Contessa 26

[Sausmarez]

I am a keen young sailor looking for my first boat - and a Contessa 26 would certainly fit the bill.

Has anyone else here either got a Contessa 26 themselves or experience in owning/sailing one?

I would love to hear from you, if so.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Sausmarez.


See ➥ http://www.contessa26.net/

And ➥ http://www.co26.com/

And ➥ http://www.canadianyachting.ca/boat-...15-contessa-26

And ➥ https://www.cruisingworld.com/sailbo...er-contessa-26

[Pete7]

Sailed one a long time ago. Not a lot of room inside so preferred the Nic 28 or the Halcyon 27 which I thought a much better yacht all be it that they are not as well known. Don't tie yourself to a particular model, inside look at a range and choose the one in the best condition that would suit your needs.

I see your in the UK, but even so this is worth a study:

Atom Voyages - Good Old Boats List

[thomm225]

I really like how they look and wanted one myself until I actually stood near one.

They are tiny boats! I'm 6' and I think the Contessa 26 has like 5'4" head room maybe.

There's almost no deck to stand on to get around the cabin.

The first time I saw one at a marina it happened to have a monitor wind vane on it. I was thinking, why does this little POS Boat have a wind vane? Does he think he's gonna cross an ocean or something?

Then I realized it was a Contessa 26! (which has done at least 2 circumnavigations)

You gotta love the Skipper on this boat. Watch him carefully

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3pcXWUZ5Pk

[AiniA]

Where did you see the poster was in the UK? I missed that. In any case, these boats were built in the UK and Canada. The Canadian boats have a larger rig to help with the light summer winds on the Great Lakes. One of the results of this is that you need to reef very early on the Canadian boats (something like 10 knots true). They also sail very much on their ear which you may or may not like. I find them very pretty boats but also very tiny. They are rugged but I think you need to be young a flexible to deal with the companionway arrangement. If I was looking for a smallish boat that could somewhere I think it would be a Vega 27 - much bigger than a Contessa and also rugged.