Valiant 18 Buyer's Guide
The Valiant 18 is a British-built pocket sloop designed by Tom Cox. At 18 feet she is a trailerable, twin-keel cruiser with 860 pounds of iron ballast and a masthead rig. For a shopper scanning the used market, her short length and broad beam make her an accessible entry to keelboat ownership, but the buyer must look at the specifics of each individual hull.
What to Inspect
Because the Valiant 18 left Fi-Craft's British plant and other yards as well, a buyer should confirm which yard produced the specific boat and inspect the solid fiberglass hull and deck for any inconsistency in laminate finish or repair. With an unknown keel type recorded in the source data, the twin-keel appendages should be examined closely for cracking at the hull joint and even wear on both blades. The below-average headroom is inherent to the design, but check the cabin trunk for deck-hull separation or soft spots. Verify the outboard mounting bracket and transom reinforcement, since an outboard of 2 to 3 hp is the typical docking power and a poorly reinforced transom will show stress cracks. Also confirm the four berths are intact and the cabin sole is dry, as below-average headroom limits any standing comfort and hidden rot in the sole is easy to miss on a small boat. The listed sail controls use 8 mm sheets throughout, so inspect the 13.8-meter mainsheet and 5.5-meter genoa sheets for chafe or UV damage that would mean immediate replacement.
Buyer's Takeaway
- Confirm the building yard and inspect hull laminate quality
- Examine both keel attachments for cracks or uneven wear
- Check transom for outboard-mount stress
- Test cabin structure for soft deck or trunk separation
- Verify ballast integrity and absence of hull repair shadows
- Confirm berths and sole condition below
- Inspect sheets and controls for chafe or UV damage
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Valiant 18. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 1 row
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 1 | $2,318 | — |
Where they're listed
Valiant 18 listings appear across 1 country. Ireland has the most listings with 1.
Country view
1 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland | $2,318 | 1 | 0 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swift Craft 18 | 18' | $ 3,767 | 11 | 5 |
| Valiant 18You are here | — | $ 2,318 | 1 | 0 |