Cal 24-3 Buyer's Guide
The Cal 24-3—sold by the manufacturer simply as the Cal 24 and frequently seen on the brokerage market wearing the Cal 3-24 or Cal 24 (Hunt) badges—is a 24-foot trailerable racer-cruiser built from 1983 to 1985. Designed by C. Raymond Hunt Associates to replace the Lapworth Cal 2-24, it was conceived as an offshore-capable boat that could still be towed on a trailer. For a shopper scanning the used market, it offers a compact, fiberglass-built cruiser with a real four-berth interior and a keel config that suits both standard and shallow slips.
Layouts on the Used Market
Cal 24-3 boats come with either a standard fixed fin keel drawing 4.25 feet or an optional shoal draft keel drawing 3.33 feet, the latter carrying more lead ballast. Both share the same 24.33-foot hull with an 8-foot beam and 20-foot waterline. Below, expect a double V-berth forward, two straight settee quarter berths in the main cabin, a starboard galley with two-burner stove and sink just aft of the companionway, and a head to port aft of the bow berth. A hanging locker sits to starboard of the companionway, and an anchor locker is in the bow. Headroom is a modest 60 inches, and a large forward hatch provides ventilation. A pull-out double for the port settee was a factory option, so some boats sleep more comfortably than others.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Most boats will show a 3 to 6 hp outboard for docking, while some carry the optional Yanmar 7.5 hp diesel with a 12-gallon tank for greater range. Buyers should look for the extra-cost Barient #19ST self-tailing winches and a boom vang, as the standard winches were undersized for full sailing. A 15-gallon fresh water tank is standard. Given the boat's age, canvas and sail-handling upgrades such as a furling headsail or updated running rigging are common owner improvements worth checking.
What to Inspect
The outboard bracket on the transom is hard to reach from the cockpit, so confirm the bracket and motor mounting are sound and usable anchor. The standard winches are too small for full-range sailing, meaning many boats will have been upgraded—verify any winch claims against what is actually fitted anchor. Otherwise, examine the external lead keel bolted to the stub for any loosening or corrosion at the bolts, since that joint defines the boat's below-water integrity.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Regional availability is not tracked in a central listing here, but the Cal 24-3 appears across general used-sailboat channels as a small trailerable cruiser. For a buyer, the checklist is short: confirm keel type and draft for your home waters, verify berth configuration including any pull-out option, check for the upgraded winches and vang, and inspect the transom outboard bracket and keel-stub bolts closely.
- Decide fin vs. shoal keel for your draft limits
- Confirm Barient self-tailers and boom vang are present if performance matters
- Test reach to the transom outboard bracket from the cockpit
- Inspect lead-keel-to-stub bolt connection
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Cal 24-3. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 1 row
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 1 | $10,000 | — |
Where they're listed
Cal 24-3 listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 1.
Country view
1 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $10,000 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
2 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beneteau First 24 | 24.61' | $ 17,391 | 28 | 7 |
| Cal 24-3You are here | — | $ 10,000 | 1 | 0 |