Trapper 300 Buyer's Guide
The Trapper 300 is a Bruce Kirby-designed 26-foot masthead sloop that Trapper Yachts launched in 1976, derived from his Quarter Ton racer Fred Jr. For a shopper on the brokerage market, the boat presents as a compact cruiser-racer with a fin keel, bonded fiberglass interior modules, and a surprisingly complete inventory for the length. Most survivors carry the standard keel and the optional Yanmar YSE 8 diesel, and the design's shallow-ish draft keeps her approachable in smaller harbors. Buyers may encounter the optional lead keel variant on some examples.
Layouts on the Used Market
The interior follows a two-module fiberglass layout bonded to the hull, with a forward double berth, an enclosed heads with wet and dry lockers, and a starboard dinette saloon. The port side holds a full galley with gimballed cooker and a deck ventilator, while a quarter berth with ice box below and a permanent chart table round out the five-berth plan. Teak is oiled matt and cushions are 3-inch foam, so wear shows mostly as faded fabric or tired varnish rather than structural change.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Buyers will usually find a chartplotter as standard fitment on the used fleet, while heating, an inverter, a spinnaker, and a bow thruster are often seen additions that materially change comfort and handling. A heater and inverter support shoulder-season berthing and battery autonomy; a spinnaker with the existing pole track broadens light-air performance; and a bow thruster eases tight quarters given the spade rudder's bite. Beyond those, the original factory list — twin-speed Lewmar sheet winches, alloy genoa tracks, and a 55 amp-hour house battery — is typically intact and adequate.
What to Inspect
The hull and deck are hand-laid polyester with balsa-cored deck stiffening anchor, so check for soft spots where the core could have taken water near fittings. The fin keel is through-bolted with 20 mm stainless studs and plates, and the rudder stock is a 35 mm stainless bar in a GRP blade; verify the keel bolts and rudder bearing for corrosion or play. All underwater fittings are bronze seacocks with stainless clips, which should be operated and confirmed free. The engine is a lightweight Yanmar on flexible mounts with a permanent oil drip tray, so inspect the tray and mount condition for long-term staining.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The Trapper 300 turns up in the United Kingdom and Belgium. For a buyer, the short checklist is: confirm deck-core soundness, keel-bolt and rudder integrity, seacock operation, and the presence of the commonly fitted chartplotter plus any often-seen heating, inverter, spinnaker, or bow thruster. A sound example rewards with a stiff, well-rigged small cruiser rooted in Kirby's racing pedigree.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Trapper 300. 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. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 25 | 1 | $6,774 | — |
| Nov 25 | 1 | $11,177 | +65.0% |
| Feb 26 | 1 | $5,080 | -54.5% |
| Apr 26 | 3 | $4,403 | -13.3% |
| May 26 | 2 | $11,177 | +153.8% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $12,741 | +14.0% |
| Aug 26 | 2 | $9,649 | -24.3% |
Where they're listed
Trapper 300 listings appear across 2 countries. United Kingdom has the most listings with 9 (90.0%), followed by Belgium.
Country view
10 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $6,774 | 9 | 1 | 90.0% |
| Belgium | $12,741 | 1 | 1 | 10.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
4 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bavaria 300 | 31.33' | $ 35,907 | 35 | 11 |
| Hunter 28.5 | 28.42' | $ 12,800 | 24 | 9 |
| Trapper 300You are here | — | $ 8,129 | 11 | 3 |
| Trapper 500/501 | 27.33' | $ 7,451 | 11 | 5 |