Colombo ANTIBES 27: used guide, variants and prices

The Colombo ANTIBES 27 is best understood as a classic sporting boat whose identity must be established boat by boat, not as a single immutable specification. The two examples observed on Batoo were built in 1981 and 1991. They share a stated beam and twin petrol sterndrive layout, yet their recorded length, draught and engines differ enough to make documentation the central buying issue.

Design, specifications and unresolved dimensions

There is primary evidence that the model existed in period. A French National Archives inventory records type-approval file 2476 for the Antibes 27, built by Chantier Colombo and imported by Escomer SA, in 1985. Colombo's official website says the yard has operated since 1956. Neither source supplies a complete period specification for the versions in the Batoo sample, so listing data must not be promoted into universal factory facts.

Both hulls are recorded as fibreglass in the dossier. The 1981 boat has 360 stated engine hours, while no hours are structured for the 1991 example. An hour meter is evidence to investigate, not proof of total hull use or the age of replaced machinery. Speed, fuel burn, range, tankage, designer, production totals and original engine options are not established by this research and remain unknown.

The 1.41 m length gap must not be averaged. It might represent hull length versus overall length, a registration convention, excluded fittings, a later alteration or a simple entry error; the available evidence does not decide among those possibilities. A buyer should reconcile the registration document, physical measurement and identification plate before comparing value or arranging transport.

Pros and cons of the classic twin-engine layout

The attractive proposition is a compact, open sporting boat with some shelter forward. For day trips, swimming stops and short transfers, that format can be direct and sociable. Twin engines can offer useful manoeuvring control and a degree of redundancy, but only where both engines, drives, controls, batteries and fuel supply have been maintained properly.

The same layout also doubles many service items. Two petrol engines and two sterndrives mean more ignition parts, cooling components, seals, bellows and oils than a single-engine boat. A low purchase price does not protect the owner from a simultaneous maintenance cycle, and a visually tidy engine bay does not establish internal condition.

Age is the larger limitation. These examples are roughly three and four decades old, so finish and styling cannot stand in for evidence about laminate moisture, transom strength, engine beds, tanks or old repairs. Parts availability must be checked against the serial numbers of the machinery actually aboard. The model badge alone will not identify every pump, control or drive component installed over its life.

The sample also provides no defensible “typical performance.” Total listed power is 480 hp on one boat and 450 hp on the other, but displacement, propellers, loading and hull condition are not consistently documented. Any speed or consumption claim should therefore come from a controlled trial of the exact candidate, with rpm, load, water conditions and instrument accuracy recorded.

Ideal use and the right owner

An ANTIBES 27 makes most sense for an owner seeking a characterful day boat for lake use or sheltered coastal trips, with the willingness to manage an older mechanical package. The listed cabin can provide cover and perhaps occasional sleeping space, but the dossier does not prove a standard cruising inventory. Ventilation, fresh water, toilet arrangement, battery capacity and safety equipment all require direct confirmation.

It is a weaker fit for someone who wants predictable annual costs, current standardised documentation or turn-key use without a maintenance plan. It may suit an enthusiast who values classic proportions, commissions an independent survey and retains a realistic repair reserve. Condition and documentary continuity should outweigh perceived rarity.

Exact dimensions matter before choosing storage, a berth or road transport. The repeated 2.53 m beam is useful as a lead, but it does not establish legal road width, trailer suitability or actual all-up weight. Measure the boat with its fittings and consult the applicable transport requirements rather than relying on the model name.

Used-boat checks that matter most

Begin with identity. Match all available hull markings, build year, registration data, engine serial numbers and drive numbers. The conflicting lengths should be resolved in writing, with a clear statement of whether each figure is hull length, overall length or an administrative value. Compile invoices, manuals, previous surveys and maintenance records, and create a timeline of major replacements.

A haul-out survey should examine laminate condition, moisture patterns, transom, stringers, engine mounts, bilges, through-hulls and repaired areas. Sterndrives require close attention to corrosion, bellows, seals, steering play, propellers and gear-oil condition. On a petrol installation, engine-space ventilation, fuel hoses, filters, electrical protection and fire equipment are safety-critical rather than cosmetic details.

The sea trial should start from cold. Record starting behaviour, smoke, vibration, oil pressure, coolant temperature, charging voltage and maximum attainable rpm for each engine. Compare the 1981 boat's stated 360 hours with wear and service evidence; do not treat the counter as a warranty. Test steering, trim, controls, bilge pumps, anchoring equipment and every domestic circuit under load.

Cost the immediate work and the next two seasons before negotiating. A cheaper hull can become the expensive choice if both drives need overhaul, tanks require removal or structural work emerges. A mechanical and hull survey is separate from checking title, registration, tax position and possible liens; both streams are necessary.

Alternatives for a meaningful comparison

These are research directions, not interchangeable substitutes or a ranking. The useful comparison is between surveyed examples with similar documentation, mechanical health and required work. Buyers should first decide whether they value historical authenticity, open-cockpit usability, overnight comfort or total ownership cost, then compare boats that actually satisfy that priority.

Observed price range and market methodology

On 29 September 2026, the dossier contained two active, editorially eligible Batoo offers at asking prices of €26,000 and €45,000. The observed range is therefore €26,000–€45,000 from a sample of two. These are advertised asks, not completed-sale prices, certified valuations or forecasts; year, engines, condition, taxes, equipment and negotiation may materially alter the final amount.

The roughly 73% span from the lower to the higher ask does not quantify model appreciation. With only two boats, it describes visible supply on one date. Batoo's analysis is to compare each ask after estimating urgent work and recognising only documented, technically useful upgrades. Averaging the figures would erase the very version and condition differences that buyers need to understand.

Images in this dossier come from current listings and may show different individual boats, years and configurations. Brokers and sellers have not reviewed, validated or approved the dossier. Broker Pro denotes an active Batoo subscription and is separate from identity verification; it never guarantees editorial coverage, ranking, a positive assessment or inclusion in the stable article body.