Edmunds designed the boat as a practical family cruiser rather than a racer, using its broad beam to create more room below. Its solid-fiberglass construction, moderate performance, and range of keel options suit daysailing and light coastal cruising.
Design and Construction
The 8.0 B shares its hull with the earlier 8.0 A and the center-cockpit 8.0 C. All three came from S2’s in-house design partnership with Edmunds during the mid-1970s.
The boat measures 26 feet overall, with an 8-foot beam and a displacement of 4,600 pounds, including 1,800 pounds of lead ballast. Construction is predominantly fiberglass with wood trim. The hull has a raked stem and a slightly angled transom, while later boats often had balsa-cored decks over the solid-glass hull.
The 8.0 B combines a fin keel with an internally mounted, spade-type rudder controlled by a tiller. It’s a predictable coastal-cruiser arrangement rather than a stripped-down racing configuration.
Rig, Keels, and Handling
The S2 8.0 B carries a masthead sloop, or Bermuda, rig. Standard dimensions include an I measurement of 29.80 feet, a J of 11.50 feet, and a mainsail luff of about 26 feet. A tall-rig version was also available, with a mast approximately 1.65 feet taller to provide more sail area upwind.
Keel choices included the standard 4-foot fin, a 2.50-foot shoal-draft keel, and a keel-centerboard version. The centerboard model drew 6 feet with the board lowered and 2.50 feet with it retracted, allowing the design to work along shallow lake shores or in deeper coastal anchorages.
Owners report that the boat is easy to single-hand and has the stability for daysailing and light coastal adventures. Its hull speed is a modest 6.2 knots.
Accommodations
The 8-foot beam gives the interior more room than the boat’s 26-foot length might suggest. Owners describe a “big boat” feel despite the pocket-cruiser size, and headroom is about 70 inches.
The interior provides four to six berths. There’s a double V-berth forward, a straight settee berth to port in the main cabin, and a sizable aft quarter berth, also to port. The enclosed head is on the port side, just aft of the forward cabin.
At the foot of the companionway ladder, an L-shaped galley occupies the starboard side. It includes a two-burner stove, an ice box, and a sink.
Engine and Ownership
A small inboard diesel, typically a Yanmar, was fitted for docking and maneuvering. Some boats were offered with a saildrive as an option.
Owners repeatedly value the 8.0 B’s sturdy build. Its reliability as a trailerable pocket cruiser has helped keep the design in leisure use well after production ended.
The Verdict
The S2 8.0 B is a sensible Edmunds-designed cruiser that trades outright speed for interior volume, stability, and straightforward handling in a 26-foot trailerable package. Its practical accommodations and several keel options make it a versatile step up from a daysailer for a small family.
Pros
- Solid-fiberglass hull and sturdy construction valued by owners
- Wide 8-foot beam provides roomy accommodations for the boat’s length
- Fin, shoal-draft, and keel-centerboard options for different waters
- Easy to single-hand, with stable pocket-cruiser behavior
Cons
- Modest 6.2-knot hull speed limits passage pace
- Later balsa-cored decks call for the usual core inspection
