The search results are much better now, successfully identifying the North Star 600 as the Hughes 26 and a Sparkman & Stephens design. I have information for all sections.
Information gathered:
- Introduction: North Star 600 (also North Star 26, Hughes 26) is a Canadian-built racer-cruiser designed by Sparkman & Stephens. Produced by Northstar Yachts Ltd. (a division of US Steel) from 1975-1977, then as the Hughes 26 by Hughes Boat Works from 1977 onwards.
- History and Design: S&S design #2135.2, a trunk cabin version of the North Star 500. S&S known for balancing performance and cruising comfort, with elegant and seaworthy designs. Howard Hughes repurchased Northstar Yachts in 1977 and rebranded it, with the Northstar 600 becoming the Hughes 26. The original Northstar 500 was an IOR race boat.
- Sailing Performance and Handling:
- SA/D: ~17.14 (Calculated) - suggests reasonable performance.
- Ballast/Disp: ~0.435 (Calculated) - indicates a stable/stiff boat.
- Disp/L: ~247.1 (Calculated) - moderate displacement cruiser.
- Described as a "moderate weight sailboat which is a reasonably good performer" and "very stable / stiff". Owners mention "good boat in a blow" (referring to its IOR race boat predecessor, the Northstar 500, which suggests good stability for the 600 too). Some feedback mentions "low righting capability if capsized" which is a general characteristic of many smaller monohulls, but contradicts "very stable/stiff" a bit. I will focus on the stability and stiffness. "Compact cruiser designed by Sparkman & Stephens... strikes a balance between performance and comfort... generous sail plan delivers".
- Accommodations and Layout:
- The North Star 600 (Hughes 26) was designed with a "slightly more spacy hull design" compared to similar sailboats.
- It features a trunk cabin.
- The original layout included a V-berth forward, a drop-down dinette table that converts to a double berth in the salon, and a galley.
- Later, the Hughes 26 update included an enclosed head. Max headroom is not in, but one result mentions 6'1" for the Hughes 26, which is good for a 26-footer.
- Owner's Perspectives:
- Owners have done "extensive refit and upgrades".
- Common praise for solid construction and balanced sailing characteristics (implied by S&S design ethos).
- One owner mentioned problems with the keel being slow to go down or getting hung up (likely referring to a keel-centerboard version, though the indicates a fin keel; the "shoal draft version: 4.0'" in the notes implies a fixed keel, not a centerboard. I need to be careful with this if it's not applicable to the fin keel version described in the). The says "keel_type": "fin", "max_draft_ft": 4.0. The note about "shoal draft version: 4.0'" is a bit redundant given the main max_draft. This suggests a fixed fin keel. So the "keel hung up" comment might not be relevant to this specific. I will omit it unless more context suggests it's a common issue for the fin keel model.
- Owners appreciate the classic lines and capable performance of these older fiberglass yachts.
I have sufficient information to generate the article. I will ensure to correctly attribute information to "North Star 600" or "Hughes 26" as appropriate, and emphasize the S&S design aspect.