Farr Volvo Ocean 65 Buyer's Guide
The Volvo Ocean 65 is a Farr-designed one-design racer that served the Volvo Ocean Race from the 2014–2015 edition onward as the safer, cheaper successor to the Volvo Open 70. Eight boats were built to an identical specification, and all were later brought to a common standard, so a buyer is shopping a tightly controlled class rather than a varied production run. What separates good used examples is condition and how each known stress point has been cared for.
Layouts on the Used Market
Because the VO65 is a one-design class of only eight hulls, there is no range of builder layouts to compare; the boats are identical in their race configuration, with twin under-hull rudders, a canting keel, and water ballast wing tanks aft plus a forward centerline tank. Any differences among used Volvo Ocean 65s come from refit state and owner-added cruising equipment rather than from alternative factory plans.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
A used VO65 commonly carries a watermaker, lithium batteries, radar, electric winches, and a life raft as part of its equipment. For a buyer, the lithium batteries and watermaker define off-grid range, while electric winches and radar speak to short-handed or night-driving usability. The class originally used a Volvo Penta D2-75 engine assisted by a Watt & Sea hydrogenerator, with Mastervolt power management and Harken winch systems, so any deviation from those named components is worth tracing to its source.
What to Inspect
Noise and motion are inherent to the design, and a viewer should listen for the violent slapping of waves against the exposed underbody and check how the cabin magnifies motion, since a person can be thrown across the boat with no warning when it launches off a wave anchor. Inspect the canting keel travel to its ±40-degree limits and confirm the foils do not stall from slow keel rise. Verify daggerboard retraction and asymmetric reversal, as wrong trim produces immediate leeway. Examine the water ballast tanks—twin 800-liter aft and single 1000-liter forward—for smell or staining that signals past flooding or incomplete drainage.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats are typically found in New Zealand, Malta, Portugal, and Lithuania.
- Confirm keel cant and foil response under load
- Listen for underbody slap and cabin motion magnification
- Check daggerboard retract and reverse function
- Smell and inspect all three water ballast tanks
- Verify electric winch and lithium battery fitment
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Farr Volvo Ocean 65. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 2 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 25 | 1 | $1,923,167 | — |
| Jan 26 | 2 | $552,185 | -71.3% |
Where they're listed
Farr Volvo Ocean 65 listings appear across 3 countries. Malta has the most listings with 1 (33.3%), followed by New Zealand and Portugal.
Country view
3 listings · 3 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malta | $1,923,167 | 1 | 0 | 33.3% |
| New Zealand | $407,944 | 1 | 0 | 33.3% |
| Portugal | $696,425 | 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
6 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catana 65 | 66.6' | $ 1,095,000 | 10 | 10 |
| Beneteau Figaro 3 | 35.73' | $ 250,969 | 7 | 4 |
| Comar Comet 65 S | 65.29' | $ 525,086 | 6 | 0 |
| X-Yachts X-65 | 65.65' | $ 909,133 | 5 | 3 |
| Swan Swan 65 | 65.98' | $ 432,142 | 5 | 4 |
| Volvo Volvo Ocean 65You are here | — | $ 696,425 | 3 | 0 |