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I would like a "safe, easy, and free" Sherlock crane! ;-)
I wanted to lower mine myself, but there's a limit to us A-types and our boats?! ;-) I paid a rigger to take mine down, and I had to pay for a crane rental: $275 Can!  I watched everything they did (I undid all turnbuckles and shackles, etc.) and I now know I could have done it myself except for the weight and awkwardness of the mast for one 5'5" person, obviously. 
Tabernacle setup would be good, however, I plan on only taking mast down very infrequently - but does anyone think I should consider a smilar tabernacle like the one in Technical Stuff, now that my mast is down?  I have lots of time (but no money, ha ha, oh that's not funny)

And when I am ready to put the stick back up, I will find one of the free cranes I am now being told about after paying a rigger! ;-)  Win some, lose some, learn some!

Peter, keep us posted on yours!  (send me pics!)

I recall smh (Merrill Hall, owner of this site and also a marine surveyor and Contessa owner) said that the lines were from molds...however, yes, we must be careful indeed of what we read, as the article refers to the 32 hull: yes, it was two halves, however, the 26 is a markedly different boat, hull-wise, than the 32, the keel (therefore entire bottom really) being almost totally opposite.  (in my oh so humble opinion and observation, anyways!)

Hi everyone;

When you say "oil" do you mean diesel?  Sorry to ask!

I have the same Origo 3000 (non-pressurized) Bill has, mine came with the boat.  It is simple and clean, and warm enough in the winter when I cook, to heat up the boat.  I just monitor it while cookin, and have no problem seeing flame or it taking too long...in fact I find it heats up way too fast and my food is sizzling away before I know it!  (Umm, I'm not really a gourmet cook....;-)   The alcohol is cheap and simple and easy.

However, I am drooling/dreaming over the diesel Wallas stove (Finland) with "blower lid" that turns it into a heater - there is a 12 volt draw required for the fan, and can also draw fuel off main fuel tank (or better, a separate one)  I can't yet justify the cost ($2,000 or so Canadian) but will eventually one day, as then I will have  just one fuel easily available anywhere. 

Propane: Stefan is right, our bilges are too deep for it (relatively speaking of course! ;-)  but as Mark said, it is so simple and easy to use...it does give off a bit more moisture than I would like...that's why I like the diesel.

CHRIS SAVE ONE FOR ME!  My e-mail program crashed at work, so I will e-mail you from home...then you can tell me how do you want the doubloons sent?!

Oh, there is a guy in Prince Rupert, Don, who has a hard dodger on his, and it really doesn't look bad, just different than we are used to!  I have a picture of it too!
Hmm, what DON'T I have a picture of, hee hee!

"Vented Loop"?!  I panicked for a moment: I have a vetus strainer, and it is installed above the waterline, just under companionway sill, and my little Farymann 1 cyl engine's waterpump pulls the water through just fine.  I didn't prime anything, it worked the first time...and when I had a mechanic reinstall the engine (after the rebuild) he said I had installed it correctly.  So...where is this vented loop on intake water I wondered?  Then realize it is just if the strainer is below waterline?   Which it shouldn't be, then I read rest of posts, duh!
I check each time I run engine to ensure strainer is not leaking, nor has rattled off its bolts.
Peter, congrats on getting the boat into the H20!! How exciting!!  Now, to really test that engine, back out to PORT, in a CURRENT!

Sent you guys a surprisingly good picture of my canopy!
It zips to aft of dodger and clips to aft of boom.  It is great in sun or rain, and of course gives me another "room" in the boat!  And it's great for the "wet coast" - head down to the boat and I can unload everything into the cockpit and it stays dry enough so I can bring it in slowly and not have wet piles and a million bags at once in boat.

In Vancouver, moorage is about $3,000 for a Co26. ($9/ft/mo. plus GST!) Last time mine was measured, it was 27 and a bit of feet...however, they left it at 26 (for a number of reasons! ;-)  but with windvane, I know she will be 28'for sure, if not more...needless to say, I am taking my sweet time working on her for free at my sister's farm!  A bit mucky with the rain, but at zero/mo, I am able to do many little things now! ;-)

Oops, back to the dodger: it's definitely a personal, Human issue, not a boat performance one...so for the comfort of the skipper and his/her "stuff" a dodger is a must, but for sailing performance, don't need one.  I was looking at doing a "pram hood" hard-style over the hump, but decided against it, mostly due to windage and also want to be able to remove it if I have to, quickly, in crapola weather.
Bilge pump: I don't have electric one, as if you are away from boat and have a big enough leak that demands a bilge pump full time, your batteries will run out before you ever beat the leak. 
If your boat has enough of a leak that you need auto bilge pump...fix the leak.  And if it just has an annoying "rainwater into the bilge", or "water everywhere while underway" "leak", then the boat will take ages to fill up to sinking point, and you can manually pump out as you go along, and if boat is at a marina, hopefully you would be down there checking on her once a month.   Also, keep thru-hulls closed at all times, unless actually using them, oil/grease them regularly.

Adrian..Stefan is right, if you need more room, you need MORE room, and you won't find a whole lot more in a Contessa 32, especially with three kids! ;-)  I was suggesting smaller boats if budget was an issue, and budget is never just the purchase price alone, but of course the moorage, winches, and other stuff you need for her...having a Co26 is better for the budget than having a Co32!  But to keep with the full keel and go with a larger boat...Alberg 30 or larger (Albergs are good value for $$), but for price of a Contessa 32, you could move into Pacific Seacraft range, or Bristol Channel Cutter...now there's a beauty of a boat!  But, again, I am very fond of the full keels...if you are coastal cruising...you are unlimited in your choice, but for offshore, I'm a hopeless romantic and will stick with the full keels...plus they take care of a dope like me out there!

Hey Mark!
Thanks for the great dodger info too, as well as the Folkboat tip!

And Chris and Mark have had some great adventures on their boats, so they know firsthand how tough these boats are....
Mark's right about the full keel advantage when going aground, my old owner took her full speed into a rock and just had a fist-sized fibreglass repair.
Chris is right about the compainionway hatch needing watertightness, as it slants in more than other boats, so water can get in a bit, plus the sill is lower than it should be because of no sliding top...so you have to remember to keep hatchboards in...(well, I do as I like my boat super clean and dry! ;-)

Yup, usually the Co26 will be the only boat out there, and doing fine, when the weather kicks up...

I did get a third reef put in so I wouldn't have to worry about a stormsail while sailing on the coast, but still want to be able to really shorten sail (to satisfy the inner coward, really!) plus, the boat is very headsail driven, so if you have decent enough headsail out, (hanked or furled...I've not yet had less than 60% or so) you can power along in anything with complete control.
Ok, I've rambled on enough!