Nimble 24 Buyer's Guide
Shopping for a used Nimble 24 — the Tropic model from Nimble Boats Works Inc. — means chasing a small, shallow-draft centerboard cruiser with a split rig and a finite build history. Derived from the Nimble 20 and designed by Ted Brewer in partnership with builder Jerry Koch, the boat was produced from 1988 with few examples completed after the early 2000s. What you find on the market today is a 28.42-foot-overall, 2,600-pound lead-ballasted cruiser whose charm is shoal drafting rather than cabin volume.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every Nimble 24 uses the same keel-with-centerboard hull and masthead-ketch rig, with the mizzen set so far aft that most owners call her a yawl. The 24.17-foot waterline and 8.25-foot beam make for a slender coastal layout: a snug cabin with a chart table and brass lamps below, and a deep cockpit lazarette for stowing coiled lines. The outboard well mounts the engine aft without consuming berth space, and the centerboard trunk is the price of the 1'4" raised / 4'4" lowered draft swing that defines the class.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used fleet, a bimini, cockpit shower, and chartplotter are commonly fitted, the three upgrades most often seen when these boats change hands. Beyond that baseline, buyers should expect variety rather than standard packages — available records show no equipment tier stronger than those three, so anything else is a sometimes-or-owner upgrade rather than a usual feature. For a boat of this size the chartplotter is the consequential navigation item; the bimini and cockpit shower simply speak to how she was day-sailed or anchored out by her prior owner.
What to Inspect
The centerboard is both the boat's signature and her inspection focal point: owners report the board can bottom out as a tactile signal to tack in shallow water, so check the trunk, pivot, and foil for impact wear or delamination from repeated grounding contact. The outboard well and direct-till-to-rudder pivot deserve a look for stress or water intrusion where the blade hangs free of any post. Otherwise, confirm the lazarette drains clear and the gimbaled stove mounts solidly, since owners have used both in normal cruising.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats turn up in the United States market, where the limited post-early-2000s production means patience is required. For a buyer, the short checklist is: verify centerboard and trunk condition, confirm outboard well integrity, and expect to add anything beyond bimini, cockpit shower, and chartplotter yourself.
- Inspect centerboard trunk and foil for grounding wear
- Check outboard well and rudder pivot for free-hanging stress
- Assume bimini, cockpit shower, chartplotter are the only common factory-era extras
- Limit search to United States availability
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Nimble 24. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 5 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 25 | 1 | $7,300 | — |
| Jun 25 | 1 | $9,000 | +23.3% |
| Aug 25 | 2 | $15,000 | +66.7% |
| Sep 25 | 1 | $12,000 | -20.0% |
| May 26 | 1 | $18,062 | +50.5% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
2 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rustler 24 | 24' | $ 50,000 | 5 | 2 |
| Nimble 24You are here | — | $ 18,062 | 1 | 0 |