C&C 37/40 XL Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a C&C 37/40 means choosing among semi-custom racer-cruisers that Robert Ball drew in the late 1980s, built in three personalities — Plus, R, and XL — and later badged as the C&C 40. These 39-foot-4-inch boats have a reputation as fast racer-cruisers, and the owner community tends to keep them well, so a tidy example is not a rarity. The trick is matching the right variant to your sailing, then checking the few weak spots that age and semi-custom assembly have exposed.
Layouts on the Used Market
The Plus carries a full cruising interior: aft cockpit, two staterooms with queen berths, L-shaped galley, separate shower, and a roomy nav station aft to port. The R strips that out — Spartan saloon, tall mast, reverse transom, aluminum toerail — to save weight for racing. The XL keeps the cruising interior but on the lighter hull with taller mast and deeper keel. All share a bridgedeck that blocks cabin flooding at the cost of legroom, and a cozy cockpit that seats six only snugly.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market these boats commonly carry solar and inverter setups, spinnaker or asymmetric spinnaker gear, bimini and dodger canvas, radar, autopilot, chartplotter, and a short-handed setup. For a buyer, the power-and-energy cluster (solar, inverter) signals self-sufficiency at anchor; the sail-handling cluster (spinnaker, asymmetric, short-handed rig) speaks to how easily one or two can drive her; and the navigation cluster (radar, autopilot, chartplotter) means the helm is supported, though original electronics are likely due for replacement after three decades.
What to Inspect
The aluminum toerail is more apt to leak than a traditional rail according to some critics, so trace its bedding for staining and probe the deck edge for softness that would mean balsa-core wetness anchor. Some owners say backing plates under deck hardware were skimpy or never installed; check winches and cleats for proper reinforcement and any hull-side bulge. Where leaking was suspected, owners have pulled and rebedded hardware — confirm those spots are sound and not hiding delamination. The cockpit reads small even for six, so sit it with crew to judge whether it serves your plans.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats turn up in the United States. Before you commit, run this short check:
- Inspect aluminum toerail bedding for leaks and core softness.
- Verify backing plates under all deck hardware.
- Confirm rebedded hardware spots are structurally sound.
- Test the cockpit with your full crew count.
- Budget for replacing original electronics.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the C&C 37/40 XL. 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. |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 26 | 3 | $75,000 | — |
| Aug 26 | 1 | $65,000 | -13.3% |
Where they're listed
C&C 37/40 XL listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 4.
Country view
4 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $70,000 | 4 | 1 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
7 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performance 40 | 40.42' | $ 114,782 | 36 | 8 |
| C&C 110 | 36.33' | $ 79,000 | 28 | 1 |
| C&C 37/40+ | 39.5' | $ 63,591 | 16 | 1 |
| C&C 37 | 37.58' | $ 35,069 | 15 | 5 |
| C&C 40-2 | 39.58' | $ 25,000 | 11 | 5 |
| C&C 41 | 40.75' | $ 50,486 | 10 | 2 |
| C&C 37/40 XLYou are here | — | $ 70,000 | 4 | 1 |