Sailing a Contessa 26 in the Blackwater Estuary

Sailing in the Blackwater Estuary in Essex in my boat Misty which is a Contessa 26.
This was a lovely day in August 2010, in a F4 -5. I was sailing alone, and what you don't see in this video is the trouble I had setting the cruising chute, something I hadn't done by myself before.
The boom roller reefing system for the main sail is the EASY ROLL system and now I'm used to it, it works well when I'm single handed. You can find it on the Seateach website, www.seateach.com
These are links to the UK and US Contessa 26 owners' associations
www.contessa26.net (UK)
www.co26.com (US)
This is the Contessa builder's website, they still make spares and offer advice
www.jeremyroger...

[@johncoffin100]

I think I read an article in a magazine about someone who sailed a contessa around the mediterranean. It's not so fast as a more modern boat in light winds, but good in stronger ones. I like winds between F3 and F5.
I'd recommend that you have a look at the two owners' websites, one in the uk and one in the US. I've added links to these and also for the builder's website, to the video description section above. These boats do very well in the UK Round the Island race, 1st in 2011 on handicap.

[@johncoffin100]

The genoa is very big, with a small mainsail on a contessa 26. However, I haven't noticed any speed issues. The sail was converted for use with the easy roll by making new batten slots, two of the battens are full length. Perhaps this is why it works ok.

[@tsvca]

Yeah.. from Germany to Australia.. look on youtube for "bigoceansvoyage".. He also made a film.. Great vessel! :)

[@jimbolecat]

would a contessa 26 be any good in the mediteranian or would the winds be to light for her? i saw a video where someone sails one of these alone across the ocean!!
i'm interested in starting sailing and i live in mallorca, my dream would be to take a boat all over the world one day. any help or advice where to start would be great?

[@thall0790]

nice boat, that line under the boom that runs to the base of the mast what dose that do? thanks

[@johncoffin100]

The line attaches to both ends of the boom. The kicking strap or vang attaches to the centre of the line and the other end is at the mast foot. It is tightened by block and tackle. This arrangement is necessary because the mainsail is reefed by rotating the boom (the Easy Roll system from France). A

[@Knapweed]

@@johncoffin100 I love Contessas but that's a dreadful form of reefing compared to Slab or Jiffy. It worked OK with a Gaff rig but things have moved on since 1890. ;)

[@johncoffin100]

Maybe, but I found it very effective and much easier to use as a single hander, it could be reefed from the cockpit. It doesn't set so well as slab reefing. I had slab reefing on another boat, but in choppy seas it feels safer to be able to work from the cockpit.

[@Knapweed]

@@johncoffin100 Does the end of your boom drop or do you have those spacers at the end to take account of the extra length of the leech when you reef? Point taken about the safety aspect.