Ho Hum - SELENE YACHTS FOR SALE

Step aboard this stout 2003 Selene 53 Ocean Trawler—a standout among serious passagemakers and trawler yachts. Conceived for comfort, economy, and dependability, this long-range motor yacht marries traditional craftsmanship with true bluewater range and composure.

Fresh from a full Cummins main overhaul (April 2025), a new 12.5 kW Westerbeke genset (Nov 2025), new bottom coating (Nov 2025), and serviced stabilizers (Nov 2025), she is turnkey and awaiting only a light refresh to her electronics suite. A welcoming teak interior, three-cabin arrangement, active fin stabilization, and both bow and stern thrusters make her equally at home crossing sounds as on refined coastal passages.

Built by Jet Tern Marine with Selene’s hallmark fit and finish, she comes with documentation confirming lawful U.S. importation for peace of mind under new ownership. A rare chance to acquire a proven ocean trawler—an expedition-capable explorer yacht with timeless lines, a seaworthy displacement hull, and the comforts of a true liveaboard pilothouse cruiser—ready to carry you toward your next horizon.

Description

Step aboard this solid 2003 Selene 53 Ocean Trawler, a fine example of one of the most respected passagemakers in her class. Designed for comfort, efficiency, and reliability, she blends classic craftsmanship with serious bluewater capability, delivering the confidence to cross horizons in style. Fresh from major refits where they matter most, she benefits from a complete Cummins main engine rebuild in April 2025, a new 12.5 kW Westerbeke generator in November 2025, fresh bottom paint in November 2025, and rebuilt Naiad stabilizers in November 2025—leaving only a thoughtful refresh of the navigation suite on the to-do list. Her warm teak interior, three-stateroom layout, stabilizers, and both bow and stern thrusters make her equally compelling for extended voyaging or elegant coastal cruising. Built by Jet Tern Marine with Selene’s renowned attention to detail, she is accompanied by proof of proper importation into the United States, providing peace of mind for her next owner. This is a rare opportunity to secure a proven ocean trawler that marries timeless style, a seaworthy hull, and the comfort of home—wherever your next horizon lies.

Overview

Inside, the Selene 53 offers luxurious, practical accommodations tailored for extended cruising and true liveaboard comfort. Amidships, the owner’s stateroom features a queen berth, abundant storage, and an en-suite head with a separate shower, while forward two guest cabins share a second head; the port guest cabin also functions as a dedicated office with twin offset berths, a locker, and a desk with a chair. The interior is executed in rich teak joinery over teak-and-holly soles, complemented by granite surfaces, stainless-steel ports, and plush upholstery refreshed in 2021 for the salon, foredeck, aft deck, and flybridge, excluding the pilothouse settee; carpeting shown in older photos has been discarded. Climate control is quiet and efficient thanks to two CruiseAir reverse-cycle air-conditioning units feeding five air handlers, several 12-volt fans, and a new Cruisair circulating pump installed in 2023. A Splendide 7100XC washer/dryer combo adds self-sufficiency for longer voyages.

The flow from deck to deck is intuitive and secure. Entering from the spacious covered aft deck, you move through a well-appointed main salon, past the portside galley and a starboard stairway to the owner’s stateroom, then step up to the pilothouse. In the pilothouse, another stairwell leads forward to the guest cabins, and a separate staircase aft to starboard rises to the flybridge. The salon, finished in fine teak with teak-and-holly flooring, welcomes natural light through large windows and no fewer than seven opening ports across the salon and galley. To starboard, twin lounge seats with integrated storage create a cozy nook, while to port an L-shaped settee wraps a folding dining table—an inviting space for conversation at anchor or passage. The galley, forward to port, is comprehensively equipped with a Norcold refrigerator and freezer, a Raritan Icer-Ette icemaker, a Princess by Seaward oven with a three-burner stove, a GE Profile microwave, a stainless-steel double sink with hot and cold water, and a separate filtered freshwater faucet. Practical details abound, including a CNG/propane detector, water-maker controls at hand, well-thought-out lockers above and below the counters, ample drawers, and cleverly organized storage. In the aft deck lazarette, a Grunert freezer and bottle storage complement the built-in wine rack to extend provisioning capacity.

