1

(5 replies, posted in Repairs/Modifications/Upgrades)

12 inch, two blade was the biggest prop to fit the aperture on my Contessa # 284.

2

(12 replies, posted in Cruising)

I bought a used Port-a-Bote for $500 at a boat consignment store in Pensacola.New ones cost $1,100 or so at the time. It is 10 feet six inches long and plenty stable. Folded upright with seats and oars in it, it fits neatly between the doghouse and the shrouds and never fills up with water. I drop the safety lines and pull it crosswise on the fore deck. my fastest assembly time is 12 minutes. I shove it off into the water and hand it around to the stern where I have a 3&1/2 hp Nissan outboard mounted on the stern pulpit (pushpit).
The hull has enough "V" in it to row well. I use 8 foot oars and the boat has mounts for oarlocks. The 3&1/2 won't plane it but four knots under power beats rowing a long way.

3

(4 replies, posted in Sails & Rigging)

First thing I did after I purchased my Contessa was install Harken roller furling. Best $2,000 I ever spent.

I thank you all for your help. I tried hooking the old transducer to the new meter and it works fine.
I am saving the new transducer in case the old one bites the dust.
toots

Time for a new depth sounder. The old Datamarine 1980 original is toast and Datamarine is kaput as well.
Bought a new one and installing the meter in the bulkhead is done. Now I have an IN HULL transducer I need to install next to the old one on the inside bottom next to the keel (Starboard side).
The old transducer is glued to the floor inside. Anybody done one of these?
I read warnings about placing the transducer signal being distorted by prop wash if mounted on the wrong side. Or by bubbles in the glue used to fasten it to the hull. Or by being glued in and not level.
Any advice would be appreciated.
toots

6

(2 replies, posted in Repairs/Modifications/Upgrades)

I installed a two blade prop - the largest that would fit the aperture. I made the mistake of telling the prop shop my Contessa was a 7 knot boat. It later had to be repitched for a 6 knot boat.
The keel is wide enough aft to mostly hide the prop when the prop aligns itself in neutral under sail minimizing drag. Another Contessa in this area has a three blade prop. When we sail together, my boat is so much faster under sail, I do a horizon job on him in a hour.

7

(3 replies, posted in Cruising)

Every where I travel, including Scotland, Ireland, New Zealand and the Carribean, I have seen at least one Contessa. So cool!

8

(3 replies, posted in Cruising)

It has happened to me many times. A boat owner I was racing against said my Contessa was "shippy" looking.

A friend of mine had good luck with a long, limber sculling oar.

I hang two magnesium anodes off my aluminum houseboat in a fresh water creek. They work fine. I have a meter I clamp onto the aluminum hull that tells me if the hull is eroding or not. So far - not.
toots

You can save on a haul-out by tying up to a dock and raising the stern with a come-a-long.

I had a 30 pound thrust trolling motor on my ultra light 19 foot wooden sloop. Not enough power. One hour running wild exhaust one battery.

13

(4 replies, posted in Repairs/Modifications/Upgrades)

My 1980 Contessa had a Raritan head. Replaced it with a new Raritan. Happy boy!

I have a two blade prop. Not sure of the number. It's the largest that would go in the aperture.                 A friend's Contessa has a three blade prop. I am so much faster under sail than he is, I do a horizon job on him every time we race.

15

(12 replies, posted in General Questions/Comments)

I would go with the 1985. I repowered with a Yanmar 1GM10 in 2002. It is the perfect size, power and weight for my 1980 Contessa. I hear the 1GM10 is no longer for sale in the U.S. because they smoke too much. Parts are easily available and my Yanmar is super dependable.
toots

Since I repowered with a Yanmar 1GM10, my contessa is down by the bow a bit because the original Aurona diesel was 100 pounds heavier.
Also my 18 gallon black water holding tank is in the bow. I can tell when it's full because water stands on deck after a rain because the deck drains are well aft.

