Beneteau 373 Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

Two interior configurations were offered from the factory, and both circulate on the used market, though the three-cabin version is the more common of the two. That layout adds a dedicated aft starboard cabin alongside the port quarter cabin, which tightens the heads, shortens the port saloon berth, and reduces the galley footprint somewhat — trade-offs most families or charter operators accept in exchange for the additional privacy. The two-cabin version, with a single large aft cabin to port, gives a more generous galley and chart table and a roomier heads; it appeals to couples doing extended passages or liveaboards who value dedicated work and cooking space over sleeping berths. Headroom throughout is generous for a boat this size, a function of the wide, modern hull form. The white headlining and dark joinery combination was standard throughout the production run, and most boats on the market retain it, though some owners have brightened or updated the cabin finishes over the years.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

Boats that have spent time in warmer cruising grounds almost universally carry a bimini and often a dodger as well, making enclosed cockpit setups commonplace on the used market. A chartplotter and autopilot are fitted on the great majority of examples you will encounter — both were popular options new and are near-standard expectations on any boat that has done real cruising. Furling headsails are universal; furling mains, while not factory-standard across the entire run, are a very common retrofit and turn up on a large share of used examples.

Air conditioning appears regularly among boats that spent their careers in the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, or the western Mediterranean in summer. A swim platform is widely fitted, and many boats also carry a cockpit shower. Dinghy davits, radar, and heating systems show up often enough that their absence on an otherwise well-equipped boat is worth noting in negotiation. Among owner upgrades, solar panels, an inverter, hot water, and AIS crop up frequently as boats have aged into second and third ownership cycles. Shorthand sailing setups, bow thrusters, and asymmetric spinnaker kits are occasional finds that signal a previous owner who sailed the boat seriously and invested accordingly.

What to Inspect

The single most important thing to examine on any 373 is rig tension and its downstream effects. Forestay sag under load can be significant, and a mast that has been allowed to move laterally for any length of time puts uneven loads on chainplates and deck hardware. Check the chainplate fastenings and the surrounding deck for any cracking or staining that might indicate water ingress or fatigue. While you are aloft or at the mast, inspect the standing rigging for age and the condition of the toggle fittings; on earlier boats, original standing rigging is well past its service life.

The keel deserves careful attention. The deep fin option draws over six feet, which combined with a cast-iron keel and bulb means any grounding history warrants a professional survey with particular attention to the keel-hull joint. Stress cracking around the keel sump or delamination in that region should be treated seriously. The shallow keel option — roughly four feet nine inches in draft — is more forgiving in shallow-water cruising grounds but carries more ballast relative to displacement, so its joint deserves the same scrutiny.

The 40-horsepower Yanmar diesel that became the standard engine on later production boats is a robust unit with a well-documented service history in the boating world. Earlier examples may carry a Volvo Penta of similar output. Either way, check raw-water impellers, heat exchangers, and the condition of the exhaust elbow, which corrodes silently on diesel auxiliaries. The engine is accessed via hinged companionway steps, giving reasonable access once you know the trick; verify that servicing has actually been done by inspecting the filters, belts, and zincs rather than relying on logs alone.

Deck hardware on the 373 uses an aluminium toerail with bolted-on block guides rather than stanchion-base clamps — a cleaner solution that is also worth inspecting for corrosion where aluminium meets stainless fasteners. Check the cockpit lockers for signs of water pooling, and examine the companionway seal carefully; these boats are coastal cruisers that have sometimes been pushed into conditions testing those limits.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

The 373 is widely available across the eastern seaboard of North America, the Caribbean — particularly Martinique and the eastern islands — and throughout the Mediterranean, with meaningful concentrations in Spain, Portugal, and Italy. This broad geographic distribution reflects the boat's success as a charter and private cruiser across warm-water markets, and it means buyers are rarely limited to a single region. The European market tends toward boats with more sailing seasons behind them; North American examples more often carry the full suite of offshore-oriented electronics and comfort gear.

For a buyer, the 373 offers genuine volume, a proven builder, and a design with real offshore pedigree — as long as the rig is respected. A pre-purchase survey is non-negotiable.

Checklist for inspection:

• Rig tension fore-and-aft and athwartships; mast straightness under load
• Forestay condition and headfoil integrity
• Chainplate fastenings and deck penetration areas for cracking or staining
• Keel-hull joint for delamination or stress cracking, especially on deep-keel boats with any grounding history
• Engine hours, service records, raw-water circuit components, and exhaust elbow condition
• Toerail aluminium-to-stainless fastener corrosion
• Cockpit locker drainage and companionway seals
• Age and condition of all standing rigging
• Electrical system for age and evidence of owner additions to the original panel