Insuring Brown: cover and premium
sailing boats and sailing yachts · several countries
Brown: irish brothers behind the Ruffian 23 keelboat. NAMMERT insures a Brown regardless of year built or where you bought it, liability, hull, legal expenses and personal accident cover from one house, taken out online in five minutes.
At a glance
Origin
several countries
Class
sailing boats and sailing yachts
Typical sizes
7,2 m
Premium from
from €39 a year for liability
Worth knowing
Brown; cover, cost and conditions
The Brown name belongs to two Northern Irish brothers, Billy and Dickie Brown. In the early 1970s Billy drew a 23-foot keelboat at Portaferry on Strangford Lough, the Ruffian 23. Weatherly Yachts, the company the brothers founded, built her, first at Portaferry, later in Dublin and finally at Baltimore in County Cork. The first boat, Muffin, was finished in May 1973 and shown at the Belfast Boat Show before she started racing. The design proved itself in the short, steep seas of the Irish Sea, and early boats went as far as the Quarter Ton Cup at Weymouth.
Our model records list one design under Brown: the Ruffian 23, a sailing yacht of 7.16 metres with build years from 1976 to 1983. Nothing in the records reaches into recent production. The source places construction in the 1970s and early 1980s, which matches our data. The boat travelled well beyond Ireland, with fleets on Belfast Lough and Strangford Lough, in Dublin Bay, on the Isle of Man, in Scotland and north-west England, and even in Iceland and Hong Kong. Ruffians still race as a class in Dublin Bay and at Carrickfergus.
Most Ruffians on the market have raced for decades, which is both their charm and the thing to check. Look at the keel bolts and the floor structure around them, at the chainplates, and at the rudder and its fittings. Decks on boats of this age can turn soft around stanchion bases and deck fittings, so a moisture meter is worth bringing along. A live class is a real help to a buyer: fleet members know the boats, their histories and where to find parts. Sails are often numerous and of mixed age, so judge the hull and rig first and the wardrobe second.
Questions and answers
Frequent questions
Who is behind the Ruffian 23?
Billy Brown drew her at Portaferry in the early 1970s,
and Weatherly Yachts, the company he ran with his brother Dickie, built her.
Our model records list her at 7.16 metres with build years from 1976 to 1983.
Where is the Ruffian 23 still sailed?
For Brown: Ruffians still race as a class in Dublin Bay and at Carrickfergus.
In earlier years there were fleets on Belfast Lough, the Isle of Man, in Scotland,
north-west England, Iceland and Hong Kong.
The cover that fits
sailing yacht insurance
Tariffs, cover and FAQ for sailing yacht insurance in detail.
Third-party liability
The foundation for a boat from Brown: damage to third parties, worldwide,
from €39 a year for liability.
Hull cover
Partial or full hull cover for a Brown, at replacement value with an agreed fixed value.
For the whole class of boat
For Brown: What matters for sailing boats and sailing yachts is the same across every brand;
engine output, how a claim is settled, cruising range and theft protection.
The class page lists every point and every brand in this class, Brown included.
Insuring sailing boats and sailing yachts, every brand and every condition
Other builders in this class
Nautical information What counts before you cast off, papers, equipment, waters
Licence
A powerboat licence (inland or coastal) is required from 15 hp (11.03 kW).
Registration
Registration from 3 hp; for trips abroad carry the boat certificate or flag document.
Waters
Inland, coastal and abroad; plan fairways, bridge clearances, draught and tides.
Equipment
Lifesaving gear, fire extinguisher, anchor, signalling equipment and correct navigation lights.
Cruising range
The agreed cruising range is stated in the policy and can be extended at any time.
Weather
Check wind force in Beaufort and wind direction before casting off, and allow for gusts.
General guidance, not a complete account;
what governs are the rules of the waters you are on and the manual of your Brown.
Current wind force and direction for your waters are shown on the Home.
Series by Brown, build years and cover
Ruffian 23 is a sailing yacht from Brown, built from 1976 to 1983.
For the Ruffian 23 by Brown series there is no list price left.
That is why we work with an agreed value: you state the figure, we agree it,
and in a total loss exactly that amount is paid, with no deduction for wear.
For the Ruffian 23 by Brown series:
On sailing yachts the rig and the underwater hull are the expensive parts:
a dismasting quickly costs a quarter of the boat,
and osmosis counts as wear and is covered by no hull policy.
What does a used Brown cost?
We hold today’s price ranges by year for 1 models by Brown.
The table shows what boats in average condition are worth,
from the oldest to the youngest year on record.
Choose your exact model, year and condition in the calculator.
| Model | Years built | Range today |
|---|---|---|
| Ruffian 23 | 1979 to 1980 | €5,600 to €7,500 |
Estimate from our boat records, October 2026.
Not a survey.
Brown insured in five minutes.
Boat type, year built, length and value of your Brown are all we need.
Work out the premium online or call us: +49 3375 29 12 77.
