With a beam of 2.95 metres and 1.4 tonnes of iron ballast, the Midget 26 has a 41 percent ballast ratio and reassuring initial stability for her size. Several circumnavigations support her offshore credentials, while YACHT described her seaworthiness as legendary.
Design and Construction
The Midget 26 is a solidly built monohull with a long keel and attached rudder. She weighs about 3.4 tonnes, and the builder cited her 41 percent ballast ratio as a source of stability.
The hull and deck are laminated together to form a single structural shell. As a result, the interior and technical systems had to be sized to pass through the companionway. Construction uses polyester iso-resins, with a partly closed-cell foam-sandwich deck and multiplex panels let into high-load areas.
YACHT’s used-boat test judged the manufacturing quality legendary. It also noted that the cockpit coaming’s “swallow’s nest” surrounds were milled from single teak panels without seams for longevity. The yard custom-made each railing foot and spring cleat to match the hull’s curves.
Shipyard head Martin de Kloet said the gelcoat was exceptionally thick and of such quality that it would never need painting. A 2001 test boat showed no permanent UV or salt damage after about 15 Mediterranean years.
Rig, Sailing Performance, and Handling
Under sail, the Midget 26 is a study in contrasts. With only 23 square metres of jib-and-main area and a sail-load factor around 3.2, she is plainly under-rigged in light air. Even a larger genoa increases carrying capacity only to 3.6.
The long keel gives her a large wetted surface of about 21 square metres. In 10 to 12 knots, the test crew found her sailing performance uninspiring, and she tacked through just over 100 degrees over the ground.
Even so, she tacks easily without engine assistance. The long tiller remains light and communicates gusts clearly. In stronger winds, the deep cockpit and long-keel behaviour allow her to handle six Beaufort and above with confidence. Her capsize screening value of 1.98 would qualify her for ocean racing under that formula alone.
Accommodations
Below deck, the 2.95-metre beam pays off. Wide gangways and a high cockpit coaming add to the sense of space. The layout includes a spacious galley, a usable toilet room, a navigation table, and a separate aft cabin. In all, the boat carries six to seven berths.
The forward settee converts into a 1.90 by 1.90 metre berth. The aft cabin has a 1.80 by 1.60 metre berth, but it’s tight: access is only 60 centimetres wide, and the inboard berth has just 44 centimetres of headroom beneath the cockpit sole.
Standing headroom decreases from 1.85 metres at the companionway to 1.60 metres forward. Realistically, the boat suits people no taller than 1.80 metres, and the cockpit ergonomics are clearly scaled to that height.
Systems, Refits, and Ownership
The permanently laminated polyester water tank has no inspection hatch. The stainless-steel diesel tank also lacks an inspection hatch, although it can be removed.
Engines fitted in the 1980s are reaching the end of their service life. Replacement is complicated by the limited available space, so the engine must be checked before any purchase.
Owners have a secure spare-parts pipeline: the yard retains all the plans and continues to supply components. With an air draft of just eleven metres, the Midget 26 is also a practical fit for the low bridges of the Dutch waterways.
Known Issues
The builder installed the windows using silicone as a long-term sealant. However, paint won’t adhere to any surface that has come into contact with the silicone.
The yard also sold bare hulls separately for amateur completion. These self-build boats aren’t included in the production figure of roughly 200 finished boats, and their interiors can be less meticulously finished than those of factory-built examples.
The Verdict
The Midget 26 is a genuinely offshore-capable small cruiser. Her legendary build quality, ballast-driven stability, and record of circumnavigations make her a rare find under 28 feet.
She’s cramped for taller sailors and sluggish in light wind. Even so, her disciplined construction and offshore record make a strong case for a boat that performs beyond what her length might suggest.
Pros
- Legendary manufacturing quality, including a laminated hull-and-deck structure and custom-fitted deck hardware
- 41 percent ballast ratio and long-keel behaviour that inspire confidence in heavy weather
- Documented circumnavigations and a capsize screening value suited to ocean racing under that formula
- Low eleven-metre air draft, well suited to constrained waterways
- Secure spare-parts supply, with all yard plans still available
Cons
- Under-rigged in light air, with a large wetted surface that hurts sailing performance
- Very tight aft-cabin access and headroom; realistically unsuitable for anyone over 1.80 metres
- Silicone window sealant prevents paint adhesion on surfaces it has contacted
- Limited space complicates engine replacement, while 1980s engines are nearing the end of their service lives
- Self-build interiors may be less carefully finished than factory-built boats
