Van de Stadt Dolphin 26 Buyer's Guide
Shopping a Van de Stadt Dolphin 26 on the used market means looking at a 26-foot fiberglass fractional sloop designed by Van de Stadt and first built in 1980. She is a light, race-oriented boat with a fin keel and spade rudder, carrying 422 square feet of sail and a single diesel engine, and the brokerage examples you meet will reflect that original brief rather than a cruising conversion.
Layouts on the Used Market
Water and fuel capacity are unstated. What is established is the hull itself: 26.25 feet overall, 9.19-foot beam, 4.92-foot draft, 3,968-pound displacement with 1,543 pounds of lead ballast, and a single engine. Any interior you inspect is a function of that small, light racer envelope rather than a documented plan, so judge the cabin against the boat's size and racing genesis.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market the Dolphin 26 commonly carries downwind sail inventory as her principal upgrade cluster: a gennaker, a symmetric spinnaker, and an asymmetric spinnaker are all commonly fitted. For a 26-foot racer these are the consequential additions a buyer should verify, since they define how the boat performs off the wind and what deck hardware and pole or tack-line setup must be present. Beyond the single engine and the common spinnaker-family sails, treat all other gear as indeterminate.
What to Inspect
The inspection centers on the boat's inherent performance limits rather than repair history. A buyer should confirm keel-bolt and ballast integrity and assess how the hull has been stored and sailed, since the design does not forgive inversion low righting capability if capsized. Beyond that, verify the single diesel engine runs and that the commonly fitted spinnaker gear is complete.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The Dolphin 26 typically appears on the used market in Switzerland, the United States, and Italy. For a buyer, the takeaway is a small, light racer with a clear capsize envelope:
- Confirm keel and ballast attachment.
- Check the single diesel engine operation.
- Verify spinnaker or gennaker gear is complete.
- Assess storage history for inversion risk.
- Inspect solid fiberglass hull and deck for impact.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Van de Stadt Dolphin 26. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 3 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 25 | 1 | $10,557 | — |
| Jan 26 | 2 | $54,450 | +415.8% |
| Mar 26 | 3 | $9,936 | -81.8% |
Where they're listed
Van de Stadt Dolphin 26 listings appear across 3 countries. Switzerland has the most listings with 2 (40.0%), followed by United States and Italy.
Country view
5 listings · 3 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | $12,979 | 2 | 0 | 40.0% |
| United States | $54,450 | 2 | 0 | 40.0% |
| Italy | $8,966 | 1 | 0 | 20.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
2 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremy Rogers 26 | 25.5' | $ 10,127 | 21 | 4 |
| Dolphin Dolphin 26You are here | — | $ 16,039 | 5 | 0 |