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Columbia T 26
Designer: Alan Payne  ·  Builder: Columbia Yachts (Usa)  ·  First built: 1974
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About the Columbia T 26

Designed by renowned naval architect Alan Payne and built by Columbia Yachts from 1974 to 1977, this compact cruiser represents solid American boatbuilding from the mid-1970s. With only 130 hulls produced during its brief production run, the T 26 has become a relatively uncommon sight on today's waters. The modified full keel design provides excellent directional stability and a forgiving sailing character, making this boat particularly well-suited for coastal cruising and as a capable trainer for developing sailors. The shallow 2.08-foot draft opens up thin-water cruising grounds while still providing adequate lateral resistance. At 4,400 pounds with 1,400 pounds of ballast, the T 26 offers reassuring stability without being overly heavy for its size. The masthead sloop rig with 270 square feet of sail area delivers respectable performance for a boat of this era, while the comfortable 18.07 comfort ratio suggests good motion characteristics in a seaway. The low capsize screening value of 1.95 indicates solid stability margins, reinforcing the boat's reputation as a safe, predictable platform for weekend cruising and harbor sailing. Though not designed for racing, the T 26 makes an excellent choice for sailors seeking a traditional, well-mannered coastal cruiser.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 25.83 ft / 7.87 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 22.83 ft / 6.96 m
Beam 7.96 ft / 2.43 m
Max Draft 2.08 ft / 0.63 m
Displacement 4,400.00 lb / 1,996 kg
Ballast 1,400.00 lb / 635 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 270.00 ft² / 25.08 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Modified Full Keel
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Alan Payne
Builder Columbia Yachts (USA)
First Built 1974
Last Built 1977
Number Built 130
Associations Columbia Yacht Owner Association
Related Sailboats Islander 26 · South Coast 26 · Seafarer 26 · Ericson 26 2 · Cape Dory 26
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Performance Ratios
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 16.13
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 31.82
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 165.08
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 18.07
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 1.95
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 6.40 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 3.03
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 649.33 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 16.09
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 29.33 ft / 8.94 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 9.42 ft / 2.87 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 25.17 ft / 7.67 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 10.42 ft / 3.18 m
SA Fore 138.14 ft² / 12.83 m²
SA Main 131.14 ft² / 12.18 m²
SA Total (100%) 269.28 ft² / 25.02 m²
Est. Forestay Length 30.81 ft / 9.39 m
How It Compares

vs. Cape Dory 26, Ericson 26 2, Islander 26, Seafarer 26, South Coast 26

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Columbia T 26 ★
25.8 ft
Cape Dory 26
25.9 ft
Ericson 26 2
25.8 ft
Islander 26
25.8 ft
Seafarer 26
25.8 ft
South Coast 26
25.8 ft
LWL
Columbia T 26 ★
22.8 ft
Cape Dory 26
19.3 ft
Ericson 26 2
21.9 ft
Islander 26
21.7 ft
Seafarer 26
22.8 ft
South Coast 26
23.3 ft
Beam
Columbia T 26 ★
8.0 ft
Cape Dory 26
8.0 ft
Ericson 26 2
9.3 ft
Islander 26
10.0 ft
Seafarer 26
8.3 ft
South Coast 26
8.0 ft
Displacement
Columbia T 26 ★
4 lbs
Cape Dory 26
5 lbs
Ericson 26 2
5 lbs
Islander 26
4 lbs
Seafarer 26
4 lbs
South Coast 26
3 lbs
Ballast
Columbia T 26 ★
1 lbs
Cape Dory 26
2 lbs
Ericson 26 2
2 lbs
Islander 26
2 lbs
Seafarer 26
1 lbs
South Coast 26
1 lbs
Sail Area
Columbia T 26 ★
270 sq ft
Cape Dory 26
304 sq ft
Ericson 26 2
326 sq ft
Islander 26
302 sq ft
Seafarer 26
270 sq ft
South Coast 26
303 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Columbia T 26 ★
—
Cape Dory 26
237 s/nm
Ericson 26 2
234 s/nm
Islander 26
233 s/nm
Seafarer 26
237 s/nm
South Coast 26
227 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Columbia T 26 ★
16.1
Cape Dory 26
16.1
Ericson 26 2
17.3
Islander 26
17.1
Seafarer 26
15.7
South Coast 26
20.9
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Columbia T 26 ★
31.8 %
Cape Dory 26
—
Ericson 26 2
42.9 %
Islander 26
—
Seafarer 26
38.6 %
South Coast 26
38.0 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Columbia T 26 ★
18.1
Cape Dory 26
24.2
Ericson 26 2
18.2
Islander 26
15.0
Seafarer 26
18.1
South Coast 26
14.3
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Columbia T 26 ★
1.95
Cape Dory 26
1.84
Ericson 26 2
2.13
Islander 26
2.38
Seafarer 26
1.99
South Coast 26
2.10
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Columbia T 26 ★
165
Cape Dory 26
—
Ericson 26 2
222
Islander 26
—
Seafarer 26
174
South Coast 26
126
Hull Speed
Columbia T 26 ★
6.4 kts
Cape Dory 26
5.9 kts
Ericson 26 2
6.3 kts
Islander 26
6.2 kts
Seafarer 26
6.4 kts
South Coast 26
6.5 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Columbia T 26 ★
3.0
Cape Dory 26
1.5
Ericson 26 2
2.5
Islander 26
2.6
Seafarer 26
2.8
South Coast 26
4.3
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