Columbia T-26 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used market for a Columbia T-26 means chasing a small, late-1970s trailerable sloop designed by Alan Payne and built by Columbia Yachts, with 130 examples launched between 1975 and 1977 before the tooling passed to other hands. The buyer's task is to separate the original Columbia masthead sloop from later mold derivatives that carry different rigs and specs under other builder names.
Layouts on the Used Market
The Columbia-built T-26 is a masthead sloop with a forward hatch set into the flat foredeck and a port arrangement that is not fully opening. Later boats from the same mold line — described by owners as Commodore-built in 1982 — show a forward trunk hatch and all-opening ports, plus a fractional rig, wheel steering, and an outboard engine, with a claimed 4,225-pound displacement and 1,500-pound ballast. A 1983 Horizon 26 is also reported from the Columbia mold. On the used market, confirm which lineage you are looking at before comparing accommodations, as the teak-heavy Commodore cabin differs from the Columbia original.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Equipment consequences documented are on the Commodore derivative: an outboard engine, wheel steering, and six opening ports, which matter for helm access and cabin airflow. For the Columbia original, the manufacturer specified Dacron sailcloth with controlled bias ratio and 3/8-inch bolt rope, so a used boat's sail inventory should be checked against that standard rather than assumed upgraded.
What to Inspect
Because the molds changed hands, verify the hull's true builder and rig before purchase. Owners report the Commodore-built T-26 differs in being a fractional rig with wheel steering and an outboard, not the Columbia masthead sloop. The Columbia version's forward hatch sits on the flat deck, whereas the Commodore edition mounts it in a forward trunk with all opening ports — inspect for deck leaks at that junction. A reported 1983 Horizon 26 made from the same mold means title and hull-number research is essential to confirm a true Columbia T-26.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats are found in the United States. Checklist: confirm hull number against Columbia's 130-boat record; verify masthead vs fractional rig; check hatch location and port count; inspect for mold-lineage discrepancies; review sailcloth spec compliance on original inventory.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Columbia T-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. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25 | 1 | $8,500 | — |
| May 25 | 1 | $750 | -91.2% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
2 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunter Marine 26 | 25.75' | $ 12,500 | 15 | 10 |
| Seaward 26 RK | 28.42' | $ 60,000 | 11 | 3 |