Northeast 400 Buyer's Guide
The Northeast 400 is a Mark Ellis–designed pilothouse motorsailer that Cabo Rico has built in Costa Rica since 1995, a 42-foot fiberglass yacht with a 100-horsepower Yanmar diesel and a level, light interior suited to liveaboard cruising. Used Northeast 400s appear as a genuine dual-purpose boat — equally content beating to weather or steaming through a windless fog bank — and the used fleet rewards a careful look at layout, equipment, and structure.
Layouts on the Used Market
Owner three-cabin arrangements are the more common layout afloat, though both configurations remain available, and ex-charter examples are common. The standard plan places the saloon and inside helm on one level with the cockpit, a forward port galley with top-load refrigeration, a flexible starboard space often finished as a second cabin or den with a fireplace, and a forward master stateroom with an island queen. A conventional full head with shower was offered, so buyers should confirm which version a given hull carries.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Most boats on the market are commonly fitted with air conditioning, an inverter, autopilot, a chartplotter, and solar — a cluster that speaks to independent power and navigation for extended cruising. Often-seen electric winches and radar build on that, easing sail handling and visibility. Less common owner additions include a furling main, bow thruster, freezer, hot water, hardtop, swim platform, and short-handed rigging; the furling main in particular suits the boat’s easy-living character, while a bow thruster remains a convenience rather than a necessity given reported single-screw handling.
What to Inspect
The hull is cored for sound and temperature insulation with an option of Core-Cell or balsa, and the deck is balsa-cored but solid glass in high-load areas and around penetrations — inspect those solid sections and any through-deck fitting for previous work. The hull-to-deck joint is bonded with 3M 5200 and through-bolted with stainless fasteners and aircraft locking nuts, so check for teak caprail condition and any joint separation. A wood-free fiberglass grid and solid subfloor argue against rot, but confirm the ballast keel bolts into the grid remain sound. Engine access is through a large saloon panel into a space with twin selectable Racor filters and a strainer; verify filter and electrical condition.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The Northeast 400 typically turns up in the United States and Canada. For a shopper, the short list is: confirm layout and head configuration; verify coring and hull-deck joint integrity; test engine access and Racor setup; and decide which owner upgrades (furling main, thruster, freezer) matter for your plans.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Northeast 400. 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 | 2 | $215,000 | — |
| Jun 25 | 3 | $154,900 | -28.0% |
| Sep 25 | 3 | $199,000 | +28.5% |
| Apr 26 | 2 | $154,900 | -22.2% |
| May 26 | 1 | $154,900 | 0.0% |
| Jun 26 | 4 | $154,000 | -0.6% |
Where they're listed
Northeast 400 listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 6.
Country view
6 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $154,900 | 6 | 0 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
7 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catalina 400 | 40.5' | $ 98,000 | 48 | 21 |
| Najad 440-1 | 43.63' | $ 402,973 | 16 | 3 |
| Pilothouse 37 | 36.84' | $ 217,575 | 12 | 4 |
| Norseman 400 | 40' | $ 95,000 | 9 | 1 |
| Cabo Rico 400You are here | — | $ 154,900 | 7 | 0 |
| Ta Shing 40 Pilot House | 39.83' | $ 100,000 | 7 | 0 |
| Tartan 3800 | 38' | $ 129,000 | 6 | 1 |