CC Gulfstar 40 Buyer's Guide
The Gulfstar 40 Sailmaster, also known as the Gulfstar 40 CC or Center Cockpit, is a scarce charter-derived cruiser with only about a dozen hulls built from 1980 for The Moorings fleet. On the used market it appears as a center-cockpit sloop — occasionally a ketch — sharing the Gulfstar 39 hull but reworked for offshore shelter. Buyers will find a 40-foot-class boat with a 32.5-foot waterline, 12-foot beam, and roughly 22,000 pounds displacement carrying about 8,200 pounds of ballast, built of solid fiberglass with teak interiors during Gulfstar's improved-quality period.
Layouts on the Used Market
Because every example began as a charter boat, the used fleet shows a consistent cruising layout: an aft cabin under the center cockpit, often with a centerline or offset berth, a U-shaped galley, a large salon, and a forward V-berth with head. The center-cockpit configuration was chosen for better offshore protection and helm dryness, so expect a sheltered helm and practical interior storage rather than a race-oriented open plan. Good headroom and natural light are typical of the design's charter optimization.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
The boat's charter genesis means ample tankage supports extended passages, a meaningful plus for a buyer intending to cruise. The sloop (or ketch) rig with fin keel and skeg-hung rudder defines handling, and the moderate sail plan — about 325 square feet mainsail and 586 square feet genoa — keeps effort manageable.
What to Inspect
The one documented concern is potential blister or osmosis in the 1980s fiberglass, which warrants a detailed inspection at the hull-keel seam. Given solid fiberglass construction and the boat's vintage, a close below-waterline inspection of that joint is the priority item on any pre-purchase examination.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
With production limited to about a dozen hulls, the Sailmaster is one of the rarer Gulfstar models and will surface infrequently rather than in volume. For the buyer, the takeaway is straightforward:
- Confirm center-cockpit sloop or ketch rig and charter-layout interior
- Survey keel-hull joint closely for blister/osmosis
- Verify tankage and structural soundness of solid fiberglass hull
- Expect scarce owner pool due to low production
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beneteau Oceanis Oceanis 36 CC | 36.42' | $ 64,500 | 87 | 30 |
| Beneteau Oceanis Oceanis 400 CC | 41' | $ 105,000 | 37 | 12 |
| Beneteau Oceanis 44 CC | 44.58' | $ 133,332 | 21 | 4 |
| Gulfstar 41 | 41' | $ 26,666 | 17 | 7 |
| Gulfstar 44 | 44.67' | $ 82,759 | 13 | 1 |
| Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42 CC | 42.16' | $ 93,887 | 12 | 5 |
| Gulfstar 37 | 37' | $ 21,000 | 11 | 1 |