actual Loos gauge, what are the recommended tensions for a CO26?