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Raven 26
Designer: Owen Woolley  ·  Builder: Glass Yachts Nz  ·  First built: 1983
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About the Raven 26

Designed by Owen Woolley and built by Glass Yachts New Zealand starting in 1983, this compact cruiser represents thoughtful design for sailors seeking performance in a manageable package. The Raven 26 combines a modern fin keel and spade rudder configuration with masthead sloop rigging, delivering responsive handling characteristics that appeal to both weekend sailors and serious coastal cruisers. With a displacement of 5,000 pounds and nearly half that weight positioned as ballast, the boat offers reassuring stability while maintaining good sailing performance. The relatively high sail area to displacement ratio of 17.84 indicates spirited performance in light to moderate conditions, while the deep 5-foot draft provides excellent upwind ability. The comfort ratio of 19.1 suggests this is primarily a performance-oriented design rather than a heavy cruising boat. The GRP construction ensures durability and low maintenance, making it practical for regular use. At 26 feet overall with an 8.75-foot beam, the Raven 26 strikes an excellent balance between interior space and trailerable dimensions. This combination makes it well-suited for coastal cruising, club racing, and extended day sailing, particularly for sailors who prioritize sailing performance over maximum accommodation space.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 26.00 ft / 7.92 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 21.00 ft / 6.40 m
Beam 8.75 ft / 2.67 m
Max Draft 5.00 ft / 1.52 m
Displacement 5,000.00 lb / 2,268 kg
Ballast 2,400.00 lb / 1,089 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 325.00 ft² / 30.19 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin w/spade rudder
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction GRP
Designer Owen Woolley
Builder Glass Yachts NZ
First Built 1983
Associations Raven Yacht Owners Association
Related Sailboats ["Capri 26 Catalina" · "Impulse 26" · "Sovereign 26" · "Victoria 26" · "First 265 Beneteau"]
Owner Reviews

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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
 17.84
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
 48
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
 241.03
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
 19.1
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
 2.05
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. 6.14 kn
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. 656.56 pounds/inch
How It Compares

vs. Impulse 26, Sovereign 26, Victoria 26

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Raven 26 ★
26.0 ft
Impulse 26
26.0 ft
Sovereign 26
26.0 ft
Victoria 26
26.0 ft
LWL
Raven 26 ★
21.0 ft
Impulse 26
21.6 ft
Sovereign 26
23.0 ft
Victoria 26
21.3 ft
Beam
Raven 26 ★
8.8 ft
Impulse 26
8.4 ft
Sovereign 26
8.0 ft
Victoria 26
8.2 ft
Displacement
Raven 26 ★
5 lbs
Impulse 26
2 lbs
Sovereign 26
3 lbs
Victoria 26
6 lbs
Ballast
Raven 26 ★
2 lbs
Impulse 26
1 lbs
Sovereign 26
1 lbs
Victoria 26
3 lbs
Sail Area
Raven 26 ★
325 sq ft
Impulse 26
327 sq ft
Sovereign 26
—
Victoria 26
337 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Raven 26 ★
—
Impulse 26
135 s/nm
Sovereign 26
—
Victoria 26
237 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Raven 26 ★
17.8
Impulse 26
26.7
Sovereign 26
—
Victoria 26
15.1
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Raven 26 ★
48.0 %
Impulse 26
—
Sovereign 26
31.3 %
Victoria 26
—
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Raven 26 ★
19.1
Impulse 26
10.9
Sovereign 26
—
Victoria 26
28.2
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Raven 26 ★
2.05
Impulse 26
2.41
Sovereign 26
—
Victoria 26
1.73
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Raven 26 ★
241
Impulse 26
—
Sovereign 26
117
Victoria 26
—
Hull Speed
Raven 26 ★
6.1 kts
Impulse 26
6.2 kts
Sovereign 26
—
Victoria 26
6.2 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Raven 26 ★
—
Impulse 26
5.2
Sovereign 26
—
Victoria 26
1.5
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