Finesse 24 Sailboats for Sale

Hull Type

Monohull · centerboard

Rig

Fractional Sloop

LOA

24' · 7.32 m

Disp.

7,100 lbs · 3,221 kg

First year

1978

The Finesse 24 is a traditionally styled clinkerbuilt cruiser that represents a unique chapter in British maritime history. Launched in 1968 by Essex boatbuilder Alan Platt, the 24 was a direct response to the success of the smaller Finesse 21. While many of its contemporaries were moving toward the industrial efficiency of GRP (fiberglass), Platt remained dedicated to wooden construction, producing over 80 hulls at his yard in Thundersley. These vessels were specifically optimized for the shallow, silted estuaries of the UK’s East Coast, featuring a shoaldraft hull form that balances a "big ship" feel with the ability to explore tidal creeks and "ditchcrawl" where deeper finkeeled yachts cannot go. The construction typically utilizes Iroko or mahogany planking copperriveted onto steamed rockelm or oak ribs, a robust method described as having "agricultural standards" of durability by Classic Boat Magazine.