Nicholson 40 AC Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used Nicholson 40 AC means chasing a rare bird: only a few were built from 1978 onward, each a low-volume British aft-cockpit ketch with a fin keel and solid fiberglass hull. She is a 40-foot, 24,416-pound cruiser with a 7.4-knot hull speed built for offshore passage.
Layouts on the Used Market
The constant formula is the aft-cockpit, ketch-rigged, fin-keel hull with lead ballast and skeg-hung rudder. Buyers should expect the standard aft-cockpit cruiser arrangement rather than deck saloons or center-cockpit derivatives.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
The used fleet often carries a practical offshore kit: watermakers, solar panels, and inverters appear frequently, alongside autopilots, AIS, and chartplotters. Spinnakers and asymmetric spinnakers are common sail-handling upgrades, with biminis and dodgers for shelter. Teak decks and cockpit showers are also often found. Verify the age and condition of any teak overlay before assuming it is an asset. The 65-gallon fuel and 85-gallon water capacities suit extended cruising.
What to Inspect
On a specific hull, sound the solid-GRP hull for delamination, check the fin-keel joint and skeg-hung rudder bearing for play, and inspect the ketch rigging terminals for corrosion anchor. The small fleet has not shown structural defects, osmotic blistering, rigging failures, or systemic faults, but a haul-out and rigging survey remain essential on a 40-year-old boat.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical markets for the Nicholson 40 AC include Mexico, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. For a shopper, the short checklist is:
- Confirm the hull number against the 1978-plus build record
- Survey the solid fiberglass hull and fin-keel joint closely
- Test the skeg-hung rudder for freeplay at the bearing
- Verify the ketch rigging and sheet sizes (40-foot jib/genoa, 100-foot mainsheet)
- Check any teak decks for rot beneath the fastenings
- Review the watermaker and solar/inverter wiring for age
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Nicholson 40 AC. 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. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 25 | 1 | $48,944 | — |
| Sep 25 | 1 | $81,574 | +66.7% |
| Oct 25 | 1 | $49,000 | -39.9% |
| Jan 26 | 1 | $49,000 | 0.0% |
| Apr 26 | 2 | $48,944 | -0.1% |
| May 26 | 1 | $62,928 | +28.6% |
Where they're listed
Nicholson 40 AC listings appear across 3 countries. Mexico has the most listings with 2 (40.0%), followed by Netherlands and United Kingdom.
Country view
5 listings · 3 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | $49,000 | 2 | 0 | 40.0% |
| Netherlands | $48,944 | 2 | 0 | 40.0% |
| United Kingdom | $81,574 | 1 | 0 | 20.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
8 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hughes 40 | 40' | $ 69,900 | 17 | 1 |
| Siltala 40 | 39.37' | $ 129,900 | 16 | 2 |
| Nicholson 38 | 37.83' | $ 32,626 | 13 | 4 |
| Morgan 40 Cruising Ketch | 40.16' | $ 26,000 | 11 | 2 |
| Nicholson Nicholson 35 | 35.25' | $ 39,424 | 10 | 2 |
| Nicholson 39 | 39' | $ 101,955 | 8 | 3 |
| Bayfield 40 | 45.5' | $ 98,500 | 7 | 5 |
| Nicholson 40 ACYou are here | — | $ 49,000 | 6 | 0 |