Moody 48 DS Buyer's Guide
The Moody DS 48 on the brokerage market is the second second evolutionance evolution of Dixon's Decksaloon concept, a 50ft 7in heavy deck-saloon cruiser built by Moody under Hanse Yachts for single-level living and long-distance passagemaking. With a displacement of 46,650 lb and a 29.2% ballast ratio over a low centre of gravity, she reads as a serious offshore platform rather than a coastal weekender, and most examples you meet will reflect that brief in both layout and fitted gear.
Layouts on the Used Market
Owner three-cabin arrangements are the more common on the used market, but both are available, and ex-charter examples are common. The signature plan keeps galley, saloon and cockpit on one level with a 360-degree panoramic view, a bow master island berth over 2m long, a starboard VIP twin with its own en-suite, and a port cabin that may be a double, bunk room or utility space with or without a third heads. A saloon double formed by lowering the table brings berths to six. The deep, enclosed cockpit and recessed side decks suit exposed-water cruising, though the cockpit itself lacks stowage for small items.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
For a buyer, the meaningful clusters are power, sail handling and navigation. Many boats carry watermakers, solar, lithium batteries, an inverter and electric winches, which together support independent anchoring and passage-making without constant shore power. Navigation and safety gear often seen includes radar, AIS, autopilot, chartplotter and EPIRB. Comfort items such as a bimini, swim platform, cockpit shower and hot water are frequent, while air conditioning, a a selfwer self-t
-tacking tacking -tacking a self-tres
self-t (corrupt) a self2 a self-tacking jib, furling main and washing machine appear as less common owner upgrades. The standard Yanmar is 110hp with a 150hp option, and a Gori overdrive prop was fitted on test boats for efficient motor-sailing.
What to Inspect
The one ergonomic flaw worth checking is that the winches and lines are a little low and partly hidden by the canopy when used from the sidedecks, which can complicate routine trim outboard. Also confirm the cockpit's lack of small-item stowage matches your expectations, since the boat's cavernous lockers do not compensate at the helm. The deep bulwarks, solid guardrails and deep single rudder are straightforward to survey.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These yachts typically turn up in the United States, Germany, Australia, Malta, Denmark and Spain. For a shopper, the checklist is simple: confirm whether the layout is the common owner three-cabin or the alternative; verify the presence of passage-grade power and water gear (watermaker, lithium, inverter, solar); test the winch access with the canopy open; and check the transom, tender garage and engine bay for the 150hp upgrade and generator fit. A well-kept DS 48 is a sheltered, volume-rich bluewater cruiser with few documented weaknesses.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Moody 48 DS. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 6 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 3 | $1,199,339 | — |
| Nov 25 | 1 | $1,574,500 | +31.3% |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $1,007,848 | -36.0% |
| May 26 | 1 | $990,486 | -1.7% |
| Jun 26 | 2 | $1,146,365 | +15.7% |
| Aug 26 | 2 | $1,574,216 | +37.3% |
Where they're listed
Moody 48 DS listings appear across 6 countries. Australia has the most listings with 3 (30.0%), followed by Germany and Denmark.
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
6 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moody 41 DS | 41.08' | $ 645,715 | 23 | 0 |
| Swan 48 | 48.49' | $ 576,812 | 18 | 2 |
| Moody 45 DS | 45.01' | $ 537,984 | 17 | 6 |
| Wauquiez Pilot Saloon 48-2 | 48.46' | $ 815,694 | 13 | 4 |
| Moody 48 DSYou are here | — | $ 1,199,339 | 10 | 4 |
| Hylas 48 | 48' | $ 1,769,000 | 5 | 3 |