When shopping for more affordable sailboats, it’s important to remember that you will need to compromise. Often, this compromise will be the age or size of the vessel. But just because a boat is old doesn’t mean she’s done! In fact, second-hand boats can be better in many instances because they’ve already been shaken down and may even have had work done to improve them – i.e., new lines, sails, radio, AIS, etc. Always ask for as much detail as possible when buying a second-hand boat, and get a full boat survey before buying. The seller should be able to tell you when maintenance was done and if it needs an update. Remember, just because a boat looks like a bargain doesn’t mean it is, and often the time and money you’ll need to put into a project boat can equal or exceed the amount you would have spent on a newer or higher quality vessel.

But you don’t always need to buy a problem boat to save money. This article lists twelve budget sailing boats you can pick up second-hand for under £20,000. When considering the best affordable boats, we considered how easy the vessel is to sail, whether it can be single-handed, if there’s enough living space to sail with the family, how robust the vessel is, whether it can be handled in a variety of weather conditions and whether the boat will stand the test of time.

We’ve not included boats that only appear cheap when they require significant work, as this is a trap first-time sailors fall into far too often! Instead, we’ve selected some older models that will get you on the water immediately (obviously, with any second-hand boat, there may be some minor work to be done before sailing, but that will depend on the specific vessel you’re looking at).

If it’s your first time buying a boat, you might also want to check out our article on how to choose your first sailing yacht and our first-time boat buyers guide for more top tips.

All prices mentioned are correct as of June 2024. Any specific boats mentioned are listed for illustration only and should not be construed as a recommendation to buy. Always do your own research when buying a boat and get a boat survey before agreeing to purchase.

Sailing doesn’t have to be expensive; with our list of the best budget sailboats you can get out on the water for under £20,000!

Westerly Marine Construction Ltd, known as Westerly Yachts, was founded in England in 1963 by Commander Denys Rayner and quickly gained a reputation for robust, seaworthy sailing yachts catered to the cruising market. These high-quality boats are known for standing the test of time, combining comfort, sailability, and style in a way that even the early models are sought after today.

You can pick up plenty of Westerly boats for sale within a £20,000 price range, with prices ranging from approximately £900 to £100,000. But, when looking for a Westerly sailing yacht on a budget, you can’t go wrong with one of the following models (you might also want to check out our previous article on the Best Westerlys in general and see which ones overlap):

The Westerly Centaur is one of the earlier Westerly yachts, designed in 1968 by Jack Laurent Giles as a roomier and more modern replacement for the Westerly 25. It’s ranked by many professional sailors (such as KeepTurningLeft) as “the best small yacht in the world – probably”.

At 26ft, the Westerly Centaur is small enough to single-hand with ease yet can still cope with rough sailing conditions. According to KeepTurningLeft, sailors of Westerly Centaurs get “the freedom to know that if the weather turned bad and, as long as the engine would run, then by switching on the engine and showing that big powerful bow into the teeth of the crap weather she will probably get you safely to wherever you want to go.”

From a comfort point of view, the Centaur offers five births, plenty of storage, and a good-size head. They also benefit from a twin-keel design, so they can take the ground when the tide goes out, antifouling is simple, and you don’t need to worry about misjudging the tide when anchoring near a beach!

The Westerly Centaur is a fantastic budget sailing boat, as you can usually pick one up for under £10,000.

The Westerly 31 range of sailing yachts started in 1972 with the Westerly Longbow, a 31ft fin keel sailing yacht with a skeg rudder, sloop rig, and aft cockpit. This was followed by the Westerly Renown in 1973, which offered a ketch rig and a centre cockpit.

In 1974, Laurent Giles added two twin keel vessels to the Westerly 31s. The Westerly Berwick came first, offering a sloop rig and aft cockpit on a bilge-keel yacht, followed by the Westerly Pentland, which utilises a ketch rig and centre cockpit layout.

Any of these four vessels would make an excellent choice for the budget-friendly sailor, usually coming in at around £15,000 on average. Each yacht offers plenty of living space, with six births, two cabins, a good-sized head, cooking space, and a comfortable cockpit.

Like other yachts in the Westerly catalogue, these boats all combine the ability to single-hand the vessel whilst also offering that robust Westerly trait of being able to handle rough seas and very British weather!

The Westerly Fulmar was designed by Ed Dubois in 1980 and was intended as a replacement for Laurent Giles’ Westerly 31 range. The main production of Westerly Fulmar 32 yachts ended in 1992 after building over 400 of these vessels, but a few Fulmar 33s continued to be constructed until around 1996, with the later designs featuring a ‘sugarscoop’ boarding platform.

The Westerly Fulmar is often described as a “very successful pure cruiser” and Fulmars have been popular with sailing schools and as charter boats thanks to their easy handling, robust construction, and seaworthiness. Some describe the Fulmar as “the best boat Westerly ever built”.

