Topic: Contessa 26 Drawings

Don't know if this is of interest but I'm working on a set of lines for a hull based upon the Contessa 26. I've owned two of the boats and always wanted to modify the design a little so the result are my interpretation of slight improvements.
Not sure how to upload drawings so somebody let me know how to proceed.
Thanks.

Re: Contessa 26 Drawings

If you can put the drawing into a jpg file, then you can upload it as a picture.  I would be interested in seeing them.  That is what I have learned or as Adrian to save you have have him convert it, if he has time.  jklee

Re: Contessa 26 Drawings

4 (edited by gww25 2007-08-24 13:19:47)

Re: Contessa 26 Drawings

Re: Contessa 26 Drawings

We are presently talking with Jeremy Rogers about bringing this boat into production. I'd like to talk with present Co26 owners about 'improvements' they'd like to see in a Mark II version of the boat but it seems like this forum is in somewhat of a flux based upon the spam I've seen. If anybodies interested in seeing a new Co26 back on the market please email or call me. This is a serious project and if I can't find support from prior owners here it leads me to believe that maybe there is no demand for this boat in the future.

Re: Contessa 26 Drawings

I hope you understand that there are three versions, JR, pre-1983 JJT and Post-1983 JJT.  Which one are you working off?  I like the post-1983 version due to a bit more head room and other odds and ends.  The JR has a bit less cockpit then JJT, which is a reason I like the JJT, though I like the way JR protects the bottom of the rudder from catching ropes and other lines.  A small/lighter engine and maybe a lighter rudder system would be nice.  This is all I can think off the top of my head for now. jklee

Re: Contessa 26 Drawings

Personnally i will say, better cockpit sole. The one for accessing the engine is badly design always problem with it.
Better drain system on deck, and like John lee said a shoe on the rudder for not catching rope (Talk to Bika about that when their anchor robe snag on my rudder and Nina jump to rescue the situation during the night ! )

For the sail control, a better system for the boom. The one i got from the old contessa give a big shafing problem and not a lot of sail control. Probably lift a little bit the companion way from the cockpit floor. I got problem with that on heavy seas water coming onboard.

Well that bring another question on the rebuilding .... The goal of making a new Co26 if for what exactly ... for offshore sailor, for cuising, for lake, for weekend cruiser .. The way you sail change a lot the boat that you need !

Re: Contessa 26 Drawings

I own a post 83 JJT as well and would start with that design.  Besides adding pretty much all the improvements made by seeadler, I'd change the hatch config for engine access (the panel and screws are a pain in the ass and if you actually had an emergency with thru hulls or hoses under there, you'd be resting nicely on the bottom by the time you reached it).  I'd build in longitudinal stringers and improve the battery compartment in the sole, maybe to even hold three (starter and 2 house!).  Would be nice to have a second water tank/air tight storage on the bow duplicating the same on the one side and perhaps a bit more hardware topside...

Re: Contessa 26 Drawings

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

Re: Contessa 26 Drawings

...and with the improvements the relaunch would be a tremendous success!  There are in my opinion no reasonably priced boats out there right now which are serving the segment of the market the Contessas are able to serve...small sized, sea worthy, blue water capable boats for sailors interested in quality, reliability and value - would love to hear if any have in-production boats they think compete with our babies.  The smaller Island Packets are the only ones I can think of which come close...

Re: Contessa 26 Drawings

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

Re: Contessa 26 Drawings

We've posted links to the drawings at two other sites and so far the preliminary drawings have been download 417 times and we've received a little over 200 emails expressing interest in the boat. I've posted an updated lines drawing and will be posting the plans for cold molded wood construction next week if all goes well. We plotted the first of the full size frame patterns today and this sure makes building a lot easier than it used to be.
The entry for the 2010 Jester Challenge has been submitted and we're off and running.
In some ways I'm surprised at the overall interest in these little boats after all of these years but the popular mags still run articles about them especially in England.
I finally finished the cost breakdown based upon bids coming back in and I'll post this itemized table shortly but you'll be amazed at what it costs to build one of these boats today, makes used boats look like a steal at any price. Rogers has told me it would cost him almost twice as much in the U.K. as to what we've come up with here in California which is staggering. Mexican boats anybody? That might be the direction builders began to go if building costs get much higher. The auto guys did it. I'm not to impressed with the last Ford I bought with a mexican engine in it.

