A Happy 26M Owner
The 26M is a great value for the money,but it is a tradeoff in some areas. 5-6 ft seas-not a problem,but because it's not a heavy keel boat,you will feel it a bit more. Stable? Because it is a water ballast,it is very tender to about 15-18o,then it firms up as the tanks come above the waterline. Fast? With the right conditions,we regularly sail at 6-6.5kts.If you sail bare bones( we don't-mostly overnight trips with lotsa stuff)you will probably do better. 5 people in the cockpit is going to be pretty snug,but upgrading the deck hardware will make that more doable. The boat is a "sailboat kit"which you will find hundreds of upgrades for. You will make the boat what you want it to be. This allows you to make the boat an inexpensive bare bones sailer,or a well outfitted cruiser,according to your budget. The only issues I have with the boat are cockpit space(sacrificed for more room in the aft berth) and boarding space at the rear(not sure what the reasoning was). Neither of which is a deal breaker for me. Our boat is being upgraded to spend time in Exuma,and being a roomy,trailerable,shallow draft sailboat capable of 15kts+ under power makes it the right choice for me. Go climb all over one,and give it a test sail,it might be the right boat.