Chrysler 26
Description
Designed by acclaimed naval architect Halsey Herreshoff (son of the legendary Nathanael Herreshoff, known for innovative yachts like the Freedom series), the Chrysler 26 was introduced in 1977 as Chrysler's largest trailerable sailboat, expanding their lineup from smaller models like the 20 and 22. Produced by Chrysler Marine in Plano, Texas, it was part of the company's brief foray into fiberglass sailboats during the 1970s, leveraging molds and expertise from acquisitions like Lone Star Boats. Approximately 300-500 units were built before production ended around 1980-1981, amid Chrysler's corporate struggles and U.S. government bailout, which led to the sale of the marine division. The molds were acquired by Texas Marine International (TMI), who renamed it the C-26 or T-26 Courser, with limited additional production before passing to Wellcraft's Starwind division and eventually to Brazilian interests. No major revivals occurred, but the boat's durability and value have sustained interest. The Chrysler Sailing Association (chryslersailing.com) and Chrysler Sailors (chryslersailors.com) provide ongoing resources, including regattas, technical forums, and parts sharing, fostering a vibrant owner community. 5000 lb. Disp. 2000 lbs. Ballast 22' LWL 8' Beam
Construction Details
| Designer | Herreshoff |
|---|---|
| Builder | Chrysler Marine |
| Length | 26.000 ft |
| LOA | 22.000 ft |
| LWL | 19.000 ft |
| Beam | 7.750 ft |
| Displacement | 3000 lb |
| Max Draft | 4.500 ft |
| Min Draft | 1.920 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 31.50 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 10 ft |
| p | 26.13 ft |
| e | 8 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31.50 ft | 10 ft | 26.13 ft | 8 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 26.13 ft - (7964 mm) |
| Foot | 8 ft - (2438 mm) |
| Leech | * 26.84 ft - (8181 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 87.56 ° |
| Diagonal | 27 ft - (8230 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 3.5 in - (89 mm) |
| Area | * 107.71 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 23.25 ft - (7087 mm) |
| Foot | 10.5 ft - (3200 mm) |
| Leech | 21.5 ft - (6553 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 96.9 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 9.69 ft - (2954 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 5.11 ° |
| Area | * 112.59 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 28.25 ft - (8611 mm) |
| Foot | 11.75 ft - (3581 mm) |
| Leech | 26.25 ft - (8001 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 109.1 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 10.91 ft - (3325 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.24 ° |
| Area | * 154.05 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 30 ft - (9144 mm) |
| Foot | 12 ft - (3658 mm) |
| Leech | 27.5 ft - (8382 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 110 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 11 ft - (3353 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 5.94 ° |
| Area | * 165 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | 30 ft - (9144 mm) |
| Foot | 13.5 ft - (4115 mm) |
| Leech | 28.2 ft - (8595 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 126.2 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 12.62 ft - (3847 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.14 ° |
| Area | * 189.36 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | 30.5 ft - (9296 mm) |
| Foot | 18.5 ft - (5639 mm) |
| Leech | 28.5 ft - (8687 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 168.9 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 16.89 ft - (5148 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 6.46 ° |
| Area | * 257.59 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | 30.5 ft - (9296 mm) |
| Foot | 16.167 ft - (4928 mm) |
| Leech | 28.5 ft - (8687 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 149.2 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 14.92 ft - (4548 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 5.01 ° |
| Area | * 227.57 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | 30 ft - (9144 mm) |
| Foot | 15 ft - (4572 mm) |
| Leech | 28.25 ft - (8611 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 139.8 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 13.98 ft - (4261 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.69 ° |
| Area | * 209.63 ft² |
| Sail Type | ASYMMETRICAL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 32 ft - (9754 mm) |
| Foot | 17 ft - (5182 mm) |
| Leech | 29.5 ft - (8992 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 408 ft² |
| Sail Type | SPINNAKER |
|---|---|
| Stays | * 31.4 ft - (9571 mm) |
| MidGirth | * 18 ft - (5486 mm) |
| Foot | * 18 ft - (5486 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 480 ft² |
| Sail Type | STORMJIB |
|---|---|
| Luff | 17.25 ft - (5258 mm) |
| Foot | 7.5 ft - (2286 mm) |
| Leech | 13.75 ft - (4191 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 57.8 % |
| Length Perp | * 5.78 ft - (1762 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 21.93 ° |
| Area | * 49.88 ft² |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.