2026 Sportsman Heritage 261

All-Family. All-Cruising. All-Fun.
The Heritage 261 defines a new class of family-focused water-centric all-fun boats. Whether you like spending time on the water, in the water or around the water, the all-new Heritage 261 has you covered. The water-centric views in sandbar mode will captivate your heart and is guaranteed to produce some incredible family memories for years to come. The layout includes deep U-Shaped seating at the bow with an electronically actuated table, edge-to-edge seating at the back for up to 5, dual side entry doors that open 180-degrees, dual transom walkthrough doors that flip to offer aft-facing seating, sandbar cooler accessible from outside the boat, dual boarding ladders, swiveling captain's chairs and so much more. Walking through the features on this boat will have you thinking "they thought of everything."

Features May Include:

Key Benefits:

Pitch & Roll Elimination

• Eliminates up to 70% of underway pitch and roll motions.

Coordinated turn

• Automatically adjusts the heeling angle of your boat during turns.

Auto trim

• Uses a customized Trim Command Curve to automatically adjust the running angle at any speed.

List/level control

• Never allows vessel list from movement onboard, wind, uneven load, prop torque, etc.

Hole shot control

• Optimized to allow for faster acceleration, getting the boat on plane more quickly, improving fuel economy.

Bow

Thru-Hull Windlass Anchor

• Just push a button to retrieve your anchor in immense comfort from the helm making dropping anchor a breeze and saves your arms when it's time to move. This top-quality windlass system is installed thru-hull giving it a great clean look and comes standard with a high-grade stainless steel anchor.

Bow Controls for Anchor

• For ease of use and safety, we include foot controls at the bow for launching and retrieving your anchor, making the operation a one-man job. It also makes it very easy to see your anchor, rope and chain as it is getting reeled in. The controls have a plastic cover to prevent any unintentional button presses.

Anchor Locker Freshwater Washdown

• A conveniently located freshwater washdown in the anchor hatch allows you to rinse off your anchor as it is coming in and allows those seating up front to use the washdown.

Bow Layout

• The bow of this boat is built for entertainment and versatility. It features wraparound seating with comfortable bow backrests, two large insulated fish boxes that are easy to access, built-in drink holders and speakers to keep the music going while you relax.

Actuated Bow Sun Deck / Table

• A large electronically actuated table is the center piece. There are 3 main functions for this table. At the top position, it serves as a table. Lower it to the middle position and snap-in the additional cushion for the sun deck function. When not in use, lower it flush to the floor for an obstruction-free deck.

Bow Storage

• Two large storage boxes at the bow will give you plenty of places to stow away your items. They are both insulated and can be used as fish boxes or coolers.

Bow Center Storage

• The wrap around seating on this model allows for an additional storage box at the center. Through this opening you can also gain access to the anchor rode in case there's any tangles in the line.

Bow Bolsters

• The included bow bolsters on this boat serve double duty. When the bow cushion bottoms are on, they provide a soft cushion to rest your back but when the boat is set for fishing, they double as knee and leg pads when fighting a fish up front.

Recessed Bow Hand Rails

• For safety and convenience, we include a recessed bow hand rail. This flush design sits below the gunwale for an obstruction-free top deck.

Console Front Seat

• Comfortable console-front seat with backrest.

Console Front Cooler

• Flip the bottom cushion of the console-front seat to reveal an insulated cooler. Conveniently located for those sitting

Mid-Ship

Sportlink® Electronics Integration

• SportLink® is our factory-installed electronics integration system, designed to give you a seamless, turn-key experience at the helm. It includes Garmin displays, JL Audio sound, digital switching on all models with custom Graphics Interface on your displays and a full NMEA 2000 network, all pre-installed and connected for you. Every component is engineered to work together from the start, eliminating the need for aftermarket installs or guesswork down the line.

Fiberglass Hard-Top w/ Built-In Lighting

• One of the first things you’ll notice when you look at this model is the over-sized hard-top. This top has all of the amenities you would want built in while still maintaining an elegant and timeless design.

Hard-Top D-tubing Frame Structure

• The 4-legged frame swoops seamlessly from the console up to the top and the design gives it immense structural stability. The class-first D-Tubing structure is not cut and welded as typically done, but rather it is bent and extruded out of a single piece of D-Tubing.

