The Paceship PY 26 is a Canadian

sailboat A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails and is smaller than a sailing ship. Distinctions in what constitutes a sailing boat and ship vary by region and maritime culture. Types Although sailboat terminology ...

that was designed by John Deknatel, president of

C. Raymond Hunt Assoc. C. Raymond Hunt Associates (doing business as Ray Hunt Design) is an American naval architecture design firm, based in New Bedford, Massachusetts. The company specializes in the design of fiberglass sailboats and powerboats. The company was fo ...

and first built in 1972. In 1982, the PY 26 design was developed into the Tanzer 27, with a deck-stepped mast and different interior.

Production

Paceship PY 26 sailboat Dalriada cockpit detail 2519

The design was initially built by Paceship Yachts of Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia,

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

starting in 1974. Production was transferred to AMF Corporation in

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

in 1977. In 1982 the hull molds were sold to

Tanzer Industries Tanzer Industries Limited was a Canadian boat manufacturer based in Dorion, Quebec. The company specialized in the design and manufacture of fibreglass sailboats. History The company was founded by Johann Tanzer in 1966 and went bankrupt in May ...

and they produced a slightly longer model called the Tanzer 27. The design is now out of production, with 364 examples having been produced.

Design

The Paceship PY 26 is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of fibreglass, with wood trim. It has a masthead sloop rig with a keel-stepped mast, a

raked stem The stem is the most forward part of a boat or ship's bow and is an extension of the keel itself. It is often found on wooden boats or ships, but not exclusively. Description The stem is the curved edge stretching from the keel below, up to ...

, a near-vertical

transom Transom may refer to: * Transom (architecture), a bar of wood or stone across the top of a door or window, or the window above such a bar * Transom (nautical), that part of the stern of a vessel where the two sides of its hull meet * Operation Tran ...

, a transom-hung

rudder A rudder is a primary control surface used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft, or other vehicle that moves through a fluid medium (generally aircraft, air or watercraft, water). On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to ...

controlled by a

tiller A tiller or till is a lever used to steer a vehicle. The mechanism is primarily used in watercraft, where it is attached to an outboard motor, rudder post or stock to provide leverage in the form of torque for the helmsman to turn the rudder. ...

and a fixed fin

keel The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element on a vessel. On some sailboats, it may have a hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose, as well. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in the construction of a ship, in Br ...

. There was also a stub keel/ centreboard version produced. The fin keel model displaces and carries of iron ballast. The boat has a draft of with the standard keel fitted. The boat can be fitted with either a small inboard motor or an outboard motor for docking and maneuvering.

Operational history

The boat was at one time supported by an active class club, ''The Paceship'', but the club is currently inactive. In a review Michael McGoldrick wrote, "The Paceship PY26 has to be described as a big 26 footer. Many manufacturers would have marketed this boat as a 27 footer, as did Tanzer. And with a displacement of 6000 pounds, this boat is reaching the upper limits of what can be realistically pushed around with an outboard motor. The PY was available with an optional inboard engine." In a paceship.org review Jay Moran concluded, "the PY 26 is quite large for its length, but the boat still sails very well, even in light air with a 150% genoa. In heavy airs, the boat feels stable, secure and is usually remains fairly dry. The large tiller steered outboard rudder makes the boat very responsive and provides excellent helm feedback. In summary this is a well built, roomy, and beautiful looking, high performance sailboat". In an owner review Tristan Nettles wrote, "all in all the PY26 is a strong and capable boat that needs 10 knots or more of breeze to really handle well. It is simple in its systems and capable of offshore passages. My biggest knock against the boat is its underpowered engine. The boat is very big and spacious for its size. A good starter boat.".

References

External links

* {{Paceship Yachts Keelboats 1970s sailboat type designs Sailing yachts Sailboat type designs by C. Raymond Hunt Associates Sailboat types built by Paceship Yachts

Production

Design

Operational history

See also

References

External links