Contessa 26 on a mud berth?

[john williams]

My present boat- an Anderson 22- needs quite an upgrade, and before I spend the money ( which will never be added to the value of the boat of course) I was considering the practicability of buying a long keel Contessa 26 as an upgrade. I currently moor on a tidal creek mud berth on the Medway, any advice?

 

[Seajet]

John,

as your Anderson is a very early one with the eary type keelcase I can see your point.

However, is yours an actual mud berth where the boat sits in one position and the C26's keel could dig a hole and sit in it every time, or a swinging drying mooring ?

I think she'd be fine on a mud berth but not on a swinging mooring.

 

[rob2]

The Contessa is a pretty bullet proof boat and an excellent small cruiser, albeit with minimal accomodation. They are fine once you get used to the fact that you sit in them, standing is out of the question for anyone taller than my 5'7" - a height which fits perfectly in the companionway blister. They have good directional stability, making them easy to helm in a seaway, and if driven right, they can be raced successfully, e.g. many wins in the RTIR. The keel shape is good for the East Coast as they will run aground without doing any damage! They are probably the opposite sailing style from the Anderson, being a long keel, and don't have the dinghy like handling of the Anderson - you can leave the helm on a beat to collect your tea from the galley.

The issue of your mooring is simply whether the boat will dig its own muddy pool on successive tides - once this has happened, they will settle more or less upright, although the water may recede to less than the normal waterline. We used to have a few CO26s at our club on a hard bottom and they would roll onto their sides at LAT, refloating without drama on the incoming tide.

Rob.

 

[NealB]

I used to keep a Halcyon 27 on a drying pontoon berth at Hayling. After the first few tides, where she took up some alarming looking angles (all without damage), she thereafter dug herself a nice mud cradle and remained upright.

Years ago, a mate kept his Wing 25 on a drying mooring at Hullbridge without any problems.

I would want to be sure that the mud is really nice and soft, and that the mooring is in a very well sheltered location.

 

[john williams]

Thanks for your prompt replies.
Regarding the directional stability, whilst I enjoy sailing the Anderson and have had some great days out, I do most of my sailing single handed and having a stint of over eight hrs at the helm last season on a few occasions can take the shine off things, so a long keel might be the answer. I could get round this with an autohelm but then I would have to upgrade the electrics and then and then etc....
Accommodation height is not a problem, Id rather have the nice lines.
The mooring is swinging but on very soft mud and reasonably sheltered.
Thanks again.
John

 

[Zagato]

There is a Contssa 26 for sale in our yard at the moment, can give you a number to call if you are interested. It's in Bosham however and needs a bit of TLC. I can't remeber the price but it reflects the cosmetic work needed! Think it was 7K or 9k but not sure...

 

[jerrytug]

She'll be fine in a mud berth. I'm in the mud in Oare Creek just now where are you?

 

[Suttle]

John, Medway mud very forgiving there are many fin and long keel yachts moored in drying moorings a Contessa 26 will be OK

PS If you wanted a non drying mooring further up river (REYC) moorings PM me I may be able to help!

 

[john williams]

Thanks for all your relies. really helpful.
John

 

[Avocet]

We tried a Cutlass 27 (very similar underwater shape to the Contessa, but more headroom and cheaper!) on a drying pontoon in the outer harbour at Port Dinorwic, but it didn't dig a hole for itself as we'd hoped. On the other hand, it was fine on a jetty on the river Wyre - made a nice hole in a few tides. I think it depends enormously on the precise conditions of both mud and tidal flow at that exact location.