Dragonfly 800 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a used Dragonfly 800 means looking at a folding trimaran launched in its Swing Wing form in 1989, with a cruising or racing configuration and a compact coastal-cruiser interior that rewards careful inspection. These boats turn up across several established European and North American markets and reward buyers who understand the folding system and the known structural watch points.
Layouts on the Used Market
The Dragonfly 800 is a folding trimaran with a kick-up rudder and centreboard that lets it be sailed ashore like a beach cat, and its folding floats are wound in and out via the primary winches in about two minutes. Below, the accommodation is cramped with no standing headroom and limited stowage, offering four single berths, a table that doubles as the centreboard case, and a sea toilet under the saloon seating. A small split galley with sink and single-burner alcohol stove serves the main cabin, and the cockpit can become an extension of living space when a dodger and Bimini are zipped together.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, spinnakers, asymmetric spinnakers, autopilots, and chartplotters are commonly fitted, while gennakers, trampolines, teak decks,1 and cockpit showers are often seen. Solar, electric winches, dodgers, and short handed setups appear as sometimes-or-owner upgrades rather than standard equipment. The original boats used Frederiksen blocks and Andersen winches with a small jib that furls in seconds and lazyjacks to manage the mainsail.
What to Inspect
An alleged bad batch of resin caused delamination of several rudders a couple of years prior to one review, so rudder condition and any prior repair history deserve close attention. One tester noted the seacocks did not have flanges recommended by ABYC, meaning the through-hull fittings should be checked against current standards. Because the amas pivot aft and must be unbolted for trailering, examine the aluminum struts, hinge points, and the four-bolt attachment areas on each ama for wear or water ingress.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical markets for the used Dragonfly 800 include the United Kingdom, United States, France, Germany, and Italy. Buyers should focus on the folding system health, rudder integrity, and seacock compliance, and confirm which configuration and onboard equipment tier the specific boat carries.
- Verify rudder laminate condition and any resin-batch repair history
- Check seacocks for ABYC-recommended flanges
- Inspect ama pivot hardware, struts, and trailer bolt areas
- Confirm folding float operation via primary winches in about two minutes
- Match fitted equipment to commonly fitted or owner-upgrade tiers
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Dragonfly 800. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 6 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 4 | $ 28,246 | — |
| Nov 25 | 1 | $ 35,858 | +26.9% |
| Dec 25 | 2 | $ 39,000 | +8.8% |
| Jan 26 | 2 | $ 37,973 | -2.6% |
| Apr 26 | 4 | $ 31,706 | -16.5% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $ 45,000 | +41.9% |
Where they're listed
Dragonfly 800 listings appear across 5 countries. United Kingdom has the most listings with 6 (42.9%), followed by United States and France.
Country view
14 listings · 5 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $ 31,706 | 6 | 1 | 42.9% |
| United States | $ 39,000 | 4 | 1 | 28.6% |
| France | $ 36,401 | 2 | 0 | 14.3% |
| Germany | $ 28,458 | 1 | 0 | 7.1% |
| Italy | $ 21,628 | 1 | 0 | 7.1% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quorning 28 | 28.71' | $ 175,125 | 31 | 7 |
| Corsair 880 | 28.87' | $ 195,000 | 24 | 6 |
| Corsair 760 | 24.25' | $ 89,850 | 15 | 3 |
| Quorning 800You are here | — | $ 35,618 | 14 | 2 |
| Maxi 800 | 27.07' | $ 26,751 | 7 | 4 |