# FairHelm Market Index 2026 research report

FairHelm Market Index 2026 research report: a citeable reading frame for Baltic used-yacht liquidity. Live counts and asks stay on the hub; this page states findings, method limits, and what the numbers do not prove.

- dateModified: 2026-08-30
- Live page: '/en/yachts/market-index/report-2026/'
- Methodology: '/en/yachts/market-index/methodology/'
- Live Market Index hub: '/en/yachts/market-index/'

## What this report is

The **FairHelm Market Index 2026 annual research report** explains how to read the index - and what it does not do for a Baltic buyer. It does **not** invent headline averages. Live figures live on the [Market Index hub](/en/yachts/market-index/); the rules live in the [methodology](/en/yachts/market-index/methodology/).

FairHelm judgment: use this report as a **reading frame** for liquidity and ask bands, then verify the boat in front of you.

## Key findings (qualitative)

1. **Ask is not sold.** The index shows public asking prices at snapshot time. Negotiated outcomes, refit state, and options stay invisible.
2. **Small samples are direction, not truth.** With few listings, averages jump. Methodology treats N<5 as a directional signal only.
3. **Baltic focus stays SE / DK / DE.** Regional splits appear on model pages when the sample allows. Private broker-only stock is out of scope.
4. **Weekly cadence beats daily noise.** The Monday 03:00 UTC cron is enough for seasonal cruisers. Reload the hub before an offer; do not cite a stale table.
5. **Liquidity is model-dependent.** Tier-1 families (for example Hallberg-Rassy, Najad) often show clearer public-portal coverage than rare one-offs - that is coverage bias, not a quality ranking.

## Baltic reading notes for 2026

| Observation | What it means | What it does not mean |
|-------------|---------------|------------------------|
| Open ask band on the hub | Typical public offers for tracked models | Sold price or appraisal |
| Regional splits SE / DK / DE | Where the sample yields public listings | A complete Baltic inventory |
| 12-month trend column when filled | Direction of ask snapshots | A forecast for your deal |
| Row showing "n/a" | No crawl match or a mapping gap | The boat is "worthless" |

Operational anchor: a boat on the hard in Sweden with an unclear standing-rigging date needs [survey coordination](/en/yachts/services/survey/) and budget planning ([survey cost by LOA](/en/yachts/tools/survey-cost/), [ownership cost](/en/yachts/tools/ownership-cost/)) - not only an index average.

## Methodology and limits

Short form of the [open methodology](/en/yachts/market-index/methodology/):

| Rule | Practice |
|------|----------|
| Sources | Public portals where permitted; normalisation to EUR |
| Metrics | Listing count, mean / median ask, trend when available |
| Refresh | Weekly cron; hub shows `dateModified` from the newest snapshot |
| Out of scope | Sold prices, private broker stock, live feed APIs |

Limits that must travel with any citation:

- Figures are **indicative**, not financial advice.
- Mapping drift and duplicate filters can under- or over-count.
- Season (spring / autumn) moves supply more than a single weekly snapshot.

## How to cite FairHelm

1. Name the hub table or model snapshot with a date.
2. Include the methodology URL.
3. State clearly: ask snapshot, not a transaction dataset.

Example context: [HR 36 model guide](/en/yachts/models/hallberg-rassy/hr36/). Buyer path: [advisory](/en/yachts/advisory/).

## Next steps

- [Market Index hub](/en/yachts/market-index/) - live table
- [Methodology](/en/yachts/market-index/methodology/) - sources and limits
- [Survey coordination](/en/yachts/services/survey/)

## FAQ

### Does this report publish new price averages?

No. It explains how to read the live Market Index and methodology. Cite hub snapshots with a date; do not treat this page as a frozen price table.

### Why focus on the Baltic?

FairHelm tracks public listings with regional splits for Sweden, Denmark and Germany when samples allow. That is our primary cruising-buyer context, not a claim of global coverage.

### Can I use these notes in a broker negotiation?

As context for liquidity and ask bands, yes. As a formal valuation or sold-comp set, no. Pair with survey coordination and the boat in front of you.