Topic: Thought excercise: If the Contessa 26...
If the Contessa 26 were to go back into production, and you were given the oppourtunity to suggest changes, what changes would you suggest? Pretty much anything goes, with the exception of the keel configuration and the general length of the boat (it still has to be marketed as a Contessa 26, after all). Obviously it should retain the classic look and sailing characteristics that make us love it so.
I'd suggest for sure:
- a sliding companionway, which would then make possible ;
- a bridge deck in the cockpit,
- a reconfigured anchor locker on the foredeck, as the current one impinges on footroom in the v-berth,
- a cabin-top traveller, to get the mainsheet out of the cockpit,
- move the fuel tank to a lower, more central location
Things I'd like to see drawings of:
- make the boat 9 inches longer ( 26'3" is still a Contessa 26!),
- making the cabin 12 inches longer,
- adding 6 to 9 inches to the beam of the boat,
- reconfigure at least one of the quarter berths to to allow one (or both) to be proper open berths, which would then make it possible to slide it (or both) open into a double, and also makes possible pipe berths overtop the berths (hey, I have three kids, and they take up a lot of space),
- move the gallery to the aft of the cabin, similar to the configuration of an Alberg 30,
- increase cabin height by just an inch or two over its entire length, or step the cabin-top similar to an Alberg 29 (very mild step in cabin profile)
Things to consider:
- Building the boat out of aluminum