Integrated Tempered Glass Windshield w/ Manual Vent

• Made out of high-quality tempered glass, the integrated windshield protects the helm of excessive wind and rain while maintaining excellent air flow. The top section opens up manually to let in cool air. The glass is extremely easy to clean and will never fade, yellow or deteriorate.

Hard-Top Molded-In Navigation Lights

• When the sun goes down, molded in navigation lights can be found at the front corners of the hard-top. This location keeps them out of the way and completely unobstructed.

Kingfish Rod Holders

• These hard-top rod holders point straight off of the side of the boat and allows you to extend your spread out further than you could with the gunwale-mounted rod holders. The height also keeps them away from any rods in a deck rod holder.

Matching Hard-Top Underside Color

• A popular trend is to have the underside of the hard-top matched to the hull color, this adds additional appeal and ties in the color theme of the boat sides by bringing additional color to the cockpit area.

Anti-Fatigue Helm Pad

• Feel all-day comfort with our custom anti-fatigue helm pads. You will notice a difference at the end of the day, your feet will thank you for it. Custom engraved with the Sportsman logo for that extra touch.

Helm Pod Storage Compartment

• Under the helm pod, you will find additional storage built into the step providing you ample storage at the helm.

Enclosed Head

• Inside the console, there is a built-in storage area. This enclosed space can be used as a changing room or storage of bulky items.

Electric Porcelain Toilet w/ Discharge

• Standard feature on this boat is a freshwater electric porcelain toilet with overboard discharge along with an on-board holding tank. Once the toilet flushes, it gets piped into the holding tank. From there, where legally allowed, a push of a button discharges the tank. Making this a very easy and convenient way of having a fully functional toilet on your boat.

Large Horizontal Window

• When designing this space, it was extremely important to bring in plenty of sunlight. To achieve this, a large horizontal window on the starboard side was designed in. This flush glass design allows for the largest opening.

Dedicated Trolling Motor Battery Storage

• We have put the extra space inside of the console to good use by designing-in designated trolling motor battery storage. This allows you to have the 3 trolling motor batteries tucked away from the visible console floor.

USB Plug In-Dash & 12V Receptacle

• To keep your devices charged and ready, the helm includes two dedicated USB charging ports that operate independently from other systems. A 12V receptacle is also included for any cigarette-lighter style accessories.

Console Top Storage

• Over the top of the console, additional padded storage for small items like cell phones and USB ports.

Wireless Phone Chargers (2)

• This state of the art wireless charger features a 10W fast charging surface in a low profile flush-mounted pad. The top of the pad has an ultra grippy non-slip surface to keep your phone in place underway and has an IPX6 waterproof sealed unit. This is the world's first waterproof wireless charge system created specifically for the marine environment.

Compass

• Considered one of the Four Great Inventions, the compass remains the cornerstone of any navigation system despite our advanced digital displays. Regardless of condition, your compass provides real-time heading and when used in combination with your GPS data, it allows you to optimize fuel efficiency & improve safety. When it gets dark, there's a built-in light inside the compass for night use.

Console Footrest w/ Pads

• The console has molded in steps to offer a place to put your feet while the boat is underway. They are topped with custom pads with the Sportsman logo.

Premium Adjustable Captain's Chairs

• Comfort and function meet when it comes to these premium captain's chairs. Designed with versatility in mind, it can accommodate two adults comfortably. The individually adjustable flip-up bolsters offers the convenience to allow you to stand or sit and the armrests add that extra comfort touch. Wrapped in our Sileather fabric, this is a very luxurious helm chair, that feels as good as it looks. For this model, we install the chairs on a 180° swivel mount which allows the chairs to rotate aft. You'll love this feature at the sandbar!

Aft-Facing Footrests

• When the captain's chairs are in the aft-facing position, the included 65-quart YETI cooler serves as a footrest. For those seating across the back, it also serves as a comfortable footrest.

Battery Switches

• Access to the battery switches has never been easier. There is a switch for each engine and one for the house. The house isolates all of your electronics, lights, amps and pumps from your engine batteries. All batteries charge simultaneously when the motors are running.

