Searaker 50 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Searaker 50 means looking at a Canadian-built, Edwin Monk-designed ketch from the mid seventies, a 50-foot long-keel cruiser with solid fiberglass hull and deck. These are heavy-displacement boats intended for offshore living, and the used fleet reflects that heritage in both layout and equipment.
Layouts on the Used Market
Owner three-cabin arrangements are the more common on the used market, but both owner and ex-charter layouts are available, with ex-charter examples common. The 13.5-foot beam and 38,000-pound displacement support a roomy interior suited to extended cruising, and the equal 199-gallon water and diesel tanks point to a boat designed for time away from the dock rather than coastal hopping.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market the Searaker 50 commonly carries a short-handed setup, a swim platform, and a bimini, which together make her more manageable and comfortable at anchor. Electric winches and an inverter are commonly fitted, easing sail handling and onboard power use, while lithium batteries commonly replace older banks for house loads. For offwind sailing, an asymmetric spinnaker, code zero, gennaker, and spinnaker are commonly found, and a watermaker is commonly fitted for independent water-making. Navigation and safety commonly include AIS, chartplotter, EPIRB, and life raft, with hot water and air conditioning commonly part of the comfort package.
What to Inspect
Windward Marine built her with a fiberglass hull and deck in solid layup, and the long keel with attached rudder should be checked for grounding damage along its full length. The inboard Perkins diesel is the noted engine, and its mounts and shaft alignment warrant a close look given the 38,000-pound displacement she drives. The wetted surface of about 645 square feet means a thorough hull survey for osmosis or earlier repair is prudent, and the 199-gallon tanks should be opened for internal condition.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The typical market for the Searaker 50 is Australia, where both owner and ex-charter examples turn up. For a shopper, the short list is: confirm the ketch rig and sheet dimensions match a well-maintained sail plan, verify the Perkins diesel and tank integrity, inspect the long keel and attached rudder for damage, and check that common cruising gear like the watermaker and lithium batteries is functional. She is a steady, tankage-rich bluewater ketch best suited to a buyer who values passage-making over speed.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Searaker 50. 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. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 26 | 2 | $422,076 | — |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $418,453 | -0.9% |
Where they're listed
Searaker 50 listings appear across 1 country. Australia has the most listings with 3.
Country view
3 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | $420,592 | 3 | 0 | 100.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shannon 50 | 50.92' | $ 209,000 | 16 | 1 |
| Gulfstar 50 Kth | 50' | $ 62,400 | 8 | 5 |
| Ker 50You are here | — | $ 420,592 | 3 | 0 |