Snapdragon 747 Buyer's Guide
The Snapdragon 747 is a British trailerable sailboat first built in 1964 as a development of the Snapdragon 24, and though she is now out of production, over 350 were completed by 1976, leaving a usable population of solid-glassfibre cruisers on the brokerage market. She is a 24.50-foot monohull with a 20.50-foot waterline and an 8.00-foot beam, displacing 3,700 pounds with 1,550 pounds of ballast, and the used examples you meet will almost always be recreational keelboats rather than project racers.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every 747 was built to sleep four, and the used-boat layouts you will see are consistent: a double V-berth in the bow cabin, an L-shaped settee in the main cabin, and an aft quarter berth on the starboard side. The galley is on the starboard side just aft of the bow cabin, with the head opposite on the port side in the same forebody band. What varies between listings is the keel: the standard fixed twin keels draw 2.50 feet, while some boats carry the optional fin keel at 3.50 feet—worth confirming before you plan a shallow-anchor itinerary.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
The fleet left the factory fitted with a Japanese Yanmar YS 8 diesel used for docking and manoeuvring, so any example without that engine has been repowered, and any claim of a larger auxiliary should be checked against the docking-only intent. Wood trim is standard, so refinishing or replacing timber accents is a normal ownership task rather than a modification. Because market-brief data on fitted prevalence is absent, we keep equipment descriptions to the documented standard specification and avoid asserting how commonly any upgrade appears.
What to Inspect
The documented record on the 747 carries no cited structural defects, flooding paths, or drainage faults, which means the inspection should concentrate on age-appropriate items rather than a known class weakness. Confirm the skeg-mounted rudder and tiller gear are sound, since the new skeg-mounted rudder design was a defining change from the 24 and any earlier impact damage would concentrate at that skeg. Verify the solid glassfibre hull and wood trim for ordinary weathering, and check the Yanmar YS 8 for running condition as a docking aid rather than a propulsion system.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
No regional availability data is recorded for this model, so we note only that the 747 was built by Thames Marine in the United Kingdom and is supported by an active class club, the Snapdragon, Mirage and Invaders Association. For the shopper, the practical checklist is short: confirm twin-keel versus fin-keel draft, verify the Yanmar YS 8 docking engine runs, inspect the skeg and tiller, and join the class club on purchase.
- Confirm keel type and resulting draft (2.50 ft twin / 3.50 ft fin)
- Verify Yanmar YS 8 present and operational for docking
- Inspect skeg-mounted rudder and tiller for impact or wear
- Note solid glassfibre hull with wood trim needing routine care
- Plan to use the active class club for ongoing support
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Snapdragon 747. 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 | $6,457 | — |
| Oct 25 | 1 | $4,071 | -37.0% |
Where they're listed
Snapdragon 747 listings appear across 1 country. United Kingdom has the most listings with 2.
Country view
2 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $5,264 | 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
3 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compromis 777 | 25.82' | $ 10,964 | 14 | 6 |
| Sabre Yachts 27 | 27' | $ 5,435 | 12 | 3 |
| Snapdragon 747You are here | — | $ 5,262 | 2 | 0 |