full keel sailboats over 40 feet

With plenty of room for a cruising couple to live aboard comfortably, production cruising boats within this size range are understandably very popular with long distance sailors.

However, marina charges worldwide seem to take a bit of a hike at 12m, so be warned...

If you'd like to submit a suitable image of a cruising yacht (yours perhaps?), please click here to send your pic. It doesn't have to be within this boat length category; if it isn't we'll move it to the appropriate one.

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 40

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 409

Slocum 43 

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 44 DS

Beneteau Oceanis 440

Morgan Out Island 41

Beneteau Oceanis 43

Catalina Morgan 43

Moody 41 Classic

Dehler 43 CWS

Hunter Passage 42

Beneteau First 435

Hallberg-Rassy 41

Sweden Yachts 42

Seastream 43

Morgan 41 Out Island Classic

Jeanneau Sun Magic 44 (also known as the Sun Odyssey 44)

Formosa 42 

Feeling 446

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 44i

Hallberg-Rassy 43

Freedom 44 (Cat Ketch)

Catalina Morgan 440

Catalina 445

Catalina 42 MkII

Beneteau 411

Bavaria Match 42

Island Packet 40

Roomy, comfortable and robust, the long-keeled Island Packet 40 could be many sailors ideal cruising yacht. 139 of them were built between 1994 and 2000.

'Zephyr' , an Ovni 395 dried out on a Cornish beach. Many thanks to Colin & Rebecca Campbell for this pic of their versatile cruising yacht.

Pearson 424

The Peason 424 cruising yacht is available as a ketch as the version shown below, or as a cutter. There's no denying that the Pearson 424 is an attractive cruising yacht.

The J/40 is a highly regarded performance cruising yacht. Designed and built to really sail well, passage times will be impressive.

Derived from C&C's Redline 41, the Newport 41 had a long and successful production run. It might lack some of the amenities of 'full-volume' modern cruising yachts below decks, but is a tough, fast and seakindly boat offshore.

Sirius 40 DS

The Sirius 40 DS motorsailer can be built with a number of keel options:  A deep fin keel of 7'6", 6'6" or 5'9"; a swing keel that draws 8'0" and 3'2" up; or twin keels that allow the boat to dry out upright. 

Columbia 43 MkIII

The gentle sheer and flush deck of this Columbia 43 MkIII aft-cockpit cruising yacht make for a very attractive sailboat.

Pacific Seacraft 40

Many thanks to Mike Price for this fine pic of his Contest 44 'Tumbledown Wind' as she crosses the ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) finishing line.

Mason 43 Cruising Yachts

Many thanks to Sally & Al Pribyl for this pic of their Mason 43 staysail ketch 'Artemis' , at anchor in Prickly Bay, Grenada.

Many thanks to Richard Clement and family for this fine pic of their Moody 425 cruising yacht 'Vega' .

Norseman 447

Many thanks for this pic to Dartanyon Race, co-Captain of this Norseman 447 cruising yacht 'Lutris' .

Hunter 40.5

Caliber 40 LRC

Swan 43 (S & S)

C&C Landfall 42

RH 43 (Also known as the CT 43)

Jeanneau Sun Legende 41

Hinckley Sou'wester 42 MkII

Ovni AluBat 43

Hallberg Rassy 42 (Frers)

She looks like a cutter in this pic, but the inline stays converging at the masthead shows that the Hallberg-Rassy 42 cruising yacht  'Cavatina' is a  solent rigged  sloop.

Beneteau 423

Beneteau Oceanis 42CC

Moody Eclipse 43

Trintella 44

Catalina 400 Mk2

Islander 44

Grand Soleil 39

Westerly Oceanlord 41

CSY 44 (Walk-Through)

Many thanks to Jeff and Carolee, for this pic of their CSY 44 Walk-Thru' staysail ketch  'Contessa' .

