Elan Impression 494 Buyer's Guide
The Elan Impression 494 is the largest yacht in Elan’s Impression deck-saloon cruising range, a 14.90 m Humphreys-designed flagship introduced for the 2012 season and aimed partly at charter fleets. On the used market she appears mostly as ex-charter four-cabin examples, though private-oriented layouts are also around. Knowing which build defects to check and which equipment clusters matter will shape a sound purchase.
Layouts on the Used Market
Charter four-cabin layouts are the more common on the used market, but both are available; ex-charter examples are common. The standard plan pairs two forward and two aft cabins, while owner versions place a stateroom aft with centreline berth or forward with a separate shower. The forward owner’s berth is king-sized at two meters shoulder width; aft cabins suit two adults but are darker, with small ports and steering-gear undersides that cut legroom. A freestanding companionway ladder is a novelty, yet reaching aft cabins requires walking around it and down two steps from the raised sole.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Commonly fitted boat-scale systems on the used 494 include inverter, air conditioning, heating, and a washing machine, alongside a furling main and self-tacking jib with electric winches and a bow thruster for easy handling. Power and energy commonly show lithium batteries, solar, and a watermaker, while navigation typically carries a chartplotter and autopilot; a code zero and teak decks are also usual. Many have completed transatlantic or circumnavigation use, and a cockpit shower is standard fare. Buyers should weigh the self-tacking jib track defect against the benefit of electric winches when judging sail-handling upgrades.
What to Inspect
The early self-tacking jib track fault is the key known issue: on hull No. 2 the track forward of the mast was clearly too short and not bent upward at the ends, so anchor the sail could not be pulled fully close-winded. Elan recognised the problem and pledged a correction on later boats, so confirm on any candidate whether the revised track is fitted. Also note the freestanding ladder becomes an obstacle when sailing heeled, though solid handrails help; check handrail security and ladder mounting. The Harken 50 drums are small for a 14-ton yacht and hard to crank by hand, so verify whether larger or electric winches were fitted.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical markets for the used 494 are Antigua and Barbuda, Croatia, and Italy. For a buyer, the short list is: confirm jib-track correction on early hulls, prefer electric winches over the small Harken 50s, inspect aft-cabin light and legroom against your needs, and verify lithium or solar upgrades if off-grid range matters.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Elan Impression 494. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 3 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 25 | 1 | $228,447 | — |
| Nov 25 | 2 | $248,229 | +8.7% |
| Jan 26 | 1 | $279,000 | +12.4% |
Where they're listed
Elan Impression 494 listings appear across 2 countries. Antigua and Barbuda has the most listings with 2 (66.7%), followed by Italy.
Country view
3 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antigua and Barbuda | $279,000 | 2 | 0 | 66.7% |
| Italy | $217,458 | 1 | 0 | 33.3% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
11 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeanneau Sun Sun Odyssey 490 | 48.5' | $ 395,000 | 138 | 28 |
| Performance Sun Odyssey 49 | 49.16' | $ 170,933 | 106 | 20 |
| Beneteau 49 | 49.5' | $ 218,750 | 60 | 7 |
| Elan Impression 50 | 49.87' | $ 240,912 | 41 | 6 |
| Elan Impression 45 | 45.44' | $ 170,191 | 40 | 4 |
| Bavaria Yachts Cruiser 49 | 50.5' | $ 126,192 | 29 | 1 |
| Elan Impression 40 | 39.04' | $ 137,434 | 29 | 2 |
| Hunter 49 | 49.92' | $ 214,000 | 28 | 5 |
| Elan Impression 444 | 45.44' | $ 129,060 | 18 | 8 |
| Elan Impression 494You are here | — | $ 279,000 | 3 | 0 |
| Oyster 495 | 52.82' | $ 1,715,063 | 3 | 2 |