Rhodes Swiftsure 33 Buyer's Guide
Shopping a used Rhodes Swiftsure 33 means weighing a 1959–1965 fiberglass sloop of which 150 were built, imported to the U.S. through Seafarer Yachts, with two interior generations that matter more than most buyers expect. She is a 33-foot centerboard cruiser with a masthead rig and a gasoline inboard, and the differences between early and late builds are visible the moment you step below.
Layouts on the Used Market
The first boats, built by G. deVries Lentch, Inc., carry a permanently fixed cabin table whose two leaves fold down but whose base remains, with a hollow stainless pole at its aft end running sole to ceiling as the centerboard cable housing anchor. The later model, mostly from Royal Netherlands Aircraft, folds the entire table away and moves the centerboard control cable inside the port cabinetry. Externally, original boats show bronze deck hardware and mahogany trim; the COMMODORE SWIFTSURE version wears stainless steel and aluminum hardware with teak. Both share hull shape, deck layout, and sailplan, so layout differences are interior and trim-driven rather than structural.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, solar panels, an inverter, and electric winches are commonly fitted to these boats, usually added by owners to ease anchoring and sail handling without rewiring the original gasoline Atomic 4 setup. For a buyer, that cluster means house power and trimming help are often already addressed; verify panel output and winch amp draw against the original 30 hp engine and 106-liter fuel capacity rather than assuming modern margins.
What to Inspect
Check the centerboard control routing: early boats expose the cable housing through the saloon table pole, later boats conceal it in port cabinetry anchor. Confirm which generation you are viewing and inspect that path for free movement and water intrusion at the sole penetration.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats are found in the United States. When you go to look, keep a short list: confirm original versus Commodore trim and table style, operate the centerboard control in both directions, check the Atomic 4 gasoline installation for fuel-system condition, and verify any fitted solar, inverter, and electric winch upgrades are properly fused. A clean early boat with bronze hardware or a later fold-away table version both make sensible traditional cruisers if the centerboard path is sound.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Rhodes Swiftsure 33. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conyplex 33 | 32.25' | $ 25,293 | 14 | 3 |
| CS 33 | 32.67' | $ 21,513 | 13 | 2 |
| Cape Dory 33 | 33.04' | $ 31,750 | 10 | 2 |
| Pearson Vanguard 33 | 32.58' | $ 8,500 | 3 | 2 |