26' JJ TAYLOR Contessa 26

A LEGENDARY Sailboat: Tested, Proven, and Ready! This Contessa 26 can go anywhere!
With Solar, Lithium Batteries, AIS, Dinghy w/ Outboard, a shade Bimini and more!
$19,500 or Best Offer.
Currently moored in Isla Mujeres, Mexico.

These Contessa sailboats are extraordinary and their reputation as small, ocean-going vessels might be unequaled in the annals of sailing lore. And this Contessa 26 is a very fine example of one.

Based on the successful design of the Nordic Folkboat, more than 750 of these were made. Some have circumnavigated the globe, others have won races. All have been adored by their owners. Rugged, sturdy, and a pleasure to sail, these boats are made to go anywhere.

Several transoceanic voyages have been completed, including two circumnavigations: by Tania Aebi in Varuna, as described in her book Maiden Voyage, and by Brian Caldwell who in 1995 aged 19, began a journey of 27,000 miles (43,000 km) in Mai Miti Vavau to become, at the time, the youngest person to sail around the world alone.

These latter two sailed in the J. J. Taylor built Canadian version of the 26 - of which this Contessa is one. However, this Contessa 26 is officially a Contessa model - built by J.J. Taylor in Ontario.

S/V MANGO has been in the Caribbean for the last two seasons, after an extensive refit in Florida, before successfully transiting the ICW southbound.

The boat is powered by a 6.5HP Yammer 1GM engine. The motor mounts were replaced and upgraded in 2024, to stainless steel mounts by OCEANIC INNOVATIONS. A new starter motor was fit, and various fuel lines, filters, and raw water strainers have been replaced. The stainless steel fuel tank (approx 12 gallons) has been cleaned and polished and a fuel gauge fit. The engines starting battery was replaced in January 2025 and is like new.

All thru-hulls were removed and replaced in 2024. They are high quality bronze seacocks by GROCO.


In the galley, two manual foot pumps were installed for both fresh and salt water. A 2-burner ORIGO alcohol stove is available for cooking.

The head was replaced in 2024 with a new Jabsco compact manual flush toilet. All hoses vented looped were new in 2024. The former holding tank under the V-berth was removed and the area was refashioned for additional storage for extended cruising.

The mast was removed and primed and painted and is in excellent shape. All in-mast wiring was replaced in 2024, and all new navigation lights installed.

All standing rigging was removed and inspected, and coated with lanolin for extended corrosion protection. All chainplates were removed, and replaced with new stainless steel chainplates.

The boat has excellent ground tackle. A 9.9 kg Rocna Vulcan is on 100 feet of chain and 150 feet of rode on the bow. An oversized Fortress G23 with 15 of chain and 100 of rode on the stern.

In the cockpit, a new Bimini was fitted for shade and comfort underway. The boom was raised approximately 8 inches to accommodate this. The Bimini is fitted with two 200-watt flexible solar panels by BougeRV, and an attendant solar charge controller with remote monitoring via Wifi.

The house batteries are two 100AH lithium batteries by SOK. 110V power comes from a 2000-watt modified sine wave Cobra inverter. All 12v wiring was new in 2024.

There is an automatic bilge pump, with float switch and control panel inside, and a manual Whale gusher bilge pump fitted in the cockpit.

There is a new (2024) Uniden fixed mount VHF radio, with GPS and DSC calling, and a KS-200A with SART AIS transceiver, with Digital Yacht SPL250 VHF-AIS antenna splitter. AIS monitoring is available over Wifi via a YAKKER nmea-0183 converter.

The boat comes with a 77 Newport Boats inflatable dinghy, and a 2HP Two-Stroke Mariner Outboard(Same as Yamaha - super lightweight). The dinghy fits nicely on the foredeck underway, and the motor is stored on a teak outboard mount on the stern pulpit rail.

More info, photos, and history, available upon request.

Selling due to purchase of a larger boat. Serious inquiries only, please.