• KMacT
  • New Member
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  • Registered: 2009-10-04
  • Posts: 1

Topic: Centre of balance?

I'm in the process of building a wooden cradle for my Contessa 26 and need to know where the centre of balance is. That is, how far from the stern (or bow) is the point where the boat would hang from a single line (not that I'm planning to do that, of course). I've looked all over for this information, but can't find it. Any assistance would be appreciated.

Kevin

  • Registered: 2006-09-20
  • Posts: 175

Re: Centre of balance?

Got any photos of Contessas being lifted in slings from a single spreader bar?
A vertical line from the crane hook *must* pass through the C.G.

I don't think you need this info to build a cradle though unless you are putting wheels on it.   You want enough spare strength so that any support can take the full load with the boat tilted say 10 degrees so yo have enough safety margin for bad storms ashore which means you aren't too concerned with the fore/aft load distribution.

You know the CG is somewhere above the bottom of the keel, presumably around 1/3 the way back or so because Jeremy designed the C026 to stand on its keel and is too smart to overload the hollow back end of the keel.  Should be close enough for government work :-)

  • From: Barrie, Ontario, Canada
  • Registered: 2005-10-10
  • Posts: 237

Re: Centre of balance?

I borrowed a trailer from a different type of boat and needed to guess at the CG to get the correct tongue weight. I used one of the side view drawings of the Contessa that is found on the web. It is the one that shows the outline of the ballast weight. I guessed at the center of the ballast and guessed at the center of the rest of the boat using side area. Since the ballast is 50% of the overall weight, I put the CG at halfway between those points. After the boat was on the trailer using this method, I measured the tongue weight and it has close to what I wanted.

  • Registered: 2009-12-25
  • Posts: 10

Re: Centre of balance?

One more Q about CG. I have to bring my Contessa from Boston to Chicago in May. Loadmaster build a twenty eight foot trailer for her. They said that they build one for contessa few years ago. On my trailer, they placed axels 99 and 66 inches from rear of the trailer. Top of the stern supouse to sit even with back of it. I compered with pictures and drawing in the galery, looks like wheels are almost two feet too far back. Please give me your input . Thanks