Farr 5000 Buyer's Guide
The Farr 5000 is a 16ft 8in Bruce Farr–designed trailer yacht built by Sea Nymph Boats, a swing-keel fractional sloop conceived to race and fast cruise while trailering behind a small car. On the used market it appears as a minimalist 1977-era pocket racer with a spartan cabin and a handful of factory options, so a buyer's attention should fall on structural wear points and the few original detailing gaps the design carried from new.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every example follows the same plan: a cockpit nearly as large as the 6000's, self-draining and separated from the cabin by three marine ply partitions, two of them shock-corded and removable for sailing. Below, four full-length bunks line the sides with quarter berths aft, bin stowage under each, and seating for five or six adults. A lifting hatch with side panels and centre insert opens the cabin; provision was made for a chemical toilet or centerline head and a portable galley as options. The standard boat is fitted with four full-size bunks and a lifting cabin hatch, with the pop-top offered only as an upgrade.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Original standard gear is lean: jib, main, trailer, foredeck anchor locker with recessed cleat, and a swing keel winch with removable handle. Buyers should look for added safety and sail-handling items — pulpit and pushpit (which period reviewers regarded as near-essential), guardrails, and a spinnaker for downwind work. Canvas and cabin comfort upgrades center on the optional pop-top and boom tent. Navigation and control refinements are limited to the factory-led cabin-top sail controls; a used boat with a relocated aft cabin handrail shows an owner corrected the original brace position.
What to Inspect
The sprayed furry coating on top of the swing keel case was expected to wear on the keel-case coating quickly as a step-down point, so check that surface for bare GRP and evidence of a replaced durable top. The cockpit fuel locker lid is hinged with no catch and, on the test boat, no hole for the fuel line to the engine when closed — confirm any fuel line routing and whether a catch has been added fuel locker lid lacks catch. Cabin top handrails should sit far enough aft to brace a third crew; verify they have not been left in the forward original position handrail placement for crew brace. Minor sail-flow issues were noted on the test boat, so inspect the four-battened main and small jib for re-cut panels or altered draft.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Before you commit, run through these points:
- Check the swing keel case top for worn or replaced coating
- Confirm the fuel locker lid has a catch and a closed-lid fuel line hole
- Verify cabin handrails sit aft enough to brace a third hand
- Inspect the main and jib for signs of flow-altering recuts
- Confirm pop-top, pulpit, and pushpit are present if quoted as fitted
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Farr 5000. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 1 row
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 26 | 2 | $4,153 | — |
Where they're listed
Farr 5000 listings appear across 1 country. New Zealand has the most listings with 2.
Country view
2 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | $4,153 | 2 | 0 | 100.0% |