# Grampian 26 price and livability?



## gtsail (Sep 14, 2017)

I'm looking at a grampian 26 which looks to be in pretty good condition.

- All sails and rigging were replaced in the last several years.
- 25 hp outboard with 10 or so hours on it
- Recently redone electrical with a 100 watt solar panel
- Working head with macerator
- Interior in good shape
- Autotiller
- No soft spots, no blistering, hull and deck seem good
- Standard electronics like a garmin nav plotter with speed/wind/depth etc
- LED interior and exterior nav lighting recently replaced
- anchor

The seller is asking $7k. First question is whether this is a fair price for a Grampian 26?

Second question is, will I go crazy if I attempt to live on such a small boat? It would be just myself and I'm a pretty minimal person. But thought I'd see if anyone else has lived on a 26 ft boat.

Thanks!


----------



## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

First thought....nobody puts a 25hp outboard on 26' sailboat...without a good reason. He got the motor from 'somewhere cheap'.
I would suspect and inspect the whole boat.

2nd thought...I'd hold my $s and talk to some sailboat owners locally to get some help.

There are tons of boats available in that price range.


----------



## gtsail (Sep 14, 2017)

RegisteredUser said:


> First thought....nobody puts a 25hp outboard on 26' sailboat...without a good reason. He got the motor from 'somewhere cheap'.
> I would suspect and inspect the whole boat.
> 
> 2nd thought...I'd hold my $s and talk to some sailboat owners locally to get some help.
> ...


There's a ton of new things that the current owner added to the boat, I don't really have any reason to suspect anything nefarious like theft? Not sure what you are alluding to. Isn't that pretty common though? I currently have a 28 ft pearson with a 30 hp atomic 4, so I guess that a 25 hp on a 26 footer seems normal to me.

I also plan to have a marine surveyor check it out. I was on the fence considering this is in cheap boat range and a survey will be $600 or so, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Other than that, any other thoughts?


----------



## Arcb (Aug 13, 2016)

I like G26's. Good sailboats.

The price sounds a bit high to me.

A 5hp motor might be more appropriate than a 25. 

The set up sounds a bit odd to me.

I wouldn't rush into it.

I would live on one if I was a single guy


----------



## FreeAgent (Apr 19, 2017)

We once owned a G-26. Bought it new in 1973! We had an 8HP engine. Others used 9.9s and a very few 15s (which were physically not much bigger) 25HP does sound like a LOT! With crew in cockpit, it might sit stern down especially with a heavy 4-stroke.!

There is quite a bit of space in a G-26, so you could live on it. You didn't say where you were. Is that $7000 US or Canadian dollars? It is quite high regardless, unless you see value in some of those gizmos and the big engine. THis link may give you an idea of what asking prices are in Canada. https://www.kijiji.ca/b-ontario/grampian-26/k0l9004

Some crazy asking prices here too grampian sailboats for sale by owner.

If you like the boat, remember it is Fall and winter storage fees are due (depending on where you are). I would think $5000 max would be fair price. Then perhaps sell engine and get a smaller one.


----------



## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

Never owned a G26, but am familiar with them. Owned a G34 for a number of years. Good boats. Solid, simple, and decent sailors. They are large for 26-footers. I would have no trouble living on one. Can’t say for you (b/c I don’t know you), but if you really are a minimalist, and are alone, then you should be fine living on board.

25hp is large for this boat. It may be too heavy, as FreeAgent suggests. It does indicate the current owner is a motorboater, not a sailor, but that wouldn’t be unusual. Something to look at closely, but not necessarily a warning flag.

Price seems steep for these boats right now. I think most would be in the $3-5k range these days. If the engine is in good shape it alone could be worth $2-3k I bet, so maybe there’s the difference. 

Don’t be persuaded by the equipment list. It sounds good, but you can always add that stuff as you need it. 

The real question is: What is this boat worth to you? If it’s worth $7k, then buy it. If not, offer something less, or move on. Lots of boats in that range out there right now.


