Contessa 26 for sale in Kames United Kingdom

Boat Overview

The Contessa 26 was a collaborative project between David Sadler and a young and enthusiastic Jeremy Rogers. Inspired by the wooden folkboats Rogers was constructing at the time, the first Contessa 26 was launched in 1966. It quickly established itself as a highly capable yacht, with early models achieving notable results in both inshore and offshore races. This design laid the groundwork for a successful partnership between Sadler and Rogers, who later designed and built several other Contessa models.

The Contessa 26 CAROLINE IV is a cherished example of the class, recognized as one of the finest seen in recent years. It has been extensively re-fitted and upgraded by successive owners, featuring a modern inventory that includes:

• Windows all removed and professionally restored in 2005
• Beta Marine B-14 marine diesel engine (2010)
• Boat extensively re-wired in 2005
• Raymarine ST60 navigation instrumentation
• Garmin GPS152 GPS
• NASA Marine SX35 DSCVHF
• Origo 3000 spirit stove
• Jabsco manual marine toilet (2012)
• Stainless steel standing rigging, fully replaced in 2019
• Running rigging replacement in 2019
• Lewmar self-tailing primary winches
• Sprayhood fitted new in 2023
• Full cockpit canopy
• Inflatable dinghy

Currently ashore for the winter, the Contessa 26 CAROLINE IV is located at Tighnabruaich Boat Yard and is available for immediate viewing.

Construction

Hull Construction

• Single piece GRP moulded hull with encapsulated keel
• Hand consolidated, monolithic laminate
• Topsides finished in blue two-pack paint
• Underwater hull finished in red antifouling with white boot top line

Deck & Superstructure Construction

• Single piece GRP moulded deck incorporating coachroof superstructure and self-draining cockpit
• Non-slip moulded texture panels to finish deck and coachroof
• Windows all removed and professionally restored in 2005
• Teak slats to finish cockpit seating
• Moulding finished in white paint

Keel & Rudder

• GRP encapsulated long keel
• Lead ballast
• Full depth pintle hung rudder with prop aperture

Machinery

Engine

• Beta Marine B-14 marine diesel engine (2010)
• 14hp @ 3,600rpm
• Twin cylinder, naturally aspirated, indirectly
• Mechanical reversing marine gearbox
• Single lever morse control

Maintenance & Performance

• Engine service annually
• Cruising speed under engine 5kts
• Set of cruising spares aboard

Propulsion & Steering

• Stainless steel propshaft
• Three blade, bronze fixed propeller
• Laminated hardwood tiller

Electrical Systems

Voltage Systems

• 12VDC onboard power system
• Boat extensively re-wired in 2005

Battery Banks

• Battery 1 – 1x 12VDC, 75Ah, lead acid (2023)
• Battery 2 - 1x 12VDC, 110Ah, lead acid
• Merlin S100 battery isolators (2005)

Alternator

• Single engine driven alternator
• Merlin M-Power voltage sensitive relay to split charging current between batteries

General

• 12VDC charging sockets at chart table
• SunGuard charge controller for solar panel – no panel fitted currently

Plumbing

Fresh Water

• Manually pumped fresh water system
• Manual cold water tap in galley

Bilge Pumps

• Manual bilge pump

Tankage

Fuel

• Single diesel tank
• Stainless steel tank construction
• Tank capacity 45ltr – approximate range of 200nm

Fresh Water

• Single fresh water tank
• GRP moulded tank

Navigation & Communication Equipment

On Deck

• Depth – Raymarine ST60
• Speed/Log – Raymarine ST60
• Wind – Raymarine ST60
• Repeater – Raymarine ST60 Graphic display
• Magnetic Compass

Below Decks

• GPS – Garmin GPS152

Communications Equipment

• DSC VHF – NASA Marine SX35 DSCVHF

Domestic Equipment

Galley

• Stove – Origo 3000 spirit stove, gimbal mounted
• Sink – With manually pumped cold water tap

Heads

• Toilet – Jabsco manual marine toilet (2012)

