Valiant 40-2 Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

The Valiant 40 interior has remained the same across production, pairing an aft stateroom with a V-berth forward and outboard pilot berths for extended sleeping. The U-shaped galley with terrific storage and a head with separate shower define the boat as a serious cruiser rather than a day sailer, and cabin headroom clears six feet. Average tankage of 95 gallons fuel and 120 gallons water with a 15-gallon holding tank supports independent voyaging. The cockpit is comfortable and secure, and the cutter rig with 772 square feet of sail drives a hull that draws six feet and carries 7,700 pounds of lead on a 22,500-pound displacement.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

On the used market, Valiant 40s commonly carry a watermaker, cabin heating, solar panels, an inverter, a freezer, and a full canvas set of bimini and dodger — equipment clusters that speak to self-sufficient living aboard. Navigation and steering commonly include radar, autopilot, and chartplotter, which together reduce the crew load on passage. A few early boats retain longer booms with end-boom sheeting rather than the later mid-boom traveler and shorter boom, and that difference is worth noting because the early arrangement is a nuisance bordering on dangerous for the unaware helmsperson during a gybe.

What to Inspect

The defining inspection point is hull number. Between hull numbers 120 and 249, resin mixtures included a fire-retardant additive, and there is a high correlation between that additive and blisters that later developed on those boats anchor; blisters developed on most but not all boats produced between 1976 and 1981. A surveyor should focus moisture and blister inspection on that range especially. Separately, early end-boom-sheeted boats warrant a check of cockpit ergonomics and whether the rig has been converted to the later mid-boom traveler. The 40-horsepower auxiliary came from various diesels, so engine make and history should be confirmed per hull rather than assumed.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

Valiant 40s are typically found in the United States market. For a buyer, the practical checklist is straightforward: confirm the hull number against the 120–249 blister range; verify whether early end-boom sheeting remains or was upgraded; inspect the cruising equipment cluster for condition rather than mere presence; and confirm the auxiliary engine’s specific make and service record. The constant interior means you are buying a known layout — the variables are hull era, rig detail, and systems pedigree.