Garcia Explocat 52 Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

The more common used configuration is the charter-oriented four-cabin layout, though owner-version three- and four-cabin boats are also available. The standard boat sleeps six to ten, with the forward sail locker often converted to a workshop, extra storage, or a skipper's cabin. A defining trait is the same-level passage from the aft cockpit through the saloon to a forward cockpit reached by a secure watertight door — a layout that matters more on this model than on a typical cruising cat, because that forward space is meant for close-quarters exploration among ice or shoals.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

Power and energy systems are a strong suit on the used fleet. Air conditioning and heating are commonly fitted, and many boats have completed transatlantic passages, so the core systems are usually proven. Often-seen upgrades include watermakers, solar, lithium batteries, and inverter setups for autonomy, with bow thrusters, freezers, hot water, washing machines, radar, AIS, autopilot, chartplotter, EPIRB and life raft frequently carried. For a buyer, that means a well-found example is usually capable of continued blue-water use without immediate heavy investment. Short-handed sailing setups are common, reflecting the boat's single-location helm and line management. Less common but seen as owner upgrades are electric winches, bimini, dinghy davits and cockpit showers.

What to Inspect

Aluminum hulls deform rather than break on impact, but thickness still matters: survey the plating, which runs 5 to 12 mm with framing up to 14 mm, and check the bottom of the hulls and the welded keel chords for ground or collision damage anchor. Confirm the integrity of the fore and aft watertight bulkheads and the sacrificial zones on the rudder tops, designed to prevent a struck blade from jamming or puncturing the hull anchor. The saildrive propellers sit behind aluminum fins and a skeg — inspect those protectors and the through-hull upstands that keep seacocks above the waterline. Note that a white panel to the right of the starboard companionway is a radiator, not electrical access, so do not mistake it for a service point.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

These cats turn up in Sint Maarten (Dutch part), Saint Martin (French part), Grenada, the United States, Greece and Croatia. For a buyer, the checklist is straightforward: verify hull plating and bulkhead integrity, confirm the protected drivetrain and rudders are undamaged, check the heating and insulation fit for cold-weather use, and prefer an example with the commonly fitted autonomy gear already aboard. A sound Explocat 52 is a rare thing on the used market — a true all-terrain catamaran ready for continued expedition service.