Parker Dawson 26 info

[cfimechanic]

I am doing my research for my first sailboat purchase and was wondering if anyone had first hand experience with the Parker Dawson 26. I need something trailerable, but would love to be able to do some bucket list trips with the boat like the Bahamas, circumnavigate the Delmarva, and Martha's Vineyard. In my novice mind the PD26 seams to check all the boxes and I rely like the diesel motor and two separate cabins, and the super shoal draft. I do have some questions though.

- What is the headroom in the cabin, I am 5'10"?

- How long does it take to rig the mast to launch? sloop vs ketch?

- Is the ketch rig a hinged mast also?

- Dose the keel lock in position or does it "hang" there? What I am wondering is does it bang around in choppy seas/can it potentially retract if the boat were knocked down?

Any feedback is greatly appreciated. Also if anyone knows of a comparable style of boat please let me know about it. Other boats I am looking at are the Macgregor 26D, Flicka 20, and the Hirondelle 24. The Flicka and Hirondelle are kind of just dreams because my budget is 5K, but stranger things have happened.

Thanks.

[Aswayze]

I own a Parker Dawson 26 which I trailer all over hither and yon.

Currently parked on the Potomac, just got back from sailing over to Smith Island on the Chesapeake. It will comfortably do all the things you are looking for.

Quick answers:

Headroom: I too am 5'10" You have standing headroom at the galley in the forward with the hatches shut and everywhere else you are ducking. Not much of a matter since there is not really anywhere else you want to stand other than the galley as pretty much everything else in the boat is basically a seat.

Rigging for launch, Sloop/Ketch: Not surprisingly, the ketch takes nearly twice as long to rig but at least the mizzen goes up pretty easily by yourself with no real screwing around. Mine WAS a sloop, then got converted to a ketch, which I then converted right back to a sloop Now takes me and a partner about 30 min to rig up for launch or derig once we get it back on the trailer. Having and using the original gin pole harness helps a great deal as it makes the entire process a lot more controllable.

Ketch mast hinged? I am not sure on the OEM ketch, mine did. Either way, you are basically dealing with a dingy mast back there so it goes up pretty easy.

The keel locks down with a very serious lock pin. It will not retract if knocked down.

I have zillions of Parker Dawson pictures both from my boat as well as my buddies Midships 25 (Same boat, earlier name) on my flickr page here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/55855884@N00/albums

And there is a somewhat substantial Parker Dawson thread on sailnet here covering some of us working on ours:

https://www.sailnet.com/forums/other...-26-ketch.html

I also have all the original docs and such for mine if you need something specific like the owners manual to the original 8-track player.

Similar boats to think about:

Midships 25 (same)
Westerly Centaur
Kingfisher 20

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, cfimechanic.

[cfimechanic]

WOW! thanks this is super helpful. I real like what you have done with your boat, rely nice. Your Isle Royale trip looks amazing, I think my bucket list just got a little bigger. One other question. Is there enough room in the aft cabin to join the two berths and turn it into something like a queen size berth?

Thanks so much for the info!

[Aswayze]

Re: Isle Royale. Yes, it should be on your list particularly if you have a PD-26, it's nearly the perfect boat for up there. Pretty easy to bounce across and visit the Apostles on the same trip which is another very worthwhile trip.

Re: Adding a filler to the aft cabin to make a bigger berth. Yes and no. Keep in mind that about the last 1/4th of each berth runs under the cockpit seats so adding a filler in the middle does not gain all that much since you still need to have your feet go somewhere. Aside from that, doing so would impede access to the most useful stowage space on the boat and be yet one more cushion to have to rastle with when needing to dig in and work on something. Just ask my dog here, playing cushion gopher when needing to do work is a pain on a small boat at anchor:



In reality, the best sleeping berth is the forward V-berth. It has EXCELLENT ventilation in the warmer times of year and is plenty roomy and comfy for two. Everyone who gets a Parker Dawson envisions the aft cabin as the perfect captains quarters but we all end up on the forward v-berth and banish our naughty crews out back instead.

[cfimechanic]

Thanks, that makes sense to leave the critters in the aft and to claim the FWD cabin for me and the wife. I think the PD 26 is going to be the perfect boat for us. I appreciate the help, now all I need to do is wait, I'm stuck in Utah right now and promised the wife I wouldn't buy a boat until we move back to Richmond VA in 12 months

[Aswayze]

In 12 months I will be out of VA and off to Maine or I would show you around on my boat and help you get your new one ready.

I'll keep a weather eye out around here for one for you. They are hardly common but they do come up from time to time.

[cfimechanic]

Thanks, I have searched high and low and I have found a couple in my price range. If the stars align I hope to pick one up while I'm driving cross country back to VA. Thanks again for all the help.

[Aswayze]

Cool deal, keep me posted if you spot one you are interested in. I can scour the photos and description for the good, the bad, and the ugly as well as give you some input as to what to look at and any questions you may want to ask.

[CNance]

Still have your Dawson 26’?

[Aswayze]

Sold my Dawson late last year. New job has been stealing my soul and I didn't have enough time to really keep up with it. Off to a new home with a young man who I suspect will carry on and enjoy it the same way I did.