Friendship 22 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used market for a Friendship 22 means looking at a small De Ridder-designed cruiser built from 1978, with a solid laminate hull and a balsa-cored deck. The design's flexibility on keel depth and its four-berth interior make it a practical entry into trailerable cruising, but the deck structure shapes what a careful buyer should check.
Layouts on the Used Market
Most boats you encounter will be the open interior version, which gives the better feeling of space below, though some were delivered with a dog bunk to starboard instead of a locker. A lockable main bulkhead with a separate foredeck was a factory option. Berths run two metres forward and 1.95 metres in the saloon, and a sliding pantry is standard. The mast base hinge means many boats have been lowered for storage or transport, so confirm the hinge and step are sound.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Owners have sometimes added a gennaker or spinnaker to extend light-air range, and a swim platform or teak decks appear as less common upgrades. None of these are standard, so treat them as bonus rather than expected equipment. The original engine was a Volvo Penta petrol with Saildrive, and any diesel conversion should be inspected for mounting and shaft alignment.
What to Inspect
The balsa sandwich deck is sensitive to moisture ingress, so probe the deck for softness and check locker penetrations and hardware seals anchor. Osmosis is rare on these hulls, but a survey should still include a moisture reading below the waterline. Look at the cable run between inner shell and deck, which has no conduits, and confirm the anchor locker cover operates. The attached rudder and its long lever should be checked for play at the pintles.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats are typically found in Germany, the Netherlands, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. For a buyer, the checklist is short:
- Verify deck dryness at all penetrations
- Confirm keel type and centreboard function if fitted
- Test anchor locker cover and rudder bearing play
- Inspect the Volvo Penta Saildrive or any repower
- Prefer the open layout unless a dog bunk is wanted
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Friendship 22. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 7 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 2 | $3,806 | — |
| Dec 25 | 1 | $9,206 | +141.9% |
| Mar 26 | 3 | $14,566 | +58.2% |
| Apr 26 | 4 | $8,973 | -38.4% |
| May 26 | 1 | $6,992 | -22.1% |
| Jun 26 | 2 | $11,361 | +62.5% |
| Aug 26 | 2 | $3,962 | -65.1% |
Where they're listed
Friendship 22 listings appear across 5 countries. Germany has the most listings with 7 (46.7%), followed by Netherlands and United Kingdom.
Country view
15 listings · 5 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | $9,322 | 7 | 1 | 46.7% |
| Netherlands | $7,836 | 4 | 3 | 26.7% |
| United Kingdom | $4,010 | 2 | 0 | 13.3% |
| Switzerland | $3,601 | 1 | 0 | 6.7% |
| United States | $19,950 | 1 | 0 | 6.7% |