Morgan 43 Buyer's Guide
The Morgan 43 debuted in 1985 from Morgan Yachts in the United States, shortly after Catalina Yachts acquired the brand, and is often designated the Morgan 43 CC for its centre-cockpit configuration. Approximately 50 to 60 hulls were built during a brief production run primarily from 1985 to 1987, and the design later evolved into the similar Catalina Morgan 43/44. Targeted at serious voyagers and liveaboards, she is now regarded as a collector’s item in the 40-foot class, with a spacious teak interior and a balanced sail plan that rewards skilled handling.
Layouts on the Used Market
The standard production was a single-keel, masthead-sloop, centre-cockpit layout with only minor interior trim differences between hulls. Below, the boat sleeps six to seven and centres on an aft master stateroom, a forward guest cabin, a U-galley, a saloon and two heads. The aft cabin gives owners a proper retreat with an island berth, while the forward V-berth with its own head suits children or guests. A walkthrough to the aft cabin runs past the engine space, and the galley sits near the companionway for use on either tack. The deep, protected centre cockpit with high coamings and wide side decks defines the deck plan; the trade-off is a higher helm that feels vertical motion more than an aft-cockpit design.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the brokerage market, climate and navigation gear are commonly fitted: air conditioning, heating, radar, autopilot and chartplotter appear on most boats, with solar frequent as well. Power and energy often include an inverter, while sail-handling and canvas upgrades seen on many hulls run to a spinnaker, bimini and hardtop. Less common owner additions with real consequence include a watermaker, lithium batteries, electric winches and dinghy davits — the last two speaking to short-handed cruising and tender stowage rather than creature comfort alone. Buyers should treat original deck hardware and wiring as suspect regardless of tier.
What to Inspect
Weak points on these boats are consistent with a mid-1980s cruiser. Deck core moisture shows up around chainplates, stanchion bases, winches and the mast step, and chainplates passing through the deck should be inspected for crevice corrosion. Original aluminium-framed portlights and cabin windows often leak, leaving stains or delamination at the frames. Keel bolts and bilge floors need checking for corrosion or grounding cracks, and the rudder and skeg junction for bearing play or water ingress. The Perkins 4-108 is robust but commonly due overhaul or repower, while original mild-steel fuel tanks are prime replacement candidates and electrical systems may mix old and new wiring.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats appear in the United States market. For a shopper, the checklist is short and structural: confirm deck core soundness at chainplates and mast step; verify rigging age and chainplate corrosion; test portlight seals and window frames; inspect keel bolts, rudder bearings and skeg-hull joint; budget for engine overhaul, fuel tank replacement and electrical cleanup. A genuine aft cabin, walk-through engine access and conservative offshore manners make the Morgan 43 a worthy liveaboard candidate if those age items are addressed.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Morgan 43. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 8 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 25 | 1 | $39,500 | — |
| Oct 25 | 2 | $74,900 | +89.6% |
| Dec 25 | 1 | $28,000 | -62.6% |
| Mar 26 | 3 | $64,500 | +130.4% |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $64,500 | 0.0% |
| May 26 | 3 | $64,900 | +0.6% |
| Jun 26 | 3 | $64,900 | 0.0% |
| Aug 26 | 2 | $60,000 | -7.6% |
Where they're listed
Morgan 43 listings appear across 2 countries. United States has the most listings with 12 (92.3%), followed by Guatemala.
Country view
13 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $64,900 | 12 | 3 | 92.3% |
| Guatemala | $60,000 | 1 | 1 | 7.7% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
10 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeanneau Sun Sun Odyssey 43 | 43.34' | $ 110,695 | 63 | 7 |
| X-Yachts X-43 | 42.42' | $ 264,567 | 42 | 18 |
| Saga 43 | 43.25' | $ 165,750 | 36 | 5 |
| Dufour Classic 43 | 43' | $ 87,391 | 33 | 3 |
| Morgan 45-4 | 45.33' | $ 62,000 | 28 | 4 |
| Morgan Yachts Morgan 44 | 44' | $ 95,000 | 23 | 0 |
| Morgan 43You are here | — | $ 64,900 | 15 | 5 |
| Swan 43 | 42.78' | $ 92,857 | 15 | 2 |
| Baltic 43 | 43.34' | $ 145,651 | 9 | 0 |
| Catalina Morgan 43 | 43' | $ 55,000 | 5 | 3 |