Gulfstar 47 Sailmaster Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Gulfstar Sailmaster 47 means looking at a short-production centre-cockpit ketch built by Gulfstar Yachts from 1978 to 1981, with around 79 hulls ever completed. These are boats from the builder's late-1970s turn toward more luxurious cruisers, and the ones that surface tend to be well-equipped cruising homes rather than barebones project boats.
Layouts on the Used Market
Two interior plans appear in the used fleet. The standard layout uses three staterooms — forward and aft cabins each with a private head and shower, plus an amidships cabin with upper and lower berths — for six berths. The alternative layout drops the midship stateroom to open a larger salon with a U-shaped dinette and settee, raising berth count to eight. Both forward and aft cabins carry queen-sized beds with drawers, lockers, hanging space, shelves, and vanity tables. A raised salon with wraparound settee, a roomy galley, a nav station with a large chart table, and a big cockpit with wheel steering and seating for six are common to both.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Most boats on the market carry a strong slate of cruising gear. Solar, air conditioning, a furling main, hot water, chartplotter, inverter, bimini, radar, autopilot, Starlink, dodger, and dinghy davits are commonly fitted. A bow thruster, teak decks, and an EPIRB are often seen and worth confirming in person. Less common but possible owner additions include a watermaker, cabin heating, lithium batteries, an asymmetric spinnaker, or a freezer — these usually signal a serious cruising owner rather than a baseline boat.
What to Inspect
The available record on the Sailmaster 47 is largely descriptive, and the principal verification points are configuration and condition rather than documented defects. Confirm whether the boat is the sloop or ketch version, since rig and sail-handling gear differ. Check the Perkins diesel for the 8-knot-plus push when the wind dies that period reviews credited, and verify the raised-salon structure and its windows for leaks given the design's early adoption of that format. Inspect the transom door and swim-platform ladder for wear from repeated water access.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These yachts are typically found in the United States and Mexico. For a buyer, the Sailmaster 47 offers a limited-but-coherent fleet: pick the layout that matches your berth needs, confirm the rig you prefer, and look for a boat with the commonly fitted cruising equipment already aboard. A short checklist:
- Decide between standard three-stateroom or alternative eight-berth salon layout
- Verify sloop versus ketch rig and corresponding sail inventory
- Exercise the Perkins diesel and confirm performance
- Inspect raised salon windows and transom door seals
- Confirm presence of autopilot, radar, and solar for ready cruising
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Gulfstar 47 Sailmaster. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 9 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25 | 1 | $200,000 | — |
| Mar 25 | 1 | $120,000 | -40.0% |
| Apr 25 | 1 | $85,000 | -29.2% |
| Jun 25 | 1 | $50,000 | -41.2% |
| Aug 25 | 1 | $99,000 | +98.0% |
| Sep 25 | 3 | $138,000 | +39.4% |
| Nov 25 | 1 | $50,000 | -63.8% |
| Jan 26 | 4 | $115,000 | +130.0% |
| Apr 26 | 2 | $50,000 | -56.5% |
Where they're listed
Gulfstar 47 Sailmaster listings appear across 2 countries. United States has the most listings with 8 (80.0%), followed by Mexico.
Country view
10 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $129,000 | 8 | 0 | 80.0% |
| Mexico | $109,999 | 2 | 0 | 20.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Wind 47 | 46.75' | $ 202,839 | 23 | 9 |
| Formosa 47 | 46.42' | $ 110,802 | 14 | 7 |
| Gulfstar 47 SailmasterYou are here | — | $ 115,000 | 10 | 0 |
| Gulfstar 50 Kth | 50' | $ 62,400 | 8 | 5 |
| Cheoy Lee Offshore 47 | 46.75' | $ 136,975 | 6 | 1 |