Windrider 16 Buyer's Guide
The Windrider 16 is a 16-foot trimaran introduced in 1995 and built from polyethylene, a boat light enough at 250 pounds to car-top yet broad enough at a 12-foot 7-inch beam to carry two people with gear. On the used market it draws buyers who want a beachable, easily trailered daysailer rather than a conventional keelboat, and its modular hull demands a different inspection eye than a molded one-piece fiberglass hull.
Layouts on the Used Market
The Windrider 16 is an open trimaran with no cabin, so the only layout variable is the cockpit arrangement around the central hull. A cockpit cowling with windshield and a spray skirt were fitted to extend the sailing season, and a trampoline between the ama and main hull is commonly fitted on used Windrider 16s. The three-piece hull plus cross beams means a used boat's condition hinges on how the components were stored and reassembled over its life.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
The most consequential equipment cluster is the cockpit weather protection: the cowling with windshield and the spray skirt are what let an owner sail in cool conditions, and a trampoline is commonly fitted across the forward beam for crew comfort and gear stowage. The free-standing anodized aluminum mast at 23 pounds and the roller-furling reefing mainsail are standard and should be present; their light weight is the whole point of the boat's hand-stepped rig.
What to Inspect
The standout point in the record is that no Windrider 16 has ever been flipped, so a used hull should show no repair from a capsize or hull inversion anchor. Check each of the three main hull components and the cross beams for cracks at the joint faces where repeated breakdown and reassembly could stress the polyethylene, since the boat's portability depends on those interfaces staying true. Confirm the free-standing mast is straight and the roller-furling mainsail operates smoothly, as a seized furling groove defeats the boat's easy-reefing character.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats are typically found in the United States. A short pre-purchase checklist:
- Confirm all three hull sections and cross beams are present and uncracked
- Verify the 23-pound mast is straight and furling works
- Look for any hull repair from inversion — none should exist
- Test the cockpit cowling and spray skirt for intact fastening
- Check the trampoline lacing if fitted
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Windrider 16. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 3 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 25 | 1 | $3,500 | — |
| Aug 25 | 1 | $2,000 | -42.9% |
| Oct 25 | 1 | $2,900 | +45.0% |
Where they're listed
Windrider 16 listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 1.
Country view
1 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $2,900 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |