Trapper 300 Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

The Trapper 300 sleeps five in a fixed layout built around two fibreglass modules bonded to the hull. The forward cabin has a double berth with stowage beneath and shelves port and starboard. The heads area can be completely enclosed with a marine toilet and wet hanging locker to starboard and a dry hanging locker to port. The saloon carries a dinette to starboard with deep bins and lockers, while to port the galley has a deep sink, gimballed gas cooker with grill, extensive working surfaces, and a deck-mounted flexible ventilator overhead. An ice box sits under the quarter berth, and a permanent chart table serves the navigator with chart stowage below. All berths have 3-inch foam cushions in synthetic water-resistant fabric.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

On the used market, heating, inverter, and bow thruster are commonly fitted to Trapper 300 examples. The builder's standard equipment already includes an anodised aluminium toerail, S/S pushpit and pulpit, aluminium stemhead with bow roller, two Lewmar 16a two-speed sheet winches and two Lewmar 6a halyard winches, a 55 amp-hr 12v battery with fused panel, six interior lights, and international nav lights. The optional Yanmar YSE 8 diesel, bronze two-bladed prop, 20-gallon flexible water tank, and 4-gallon fuel tank are documented factory items rather than upgrades. No items appear in the often-seen or sometimes-upgraded tiers, so any other gear should be read as a specific boat's history.

What to Inspect

Documented known issues for the Trapper 300 are limited to configuration verification rather than defects. The builder records a standard cast-iron fin keel of 2028 lbs through-bolted with 20 mm stainless studs, while a separate source describes an alternative iron keel of unknown type drawing 1.25–1.35 m versus the fin keel's 1.49–1.59 m; confirm which keel a hull carries and its bolt condition. All underwater hull fittings are approved bronze seacocks with S/S hose clips, so inspect those seacocks and hose clips for serviceability. The deck and coachroof is reinforced with balsa core and plywood stiffening, and the hull is hand-laid GRP — check for core moisture or delamination at fittings given the balsa-cored deck. The optional lead keel and Yanmar YSE 8 engine were factory extras, so verify presence and mounting on flexible beds with the permanent oil drip tray intact.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

Trapper 300 boats typically appear in the United Kingdom and Belgium. For a buyer, the takeaway is straightforward: verify keel type and bolt integrity, confirm bronze seacocks and stainless hose clips are sound, inspect the balsa-cored deck for moisture, and check that any optional engine and lead keel are as described. With those points cleared, the Kirby-designed cruiser-racer remains a well-specified coastal fast cruiser.