Niagara 26

{{Infobox sailboat specifications

|name = Niagara 26

|class_image =

|line drawing =

|line size =

|line alt =

|line caption =

|image boat = File:Niagara 26 sailboat Rainbow 1499.jpg

|image size =

|image alt =

|image caption =

|designer = George Hinterhoeller

|location = Canada

|year = 1975

|no built = 170

|design =

|class =

|brand =

|builder = Hinterhoeller Yachts, Goman Boat Limited, Halman Manufacturing Company

|role = Racer-Cruiser

|boats =

|crew =

|trapeze =

|draft = {{convert|4.42|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|air draft =

|displacement = {{convert|4000|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}

|hulls =

|hull type = Monohull

|construction = Fibreglass

|loa = {{convert|26.67|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|loh =

|lwl = {{convert|23.00|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|beam = {{convert|8.33|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|hull draft =

|hull weight =

|engine = Inboard motor/outboard motor

|appendages =

|keel type = fin keel

|ballast = {{convert|1700|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}

|rudder type = transom-mounted rudder

|rigs =

|rig type = Bermuda rig

|I = {{convert|29.00|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|J = {{convert|10.42|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|P = {{convert|30.00|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|E = {{convert|11.00|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|mast length =

|rig other =

|sails =

|sailplan = Fractional rigged sloop

|sailarea main = {{convert|165.00|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}

|sailarea headsail = {{convert|151.09|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}

|sailarea spin =

|sailarea gen =

|sails other =

|sailarea upwind =

|sailarea downwind =

|sailarea total = {{convert|316.09|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}

|rating =

|d-pn =

|rya-pn =

|phrf = 183-211

|status =

|previous =

|successor =

}}

The Niagara 26 is a Canadian sailboat that was designed by George Hinterhoeller as a racer-cruiser and first built in 1975.{{cite web|url = https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/niagara-26|title = Niagara 26 sailboat |access-date = 16 June 2020|last= McArthur| first = Bruce |work = sailboatdata.com|year = 2020|archiveurl =https://web.archive.org/web/20190926160153/https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/niagara-26 |archivedate =26 September 2019 |url-status=live}}{{cite web|url= https://sailboat.guide/niagara-26|title= Niagara 26|access-date= 25 April 2023|author= Sea Time Tech, LLC|work= sailboat.guide|year= 2023|archive-url= https://archive.today/20230425173129/https://sailboat.guide/niagara-26|archive-date= 25 April 2023|url-status= live}}{{cite web|url =https://sailboatdata.com/designer/hinterhoeller-george|title = George Hinterhoeller|access-date = 16 June 2020|last= McArthur| first = Bruce |work = sailboatdata.com|year = 2020|archiveurl = https://archive.today/20200616234200/https://sailboatdata.com/designer/hinterhoeller-george|archivedate = 16 June 2020|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url= https://sailboat.guide/george-hinterhoeller|title= George Hinterhoeller|access-date= 25 April 2023|author= Sea Time Tech, LLC|work= sailboat.guide|year= 2023|archive-url= https://archive.today/20230425173431/https://sailboat.guide/george-hinterhoeller|archive-date= 25 April 2023|url-status= live}}{{cite web|url= https://sailboatlab.com/data_sheet/5125/0/|title= Niagara 26|access-date= 25 April 2023|author= Ulladulla|work= Sailboat Lab|archive-url= https://archive.today/20230425173545/https://sailboatlab.com/data_sheet/5125/0/|archive-date= 25 April 2023|url-status= live}}

Production

The type was initially built by Hinterhoeller Yachts in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada as one of the first designs put into production after George Hinterhoeller had left C&C Yachts to re-establish his own company.{{cite web|url =https://sailboatdata.com/builder/hinterhoeller-yachts-ltd|title =Hinterhoeller Yachts Ltd. |access-date = 16 June 2020|last= McArthur| first = Bruce |work = sailboatdata.com|year = 2020|archiveurl = https://archive.today/20200616234332/https://sailboatdata.com/builder/hinterhoeller-yachts-ltd|archivedate = 16 June 2020|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url= https://sailboat.guide/hinterhoeller|title= Hinterhoeller Yachts Ltd.|access-date= 25 April 2023|author= Sea Time Tech, LLC|work= sailboat.guide|year= 2023|archive-url= https://archive.today/20230425173317/https://sailboat.guide/hinterhoeller|archive-date= 25 April 2023|url-status= live}}

