Herreshoff 15 Buyer's Guide
Shopping for a used Herreshoff 15 means looking at a wooden centerboard racer of 24 feet 6 inches that Nathanael G. Herreshoff designed and the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company built in quantity by 1928, with later fiberglass replicas also existing. These are boats with deep cockpits and vast deck space, suited to daysailing and light cruising rather than modern convenience.
Layouts on the Used Market
The standard 15 is a centerboard sloop with shoal keel and a deep cockpit whose inboard seats put crew below the rail. Variants seen include the Watch Hill boats with marconi rigs and the full-keel FLICKER-type hulls without boards. A cruising cabin was possible if kept low and short, and some owners used a boom tent for weekend sleeping. The 1970 fiberglass replicas carry a tall Marconi rig and less sail than the original gaff plan.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
A self-tacking jib is a frequent owner upgrade on these boats, simplifying short-handed sailing compared with the original club or traveler setups. Beyond that, most period gear is as-built; buyers should evaluate rigging and sail handling as found rather than expect modern systems.
What to Inspect
Wooden construction is the core concern: the 15s have rather light scantlings and 9/16-inch white cedar planking and deck on 3/4-by-3/16-inch frames light scantlings throughout the class. Check the bulkheads sealing bow and stern air tanks, since flotation depends on their integrity. The long, flat bow can show pounding damage from windward work in chop, and the centerboard trunk with its shoal keel deserves close look for strain.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats appear on the used market in the United States. A buyer should:
- Confirm hull is wooden or 1970 fiberglass replica and assess plank and deck condition
- Verify centerboard and shoal keel function and trunk integrity
- Inspect bow and stern flotation bulkheads
- Evaluate rig as original gaff, marconi variant, or upgraded self-tacking jib
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Herreshoff 15. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 4 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 25 | 2 | $47,000 | — |
| Nov 25 | 2 | $59,900 | +27.4% |
| May 26 | 1 | $59,900 | 0.0% |
| Jul 26 | 2 | $119,500 | +99.5% |
Where they're listed
Herreshoff 15 listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 4.
Country view
4 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $59,900 | 4 | 1 | 100.0% |