The Cavalier 26 is a Quarter Ton IOR class racing yacht designed in the late 1970's. All quarter tonners are relatively small inside by today's standards, because of the design limitations of the racing rule. This rule led to an interesting hull shape with a distinctive sloping transom that, while it wasted space, meant that a following sea very often passed by as it broke. The Cavalier is stable in two metre high, breaking beam seas, though it doesn't feel quite as stable as say a Seaway 25 trailer sailer.
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| First Sight |
My Cavalier 26 was built around 1980 I believe, and originally fitted with a small diesel engine and a leg that protruded below the boat. At some time in her life the engine and leg were removed, the hole more or less patched and another hole cut in the lazarette area. Again, this was apparently deemed to be a bad idea, so somebody removed that motor, did an even rougher job of filling the hole, and built a bit of a pod on the sloping transom. Just prior to my purchasing the boat, the two stroke 8hp motor had been removed and an aging 9.9hp Yamaha four stroke that weighs close to sixty kilograms was hung from the bracket on the stern. A forward control unit was mounted sideways on the taffrail and this is how she was set up when I inspected her.
This was in May 2010. A couple of months before my lovely old Seaway 25, Volcano had her bottom torn out in cyclone Ului when it seems another boat may have broken her off the mooring. I was not in good enough health to rebuild her, so I decided to spend the money that would have cost on finding another quarter tonner, preferably a trailable. I spotted the photo of the Cavalier in a marina window. The lines were right, the price was right, and I decided I could learn to live with a keel. That last observation is the only regret I have had since buying the Cavalier 26.
The Cavalier was parked up a mangrove creek and I didn't bother to take her for a sail before I bought her. I raced yachts for years, and owned one of the best quarter ton designs ever built. I thought I would learn the Cavalier soon enough. I did a deal with the broker for a cheap marina berth while I was doing some necessary repairs and modifications, then brought her around and had her lifted out into the boat yard.
