Lots of equipment for the money. Looks not that bad.
https://boston.craigslist.org/nos/boa/d/marblehead-1988-ericson-26/6903595307.html
https://boston.craigslist.org/nos/boa/d/marblehead-1988-ericson-26/6903595307.html
Assuming there are no serious issues lurking somewhere, that's a great price.Lots of equipment for the money. Looks not that bad.
https://boston.craigslist.org/nos/boa/d/marblehead-1988-ericson-26/6903595307.html
I've seen this boat for sale for a few years at a slowly decreasing price. I think I remember the owners "aged out" of sailing. Once the price vs hassle of selling gets to a point, the donation and tax deduction starts looking pretty good. A few years of storage fees and no use will get you motivated to move the boat.
I don't think the boat had any big issues (except that winged keel) but wheel steering on the E26 would be a no go for me. I suspect the original price ($8 - 12k ?) is too high for this size boat compared to all the available other "starter" boats of similar size. The E26 is perfect for someone familiar with Ericsons or downsizing from a bigger boat. I am seriously considering another E26-2 when I retire.
Mark
I currently own an E26-2 (1984) and second what Mark has said. The wing keel will not sail as well upwind but would probably be just fine on other points of sail, and would allow you to anchor in shallower water than the deeper keel. As for the wheel steering, it really makes little sense (in my opinion) on the E26--and pretty much any 26 foot sailboat, for that matter. That is certainly a matter of personal preference, but Mark's observations about the E26 cockpit are correct, and I'd have to think wheel steering on that boat would be inconvenient. Without seeing your installation, I'd guess that it might not be a huge undertaking to remove the wheel and convert it back to a tiller. If the wheel steering hardware is in good shape you might be able to get a few bucks for it and come out slightly ahead when all is said and done. The boat handles very well with a tiller.Hi HewbieSailor,
I didn't mean to imply that there was anything unacceptable or dangerous about the design of the E26 with a wing keel or wheel steering, just not my preference. For $3000, the price of this particular boat is 1/3 of a typical E26 and the E26 is a great boat, one of my favorite Ericson models. The E26 has standing headroom up to 6 feet, an enclosed head, inboard diesel and the very solid feel of a bigger boat yet it's small enough to be easily handled. Sail sizes are very manageable and this boat has a jib furler.
The only negative I felt with my E26 was the v berth is really only a big single. Look to see if the starboard settee pulls out to make a double berth in the main cabin. This can be easily added if the boat didn't get this option.
My strong preference is for the deep keel (on any boat) followed by the standard shoal keel over the wing. The wing keel is the highest drag, hardest to get unstuck and easiest to hook a pot with. It was added as an option with the 300 series E26 in 1986 or 7. In my opinion it was purely a marketing ploy based on Americas Cup 12 meters which have nothing to do with cruising sailboats.
As for wheel steering on the E26, the cockpit was not designed for it. The wheel is tiny, probably 24 inches in diameter to fit between the seats so steering feel is bad compared to the tiller. The wheel pedestal will force you to step up on the seat to get aft behind the wheel. The tiller does sweep part of the cockpit underway but folds up completely out of the way when at rest. Still, four people can sit in the corners of the cockpit and not get in the way of the helmsman.
Mark