BEST USED YACHTS PRICED £40,000-£50,000

Peter Poland shortlists the best in a growing stock of pre-loved sailing yachts in this popular price bracket, featuring varied design trends

- Peter K Poland

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Peter K Poland crossed the Atlantic in a 7.6m (25ft) Wind Elf in 1968 and later spent 30 years as co-owner of Hunter Boats. He is now a freelance journalist and PR consultant.

Choosing the right secondhand yacht to suit your needs as the years fly by can become ever more challenging. Unlike cars that fail MOTs and finally cease to be worth repairing, well-maintained GRP yachts seem to go on forever. There’s an ever-growing stock of elderly but basically sound yachts. However, the changes in each generation’s new designs can make the selection of a good used yacht more difficult.

Do you prefer the handling and motion of a moderate beam yacht with a long keel? Or do the later, wider beam designs with flatter hull lines appeal, thanks to their greatly increased space below... even though their handling and motion can become more demanding as the wind and seas get up?

The yacht’s engine will eventually become clapped out and need replacing. So it makes sense to look out for a boat that has been re-engined. But if you can’t find one, it’s relatively simple to get a new engine fitted. And much the same applies to the mast and standing rigging and the sails if they are in poor condition. Osmosis can also rear its ugly head, but this can be rectified. It’s just a matter of consulting your surveyor, doing the sums and negotiating a price that takes account of necessary replacements and work.

Design trends