CSY 44 (Mid-Cockpit)

Jeanneau 'Sun Odyssey' 40.3

Outbound 44

Island Packet 445

Many thanks to Jim Shanahan for this great pic of his Island Packet cruising yacht 445 'Watermark III'.

Passport 40

More Cruising Yachts Pics Please...

Hallberg-rassy 42 (enderlein), recent articles.

Ovni 445 Sailboat Specs & Key Performance Indicators

Aug 29, 24 03:44 AM

Catalina 34 Sailboat Specs & Key Performance Indicators

Aug 29, 24 12:14 AM

Westerly Discus 33 Sailboat Specs & Key Performance Indicators

Aug 28, 24 02:14 AM

Here's where to:

• Find  Used Sailboats for Sale...
• Find Used Sailing Gear for Sale...
• List your Sailboat for Sale...
• List your Used Sailing Gear...

Our eBooks...

A few of our Most Popular Pages...

Just a headsail and a mainsail - simple and efficient. 

Read more...

A smaller headsail and a staysail makes sail handling easier.

A second mast with a mizzen sail, for greater versatility.

Copyright © 2024  Dick McClary  Sailboat-Cruising.com

My Cruiser Life Magazine

Best Bluewater Cruising Sailboats: Top Picks & Reviews

A bluewater sailboat is designed from the keel up to cross oceans. Of the many thousands of sailboats manufactured every year worldwide, only a few meet this definition.

Before diving into the best examples, let’s take a moment to think about what really counts as a bluewater sailboat and what criteria you might use to evaluate different designs.

Table of Contents

What does bluewater sailboat mean, hull shape and design, strong construction, carries sufficient power, water, fuel, and food, comfort ratio and ride quality, flexible sailplan for all types of weather, handholds and safe decks, pacific seacraft/crealock 37/40/44, baba/tashiba/panda 40, valiant 40/42/47/50, norseman 447, passport 40, hallberg-rassy 42/44, amel super maramu, cabo rico 38/42, final thoughts.

When searching for boats online, the term “bluewater” gets batted around quite a bit. “Bluewater” refers to that mythical color that the ocean takes on when you are far offshore. The sunlight illuminates only the first hundred feet or so, and the endless abyss beneath gives that color an other-worldly quality.

The implication is that a “bluewater sailboat” is capable of seeing those blue waters. It’s capable of venturing offshore, and it’s capable of the self-sufficiency required to survive out there.

But there are still many questions to be answered. For every sort of bluewater expedition that you could dream up, you can find a type of sailboat that was built to do it.

A better and more descriptive term for the type of boat is a passage-making sailboat. This is a sailboat built to cross oceans. Most people want to do this in a sailboat between 40 and 65 feet long, all in all. Larger yachts are, more or less by definition, bluewater boats.

The distinction lies in the company that these mid-sized ocean-going vessels keep. There have been many thousands of sailboats ranging from 40 to 65 feet sold all over the world. But a vast majority of these designs were not built with ocean voyaging as their primary purpose.

Instead, many can be described as coastal cruisers—built for protected waters or maybe even carefully planned hops across sections of big water. Others were designed as charter boats that can provide luxurious accommodations for a week-long island vacation.

By and large, other priorities shine through that detract from their sea-kindliness and passage-making abilities on these boats. Manufacturers may choose to use hull shapes that provide bountiful interior and living space, making the ride rougher in rough seas.

They may choose a fin keel and spade rudder for better upwind performance and more overall speed, knowing that these designs are less sturdy and more prone to damage than a full-keel bluewater cruiser. They may include large windows, which add lovely light to the living space but also pose a danger should they be breached offshore in storm conditions.

Many boats like this have completed long passages or even circumnavigated successfully. To say that it wasn’t designed for the journey isn’t to say that it isn’t possible to make the journey. But they still should not be considered “bluewater sailboats” because they have done it and gotten lucky—or have done it carefully and been heavily modified to do it safely.

Criteria for Picking Your Bluewater Boat

Everyone has a different vision for what they want from a bluewater sailboat. The term carries a lot of baggage. There are traditional heavily-built cruisers that can weather anything. And then, there are the well-equipped and upgraded production boats that can get the job done.