13 (edited by rbporter 2007-11-05 06:46:00)

Re: Contessa 26 Drawings

In addition to the above improvements I would suggest the following:
- ss backing plates, with access, to all the deck hardware
- careful monitoring of layup schedule (quality construction)
-vinylester resin for the hull
-foam deck cores
-a real holding tank
-ss or cast bronze stemhead
-cherry interior  (take the pressure off the rain forest and cut cost, Hinckley and Morris do it)
- and last but not least making this all possible for less then a quarter mil!! Remember someone has to buy   
   these....

14 (edited by rbporter 2007-11-08 15:29:06)

Re: Contessa 26 Drawings

What do you know about concrete in your bilge?
I am down to the top of the lead ballast (the bottom of the holding tank),  thru the inspection port on the top of the holding tank, beneath the cabin sole. The bottom of the holding tank has an inch or more of concrete that had been poured over the lead ballast. This concrete also filled  the vertical  voids between the ballast and the keel laminate.   A very thin layer of what I think was just gelcoat was then poured on the concrete forming a cap for the concrete and a "waterproof" bottom for the holding tank.   Well...this just hasn't worked to well.
I found most of this concrete  broken and easily removed by hand and a hammer. The concrete  filling the  (1/8" to 3/8") voids between the ballast and the keel laminate  is broken and crumbling and will be impossible to remove.
My solution to this mess is to remove as much of the broken concrete as possible and replace with  epoxy. The epoxy should flow down in the ballast/keel voids waterproofing and adhering all. Gallons of epoxy!
I have not read anything on this site about concrete in the bilge but have come across this in other boats on other sites. It seems as though during production the cast lead ballast is lowered into the keel. In the perfect world any voids would  of been filled with epoxy or some other non water absorbing filler/ adhesive, not concrete.
I think there was perhaps a leak in the gelcoat which allowed the concrete to become effluent absorbed.  Throw in a few seasons of freezing temperatures and presto, broken concrete in the bilge and a worthless holding tank.

Re: Contessa 26 Drawings

When I was still in the business I surveyed a lot of 26's and have never come across concrete over the ballast casting. If your particular hull was one of the late ones in production 80ish? maybe it was done friday afternoon just before the plant shut down.
As I've said before the quality from Taylor varied from excellent to god-awful over the years. Few people know but from around 1976-77 onward the cash flow problem was pretty bad and boats weren't started until they had a substantial cash depost in hand and then they rounded up a crew to make a boat from whatever they at hand. Some of these later productions were excellent in all respects and others were certainly lacking to say the least. Unfortunately it was the luck of draw as to what you actually received on any particular order. At one point in time Taylors even fell behind in paying the royalties back to Rogers and evetually sold the 26 to another concern who built some boats under the Taylor name but not with the Taylor crew. Very few people want to talk about the later history up at Taylors as it concerns both the 26 and the 32 but there are some hard feelings about the end of the whole operation which I don't think is completely resolved yet even after all this time.

Re: Contessa 26 Drawings

I probably really should qualify that last post as back in the day Taylor didn't wholsale directly to dealers and we purchased boats from a Mass. based outlet for Taylor in the States. Many of the problems we had with boats probably originated with the state-side reseller. When we talked with taylor directly these guys were up-front and first class but it was obvious that there were some 'reorganization' issues effecting production runs. We ordered 10 boats and received only 4 after two years of wrangling and finally gave up. By and large these all are very very good boats, very heavy in construction, far above average, even though the techniques varied from boat to boat.

Re: Contessa 26 Drawings

Gary, Just wondering where you are on the drawings? We have not heard from you in a long time. You still in the planning or you building for the 2010 Jester Challenge now?  Any photos to share with us? jklee