BoatsBalboa 26

Balboa 26

Masthead Sloop · Swing Keel · 1969–1976

A trailerable 7.8-metre masthead sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited coastal performance

Designed by Lyle C. Hess, built by Arthur Marine.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Swing Keel

See her sail

The Balboa 26, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Hugh Robertson Sailing

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

TrailerableBeam 2.43 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 1,633 kg of hull, so roughly 2,250 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Shoal draughtDraws 0.56 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.
LivelySea-kindly

Her light displacement on a moderate beam gives 16 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 16
CoastalBluewater

2.08 — right around the 2.0 line, the edge between coastal and offshore.

Capsize screening 2.08
LightHeavy

178 — light for her waterline, so she is easily driven and quick to accelerate.

Displacement / length 178
EasygoingPowered-up

20.2 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.

Sail area / displacement 20.2
TenderStiff

33% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 33%

Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.

What the fleet has seen

The Balboa 26, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Balboa 26 is a 7.8-meter masthead sloop designed by Lyle C. Hess and built by Arthur Marine and Coastal Recreation Inc. between 1969 and 1976. This swing keel sailboat has a 2.4-meter beam and a 1.5-meter draft, displacing 1632 kg. A notable feature is its rudder assembly, which can be lifted from the cockpit, and a deck-stepped mast with a tabernacle, facilitating trailering. A fixed keel version was also available.

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
33.3%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
20.2
Displacement / length
177.8
Comfort ratio
15.8
Capsize screening
2.08
Hull speed
6.1 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
592
Hull
Hull type
Swing Keel
Construction
FG solid laminate hull/ply cored deck
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1969–1976
Designer
Lyle C. Hess
Builder
Arthur Marine, Coastal Recreation Inc

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

O'day 23-1 (Lift Top)7.01 mSame hull family0.8 m shorterA popular C. Raymond Hunt-designed masthead sloop featuring a unique lift-top coach roof for added cabin headroom
Living on a Sailboat Doesn’t Have to Mean the End of Your Professional Life | #SAL #3583:10from Hashtag Sal
O'day 23-26.93 mSame hull family0.9 m shorterA masthead keel-centerboard sloop produced in Brazil and the U.S. for over a decade as a popular coastal cruiser
The Taxi Driver and the Pharmacist Who Decided to Live on a Sailboat | #SAL #1602:29from Hashtag Sal
Deltania Yachts 267.92 mSame hull familyNear-identical length
We are SELLING our sailboat | 1329:30from MotionMe
Cal Boats 247.43 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterThe inaugural Jensen Marine Cal model, this fractional keel-centerboard sloop was built for shoal-water versatility
Aladino Sails The Pacific Alone.2:08from Sailing Magic Carpet
Chrysler Marine 226.71 mSame hull family1.1 m shorterA 6.7-metre masthead sloop produced as the C-22 and T-22 Sandpiper, featuring a swing keel for shallow-water access
The Worst Catamaran Ever Made (The Wildcat 350 Controversy) - Ep 362 - Lady K Sailingfrom Lady K Sailing
Macgregor 26X7.87 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA water-ballasted sail-power hybrid designed for versatile coastal cruising and easy trailering
Buying My Dream Boat (2001 MacGregor 26X)0:53from Adventureman Dan

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Balboa 27 8.2A masthead sloop featuring an optional 9 HP diesel inboard and a ballast-to-displacement ratio exceeding 50 percentBalboa 20A 1967 Lyle C. Hess design featuring a swing keel and a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for nimble coastal sailingBalboa 16A lightweight masthead sloop by W. Shad Turner designed for easy handling with a high sail area to displacement ratioBalboa 23Formerly marketed as the Aquarius 23, this swing-keel fractional sloop offers a nimble 18.96 sail-area-to-displacement ratioBalboa 24A fin-keel fractional sloop with a 1.18-tonne displacement, offering a nimble and lightweight coastal platform

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Balboa 26, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

Search the fleet for boats like thisAsk the fleet about the Balboa 26

The newsletter

New boats, new stories. Every week, everywhere.

One email from the fleet — boats newly added, videos newly analysed. No noise.

Report an issue