Buying a used Astus: matching the fold mechanism and era to how you'll sail
A used Astus is bought first for its telescoping, trailer-ready engineering and only second for its model number — the boats are built around floats that retract or fold for road transport, and that mechanism does more of the structural and practical work than on a fixed-beam multihull. Buying used here means weighing which design era produced a given hull: Stéphan Vallet's earlier range built the brand's identity around compact, stripped-down trimarans, while boats designed with VPLP Design from 2016 on followed a shift the company later described as ushering in quicker, more contemporary designs. The condition of the fold mechanism and the design era behind a given hull matter more here than brand reputation alone.
Which era to target
Astus's early range — including the 20.1, 16.1, 14.1, and 22 — established the builder's compact, telescoping-float format at accessible prices. A 2016 shift to VPLP Design as naval architect, starting with the 16.5, carried through the 20.5 (2018), the foils-optional 22.5 (around 2020–2021), and the larger 26.5 flagship available from 2025. A buyer targeting an early Vallet-era hull is buying into the format's simpler, slower original spirit; a buyer targeting a VPLP-era hull is buying into the later, sportier redesign, including options like the 22.5's optional foils, which are not offered anywhere else in the range.
What to inspect across the range
The telescoping or retracting float mechanism is central to every Astus, and it is worth confirming that it still folds and locks smoothly rather than assuming that from the model year. Sail Magazine, reviewing the 20.2, found its crossbeams sliding in and out of a set of offset channels with no hull or bowsprit penetrations to weaken watertight integrity; Yachting Monthly, reviewing the 22.5, likewise found the folding mechanism for the floats working well. Buyers should also confirm which hull construction a given boat has, since it varies within generations: Sail Magazine documented a hand-laid, standard "Leisure" hull on the 20.2 alongside a lighter, vacuum-infused "Sport" version that saved 132 lb, and Yachting Monthly found a similar split on the 20.5, where a resin-infused hull option brought weight under 500kg against just over 500kg for the standard solid laminate. That difference changes both handling and towing weight, so it is worth verifying which version a specific hull is before comparing it to another Astus for sale.
Navigating the lineup
Astus's range splits by size and mission as much as by design era: small day-boats in the 14- and 16-foot classes, mid-size 20- and 22-foot boats built for both leisure and sport use, and a cruiser-oriented flagship in the 24 and 26.5. The full model directory on this page breaks out exact dimensions across that range for direct comparison.
Where they're listed
Astus listings appear across 6 countries. United Kingdom has the most listings with 3 (33.3%), followed by Germany and Austria.
Country view
9 listings · 6 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $16,868 | 3 | 0 | 33.3% |
| Germany | $21,552 | 2 | 0 | 22.2% |
| Austria | $34,576 | 1 | 1 | 11.1% |
| Switzerland | $9,587 | 1 | 0 | 11.1% |
| Netherlands | $16,135 | 1 | 1 | 11.1% |
| British Virgin Islands | $33,000 | 1 | 0 | 11.1% |
All Astus models
3 models grouped by length overall. Open any model to see recent asking prices and active listings.