After the first 69 boats had been built by Hinterhoeller, licensed production moved to two other Canadian companies, Goman Boat Limited and the Halman Manufacturing Company.{{cite web|url =https://sailboatdata.com/builder/halman-manufacturing-co|title =Halman Manufacturing Co. |access-date = 16 June 2020|last= McArthur| first = Bruce |work = sailboatdata.com|year = 2020|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20190926160139/https://sailboatdata.com/builder/halman-manufacturing-co|archivedate = 26 September 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url =https://sailboatdata.com/builder/goman-boat-ltd-can|title =Goman Boat Ltd. (CAN) |access-date = 16 June 2020|last= McArthur| first = Bruce |work = sailboatdata.com|year = 2020|archiveurl = https://archive.today/20220414142942/https://sailboatdata.com/builder/goman-boat-ltd-can|archivedate = 14 April 2022|url-status= live}}{{cite web|url= https://sailboat.guide/halman|title= Halman Manufacturing Co.|access-date= 25 April 2023|author= Sea Time Tech, LLC|work= sailboat.guide|year= 2023|archive-url= https://archive.today/20220411122139/https://sailboat.guide/halman|archive-date= 11 April 2022|url-status= live}}{{cite web|url= https://sailboat.guide/goman|title= Goman Boat Ltd.|access-date= 25 April 2023|author= Sea Time Tech, LLC|work= sailboat.guide|year= 2023|archive-url= https://archive.today/20230425173202/https://sailboat.guide/goman|archive-date= 25 April 2023|url-status= live}}

A total of 170 boats had been built by all three manufacturers, by the time production ended.

Design

File:Niagara 26 sailboat Rainbow 1501.jpg

The Niagara 26 is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of fibreglass, with wood trim. It has a fractional sloop rig, a raked stem, a plumb transom, a transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller and a fixed fin keel. It displaces {{convert|4000|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} and carries {{convert|1700|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} of ballast. The boat can also be equipped with a spinnaker for downwind sailing.{{cite web|url = https://www.sailrite.com/Niagara-26-Sail-Data|title =Niagara 26 Sail Data |access-date = 16 June 2020|author=Sailrite Enterprises, Inc |work = sailrite.com|year= 2020|archiveurl = https://archive.today/20200616235318/https://www.sailrite.com/Niagara-26-Sail-Data|archivedate =16 June 2020 |url-status=live }}

The boat has a draft of {{convert|4.42|ft|m|abbr=on}} with the standard keel fitted.

The design has a sleeping accommodation for five people, with a double "V"-berth in the bow cabin, a single straight settee berth on the port side and a drop down table in the main cabin that converts to a double berth on the starboard side. The galley is located on the starboard side aft. The galley is split on both sides, with a two-burner stove to port and an ice box and a sink to starboard. A navigation station is opposite to the galley, on the starboard side. The head is located just aft of the bow cabin on the starboard side.

The boat can be fitted with an inboard engine or an outboard motor for docking and maneuvering. The fuel tank holds {{convert|6|u.s.gal}} and the fresh water tank has a capacity of {{convert|14|u.s.gal}}.

The design has a hull speed of {{convert|6.43|kn|km/h|abbr=on}} and a PHRF handicap of 186 to 195 for the inboard engine-equipped version and 183 to 211 for the outboard motor version.{{cite news|url= https://www.ussailing.org/competition/offshore/phrf/phrf-handicaps/|title= PHRF Handicaps|access-date= 25 April 2023|author= US Sailing|author-link= US Sailing|work= ussailing.org|year= 2023}}

Operational history

In a review, Sailboat Lab reported, "the Niagara 26 is a light sailboat which is a high performer. It is very stable / stiff and has a low righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a racing boat. The fuel capacity is originally very small. There is a very short water supply range."