BoatsContessa 26

Contessa 26

Masthead Sloop · Long Keel w/trans. Hung Rudder · 1965–1990

A David Sadler-designed long-keel masthead sloop, built in both England and Canada with a 25-year production run

Designed by David Sadler, built by Jeremy Rogers.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Long Keel w/trans. Hung Rudder

See her sail

The Contessa 26, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Sailing Gently

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her heavy displacement on a narrow beam gives 26 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 26
CoastalBluewater

1.71 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.71
LightHeavy

301 — heavy for her waterline, built to carry stores and ride steadily.

Displacement / length 301
EasygoingPowered-up

12.1 — modest power for her weight; easygoing rather than lively, and happier with a breeze.

Sail area / displacement 12.1
TenderStiff

43% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 43%

Built heavy and sea-kindly — a boat made to cross oceans and forgive a rough night.

  • Narrower than ~79% of boats her size on file

Compared with 272 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Contessa 26, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Contessa 26 is a masthead sloop designed by David Sadler, built from 1965 to 1990, known for its long keel and transom-hung rudder. Jeremy Rogers Ltd. in England first built the boat, and later J.J.2:34 Taylor and Sons Ltd. in Canada produced about 400 Contessa and Taylor 26s, with the Canadian version renamed the Taylor 26 in 1984. The boat has a LOA of 7.8 m, a beam of 2.3 m, a draft of 1.2 m, and displaces 2449 kg.3:28 Aboard *Knot Your Average Boat*, the Contessa 26 is profiled as an affordable, ocean-capable platform, often available for under $20,000 in project condition.3:13 Its narrow beam, deep full keel, and transom-hung rudder contribute to exceptional tracking, though headroom is limited to 5 feet 8 inches.3:28 Plywood chainplate bulkheads are a common point of rot.4:02

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen 2 times across 2 channels of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Contessa 26 on video

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
42.6%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
12.1
Displacement / length
301.3
Comfort ratio
26.3
Capsize screening
1.71
Hull speed
6.0 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
536
Hull
Hull type
Long keel w/trans. hung rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1965–1990
Units built
750
Designer
David Sadler
Builder
Jeremy Rogers, J.J. Taylor, Sons Ltd

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Cape Dory 25D7.62 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Carl Alberg-designed long-keeled masthead sloop later produced as the Octavia 25
The History of Cape Dory Sailboatsfrom Practical Sailor
Pearson Yachts-USA Triton8.63 mSame hull family0.9 m longerA Carl Alberg-designed long-keel fractional sloop that pioneered fibreglass cruising and saw international production.
2 Circumnavigations Later: 28ft Pocket Cruiser Full Tour & Upgrades0:10from Atom Voyager
Flicka 207.32 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA Bruce Bingham-designed cutter with a long keel, originally offered as amateur plans before becoming a production classic
S4, Ep51 Sailing Couple Stops Resisting and Starts Living — A Mindset Shift on the Water10:13from Sailing Into the Mystic
Nor'Sea Marine 278.23 mSame hull family0.5 m longerA masthead sloop with a versatile rig and ballast configuration, designed for trailerable offshore cruising
Buying a 40 Foot Sailboat at 21/yo0:46from Garrett’s Adventure
Bristol Yachts 247.49 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA Paul Coble-designed masthead sloop with a long keel and over 50% ballast ratio for stable coastal cruising
Learning to Cross the Atlantic With Nothing but a Sextant — Sailing Yabá 2939:33from Sailing Yabá
Falmouth Cutter 229.30 mSame hull family1.5 m longerA narrow-beamed 30-foot cruiser with a shallow 1.07-metre draft and a traditional long-keeled hull
TOP 3 TINY Sailboats You Can Live On! - Ep 346 Lady K Sailing3:13from Lady K Sailing

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Contessa 32A 1973 London Boat Show winner with a skeg-hung rudder and a ballast-to-displacement ratio of 47 per centContessa 28A Doug Peterson-designed masthead sloop with a fin keel and spade rudder, built for balanced performance since 1977Taylor 26A Canadian-built version of the Contessa 26, this long-keeled masthead sloop was produced for six years starting in 1984Contessa 27A Rob Humphreys-designed fractional sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio, later produced as the MGC27Contessa 35A Doug Peterson-designed IOR One Ton racer that claimed the 1974 International One Ton Cup with her prototype Gumboots

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Contessa 26, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

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