Cheoy Lee Clipper 33 Buyer's Guide
The Cheoy Lee Clipper 33 on the used market is a Bill Luders–designed ketch built by Cheoy Lee from 1970 to 1987, a solid-fiberglass cruiser of 12,000 pounds displacement with a 3,650-pound iron ballast and a 24-foot waterline. For a shopper scanning brokerage pages, she represents the heavier end of the 33-foot cruising world — a boat built to be lived on and sailed offshore rather than raced.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every Clipper 33 shares the same Luders ketch hull and deck profile, with the series produced across an 18-year run that ended in 1987. The 10-foot beam and 4-foot draft long-keel arrangement are consistent, as is the single 30-horsepower Universal Atomic 4 gasoline engine on a 26-gallon tank against 50 gallons of water. Buyers will not find multiple factory layout variants in this model — the differences among boats for sale lie almost entirely in owner-led refit and equipment, not in hull or cabin plan.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the Australian market where these boats typically appear, a teak deck, autopilot, and chartplotter are commonly fitted, and the combination tells you what a modern Clipper 33 purchase usually includes. The teak deck is a period aesthetic and maintenance item; the autopilot and chartplotter are the minimum modern navigation and steering aids you should expect to find already aboard. Beyond those, buyers should budget for their own sail-handling and power upgrades rather than assume them present, since nothing else is prevalent enough in the record to count on.
What to Inspect
A buyer’s survey should confirm the running rig matches the ketch’s known spec: jib and genoa sheets of about 32.9 feet at 1/2-inch diameter, an 82.3-foot mainsheet, and 72.4-foot spinnaker sheets, all 1/2 inch anchor. Verify the Atomic 4 gasoline installation for fuel-system condition, and check the solid fiberglass hull and deck for the usual age-related concerns of a 1970s–80s build.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats typically appear in Australia, and a shopper there will most often meet examples with teak decks, autopilot, and chartplotter already aboard. For a buyer, the takeaway is straightforward:
- Expect a solid-fiberglass Luders ketch, not a lightweight
- Confirm teak deck, autopilot, chartplotter as commonly fitted
- Survey the Atomic 4 gasoline engine and fuel system closely
- Verify sheet lengths and diameters against ketch spec anchor
- Budget for any sail-handling or energy upgrades you want
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Cheoy Lee Clipper 33. 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. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 26 | 2 | $35,835 | — |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $35,853 | +0.1% |
Where they're listed
Cheoy Lee Clipper 33 listings appear across 1 country. Australia has the most listings with 3.
Country view
3 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | $35,835 | 3 | 0 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
5 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westerly 33 | 33.27' | $ 27,067 | 54 | 9 |
| CS 33 | 32.67' | $ 21,500 | 13 | 2 |
| Caliber 33 | 32.5' | $ 43,950 | 12 | 6 |
| Cape Dory 33 | 33.04' | $ 31,750 | 10 | 2 |
| Cheoy Lee Clipper 33You are here | — | $ 35,835 | 3 | 0 |