Design and Construction
The hull is fiberglass, laid up solid rather than as a cored laminate, and the keel is a long fin filled with lead built by the Danish yard Orø bådværft. With a beam of 7.71 feet against a length overall of 26.64 feet, the boat's length-to-beam ratio of 3.36 reads as narrow by modern standards, and the displacement of 6,173 pounds carried on a 21.65-foot waterline places it firmly among what one design summary calls "heavy cruisers," with a displacement-length ratio of 291. The 2,646 pounds of lead ballast represents 40 percent of that displacement, a figure that helps explain the capsize screening value of 1.69 and the motion comfort ratio of 27.7 — numbers that suggest a steady, forgiving platform in a seaway rather than a lively racer. The wetted surface of about 204 square feet and an immersion rate of 599 pounds per inch round out a picture of a boat that sits deep for its size and responds slowly to loading changes.
Rig and Handling
The Bandholm 26 is rigged as a masthead sloop, a straightforward and durable arrangement for a boat of this length. The standing and running gear follow period norms, with jib and genoa sheets specified at 26.7 feet and 3/8 inch diameter, a mainsheet of 66.8 feet in the same diameter, and spinnaker sheets at 58.8 feet. Those lengths are generous for a 26-footer and speak to a rig laid out for controlled, manual handling. The theoretical hull speed works out to about 6.2 knots, and the sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 12.22, paired with a relative speed performance index of 10, marks the boat as undercanvased by race-conscious measures but entirely adequate for relaxed cruising. The draft runs roughly 4.43 to 4.73 feet depending on load, shallow enough to tuck into modest marinas without drama.
Accommodations
Below, the Bandholm 26 is equipped with four berths, a galley, and a toilet facility. That is a compact but complete cruising layout for a boat of this length, and the berth count confirms the design's intent as a small family or couple's coastal vessel rather than a daysailer with a cradle below. No elaborate interior detailing survives in the record, but the specified appointments are those that matter for overnight use.
Refits and Ownership
The boat may be fitted with an inboard engine, though not every example left the yard so equipped. Given the production spread across the Danish yard Orø bådværft and at least one other builder, owners should expect variation in mechanical fit-out between individual hulls. The solid fiberglass hull and lead long keel are intrinsically low-maintenance structures, and the small fleet size means that any refit history is best confirmed hull by hull rather than assumed from a class norm.
The Verdict
The Bandholm 26 is a small, heavily built Danish cruiser that trades sparkle for steadiness. Its narrow beam, lead-ballasted long keel, and conservative masthead rig make it a predictable and reassuring boat for coastal passages, while the four-berth interior gives it genuine overnight capability. The limited production run means examples are scarce and individual histories varied, but the fundamental design is coherent and honest.
Pros
- Lead long keel and 40 percent ballast ratio yield a stable, seakindly motion
- Solid fiberglass hull with no core to degrade
- Complete cruising accommodations for four in a 26-foot hull
- Shallow enough draft to enter modest marinas
Cons
- Heavy displacement and low sail-area ratio limit light-air performance
- Fewer than 200 built, so spares and class knowledge are thin
- Inboard engine fitment not standard across all hulls
