The Contessa 26 Introduction
It didn’t quite begin with the Contessa 26, but this was definitely the boat that established Jeremy Rogers’ business.
Based on the Folkboat, the Contessa 26 made her first appearance on the water at the end of April 1966, and within two years the demand for this very pretty little g.r.p. cruiser-racer was such that the boatshed had to expand to double its original size.
Gosport Street Factory, 1966 (above) and photo of Jeremy at Lymington Town Quay aboard the first Contessa 26 (top)
Production continued at the original Gosport Street site and later in the Waterloo Road factory. In 1973 a set of moulds was sold to Canada, where JJ Taylors built very many Contessa 26s, including the one that teenager, Tania Aebi, sailed single-handedly around the world in the mid 1980s.
In 1976 the Rogers yard ceased building 26s, and the moulds were sold to another Lymington company, Maclan Marine, where a few more were produced. By this date over 300 Contessa 26s had been built at the Rogers yard. Meanwhile production of the Contessa 32 and many larger designs went from strength to strength.
The Contessa 26 also has a passionate following and an excellent class association (Contessa 26 Association).
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