17

(7 replies, posted in Repairs/Modifications/Upgrades)

My Contessa has two small dorade vents on the stern to provide vent air to the engine room. I usually keep both vents facing forward. A wind driven rain from the right direction will go down these two vents and fill up the bilge.
I have learned to tie plastic grocery bags over these dorades when I expect heavy rains. That solves the problem.
I only set my bilge pump on automatic when I expect to be away from the boat for a spell or when we get hurricane conditions. Normally I want to know how much water is coming in. Automatic bilge pumps can conceal a problem leak.

18

(4 replies, posted in Repairs/Modifications/Upgrades)

I had a 1980 Contessa with an 8hp Arouna diesel.
I wanted the biggest engine I could get for a replacement.
My Yanmar dealer was willing to install a larger (two cylinder 18hp)engine but I would have to lose cabin and cockpit space.
I installed the one cylinder 10 hp Yanmar 1GM 10 with a new transmission. I had to glass in new motor mounts but the 1GM10 fit the old enclosure under the cockpit floor. I am very happy with it.
I get 5-6 knots at 2,800-3000 revs and she drinks about one quart of diesel fuel per hour. The alternator keeps two batteries well charged.
I installed a new 10 gallon plastic fuel tank under the starboard seat that I can remove and clean myself when needed.
Happy boy!
toots

19

(3 replies, posted in Repairs/Modifications/Upgrades)

My boat slip has two posts outside, a wooden bulkhead inside and then a grassy area for 40 feet to the street.
I had a 140 pound guy go up once in a bosun's chair and the wind had me running back and forth on the foredeck to dampen out the mast swinging when the wind blew. It was kinda hairy.
This time I tied the boat fairly tight outside my two posts, dropped the saftey lines and tied a line to the main halyard and tied that to the trailer hitch on my minivan. I managed to heel the boat over enough with no damage to the pulpits or safety lines, to get to the mast top on a 12 foot aluminum self supporting "A" ladder set right up to my bulkhead.
It was easy to work on the mast top and luckily no boats roared by to jostle things.

20

(10 replies, posted in Sails & Rigging)

My 1979 J.J.Taylor Contessa boom apprears to be  stock and ten feet long -even.
The attachment piece at the forward end of the boom to the mast is badly corroded. I would like to replace it.
Anyone know the specs and where one might be found?

21

(2 replies, posted in Non-Contessa Chatter)

22

(16 replies, posted in Technical)

Hello John Lee and everyone,
Yes John, hull #248 is correct. It was a pleasure to sail Mobile Bay with you on that blustery day.
I bought a used 10' 6" Portabote for my Contessa several years ago. Open it has a four foot plus beam. It folds up the size of a surf board and fits between the shrouds and the cabin house. The cabin has a bit of curve forward and the Portabote bends enough to settle right down on the deck starting a foot aft of the bow pulpit. I made a canvass bag for the dinghy but it was a booger to pull on and off. I now tie it along the starboard side of the cabin house-folded keel down (my fresh water tank is to port), upright with both seats and two wooden, eight foot oars tied inside and water from rain and waves runs completely out.
I can usually assemble the Portabote crossways on the foredeck within twelve minutes (ten minutes is my best record time) and slide it off into the water. Then I can hand it or paddle it back to the stern pulpit to get the 3 1/2 Nissan outboard.
The Portabote is the biggest dinghy I could ever hope to have on my little Contessa.
It has enough "V" in the bottom to row well but it is a dog under power. Four knots is all it will do with a 3 1/2 HP outboard.
The Portabote only has two holes in the bow to accomodate a 1/2 inch line for a painter so I only tow it slow in flat water. At my age 67, I can still jerk it across my foredeck and disassemble it alone. I prefer my dinghy to be aboard when we are underway.
I am very pleased with it,
Dennis Gray

23

(19 replies, posted in Repairs/Modifications/Upgrades)

24

(24 replies, posted in Sails & Rigging)

I installed a Harken furler and modified a 120% genoa for it.
I laid out about two grand for all. The system works great!
With jiffy reefing on the mainsail and a Autohelm autopilot, singlehanding is easy.

Followup report:
The yard had a machinist cast a stainless steel gudgeon and bracket that bolted to the keel. This may obstruct water flow slightly but is so much stronger that I prefer it to the original system. They did a tight job that does not leak and charged me only for a haulout and splash - $260.
Sailed her home yesterday. She's fast with a clean bottom.