Dedicated Battery Compartment

• Inside of the leaning post you'll find a designated battery storage compartment. This sets the batteries center line for even weight distribution keeping them dry and out of the elements. The door is easily removable for routine maintenance.

Rear Deck

Aft-Facing Rear Seats & Transom Walk-Through

• The outer seats pop out and can be inserted in the other direction. This opens up a world of possibilities at the sandbar and is a great place to enjoy the views. The entire assembly can also be completely removed for an obstruction-free entry way on one or both sides.

Rear Seating

• The aft layout of this boat allows for higher capacity by offering a 4 person edge to edge bench. All cushions are fully removable for easy storage and cleaning.

Rear Total Access Hatch

• The rear Total Access Hatch gives you the ability to have large storage that's still incredibly easy to access. it's the perfect place for your life jackets, extra anchor, safety equipment, scuba gear and anything else you may need. When empty, it offers best-in-class access to your essential pumps and seacocks.

In-Deck Macerated Fish Boxes

• On either side of the leaning post, there are insulated and macerated in-deck fish boxes.

Side Entry Doors w/ 180° Swing

• Two are certainly better than one, at least when it comes to side doors. The side entry doors are a versatile feature that will quickly become one of your favorites and you'll love the ability to board from either side. Our side entry doors are part of the hull and deck mold. We designed them in this way to guarantee that they have the necessary structural reinforcements needed. Our stringer system supports the door and a large heavy duty hinge hangs the door. Special on this model is the ability to swing the side doors a full 180° swing.

Dual Fuel Fills

• When it comes time to fuel up, this model also includes fuel fills on both sides. This allows you to pull up to the gas dock or gas station from either side with ease.

Under Gunwale Rod Racks

• Storage for 6 rods is possible with the under gunwale rod racks. Each can accommodate a full length rod and doubles as a great place to store a gaff or net.

Flush Mount Gunwale Rod Holders

• This boat includes 4 high-quality Gemlux rod holders flush mounted on the gunwale. Outside of the obvious use of holding fishing rods, you may add any number of available 3rd party accessories designed to be mounted in a rod holder.

Port & Starboard Toe Rail

• Located under the gunwale rod racks, the toe rail is designed as a brace point when heeling over the side of the boat to gaff or bring in a fish. You slide your toes under the bar and in conjunction with the bolster cushion, it provides a sturdy brace for your legs, even if the deck is wet or slippery.

Cockpit Bolsters

• For extra added comfort when fishing, the cockpit bolster cushions provide a nice soft surface to push your knees and legs into when reaching into the water or fighting a fish.

Transom Aquarium 16-Gallon Livewells

• Talk about the "WOW" factor with this pair of aquarium 16-gallon livewells. The two rear seats hide the lid and can be easily removed for easy access. The livewells are insulated and are sure to meet the needs when the time comes. They can also double as coolers for drinks and food. They can be operated together or separate with the pressure selector valve inside.

Telescoping Ski Tow Bar

• For this model, we have a built-in ski tow bar system that easily stows away when not in use. The entire system is designed-in and ties into a dedicated pod built into the stringer system for the strongest mounting point. This standard feature allows for many different on-water uses including skiing, towing a tube or pulling a wakeboard.

Twin Boarding Ladders

• When it comes to re-boarding, you've got plenty of choices including telescoping ladders on both sides of the boat. This feature will sure come in handy at the sandbar. The ladders stows away recessed into the deck.

Sandbar Cooler

• When it comes to refreshments, quick & convenient access is key. We have you covered in this area with a built-in sandbar cooler. This insulated cooler box can easily be accessed from outside of the boat and keep the family hydrated all day.

Sandbar Stern Anchor

• Every avid weekend sandbar goer knows that setting the boat at the perfect angle is key to a successful outing. We've included a stern anchor compartment to make that task a breeze. The boat even comes standard with the proper anchor, rope and chain to get the job done from day 1. This is a must-have feature for any sandbar outing.

Freshwater Washdown w/ Tank

• Comes standard with a freshwater washdown and a 20-gallon tank. Perfect for rinsing off the deck, cleaning up after landing a fish or washing off at the sandbar. It’s a simple comfort that quickly becomes essential.

Raw Water Washdown

• With its unlimited supply, it is the perfect companion for the freshwater washdown. This system pumps outside water to a water outlet where you can screw in a regular hose.

