Cobra 850 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Cobra 850 means looking at a David Feltham-designed 28-foot-5-inch British cruiser that Cobra Yachts produced from 1976 onward. These solid-fiberglass monohulls with a reasonably long fin keel have circulated for decades as accessible coastal cruisers, and a buyer's focus should be on individual condition rather than model scarcity, since the builder turned out hulls in volume before its 1982 closure.
Layouts on the Used Market
The 850 carries a four-berth interior closely related to the Cobra 700's but with more distance between sleeping and living spaces, a layout that works well for a couple with occasional guests. Because Cobra offered some hulls as kits for owner finishing, the used fleet shows a range of interior joinery and systems quality — a buyer should treat each boat as a unique fit-out rather than assuming a standard factory plan. The charter heritage means many examples were used hard but maintained for paying crews, which can be a point in favor of structural care even when cosmetics are tired.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, autopilots and chartplotters are commonly fitted, reflecting the boat's role as a straightforward coastal navigator. Solar panels and a dodger fall into the sometimes-seen or owner-upgrade category, so their presence is a bonus rather than an expectation. A buyer should weigh the energy cluster — autopilot and chartplotter draw meaningfully, so solar, when present, extends off-grid range — and view canvas such as a dodger as a comfort upgrade rather than a baseline item.
What to Inspect
The variable in this model is the kit-finished interior, where quality can vary widely between examples. A survey should open lockers and lift floorboards to check joinery fastening, wiring runs, and any signs of amateur glasswork or rot in non-structural wood. The solid fiberglass hull and deck need the usual osmosis and crazing checks, but the absence of a core removes one common failure mode. Confirm the auxiliary and shaft drive are serviced.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Cobra 850s typically appear in the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands, the principal European markets where the marque's output settled. For a shopper, the takeaway is simple: prioritize a professionally finished or well-maintained kit boat over a bargain shell, verify the rig, and treat solar or canvas as pleasant extras.
- Inspect kit-finished interiors for joinery and wiring quality
- Confirm auxiliary and shaft drive service history
- Expect autopilot and chartplotter; treat solar and dodger as upgrades
- Focus search in UK, German, and Dutch markets
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Cobra 850. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 7 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 8 | $10,825 | — |
| Jan 26 | 1 | $8,079 | -25.4% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $8,140 | +0.8% |
| Apr 26 | 3 | $10,795 | +32.6% |
| May 26 | 2 | $7,977 | -26.1% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $5,431 | -31.9% |
| Aug 26 | 1 | $5,430 | -0.0% |
Where they're listed
Cobra 850 listings appear across 3 countries. United Kingdom has the most listings with 14 (87.5%), followed by Germany and Netherlands.
Country view
16 listings · 3 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $7,773 | 14 | 2 | 87.5% |
| Germany | $18,626 | 1 | 0 | 6.3% |
| Netherlands | $17,345 | 1 | 0 | 6.3% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maxi 84 | 28.02' | $ 12,901 | 21 | 8 |
| Cobra Yachts 850You are here | — | $ 8,141 | 17 | 2 |
| S2 8.5 | 28' | $ 12,000 | 13 | 7 |
| Bavaria Yachts 350 | 35.25' | $ 55,329 | 13 | 6 |
| Aloha 8.5 | 28' | $ 9,400 | 10 | 5 |
| Roberts 25 | 25' | $ 8,620 | 9 | 4 |
| Pegasus Yachts 800 | 25.75' | $ 7,401 | 8 | 1 |