Friendship 26 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used market for a Friendship 26 means looking at a de Ridder-designed 26-foot sloop built since 1978, a small Dutch cruiser that has stayed popular among second-hand buyers because so many were produced over a long run. She is a fiberglass boat with iron ballast and a fractional 7/8 rig, and her modest dimensions make her an accessible entry into keelboat ownership.
Layouts on the Used Market
The Friendship 26 came with either a fixed fin keel drawing 1.10 or 1.48 meters, or a bilge-keel arrangement spanning 0.80 to 1.60 meters, so buyers should decide early whether shoal draft or deeper stability matters more. Below decks she provides five or six berths and 1.77 meters of headroom, with an interior that period reviews called elegant rather than bare. The 21-gallon water and 7-gallon diesel capacities frame her as a weekend and coastal boat rather than a long-range cruiser, and the single 10-horsepower Volvo Penta MD2010 moves her at a gentle hull speed.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, autopilots and chartplotters are commonly fitted, which means most boats will already have basic navigation covered. Heating and inverters are often seen, and a spinnaker is a frequent addition for those wanting easier downwind sailing. Buyers should view a missing inverter or heater as a negotiation point rather than a defect, since these are usual comforts rather than standard factory gear.
What to Inspect
The good build quality of the Friendship 26 means there are hardly any problems even with older boats, so a survey should focus on routine aging rather than systemic faults. Still, any used boat warrants a close look at the fiberglass hull and deck for osmotic or impact damage, and the iron ballast keel should be checked for rust staining at the hull joint. The bilge-keel version in particular deserves inspection of the twin keel bolts given its variable draft geometry.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The Friendship 26 is typically found in the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland. For a shopper, the takeaway is straightforward: confirm keel type, verify the diesel starts clean, and expect to add modest comforts if absent.
- Decide fin or bilge keel for your cruising grounds
- Check iron ballast joint and hull for rust or osmosis
- Expect to fit heating or inverter if not present
- Verify autopilot and chartplotter function if fitted
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Friendship 26. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 7 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 25 | 1 | $2,481 | — |
| Sep 25 | 3 | $10,248 | +313.1% |
| Jan 26 | 1 | $1,747 | -83.0% |
| Apr 26 | 2 | $7,977 | +356.6% |
| May 26 | 1 | $10,364 | +29.9% |
| Jun 26 | 2 | $12,489 | +20.5% |
| Jul 26 | 1 | $11,587 | -7.2% |
Where they're listed
Friendship 26 listings appear across 3 countries. Netherlands has the most listings with 7 (63.6%), followed by Germany and Switzerland.
Country view
11 listings · 3 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | $10,364 | 7 | 3 | 63.6% |
| Germany | $7,919 | 3 | 0 | 27.3% |
| Switzerland | $2,481 | 1 | 0 | 9.1% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
5 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sadler 26 | 25.75' | $ 12,131 | 28 | 8 |
| Victoria 26 | 26' | $ 23,776 | 26 | 8 |
| Friendship 22 | 23.95' | $ 9,200 | 15 | 4 |
| Hunter Boats Horizon 26 | 26.34' | $ 11,852 | 12 | 2 |
| Friendship 26You are here | — | $ 9,898 | 11 | 3 |