The Evolution 26 is a distinctive sailboat designed by the renowned British naval architect Julian Everitt. Conceived in the mid-1970s, this cruiser-racer was brought to life by Evolution Yachts Ltd., a British builder operational for a brief but impactful period between 1977 and 1981 in Southampton. With a length overall of just over 25 feet, the Evolution 26 was designed to offer a versatile blend of performance and practical usability, making it appealing to both racing enthusiasts and those seeking comfortable coastal cruising. Its most notable feature is its lifting keel, a hallmark of many of Everitt's designs for Evolution Yachts, which greatly enhances its accessibility to shallow waters and facilitates easier storage.
Evolution 26 Information, Review, Specs
- Make
- Model
- Number Built
- 75
- Production Year(s)
- 1976 - ??
The Evolution 26 began production in 1976. The builder, Evolution Yachts Ltd., was founded in 1977 by Julian Everitt himself, alongside Eric Reynolds, establishing their operations in Woolston, Southampton. Everitt's design philosophy centered on creating versatile cruiser-racers that balanced performance with convenience. A key innovation in his designs for Evolution Yachts, including the 26, was the incorporation of lifting or fully retractable keels, providing advantages such as shallow draft capabilities for exploring restricted areas and enabling the boats to "take the ground upright". This also offered flexibility for trailering or more straightforward storage, appealing to a broad spectrum of sailors. During its production run, approximately 75 units of the Evolution 26 were built. While primarily a masthead sloop, some versions of the Evolution 26 featured fractional rigs. The final 40 boats of the Evolution 26 production were built by Fletcher Sportsboats Ltd.
Sailing Performance and Handling
As a Julian Everitt design, the Evolution 26 was conceived with a focus on achieving great cruising performance without sacrificing on-board comfort. Its design ethos, influenced by Everitt's background in successful Half Ton racing designs, aimed for an agile and high-performance vessel. Owners have noted that the Evolution 26 can be a capable and engaging sailboat. The option of either a masthead or fractional rig would have offered variations in sail plan and handling characteristics, with fractional rigs typically allowing for finer tuning of sail shape and mast bend.
Accommodations and Layout
Interior details for the Evolution 26 are not extensively documented in available specifications. However, as a cruiser-racer designed by Julian Everitt, the focus would have been on providing practical accommodations suitable for coastal cruising while maintaining performance. The design intent emphasizes comfort, suggesting that the interior would offer basic amenities for overnight stays and weekending.
Measurements
Construction & Hull
- Construction Material
- Fiberglass (Solid)
- Hull Type
- Monohull Sailboat
- Keel Type
- Lifting
- Rudder
- 1x —
- Ballast
- 1600 lbs
- Displacement
- 4853 lbs
- Water Capacity
- -
- Fuel Capacity
- -
Engine
- Engine Make
- —
- Engine Model
- —
- Engine Type
- —
- Engine HP
- —
- Engine Count
- 1
- Drive Type
- —
- Fuel Type
- —
Hover over a measurement
Rig & Sails
- Rig Type
- Masthead Sloop
- P (Main Luff)
- 27 ft
- E (Main Foot)
- 8.2 ft
- I (Foretriangle Height)
- 31 ft
- J (Foretriangle Base)
- 10 ft
- Forestay Length (est)
- 32.57 ft
- Main Sail Area
- 110.7 sqft
- Foretriangle Sail Area
- 155 sqft
- Total Sail Area (Reported)
- 266 sqft
- Total Sail Area (Calc)
- 265.7 sqft
Dimensions
- LOA
- 25.75 ft
- LWL
- 20.5 ft
- Beam
- 9.33 ft
- Draft
- 5 ft
- Max Headroom
- -
- Air Draft
- -
Calculations
- Hull Speed
- 6.07 kn
- Pounds per Inch Immersion
- 683.41