Koala 50 Sailboats for Sale & Market Overview

Hull type

Monohull · fin

Rig

Ketch

LOA

50.2' · 15.3 m

Displ.

36,376 lbs · 16,500 kg

First year

1973

The Koala 50 is a quintessential example of the "grand voyage" philosophy that dominated French naval architecture in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Designed by the esteemed duo Michel Bigoin and Daniel Givon—notable for their work on the legendary fourmasted Club Méditerranée—the Koala 50 was conceived as a rugged, longrange cruiser capable of highlatitude exploration and transoceanic passages. Typically constructed in aluminum or heavyduty GRP (glassreinforced plastic) by specialized yards like Technisul, the vessel reflects an era where displacement and structural integrity were prioritized over the lightair agility seen in contemporary production cruisers. While it shares a name with the smaller Koala 38 and 39 built by Chantier Mallard, the 50foot variant represents a significant step up in complexity, intended for a professional or highly experienced owner class.