Here’s a boat you might want to check out…
Now, for me at least, the Chrysler 26 comes pretty close to checking all of the fields on my what makes a great VolksCruiser list.
- It’s cheap and I’ve seen good boats going for $1K.
- It packs in a lot of livability into a 26-foot envelope.
- It has a draft of 2′ 3″ with the board up and 6′ 2″ when you need to get to windward.
- It has enough displacement and ballast to get you where you want to go right side up.
- Halsey Hereshoff designed it and he’s a designer I trust.
- It was designed to use an outboard and 6HP is all you need.
The only disadvantage is that it is a small boat and not for someone who requires a lot of less-than-needful-stuff. But that’s a problem with any 26-foot boat isn’t it?
A few minimal projects (the galley for instance) would make it an even a better cruiser for not a lot of money or sweat.
So, all in all, it’s a great example of what you need in a small cruising boat and well worth considering.