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I am looking for a list of boat models built in fiberglass of 22-26' LOA, strongly built, transom hung rudder, moderate beam, moderate draft, long keel and available in Canada. I would like to do a junk rig conversion.
I know of the obvious Contessa 26 but there are probably a few more.
One of the best of the folkboat derivatives and one that can usually be bought cheaply, was built by Whitby in Canada in the 1960's and was marketed under several different names including Walton 25 and Whitby 25. At least some of these had lead ballast and amoungst Folkboat aficionados were considered to be closer to the higher stability of the wooden folkboats than most of the later fiberglass derrivatives.
I owned a 1949 lapstrake, wooden Folkboat back in the early 1970's and these were spectacularly wonderful little boats. Although very cramped and limited in carrying capacity, they were a true delight to sail in almost all conditions. I would never call them moderate beam. They are clearly on the skinny side and so had tendancy to sail on their ear.
I have also sailed a Folkboat with a junk rig that attempted to replicate Blondie Haslers' "Jester". My sense is that chaning to a junk rig took a boat that sailed incredibly well in a wide range of conditions and turned it into a boat with mediocre sailing capabilites except on a reach, and even there it was not noticably better than the stock rig. Maintenance (due to chafe) on the junk rig was killing this guy as well.
I really think you would be better served to keep and update the stock Folkboat rig. This was a strong, simple, and very easily handled rig that was easy to adapt to changing conditions, especially of the rig is updated with a full batten main, and a couple reefs using modern 2-line slab reefing. Based on actually sailing these boats I would suggest that Folkboat rigs do not need reinventing, just a small amount of tweaking.
The Contessa 26 and the Whitby/Continental Folkboat are only two that I know of that are Canadian built. With that said the administrator over at C026.com recently posted a list of folkboat derivatives on his website. See;
About a 3'rd the way down the main page is a list of folkboats in various forms.
While I can't speak with authority on this I believe that unlike the co26 the whitby folkboat has a bolt on keel, something to consider/further investigate.
The Contessa 26 and the Whitby/Continental Folkboat are only two that I know of that are Canadian built. With that said the administrator over at C026.com recently posted a list of folkboat derivatives on his website. See;
About a 3'rd the way down the main page is a list of folkboats in various forms.
While I can't speak with authority on this I believe that unlike the co26 the whitby folkboat has a bolt on keel, something to consider/further investigate.
There were a set of moulds very like the Contessa 26 floating around Vancouver years ago. A number of boats were produced by various people operating on a shoestring so they never seemed to have "Names" but the mouldings I have seen were all well done.
When they appear on the market they are generally just called "fiberglass folkboat".
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