Farr 30 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used Farr 30 means chasing a boat that owners are reluctant to sell. The 9.43-meter Bruce Farr design launched in 1995 as the Mumm 30, rebranded in 2007, and built by Carroll Marine with later Ovington Boats hulls, has become a high-demand, low-supply type on the brokerage market. Buyers cross-shopping a Melges 32 or Olson 30 will find the Farr 30 a purpose-built offshore one design with a small but active regional racing footprint.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every Farr 30 shares the same essential plan: a narrow 3.08-meter beam and low freeboard with a cabin whose height owners compare to a 1960s coupe car. Below deck there is about two square meters of space to handle all crew needs, so the boat is a racer first and offers no cruising layout variation. The minimal cabin means buyers should expect a spartan interior and judge a candidate on structure and rig rather than livability.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Used Farr 30s often carry a symmetrical spinnaker and frequently an asymmetric spinnaker for downwind work. Less common but seen as owner upgrades are solar panels, a chartplotter, an EPIRB, and a short-handed setup that simplifies crew tasks. A buyer should focus on sail-handling consequence: the standard OD inventory of three jibs and three pole-flown symmetrical spinnakers may have been expanded with a Jibtop and spinnaker staysail, and some campaigns added a near-two-meter bowsprit for large asymmetrics. Navigation and safety upgrades like a chartplotter or EPIRB are worth verifying, but the rig and sail plan tell the real story.
What to Inspect
The one documented weakness is water entry through the jib-rail fastenings: one owner moved the jib-rail position after finding considerable water coming into the cabin from that spot, a waterproofing refit that should prompt a close look at track seals and adjacent deck core anchor. Beyond that known path, inspect the bulb keel joint and general deck hardware for signs of movement, but no other structural defects are named in the sources.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Farr 30s typically appear in the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Italy, with small fleet clusters concentrated on the north American coasts, Northern Europe, and the Middle East. Because supply is thin and owners hold on, a buyer should move quickly when a clean hull surfaces.
- Verify jib-rail sealing and any evidence of past water ingress
- Confirm sail inventory includes OD jibs/spinnakers and any added staysail or bowsprit
- Check class documentation for regional fleet activity near intended racing waters
- Expect a spartan interior; assess the boat as a racer, not a cruiser
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Farr 30. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 10 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25 | 1 | $69,500 | — |
| Jun 25 | 2 | $38,000 | -45.3% |
| Sep 25 | 3 | $35,000 | -7.9% |
| Oct 25 | 1 | $35,871 | +2.5% |
| Jan 26 | 1 | $44,785 | +24.9% |
| Feb 26 | 1 | $41,287 | -7.8% |
| Apr 26 | 3 | $39,664 | -3.9% |
| May 26 | 3 | $35,000 | -11.8% |
| Jun 26 | 2 | $34,000 | -2.9% |
| Sep 26 | 5 | $34,000 | 0.0% |
Where they're listed
Farr 30 listings appear across 5 countries. United States has the most listings with 9 (60.0%), followed by Australia and Canada.
Country view
15 listings · 5 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $34,000 | 9 | 5 | 60.0% |
| Australia | $43,036 | 2 | 0 | 13.3% |
| Canada | $34,000 | 2 | 0 | 13.3% |
| Switzerland | $39,664 | 1 | 0 | 6.7% |
| United Kingdom | $59,720 | 1 | 0 | 6.7% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Judel/Vrolijk J/30 | 29.83' | $ 14,500 | 21 | 1 |
| Ovington 30You are here | — | $ 35,000 | 15 | 5 |
| Seacart 30 | 30.02' | $ 181,554 | 8 | 1 |
| Sparkman & Stephens 30 | 30.5' | $ 52,698 | 6 | 1 |