Accommodation

Forepeak

• Two single berths in V-layout with infill to create double
• Shelves above bunks, outboard forward
• Bottle storage locker beneath central section of bunks forward
• Storage in lockers beneath bunks

Heads

• Bi-fold door between heads compartment and forepeak (not currently fitted)
• Jabsco manual marine toilet located outboard to starboard
• Wet locker opposite to port

Galley/Nav Station

• Located forward of saloon.
• Galley unit outboard to port with cooker mounted on gimbals above storage unit.
• Selection of lockers below and outboard.
• Worktop area to starboard with inset sink below cover panel centrally.
• GPS mounted outboard of worktop
• Fold out section of worktop to extend Nav table work space aft.
• Selection of lockers below worktop
• Pull-out bench seat to span between galley and nav station

Saloon

• Located between companionway and galley/nav station
• Bench settees outboard port and starboard
• Settees convert to single bunks which extend aft under the cockpit to extend bunk length
• Batteries located beneath starboard bunk

Deck Equipment

Rig

• Deck stepped masthead sloop rig
• Gold anodised alloy mast and spars
• Stainless steel standing rigging, fully replaced in 2019
• On boom roller reefing mainsail
• Majority of running rigging replaced in 2019
• Block and tackle kicker (2019)
• Mainsheet horse upgraded with block and tackles to pull mainsheet to windward

Winches

• Primary Winches – 2x Lewmar 16, self-tailing, two-speed
• Secondary Winches – 2x Gibb, single-speed

Sails

• Mainsail – White dacron, on boom roller reefing
• #1 Genoa – Mylar
• #1 Jib
• Storm Jib
• Spinnaker – Tri-radial
• Gennaker

Canvas Work

• Mainsail Cover (2005)
• Sprayhood (2023)
• Winter Sprayhood
• Spray Dodgers (2005)
• Cockpit Canopy (2005)
• Cockpit Cushions

Anchoring & Mooring

• Bower Anchor – CQR anchor on chain (36m) / warp (40m) rode
• Kedge Anchor with approximately 10m of chain
• Mooring Warps – Selection
• Fenders – Selection

Tender

• Inflatable Dinghy – Plastimo dinghy

General

• Single bow roller
• Stainless steel pulpit rail
• Deck mounted stainless steel stanchions, custom made stanchions to curve out over toerail
• Single, plastic covered stainless steel guardwire
• Deck mounted alloy mooring cleats forward and aft
• Toerail mounted fairleads forward and aft
• Upgraded forward hatch with conventional style glazed opening hatch
• Hardwood grabrails running the length of the coachroof, outboard
• Stainless steel liferaft cradle mounted on coachroof between sprayhood and mast
• Moulded cockpit coamings with winches mounted on coaming top
• Bench seats to port and starboard sides of cockpit with lockers beneath aft sections of both
• Mainsheet horse mounted aft of cockpit.
• Small section of deck aft of cockpit with hatch to access lazarette locker
• Stainless steel pulpit rail
• Outboard storage bracket located to port side of rail.

Safety Equipment

General note on safety equipment: Any safety equipment such as liferafts, Epirbs, fire extinguishers and flares etc. are usually personal to the current owner(s) and if being left on-board as part of the sale of a used vessel may require routine servicing, replacement, or changing to meet a new owner's specific needs.

• Navigation Lights:
  • Masthead tri-colour and anchor light (2005)
  • Steaming light
  • Navigation lights (2005)
• Safety Equipment:
  • Liferaft – 4 person cannister raft – Last serviced 2014
  • Horseshoe lifebuoy with light
  • OSCAR MOB recovery sling
  • Fire Blanket
  • Fire Extinguisher

Disclaimer

In this case we are acting as brokers only. The Owner is not selling in the course of a business. Whilst every care has been taken in their preparation, the correctness of these particulars is not guaranteed. The Purchaser is strongly advised to check the particulars and where appropriate at their expense to employ a qualified Marine Surveyor to carry out a survey and/or to have an engine trial conducted which if conducted by us shall not imply any liability for such engine on our part. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.

Disclaimer

The Company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.