For our article, we will look at the first option—boats designed and built with voyaging across oceans in mind. Unfortunately, the list isn’t long and is full of older boat designs. This is mainly because this type of boat has fallen out of style, replaced by production boats that emphasize living accommodations and crew comfort while in port.

In the end, the bluewater boat you pick shows your priorities. Of course, no boat is perfect, and every sailor makes some sacrifices. Here are a few of the things that seasoned bluewater sailors will be looking for in an offshore-bound vessel.

The hull design of a boat affects many things about its performance, but most critically, it affects its ride and comfort at sea. This is especially true going upwind. Modern production boats are almost uniformly flat bottomed, which can pound dreadfully in a heavy seaway.

On the other hand, classic full-keel designs are renowned for their easy motions at sea. They are commonly described as slow compared to modern designs. But truthfully, all sailboats are slow. Would you rather have a comfortable boat that cruises at 7 knots or lose your teeth while doing 9 knots?

Conditions offshore can deteriorate with horrifying speed. Even with the excellent weather forecast products available in the 21st century, a bluewater boat should be capable of surviving storm conditions at sea. The crew’s skill and their heavy-weather sailing strategy have an enormous impact on storm survival. A sturdy vessel built to take the beating gives the crew a solid, trustworthy platform that is less likely to have serious breakages in storm conditions.

The list of things that you could include in this category is endless. Most of these things do not exist on production boats but are considered must-haves on offshore vessels.

• All deck and sailing hardware is through-bolted with heavy backing plates
• All seacocks are mounted on proper mounting plates and flanges
• All rigging is redundant so that no one failure can cause a rig to come down
• Hull is thickly built to survive possible impacts better
• Strongly built rudder mounted to the keel or skeg for protection and strength
• Prop and prop shaft are protected from entanglement and damage

There is simply no substitute for the warm feeling a sailor has when they do not doubt that their boat can take on any challenge. Smart sailor spends more time worrying about their own abilities and skills than the quality of their vessel.

Passage-making means living aboard for an extended time at sea. That means that the vessel needs to be large enough to accommodate you and your stuff for at least one and a half times the length of your longest trip. It also means that there is space for everyone on board to live comfortably and cohabitate for that length of time. 

Yes, the 20-foot-long Pacific Seacraft Flicka has completed circumnavigations, as has the 22-foot Falmouth Cutter or the Contessa 26. All are examples of extremely well-built and sturdy blue water vessels. But for most crews that consist of two or three people, they aren’t big enough to survive long passages without living exceptionally minimally.

Thus, their utility is limited to solo long-distance voyagers who are far more into the adventure of living small than cruising comfortably.

Comfort is a vastly underrated quality in today’s ideal cruising boat. A comfortable ride at sea is simply invaluable. It means a better-rested crew and better living conditions on board all voyages, long and small, calm and rough.

Many websites talk about a yacht’s “comfort ratio”.  This is of little interest to the racer or the coastal cruiser. But it measures how nice a boat rides offshore. The best boat designs score 30 or better. Long and heavy bluewater cruisers may score better than 50. The comfort ratio considers the loaded displacement of the vessel, its length, and beam—so larger boats have the advantage.

The comfort ratio does not apply to catamarans , however. The ride comfort on multihulls is much more difficult to judge. While the motion of a heavy monohull in a seaway can be rhythmic and predictable, wave action is felt on two independent hulls and the bridge deck of a cruising catamaran . The result is a jerky and unpredictable motion.

Some crews much prefer this motion to the extra rolling that a monohull experiences. The differences are subjective and cannot easily be quantified. Some people never get seasick on monohulls and are miserable on sailing catamarans , and the opposite is true just as often.

Besides the ride motion, it’s worth noting that multihulls have no ballast at all. Instead, they are lightly built for the best speed and performance, translating into a bouncy and pounding ride over even the slightest chop.

