2016 C26 Survey

S

Severum88

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 2, 2020
Messages
77
Fluid Motion Model
R-21
New member. Wifey and I have had our eye on a tug or cw for a few years. We have a survey on this model coming up. Anything specific others can point me to watch out for on this model? Rotting wood areas? Anything that may not show I should look at?

We are extremely excited to be potential new owners.

Severum
 
There are a lot of systems on these boats. make sure they check all of them and they all operate. and also test them during the sea trial especially autopilot and depth finder

the boards under the batteries in the cockpit lockers are not sealed and can rot from underneath. its rare but does happen.

search for posts by BB Marine. he is one of the most knowledgeable people on the systems on these boats and has a CW26 with extensive modifications and detailed maintenance.

The CW28 and 26 are basically the same. the difference is a shorter cockpit in the 26 with more engine therefore inside under the floor boards.

Some might consider the 26 to be underpowered but it depends on your use case. make sure you match your expectations on required speed with what the 26 can provide.
 
Thank you for the reply. I have been pilfering through much of BB's posts.

Severum
 
The C26 is a comfortable boat. We have owned our C26 going on 5 season 430 hours and hopefully heading to Florida to spend the winter. As Gavin said it may be slightly underpowered. 20 kts is the best I have ever seen at 4150 rpm. 18.5 kts is top speed for my boat 4030 rpm with Dinghy and motor on board.

List of things to look for with surveyor

*Motor mounts tight ? and lag bolts tight? ( the engine mounts anchor into wood )
*Check all limber holes for proper drainage. ( battery storage compartments have wood floors, if the limber holes don't drain properly there may be rot.
* The engine thru hull is 1" Volvo requires 1 1/4" for the D3. The 1 " works has long as there is no raw water fouling. 178 F @ 2250 , 180F @ 3200, 183F@ 3400 , 192F @ WOT 3940 rpm to 4150 rpm. Temperatures above this would indicate issues with cooling system.
*120 V shore power 30 amp system is marginal if marine air is installed. Inspect wire connections a shore power receptacle in cockpit, connections at ELCI under microwave in cabinet. Inspect all connections in power panel. I have found terminal connections loose at each location, burned connectors at the shore power receptacle and at breaker panel
* Rudder post bonding wire is to short and pulls out of connector leaving the rudder assembly non-bonded
* engine compartment poorly ventilated. Check engine compartment temperature while running. Temperature at engine intake air filter reaches as high as 160F. I believe the C26 is the only model that see's intake temperature this high because the engine is mounted forward under pilot house deck and there is limited air flow.
* inspect turbo to after cooler hose. It is a short silicone hose that is held inplace with a hose clamp on each end if it becomes loose it will leak traces of oil and leak air. I had the hose fail. Turbo was replaced when hose was replaced. I upgraded hose clamps when new hose and turbo was installed.
* inspect the water pump serpentine belt tensioner to confirm it is working properly (it corrodes and binds)
* inspect for moisture in the swim platform. Inspect that all mounting hardware is properly sealed.
* Check full boost pressure WOT 28 psi, high cruise 24 psi
* inspect deck drains for proper draining and no leaks
* inspect that exhaust thru hull is bonded.


The surveyor will inspect engine ,alignment, cutlass, hull, 12V system......

The C26 has marginal sized trim tabs. Drop fins really helps bring the bow down.
I have photo's of modifications and repairs in my album.

Good luck with the Survey. My list is based on things that I have repaired or had issues with.

The C26 handles quite well in 2 to 3' sea's providing a stable ride. I have had it in 4 to 5' without issue, waves above 5' it handles the waves but it is not fun.
 
Really good comments posted already, but I will add a few thoughts. I have a 2015 C26. Have the inspector check the steering fluid levels and look for leaks. My boat was leaking fluid in a hard to reach spot (access thru a port in the rear locker). I had to frequently add steering fluid at the helm to keep it topped off.
I agree that the speed from the D3 inboard engine is now where near the marketing material on these boats. The rudder is too small and the trim tabs are too small. But if you're cruising in calmer waters (3 foot seas or less, and ideally 1 foot seas and no funky currents) then you'll do fine. I've crossed the Straight of Juan de Fuca in 5 foot seas and it took about 2 years off my lifespan I am certain. But the boat handled it. I typically cruise at 13 to 14 knots and will take her up to 15 to 16 knots if really calm. It's not comfortable at over 17 knots and you'll see the engine temperature start to rise. Also, a decent dinghy with small 2.5 hp outboard really weighs down the rear of the boat. Best if you can do without one, or use an inflatable that you can keep up front.

On the positive side these boats are built strong and smart interior space usage. Plenty of storage for a weekender boat. It's easy to start, manage, dock, and basic maintenance on your own. It's not a fussy boat.

My GPS recently went out so that's worth checking the connections for, and after about 4 years you'll want to replace the motors on the wipers.
 
Such great source of info in here! Thank you everyone. Is the swim step configuration the same on the 26 as it is on the 28? Curious as I was already shopping decking for it.

Severum
 
yes same swim step.
 
Update: Survey went very well. As stated previously by others, she could use a little more oomph, as well as some larger tabs, it seems. Bow rides a little higher than I'd love, but I'll get used to her. Engine temps seems fairly consistent with what Brian had/has experienced. I am sure I'll have a ton of little questions soon once I take ownership. The batteries are all original. I was planning to take this on myself. Is there anything more than assuring shore power is disconnected, and battery switches are set to OFF, prior to replacing batteries? I seem to remember reading.....a trickle from solar still coming in, regardless of switches.

Thank you all,

Severum
 
congrats!

Battery replacement:
unplug the shore power
turn off the inverter if on
Take pictures of the cables and label as needed before you uncable the batteries. the biggest pain will be lifting in and out the batteries. my trick is to tie some rope to the battery handles so I can stand up to lift them into the hatch.

with no shore power you are only dealing with 12v power. try and avoid cable ends touching in case there is a path from a connected battery to short
i'd recommend replacing one at a time so you dont have a sea of cables loose.

Id recommend replacing them all if all the originals. keep the same battery chemistry and size the same.
 
Throw a blanket or other covering over the solar panel(s) when disconnecting the batteries or solar charge connections. You can get a healthy spark if those cables touch if you don’t.

Curt
 
Severum88, I have the exact same year/model up here in Marina del Rey. I love the boat and go on the ocean about once a week. Most days I cruise around 16-18 knots at 3750 RPMs (max 4160 - 22 kts) depending off cause on conditions, you don’t want to slam the hull on the larger swell/wave days so slowing down fixes that. I run it pretty light, half water and full fuel. It is serviced by Harry’s Marine in Newport and they are great. Enjoy your boat.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

  • Tugnuts.com is the community hub for Ranger Tug, Cutwater, and Solara owners. Since its inception in 2008, the Tugnuts forum has grown into an active and thriving community of more than 9,000 members. It serves as both a meeting place for the best boating community online, and an invaluable archive of information.

  • User menu
Back
Top