Design and Construction
The Friendship 26 shows conservative hull lines that underpin agile characteristics on the water, and period reviews describe her as a lively sailing small yacht rather than a sluggish coastal plodder. The builder's solid fiberglass hull and deck are paired with an iron ballast keel, and the 40.73 percent ballast-to-displacement ratio reflects a reasonably weighted hull for a boat of this length. YACHT's used-boat test found the good build quality means there are hardly any problems even with older boats, a notable endorsement for a design with a long construction time. Her fin keel draws either 1.10 or 1.48 meters fixed, while the bilge-keel variant spans 0.80 to 1.60 meters, giving buyers a choice between deeper stability and shoaler cruising.
Rig and Handling
She carries a 7/8 rig with a mainsail of 12.4 square meters and a high-aspect jib of 12.5 square meters, while the genoa options run 19.6 and 18.5 square meters respectively, supported by an 8.3-square-meter working jib and a 3.7-square-meter storm jib. The spinnaker measures 39 square meters for downwind work. The mast stands 10.90 meters above the waterline. With a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 21.59, she reads as quick in the gusts and manageable short-handed, and the combination of conservative lines with a lively feel makes her a responsive boat for coastal sailing.
Accommodations
Below, the Friendship 26 offers a cabin headroom of 1.77 meters and berths for five or six, a generous count for a 26-footer that speaks to her weekend-cruising intent. YACHT described the interior as elegant, which sets her apart from the more utilitarian small yachts of the era. The 21-gallon water capacity and 7-gallon diesel tank support short coastal hops rather than long offshore passages, and the single Volvo Penta MD2010 diesel of 10 horsepower moves her at a modest hull speed near 6 knots.
The Verdict
The Friendship 26 is a sought-after second-hand boat precisely because her long construction time ensures a good market presence and her build quality has held up. She is a small yacht that rewards the sailor with agile, lively handling and a surprisingly refined interior, without pretending to be a bluewater voyager.
Pros
- Lively, agile handling with conservative hull lines
- Good build quality with few problems on older boats
- Elegant interior with five or six berths
- Long production run supports a healthy used market
Cons
- Modest 7-gallon fuel and 21-gallon water capacity limit range
- 10-horsepower diesel is minimal for anything but light auxiliary use