Forward, the pilothouse is purpose-built for confident passagemaking. Excellent sightlines from the helm are paired with exterior doors to port and starboard for immediate access to the side decks. An L-shaped settee with a teak table shares the space with a single pilot berth and a dedicated helm seat, ideal for long watches. Equipment here includes windshield wipers and mesh snap-on exterior sun shades for the pilothouse windows, opening side windows for ventilation, stairs to the flybridge, direct deck access via the port and starboard doors, and an electronic safe for valuables. The heads are fitted with Techma electric flush toilets and separate showers, and the accommodations link naturally to the pilothouse, salon, and mechanical spaces through fore-and-aft companionways.

On deck, the Selene 53 reveals the thoughtful detailing of a true passagemaker. A stainless-guarded stern platform with a transom door opens to the large covered aft deck, where deck chairs find generous space and a hatch accesses the expansive aft lazarette; a molded stairwell rises gracefully to the flybridge. Side bulwark doors ease boarding from either side, and the high bulwarks lend a deep sense of security underway. Teak decking is glued down in the aft cockpit and beneath the covered side decks, while exposed areas receive molded non-skid for reliable footing. Varnished teak cap rails, protected by snap-on covers, underscore the classic Selene aesthetic. Maintenance and refinishing have been diligent: in 2016 the hull and boot stripes were prepped and painted and the cabin house was likewise prepped and painted; in 2016 the cabin house hardware was removed and re-bedded; in 2020 the cabin house windows were removed and re-bedded; and in 2022 new exterior window covers were fitted to the deckhouse.

Aft deck equipment is robust and ready for real cruising. A Lifesling is close at hand, as are hot-and-cold freshwater shower facilities, and there are two 50 Amp shore power connections with two matching shore cords. Several stainless-steel cleats provide secure mooring options, and the lazarette itself is a utility trove with a built-in wine rack, a Grunert freezer, a water maker, and organized gear stowage; the rudder and steering linkages are also accessible here. Above, the flybridge is an entertainer’s perch and a helmsman’s haven, sheltered by a bimini and spanned by a fiberglass arch supporting radar and antennas. Built-in seating, a dining table, a complete helm station with two helm seats, and a wet bar with grill and sink invite long afternoons at anchor. The space is fitted with overhead lighting and speakers, a grill served by two propane canisters, a dedicated sink, and flybridge cushions renewed in 2023. The aft sun deck carries a RIB tender and outboard under a powerful 1,200 lbs. hydraulic davit, with additional room for electric bikes and chairs as your plans require. The tender package includes a 30 HP Suzuki outboard of unknown age and a 2003 Zodiac YL 340 DL RIB (HIN: XDC069B1C303) that still holds air but is aged and ready for replacement. Forward, the walkaround foredeck is reached via a starboard bulwark door; stainless rails fully surround the area, and a molded forward-facing settee with cushion sits ahead of a large anchor platform, an electric windlass, and a roomy chain locker. Ground tackle includes a Maxwell 2500 twelve-volt dual anchor windlass, a CQR galvanized plow anchor, a Bruce 50 kg galvanized claw anchor, and a spare Danforth galvanized anchor.

Mechanically, the yacht is exceptionally well prepared for serious cruising. The primary engine is a Cummins 6C TA 8.3 rated at 430 HP, fully rebuilt in April 2025 by Performance Power Systems (ESN/Model: 46257365), with Cummins control panels fitted at both helms. Supporting upgrades include a main engine seacock replaced in 2020 with a 2-inch Apollo valve and adapter, a Balmar 94-12-210-IG alternator and MC-618 regulator replaced in 2023, a Twin Disc MG5075 marine transmission, and a cutlass bearing renewed in 2018. Redundancy comes from a dedicated secondary “get home” power plant: a Yanmar 4JH3E producing 52 HP on its own shaft with a feathering propeller, with fluids and filters replaced in June 2024, its transmission replaced in 2024, the port aft engine mount renewed in 2023, the heat exchanger manifold replaced in 2023, and the heat exchanger removed, inspected, and flushed in 2023; Yanmar control panels are also installed at both helms. Electrical autonomy is anchored by a 2025 Westerbeke 12.5BTDB generator rated at 12.5 kW with pilothouse control. Maneuvering is precise with Sidepower bow and stern thrusters commanded from both helms, and steering is by a robust hydraulic system. Fuel management and cleanliness are ensured by Racor filtration on the main, the auxiliary, and the generator feeds, an ESI Clean Fuel System #CFS-1000 FRE #04R11813 diesel polishing unit, and a Reverso three-way oil change system installed in 2023. Comfort underway is enhanced by Naiad stabilizers with pilothouse controls rebuilt in November 2025. Safety in the machinery space is provided by a Fireboy automatic fire suppression system in the engine room, currently requiring inspection and re-certification. Freshwater independence is augmented by a Village Marine water maker with galley control (inspected in 2022), a Torrid 20-gallon water heater, and a Flojet water pressure system renewed in 2023.

