Swarbrick 80 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used Swarbrick 80 means looking at a 26-foot one-design built by Swarbrick Bros. Yachts Pty Ltd from 1978 onward, with a strict class rule set that keeps the boats close on the water. She is a fractional-sloop racer-cruiser of solid fibreglass, 8 meters long, drawing about 1.40 to 1.50 meters on a fin keel — a small, light boat that rewards a careful pre-purchase inspection more than a heavy offshore cruiser would.
Layouts on the Used Market
Because the Swarbrick 80 is a one-design class, used boats follow the same fundamental hull and deck mold, so layout variation between examples is minimal. The defining numbers are consistent: 8.00 meters overall, 2.70-meter beam, 1,400-kilogram displacement, and 550 kilograms of ballast. A buyer should expect the standard one-design interior and cockpit rather than custom owner layouts, since class status depends on conformity.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the brokerage market these boats commonly carry solar power, a spinnaker, and a chartplotter as standard equipment. Solar supports battery keeping on a boat with limited house capacity; the spinnaker is part of the rated racing wardrobe at 51 square meters; and a chartplotter brings modern navigation to an older hull. Most differences between boats will be age, condition, and sail inventory rather than factory option lists.
What to Inspect
The solid fibreglass hull and deck should be checked for gelcoat crazing, and chainplate areas examined for stress, on every used Swarbrick 80. Confirm the fractional rig hardware matches the specified 25.7-meter halyards and 10 mm sheets. The standard used-boat survey scope applies without a known design-specific exception.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats are typically found in Australia. For a shopper, the practical steps are straightforward:
- Confirm the one-design hull number and class compliance
- Inspect the solid fibreglass hull and deck for age-related wear
- Verify the fractional rig and standing rigging match spec dimensions
- Check the spinnaker, solar, and chartplotter are present and working
- Survey the keel fin and rudder for impact or moisture
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Swarbrick 80. 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. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 26 | 3 | $2,863 | — |
| Aug 26 | 1 | $5,333 | +86.3% |
Where they're listed
Swarbrick 80 listings appear across 1 country. Australia has the most listings with 4.
Country view
4 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | $3,758 | 4 | 1 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
2 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| J-Boats J/80 | 26.25' | $ 30,000 | 26 | 7 |
| Swarbrick 80You are here | — | $ 3,758 | 4 | 1 |