Sabre 426 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The 426 measures 42 feet 6 inches overall, with a 36-foot waterline and 13 feet 5 inches of beam. The deep-keel version weighs 24,000 pounds and carries 8,400 pounds of lead ballast. The wing-keel shoal version draws just 5 feet and adds 500 pounds of displacement and 250 pounds of ballast.

Sabre’s third-generation Taylor designs moved away from the balsa coring used in earlier Sabres in favor of lighter Divinycell foam. The 426 was the first Sabre with a vacuum-bagged hull, a process that clamps the laminate firmly to promote a solid bond between the core and skins.

The hull and deck use E-glass over Divinycell, with high-density PVC inserted at every through-bolted hardware location. The inward-turning hull-to-deck joint is through-bolted and bonded with 3M 5200, then capped by an integral teak toerail. Bulkheads, berth faces, shelves, and beefy floor stringers are laminated to the hull for additional structural reinforcement.

A watertight bulkhead separates the forepeak locker from the V-berth. All seacocks are Marelon units mounted on glassed-in riser pads, while the high-aspect spade rudder turns on a heavy-duty carbon-fiber rudderstock. Excellent joinery, including dovetailed maple drawers, reflects the Maine yard’s building standards. Overall, the 426’s systems met or bettered ABYC and Coast Guard standards.

Rig, Deck, and Performance

The 426 carries a three-spreader, 59-foot Hall Spars aluminum mast, stepped slightly forward and supported by Navtec rod rigging. A size-44 Lewmar electric winch on the starboard cabin top handles the main halyard. The midboom mainsheet runs through a rope clutch to a cabin-top winch shared with the halyard, topping lift, and reefing lines.

Under a 130-percent genoa, test sailors found that the boat powered up quickly and reached 6 knots in roughly 8 knots of true wind on Narragansett Bay. The deep-keel version suits a cruiser who likes to race. The wing-keel shoal-draft version proved reasonably close-winded and tracked very well in light-to-moderate wind; its wing also provided ample hydrodynamic lift when tacking through 90 degrees.

A 10-inch bridgedeck and six hefty 10-inch cleats complete the seaworthy deck plan.

Accommodations and Stowage

Below, the interior is straightforward and clean, with matte-varnished cherry, an ash ceiling, and companionway inlays. The U-shaped galley to starboard has Corian counters and a self-draining, top-loading locker. Opposite, a forward-facing navigation station provides room for charts and guides.

The well-gasketed refrigerator opens from either the top or side. An ample head with a shower sits to port and forward of the main cabin, beside a cedar-lined hanging locker. Aft of the navigation station, a comfortable double berth gets ventilation through a hatch beneath the port cockpit seat.

Sabre wisely resisted squeezing in a second head. The lightweight folding dining table also keeps the saloon floor clear when not in use. Copious stowage—more than enough for long-distance ambitions—is one of the interior’s defining strengths.

Machinery and Tankage

The standard engine was a 55-hp Westerbeke 55A. It was later joined by the slower-turning 55B, which offered more low-end torque in a lighter package. The boat reviewed carried the optional 56-hp Yanmar.

Fuel capacity is 60 gallons, while water capacity is 120 gallons, supporting extended cruising. Its subtle blend of modern lines and traditional cherry details gives the 426 understated good looks that wear well.

Known Issues

Period testers rated the electrical and mechanical systems as first class, but they noted several caveats. Engine access was a little tight, especially for oil changes.

The manual cockpit bilge pump is small and slow in an emergency. The 1,000-gph electric bilge pump also had a right-angle bend and a check valve fitted immediately at the pump, restricting flow.

The grounding conductor running from the chainplates to earth measured AWG 6, meeting ABYC lightning-protection minimums only at the threshold.

The Verdict

The Sabre 426 is a thoughtfully engineered Taylor design that pairs a vacuum-bagged, foam-core hull with a race-bred rig and a genuinely cruising-friendly interior. It is quick for its weight, dry in the forepeak, and beautifully finished, with enough stowage to invite passage-making. The tight engine bay and modest bilge handling are the trade-offs for its clean deck and refined systems.

Pros