Saga 48 Buyer's Guide
The Saga 48 is a Robert Perry-designed cruiser that entered production in 2003 as the third model in Saga Marine's fast-and-comfortable line, conceived originally against the overly beamy boats of its era. For a shopper looking at used Saga 48s, the 48 presents as a couple-oriented bluewater-capable monohull with a shoal fin-and-bulb keel, a self-tacking jib rig, and an interior built around long passages rather than charter turnover.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every Saga 48 carries the same essential Perry layout: a raised double helm seat with inside steering, a large galley with a very large reefer/freezer, a dinette that is not raised but extends outboard under the side deck at 7 feet 6 inches long, and two heads sharing a shower stall anchor. A nav station sits by the aft head, a large hanging locker is noted, and the forward stateroom holds a berth measuring six feet wide at its maximum anchor. The plumb stem gives a large fo'c'sle accessed by a foredeck hatch, and the aft cockpit leaves a huge lazarette. Twin wheels leave the stern walkway open to the bathing platform anchor, and the wheel consoles are molded to hold navigation displays.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the brokerage market these boats commonly carry air conditioning, heating, an inverter, electric winches, a freezer, and a washing machine, alongside canvas in the form of bimini and dodger and a swim platform with dinghy davits. Navigation gear commonly fitted includes radar, AIS, autopilot, and chartplotter. For a buyer, the electric winches and inverter matter most: they reduce the physical load of the self-tacking jib and power the house systems at anchor, while the full nav suite supports short-handed passage-making. The canvas and davits are practical for tropical cruising, and the washer-freezer-air trio signals a boat equipped for extended liveaboard use rather than weekend sailing.
What to Inspect
A survey of a used Saga 48 should focus on standard age-related items for a boat of this type. The self-tacking jib's mast-routed single sheet and coaming winch deserve a function check, and the two-wheel cockpit consoles should be inspected for instrument-screen mounting integrity. The fin-and-bulb keel and far-aft spade rudder are conventional; confirm rudder stock and bulb attachment as with any shoal cruiser.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Saga 48s typically appear on the used market in the United States. For a buyer, the checklist is straightforward: confirm the tall-rig option if bridge clearance is no concern, verify the self-tacking jib and genoa tracks operate cleanly, check the large reefer/freezer and galley systems, and assess the walk-through transom and davits for cruising readiness. A well-kept example offers a beamier, elegant Perry cruiser with a shoal keel and a couple-friendly layout.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Saga 48. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 2 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 1 | $249,000 | — |
| Jan 26 | 1 | $249,000 | 0.0% |
Where they're listed
Saga 48 listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 2.
Country view
2 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $249,000 | 2 | 0 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
6 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saga 43 | 43.25' | $ 165,750 | 36 | 4 |
| Swan 48 | 48.49' | $ 572,563 | 18 | 1 |
| Hallberg-Rassy 48 | 49.18' | $ 664,999 | 11 | 2 |
| Nautor Swan Swan 48-2 | 49.51' | $ 804,480 | 6 | 0 |
| Wauquiez Centurion 48 S | 48.88' | $ 149,213 | 6 | 0 |
| Saga 48You are here | — | $ 249,000 | 2 | 0 |