----------



## bblument (Oct 22, 2012)

Price seems very high. I doubt very much it's a 25 hp w/ 10 hours on it. 25hp is more than you'd ever see, for any reason, on a 26' sailboat, and 10 hours is less than you'd ever see on a boat for sale. A macerating head on a 26' sailboat also makes me scratch my head, and makes me want to explore IN DEPTH exactly what the " Recently redone electrical" includes. Most 26' sailboats, mine included, wouldn't necessarily have the battery bank(s) available to make a macerating head feasible. Lots of warning signs, including "Grampian." The last sentence, admittedly, is more opinion-based than the preceding ones.


----------



## aa3jy (Jul 23, 2006)

Having owned a G26 with a 9.9hp out board..a 25 hp out board maybe way out it?s weight limitations for its transum. Again this is an outboard not an inboard.. Curious what engine manufacturer is it?


----------



## cdy (Nov 10, 2013)

I am curious of the 25hp is a longshaft? It might have plenty of HP but if you cant get the prop deep enough when powering into chop - its all wasted.

A 9.9 longshaft would be ideal - $5K would be a more realistic price.


----------



## gtsail (Sep 14, 2017)

Based on all the responses, I am a little hesitant. Here's the ad:

tampa.craigslist.org/hil/boa/d/1973-grampian-sloop-rigged-26/6235536125.html

I've called and talked to the guy, he doesn't sound like a powerboater, he does sound like a sailor.

He said he and his wife took the boat through the caribbean, then came back and bought a larger boat and selling this one.


----------



## cdy (Nov 10, 2013)

Looks like the guy did a nice job of upgrading the boat - from the pics it looks well done - $7K is a bit high but it says OBO - I would want to know if the outboard is a long shaft - also compare the weight of the 25 to a 9.9 Tohatsu - might not be that much different.
If you plan to keep the boat a few years - paying a little more won't hurt you too much - the engine is actually worth quite a bit - it looks to be pretty new. Just depends if you really like a Grampian 26 if it fits your needs - see if you can get it for $5.5K
It least its not the Hunter 25.5 that so guy fixed up and claimed he sold it for $75K - there is a lot more reasonably priced,


----------



## aa3jy (Jul 23, 2006)

Wow!! That is a twenty five HP outboard.. Me thinks somebody intent was to try and exceed its design hull speed with that engine...  The engine alone is probably worth half the asking price..


----------



## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

cdy said:


> ....might not be that much different......,


About 62lbs heavier.
That's one young kid hanging out back on the transom. Not as much as I thought.
Not sure if that 25 could get up into its efficient power curve with stock prop pitch...
Sell the 25, lose the kid off the transom...


----------



## cdy (Nov 10, 2013)

Saw this on a review from Sailing magazine - maybe the 25 isnt so far fetched:

"Most of the 1,000 boats launched came with an outboard engine. A robust 25-horsepower Chrysler outboard was standard issue for a while. Now boats on the used market will have smaller, more efficient outboards. A 9.9-horsepower four-stroke is an adequate outboard engine for the boat. Some 26s came standard with inboard engines. Early in the production run a Palmer gas engine was offered and later small one-cylinder diesels by Volvo and Yanmar"


----------



## FreeAgent (Apr 19, 2017)

cdy said:


> Saw this on a review from Sailing magazine - maybe the 25 isnt so far fetched:
> 
> "Most of the 1,000 boats launched came with an outboard engine. A robust 25-horsepower Chrysler outboard was standard issue for a while. Now boats on the used market will have smaller, more efficient outboards. A 9.9-horsepower four-stroke is an adequate outboard engine for the boat. Some 26s came standard with inboard engines. Early in the production run a Palmer gas engine was offered and later small one-cylinder diesels by Volvo and Yanmar"


I was around and bought a G-26 early on. I don't recall Grampian ever offering an outboard engine at all, never mind standard issue. Maybe some dealers did, but 25Hp is way overkill. They did offer inboards but they were not too common. Funnily enough, we did use a Chrysler 8HP motor and it was adequate.

The boat looks quite good in pictures and is no doubt quite well equipped. It is not going to be an easy sell for the owner. I would offer him $4000 if you like the boat and be prepared to go a bit higher.


----------



## Keona Fonteyn (Oct 1, 2017)

We had a Grampian 30 that we lived on for about 8 months before we bought our Alberg 35. The Grampian 30 is a pretty sturdy sailboat. Watch for soft spots on the deck and bulk heads in these boats. If you want to live on the boat I would suggest paying a little more and getting a Grampian 30.


----------

