Balaton 24 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used market for a Balaton 24 means looking at a mid-sixties Gunnar Cardell design built by the Hungarian Shipyards & Crane Factory, a 24-foot masthead sloop whose simplicity is its strongest selling point. These boats are found in Germany, and the buyer's task is less about options and more about condition of a now-classic small cruiser.
Layouts on the Used Market
The Balaton 24 is a compact monohull with five berths below and headroom near the class average, a layout that has held steady across the production run. There is one engine of unspecified make. The cabin plan targets weekend coastal use rather than liveaboard cruising, and buyers should expect the original footprint rather than later redesigns.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
No equipment is listed as commonly fitted, often seen, or even as a frequent owner upgrade, so nothing about these boats' gear can be assumed. A buyer should inspect each example for what it actually carries and treat any electronics, canvas, or sail-handling gear as individual to that hull.
What to Inspect
The Balaton 24 has a hand laid fiberglass hull with an iron bulb fin keel, and that hull needs only minimal maintenance in season. Because the keel is iron, careful inspection for corrosion or previous repair at the bulb and hull joint is warranted, and the shallow draft of 3.94 to 4.24 feet dependent on load should be confirmed against the specific boat.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats are typically available in Germany. For a shopper, the short list is: confirm iron keel condition, verify the hand-laid hull is sound, check the masthead rig and sheet inventory (jib and genoa sheets about 24.4 feet, mainsheet 61.1 feet), and assess berth and headroom layout for intended use. The Balaton 24 rewards the buyer who values low upkeep and a nimble, well-ballasted small sloop over elaborate equipment.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Balaton 24. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 2 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 25 | 1 | $1,682 | — |
| Sep 25 | 1 | $8,412 | +400.1% |