Farr 1020 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a used Farr 1020 means entering a tightly governed one-design world where Sea Nymph Boats built 149 examples and over 110 stayed in New Zealand, with the class association today holding around 60 boats on its register across New Zealand, Australia, and a couple in the USA. Because the boat was offered as a hull-and-deck package for home finishing and around half were owner-completed, a used buyer must weigh factory versus amateur finish without assuming one is inferior — only that key components such as masts, keels, and rudders had to come from Sea Nymph to protect class status. The strict rules of the Owners Association and the measure-all-sails Nationals threshold mean the platform has changed little in nearly forty years, so what you inspect is close to what left the mold.
Layouts on the Used Market
The 1020 interior is a perfect size for a couple, and owners long versed in the boat describe it as not too big, not too small, and easy to sail single-handed. The comfortable, practical layout pairs with an open transom and easy helming that Larry Paul and his wife value after more than 20 years with Spellbinder, while Mike and Sheryl Lanigan ran Share Delight under MNZ certification as a sailing school from 1996 — evidence that the same cabin plan tolerated both private cruising and repeated instructional use. Because the internal structural grid bonded mast steps, keel floors, bulkheads, bunks, galley, tanks, and engine mounts into place, factory and home finishes alike should show those elements in the same relationships; deviation suggests unauthorised alteration.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
A spinnaker is commonly fitted, consistent with the boat’s recorded 16-knot reaching capability in a good breeze. Less universally, an asymmetric spinnaker, autopilot, or chartplotter appear as occasional owner upgrades rather than standard inventory. Engine-wise, the Volvo 20hp is adequate if a replacement is needed, though some owners prefer a larger 30hp for cruising; documented swaps include a Yanmar 30, a Volvo D1-20 retaining the original horsepower with an extra smoother cylinder, and a 27hp Volvo replacing a Bukh. Roller furlers show up as a practical singlehanding addition on several owned examples, and replaced windows and hatches are a known age-related refresh rather than a performance modification.
What to Inspect
The port chainplate on home-finished examples was a known weakness, since rectified, so confirm any repair history there. The interior grid has in odd cases separated from the hull following a heavy grounding, so inspect hull-to-grid bonding for impact damage. Hard-raced examples often exhibit bumps, bruises and gelcoat chips, and small cracks can appear in early model masts where the forestay attaches, particularly in well-raced boats — a full rig replacement after mast breakage is documented on one long-term owner’s boat. Leaking windows and hatches are always possible at this age and, if neglected, can cause water damage to interior plywood panels; exterior gelcoats are often faded. Original engines should be viewed with suspicion until proven otherwise.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical markets for the used Farr 1020 are the United States, New Zealand, and Australia, with the deepest fleets historically around Half Moon Bay, Westhaven, and Gulf Harbour. For a buyer, the short checklist is: verify port chainplate rectification on home-finished hulls, examine grid bonding for grounding damage, check early masts for forestay cracks, test for window and hatch leaks before plywood harm, and treat any original engine as unproven. A controlled-layup hull with relatively rare osmosis and an active class association makes the 1020 a defensible used purchase where found.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Farr 1020. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 4 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 26 | 1 | $ 31,838 | — |
| Apr 26 | 3 | $ 59,000 | +85.3% |
| May 26 | 3 | $ 38,486 | -34.8% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $ 19,867 | -48.4% |
Where they're listed
Farr 1020 listings appear across 3 countries. New Zealand has the most listings with 3 (37.5%), followed by United States and Australia.
Country view
8 listings · 3 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | $ 24,542 | 3 | 3 | 37.5% |
| United States | $ 59,000 | 3 | 3 | 37.5% |
| Australia | $ 35,162 | 2 | 1 | 25.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| J-Boats J/120 | 40' | $ 119,000 | 50 | 18 |
| Winner 11.20 | 36.74' | $ 90,972 | 20 | 4 |
| Nimbus 1000 | 33.46' | $ 46,739 | 18 | 4 |
| Farr 1020You are here | — | $ 35,162 | 8 | 7 |
| Bavaria 320 | 33.42' | $ 37,190 | 8 | 4 |