Large fleets in Europe and overseas with up to 30 boats, strong international participation, five boats already sailing in northern Germany and professionally operated: its bigger sister, the 9.56-metre-long Cape 31, has already made its mark and is currently the most successful sailing yacht. It is often referred to as ‘the little TP-52’ and has rapidly established itself as a top-performing one-design with high-calibre fleets, particularly in England, France, South Africa and the USA. However, regatta activities involving the Cape 31 also take place in Australia and Hong Kong. Remarkably, this sporty one-design boat also performs well under ORC rules: at Kiel Week, the Cape 31 “Niramo” – German champion in offshore sailing in Class C/D.
A rig without a backstay and a lifting keel in front of the mast
Now, the Cape Performance Sailing shipyard in South Africa is unveiling a smaller version of this racing machine, building on the same sporting concept. Measuring 2.55 metres in beam, with a lifting keel and a detachable rudder blade, the Cape 26 is easy to trailer and can also be launched and hauled out via a slipway. For this purpose, and for manoeuvring in harbour, the long bowsprit can be easily folded up or removed entirely. Furthermore, the lightweight carbon-fibre twin-sail mast can be conveniently adjusted and stowed by hand. What’s more, the boat, complete with rig and trailer, fits into a single container.
The first Cape 26, ‘Ciao’, was launched in Cape Town by the Cape Performance Solutions shipyard. The Cape 26 shares some of its components with its larger sister, the successful Cape 31. In other respects, it breaks new ground: it has a rig without a backstay and a lifting keel positioned in front of the mast.
According to Mark Millst, the feedback from the trial phase was overwhelmingly positive. Hull number 1 is currently being prepared for shipment to Italy, where the European agents, Negri Nautica, will market the class and organise a Mediterranean circuit for the fleet in 2027.
Cape 31: No hiking and four people
The design of the Cape 26 comes from the studio of Mark Mills Design in Ireland. The design calls for the boat to be sailed by a crew of four, who sit with their legs in the cockpit on the high coaming. This means that extreme ‘hiking’, as is possible in many recreational sailing classes, is not intended. Instead, all four crew members are expected to play an active role when tacking in order to make the boat fast. A distinctive feature is the cockpit design, with its seamless transition from the cockpit floor to the foredeck – the so-called ‘Mills Ramp Deck’.
There is no actual hatch; instead, there is a watertight hatch cover on the cockpit floor. Consequently, the interior of the boat remains empty. The 80-square-metre gennaker is launched from a so-called ‘launcher’ and attached to the bowsprit, which is almost two metres long.
The hull and deck of the Cape 26 are laminated as GRP sandwich structures using epoxy resin. The rig, keel shaft and rudder blade are made of carbon fibre. The shipyard has also announced a price for early birds: The ‘Early Bird’ offer currently stands at €118,750 net or €141,310 including 19% VAT. Not yet included in this base price are the sails, a trailer, the transport covers and the outboard motor.
Technical Specifications: Cape 26
- Fuselage length: 7.80 m
- Overall length including bowsprit: 9.68 m
- Length at the waterline: 7.65 m
- Width: 2.55 m
- Draught with lifting keel: 1.25 m – 2.05 m
- Weight: 1,050 kg (ready to fly)
- Mainsail: 26.10 m²
- Genoa: 16.60 m²
- Gennaker: 80.20 m
- Engine type: Outboard motor / Petrol or electric
- Designer: Mark Mills Design
Further links on the subject of recreational boating
- Cape 31 “Niramo” is crowned German champion in offshore sailing
- The new Clubswan 28: A review of the smallest boat ever built by Nautor
- An uncompromising racing machine: the Quant GT 33 from Switzerland
- A sporty keelboat for two: the Junda KII comes from Italy
- The mother of all sailing boats: a comprehensive profile of the Melges 24 class
Michael Good
Editor Test & Technology
