Fountaine Pajot Saba 50 Sailboats for Sale

The design by Berret Racoupeau gives the hulls a fine entry and twin fixed keels that allow the boat to point meaningfully higher than older flat-bottomed cruising cats. The rotating fractional spar and generous sail plan — nearly 900 square feet of main paired with a 619-square-foot genoa — mean that a well-found used example remains a genuinely rewarding sailer, not merely a motorized apartment. The 26-foot beam creates the deck space for three distinct social zones: a forward conversation nook with lounges and a cocktail table, a flybridge with sun lounges and a separate helm pod, and an aft cockpit covered by a hardtop targa roof with a large dining table. For a buyer who wants to understand what they're getting, that spatial generosity is also the source of one complexity worth noting: the aft cockpit helm requires you to walk around the wheel to reach the side deck, a small ergonomic quirk that persists across the production run.

Layouts on the Used Market

Charter four-cabin layouts are the more common configuration encountered on the used market, though the owner-oriented Maestro arrangement does appear and is worth seeking out if privacy and a large master stateroom are priorities. The Maestro dedicates roughly three-quarters of the port hull to an owner's suite with an island berth, dedicated desk, and a head divided into separate toilet and shower compartments — a genuine hotel-caliber space. The forward section of the port hull holds a full guest cabin with its own ensuite. The starboard hull then provides two more double cabins, each with ensuite heads.

The charter-derived Quintet and six-cabin arrangements instead squeeze three cabins into each hull, with one midships starboard cabin frequently designated for crew. These boats will show higher wear in companionways, heads, and galley surfaces simply from the volume of turnaround use they experienced; condition rather than layout should drive the final decision. The Maestro Crew variant, which adds a fourth double in the port hull by shrinking the owner's suite slightly, occupies a middle ground and is less frequently encountered.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

The Saba 50 arrived from the factory with a specification that already anticipated extended liveaboard use, and the majority of used examples on the brokerage market reflect that intent with a full complement of passage-making gear. Air conditioning, a chartplotter, solar panels, a bimini, an inverter, a watermaker, autopilot, electric winches, and radar are all commonly fitted across the fleet. Dinghy davits — sized to hoist up to a fourteen-foot tender — life raft stowage, a cockpit shower, hot water system, and AIS transponder are broadly seen as well.

Among owner upgrades and additions accumulated over the boat's working life, a washing machine is a frequent find on boats that have been liveaboard or charter vessels; supplemental cabin heating appears on hulls that have cruised northern European or high-latitude destinations. An asymmetric spinnaker or gennaker — available from the factory as an option — shows up on examples whose owners prioritized light-air downwind performance, and its presence meaningfully extends the boat's versatility in trade-wind sailing. Teak cockpit and deck overlay is an occasional upgrade that adds visual appeal but warrants close inspection at survey for delamination or moisture infiltration at fastener points.

The standard engine fit was a pair of Volvo Penta D2 diesels with saildrives, and an upgrade to higher-horsepower units was offered from new. Checking which engine variant is fitted — and confirming saildrive bellows condition — is among the most important mechanical tasks a pre-purchase inspection should address.

What to Inspect

The construction specification is strong, but any boat that has been in charter service deserves particular scrutiny of structural joints and high-wear areas. The RTM-produced single-piece deck and cabin structure integrates the chainplates directly into the hull laminate, which is an elegant engineering solution, but also means that any signs of stress cracking around chainplate exits warrant investigation by a surveyor familiar with French catamaran construction practices. The vacuum-bagged foam-core laminate is resistant to osmotic blister in the way solid laminates are not, but core moisture ingress from poorly maintained deck fittings — hatches, stanchion bases, anchor locker drains — remains the standard catamaran concern and should be checked with a moisture meter throughout.

Saildrive bellows on Volvo Penta installations of this era are a known wear item that requires periodic replacement; confirm they are current and that the saildrives show no signs of corrosion or electrolytic damage. The rotating mast requires that its bearings and wiring exits are inspected; a mast that is stiff or shows signs of bearing wear will have already been flagged by any diligent owner, but verify the paperwork. The gennaker furler and sprit arrangement, if fitted, should be operated through a full cycle.

On the electrical side, charter boats in warm climates typically accumulate substantial hours on their air-conditioning compressors; ask for service records and test each unit under load. The large galley with its center island, double-drawer refrigerator, and multi-burner stove is a complex domestic fit-out — check every appliance, the refrigeration compressor hours, and the plumbing behind the galley cabinetry for any evidence of previous leaks. The wide glazed door between cockpit and saloon is a significant opening that, if the seal has deteriorated, can allow water intrusion into the saloon sole.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

The Saba 50 is most widely available across the Mediterranean — Spain, France, Croatia, and Greece represent the primary brokerage centers — and in North America, particularly in Florida and the Caribbean sailing basin including Martinique. Boats in the Mediterranean have often had a mixed charter-and-private-use history; North American examples may have seen more consistent private ownership. Either way, demand for well-maintained examples remains strong, and the relatively compact total production run means total fleet numbers are finite.

A buyer's pre-purchase checklist should cover at minimum:

• Confirm layout variant (Maestro, Maestro Crew, Quintet, or six-cabin) and inspect all cabins and heads for evidence of charter wear
• Survey the hull laminate and deck core for moisture, paying particular attention to chainplate areas and deck hardware penetrations
• Inspect saildrive bellows on both engines and request documentation of replacement history
• Operate all air-conditioning units under load and obtain compressor service records
• Check the rotating mast bearings, standing rigging, and all wiring exits at the mast base
• Test the watermaker, inverter, and all DC and AC electrical circuits, including solar charge controllers
• Inspect teak overlays if fitted for delamination and moisture intrusion at fasteners
• Confirm gennaker or spinnaker equipment is operational if it is included in the sale
• Review logbooks and service records for engine hours and any significant repair history
• Arrange a sea trial that includes upwind performance, both engines independently, and autopilot engagement