general comments

this is gonna be a good one - this is exactly what I did but I sure didnt have the facilities that Tim Lackey has.

Man i wish I had a shop like that.   If anyone wants to know where there are problem areas on a Contessa 26, this will the story to watch!

so i've been following equinox's progress, and i just saw something that about made me almost cry.

those nice flush thru hulls, which are now definitely unserviceable after removal by means which are about the furthest thing from
non-destructive, are hard to find.  maybe i just didn't have the $$ for new ones, but I sure took my time removing those puppies and sandblasted them and reused em.  you need a 2nd set of hands.....

i'd be asking about that genoa track as well.  it sure would be a shame to do all of this work and then have those suckers leak.  its not impossible to get them off and back on again.  i dont know about the newer boats (ie clearance between the side of the hull liner and headliner) but i dont think that they were ever made with a 1 piece cabinliner (hull liner and deck liner are separate).  it's a bear of a job, hard on the fingers and definitely  requiring the help of a patient volunteer (in my case, Dad!)  but well worth it after a long slog, rail buried, and you don't have to worry about , well, water down below.  tool of choice for nut access is a set of 30 and 45 deg, bent nose, long reach needlenose pliers.  a flashlight and inspection mirror help as well....

shes gonna be gorgeous!

everywhere you go, someone will ask you if it's a contessa 26.  don't even be surprised if someone asks you if its a new one......

she certainly is coming along.  i would see if tim can get some nutz/washerz on the backside of them stemhead bolts.  how thick is the alum plate that is more or less holding up your mast?

i boxed in the area in question from the inside, layed 8 or 10 layers of cloth, and then filled in the offending bolt holes / forepeak 'box' with thickened west system - from the top.  she's not going anywhere.

i posted a picture from when i did the job, no glass on there yet.  guessi forgot to take that picture....

any engine choice nailed down yet?

i have a yanmar 1gm10, 2.6 gearbox,  and with a 12" x 10 RH 2 blade sailor, there is around 5/16" clearance.  this seems to work alright.  doesnt seem to make  difference wheter i run at 2500 or 2750 revs, i get around (guessing, no knotmeter) 5 kts in flat water.  i can make 3.5 kts over the bottom by the gps (which i borrowed...) in flat water heading into a ~2kt current. 

these was a 11x13 rh 3 blader on there before, and i might put that back on for next season just to see if there really is that much difference between the two.  i really could use the help backing up

Stefan - "murphy lights"?  I've got a panel with a green light and a red light.  The green light seems to be a power/starter indicator, as it only goes on when the key is turned for ignition, or turned on, or after the choke is pulled to shut down (mine is a 10hp single Farymann...in fact the whole set up seems pretty much original 1984).  The red light is a mystery however, as it goes on in the same instances as the green light, but also after about an hour straight of runtime, will begin to flicker slightly, then more strongly, until it is fairly bright and consistent.  Given this has caused some worry, have repeatedly checked the oil level, temperature, water from exhaust, etc. with all reading normal.

Out of frustration I've gone ahead and ignored the red light, with apparently no impact, although whether my imagination or not, there does seem to be an increased "slap" noise from the engine, seemingly related to the cylinder

Any ideas what the mystery red light is all about?

Stefan,
There is no price difference between the 10 and 13.5. Same engine except for hp @ rated rpm.
The CT distributor strongly suggests the 13.5 and if possible enlarging the aperture so we can swing a 12 or 13" two bladed prop with more blade area. The current 12x12 two blade from the 10hp Bukh installation won't work that well. My concern is these motors should be run at least 80% of their rated rpm. This means I'll be running at 2880(80% of 36600) vs 2400 (80% of 3000) for the same hull speed. The slower rpm seems a no brainer! However this leaves less reserve power when motoring into a wind or when the alternator needs the juice for a low battery.
Tim, the refit man, strongly suggests the full panel, tach., water temp., voltmeter and oil pressure. This will be a given in either motor.
Anyone looking for a low hour Bukh???? Drop in running or buy for parts....???

The motor will be delivered with the std. reduction, 2:1. We'll make the prop selection based on this. Talking further with the Beta dealer, Joe DeMers at Sound Marine in CT and Tim, they like you are suggesting the 11" three bladed prop. I'm sure this will be a very nice combo. for this boat. Both these guys have been great to work with.

Other considerations at this time is the standing rigging. The former owner was preparing for some offshore sailing and in his preparation upped the size of the standing rigging to 1/4" wire w/ 1/2" toggles. To accomodate the 1/2" pins the chainplates were overdrilled. What's that adage about "only as strong as the weakest link?" I'm now in the process of seeing if the ball sockets on the mast will accomodate a ball with a smaller wire. If so then I'll rerig with 7/32" 316 ss with 3/8" pin turnbuckles with  new chainplates. The new chainplates will be 316ss 1/4"x 1 1/4 or 1 1/2" "x 10".
Something else which might interest you guys is my plan to have Tim make a laminated oak beam for under the mast step. This is best done while the bulkheads are out and before he starts to rewire. My thought on this is that although there doesn't seem to be to much of a problem with deck compression in these boats but that it is still better to help prevent a problem rather then try to slow or correct a problem once it has begun.
It has also been suggested that rather then a traveller we install a rigid boomvang. This never occured to me but sounds like a great idea. The angle of the mainsheet to a traveller would not be ideal considering the length of the boom.
I welcome and thankyou all for your interest and comments/suggestions on this project.
Thanx....

Yes, the 13.5. Will order it today.
Riggingonly emailed me this am to say 7/32 wire can be used with the "cupple diameters" I sent him. This will allow me to make the new chainplates with the 3/8" pin rather then reusing the 1/2" turnbuckles with the 1/4" wire. My plan, if I rerigged which is where I seem to be going, will include mechanicals where the wire meets the deck.
I hope I can keep the 1/4" wire in the forestay as it has a Furlex furler on it.