Alden Boothbay Explorer Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a used Alden Boothbay Explorer means chasing a very small class: only five were built by Hodgdon Bros. between 1968 and 1974, and every survivor carries the Clifford Swain and John G. Alden centre-cockpit ketch pedigree. The boat is a 58-foot-7-inch, 53,300-pound long-keel cruiser, so the used-buyer's lens is less about spec sheets and more about what each individual yacht has accumulated in fifty-odd years of ownership.
Layouts on the Used Market
The Boothbay Explorer was documented with a four-cabin interior — aft master with ensuite, forward V-berth cabin, and two guest cabins — but owner three-cabin layouts are the more common on the used market, with both four- and three-cabin versions available, and ex-charter examples are common. A two-cabin conversion with forward double and guest space turned to storage was described as an alternative in period literature, though such a layout is not the norm among boats offered today. The saloon, galley, and navigation station form the social and operational core regardless of cabin count.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, a Boothbay Explorer will commonly be fitted with chartplotter, air conditioning, solar, inverter, bimini, heating, lithium batteries, bow thruster, freezer, hot water, dodger, radar, autopilot, EPIRB, and life raft. Often-seen additions include wind generator, swim platform, dinghy davits, and AIS. The original specification already included a John Deere diesel up to 135 HP and hydraulic steering, so mechanical upgrades tend toward house systems and navigation rather than propulsion replacement.
What to Inspect
The source record carries no documented structural defects for the Boothbay Explorer, but the performance figures set the inspection focus. The sail area/displacement ratio of 15.3 confirms a boat that will need a stiff breeze to get her going, so verify rigging and sail inventory are intact and not degraded from light-use motoring habits. Her displacement/length ratio of 321 means she is a heavy cruiser that can be loaded without affecting waterline, but inspect hull and deck for added weight or undocumented modifications. With only five built and production ended in 1974, confirm systems are serviceable rather than aged beyond use, particularly hydraulic steering lines and the John Deere installation.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical markets for the Boothbay Explorer are the United States. For the buyer, the checklist is short and qualitative:
- Expect a three-cabin owner layout or ex-charter history more often than a pristine four-cabin original
- Assume commonly fitted modern gear (chartplotter, lithium, autopilot) but verify wind generator or davits as often-seen rather than guaranteed
- Inspect for undocumented load additions given the 321 D/L load-tolerant hull
- Confirm hydraulic steering and John Deere diesel service state on an early-1970s hull
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Alden Boothbay Explorer. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 3 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 26 | 2 | $ 325,000 | — |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $ 325,000 | 0.0% |
| Jun 26 | 3 | $ 150,000 | -53.8% |
Where they're listed
Alden Boothbay Explorer listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 6.
Country view
6 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $ 262,500 | 6 | 4 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
3 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gulfstar 50 Kth | 50' | $ 64,900 | 8 | 7 |
| Alden Boothbay ExplorerYou are here | — | $ 262,500 | 6 | 4 |
| Alden 54 | 54.08' | $ 398,246 | 4 | 0 |