Sailboats for sale

The main kinds you will see

Small trailerable boats in the low 20s often have swing or lifting keels so they can sit on a trailer and launch from a ramp. Cruising monohulls from 27 to 40 feet have fixed keels, an inboard diesel and a cabin with berths and a galley. Racers are lighter and have bigger rigs. Cruising catamarans put the accommodations in two hulls and offer much more space for their length, but they cost more to haul and berth.

The Catalina 30 as a benchmark

Catalina's history explains why its boats fill the used market. The Catalina 30 came out in December 1974 and reached hull number 6,000 in September 1990, which the builder calls a production record for keelboats. Catalina also bought Morgan Yachts in Largo, Florida in 1984 for an East Coast plant. With that many built, parts and owner know-how are easy to find. See Catalina and O'Day.

Modern production cruisers

Rupert Holmes reviewed the Beneteau Oceanis 38.1 for boats.com in 2017. He gave it 11.50 m overall, a 3.99 m beam and 6,850 kg light, with a 30 hp engine and a choice of keels, including a lifting keel drawing 1.26 to 2.40 m. See Beneteau and Bayfield.

Catamarans

The Lagoon 42 is 42'6" long with a 22'8" beam and twin fixed keels drawing 4'5", and carries twin diesels. Older Lagoons can be bargains if you budget for work. In 2026 YachtWorld listed a 1993 TPI-built Lagoon 42 in Miami at $99,000 as-is, with a failed engine that needed replacing. See Lagoon and Bali.

Used sailboat inspection

Have a surveyor and, ideally, a rigger look at the boat. Check the hull-to-keel joint for cracks and ask when the keel bolts were last inspected. On swing-keel boats, check the keel cable and winch. Look at the standing rigging's age, since stainless wire and fittings wear out over time. Check chainplates for rust stains and deck leaks, and inspect sails for UV damage and broken stitching. Run the diesel from cold and look for smoke, then check the shaft seal and the bilge.

Where to browse

Sailboats concentrate on the coasts and the Great Lakes. Browse Florida, California, Maryland, Rhode Island and Michigan.

Questions for the seller

Ask how old the sails and the standing rigging are, and whether the boat has had a rig inspection. Find out how many hours are on the diesel and when the impeller, belts and filters were last changed. Ask where the boat has been kept and whether it has been hauled out each year. A boat with a logbook and receipts is easier to judge.