Please note that some links on this website are affiliate links. We may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you click through our links and make a purchase from one of our partners. See our Affiliate Disclosure for more details.
Seabird, my twin keel sailing cruiser was built in 1972 but she is definitely not a ‘tired old lady’, having undergone a complete restoration in 2006/7 by her previous owner. She was completely stripped down to a bare shell during the restoration. All fittings and equipment were either completely refurbished or replaced, making her a 52-year-old going on 18!
Comprehensive articles covering the restoration were published in PBO’s Nos.497 and 510 (copies still available from PBO). The following work was completed during the renovation:
Topsides professionally repainted in dark blue
Decks professionally repainted in ivory with grey non-slip
All original bronze deck fittings re-chromed to marine specification
Rubbing strake replaced with new
All deck woodwork removed, renovated & replaced
Standing & running rigging replaced with new
Roller reefing systems (genoa & mainsail) stripped & overhauled
Engine removed, renovated, tested & repainted. Refitted with new exhaust, cooling & fuel systems. All engine electrics replaced with new marine spec cables and connectors. New instrument panel.
Stern gear removed, renovated and replaced. New cutlass bearing fitted.
All domestic electrics replaced with new master switches, distribution panel, fuses & relays.
Raymarine 54E VHF radio fitted.
Interior completely stripped out, all woodwork renovated, new wooden galley built with new 2-burner spirit cooker, stainless steel sink. New bronze sea cocks fitted.
The last owner purchased her in 2012 and made several other improvements, namely:
Hull stripped down to gelcoat and Coppercoat antifouling applied (£450) – 2011
Jabsco electric fresh water pump & electric tap to galley sink – 2011
Plastimo 100 litre flexible fresh water tank – 2011
Lavac electric flush toilet (£300) – 2012
LED tricolour/anchor light (£120) – 2012
LED deck lights – 2012
LED interior lights – 2012
Wireless TackTick speed/log and wind speed/direction indicator (£1,200) – 2012 (needs new batteries)
Advansea chart plotter (£350) – 2012
Solar panel fitted to trickle charge batteries. (£110) – 2012
Roller blinds fitted to saloon windows. (£120) – 2012
Harken self-tailing genoa sheet winches (£800) – 2015
Sprayhood and dodgers (£1,200) – 2014/15
Mister Vee carbon fibre self-steering system. (£1450) – 2015.
Seabird is a sound, comfortable, well-behaved boat which has served me well on both local trips and longer passages along the North Sea coast. She is more than capable of venturing further afield (a Kingfisher 26 in standard set-up won, on handicap, an OSTAR (Original Single-handed Trans-Atlantic Race!).
She has been set up for safe single-handed sailing, benefitting from genoa roller reefing and mainsail in-mast reefing, with all lines led back to the cockpit and has wheel (hydraulic) and tiller steering fitted – switchable between the two.
She has been in storage for 6 years so will need some TLC (nothing major) as you might expect when a boat has been on the hard and hence the crazy price.
These pictures were taken before she went into storage so you can see what she will look like with a few weeks of TLC. The mast is down for safe storage. Seabird is at Humber Yawl Club, Brough East Yorkshire HU15 1ED. Contact me for a viewing. Club rules state that non-members must remove yachts on the date of completion.
Specification
Built in 1972 by Westland Engineering (Marine) Ltd, Poole, to a design by R.A.G. Nierop.
Hull, Cabin Top and Interior: Moulded in GRP. Hull and cabin top joined with 1/4″ (6mm) stainless steel (S/S) bolts at 4″ (100mm) centres with PVC fender all round.
Twin Keels: Symmetrical hydrofoil section. Fabricated from steel plate with lead ballast in the bottom 4 inches – the rest serves as fuel tanks. Keel/hull attachment by 20 x 1/2″ (12mm) S/S bolts per keel through steel plates bonded into the hull.
Deck Fittings: Bronze, bolted through cabin top. Stem fitting, fore bollard and twin fairleads forward, two mooring cleats on stern, S/S handrails in bronze pillars.
Running Rigging and Fittings: Braid on braid halliards and sheets. S/S or bronze bound blocks, kicking strap and jib tack downhaul. Genoa sliding blocks and track, sheet winches and cleats, lever clutch jam cleats for lines. Harken self-tailing sheet winches (new 2015). Lewmar halyard winch.
Mast Support: Steel beams moulded into the hull and cabin top connected by tubular steel pillars.
Standing Rigging: S/S shrouds with swaged ends. S/S or Superston bottle screws and toggles. S/S shroud plates through bolted.
Sails: In-mast furling mainsail, roller reefing genoa, cruising chute with snuffer.
Main Cabin: Lined throughout. Headroom 6′ (1.83m). 2 x dished berths 6’3″ (1.90m) long with stowage under. Large galley to port side with sink, cutlery drawer under and crockery storage behind. Chart table to starboard side with drawer for charts under. Teak-faced lockers with sliding doors above bunks. Alloy grab rails.
Separate Toilet and Hanging Locker: New Lavac electric flush toilet fitted 2013. Sliding Doors.
Fore Cabin: Felt headlining. Headroom 5′ 4″ (1.63m). 2 x dished Berths 6’3″ (1.90m) long with stowage under. Sail locker. Shelf round cabin side. Hinged fore hatch with rubber seal.
Windows: Perspex in plastic-coated cast alloy frames.
Ventilators: In main cabin and in toilet and hanging compartments.
Cockpit: Self-draining with two 1¼ ” (32mm) diameter drains. After locker and large lockers under the cockpit seats.
Anchor Locker: On fore deck with hinged lid. Ample stowage for anchor, chain, warp, fenders, etc. Self-draining.
Steering: Lifting S/S tiller with Tufnol grip. Bronze knuckle joint, S/S rudder shaft and glass fibre rudder.
Fuel Storage: In the keels, 15 gallons (68 litres) in each keel. Two filler caps amidships. Additional 55 litre S/S fuel tank in port cockpit locker with a filler cap on top of the coaming and also an electric pump to transfer fuel from the keel tanks.
Water Storage: 100 litre flexible tank in port fore-cabin locker with supply pipe to sink. Filler cap on deck.
Standard cruising equipment; Four fitted mattresses. Electric flush Jabsco marine toilet. Cabin table (stored under shelf in forepeak). Eight interior lights and fixed switch panel. Port and starboard navigation lights. Stern light and mast light. Fixed 2 burner spirit stove. S/S pulpit and pushpit. S/S stanchions with bronze feet and S/S lifelines (stanchion base mountings were re-enforced inside hull during refurbishment).
Deck Equipment: Sprayhood (new 2015), dodgers (new 2014), folding anchor with chain & warp, kedge anchor with warp. Boarding ladder. Seven fenders. Mooring warps & lines. 2 x boathooks. Liferaft with S/S cradle (liferaft needs service).
Safety Equipment: Horseshoe life buoy with light attached. Manual bilge pump in cockpit, automatic electric bilge pump in engine compartment. Two hand-held dry powder fire extinguishers, one automatic dry powder fire extinguisher in engine compartment. Fire blanket.
(Picture of Seabird prior to my buying her)
6.5 knots on a close reach in 17 knots of wind!
Current Price: £4000.00
This Kingfisher 26 With Load Of Kit. may be available on ebay