I am a new Pearson 26 owner and need help

[200grandprix]

I have just bought my first sailboat (1974 Pearson 26'). Any info would be greatly appreciated and helpful. Here are a few questions:1. I want a Honda or Yamaha 9.9hp or 15hp, what do you recommend and how long of a shaft is best?2. I would like a roller furler but don't know anything about it. I have 2 jibs (150, 170) I believe. Will they work on a furler or do I need a new sail?3. There is a small soft spot on the desk (port side) around the second to last railing, I am able to get under to fix but is this come in this age boat?4. The entire deck has miner cracking, I am going to refinish, and I don't know if I should gelcote or allgrip or ether. What have you done?5. Any info about this boat would be great, it will be moved to Ft. Lauderdale over the summer but I would like to have it all fixed up by then.I have been a power boater all my life yet I always respected sailors and this is my first step to hopefully becoming one and leaving the fumes behind. Wish me luck!

 

[scuba01]

humm old boat

just woundering did you have it looked at, also i am guessing you know how to do all that you want to do to the boat i had a 72 oday in great shape and started to do what seemed like simple deck work and found out it was not so easy and had to get help.. soft spots not a good thing and it sounds like you may be spending alot of money in your first boat. fix the simple stuff and enjoy sailing it at first. dont start to hate it becuse you see your self spending alot of money with little return. as far as the hp bigger is usually better.

 

[Bob]

On this site

Go to "Brand Specific Forums", then "Pearson" and you will find a number of people who will know a lot about the 26. That is a real good boat (when it's in good shape) and should give you lots of sailing pleasure if it doesn't take too much work/dollars to put it right.

 

[Al]

Check this link

Check this link: http://dan.pfeiffer.net/p26/boat.htm. There's all sorts of great info on the P26 here.

 

[higgs]

Good news bad news

1. Get the longest shaft available2. Your present jibs will need to be modified to work on a roller furler. Talk to a sailmaker. I would probably only have the 150 set up for the furler and forget about the 170. Condition of sails would be a factor.3. For the soft spot, I would inject some polyester resin into the area and see what that does. Drill two holes. Use a syringe and inject resin into one of the holes until it appears in the second hole. Allow to cure, and see how it is. If that works - problem solved cheap and easy.4. You probably should get a professional to give you an opinion about the cracks in your deck. they could be nothing or they could be more. One would have to see the boat.5. the Pearson 26 is a good boat.

 

[David J.11350]

9.9 HP more than enough...

I have a 1975 26 with a 8.8hp Honda - I rarely go over 1/3 throttle, but then the Chesapeake is not Florida. I'm not sure that the transom could take the weight of a 15hp, but check it out.As for the shaft length, you need to be careful because the rudder extends past the transom quite a lot - too long of a shaft will impact the top of the rudder. I think that mine has a 20" shaft.Do check out the website that Al posted. It is a great resource.Happy Sailing...David