Nicholson 476 Buyer's Guide
Shopping for a used Nicholson 476 means coming to terms with a genuinely scarce 46-foot cruiser from Camper & Nicholson Ltd., with only eleven hulls completed before the tooling passed to another builder. Most boats you will encounter are centered in the United Kingdom, and the variety of layouts means a buyer must decide early between aft- and center-cockpit versions before judging any individual example.
Layouts on the Used Market
The 476 was offered in aft-cockpit and center-cockpit forms, as sloop or ketch, with three keel options available from the builder anchor. The two cockpit layouts share the same interior except for the aft cabin, so the choice is really about how you live at anchor and who sleeps near the helm. The aft-cockpit version carries a small secondary cockpit clear of the working area with its own companionway, and places the master stateroom just a step from the watch under the dodger, with sea berths in the saloon and a pilot berth anchor. The center-cockpit boat tucks the engine under the cockpit where it is easy to reach, while the aft-cockpit keeps the engine forward of the aft cabin anchor. Remember that Colvic Craft later built several hulls from the same molds as the Bluewater 476, and these likely differ in finish from the Camper & Nicholson originals anchor.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market these boats commonly carry heating, a bimini, teak decks, radar, and a chartplotter, along with shorthanded sailing setups and a furling main. A bow thruster and autopilot are also commonly fitted, as are a life raft and spinnaker. For a buyer, the clusters that matter most are power and energy — heating and autopilot draw on house systems that should be assessed for capacity — and sail handling, where a furling main and shorthanded rigging reduce crew workload but may obscure mast or furler condition. Navigation gear such as radar and chartplotter is expected, while a bow thruster aids close-quarters control on a 33,000-pound hull.
What to Inspect
The encapsulated lead ballast is a single casting inside the molded keel, and the boat has no keel bolts to loosen anchor. That design removes a common failure point, but the internal ballast can take on water if the keel is damaged after a navigation error in rocky ground anchor. Inspect the keel sump and any repair history for signs of water entry around the ballast cavity. Also confirm which cockpit layout you are viewing, since engine access differs: the center-cockpit placing is far kinder to service than the aft-cockpit forward location anchor.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These yachts are typically found in the United Kingdom. Given the small original build and the Colvic-built sisters, a buyer should verify the builder and finish before committing.
- Confirm original Camper & Nicholson build versus Colvic Bluewater 476
- Check keel for water ingress around internal lead ballast
- Verify engine access route for your chosen cockpit layout
- Assess house power for heating and autopilot loads
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Nicholson 476. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 2 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 25 | 1 | $175,358 | — |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $175,358 | 0.0% |
Where they're listed
Nicholson 476 listings appear across 1 country. United Kingdom has the most listings with 2.
Country view
2 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $175,358 | 2 | 0 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
4 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholson 39 | 39' | $ 101,952 | 8 | 3 |
| Moody 46 | 46.13' | $ 263,028 | 6 | 2 |
| Cheoy Lee Offshore 47 | 46.75' | $ 136,975 | 6 | 1 |
| Nicholson 476You are here | — | $ 175,358 | 2 | 0 |