Underwater Lights

• Built out of an anodized aluminum housing, these high quality LED underwater lights are a great feature for this model. The Lumitec underwater lights have a measured output of nearly 900 lumens, giving you plenty of blue glow behind your Sportsman. This boat comes equipped with 2 of them at the transom.

Other Features

Premium Sileather® Marine Silicone Fabrics

• All Sportsman Boats feature Sileather® Marine silicone-coated fabrics. These high-performance fabrics are designed to be tough and durable and able to withstand even the harshest of conditions.

Powder Coating

• Adds a strong protective and durable coating to the metals on the boat and is offered in White or Black to match the boat's color scheme.

Light Hull Color

• We have two groups of colors, light and dark. A light color is included standard on this boat. You have the choice of one solid full hull color or a side and bottom color.

SportTech® Advanced Fabrication Process

• Our SportTech® hulls are built with a no-wood, all-fiberglass construction using advanced composite materials, resins and bonding agents. Each hull is crafted with vinyl ester resin for superior durability and resistance to water intrusion. Every Sportsman Boat includes a 10-Year Limited Hull Warranty as standard.

Yacht & NMMA Certified

• Yacht Certification means that our boats are built to the highest standards set by the American Boats & Yacht Council (ABYC) in all areas of construction. This means a safer and higher quality vessel for you and your family.

Interior LED Lighting Package

• When the sun goes down, the cockpit comes to life. The included lighting package is as beautiful as it is functional, a blue glow covers every inch of the cockpit for safety and aesthetics.

AlloChrome4200+™ Stainless Fasteners

• AlloChrome4200+™ is a revolutionary new stainless coating capable of lasting up to fifteen times longer than typical chrome coating. This means that independent testing shows that these fasteners can withstand over 4,200 hours of salt spray protection

Pull Up Cleats

• High quality Gemlux pull-up cleats are standard throughout the boat. They offer a flush installation and very smooth operation.

Self Bailing Cockpit

• This important safety feature allows any water on the deck to drain overboard and not into the bilge area. Any water that seeps into the bilge, can only be pumped out by the bilge pump, which is slow at draining large amounts of water. All Sportsman Boats have a collector box drainage system that ties in all drains from the deck and redirects the water directly overboard without mechanical assistance.

Grip Tex Yacht Style Non-Skid

• This texture is applied to the deck and step areas for a uniform random non-skid coat. This type of non-skid is not patterned and is easy to repair should it ever get chipped or damaged.

High Speed Livewell Pick Up

• As the name suggests, high speed pick ups ensure that your livewell is receiving a consistent water supply even at high speeds. The scoop shape design directs water into the intake and reduce air locks at high speeds.

Optional Features:

Dark Hull Color (Black)

• This is the full option for the Black hull colors. For more information on colors, visit the colors and materials page.

Edson 13” SS Comfort Grip Steering Wheel w/ PowerKnob

• The perfect combination of durability, good looks and soft feel. The ComfortGrip PowerWheel features a unique rubber finger grip that provides ultimate comfort and with the ComfortGrip PowerKnob make precision turns.

Garmin GMR™ 434 xHD3 Open Array

• This radar provides advanced features, including beam sharpening for target separation control and increased target detection capabilities. A great addition to any SportLink® package.

Garmin GMR™ Fantom 18x Radome

• The 18-inch, 50 W solid-state Garmin GMR Fantom 18 dome radar features MotionScope technology, which uses the Doppler effect to detect and highlight moving targets to help you avoid potential collisions. Fully integrated with the Garmin chartplotter.

Garmin GMR™ Fantom 18x Radome (2nd Station)

• This option adds an additional mounting bracket for boats equipped with the second station as the regular mounting location for the dome is taken up by the second station.

Garmin GXM™ 54 SiriusXM® Weather Antenna

• The GXM 54 SiriusXM® weather antenna lets you enjoy added confidence and peace of mind on the water by always having access to the most current weather conditions and forecasts. The antenna adds highly detailed weather information directly to the screen including current weather information, NEXRAD, lightning, water temperatures, wind and wave current conditions and forecast data.

Gull Wings

• This gull wings option serves as an extension to the spray shield with additional triangular coverage for both sides of the console and it is designed to block off any spray from the side.

