Buying a used Esse: a small Swiss builder's boat, built across two countries
A used Esse is a small-yard boat with an unusual build story worth understanding before anything else: Schuchter Sportboot AG's hulls and decks are built at Proteus Yachts in Italy, then shipped to the Schuchter family's own yard at Stäfa on Lake Zurich for completion, fit-out and interior work, with the keel and rudder made in-house there. That two-country process, and the fact that one designer, Umberto Felci, is behind every model, means the condition question on a used Esse is less about brand consistency — the range has plenty of that — and more about which of four genuinely different boats you're looking at, since the 850, 750, 990 and 330 were built for different kinds of sailing despite sharing a designer and a finishing yard.
Which era to target
The 850 is the original: a one-design class racer launched in 2004, with its own class association and a somewhat tamer 850 LE variant for buyers who want the shape without the full racing edge. The 750 followed as a smaller, all-carbon boat aimed squarely at ambitious regatta sailors — hull, deck, rudder, mast and boom all carbon, a different maintenance profile from the 850's construction. The 990 came next as an exclusive daysailer rather than a racer, produced only from 2009 to 2019 after a slow start on the market; a used 990 is the range's shortest-lived model and worth researching individually for that reason. The 330 is the newest of the four, built on the 990's hull moulds but reworked with higher freeboard, more room and a cruising-oriented rig — no stern backstay, a lower mast and a shorter keel than the 990 it came from. Shop the 850 and 750 as one-design racers, and the 990 and 330 as different answers to a more relaxed brief.
Navigating the lineup
Because Felci designed the whole range and Schuchter built all of it the same cross-border way, the real decision is what kind of sailing you want rather than which builder to trust. A buyer set on class racing has the 850 and its LE variant, or the smaller carbon 750; a buyer after an exclusive daysailer or a roomier cruising layout should look toward the 990 and the 330 built from it. The full model directory on this page breaks each one out individually.
Where they're listed
Esse listings appear across 6 countries. Switzerland has the most listings with 16 (51.6%), followed by Germany and Belgium.
Country view
31 listings · 6 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | $56,501 | 16 | 4 | 51.6% |
| Germany | $47,194 | 6 | 1 | 19.4% |
| Belgium | $99,049 | 3 | 0 | 9.7% |
| Netherlands | $99,049 | 3 | 0 | 9.7% |
| Austria | $42,241 | 2 | 0 | 6.5% |
| Denmark | $54,768 | 1 | 0 | 3.2% |
All Esse models
2 models grouped by length overall. Open any model to see recent asking prices and active listings.