A bluewater sailor will want to make a way in nearly every set of conditions imaginable, short of a survival-condition storm. To do this, their sail inventory should provide them with an option they desire. From light winds to gales and heavy seas, the boat should have options.

Far and wide, the Bermudian sloop rig has taken over as the sailplane of choice on the typical coastal bluewater cruiser. Traditional bluewater sailboats tend to be either cutters or cutter-rigged ketches. These setups provide more options and easier sail handling than sloops do.

Another significant consideration when working offshore is how easy it is to get around the boat when the world is moving every which way. Down below, everything should have round corners and soft edges—you never know where your next painful bruise will come from. Up on deck, tall gunwales and secure lifelines are the difference between a death-defying adventure or a routine walk to the bow.

10 Best Offshore Bluewater Sailboats

Here are just a few of the biggest names in bluewater sailboats. Some of these vessels have been out of production for decades, but they still make a name for themselves with those who appreciate this type of vessel.

As noted above, we’re sticking with the classic definition of “bluewater sailboat” here. Of course, many will argue that modern production sailboats and multihulls can and do cross oceans. They certainly can and do. But very few of them in this size range are purpose-built from the start to provide comfortable and safe rides at sea—and so they are omitted here. 

Fiberglass boats of this style began with the Westsail 32. This was one of the cruising sailboats that created a cultural movement. Today, these boats are not particularly memorable. They were first built in 1971 and were the first of an entirely new class of sailboats—the attainable, fiberglass-built, bluewater-capable cruiser.

While there are still Westsails out there, many better designs have popped up since. But it was the Westsail that got many dreamers dreaming of sailing off into the sunset, and it was the success of the Westsail that convinced many companies to try their hand at building beefy offshore boats.

One of the first successful competitors to the Westsail was the Tayana 37. Designed by Bob Perry and built-in Taiwan, the Tayana 37 was one of the most popular bluewater sailboats of the 1970s. Over 500 were built, and they are prized to this day for their seakeeping abilities and sturdy construction. Their canoe stern design makes them especially easy to handle in quartering seas. The Tayana is a full-keeled cutter, heavily constructed and sturdily built.

William “Bill” Crealock is known for putting a premium on designs that ride comfortably. Pacific Seacraft produced the most popular of his designs. In fact, nearly every one of the company’s sailboats came from his drawing board. Pacific Seacrafts are extremely well-built boats that anyone would feel comfortable in. 

These boats feature a long keel and a sturdy skeg-mounted rudder. Their performance is theoretically slightly better than full-keeled boats, but they’re still comfortable in a seaway.

Similar to the Tayana 37, this series of boats were also designed by Bob Perry and built by Taiwanese boatyards. They feature a slightly modernized cutaway full keel. They’re best known for their lovely interiors that showcase some of the best Taiwanese craftsmanship you’ll find.

These boats came in a wide variety of designs and sizes, but all are roughly similar. The Baba 30 is the smallest, while the 37 and 40-footers are better equipped for extended passage making.

Bob Perry updated his double-ender design for Texas-based Valiant Yacht. These are premium American-built yachts that are highly sought after to this day. The Valiant 40 incorporated a long fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder. The goal was to improve performance, especially when sailing upwind while keeping a structurally sound and sturdy design.

The results spoke for themselves, and the design has pretty much been adopted by every other design of offshore sailing yacht since.

Another modern design from the desk of Bob Perry, the Norseman 447, was built by Ta Shing in Taiwan, one of the premier boatyards in the world. Its underside is similar in design to the Valiants, with a long keel and skeg-mounted rudder. It’s heavily built and features just enough room and waterline for comfortable long passages.

Like the Norseman, the Passport is a ruggedly built offshore sailing yacht with a modern design. Also designed by Bob Perry and also built in Taiwan, the Passport was first launched in 1980. The line of boats eventually expanded to include yachts from 37 to 52 feet.

