Cornish Crabbers 24 Mk V Buyer's Guide
Shopping for a used Cornish Crabber 24 Mk V means looking at a boat that debuted in 2017 as Andrew Wolstenholme’s modern take on a classic originally drawn in the early 1980s. The Mk V is the current-design expression of that lineage, built with a long keel and liftable drift that shifts draft from 1.40 meters to about 70 centimeters, and its 8.60 meter overall length with 2.66 meter beam makes it a compact coastal cruiser rather than a bluewater passagemaker. Buyers will find a boat whose old-fashioned lines are intentional, not dated, and whose all-GRP construction keeps the structure simple.
Layouts on the Used Market
The Mk V’s defining interior feature is a deckhouse with pronounced shapes that lets a person stand square, a rarity at this size, while enclosing a true kitchen area and a separate bathroom. Sleeping begins with a double berth in the bow, and the saloon can take two additional berths; the stern holds two storage spaces, one convertible to a guard berth. Because the deckhouse curvature creates the headroom, every used example will share this envelope regardless of owner modification — the layout is fixed by the mold, not by choice.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, autopilot, chartplotter, solar, and hot water are commonly fitted to Mk V boats, reflecting systems buyers expect as standard cruising kit. Heating, inverter, and AIS are often seen, while electric winches, dodger, cockpit shower, and short-handed setup appear as sometimes-or-owner upgrades rather than factory norms. The cockpit itself carries six winches as built, with the two halyard winches to the side of the companionway, so most upgrades layer onto that existing control suite rather than replacing it.
What to Inspect
The available documentation for the Mk V cites no structural defects, flooding paths, or systemic failures specific to the model, and the truncated note on deckhouse shapes offers no warning to act on. Buyers should still verify the liftable drift mechanism and centerboard trunk for wear, given the draft swing from 1.40 meters to 70 centimeters is a moving part absent on fixed-keel sisters, and confirm the all-GRP hull shows no undue cracking at structural joints. No documented known issues beyond routine GRP aging appear in the available record.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical markets for the Mk V are the United Kingdom, where the brand’s Cornwall roots and continued production keep examples in circulation. For a buyer, the checklist is short: confirm the deckhouse stands you square and the separate bathroom is intact; test the six-winch cockpit and bar steering; verify the liftable drift operates smoothly through its full draft range; and check that common fitments like autopilot and hot water function. The Mk V is a young-design boat with no recorded endemic faults, making condition and equipment tier the deciding factors rather than model-year risk.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Cornish Crabbers 24 Mk V. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 4 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 26 | 8 | $ 85,147 | — |
| May 26 | 1 | $ 80,715 | -5.2% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $ 90,880 | +12.6% |
| Jul 26 | 1 | $ 80,109 | -11.9% |
Where they're listed
Cornish Crabbers 24 Mk V listings appear across 1 country. United Kingdom has the most listings with 11.
Country view
11 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $ 83,475 | 11 | 5 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honnor Marine 19 | 23.62' | $ 18,842 | 24 | 7 |
| Pacific Seacraft Dana 24 | 27.25' | $ 59,000 | 23 | 7 |
| Cornish Crabbers 24 Mk I | 29.25' | $ 50,878 | 22 | 3 |
| Cornish Crabbers 24 Mk VYou are here | — | $ 83,475 | 11 | 5 |
| Rustler 24 | 24' | $ 50,000 | 3 | 1 |