Ocean 71 Buyer's Guide
The Ocean 71 is a 71-foot ketch designed by E.G. van de Stadt and built by Southern Ocean Ltd. between 1970 and 1982, with just 16 hulls completed, so every example on the used market is a scarce and individual yacht rather than a common production boat.
Layouts on the Used Market
The standard layout places the owner's cabin aft with a double berth, sofa, desk, wardrobe and ensuite head, two guest cabins per side of the saloon with twin berths and a shared head, and a separate forward crew cabin with two singles and its own head. The saloon has a port-side U-shaped settee and dining table opposite a starboard navigation station and bar, and the galley sits forward of the saloon to port with a four-burner stove, oven, fridge and freezer. A spacious twin-wheel cockpit with integrated table and a large aft deck with dinghy davit round out the outdoor spaces.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Original boats carried a hydraulic davit for the dinghy and a large aft locker for sails and gear, with sprayhood and bimini protecting the cockpit. Some hulls were delivered with in-mast or in-boom reefing, and a few substituted carbon fiber masts for the standard aluminum alloy spars. For a buyer, the rigging story matters most: the stainless wire rigging relies on swaged terminals and the moving lines are synthetic rope or spectra, so a survey should confirm terminal condition and rope age.
What to Inspect
The keel is bolted to the hull with stainless steel bolts that are accessible from inside the boat, so inspect those fastenings and the surrounding structure for any sign of movement or corrosion anchor. The rudder is a balanced spade on a skeg with two pintles and gudgeons operated through cockpit wheels, and the attachment points and tube runs under the deck deserve close attention anchor. The hull is fiberglass with a balsa core, so check for any core moisture in the topsides and deck, and confirm the teak-laid deck remains sound.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Availability will be a matter of watching brokerage listings worldwide. For any serious look, a buyer should:
- Verify keel-bolt condition from inside the hull
- Survey rudder pintles, gudgeons and steering tubes
- Test balsa-core hull and teak deck for moisture
- Confirm rigging terminals and any carbon fiber spars
- Review davit hydraulics and reefing system type
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
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