The Passport features a fin keel and skeg-hung rudder. It’s a sloop and was designed to be sailed under main alone for easy single-handing. The boats are incredibly well-built and sturdy. Sailor John Kretchmer wrote an excellent review for Sailing Magazine. https://sailingmagazine.net/article-537-passport-40.html The Passport offers the beautiful lines and sea kindly design of a Bob Perry boat, but with the modern finish and appeal of a newer boat.

The Hylas line of Taiwanese-built boats is a popular one. Unlike many others on the list, these yachts featured aft cabins and center cockpit designs. This provides a more central location to drive the yacht from. Down below, the arrangement allows for a large master stateroom aft with an island berth.

Hallberg-Rassy builds seaworthy and sturdy vessels in Sweden. Most of their designs, and all of their current offerings, come from the drawing boards of renowned European designer German Frers. The best-known models are center cockpit designs with excellent construction and beautiful joinery down below. The newer boats have modern undersides with fin keels and beefy, skeg-mounted rudders. Older boats have long or full keel designs.

This once little-known French manufacturer of beefy offshore ketches has experienced a renaissance thanks to the YouTube sailors on SV Delos. Amels are larger yachts, ranging from 50 to 60 feet long. They’re heavily built but feature a modernized ketch rig that makes sail handling easy. Much of the line handling is done by power winches, including furlers on all sails. Their newest designs are sleeker cutters and sloops.

Cabo Ricos are hand-built in Costa Rica by an American company, or they were until about 2010. The early 34s and 38s were designed by Bill Crealock, while Chuck Paine designed the larger yachts like the 42 and 56. They are one of the newest-built full-keeled cruisers you can find.

They’re known for their fantastic woodwork and joinery down below, but the lines of these lovely boats only hint at how comfortable they ride at sea. Their solid fiberglass hulls are extraordinarily well-built and ready for anything. They have cutter rigs and heavy displacements. In short, they were designed from the keel up for bluewater passage making.

There are very few companies that are still making pure-blood bluewater cruising boats. While the market for production and charter sailboats is enormous, the number of private owners who want to cross oceans is small. Most of the owners will prefer to find a boat on the used market anyway. That means fewer sales and a high retail price, making the endeavor’s profitability for the manufacturer difficult.

But there are plenty of used yachts out there, and many are ready to go cruising tomorrow. Some of the yachts on this list are so well built and sturdy that they will keep crossing oceans for decades to come.

Matt has been boating around Florida for over 25 years in everything from small powerboats to large cruising catamarans. He currently lives aboard a 38-foot Cabo Rico sailboat with his wife Lucy and adventure dog Chelsea. Together, they cruise between winters in The Bahamas and summers in the Chesapeake Bay.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• BOAT OF THE YEAR
• Newsletters
• Sailboat Reviews
• Boating Safety
• Sails and Rigging
• Maintenance
• Sailing Totem
• Sailor & Galley
• Living Aboard
• Destinations
• Gear & Electronics
• Charter Resources
• Ultimate Boat Giveaway

Best Midsize Cruiser 40-44 Feet

• By Herb McCormick
• Updated: December 12, 2017

Winner: Elan GT5

This is going to be a tough category,” said Bill Bolin of the Best Midsize Cruiser 40 to 44 Feet division. “We have three very different but very good boats in this class — the Elan GT5, the Hallberg-Rassy 412 and the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 440.”

To begin, Bolin said of the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 440, “It’s the best Jeanneau I’ve ever seen.” The judging panel agreed, crowning the boat the fleet’s Most Innovative design for 2018.

And what, exactly, led to that designation? “One big reason is the side decks,” said Tim Murphy. “One of the design features is wide-open side decks all the way aft” that permit easy egress going forward without the need to scramble over cockpit coamings. “It’s a clean path ahead,” he noted. Imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, it’s something we expect to see on more boats, including a scaled-up Jeanneau 490, in the very near future.

