Contessa 26 Refit ep.1 - Introduction and Completed Projects

[@treebandido2447]

Watched the whole build to date today. What a fantastic project and your workmanship is excellent. Congrats on the boat happy sailing

[@EpoxyAndButylTape]

Thanks David.

[@timcastle165]

I have been watching a video called “Wave Rover” which is a Contessa 26 which a guy from Canada is attempting to sail around the world single handed, which peaked my interest in this brand boat. Looking forward to viewing your progress! Ps: New subscriber!

[@EpoxyAndButylTape]

Thanks! Wave Rover is Alan Mullholand’s boat... we were trading notes last year.

[@dundeedolphin]

Same. Plus KZbin chose to recommend this video to me

[@eljacko7847]

Wave rover is now for sale

[@Tampo-tiger]

@@eljacko7847 Does anyone know what price she fetched? I'd particularly like to know as I'm looking for the same one.

[@alankelly6524]

Well done, great job(.DunLaoghaire Ireland)

[@mboyer68]

In your "positive attributes" column you could add trailerable, that's a huge huge plus!

[@EpoxyAndButylTape]

Very true!

[@johnniesmith5489]

Never seen one with the helm wheel installed, what make/model? Very nice Contessa!

[@EpoxyAndButylTape]

Thanks. The pedestal was installed by a former owner and while it does have some advantages (more usable seating while underway, more leverage and the ability to hold on to the pedestal guard ), I am contemplating going back to tiller steering in the future. The cable and sheaves do take up some of the storage space in the lazarettes. As for the pedestal itself, it's an older edson. Not sure of the model #, maybe 335.

[@sailingsvbohemian1464]

I’ve got a question, do you think the hull of the boats made in Canada are as thick as the ones in 66 made in England

[@EpoxyAndButylTape]

I don’t know for sure, but I suspect the hulls are about the same thickness. The Canadian built boats have stiffer cored decks with the exception of the earliest ones built. None of the UK built Contessas had coring in the deck that I’m aware of, making the deck a bit flexible, but impervious to core damage.

[@sailingsvbohemian1464]

@@EpoxyAndButylTape I’ve been making videos of project boats lately. The next one is a contessa from Canada. It outside of Annapolis abandoned . The rudder is gone . I’d like to send traffic your way to give people knowledge on what it takes to refit a contessa in my video . Id like to tell them about your channel .

[@EpoxyAndButylTape]

Thanks Sailing SV Bohemian! Let me know if you need any help. I’m not too far north of Annapolis if you want to pattern the rudder.

[@sailingsvbohemian1464]

@@EpoxyAndButylTape Thanks , maybe we can save her . I’ll do the video in a couple of weeks .

[@EpoxyAndButylTape]

Thanks, I’m subscribed to your channel.

[@MS-ji6oj]

Some bloggers report it is very humid in the cabin. Wet. Have you experienced that?

[@EpoxyAndButylTape]

I have not found that to be the case, but I do have an extra hatch, and all of my port lights are the opening type.

[@MS-ji6oj]

@@EpoxyAndButylTape Thanks! And how do you heat up the boat in the cold weather?

[@EpoxyAndButylTape]

I installed an inexpensive diesel heater in episode 26.

[@MS-ji6oj]

@@EpoxyAndButylTape 👍 Congrats! Your boat is beautiful

[@mr.c3367]

I am thinking about purchasing a contessa 26 haven’t looked at her yet. I was told that it leaked in the cockpit around the engine cover and that it leaked badly. Is this a common problem on this boat? And if so is it an easy fix?

[@EpoxyAndButylTape]

Assuming that it’s just the rubber seal, it would be a very easy fix. Unlikely that it’s a crack in the fiberglass, but even so it would still be relatively easy to fix.

[@stanstamped3538]

How much did you purchase the boat for and what kind of price is it for a trailer?

[@EpoxyAndButylTape]

Most recently I've seen CO26's go for under 10k for a project boat to as much as 40k. Geographical area comes into play on price also. Lately there seems to be more people looking for one than there are people selling one. Used sailboat trailers are even harder to come by, but I've seen them on sale for 8k to about 15k for something newer. They can also be custom built.

[@Ocean-blue]

I can not imagine why someone would fit a wheel to a contessa… more complicated = more to fail, the cost to install must have been significant and it takes up valuable cock pit space.. but what is the positive ?

[@EpoxyAndButylTape]

Agree 100%. The only reason I can imagine was that someone thought it looked more “yachty”... although it was a factory option. I’ve since converted it to tiller steering.

[@Ocean-blue]

@@EpoxyAndButylTape that sounds like a very sensible upgrade 👍 sheet to tiller steering will now be a good option for you or another KZbinr ‘Sailing wave rover’ is selling some plans for a homemade wind vane. It looks very effective and his unit know as ‘the mark III’ has carried him around a full Atlantic circuit. Good luck with your adventures and thanks for taking the time to reply 😀

[@EpoxyAndButylTape]

Thanks. I know Wave Rover’s owner and his homebuilt windvane. I’ve designed/built windvanes myself, but I also just rebuilt a Monitor and will likely install that this winter.

[@terrishuford672]

Pull the motor n mount a small outboard. Now we have huge storage space.

[@EpoxyAndButylTape]

An outboard won’t save space on a small offshore boat because it needs to have a long shaft and be stored inside while offshore. And then there’s the risk of having gasoline onboard instead of diesel. Regardless of ventilation, it’s a higher risk… that’s the main reason offshore boats have inboard diesel engines. The only real reason to have an outboard is expense of replacement. Having already lost an outboard on another boat, my current preference is the Yanmar.

[@cjprimata]

Proper pirate ship! Why steering wheel? Needs taken out.

[@EpoxyAndButylTape]

This video is more than five years old, and was uploaded more than three years ago. I converted it to tiller steering in episode 17.