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Yachtsnet's archive of boat details and pictures
 

The following information and photographs are displayed as a service to anyone researching yacht types. HOWEVER THE PHOTOGRAPHS AND TEXT ARE COVERED BY COPYRIGHT, AND MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF YACHTSNET LTD. Details and photographs are normally based on one specific yacht, but could be a compilation. No reliance should be placed on other yachts of the same class being identical.  Where common variations exist, we have endeavoured to indicate this in these archive details. 

Newbridge Pioneer Pilot 26

Brief details

Builder

NB Yachts, Chard, Somerset

The Pioneer Pilot is one of the smallest pilothouse sailing cruisers around, being based on the Pioneer hull, but with an enclosed wheelhouse, with alternative tiller steering in the cockpit. She offers a quite roomy modern 26 foot hull with a smallish double berth aft cabin, and 2-4 more berths forward in an open plan layout. As you would expect from a Bill Dixon production boat design, The Pioneer and Pioneer Pilot have a good reputation as sensible family cruisers with good accommodation for their size and respectable sailing performance.

LOA

25' 10"

Sail area

348 sq ft main and genoa

LWL

20' 6"

Rig

Sloop

Beam

9' 0"

Cabins

2

Draught

3' 0" bilge keel, 4' 0" fin, or 3' 2" to 5' 3" c/b

Berths

4-6

Displacement

5,875 lbs

Engine

Volvo or Bukh diesels

Ballast

2,650 lbs

BHP

18

Keel type

Twin iron bilge keels with skeg-hung rudder, alternative fin keel or stub keel with centreboard options also built.

Newbridge Pioneer Pilot 26

Newbridge Boats started life building a GRP version of the pretty little Robert Tucker designed 21 foot Corribee in the very early 1970s. They later also built the 23 foot Virgo, with a distinctive wrap-round painted stripe to help disguise the quite substantial coachroof.

In the early 1980s they dropped the Corribee, as despite taking it through three versions, with progressive tiny increases in interior volume, it could never be regarded as spacious for its length. They thus introduced a range of more 'modern' designs, including the Navigator, Venturer and Pioneer, all sharing the distinctive style of a dark-painted band around the coachroof, although the hulls were not all by the same designers.


The Newbridge Pioneer was designed by Bill Dixon (well known for Moody designs) in 1985/86 as the largest of the range, and was built in two versions, the Pioneer Pilot having an added pilothouse moulding to give an interior steering position. Most boats sold were bilge-keelers, but fin-keel and centreboard versions were also built.

About 80 were built in total. In 1990 Newbridge, by then having changed their name to NB Yachts, went into liquidation, as the proliferation of mass-produced small French yachts was hitting all small British boatbuilders.

Newbridge Pioneer Pilot 26

Yachts seen here are no longer for sale - the data is online as a free information service for buyers researching boat types. THE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE COVERED BY COPYRIGHT, AND MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF YACHTSNET LTD.

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Newbridge Pioneer Pilot 26

Above: the saloon table raises to the deckhead to open up the space forward when required. The two small bunks in the forepeak can be extended aft by a lifting 'shelf' that hinges up, making 6 full berths, though any 26 foot boat will be very crowded with six aboard.

Left: The heads compartment is aft of the galley








Below: The engine is installed under the companionway steps, with access from front, top and read (via the aft cabin). The usual engines fitted were 18 hp Bukh or Volvo units.

 

Yachts seen here are no longer for sale - the data is online as a free information service for buyers researching boat types. THE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE COVERED BY COPYRIGHT, AND MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF YACHTSNET LTD.

Go to our brokerage section for boats currently for sale

 

Newbridge Pioneer Pilot 26
Newbridge Pioneer Pilot 26

Steering can be either by tiller or wheel, changing between the two is by moving an easily accessible pin on the steering linkage. The tiller can be left connected when steering by wheel, but to use the tiller is is best to disconnect the wheel.

Newbridge Pioneer Pilot 26

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