New and Used Sailing Yachts for Sale

Sailing yachts are larger sailboats, usually but not always over 35 feet in length. They can be of many different styles and types, with different sail, mast, rigging, and hull configurations. Search for new and used sailing yachts for sale, refining your choices by brand, size, price point or age to find the perfect model. 

Main Characteristics of Sailing Yachts

The term sailing yacht usually refers to a recreational or racing sailboat over around 35 feet in size, although the size is not set in stone and many smaller sailboats may be referred to as yachts. They can go up in size to superyacht status, with the largest sailing yacht in the world Sailing Yacht A at 465 feet in length. 

Sailing yachts are used for cruising and racing, and there are many different styles and types with different keels, rig types, sails, and number of masts. Different types of yachts will be used for different purposes, whether that’s day cruising, blue water sailing, or racing. They can also be characterized by their hull type, with monohulls the most common type of yacht. Catamarans feature two hulls, and trimarans have three.

When it comes to construction, modern sailing yachts are usually made from fiberglass, while classic models (and some bespoke brands) are made from wood. 

Types of Sailing Yacht

Sloop Sailing Yacht

The sloop is the most common type of sailing yacht and is characterized by a single-mast rig that often has a triangular mainsail and a headsail. They are well known for their speed, and smaller models are popular first boats. But they’re also popular racing yachts, too, thanks to their good windward performance and speeds. They range massively in size, style, and luxury finish and make good liveaboard boats as well as capable cruisers. 

Cutter Sailing Yacht

The cutter resembles the sloop but it differs by its rigging which includes an inner forestay to set a second smaller headsail known as the staysail. The second headsail allows sailors better control and more stability than a sloop, as well as performing better in adverse weather conditions but makes it more difficult to tack. The cutter typically has a bowsprit that increases total sail area. 

Schooner Sailing Yacht

Large schooners have sailed the oceans for centuries, and modern ones are luxurious yachts. Featuring two or more masts and many sail configurations, the two masts typically set similar sized boom-mounted sails called the foresail on the forward mast and the mainsail on the after mast. Schooners are often highly capable bluewater cruisers. They may require a larger crew to sail them because of the complexity of the rigging and sails and the sheer size. 

Ketch and Yawl Sailing Yachts

These two types of sailing yachts are similar in appearance. They have two masts, with the mainmast being taller than the mizzen mast. They differ in that the ketch has the mizzen mast forward of the rudder post, while the yawl has its mizzen aft of it. In general, ketch and yawl sailboats have shorter masts and smaller sails, making them somewhat slower than a sloop or cutter but easier to handle in rough sea conditions.

Luxury Sailing Yacht

While we tend to think of superyachts as motor vessels, they can also be sailing yachts. These are large and luxurious (over 80 feet) and will have a full crew and captain. They have multiple cabins, lounges, large decks and high-end features such as Jacuzzis, gyms, and expansive flybridge decks. 

Best Sailing Yacht Brands

The sailing yacht sector is highly competitive with many excellent brands offering top quality yachts of all sizes and finishes. It’s also worth noting that there are brands no longer in operation that are well-represented on the used market for their high-quality older models.

Brands such as Beneteau, Jeanneau, Dufour, Catalina, and Bavaria are some of the highest volume producers in the industry, well known for their use of robotic production and  decades of design and boatbuilding experience. They offer capable sailing yachts for moderate prices in the 30- to 60-foot range for cruiser and racer/cruiser models.

Hallberg-Rassy is a notable Swedish brand that builds luxury sloops with good bluewater capabilities. Amel Yachts in France builds strong and comfortable ocean-going yachts that are easy to sail shorthanded. 

Luxury sloop-rigged catamaran brands include Fountaine Pajot, Leopard, Lagoon, Nautitech, Outremer and HH. 

When it comes to superyacht sailing yachts brands include Wally Yachts, Sunreef, Oceanco, Lurssen, Royal Huisman, and Perini Navi.

FAQs

Why Choose a Sailing Yacht?

Sailing yachts offer the chance to cruise long-distance in comfort and luxury without relying on fuels to power your engine. They make excellent bluewater or weekend cruisers, and larger models are well-equipped for living aboard. With so many different sizes, styles, types, and brands on both the new and used markets the choice is vast and ensures you’ll find the ideal model for your needs.