Half Tower w/ Second Station

• For the ultimate addition, opt in for the half tower option. This adds a full helm with instrumentation at the tower level with leaning post, engine controls and an additional Garmin MFD display that shares all of the same data as the rest of the system.

Mastervolt ChargeMaster Plus 50 Amp Battery Charger

• The ChargeMaster Plus family is a complete range of battery chargers that provide both efficient and reliable performance in all conditions. This new generation of battery chargers offers multiple functions in one compact device. The ChargeMaster Plus reduces costs and simplifying the system and eliminating the need for additional battery chargers. The 'Battery's Best Friend' architecture enables the ChargeMaster Plus to charge any battery chemistry using the fast and safe 3-step+ charging method. Different battery sizes can be combined, as the pre-float functionality eliminates the risk of overcharging smaller batteries. The charging profile of the Lithium Ion battery is included, as well as flexibility for a customised, user-defined profile.

Optimus 360 Joystick (Merc Twin CMS Only)

• For ultimate control of your boat, add the SeaStar Optimus 360 joystick. Optimus 360 allows you to move your boat not only forward and back, but also sideways, by pushing the joystick to the left, or to the right and even, rotate on a dime, all with a simple twist of the joystick. This system is not available on mechanical engines or on engines larger than 350HP.

ProMariner ProTournament Elite 3 Battery Charger (4-Bank)

• ProMariner’s premier, professional-grade range of chargers, guarantees the fastest charging times. Prioritizing consistency, efficiency and are compatible with LiFePO4 lithium, AGM, HP AGM and flooded batteries. This 4-bank charger can handle the House and Engine batteries for the following boats without the Seakeeper 2 option. Open 322, 302, 282, Heritage 321. In addition, it can handle the House and Engine batteries on the following models with. or without Seakeeper. Open 262, Heritage 261

Taco Outriggers - GS280

• With a rugged design, these outriggers will provide years of reliable service even in the most challenging saltwater applications. They feature a locking head and the latest in sleek and ergonomic shape. They are matched up to Taco's 15' poles and come with the basic rigging kit.

Taco Outriggers - GS390

• For anglers craving a more competitive edge on the water, the heavy-duty Grand Slam 390 Outrigger Mount steps up to the challenge. It takes all the durable, dependable features of the popular GS-380 and incorporated a more robust gusset and thicker arm to withstand the torque and pressure created when using longer outrigger poles. Anglers can easily deploy an outrigger’s vertical lift and horizontal rotation from the boat deck in rough seas. Additionally, the GS-390 comes equipped with our secure pin-locking technology and pairs well with TACO’s Deluxe Aluminum Telescoping Poles.

Trolling Motor Plug, Harness & Adapter

• As trolling motors have gotten longer shafts and more powerful, a new wave of Sportsman owners have been installing trolling motors on their offshore boats. This will hold the boat in place with ease while doing things like bottom fishing and it has taken the offshore world by storm. This model is already equipped with additional coring at the bow to support the weight and torque of a trolling motor and this option adds the harness and plug necessary to complete the installation. Additionally, a custom plate for proper mounting at the bow of this model.

Yamaha Auto Pilot

• Yamaha’s new autopilot provides many convenient features for boat control and operation. With the simple push of a button or taps on your compatible Multifunction Display, you can quickly plot out your journey, sit back and let the Helm Master™ EX Autopilot and Digital Electric Steering do their thing.

Yamaha Helm Master EX (Single; incl. Auto Pilot)

• Captains of offshore boats have already discovered the incredible ease and precision of Helm Master®. This fully integrated boat control system includes an enhanced binnacle control, a streamlined digital display, push-button start/stop switches and an innovative joystick. It’s the joystick that moves the large craft in surprisingly agile ways making navigating crowded marinas and docking in tight slips much less intimidating.

Yamaha Helm Master EX (Twins; incl. Auto Pilot)

• Captains of offshore boats have already discovered the incredible ease and precision of Helm Master®. This fully integrated boat control system includes an enhanced binnacle control, a streamlined digital display, push-button start/stop switches and an innovative joystick. It’s the joystick that moves the large craft in surprisingly agile ways making navigating crowded marinas and docking in tight slips much less intimidating.