Nonsuch 33 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used market for a Nonsuch 33 means entering a small corner of the cat-boat world: only 67 were built from 1988, mostly by Hinterhoeller Yachts in Canada, with a few later hulls from Wiggers Custom Yachts. Mark Ellis’s design strips the boat to a single unstayed mast and wishbone boom, so the buyer is really evaluating a cruiser defined by simplicity rather than a conventional sloop’s complexity.
Layouts on the Used Market
The 33-foot hull carries a plumb stem and vertical transom over a 31.46-foot waterline, with a 12.5-foot beam that gives the cabin a wide footprint unusual for the length. Below, the cat rig’s forward mast position leaves the saloon open across the beam, and the fixed fin keel with 6,050 pounds of lead ballast sits under a solid fiberglass hull. A 40-gallon diesel and 96-gallon water capacity point to a boat equipped for extended stays, not a trailer-weekender.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Most boats on the market carry a chartplotter, bimini, dodger, autopilot, hot water, inverter, electric winches, radar, and AIS as standard cruising kit. A short-handed setup is often seen, reflecting the cat rig’s single-sail handling. Less common owner additions include cabin heating and a hardtop. For a buyer, the electric winches and autopilot matter most because they reduce the physical effort of managing the large 669-square-foot mainsail, while radar and AIS extend safe passage-making.
What to Inspect
The unstayed mast removes shrouds and headstay from the survey, but the mast step deserves close attention. The solid fiberglass hull and deck should be checked for the usual laminate issues, and the Yanmar 3JH2T-BE, Universal M35, or Volvo MD2040 diesel installation should be run and inspected like any small auxiliary. With only 67 hulls and a few built by a second yard, confirm the builder and hull number against the production count of 67 before survey.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats appear in the United States, Canada, and Grenada. For the buyer, the checklist is short and specific:
- Verify hull provenance (Hinterhoeller vs. Wiggers) and total of 67 built
- Inspect unstayed mast step
- Confirm diesel model and service history among the three known engines
- Check for electric winches and autopilot to ease single-sail handling
- Expect chartplotter, radar, AIS, and canvas as commonly fitted equipment
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Nonsuch 33. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 7 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25 | 1 | $75,000 | — |
| Feb 25 | 1 | $126,287 | +68.4% |
| Mar 25 | 2 | $69,900 | -44.6% |
| Jul 25 | 3 | $75,000 | +7.3% |
| Mar 26 | 2 | $68,490 | -8.7% |
| Apr 26 | 3 | $69,900 | +2.1% |
| Jul 26 | 4 | $59,900 | -14.3% |
Where they're listed
Nonsuch 33 listings appear across 2 countries. United States has the most listings with 6 (75.0%), followed by Canada.
Country view
8 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $59,950 | 6 | 4 | 75.0% |
| Canada | $63,445 | 2 | 0 | 25.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
5 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Siltala Yachts Finland 33 | 33.17' | $ 68,739 | 104 | 31 |
| Nonsuch Nonsuch 30 Classic | 30.33' | $ 33,000 | 15 | 7 |
| Conyplex 33 | 32.25' | $ 24,500 | 13 | 2 |
| Nonsuch 33You are here | — | $ 62,628 | 9 | 4 |
| Nonsuch 36 | 36' | $ 69,500 | 9 | 1 |