The Fulmar is on the higher end of our budget, with even the older 1980s models going for around £19,500. However, if you want a sailing yacht that you can rely on, then you can’t go far wrong with the Westerly Fulmar range.

The final Westerly that gets a specific shout-out in our list of the best budget sailing boats is the Westerly Konsort. Often priced between £13,000 to £25,000, they represent the familiar Westerly traits of comfort, seaworthiness, sailability, and robustness.

The Westerly Konsort was first introduced in 1979 and was produced until 1992. This was Laurent Giles’ last design for the Westerly brand. At 29ft long and 10.9ft wide, the Konsort makes a great liveaboard with plenty of interior space and an option of twin or fin keel configuration – a few were even built with swing keels!

Although larger Nicholson yachts can get quite expensive, the Nicholson 32 and 31 yachts should be considered when looking for a great budget sailing boat, usually somewhere between £8,000 – £20,000.

Nicholson 32 yachts have a proud tradition of competition in many sailing events and are often described as “ocean-going pedigree.” This boat series has undergone several changes over the years, starting with the first design, the Mark I, in 1961/2. Since then, the interior and exterior have benefited from upgrades, both in terms of style and construction, to keep up with modern appetites for sailing and advances in technology and knowledge.

The Mark X was the first to gain a quarter birth, and the most recent model, the Mark XI, was introduced in 1977 as the final modification to the Nicholson 32 range.

What’s particularly interesting about the Nicholson 32 is that it was one of the first offshore cruising yachts to be built entirely out of GRP, and its design revolutionised glass fibre boat building techniques, with the hull, deck, bulkheads, ballast, and furniture all bonded together for maximum strength and integrity.

It’s worth noting that most Nicholson 32s have suffered from osmosis by now, so they will have been peeled, dried, and re-gelled at least once in their lifetime. Checking for osmosis is essential if you’re looking to buy a Nicholson 31 yacht.

The next option for a great budget sailboat under £20,000 is the Contessa 26. Usually priced between £5,000 and £15,000, these sit nicely within budget and offer a surprising amount of living space for such a little boat. If you can stretch your budget up to £25,000, you might also be able to pick up a Contessa 28 or even a 32 for that bit more space (there’s no standing headroom inside the Contessa 26).

The Contessa 26 has been described as a “legend”, with sailors including Tania Aeib, Brian Caldwell, and John Kretschmer all finding fame aboard one of these little yachts. It was first designed in 1965 by Jeremmy Rodgers and David Sadler and was based on a classic Folkboat design with an improved layout and deck, modified keel, and increased forward sail area to improve sailing performance. It was also built entirely from fibreglass, instead of wood, and is configured to be easily sailed single-handed.

Rival is another popular budget sailing boat brand. Although many Rival yachts sell above our budget of £20,000 (you’re looking at around £30,000 for a Rival 34), you can usually buy a Rival 32 for less than £20,000.

The Rival 32 is actually the second yacht in the Rival 31-34 range, the first being the Rival 31, which was designed by Peter Brett in 1967 and launched in 1968. The Rival 32 followed in 1971 after considerable upgrades.

Those upgrades mean that the ship is incredibly well-balanced and sails easily even in heavy seas. Geoff Hales claims “the 34 was so well balanced she often sailed herself” after completing the 1976 OSTAR (Observer single-handed transatlantic race).

Although slightly smaller, the Rival 32 also offers an incredibly comfortable and easy journey, with a large aft cockpit, a surprising amount of living space, and a stylish design that looks great even all these years later.

Ranging in size from 25ft to 34ft, you can buy most Sadler yachts with a budget of £20,000. But, for the best combination of comfort, quality, and seaworthiness, you can’t go far wrong with the Sadler 32.

For those who recognise the name, the Sadler story started in 1969, when David Sadler designed and built the Contessa 26 with Jeremy Rodgers. Following the success of the Contessa 26 and 32 (which are also on our list of the best budget sailboats), David Sadler set up a small boat-building company with his son, Martin, in 1974. Their first boat was the Sadler 25, which became popular as a club racing boat and frequently did well in long races like Round Britain and the Transatlantic.

Toward the end of 1979, David and Martin Sadler built the Sadler 32, which featured several upgrades to the Contessa 32, including more accommodation, a straighter sheer line, a canoe-type stern and a small transom (to provide smoother water flow).

Marketed as “unsinkable” (yes, I know, I didn’t even like writing it…), these boats offer a safe and comfortable passage with standing room throughout, making them a great option for family cruising. Tests on the Sadler 26 found the boat could continue to be sailed, even if the boat filled with water up to the bunk bases.

While many Moodys fit under the £20,000 budget, if you’re looking for a cheap Moody yacht, you’re probably still looking around the 30-ft mark.

Originating on the River Hamble, Moody Yachts has a long history dating back to 1827, so the company has plenty of experience and expertise in building boats, claiming they “lead the way with their fusion of classic and modern yacht design.”

