Valiant 40 (101-199) Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Valiant 40 means weighing a Robert Perry-designed canoe-stern cruiser that Uniflite built in Bellingham before the molds moved to Texas. The model's production included the fire-retardant resin range well represented, so a used-boat buyer needs to know which serial numbers carry which traits. The interior never changed across the run, which simplifies the comparison between early and late examples even as rig and systems differ boat to boat.
Layouts on the Used Market
Owner three-cabin layouts are the more common on the used market, but both are available, and ex-charter examples are common. The fixed interior plan includes an aft stateroom, outboard pilot berths, a V-berth forward, a U-shaped galley with terrific storage, a traditional main saloon with a bulkhead table or permanent cruising fold-down job, and a head with separate shower. Cabin headroom over 6 feet runs throughout, and the cockpit is comfortable and secure regardless of which layout variant a given boat carries.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, circumnavigation gear, solar, autopilot, heating, inverter, spinnaker, asymmetric spinnaker, and radar are commonly fitted. Hot water, dodger, and chartplotter are often seen. A watermaker or EPIRB is a less common owner upgrade rather than standard equipment. The auxiliary engine is a 40-hp various-diesel installation, and average capacities run 95 gallons fuel and 120 gallons water with a 15-gallon holding tank. Early boats with longer booms and end-boom sheeting exist alongside later mid-boom traveler rigs with shorter boom and slightly taller rig, a distinction worth confirming in person.
What to Inspect
The documented known issue is blistering. Between hull numbers 120 and 249, resin mixtures were changed to include a fire-retardant additive with a high correlation to later blisters, and blisters developed on most but not all boats produced between 1976 and 1981. Any boat in that hull range warrants close below-waterline inspection. Separately, early Valiant 40s with end-boom sheeting pose a gybe hazard for an unaware helmsperson; confirm whether the boat retains that rig or received the mid-boom traveler conversion.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats appear in the United States, Mexico, Canada, and Australia. When inspecting a candidate, check the hull number against the 120–249 blister range, confirm rig type and gybe behavior, and verify the fixed interior and systems match the commonly fitted cruising equipment tiers.
- Confirm hull number relative to 120–249 blister range
- Verify rig: end-boom sheeting vs mid-boom traveler
- Inspect below-waterline gelcoat and hull for blistering
- Check three-cabin layout and fixed interior completeness
- Validate cruising equipment against commonly fitted tier
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Valiant 40 (101-199). 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. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 25 | 2 | $ 115,000 | — |
| May 25 | 1 | $ 75,000 | -34.8% |
| Jun 25 | 2 | $ 72,181 | -3.8% |
| Jul 25 | 1 | $ 49,500 | -31.4% |
| Sep 25 | 1 | $ 99,999 | +102.0% |
| Oct 25 | 1 | $ 75,000 | -25.0% |
| Dec 25 | 3 | $ 80,000 | +6.7% |
| Jan 26 | 1 | $ 69,500 | -13.1% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $ 69,900 | +0.6% |
| Apr 26 | 9 | $ 69,900 | 0.0% |
| May 26 | 3 | $ 69,900 | 0.0% |
Where they're listed
Valiant 40 (101-199) listings appear across 4 countries. United States has the most listings with 13 (68.4%), followed by Mexico and Australia.
Country view
19 listings · 4 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $ 69,900 | 13 | 5 | 68.4% |
| Mexico | $ 54,250 | 4 | 1 | 21.1% |
| Australia | $ 55,416 | 1 | 1 | 5.3% |
| Canada | $ 99,999 | 1 | 0 | 5.3% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
6 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Island Packet 40 | 40' | $ 159,000 | 44 | 11 |
| Elan 40 | 39.04' | $ 88,273 | 30 | 3 |
| Caliber 40 | 40.92' | $ 169,000 | 24 | 8 |
| Valiant 40 (101-199)You are here | — | $ 69,900 | 20 | 8 |
| Swan 40 | 39.3' | $ 100,966 | 15 | 0 |
| Tartan 40 | 40.25' | $ 89,900 | 13 | 1 |