Delta 26

The boat show season is a great opportunity for owners to get a feel for the market, see the latest superyacht launches and meet key industry players. It is also a good opportunity to test new toys, especially tenders. A boat that caught our eye during the Cannes Boat Show in September was the Delta 26, designed by Mannerfelt Design Team and produced by Swedish boat builder Delta Powerboats.


The simple yet stylish approach to the overall design of the 8.1m boat is what gives it charm, and when combined with sensible, proven engineering to ensure efficient yet impressive performance, it makes for a sound investment. With a starting price of 130,000 euros before tax, the basic model is fitted with a Volvo Penta 5.7 GXI/ DPS engine and comes with a whole list of goodies including a CD player and radio with Bluetooth streaming and 2 marine speaker, a 12V and USB outlet, a Philippe Starck sink and Vola Blender, and also a Windscreen wiper.

“The new model has been very well received and extremely successful,” explains sales director and co-founder of Delta Powerboats, Kalle Wessel. “Since launching the Delta 26 at the beginning of 2012, we have received up to 25 orders, which is a great number for our little company. These orders have come from clients around the world including Hong Kong, Florida and those based around Lake Geneva, and of course our home market in Scandinavian.”


Working closely with designers Ted Mannerfelt and his father Ocke, Wessel gave the studio a design brief that would deliver a boat which would be both practical and multifunctional. The end result is a fibreglass day cruiser capable of offering a top speed of 46-48 knots, while also consuming no more than 0.9-1.1 litres per nautical mile at a speed of 30 knots. This performance is aided by the use of a deep V twin stepped hull.

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"When at a cruising speed of 25-28 knots, fuel consumption is only 0.8 litres per nautical mile.” – Kalle Wessel

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“The twin stepped hull in collaboration with its deep V and precisely placed speed rails, help reduce friction and give the boat a light and safe feel to handle,” says Wessel. “The boat displaces around two tonnes and with the 220hp produced by the Volvo Penta D3/220/ DPS, the boat has a top speed of 38 knots. When at a cruising speed of 25-28 knots, fuel consumption is only 0.8 litres per nautical mile.”

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“It was a pleasure to operate the Delta 26 Open during the Monaco Grand Prix 2012, and it was completely reliable.”
– Captain Dirk Schwager

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The interior design of the Delta 26 is basic but clean, offering a double bed with en suite, and we were impressed by how adjustable the aft seating area is. In just a few minutes, the dining area can be converted into a sunbed by removing the teak table, which becomes the base for a filler cushion. Pull the backrest over the sunbed and the space is converted into a full sunpad, giving an owner plenty of options.

The boat also features a swim ladder and shower at the stern, a propane stove and sink under the helmsman’s seat, LED navigation lights and a bow thruster for added manoeuvrability.


“It was a pleasure to operate the Delta 26 Open during the Monaco Grand Prix 2012, and it was completely reliable,” reveals Dirk Schwager, captain of the 52m Benetti, Sai Ram. “During the GP it is necessary to navigate in very confined spaces as well as out at sea. It was preferable to do our airport transfers using the Delta, as it was quicker than using a car. It ticks all the boxes as far as I am concerned - great looking, reliable, manoeuvrable and great at sea.”

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