Seafarer Swiftsure 30 Buyer's Guide
The Seafarer Swiftsure 30, recorded as the Seafarer 30, is a McCurdy & Rhodes cruiser-racer built by Seafarer Yachts from 1978 through 1985. On the used market she appears as a solid-fiberglass coastal boat of about 29.95 ft overall with a 10 ft beam and a fin keel or optional centerboard, powering a practical masthead-sloop rig. Shopping one means weighing a simple 1970s interior against dated systems and the age of a hull built in that production span.
Layouts on the Used Market
Most boats will show the standard arrangement: port-side galley with dual sinks and a three-burner alcohol stove, forward head just aft of the V-berth with hanging locker and bi-fold doors, and sleeping for eight via settees and two quarter berths. A starboard chart table sits by the companionway, with two hatches and Dorade vents for airflow. The optional centerboard version trades a deeper fin for variable draft, a point to confirm at survey.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Engine-wise the fleet splits between the Japanese Yanmar 2GM and the Westerbeke diesel; the Yanmar is the more commonly cited fit. Sail handling centers on two genoa winches on the coaming and a halyard winch, with roof-mounted halyard winches and jiffy-reefing. Buyers should weigh a modern battery and charging upgrade against the original simple wiring, and consider replacing the alcohol stove with a propane or electric unit. A wheel-steered skeg rudder and bridge-deck traveler are standard, so rig upgrades rather than steering changes are the usual owner investment.
What to Inspect
The known construction is solid fiberglass hull and deck with teak trim; the period build used solid laminate rather than core, so survey should focus on gelcoat crazing and teak decay rather than delamination. Confirm the centerboard trunk if fitted, and check the alcohol stove and eight head ports for leak paths. The Yanmar 2GM or Westerbeke should be run cold and warm for smoke and raw-water flow.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Regional availability is not characterized in the brief; treat location as variable. For a buyer, the takeaway is a simple, beamy cruiser-racer with easy wheel steering and a practical interior.
- Verify fin keel vs optional centerboard and trunk condition
- Run both cold and warm engine checks on Yanmar or Westerbeke
- Budget stove and electrical upgrades from the original alcohol and simple layout
- Inspect teak trim and solid-glass hull for age-related wear
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Seafarer Swiftsure 30. 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
3 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Dory 30 C | 30.21' | $ 17,000 | 19 | 3 |
| Tartan 30 | 29.92' | $ 9,950 | 18 | 5 |
| Victoria Victoria 30 | 29.67' | $ 27,109 | 14 | 4 |