Nicholson 26 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used brokerage market for a Nicholson 26 means chasing one of the rarer early fiberglass classics from the Camper & Nicholson story. With only 64 built at Burnes Shipyard and hulls molded by Halmatic, the 26 is the smallest of the Nicholson fleet yet remains a popular, sought-after yacht with a good reputation as an early GRP cruiser — so expect competition when a clean example appears.
Layouts on the Used Market
The accommodation plan is consistent across the class: four berths and a saloon with more than 6 foot 2 inches of headroom, which is generous for a 26-foot-7-inch hull. Reviewers describe the interior as surprisingly spacious and comfortable, and the layout supports family cruising rather than barebones racing. Because the boat was developed by South Coast One Design in the 1960s and produced by Burnes Shipyard, buyers are not choosing between multiple factory layouts — the variable is condition and owner care, not footprint.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market a spinnaker is commonly fitted, reflecting the boat's capability as a masthead sloop with 302 square feet of working sail. Beyond that, the brief shows no widespread factory options or frequent owner upgrades worth naming; the consequential buyer questions are structural and rig-related rather than about gadget lists. A yacht of this era lives or dies on hull and keel integrity, not on added electronics.
What to Inspect
The defining construction fact is the encapsulated ballast keel, which eliminates external keel bolts but demands inspection of the surrounding fiberglass for cracks or water ingress at the keel-hull junction. Hulls were molded by Halmatic with a high quality finish, so check gelcoat and structure for undocumented repairs. The Nicholson 26 is a strong, sturdy sail, but any used example should be surveyed for hull fairness and deck integrity given its long keel and 10,280 lb displacement.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical market availability centers on the United Kingdom. For a buyer, the short checklist is: confirm encapsulated-keel condition, verify Halmatic hull and Burnes build provenance, and assess interior space against the 6'2" saloon headroom claim. A well-kept Nicholson 26 rewards with singlehanded-friendly handling and long-distance capability in a timeless, limited-production package.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Nicholson 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. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 25 | 1 | $8,835 | — |
| May 26 | 1 | $2,718 | -69.2% |
Where they're listed
Nicholson 26 listings appear across 1 country. United Kingdom has the most listings with 2.
Country view
2 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $5,776 | 2 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sadler 26 | 25.75' | $ 12,138 | 28 | 8 |
| Victoria 26 | 26' | $ 23,311 | 8 | 3 |
| Nicholson 26You are here | — | $ 5,776 | 2 | 0 |