Esse 850 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used Esse 850 means looking at a 28-foot Felci-designed one-design racer and daysailer built from 2004, a boat made to be sailed shorthanded and trailered rather than live aboard. Proteus Yachts produced her as an ultralight planing hull with a lifting bulb keel, so the buyer is entering the world of performance daysailing and club racing, not coastal cruising.
Layouts on the Used Market
The Esse 850 carries a plumb bow, open stern, and wide-open cockpit that define the layout you will find on every example. The bulb keel retracts up to 4 feet 6 inches for trailering and drops to 6 feet 6 inches for upwind stiffness, so any used boat should be evaluated with the lifting mechanism in mind. The cockpit is built around shorthanded sailing, not enclosed accommodation, and the Euro-look styling is consistent across the class.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, a gennaker and a short-handed setup are often seen when these boats change hands, meaning a buyer can reasonably expect downwind sail options and led controls suited to solo or duo sailing. Beyond those, the brief documents no other standard or upgraded equipment tiers, so purchasers should treat navigation, canvas, and power systems as variable per individual boat rather than class norms.
What to Inspect
The known documentation centers on the lifting keel system: confirm the bulb retracts fully to 4 feet 6 inches and drops to 6 feet 6 inches without binding, since that travel is the boat's defining feature and trailering depends on it anchor. Inspect the under-deck sail-control routing for wear, as those leads are central to the shorthanded handling the design promises. The solid fiberglass hull and deck need the usual survey for osmotic or impact damage.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical markets for the Esse 850 are Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, and Denmark. A buyer should verify the keel lift mechanism, check the gennaker and shorthanded rigging where fitted, and accept the boat for what it is: a fast, trailerable one-design for daysailing and racing.
- Confirm keel retracts to 4'6" and drops to 6'6" smoothly
- Check under-deck control lines for chafe or routing damage
- Expect gennaker and short-handed setup on many boats
- Survey solid glass hull and deck as on any used sailboat
- Plan for trailer storage given the retracting keel design
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Esse 850. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 12 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 25 | 1 | $96,845 | — |
| Sep 25 | 7 | $47,196 | -51.3% |
| Nov 25 | 3 | $43,456 | -7.9% |
| Dec 25 | 1 | $99,054 | +127.9% |
| Jan 26 | 3 | $60,839 | -38.6% |
| Feb 26 | 2 | $37,248 | -38.8% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $99,054 | +165.9% |
| Apr 26 | 4 | $73,416 | -25.9% |
| May 26 | 1 | $32,629 | -55.6% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $43,456 | +33.2% |
| Jul 26 | 1 | $49 | -99.9% |
| Aug 26 | 1 | $40,973 | +83518.4% |
Where they're listed
Esse 850 listings appear across 6 countries. Switzerland has the most listings with 10 (41.7%), followed by Germany and Belgium.
Country view
24 listings · 6 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | $43,456 | 10 | 2 | 41.7% |
| Germany | $47,196 | 5 | 0 | 20.8% |
| Belgium | $99,054 | 3 | 0 | 12.5% |
| Netherlands | $99,054 | 3 | 0 | 12.5% |
| Austria | $42,244 | 2 | 0 | 8.3% |
| Denmark | $54,771 | 1 | 0 | 4.2% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
3 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saffier SE 33 | 32.8' | $ 299,900 | 38 | 4 |
| Esse 850You are here | — | $ 47,194 | 25 | 3 |
| Legend E33 | 33.05' | $ 85,000 | 17 | 7 |