Cape Dory Cape Dory 26D
Carl Alberg's full-keel 26-footer with the inboard diesel. Albergs this size have crossed to Hawaii; it is just a long, small trip.

Best for: The minimalist under six feet who wants the simplest, cheapest proven hull on the list.
The good
- Alberg long keel, 45% lead ballast, CSF 1.84; Cape Dory build quality.
- Inboard Westerbeke with about 120 hours on this hull.
- 5'11" headroom straight from the 1985 brochure.
The bad
- It is 26 feet. 5.9-knot hull speed, Comfort 24, 17 to 20 days of feeling every wave.
- No real tankage; water goes in jerry cans and bladders.
- The broker's site showed a different price than YachtWorld. Confirm.
Easy to sail alone and hard to live on alone for three weeks. If you are the kind of sailor who thinks that sounds like fun, this is the cheapest serious way to do it.