Bandholm 26 Buyer's Guide
The Bandholm 26 is a small Danish cruiser designed by Knud Olsen and first built in 1963, with fewer than 200 examples completed at Orø bådværft and also at a second yard. For a shopper on the used market, the boat presents as a narrowly proportioned, lead-ballasted coastal vessel whose scarcity means each hull must be judged on its own merits rather than against a deep class norm.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every Bandholm 26 carries the same fundamental plan: four berths, a galley, and a toilet facility below a masthead sloop rig. The solid fiberglass hull and lead long keel do not vary between examples, but the inboard engine was an optional fitment, so some boats will have mechanical propulsion and others will rely on outboard or sail alone. Buyers should confirm which arrangement a given hull has before comparing value.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
The only documented fitment point of consequence is the inboard engine, which may or may not be present. A buyer should treat an installed diesel or gasoline inboard as a significant plus for cruising autonomy, and the absence of one as a negotiation point rather than a defect. Rig dimensions are fixed by design — jib and genoa sheets at 26.7 feet of 3/8-inch line, a 66.8-foot mainsheet, and 58.8-foot spinnaker sheets — so any replaced running rigging should be checked against those lengths.
What to Inspect
A buyer should examine the hull for repairs and verify the keel-to-hull joint on a lead long keel, since that connection carries the full ballast load and is the most structurally significant interface on the boat. Confirm the presence and condition of any inboard engine, as non-standard fitment means installation quality varies by hull.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
With fewer than 200 built and production shared across more than one yard, the Bandholm 26 is an infrequent listing. When one appears, the priorities are clear:
- Confirm whether an inboard engine is fitted and runs
- Inspect the lead long keel joint for cracks or movement
- Verify running rigging matches the design's specified lengths
- Check the solid hull for repairs or osmotic blistering
- Confirm the four-berth interior and galley are intact
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
3 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremy Rogers 26 | 25.5' | $ 10,288 | 20 | 3 |
| Hallberg-Rassy 26 | 26.08' | $ 17,783 | 16 | 3 |
| Great Dane Dane 28 | 28' | $ 12,223 | 7 | 4 |