Ta Shing Baba 30 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a used Ta Shing Baba 30 means entering the world of a Robert Perry double-ender built from 1978 to 1985, more than 230 of which left Taiwan. These are heavy, traditional cruisers with a tall cutter rig and a reputation for holding value, and the used fleet spans early single-shroud boats through later models with added lower shrouds, aluminum spars, and Yanmar diesels in place of Volvo. Knowing which upgrades and defects a specific hull carries matters more than the asking price.
Layouts on the Used Market
Two interior plans were offered from new: a V-berth bow arrangement popular on the West Coast and a double-berth version favored in the East. Both share a teak-and-holly sole, a port U-galley below the companionway, an opposite nav station with quarterberth, and a triangular starboard head forward of the saloon. The chain locker is reached through louvered teak doors, and cockpit stowage includes a port lazarette plus two elevated oval compartments that double as helmsman backrests. A vented propane locker and 14-inch teak-covered cubbies sit in the cockpit, with 6 feet 4 inches of headroom throughout.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Most used Baba 30s on the market carry chartplotter, bimini, dodger, and teak decks as commonly fitted gear. Beyond that, buyers will often see lithium batteries, wind generators, bow thrusters, and radar as frequent additions. Less common owner upgrades include cabin heating, spinnaker or asymmetric spinnaker, freezer, AIS, and circumnavigation or transatlantic completed. For a cruiser, the power-and-energy cluster (lithium banks, wind gens) and the navigation cluster (chartplotter, radar, AIS) are the consequential ones; canvas such as bimini and dodger simply signals coastal use. The original tall cutter rig with self-tending staysail and bowsprit remains the defining sail plan regardless of electronics.
What to Inspect
The structural facts demand a careful survey. Some hulls showed minor blistering within 12 inches of the waterline, and chainplate bolts have corroded on certain boats — though they remain visible from below for checking. The steel fuel tank drew surveyor criticism, and owners report the tank may hold only 27 gallons against a 40-gallon claim, while the two water tanks can total just 50 gallons. Early boats left the factory with only one set of shrouds; confirm that aluminum spars replaced the original spruce and that fore and aft lower shrouds were added after a dismasting, and verify later aluminum spars replaced the original spruce. Some owners call oil-filter changes an acrobatic challenge even with companionway-step engine access, so inspect the service path. Water and mud entering with the ground tackle through the forepeak is a noted drawback.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats turn up in the United States, Malaysia, Colombia, and the United Kingdom. A short checklist for the walk-through: confirm the shroud upgrade and aluminum spars, sound the chainplate bolts and near-waterline hull for blistering, verify tankage against owner reports, and assess the steel fuel tank’s condition. Favor later builds with foam insulation and boom gallows, but weigh any Baba 30 against the Westsail 32, Valiant 32, or Hans Christian 33 on rig maturity and known corrosion points before committing.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Ta Shing Baba 30. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 11 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 25 | 3 | $49,999 | — |
| Apr 25 | 1 | $34,900 | -30.2% |
| Jul 25 | 2 | $34,700 | -0.6% |
| Aug 25 | 1 | $13,500 | -61.1% |
| Sep 25 | 3 | $49,500 | +266.7% |
| Oct 25 | 2 | $52,348 | +5.8% |
| Nov 25 | 1 | $45,000 | -14.0% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $56,500 | +25.6% |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $54,252 | -4.0% |
| May 26 | 3 | $35,900 | -33.8% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $55,000 | +53.2% |
Where they're listed
Ta Shing Baba 30 listings appear across 4 countries. United States has the most listings with 7 (63.6%), followed by Malaysia and Colombia.
Country view
11 listings · 4 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $49,500 | 7 | 0 | 63.6% |
| Malaysia | $45,195 | 2 | 0 | 18.2% |
| Colombia | $55,000 | 1 | 1 | 9.1% |
| United Kingdom | $54,252 | 1 | 0 | 9.1% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bavaria Yachts Cruiser 30 | 31.08' | $ 55,890 | 128 | 36 |
| Ta Shing Baba 30You are here | — | $ 50,750 | 12 | 1 |
| Cornish Crabbers Pilot 30 | 38.98' | $ 104,585 | 8 | 2 |