D 48 Buyer's Guide
Shopping for a D 48 on the brokerage market means chasing a rare grand prix one-design: only eight were built in 1995 and 1996, and every example carries the same Reichel/Pugh race DNA. These are not cruisers with racing lines — they are course weapons with water ballast and Ockam instrumentation, so a buyer should know what the boat is before negotiating.
Layouts on the Used Market
The D 48 is a 48-foot monohull with a fractional sloop rig, a beam of 14'2", and a 10-foot draft from her bulb keel. The hull is relatively wide at a length-to-beam ratio of 3.42, with a lifted forefoot and near plumb stem. Below, the race orientation shows in 21.4 gallons of fuel and 41.5 gallons of water — there is no cruising tankage to speak of. The two-tanks-per-side water ballast makes clear this is a stripped racer rather than a weekender.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
The boats left the builder with all Lewmar deck gear and ultralight primary winches on a centerline pedestal, a carbon-fiber Sparcraft mast, and a two-piece boom. Navigation was Ockam throughout, with full polar readouts in the instrument list. A buyer should verify the carbon rig and the Ockam system are intact, since both are central to the boat's value and not generic replacements.
What to Inspect
The keel is a cast stainless fin with a lead bulb and a kelp cutter in the leading edge that should be checked for impact damage. The water-ballast tanks, two per side, deserve close inspection for leaks or pump faults, as this system is load-bearing for performance. The carbon deck over foam with integral beams and the GMT carbon-fiber rudder with Speedwave bearings should be surveyed for delamination or bearing wear, given the exotic layup.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
For a buyer, the short checklist is: confirm the carbon rig and Ockam instruments are original and working, test the water-ballast system both sides, and survey the keel bulb and rudder bearings closely. Accept that fuel and water capacity are minimal and spares will be scarce for an eight-boat class.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the D 48. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 1 row
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 26 | 1 | $72,251 | — |
Where they're listed
D 48 listings appear across 1 country. United Kingdom has the most listings with 1.
Country view
1 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $72,251 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
4 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swan 48 | 48.49' | $ 554,761 | 21 | 6 |
| C-Catamarans 48 | 49.08' | $ 1,499,000 | 11 | 1 |
| Baltic 48 DP | 48.08' | $ 168,500 | 4 | 4 |
| Hydra 48You are here | — | $ 72,287 | 1 | 0 |