Aspire Yacht Sales lists 18 downeast yachts for sale in Florida. The lobster-boat-derived hull form, usually a single or twin diesel, and a following that tends to buy the style rather than shop the category.
Everything below is fifteen years old or newer. Prices are as listed by the selling broker and change frequently.
Current downeast inventory
- 47' 2025 MJM 42$1,789,007North Palm Beach, Florida
- 46' 2024 MJM 4$1,325,000Jupiter, Florida
- 34' 2023 Back Cove 34O$599,000Vero Beach, Florida
- 29' 2023 Sailfish 290CC$225,000Key West, Florida
- 39' 2021 Back Cove 390$945,000Tampa, Florida
- 53' 2021 MJM 53z$1,800,000Vero Beach, Florida
- 43' 2019 MJM$749,999North Palm Beach, Florida
- 45' 2019 Monachus Issa 45 Issa$330,000Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- 43' 2019 MJM 43z$849,000Clearwater Beach, Florida
- 43' 2019 MJM 43z$749,999North Palm Beach, Florida
- 32' 2018 Back Cove 32$425,000Punta Gorda, Florida
- 48' 2017 Sabre 48 Salon Express$849,000Saint Petersburg, Florida
- 48' 2016 Sabre 48 Salon Express$850,000Palm Coast, Florida
- 38' 2016 Sabre 38 Salon Express$549,000Hobe Sound, Florida
- 37' 2016 Back Cove 37$559,000Naples, Florida
- 34' 2016 Mainship M34 Pilot$282,000Boynton Beach, Florida
What a downeast is
The shape comes from working lobster boats in Maine: a flared bow, a long sheer, a low deckhouse and a semi-displacement hull. Modern downeast cruisers keep the aesthetic and add cruising accommodation. Sabre and Back Cove are the builders most people mean by the term, and we hold Sabre inventory regularly.
They appeal to a specific buyer, usually someone who has owned a flybridge or an express, wants something quieter and more economical, and cares how the boat looks from the dock.
What to look at
Single or twin. It depends entirely on how you intend to use the boat. The main argument for twins is redundancy: if one engine fails, you still have a way home. That weighs more heavily the further offshore you plan to run, or the further from help. Tell us how the boat will actually be used and we will tell you which configuration makes sense. It is not a question with a general answer.
Semi-displacement means different speed economics. These boats are efficient at cruise and expensive at the top end, which suits owners who plan long, unhurried runs rather than quick trips offshore.
Hours for the age. Roughly a hundred and fifty to two hundred hours a year is normal in this class. Lower hours for the age are better, and the market pays for them.
Condition of the brightwork. Downeast boats carry more exterior wood than most modern cruisers, and it is a running cost as much as a feature. Ask when it was last done.
How we compare boats
When we shortlist vessels for a client, three things drive the comparison before anything else: the newest year available within the budget, the highest horsepower offered for that model, and the lowest engine hours for the age. Condition, refit history and where the boat is lying come next.
Frequently asked questions
What is a downeast yacht? A cruising boat built on the lobster-boat hull form, with a flared bow, long sheer, low deckhouse and semi-displacement hull. Sabre, Back Cove and Hinckley are the builders most associated with it.
Are downeast boats good in Florida? Yes. The semi-displacement hull suits the Intracoastal and the protected water here, and the shallow draft of many of them is an advantage in the canals.
Do downeast yachts hold their value? Yes. Buyers shopping for a downeast boat are looking for that particular styling, and that following supports resale in a way it does not for more generic hulls. There is a waiting audience rather than a market you have to create. Condition decides how much of that value you actually realise. A well-kept boat sells to people who already want it, and the styling will not rescue a neglected one.