“You go down below and, maybe for the first time, Jeanneau has separated the mast compression post from the main bulkhead,” he added. “Now there’s just a compression post that runs down into the main saloon, and the main bulkhead that would’ve come to that position is now several feet forward. So they’ve opened up more space in the main cabin and taken it away from the forward cabin, where they’re arguing you don’t need it quite as much. I think that’s also a fine change. It has twin rudders, and under sail, I thought the helm was beautiful. It’s a solid boat.”

So, too, thought Bolin, was the Hallberg-Rassy 412. “This is the largest aft-cockpit model Hallberg-Rassy has built,” he said. “There is a 40-foot center-cockpit model, but this is a different hull entirely, optimized for upwind performance, with a code zero sail for downwind work. There’s a retractable bow thruster — we saw a lot of those this year — to reduce drag and get the thruster deeper in the water and farther forward as well. The boat we inspected had upgraded sails, and when we went sailing, they were ­spectacular. There was a beautiful full-­battened sail and the boat sailed very well.

“It had a slippery hull and moved nicely,” he added. “We sailed it in 12 to 14 knots of breeze, so there was decent wind. Most of the time we were making 6.5 to 7 knots. As we fell off on a beam and then a broad reach, I think this was the first boat where we didn’t see a drastic drop in speed. It performed well on all points of sail. It had a nice big wheel and great visibility forward. It would be an easy boat to single­hand. I really like it.”

“This is a mainsail-driven boat, and I think that might explain why it’s so peppy off the wind,” said Murphy. “So the sail plan is a small jib with a big main. They’re one of the few remaining builders that are giving us a true traveler but also genoa sheet-lead controls from the cockpit, showing that they’re concerned about sail shape, and rightly so. Going down below, it’s the classic Hallberg-Rassy mahogany interior, and it’s just lovely, as lovely as it ever was. We’ve talked about good handholds, but on this boat, they weren’t just good, they were also beautiful. The fiddles are these beautiful rounded shapes that are perfect for your hand. They look great and feel great. Very nice.”

That left the Slovenian-built, 43-foot-4-inch Elan GT5. The company builds dedicated lines of racing and cruising boats, but, said Murphy, “The GT5 is sort of a hybrid between those two lines. It has a high-­performance hull and a very comfortable cruising interior.

“Sailing it was pretty joyful,” he continued. “We sailed in very light air and it was still moving very nicely. It looked really good on the water. It really seemed to have answered the performance side of Elan’s DNA.”

“The company is doing some progressive things in terms of systems,” said Ed Sherman. “The electrical system on the boat has a nice, graphically designed power distribution panel with push buttons that light up things to let you know, for instance, that the running lights are on and that sort of thing.”

“I was really taken with this boat,” said Bolin. “It looks like a race boat from a distance, and as Tim mentioned, its DNA is rooted in that. But you go below and it’s very unique, with lots of special features. I like the galley-­forward arrangement a lot. You come down into the main cabin and you’ve got max beam where the living quarters are, you have a great sense of entry. Figuratively speaking, you’re not walking through the back door and the kitchen to get into the house. I think this layout makes very good use of space. And there’s lots of storage. Finally, I’d say it’s a high-tech boat, vacuum-bagged with 100 percent vinylester. There’s a lot to like about it.”

At the end of the day, Bolin’s colleagues agreed, which is why they chose the Elan GT5 as the Best Midsize Cruiser 40 to 44 Feet.

Other Winners:

• Best Midsize Cruiser 44-47 Feet/Overall Winner
• Best Pocket Cruiser
• Best Full-Size Cruiser 50-54 Feet
• Best Full-Size Cruiser 54-58 Feet
• Best Cruising Catamaran
• Best Luxury Cruiser
• Most Innovative

More Information

• Specs, Prices and More
• Meet the Judges
• More: Boat of the Year , Boat of the Year 2018 , hallberg-rassy , jeanneau , Sailboats
• More Sailboats

