Cabo Rico is best known for traditional cruising sailboats designed for offshore work, long-term ownership, and comfortable living aboard. The brand’s strongest reputation was built around cutter-rigged cruising yachts with solid fiberglass construction, deep hull forms, protected cockpits, substantial teak joinery, and layouts intended for extended passages rather than light coastal use alone.
For buyers comparing used yachts for sale, Cabo Rico occupies a very different part of the market from modern lightweight production cruisers. Current brokerage inventory consists entirely of used boats, with most listings concentrated between roughly 34 and 42 feet.
That makes condition and maintenance history particularly important. Many Cabo Rico boats are now decades old, and individual examples may differ substantially based on refits, repowers, rigging replacement, deck work, electronics, and interior upgrades.
A used Cabo Rico can appeal to buyers who value conservative offshore design, substantial construction, and a cruising layout that prioritizes security and comfort at sea. Current YachtWorld listings are primarily cutters, cruisers, and pilothouse sailboats, with diesel inboard propulsion and fiberglass hull construction dominating the market.
Many examples feature long cruising keels or substantial underbodies, protected propellers and rudders, cutter rigs, large fuel and water capacity for their size, traditional wood interiors, and cockpits designed for offshore use.
For serious cruising buyers, service records for standing rigging, chainplates, tanks, engine, steering, deck hardware, and electrical systems can matter as much as the original model specification.
The Cabo Rico 34 is one of the more accessible models currently represented in the used market. YachtWorld currently shows multiple 34-foot examples, including late-1980s boats in the United States.
The model follows the same traditional cruising philosophy associated with the brand, offering a compact cutter-style platform for buyers who want offshore capability without moving into the 38- or 42-foot class.
Because surviving examples can vary widely in equipment and refit history, buyers should compare engine condition, standing rigging, sails, deck hardware, tankage, and interior updates carefully.
The Cabo Rico 38 is the best-known model in the current brokerage market and remains the most frequently listed Cabo Rico on YachtWorld. Current examples include boats from the early 1980s through 1990, along with the related CB38 designation.
The 38 became strongly associated with Cabo Rico’s bluewater identity, combining a traditional hull form, cutter rig, substantial fiberglass construction, deep draft, and an interior designed for extended cruising.
For buyers looking for a classic offshore cruiser in the high-30-foot range, the 38 remains the model most likely to appear in active brokerage inventory.
The Cabo Rico 42 Cutter offers more interior volume, storage, and passagemaking comfort than the 34 and 38 while retaining the brand’s traditional sailing profile. A 2005 42 Cutter is currently listed in the United States.
This model is especially relevant to buyers planning longer-term cruising because the additional length and beam can provide more usable living space, larger systems, and greater tankage without moving into a very large crew-intensive yacht.
Later 42-foot boats can also incorporate more modern equipment than many 1980s Cabo Ricos, but the exact specification still varies by boat and refit history.
The 42 Pilot adds a pilothouse-style cruising arrangement to the Cabo Rico concept. A 2005 42 Pilot is currently active in the brokerage market.
Pilothouse cruising yachts can appeal to owners who want better protection from weather, improved visibility from inside the yacht, and more comfortable operation in colder or more variable conditions.
Buyers should inspect pilothouse windows, seals, interior joinery around the house structure, steering systems, electronics, and ventilation carefully, in addition to the normal sailing and machinery systems.
The Northeast 400 is one of the more distinctive Cabo Rico models in today’s market. Current listings describe it as a pilothouse or motorsailer-style yacht, giving it a different emphasis from the classic cutter-rigged Cabo Rico 34 and 38.
A 2000 Northeast 400 is currently listed internationally, while older brokerage records also show mid-1990s examples in the United States.
The model can suit buyers who want the brand’s substantial cruising construction with a more sheltered helm and interior arrangement for extended-season cruising.
The current market also includes less common Cabo Rico models such as the Chase 38. Boats.com currently lists a 1989 Chase 38, while other brokerage sources periodically show rarer models including the Cabo Rico 36 and larger 56-foot cruisers.
These boats should be evaluated individually because production numbers were much lower and specifications may differ significantly from the better-known 34, 38, and 42 models.
The Cabo Rico 56 is especially notable as a rare larger flagship-style bluewater cruiser, while smaller specialty models can offer a different balance of sailing performance, accommodation, and handling.
Murray Yacht Sales highlights Cabo Rico’s solid fiberglass hull construction, ocean-crossing reputation, liveaboard-friendly interiors, teak joinery, and traditional finish quality. These characteristics remain central to why the brand attracts buyers in the used cruising market.
Traditional construction can offer durability, but age makes inspection important. Deck cores, chainplates, bulkhead bonds, hull-to-deck joints, rudder bearings, steering gear, tanks, wiring, and through-hulls should all be examined closely.
For buyers who prioritize offshore comfort and conservative cruising design over maximum interior volume or light-displacement speed, a well-maintained Cabo Rico can still be a compelling choice.
On a used Cabo Rico, buyers should inspect standing and running rigging, chainplates, mast and boom condition, sails, winches, deck hardware, steering, rudder, keel structure, and all through-hulls.
The diesel engine, transmission, shaft, propeller, fuel tanks, water tanks, batteries, charging systems, wiring, navigation equipment, and plumbing should also be reviewed carefully.
Because many examples are older cruising boats, particular attention should be given to teak decks where fitted, deck-core moisture, windows and hatches, interior leaks, tank replacement history, and any structural repairs.
A professional marine survey, rig inspection, mechanical inspection, and sea trial are essential before completing a purchase.
