Contessa 26

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boomerangben

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I am going to go and have a look at a Contessa 26 in the not too distant future and wondered what the cost of certain renovations might be. Could anyone put a ball park figure on the following:
New running rigging
New standing rigging
Referb'd inboard
Rewire
conversion to newer style hatches
Possible osmosis treatment

Grateful for any assistance
 
Hi. Good choice of potential boat.

Mine's 1969 and has had non of your listed improvements so no idea of cost. Bought in 2000 after an OK survey.

My own view is that if it ain't broke don't fix it and since the surveyor told me it was not broke I've left well alone! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
My own view is that if it ain't broke don't fix it

[/ QUOTE ]
You haven't seen her since your son took her... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Second the good choice of boat. I have spent many hours on a friends Contessa 26, and loved it. They seem to be very seaworthy and will look after you.

Don't know exact costs, but I would allow £8-10k for what you describe.
 
Ball park............very!!

New running rigging - £1k
New standing rigging - £2k
Referb'd inboard - £5k
Rewire - £1k
conversion to newer style hatches - £1k
Possible osmosis treatment - £5k

I am guessing from your location you have shipping and competition "issues" as well when it comes to getting goods and work done /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif As I said, VERY ball park (done on the basis that it is mostly not DIY), and I am prepared to be corrected. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Actually IMO a good idea to make a list like this so you can compare vessels, I prepared a very longggg Excel spreadsheet questionaire for the vendors to complete and priced up / ball park guessed for work stuff a vessel didn't have / needed - it made comparing a vessel with New sails and a new chartplotter against something with new fuel tanks and no osmosis a lot easier when it reduced things down to hard cash (and in my case factoring in that I am ok to DIY refurbish and add toys, but not anything major). In my case I ended up going down the no toys and no frills route with a very sound (and very dry!) original boat on the basis that I could smarten her up and add the toys I wanted as and when. But each to their own.

Unfortunately Bill Gates ate my spreadsheet /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
 
Second Bob's comments...

With the exception perhaps of the standing rigging, if it ain't broke, don't fix it....

for sure check that the engine isn't knackered, and that it isn't riddled with serious osmosis, and walk away at Contessa 26 prices if it is....

But with the running rigging, a running engine, older style hatches... don't worry about them.... many of us have boats of similar vintage with the original hatches that haven't caused up problems yet....

Not worth spending that kind of money on a boat with a value of sub £10k
 
Excellent boat, check out my website http://www.contessa26moonshine.me.uk/

for 100+ pictures, sailing video, works records etc. on my Contessa 26.

Like a previous commentator I put together a spreadsheet of every Contessa26 I could find for sale (25) and a list of all their fixtures, conditions and engine sizes etc. and they basically ranged from a Project boat at 6K through to completely upgraded and osmosis treated at 15k

The survey on my boat is online at my website and it also mentioned osmosis but I wasn't going to pay 3K+ on a boat which cost me only 6K (purchased on Ebay !) and on inspection it proved to minimal and the small blisters was due more to a bad reaction on an 80's epoxy coating. I went for a DIY solution (sand , grind, fill with Watertite epoxy filler (lots), sand, Primocon x2, antifoul).

My advice is only do what you need to do to get the boat sailing safely..... to keep the motivation going. Then create a 2-3 year refit schedule which maximises the time in the water as that's what it's all about.....then dream on......pick up bargins cheaply when they come up at the sailing club, boat jumbles or Ebay.

Vist the US Contessa 26 site which is excellent for support and advice http://www.co26.com/

Drop me a line anytime for further information.

Cheers
 
Mine's very similar - almost exact clone below water.
Need new standing rigging cos age of existing not known and insureres insist. Quoted £450 at a cash price from established riggers.
Engine overhaul. It depends. There's probably a single pot diesel in there which might only need new oil, filters and impeller - marine engineer on site might charge up to £100. Plus a new battery. On the other hand........water in head, corroded exhaust elbow, new injectors and other stuff would mount up. Get owner to start up.
Osmosis. "No boat ever sank through osmosis" apparently. Mine had a few blisters but recent survey said moisture levels were ok. I decided when i bought boat that i wasn't going to do any osmosis treatment. Not needed and can't recoup money on resale.
Running rigging and wiring I'm doing on a bit at a time basis so can't quote you a cost.
Pester bobfrost for more detailed co 26 details.
Purchase price? Well one went for 4K down here on the Medway a couple of years ago but that was quick sale cos owner died. Another's now up for 10K for that's too much for average condition and nobody is sniffing. I reckon boats are going for a lot less than asking price.
You've probably thought about a survey after having a look yourself. That might run to £200 plus but might give you bargaining points and a work schedule if you do take the boat on.
There's plenty of similar boats about : halcyons, invictas etc.
Good luck. Apologies if I've waffled about stuff you already knew.
 
Thankyou everyone. The boat in question is on her side in a field and has been like that for 6 years or so, exposed to worst of the British weather. Extracting her would be an interesting project, let alone restoring her. Trying to work out what she is worth.
 
Presumably she fell on her side so could well need structural repairs to bulkheads etc even if the soft ground didnt damage the grp hull.

By the sound of it I wouldnt pay more than about a grand for it.

these figures wont be too far adrift.

Standing rigging (wires and bottlescrews) 500

running rigging 250.

Sails (main and roller genoa 1200.

To refurbish the existing engine could be anything from 100 to 2000 ,

New engine 3000 plus another 2500 to have it proffesionally installed new shaft stern tube etc.

You could get by with an outboard on a bracket for about 1300 with no installation costs.(Tohatsu 9.8 with saildrive prop and battery charging)

Osmosis is a grey area.does it really need doing? A yard job would probably be 3 or 4 k and would probably make the project uneconomical.

to refit the interior it all depends on what you want.How much you can do yourself etc.

Unless you really want a project then I think it would be more economical to find one ready to sail.
 
Its the time that may be a deal breaker-you are not talking about methodically upgrading a boat that is actually in commission and complete..phased in over a number of years to come.
How would you feel investing 1000 hours for a complete renovation and refit before hitting the water..to bring it up to the £10-15k equivalent spec of a sistership?
Of course if you are retired and able to put the boat in the shed next to the kitchen and wanted a boat where you know everything has been done right...
 
Thanks everyone.

I am not frightened of the project or the time it will take. Having just completely stripped a UFO31 and rebuilt it (everything except the internal joinery) I am confident that I could do most of the referb myself and there are plenty of people around with various skills to do the difficult bits. If fact the project itself is part of the fun. Once it is complete it would be nice to have a boat that will handle the local conditions and the confidence of knowing the boat inside out.

The damage that may or may not have happened when she fell off the trailer will be the deal breaker. If the bulkheads have popped, then I will walk away. I will let you know how I get on.
 
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