Sailboat Preview: Elan GT6 Explorer

For Sale: 1984 Camper & Nicholsons 58

Alubat Updates OVNI Models

For Sale: Little Harbor 63 Ketch

From Paradise to Medical Emergency: A Bahamas Nightmare Turns Lesson Learned

Free Medical Advice: The Unwarranted, Unprofessional Edition

Gatekeepers of the Waterway

Rigging Redo: Our Switch to Synthetic

• Digital Edition
• Customer Service
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Email Newsletters
• Cruising World
• Sailing World
• Salt Water Sportsman
• Sport Fishing
• Wakeboarding

• Forums New posts Unanswered threads Register Top Posts Email
• What's new New posts New Posts (legacy) Latest activity New media
• Media New media New comments
• Boat Info Downloads Weekly Quiz Topic FAQ 10000boatnames.com
• Classifieds Sell Your Boat Used Gear for Sale
• Parts General Marine Parts Hunter Beneteau Catalina MacGregor Oday
• Help Terms of Use Monday Mail Subscribe Monday Mail Unsubscribe

Best Bluewater boat 40'-45'

• Thread starter rlewis
• Start date Jan 12, 2007
• Forums for All Owners
• Ask All Sailors

My wife and I are thinking seriously about retiring into the cruising lifestyle. After a year or so cruising the Carribean and the Gulf, we plan to go to the Med and beyond.I read Nigel Calder's book on the subject and am cranked about identifying some boat options. However, I haven't found the right search terms to pull up decent bluewater boats. I'm looking for a cutter sloop in the 40' to 45' range, with AVS >130, STIX and capsize ratios well within the bluewater range, full keel with skeg mounted rudder, and a host of other specs that Calder has convinced me are important. Who makes boats like these?RichP.S. I checked out Gozzard yachts - the hull design is perfect, though the accommodations lack a good seaberth amidships. Also, expensive done in cherry, but awfully pretty!  

This Site may help get you started.http://www.image-ination.com/sailcalc.html  

The cruising club of america has many members that share your dreams. Check out their web site.http://www.cruisingclub.org/seamanship/seamanship_boats.htm  

sailingseadragon

Consider the Island Packet 45 a boat now longer in production or the new IP440. Both are outstanding boats.Island Packet 45 http://www.ipy.com/Default.php?Page=IP45Island Packet 440http://www.ipy.com/Default.php?Page=IP440IMHO  

Follow the eminent blue-water 'designers' ...... Robert Perry, William Creighlock, Bob Harris, Pieter Beeldsnijder, etc. Top designers also offer 'consultation services' to help choose the 'right' boat for you and your budget (for fee, of course). Passport, Tayana, Valiant, Pacific Seacraft, Baba, Gozzard, Morris, TaShing, Little Harbor, Hans Christian etc. etc. etc.. Go to: http://roguewaveyachtsales.com/roguewave/index.html as a representative broker for 'prime' blue water boats .... such brokers will also have knowledge of a 'plethora' of well built quality boats that are 'little known' beyond 'marketing hype'Hope this helps.  

henkmeuzelaar

Nonplussed: found no answers in the Caribbean?? With thousands of cruising vessels milling around there most every type of boat and sailor is sure to be represented. Perhaps your itinerary kept you from taking full advantage of that opportunity. If so, the best way to find answers to your questions may be to go back and familiarize yourself with as many boats and sailors as you can.IMHO, no amount of websurfing or stomping around boatshows can substitute for being in the middle of where the action is.In the half-dozen or so busy cruising destinations we have visited over the past 15 years (not necessarily with the best of memories... but that is a different story) I have never met a sailor yet who didn't know where to find his dreamboat. In general, the opposite tends to be true. About half of them have already found it and love nothing better than to give you a grand-tour and regale you with their real-life experiences whereas the other half may also be looking but simply because they want something a little bigger, smaller, stronger, faster, etc. etc. that fits their budget and cruising style. Good luck!Flying Dutchman  

rlewis, From the answers that you have received. I think that your next move is to start researching the obscure corners of the cruising sailboat world. You have read Calder. That is a start, there must be forty or fifty others that have written their thoughts, opinions and conclusions into book form. I had suggested a check into the Cruising Club of America as a place to start. My experience is such that all great writters rely on the work and experience of others to flesh out their work. If you read the acknowledgements in Calders work and hunt up those he refers to you will get a new body of work to read and within all that you will find a treasure house of experiences of others most of whom are now long dead. Those wonderful old boats that were built before the racing world got involved in building sail boats. Some of the very best of the old boats started out as working sailboats that were able to live long enough to retire and play.  

