Seawind 1170 Buyer's Guide
The Seawind 1170 is a 39-foot Category A cruising catamaran designed by Richard Ward and built for couples who want a manageable yet offshore-capable boat. On the brokerage market you will find ex-charter examples alongside privately owned boats, and the layout you encounter is almost always the same three-cabin plan with the galley down.
Layouts on the Used Market
Owner three-cabin layouts are more common on the used market, though both owner and ex-charter versions appear. The boat offers only one three-cabin configuration: the entire port hull is the owner’s domain with an island berth forward and a long aft head with walk-in shower, while the starboard hull carries a straight-line galley sandwiched by two double cabins, one with its own forward bathroom and an aft cabin suited to children or weekends. The saloon and cockpit merge via the tri-fold door, and the galley remains open to the main cabin at the top, keeping the social space unbroken.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Solar panels are commonly fitted, and a self-tacking jib is standard enough to be expected on most boats. Beyond that, buyer-consequence upgrades appear in tiers. Power and energy is where the biggest variations show: lithium battery banks, inverters, and occasionally a watermaker or air conditioning reflect an owner’s self-sufficiency goals. Sail-handling upgrades such as a furling main, electric winches, and an asymmetric spinnaker or gennaker are sometimes seen, as are short-handed setups. Navigation and comfort clusters bring B&G or similar electronics, autopilot, AIS, and a bimini or davits. A trampoline, teak decks, and cockpit shower round out less critical comforts. None of these are universal; treat any absent system as a negotiation point rather than a defect.
What to Inspect
The one documented compliance item is the guardrail arrangement: because toe-rails were not moulded into the hull, Seawind fitted a cable spanning the stanchion bases to meet CE standards anchor. At a viewing, trace that cable end to end and confirm it is seated at every stanchion base with no slack or corrosion at the terminals, since a missing or cut span leaves the boat non-compliant and unsafe as a lifeline.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These cats turn up in the United States, Sweden, Türkiye, and Australia. When you go to look, keep a short checklist in mind:
- Confirm the stanchion-base cable is intact and tight.
- Verify the tri-fold door lifts fully and locks under the coachroof.
- Check the lithium bank and inverter for monitored state of charge.
- Test the self-tacking jib and all aft-led lines from both helms.
- Inspect the coachroof gutter and tank-fill hose for clean sealing.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Seawind 1170. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 7 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 1 | $650,000 | — |
| Oct 25 | 1 | $1,100,000 | +69.2% |
| Jan 26 | 1 | $649,900 | -40.9% |
| Feb 26 | 1 | $662,495 | +1.9% |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $510,000 | -23.0% |
| Jun 26 | 2 | $510,000 | 0.0% |
| Sep 26 | 4 | $510,000 | 0.0% |
Where they're listed
Seawind 1170 listings appear across 3 countries. United States has the most listings with 8 (80.0%), followed by Australia and Turkey.
Country view
10 listings · 3 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $510,000 | 8 | 4 | 80.0% |
| Australia | $1,100,000 | 1 | 0 | 10.0% |
| Turkey | $662,495 | 1 | 0 | 10.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
11 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excess 11 | 37.17' | $ 444,438 | 129 | 28 |
| Jeanneau 14 | 45.83' | $ 643,219 | 104 | 16 |
| Seawind 1160 | 38.06' | $ 430,000 | 87 | 21 |
| Leopard Catamarans 39 | 37.5' | $ 267,450 | 46 | 3 |
| Seawind 1370 | 44.95' | $ 899,000 | 42 | 18 |
| Excess 12 | 38.52' | $ 420,863 | 38 | 2 |
| Seawind 1260 | 40.85' | $ 507,382 | 38 | 11 |
| Seawind 1000 | 32.81' | $ 119,000 | 28 | 2 |
| Nautitech 40 | 39.67' | $ 225,000 | 21 | 5 |
| Corsair Cruze 970 | 31.82' | $ 199,900 | 18 | 1 |
| Seawind 1170You are here | — | $ 510,000 | 10 | 4 |