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Insuring Down East Yachts: cover and premium
sailing boats and sailing yachts · several countries
Down East Yachts: californian builder of heavy bluewater cruisers. NAMMERT insures a Down East Yachts 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
9,8 to 13,8 m
Premium from
from €39 a year for liability
Worth knowing
Down East Yachts; cover, cost and conditions
Down East Yachts was based in Santa Ana, California. Bob Poole, who had previously worked for Columbia Yachts, founded the company in August 1974. The lines came from Henry Morschladt, a Californian naval architect who concentrated on cruising sailboats. The first boat was the Downeaster 38, with a wineglass stern, a full keel and a bowsprit, and the later designs were developed from it. These were heavy boats meant for long passages across open water, offered as cutter, ketch or schooner. After the founder died in 1978 the moulds were sold to Newport Offshore Yachts, and the company closed in 1983. In a marina a Down Easter stands out by its traditional profile: a deep, solid hull, a bowsprit and that narrow, lifted stern.
Our model records list five designs, all of them sailing yachts: the Down East 32 and Down East 45, and the Down Easter 38, 41 and 45. The earliest entry is the Down Easter 38 from 1972, and the latest build years run to 1985, for the Down East 32 and the Down Easter 38. None of the lines reaches recent build years, all of them ended decades ago. Lengths range from 9.75 metres for the Down East 32 to 13.8 metres for the Down Easter 45, with the Down East 45 at 13.7 metres. One detail stands out: the Down Easter 38 is recorded at 12.02 metres, slightly longer than the Down Easter 41 at 11.9 metres. Three of the five designs measure more than twelve metres.
A full-keel cruiser of this age rewards a careful survey. On a used Down Easter the chainplates, the bowsprit and its fittings, and the joint between hull and deck deserve a close look, as do teak decks if fitted. Many of these boats were fitted out for long voyages, so the gear on board often tells its own story about past passages. A heavy hull and a long keel make for a steady motion at sea, while manoeuvring astern in a tight marina takes practice. Owners who keep the rig, the engine and the tanks in good order have a boat that can still head offshore.
Questions and answers
Frequent questions
Who designed the Down East yachts?
For Down East Yachts: Henry Morschladt, a Californian naval architect known for cruising sailboats.
His first design for the yard was the Downeaster 38 with full keel, bowsprit and wineglass stern,
and the other designs were developed from it.
Which is the largest Down East design?
For Down East Yachts: The Down Easter 45 at 13.8 metres,
just ahead of the Down East 45 at 13.7 metres.
Our model records list it for the build years 1974 to 1983.
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 Down East Yachts: damage to third parties, worldwide,
from €39 a year for liability.
Hull cover
Partial or full hull cover for a Down East Yachts, at replacement value with an agreed fixed value.
For the whole class of boat
For Down East Yachts: 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, Down East Yachts 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 Down East Yachts.
Current wind force and direction for your waters are shown on the Home.
Series by Down East Yachts, build years and cover
Down East 32 is a sailing yacht from Down East Yachts, built from 1973 to 1985.
Down Easter 38 is a sailing yacht from Down East Yachts, built from 1972 to 1985.
Also a sailing yacht, built from 1977 to 1984.
Also a sailing yacht, built from 1974 to 1983.
Also a sailing yacht, built from 1973 to 1980.
For the Down East 32, Down Easter 38,
Down Easter 41 by Down East Yachts and 2 more 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 Down East 32, Down Easter 38, Down Easter 41 by Down East Yachts and further 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.
The Down East Yachts range in figures
These figures come from the model records we keep for Down East Yachts: boat type,
build years and length, nothing estimated.
- sailing yacht
- 5 models, 1972 to 1985, 9.8 to 13.8 m
Which model was built when?
What does a used Down East Yachts cost?
We hold today’s price ranges by year for 5 models by Down East Yachts.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Down East 32 | 1976 to 1982 | €29,000 to €39,800 |
| Down East 45 | 1976 to 1977 | €98,100 to €124,900 |
| Down Easter 38 | 1975 to 1982 | €47,200 to €62,100 |
| Down Easter 41 | 1980 to 1981 | €46,900 to €59,800 |
| Down Easter 45 | 1977 to 1980 | €90,900 to €124,700 |
Estimate from our boat records, October 2026.
Not a survey.
Down East Yachts insured in five minutes.
Boat type, year built, length and value of your Down East Yachts are all we need.
Work out the premium online or call us: +49 3375 29 12 77.