O'Day 26 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for an O'Day 26 means chasing a small, limited-production cruiser: just 85 were built by O'Day Corp. between 1983 and 1985, and the design is long out of production anchor. She is a 25.7-foot fiberglass monohull with a stub keel and retractable centerboard, designed by C. Raymond Hunt and Associates, and she closely resembles the O'Day 25 to the point that hull identification matters when you inspect a supposed 26.
Layouts on the Used Market
Used O'Day 26 boats carry a fixed stub keel with centerboard and a transom-hung rudder on tiller, the same general footprint that lets them sit at 2.5-foot shoal draft or 6-foot draft with board down. Below, the standard layout sleeps five with a forward double V-berth, two main-cabin settees, and a single berth under the cockpit, 5 feet 6 inches of headroom, an L-shaped starboard galley at the companionway, and a head just aft of the bow cabin. Because the cabin and cockpit are nearly identical to the O'Day 25, a buyer should confirm the eleven-inch-longer waterline and the 26 designation on the papers rather than trust visual similarity.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market a bimini is commonly fitted, giving cockpit shade for coastal days, while a spinnaker is often seen as an added downwind sail for those who want easier light-air passage-making. The boat itself can be had with inboard or outboard power, so a buyer should note which drive is present and whether it matches intended use. Beyond those, keep an eye on the sail inventory and canvas as the principal owner-driven variables; the short production run means factory option lists were narrow and most other differences are post-sale additions.
What to Inspect
The O'Day 26 was built predominantly of fiberglass with wood trim, so any used example warrants a close look at the wood trim for weathering or rot around the companionway and cockpit where water gathers. The retractable centerboard trunk and the stub-keel joint should be checked for leakage or wear, since the board mechanism is a moving element in an otherwise simple hull. With the transom-hung rudder and tiller, inspect the rudder pintles and the transom structure for stress. Verify any reported repair on an individual hull rather than assume fleet-wide patterns, given the limited build count.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The O'Day 26 is typically found in the United States, where the original production took place. For a buyer, the short checklist is: confirm the 26 designation versus the near-identical O'Day 25, check centerboard trunk and rudder integrity, assess wood trim condition, and decide between inboard or outboard power for your mooring or trailering plans. A bimini and spinnaker are the prevalent extras; beyond those, judge the boat on hull and rig honesty rather than factory option rarity.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the O'Day 26. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 5 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 25 | 1 | $6,200 | — |
| May 25 | 1 | $8,500 | +37.1% |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $5,850 | -31.2% |
| May 26 | 1 | $5,500 | -6.0% |
| Jun 26 | 2 | $7,200 | +30.9% |
Where they're listed
O'Day 26 listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 4.
Country view
4 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $6,525 | 4 | 2 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.