Moody yachts can be found in almost all boat yards, and offer a wide range of different configurations to suit any sailing preferences. So, whether you prefer a fin or bilge keel, sloop or ketch rigging, centre or aft cockpit, there’s likely to be a Moody out there that will suit your needs.

You can learn more about some of the best Moody boats in our Moody 33, 36, and 39 Review.

Hunter Yachts was founded in 1969 by Michael Polard. The brand was originally known as the Essex Boat Company but was renamed British Hunter in 2009 when it became a brand of Lauren Marine.

The Hunter Horizon 26 was the first of a new wave of cruising bilge-keel sailboats designed by the company, winning the Best Production Boat of the Year award when it launched in 1984. Later, the Hunter Horizon 32 won Best Production Boat of the Year in 1987, leading the way for several more Hunter Horizon yachts to be designed and produced.

Available in either bilge or fin keel, the Hunter Horizon range became one of the most successful cruising boat designs in Britain and is often described as “the perfect start package for a family or crew wanting to start sailing.”

Although Catalina isn’t necessarily the cheapest boat brand out there, you can usually pick up a Catalina 28 for under £20,000, making it a worthy addition to our list. This American sailboat was originally designed by Gerry Douglass in 1991, making it one of the newer budget boats out there.

There are two versions of the Catalina 28 available, the first produced from 1991 to 1995, and the second, the Mark II, produced from 1995 to 2010.

As the name suggests, the Catalina 28 is a 28ft sailboat featuring a fixed fin keel, an internally-mounted spade rudder, and a masthead sloop rig. The Mark II included a widened aft hull and a redesigned galley, offering more internal and cockpit space for cruisers to enjoy at sea or port.

Both designs ensure the Catalina 28 is incredibly easy to sail, making it a fantastic first sailing boat with plenty of space for comfortable cruising inside and out.

The Beneteau First sailboats offer plenty of options for the budget sailor, and you can pick up a good range of sizes under £20,000, from the Beneteau First 28 listed for £6,000 to the Beneteau First 305 for £19,950.

The Beneteau First range is marketed as the perfect family sailboat, placing “emphasis on speed and design,” claiming “the pleasure is the same whether you’re cruising or racing.” The First is designed to sail well in light conditions and boasts of being the “gold standard” for performance cruising, with almost all First yachts winning multiple awards over the years.

The Sigma 33 is the next addition to our list of the best budget sailing boats in 2024. Celebrated as “one of the most successful offshore one-designs ever launched,” the Sigma 33 is an incredibly popular, capable, and versatile cruising yacht.

Originally known as the Skua 33, the Sigma 33 was designed by David Thomas, and 364 were built between 1978 and 1991. It outsold all three of the ‘official’ one-designs in the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s one-design conference 1978 – a title it narrowly missed out on – and is still seen as a solid, reliable, forgiving, and easy-to-sail vessel today.

I must admit, I was pretty excited to find a Hallberg-Rassy that fit beneath our £20,000 budget threshold, but the Hallberg-Rassy 26 makes an excellent addition to our list. This Swedish shipyard is known for producing some of the best quality blue water sailing yachts, infusing them with plenty of style and “fine woodwork” and ensuring premium comfort and safety in a sturdy, seaworthy vessel.

The Hallberg-Rassy 26 is one of the smaller yachts in the Hallberg catalogue, designed by Olle Enderlein and built between 1978 and 1985 as “a boat dedicated to family use.” The yacht won the honourable Golden Steering Wheel award in Båtnytt (a Swedish yachting magazine) and was also the boat of choice for Swedish sailors Ingela and Jan Franke when they sailed their Hallberg-Rassy 26 “Windsong” around the world for six years.

If you’ve got a bigger budget, you might also want to take a look at our selection of the best Hallberg-Rassy yachts for serious cruising.

Seeing as I live on a Thames Mirage myself (which I paid just over £7,000 for in 2019 and had valued at just below £10,000 in 2023 after a major refit), I couldn’t possibly end our list of the best budget sailboats without including this English brand.

Built by Thames Marine in the 1980s, Mirage sailboats are perfect first-time cruising vessels. Built predominantly of fibreglass, Mirages are incredibly strong yet lightweight enough to move in most weather conditions and are well-balanced to allow even beginner sailors to enjoy relatively easy cruising.

With a surprisingly wide beam, Mirage yachts offer a good amount of living space, making them an excellent liveaboard option. Four births (including a double v-birth in the bow, two sofas, and a quarter birth that could sleep two if needed) mean you’ve got plenty of space to take the family out for the weekend, and fixed bilge keels allow you to take the ground without the need of support (although Mirage yachts are also available in a fin keel configuration if you prefer).

I’ve been living aboard my Thames Mirage, Sudana, for over five years now, and I’d recommend her to anyone.

Whether you’re looking for a boat on a budget because you’re a first-time sailor or because your finances aren’t where you’d like them to be, you can find loads of guidance to help you buy a boat in our blog. But to get you started, you might want to take a look at some of the following articles: