Cornish Crabbers Crabber 22 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Cornish Crabber 22 means looking at a Roger Dongray gaff cutter built by Cornish Crabbers at Rock, Cornwall, and conceived as a lighter, trailable answer to the heavier later 24s. She is one of a continuous line of modern gaffers from that yard stretching back to 1973, so used examples carry a recognizable pedigree of shallow-draft coastal cruising rather than offshore racing ambition.
Layouts on the Used Market
Used Crabber 22s follow a consistent plan: a saloon and a forecabin with berths for two to four, the saloon settees running a full 6 feet 6 inches. The forepeak adds two berths around a marine WC. The aft galley pairs a fixed port sink with a starboard cooker under a worktop that also serves as the chart table, and a fold-out table sits on the centreboard case. The hull is solid GRP with encapsulated steel ballast and a drop centreboard giving 2' 4" to 5' 0" draft, while the deck is a balsa sandwich with plywood pads under fittings. Standard boats show only two small portholes per coachroof side, so interiors feel snug rather than bright.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, chartplotter, autopilot, and hot water are commonly fitted, making modern navigation and warm-water comfort routine rather than exceptional. Solar is often seen, a sensible match for the boat's modest 9 bhp Yanmar IGM or optional 2YM15 diesel and two deep cockpit lockers that swallow spares. Heating and a life raft appear as occasional owner upgrades rather than standard cruising kit. Buyers should note the centreboard winch sits on the starboard coachroof for single-handed control, and a gas bottle locker aft is standard.
What to Inspect
The deck is a balsa sandwich, so any aftermarket fitting not seated on the built-in plywood pads risks local core intrusion balsa sandwich with substantial plywood pads incorporated for deck fittings. Confirm the encapsulated steel ballast around the keel shows no weeping or staining at the hull joint, since that encapsulation is the boat's defence against external keel-bolt leakage solid GRP, with encapsulated steel ballast around the keel, plus a drop keel. Check the centreboard trunk and the coachroof winch for free operation, and verify the four main mouldings — hull, deck, interior, and inner lining — remain bonded with no separation at the tongue-and-groove headliner four main mouldings: hull, deck, interior moulding and inner deckhead lining.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical markets for the Crabber 22 are the United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands. For a buyer, the short checklist is: confirm deck-core integrity around added hardware, inspect encapsulated ballast for leaks, exercise the centreboard and winch, and verify the galley chart-table worktop and forepeak WC are intact. A clean example offers a trailerable, shallow-draft gaffer with a finished interior and practical cockpit stowage.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Cornish Crabbers Crabber 22. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 10 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 25 | 1 | $46,899 | — |
| Dec 25 | 1 | $45,329 | -3.3% |
| Jan 26 | 1 | $43,501 | -4.0% |
| Feb 26 | 1 | $24,469 | -43.8% |
| Mar 26 | 2 | $40,068 | +63.8% |
| Apr 26 | 4 | $32,422 | -19.1% |
| May 26 | 3 | $31,266 | -3.6% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $47,511 | +52.0% |
| Jul 26 | 3 | $36,704 | -22.7% |
| Aug 26 | 1 | $40,773 | +11.1% |
Where they're listed
Cornish Crabbers Crabber 22 listings appear across 2 countries. United Kingdom has the most listings with 15 (88.2%), followed by France.
Country view
17 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $36,704 | 15 | 4 | 88.2% |
| France | $43,051 | 2 | 1 | 11.8% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honnor Marine 19 | 23.62' | $ 19,198 | 28 | 7 |
| Cornish Crabbers Crabber 22You are here | — | $ 36,704 | 17 | 5 |