Swallow Bay Cruiser 26
PRICE £75,000-£95,000 YEAR 2016-present
Swallow Yachts’ Bay Cruiser 26 might sound compact, but she’s actually a very trailable, seaworthy coastal sailing cruiser with many innovative and practical features.
Much thought has gone into easing and speeding up preparation for sailing, especially raising and lowering the mast. The tabernacle hinges aft of the mast step, allowing it to stow neatly on the coachroof, while the boom is removed complete with mainsail and a quick-release plate deals with the kicking strap and reefing lines.
Her multi-chined hull is foam-cored and the deck bolted and bonded to the hull. She has twin rudders and an electrically winched 100kg daggerboard. For stability, there’s a self-flooding 750kg water ballast tank around the bottom of the hull.
She has a flat-top mainsail on carbon spars, a 100% furling jib and a hinged bowsprit for an asymmetric. The cockpit seats four easily and all sail lines are within reach of the helm. Steering is light and precise and she has a decent turn of speed upwind. Off the wind, with board up and asymmetric unfurled, she is positively rapid.
Below, plumb ends and generous 1.75m/ 5ft 10in headroom mean she’s surprisingly roomy. Her large cabin windows and forehatch let in plenty of natural light, accentuated by the brightly-painted interior and deckhead.
The saloon seating offers two 6ft+ berths, but stowage under all berths is minimal due to the water ballast and foam buoyancy.
The private heads, forward of the saloon, boasts a sea toilet, holding tank, sink and pressurised cold water. An innovative slideout galley complete with two-ring hob, twin sinks and stowage, ingeniously ‘disappears’ under the cockpit when not required, freeing up seating for four around a swing-out table.
With inboard or outboard motor options, the latter can be linked to the tiller for improved steering or tilted above the water for sailing.