Classic yachts for sale

Yachtsnet Ltd. currently has the following classic yachts for sale on brokerage - click the photos or text link for each yacht to see detailed specifications and lots of high quality and high resolution photos of each yacht.

- Currently none for sale -

The definition of a “classic yacht” is a fairly elastic one. Few would argue that a J-class from the 1920s is a classic yacht. What about a James Silver “gentleman's motor yacht” from the late 1940s, or Laurent Giles’ beautiful Nicholson-built “Lutine” from 1952?

Is however a Rustler 36 (which could have been built in 2022) a classic yacht? It certainly derives it’s pedigree and hull form from the 1942 Folkboat, which general hull form Kim Holman enlarged, refined, and progressively reworked into the Stella, Twister and then the Rustler 31 and 36 designs.

So if a 2022 Rustler 36 can be a classic yacht, can a 1971 Contessa 32? Some would say no, as these have a separate keel and skeg/rudder, instead of a traditional long keel. Yet separate keels and rudders were already well known over 125 years ago, Herreshoff having started to build such designs in the early 1890s. And if a 1971 Contessa 32 can be a classic design, why not also a shiny new-built electric powered one one from Jeremy Rogers?

There are also yachts that started life as working boats, whether pilot cutters, fishing boats or the Colin Archer sailing lifeboats? Many such boats are still sailing at over 100 years old, though now used purely as yachts. Others were built as yachts by the same yards that built working versions, such as the Miller Fifers, or the various modern builds of traditional pilot cutters.

Finally, there are the modern yachts which are consciously “retro” - the Spirits, Morris’ and other beautiful yachts in modern materials. The new Rustler 33 is very much in this mould.

We believe in a fairly flexible definition of the term classic yacht, in much the same way that some quite modern cars, and cars that were quite commonplace in their day, can now be called classic cars. We are happy for a classic yacht to be built of any material, as long as she is beautiful in her own way, and suited to her purpose, be it cruising or racing.

The dictionary definition of the word “classic” is:

from the French classique, from Latin classicus, of the highest class of Roman citizens, of the first rank, from classis.
Also serving as a standard of excellence: of recognized value, traditional, enduring, eg. classic designs.

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Yachtsnet Ltd.
8 Stratton Terrace,
Falmouth,
Cornwall TR11 2SY.