Building a New Contessa

This the reason that JJT stopped production of the 26 - simply wasn't a market for it anymore.  To produce a Taylor 26 in the late 80's early 90's would probably be on par with the cost of producing a Catalina or Hunter in the 34 foot range at one of their mega factories.  Now we're a loyal lot, but there's not many people out there who would (could?) spend 50K+ for a 26 foot boat.    In 1990, a  Mirage 29, C&C 27/29, etc were "normal" sized boats.  A CS 36 or a 35 foot Beneteau or Hunter was HUGE.  Look around today - at the marina and the boat show.  The smallest thing anyone shows up with is 32-34 feet but 14 feet wide and displaces 15 000 pounds...  fat ass boats...)  Who cares about the sailing if you're comfortable below. I think that you could fit a whole Contessa 26 into the cabin of one of those behemoth Catalina's or Beneteau 50 footers.......

The differences between the Contessa's traditional "designed for sea shape" and a modern "designed for the marina" hull shape  are winning the sales battle. A friend has an Aloha 27. It is only one foot longer, but the differences are night and day. Full head room. The galley is across the beam. The cabin berths are like a large boat with a bench on one side and a C shaped settee and table on the other. The cockpit lockers are so large that two adults can climb into one side locker to work on the side of the engine. I had to squeeze my sister's 5 year old into my aft locker with a wrench in order to tighten the aft chain plate bolts. Those features will always win with people who never plan on being out of sight of the marina entrance.

Quite right, technology has transformed sailing. But it's not just technology in equipment, it's technology in materials and especially design. Does anyone think evolution stops where they are now? In the 60s, did anyone think monohull sloops would be capable of 20+ knots and still be seaworthy enough to cross oceans? No, but technological advancements in design and build has made this a reality. Check out the minitransat. 24 foot monohulls that cross oceans and hit double-digit speeds doing it. I'm a sucker for a nice sheer line, a pretty bow, and a solid feel underfoot too; but, the sport of sailing needs the folks who live on the cutting edge too, we'll all ultimately benefit from what they learn and develop.

I live in Maryland now, but spent most of my years thus far in Maine. I think the answer is what people who would buy a Contessa 26 are partial to, as well as a function of economics. It strikes me that the Great Lakes market is actually more of a racer/cruiser market, if one takes a stroll through Sailing's classifieds.

The 26 is a traditional boat. My real point is to avoid that sense of sailors looking down their nose at another boat type and thinking "less" of it because it does not meet their aesthetic requirements. "Fat Ass" is actually an evolution in design that has yielded not only more room, but better off the wind sailing characteristics. Let's bear in mind that the C26 is a canoe, even by traditional standards. There are many wide and heavy traditional boats. Ever seen a coastal shipping schooner, (coaster), from the 19th century? Crocker designed cutters?

Boats are all compromises of one thing or another. Sailing is sailing, I applaud anyone out there doing, regardless of whether or not I would choose their boat as my own.

One of the reasons costs have gone up is because less people sail now than 10 years ago, so welcome the brethren, rather than judge them. (speaking generally here, not specifically to anyone.)

Stefan is partially right though. The cost to build a 27 foot boat commercially isn't that far from the cost to build a 31, so why build the 27? This has generally led to a gap between the sub-28 sport sailer and the 30+ cruiser.

The Dana 24 from Pacific Seacraft is still in production and probably meets the traditionalist appeal as closely as possible. I would also put the quality of construction miles above the JJT 26s.

Well, very very interesting discussion.  I think a lot of good points were made regarding technology and how the design and comfort of the sail boat has evolved - and I don't want to judge people who choose a sailboat for comfort (or any other reason) because I sure know I would appreciate that.  I realize that there are also a lot of problems with the Contessa from a design perspective,  but it does make me a bit nostalgic for when they were producing these boats - I was 10 when my dad bought Morava brand new in 1980 and I still remember how she gleamed and looked when she was launched- I guess I am corrupted because I don't see anything like that on the market today in that length range built to that standard.  I guess I was dreaming when I broached the topic - I thought I could have a second career building new Contessa's ;-)  and I am sure  Jermey Rogers has looked at the economics of building new 26 footers and decided to stay with the 32.  In the end, I guess most of us are willing to put up with the cramped quarters etc... because of the way these boats sail.  Having been fortunate enough to sail on many different types of boats, there are very few that come close - then again I am most likely biased.

Cheers.

Ivan Ross "Morava".

Methinks my point still slightly misunderstood. Not taking a shot at anyone, at least no more than I was myself - meaning my admonition was meant for myself as much as anyone else. The caution I meant to make was that we all love our boats for OUR reasons, and this, in my observation, often leads one to look down our noses at "other" boats. While I generally try to keep my mouth shut, I am JUST as guilty of this as anyone. e.g. - I have been quoted as saying Hunters are crap. And I think they are, for the use that I use a boat. However, if one wants to spend most of their time in calm waters and with short hops from marina to marina, they are in fact the perfect boat providing much space in a relatively inexpensive platform that sails quite well in certain conditions. Would I sail one offshore? No, I'd rather eat my own head. I saw a Hunter that was delivered from A to B some 850 miles offshore in the Atlantic, a 45-ish if memory serves, and at the end of that delivery, one could wiggle the main bulkhead with their hand. Yikes! But that person was using a boat for a purpose that the boat was not intended from a build and design perspective, (let's leave the marketers out of this for the sake of the point for a moment, that's a different story altogether!). Just trying to point out that everything moves on. Don't forget in the 1970s, even our beloved Contessa 26s were not infrequently referred to as "tupperware" by just as discerning folk as we are. Were they right to look down their nose then at our lovely mini-yachts? No more than we are now to turn up our nose at any boat of "our time", but at that time, many boat aficionados were that much closer to wood. And were $$$$, time, and maintenance no object, I would wholeheartedly agree with them and would be unquestionably sailing a wood boat - pragmatics aside, to me, there is nothing so warm, beautiful and beckoning as a planked wooden hull. However, pragmatics are a reality, so I've compromised with a plastic boat - albeit one with traditional lines. $118K for a new Dana 24? Not so bad really, considering the last of the "new" JJT 26s rolled off the line at about $50K, which is in fact $80K in today's dollars, then $118K isn't so far above.  And certainly the Dana 24 is built to a notably higher standard than the JJT 26, not to mention as this discussion underscores, there isn't as much competition for a offshore worthy built pocketcruiser now - so that price is actually in line.

As a bonafide wood snob and wood boat owner I can tell you that even wood snobs like the contessa,and have even been heard to admit it.They even (perhaps reluctantly)wave.Bilge