Gunboat 55 Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

Most boats follow the two-stateroom pattern seen in period tests: owner's quarters to port, a large double in the starboard hull, and a starboard aft cabin given over to workshop and storage with generator and washer/dryer access. That aft cabin can instead be specified as an office or third stateroom, so buyers should confirm which configuration a given hull carries. The open-plan central deck replaces a conventional enclosed salon, with an enclosed helm station and a back porch enclosable by soft panels; a sliding window ahead of the helm reaches the trampoline and mooring platform. Galley placement varies—optional galley-down puts a roomy galley aft in the port hull, while galley-up trades one perimeter settee for a more social cooking space. Both queen bunks sit on stowage platforms, and heads have large showers with electric freshwater toilets.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

Solar, a code zero and a self-tacking jib are commonly fitted, supporting the boat's short-handed ethos. For a shopper, the load-bearing upgrades are in power and energy: solar pairs with the generator accessed from the aft cabin to sustain anchor living. In sail handling, the code zero and self-tacking jib let one person work the boat from the indoor helm, where trim buttons ease the hydraulic mainsheet and a display shows centerboard depth. Navigation and control are centered on the helm pedestal, which includes remote windlass and board controls. Comfort centers on the enclosable back porch and removable screens that turn the open bridgedeck into weatherproof living space.

What to Inspect

The all-carbon hull-and-deck composite and single-unit molding should be surveyed for infusion-quality and stiffener integrity, noting the internal carbon stringers that compensate for the absent crossbeam. The pivoting centerboards are hydraulically controlled and stow below the cabin sole; verify they kick up freely if they hit anything, and the helm display reads deployment correctly, since unlike daggerboards they are meant to survive groundings. The carbon rudder blades lift by hand in cassette bearings—confirm the cassettes and poles are present and sound. Engine bays are large with good service access, but any owner-chosen propulsion should be checked at every point; the standard fit is twin 39hp Yanmars with V-drives and feathering props. Aramid standing rigging and Hall mast halyard locks demand specialist inspection for stretch and UV age.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

These boats are typically found in the United States. For a buyer, the checklist is brief: confirm layout (two staterooms vs third-cabin or office), verify centerboard and rudder operation from the helm, survey the carbon structure and aramid rigging with a multihull specialist, and check that solar, code zero and self-tacking jib are fitted for true short-handed use.