Chrysler 26 Buyer's Guide
The Chrysler 26 on the used market is an American trailerable sailboat first built by Chrysler Marine in 1977 and now out of production, designed by Halsey Herreshoff as a cruiser with swing keel or optional fixed fin and offered in flush-deck "Cruiser" and coach-house "Courser" deck plans. For a shopper, the appeal is a 26-foot hull that sleeps six yet trails behind a car on a matched trailer, with an active class club still in the picture.
Layouts on the Used Market
Two deck plans were produced: the flush-deck Cruiser and the Courser with a more conventional coach house cabin. Below either, the boat carries 6-foot standing headroom and sleeping for six — a double V-berth forward, two straight settee berths in the main cabin, and an aft double under the cockpit — with a fully enclosed head and a standard galley of two-burner alcohol stove, 10-gallon tank, and stainless sink. Ambient light comes from six side windows and a translucent forward hatch. The aft berth occupies the volume under the seats, which bears directly on the cockpit size noted in period tests as small for a 26-foot boat.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
A small outboard is normal for docking, and the factory listed a wide optional board rather than a standard fit: bow pulpit, stern rail, lifelines, mainsheet traveler, halyard winches, cabin curtains, bimini, dodger, stern ladder, backstay adjuster, running lights, spinnaker with pole, boom vang, cradle, mast-raising bridle, jiffy reefing, and Barlow or Lewmar winches. The inboard path was a factory option, with an 8 HP diesel or Chrysler Sailor 6/10 HP outboard recommended. Because the brief shows no items in the commonly-fitted or often-seen tiers, these remain possibilities rather than expectations on any given boat.
What to Inspect
The cockpit is small for a 26-foot boat, a dimensional fact rather than a wear item, so judge it against your crew size. The smaller icebox sits underneath the companionway and is difficult to reach, even for a casual snack. The rudder is an internally mounted spade type on a tiller with a collar around the shaft that can be tightened if the rudder does not respond, so check for slack at the helm. The swing-keel crank should raise and lower easily, and the hinged mast step with its one-person raising system via forestay line and aft winch deserves a function test if the trailerable premise matters to you.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Used Chrysler 26 sailboats are typically found in the United States. For the buyer, the checklist is short and sourced: confirm which deck plan and keel type you are viewing, test the centerboard crank and rudder collar, measure the cockpit against your crew, and verify the companionway icebox reach. With those points clear, the Chrysler 26 remains a six-berth Herreshoff cruiser that can be rigged and trailered by one person.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Chrysler 26. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 2 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 25 | 2 | $ 9,500 | — |
| Jan 26 | 1 | $ 9,500 | 0.0% |
Where they're listed
Chrysler 26 listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 3.
Country view
3 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $ 9,500 | 3 | 0 | 100.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pearson 26 | 26.12' | $ 4,500 | 11 | 5 |
| Grampian 26 | 26' | $ 7,500 | 7 | 0 |
| Chrysler 26You are here | — | $ 9,500 | 3 | 0 |