RM 1260 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

What sets the RM 1260 apart is its production plywood hull sheathed in epoxy, with the deck built of GRP instead — a construction technique with the plywood hull and the GRP deck that the American reviewer called unusual for a series-built boat anchor. The French review describes the multi-chine hull made of plywood and covered with epoxy and Kevlar, while the deck is GRP anchor. The hull carries three chines each side and only 12 inches of total overhang, reading as a purposeful, volume-driven shape rather than a traditional rounded form. With an L/B of 2.75 it is a very beamy hull, and a D/L of 124 places it firmly in the moderate-displacement cruiser range rather than the ultralight end. The boat carries 6,183 lb of iron ballast and 17,200 lb displacement, and the twin-keel or fin-keel options let the owner choose between drying-out capability and a touch more draft.

Keel, Rudder, and Hull Options

RM Yachts offered the 1260 with a meaningful choice at the appendage level. One route is twin keels with a draft of 6 feet 5 inches and a single rudder, so the boat can sit on the mud with dignity anchor. The other is a single keel with a draft of 7 feet 5 inches and twin rudders for improved performance. The French material lists the same split as a chine keel at 1.85 metres and a conventional fin keel at 2.20 metres, and notes double rudder wheels were added in the redesign anchor. The boat has twin wheels and an open transom, and a tiller remains available as an option. The completely redesigned cockpit versus the RM 1200 is part of what separates this generation from its predecessor.

Rig and Handling

The cutter rig draws the eye aft: the deck-stepped mast sits unusually far aft, and the upper mast panel is extra long because the spreaders look too low, making that panel considerably longer than the lower one anchor. Despite the low spreaders, the chainplates are outboard with long spreaders, and the cap shrouds make an 11-degree angle with the mast — plenty to keep the mast straight. Running backstays support the staysail loads, so the cutter staysail is a working sail rather than a decorative one. The rig is higher than on the RM 1200, and a fixed bowsprit carries a gennaker or code zero. With an SA/D of 23.06 and a downwind sail area of 98 square metres, the boat is set up for pace on all points.

Accommodations

Below, the 1260 essentially keeps the RM 1200 layout, with a forward owner's stateroom that now has an island bed instead of the previous triangular berth anchor. The forward cabin centers on a centerline double berth. Aft, the boat is nicely laid out with a double quarterberth to port and a large galley forward of that, while to starboard there is a head, a quarterberth cabin reached by passing through the head, and a roomy chart table with settees ahead of it. A tester noted what looks like a pilot berth to port. The stern technical room can be converted into an additional cabin with a double berth, giving the boat real flexibility for guests or crew.

Refits and Ownership

The 1260 is a modern Lombard-designed cruiser with a 40-horsepower Volvo Penta diesel, 34 gallons of diesel, and 106 gallons of water. Its plywood-epoxy hull with Kevlar coverage and GRP deck is a known construction approach from this builder, and the fixed bowsprit plus higher rig make the overhauled model distinct from the 1200 it replaced. The open transom and twin wheels suit short-handed docking, and the convertible stern room is a practical owner-friendly detail.

The Verdict

The RM 1260 is a distinctive cruiser for a buyer who values volume, a modern Marc Lombard hull, and the rare production plywood-epoxy build. It trades conventional looks for beam, a far-aft mast, and a genuinely usable cutter rig with running backstays. The layout is flexible and the keel choice is pragmatic.

Pros