On September 19th, 2008, we bought a 1976 Tanzer 26 needing some attention; #159.  Over the past 3-4 years, we have brought back to life with upgrades and improvements.  The Tanzer 26 brochure put it this way: "This boat offers qualities that will appeal to the cruising family as well as the racing skipper. She provides both speed and responsiveness that is quite unusual for a production boat. But she is not just a fast sailboat that wins races. Her expansive and comfortable interior as well as forgiving nature make her a safe and easily handled cruising boat for the family. Quite rugged too; Tanzer 26 no. 226 sailed the North Atlantic from New York to Lorient France in 29 days.".   I can attest to that.  I have been out on the bay in 50 knot winds (storm jib, reefed main Oct. 2011) and she took it in stride.  After an off-season of paint, polish and elbow grease, she was a sight to behold (slight bias).

The Demise of Tanzer Industries. An article about the final days of Tanzer Industries.

Sailquest's T26 Review A high level review/assessment of the T26.

Avocet - Chrysler 26 vs. T26 A Chrysler 26 compared to the T26.

Tale of Two Tanzers - T26 and 7.5 compared.

Brewer by the Numbers - What's the meaning of all those numbers used by yacht designers?  This Good Old Boat article is an excellent read.

Brewer Yacht Design - Ted Brewer's site, promoting his book and giving good information.

The Alradee-Chi

A 1976 Tanzer 26

Gianna and I paid her a visit  the weekend after the auction finished; next to last weekend in September.  It was Gianna's birthday and quite an exciting experience.  We sailed her 6 times before we had to haul her out for the winter.  In that time, I got a sense for what needed to be fixed and/or upgraded.  However, we sure had some fun before the haul-out.

The list of 2010-2011 Winter/Spring projects; completed, underway, planned...

•  Repaint boot stripe (Done, raised the waterline 1.5" due to the crud in the creek and barnacles attached to lower edge of boot stripe.) This worked great.

•  Repaint bottom with ACT (Need the Ingarol to help fight slime, done)

•  Rebuild Mast-Step The mast was found to be compressing into the deck when my forestay and backstay turnbuckles were tightened to their max and the stays were still not at their correct tension on the loos gauge.  So I took the mast step and angle adjusting teak wedge off to investigate and found that someone had already been there.  The fiberglass top had 4 cut lines in the exact place you see the hole in the picture.  It does not appear as though it was removed, but someone cut into it. So I went ahead and removed the 3/4" of fiberglass and resin (chips seen on the left) and discovered the coach roof bridge boards were saturated with water.  They needed to come out.  So I cut a 10" x 14" inch hole in the cabin top top layer of fiberglass, removed the water soaked and moldy plywood, cut new slats from 3/8th marine plywood and put two layers of 3/8ths to make the 3//4" thickness with a layer of fiberglass and resin between each, and installed the new slats plus 2 layers of 1/2"x10"x14" marine plywood plates with fiberglass and resin between to the top of the bridge plates , and then laid 6 layers of fiberglass to the top of the 2 plates.  The step now sticks out above the cabin top by 1/2 inch, but I felt there was enough adjustment in the stays to allow for it.  This mast step project set back my repaint of the topside by at least 2 weeks.  You have to love messing about on old boats to do the right thing. Primed with one coat of Awlgrip epoxy primer - , After Awlgrip topcoats and step reinstalled-   More pictures coming soon.  As you can see, she still needs Kiwigrip nonskid.

•  Paint the topside with Awlgrip (Oyster White).  (Done).

•  Apply Poliglow instead of wax.  (Done; see http://www.poliglow-int.com/ for product info) Works as advertised with awesome results!  Check out the reflection in the hull.

•  Rebuild front hatch by removing rotted core and replacing with new exterior plywood and resin. (Done). 

•  Cover Cockpit cushions (Done)

•  Add Solar Panels to companion way top (Done, panels mounted to custom aluminum frame, frame not mounted to companion way hatch cover in deference to potential new owner)

•  New 12 switch - 12 breaker Eletrical Panel with Solar charge controller for 2 batteries (Done)

•  New Mainsail (Full batten, fuller roach, Done)

•  Mount new numbers and Tanzer tornado emblem (Done)

•  Repair Boom track with custom milled aluminum bar (Done)

•  Replace Mainsheet (done)

•  Purchase spinnaker sheets (re-use mainsheet and an older sheet from previous owner)

•  Build two piece take apart dinghy (Underway)

•  Service engine (Done)

•  Clean engine compartment

•  Install ST1000+ Tiller Autopilot (Done)

•  Install Ritchie Navigator Compass in the cockpit  (Done)

•  Sew new Mainsail cover (Done)

•  Sew Bimini Cover (Done)

•  Sew Solar panel foul weather covers (TBD)

•  Replace Bilge Boards (PVC)

•  Mount weather station on masthead (done)

•  Caulk steaming light flange on mast (Done)

•  Replace Steaming light and foredeck light bulbs with LEDs (done)

•  Replace Stern light bulb with LED (Done)

•  Remove eyebrow slats (Done, as part of the topside repaint)

•  refinish grab rails (varnish in progress)... Changed my mind.  I made new ones from 5/4 PVC and then painted with Rustoleum Paint for plastic (yes, Rustoleum makes a special paint that binds very well with PVC, color is Shell white).

•  Refinish/Re-chrome lifeline hardware (done, powder coated Tiger Drylac RAL 9010 Pure White, by Powtec of Trenton, NJ).  They look great.  .  Need new life lines (installed 3/16" Amsteel).  They are just as strong and can be stalled without a rigger and no rust ever.
   

Past upgrades:

1. 2008-2009

2. 2009-2010