The plumbing suite is cruising-ready. A Village Marine Tec water maker with galley control pairs with the Torrid 20-gallon water heater and a Jabsco Flojet freshwater pressure system fitted in 2022. Domestic convenience includes the Splendid 7100XC washer/dryer combo, a hot-and-cold shower on the aft deck, and a hot-and-cold sink at the flybridge, all monitored by a Tank Watch four-level system. Bilge management is comprehensive with three Rule 2000 electric bilge pumps on float switches, one Rule 3700 bilge pump on a float switch, and one Whale Gulpar manual bilge pump, complemented elsewhere by four automatic bilge pumps serving the aft, engine room, mid, and forward sections and a separate manual pump. The yacht is fitted with two Techma electric flush toilets and dedicated shower sump pumps. Deck services include a fresh water washdown added in 2020, both fresh and raw water outlets at the bow, and a fresh water hose in the engine room. Cooking and grilling are supported by a gas system with two cylinders in a dedicated propane locker on the flybridge and separate propane tanks for the flybridge grill. Fuel is carried in two approximately 550-gallon GRP tanks for an approximate total of 1,100 gallons, while freshwater capacity is approximately 400 gallons. All measurements stated herein should be independently confirmed by the buyer.

The electrical architecture is versatile and world-friendly with 120-volt AC, 230-volt AC, and 12-volt DC systems. Shore connectivity includes four 50-amp shore power connections—two at the stern and two at the bow—supplemented by the 2025 Westerbeke 12.5 kW generator. Charging is delivered by two alternators, including a Balmar 94-12-210-IG alternator paired with an MC-618 regulator replaced in 2023, an 80-amp battery charger, and a Mastervolt Chargemaster 12/35-3. The battery suite comprises one 4D and four 8D batteries, with replacements completed in 2022. A Xantrex Prosine 3.00 inverter/charger, Xantrex system control panel, and Xantrex battery monitor round out the power management.

Electronics and navigation are due for a modern refresh; several legacy components are obsolete or inoperable and should be replaced. That said, the yacht is already equipped with Starlink mounted on the flybridge arch since 2022, a Simrad CA54 fifteen-inch multifunction display at the pilothouse helm that is inoperable, Simrad IS15 wind, depth, and speed displays at the pilothouse, flybridge, and in the owner’s cabin that are inoperable, radar on the arch, and a Simrad AP20 autopilot at the pilothouse helm. There are Big Bay fifteen-inch monitors at the pilothouse and flybridge that are inoperable, an Icom IC‑M602 VHF in the pilothouse, an Icom IC‑M502 VHF on the flybridge, a Qualcomm Globalstar satellite phone at the pilothouse, and a Raymarine handheld VHF. Traditional aids include Danforth compasses at both stations and a Cummins Marine control system. A spotlight on the flybridge, a horn, an Alpine stereo, and ten speakers distributed throughout the vessel provide practical and entertainment functionality, and there are TVs in the salon and owner’s cabin, including a Samsung unit in the owner’s suite.

Built for strength and longevity, the hull, deck, and superstructure feature gelcoat finishes—including an Awlcraft hull repaint in 2016—over vinylester resin in the first five lamination layers. The structure utilizes Cymax bi-axis uni-direction stitched roving/mat with glass mat and a Divinycell core sandwich for the hull sides and superstructure, integrated with longitudinal stringers and transverse frames, and divided by four watertight bulkheads (chain locker, forward engine room, after engine room, and lazarette). The hull-to-deck joint is glued, through-bolted, and laminated with mat and woven roving. An integral swim platform extends the hull, with a recessed bow thruster tunnel and an integral FRP stern thruster installation. Approximate, unconfirmed air draft measurements are as follows: bridge clearance with mast up is 26' 2", with mast down is 15' 8", with the radar arch up is 17' 9", and with the radar arch down is 14' 7".

Safety equipment is comprehensive and candidly documented. On the aft deck, a Lifesling stands ready, an EPIRB is aboard with an expired battery and conveys as-is, and the engine room carries a Fireboy automatic fire suppression system that requires re-certification. Life jackets and portable fire extinguishers are included. A Revere Offshore eight-person life raft is aboard, not currently certified and conveying as-is. Bilge protection includes four automatic pumps serving the aft, engine room, midship, and forward compartments, and one manual bilge pump. A sited CNG/propane detector in the galley adds another layer of vigilance.