Fast 40 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a used Fast 40 means chasing one of just 18 boats launched in the early 1980s, so the search is less about comparing listings and more about recognizing a rare lightweight lifting-keel sloop when it appears. Because the class is small and narrowly distributed, a buyer should lean on the known construction facts and a short inspection mindset rather than market volume.
Layouts on the Used Market
The Fast 40 is a 12.14-meter fractional sloop with a 2.44-meter beam and a Divinicell sandwich hull, and the lifting-keel arrangement gives a minimum draft of 1.07 meters with a maximum of 2.29 meters. No interior layout detail is recorded in the authority documents, so used boats should be judged individually for cabin use rather than against a standard plan.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, Fast 40 boats commonly carry lithium batteries, a code zero, a self tacking jib, a chartplotter, a short handed setup, and an autopilot. Electric winches are less standard and appear as a sometimes-seen or owner-upgrade item rather than a common fit.
What to Inspect
The defining construction point is the Divinicell sandwich hull with a lead keel, so any survey should confirm the sandwich integrity and the lifting-keel mechanism condition. With only 18 built and a foam-core hull type, individual maintenance history matters more than class patterns, and no authority source records a known defect to prioritize beyond those structural basics.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical markets for the Fast 40 are the United States. A practical buyer checklist:
- Confirm Divinicell sandwich hull condition and lifting-keel function
- Verify lead keel attachment and 1.07-meter raised draft capability
- Expect commonly fitted lithium, code zero, self tacker, chartplotter, short-handed setup, autopilot
- Treat electric winches as an occasional owner upgrade, not standard
- Remember only 18 were built, so provenance and care outweigh market abundance
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Fast 40. 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. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 26 | 1 | $ 29,000 | — |
| Apr 26 | 7 | $ 29,000 | 0.0% |
Where they're listed
Fast 40 listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 8.
Country view
8 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $ 29,000 | 8 | 3 | 100.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beneteau, France First 40.7 | 39.25' | $ 90,225 | 75 | 14 |
| Performance 40 | 40.42' | $ 113,067 | 37 | 15 |
| Elan 40 | 39.04' | $ 88,068 | 30 | 3 |
| X-Yachts X-40 | 40' | $ 176,893 | 14 | 4 |
| North End 40You are here | — | $ 29,000 | 8 | 3 |