Contessa 26 for sale in Kames United Kingdom

The Contessa 26 was a joint project between David Sadler and a young and enthusiastic Jeremy Rogers. Taking inspiration for the wooden folkboats Rogers was building at the time. With her all GRP construction the first Contessa 26 launched in 1966 and immediately proved to be a highly capable little yacht with some of the early yachts putting up notable results in both inshore and longer distance, offshore races. The design was the foundation of successful partnership between Sadler and Rodgers who went on to design and build several other Contessa designs.

The Contessa 26 CAROLINE IV is a much-loved example of the class; one of the best we have had the pleasure of seeing in recent years. Extensively re-fitted and upgraded by successive owners she boasts a comprehensive modern inventory including highlights such as:

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

Now ashore for the winter the Contessa 26 CAROLINE IV is lying in Tighnabruaich Boat yard and is available for immediate viewing. 

CONSTRUCTION

Hull Construction:
Single piece GRP moulded hull with encapsulated keel
Hand consolidated, monolythic 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.

SAFTEY 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 owners 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

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.