New Price

Well, after much soul-searching, Cathy and I have decided to re-price to $75,000.  Seems more in line with today's market.
  Fall weather has been kind to us thus far, not too chilly, nor too windy, with one notable exception.  Hope to get out for a sail before long.  New haliards on the mainsail, so I'd like to exercise them, make sure the kinks are out.

Asking price for Contessa is $89,500.  


Have had several people suggest that I should get bow-thrusters for Contessa.  Looked into it, and came up with this.

Very much in keeping with the traditional look of the boat, however it is surprisingly easy to moor this boat.  Thanks to a long keel and a barn door of a rudder, she backs remarkably well, so we opted to forego the bowthruster.  Thanks to Ron Barrow for his Photo Shop talents

Thought I'd add a couple of photos taken by Wally Davis while we were in British Columbia in '13.

 On the way from Squirrel Bay to Shoal Bay

Not much wind here.

Amazing mountains, again , no wind.

Trying to make friends with a power boat.

A misty day.

going for a dink-about in Bookers Lagoon

Interior pix

Took some photos of the interior today.  This is the salon looking forward, with and without the dinette table.  V-berth in background.

Stove, with flip-up work surface in place, toaster oven behind. Pot/pan storage below stove.

Pots and pans drawer, plus pantry.

Defensive armament, don't leave home without it.

Galley sink (with cutting board over it), plus freezer and fridge access.  Recycling bin below sink.  Plate and glasseware storage outboard of fridge/freezer.  Faucet is Delta pull-down type.  Seawater spray to left of sink.

Quarter berth for two, with storage bins for binoculars, etc, above, and the VHF radio.  The VHF is linked to the GPS, and has an MMSI number, so is capable of transmitting a precise SOS message.

Contessa is a gaff topsail schooner desiged by Geo. Stadel Jr, and built in 1977 by G.I."Sonny" Hodgdon in East Boothbay Maine.  The design was inspired by the pilot schooners built on the east coast of the US in the 19th and 20th centuries.  The keel and frames are of white oak, while the planking is bronze-fastened Honduras Mahagony.  Ballast is external with some internal lead.  The decks are teak, while the spars are built of Sitka spruce.  Sails are dacron, and include main sail, foresail, forestaysail, roller furling jib, main gaff topsail, and fisherman staysail.  Additionally, there are two storm sails and a spare (larger) jib.
Contessa is powered by a 4-108 Westerbeke diesel that produces 37hp, and drives a 3 bladed bronze prop.  Electicity is provided by a 95 Amp alternator, and stored in 4 75 amp hour Optima spiral cell batteries, with a 5th Optima battery that is a dedicated start battery.  AC power is provided by either shore power through a Smart Plug, or a Victron inverter/charger.
Forward, the anchor is a Delta type, with 300ft of 5/16" chain, raised by an Ideal windlass.  A seawater anchor chain washdown is located outboard of the windlass.   The cabin has a V berth forward, with a mattress to starboard, sail storage etc, to port, and a skylight with opening portlight overhead.  The dinette table is a knock-down type that mounts to the forward bulkhead, and has a single leg when in use, but stores away beside the base of the foremast otherwise.  Amidships there are settee berths, with storage underneath.  A diesel Sig cabin heater helps keep the boat cozy in cold weather.  It has a day tank, and a chimney heat recovery device.  Aft on the port side is a chest of drawers, and aft of that is a large pantry with LED lighting inside and a caned door to facilitate air movement.  Opposite is the head.
   The head is equipped with a ceramic corner sink, scavenged from a tug boat, a manual Raritan PHII toilet (with a hydronic heater behind it), and a fresh water shower with both hot and cold water.
  The galley is equipped with a fold away work surface over a 2 burner Origo alcohol stove, and an AC powered Cuisinart toaster oven.  The galley and quarterberth are heated by a hydronic heating loop using engine heat.  Knives, forks, etc, plus kitchen utensils store above the stove/below the deck. while pots, pans, food processor, etc are stored in a large drawer below the stove.  There is a built-in fridge and freezer with horizontal door access.  Outboad of them is dish and glassware storage, behind caned doors.   A Caframo fan gets cooking smells out of the boat.  The sink has a pull-down faucett for hot and cold water, and also has a sprayer for the pressurized seawater system.  Opposite the galley is a quarter berth for two, with the ship's electrical distribution panel as well.
  In the cockpit, there is room to accomodate 6 adults (although 8 will fit pierside).  The central pedestal houses the Garmin chartplotter and the binnacle, while the engine instruments are set into the cockpit bulkhead beside the pedestal.   To suppliment the chartplotter there is a Garmin GNX20 instrument on the aft cabin bulkhead which displays either wind info, or depth.  Steering is via an Edson worm gear mechanism, with an aft-mounted mahagony wheel.
  Fresh water is in a vertical tank outboard of the chest of drawers and pantry to port, while fuel is stored outboard of the head, also in a vertical tank.  Capacity is about 70 gallons each.
  A dodger and bimini help keep the cockpit crew dry, and can be connected if desired.
Will post more photos as I go along.