Moody Buccaneer

Henk is gentler than I ... It sounds like you are shopping based on a list in a book rather than a list made from your own experience.One might see an image of apple fritters and think that apple fritters would be wonderful to serve to the family for a holiday dinner. After moths of research one might find a recipe for the worlds finest apple fritters. Having the recipe in hand, one could spend months tracking down all the ingredients on the list. Then one could discover that they don't like cooking, or they don't like apples, or that apples make them sick ....What Nigel Calder or anyone else thinks makes a good "blue water" boat will mean nothing if you can't sail, or don't like it, or you get violently ill or have panic attacks at sea.I could be very wrong, but I think you have very little (if any) sailing experience. IMO starting out with a boat like you describe will slow the learning process and not ensure any success cruising.Shannon Yachts are unquestionably ocean going boats. They don't have full keels. A 10 year old Shannon 43' goes for $395,000, a 20 year old Shannon goes for $375,000. What is your budget?Is it prudent to be thinking about a purchase that size based on someone else's shopping list? Did you choose your wife based on what you read in someones book?If you have a world cruiser budget, why not spend the price of 2 winches and buy a small boat? Learn to sail, learn to keep it in top condition, sail the crap out of it and talk to the owners of bigger boats you meet. Charter bigger boats. Get a feel for the difference between 35 and 45 feet. See if you get sick and stay sick for days on end.When you have your own shopping list, finding the right boat will be easy.  

Charter a boat in Tortola or one of the other islands frequented by folks who are doing what you want to do. Bring lots wine. Row around the anchorage in the afternoon and invite folks over for a glass of wine. Wine is better than rum in this case because it's more expensive and supplies run out faster, plus your informants may stay lucid.Advantages to this plan;It gets you to the islands sooner.You get a chance to talk to folks who are doing what you propose to do. It would be impossible to exaggerate the value of this kind of input before you spend a pile of money.You have an excuse to spend a significant amount of money on a great winter adventure.  

Books This is an excellent list of options for me and my thanks go out to all. Temporally, I appreciate Henk's and Fred's suggestions, as I'm chartering in the BVI next month and will make the opportunity to meet bluewater cruisers happen.Moody Buc - you assume too much and chastise too vigorously. Of the 19 sentences in your post, 10 were either stating incorrect assumptions about my lack of experience or just being down-right sarcastic. I've seen you make similar assumptions to other people's posts and I have to tell you, it doesn't feel good, nor does it encourage infrequent posters who are just looking for information to post.I'm a boat owner, race and cruise regularly, have taken through ASA 106, have a Master's 50 ton license, and have chartered boats up to 54' extensively - but only on production boats set up to accommodate the most number of people since that's about all the charterers have available. I've been seasick once and my wife twice.I strongly believe in researching a topic before commiting anything. I believe in BOTH reading all that I can from those who have gone before me - hence, why I listen in on this web site. From those learnings, I proceed to the experential. I don't have enough of a lifetime left to do it the other way around. My budget will be $300K - $425K for a used boat. My timeframe is seven years of learning before I retire and commit to a boat.Again, folks, thanks for your posts. You're all appreciated.  

I am happy to spend your money get an Amel 53  

As I said, I could be wrong I just have never heard that sort of question from anyone with very much sailing experience. We see much the same question asked about once a week here.I'm sorry that you didn't like my response. From reading your post, it sounded like you were shopping with someone elses list, and are not very clear about the nature of boats.What exactly is a "full keel with skeg mounted rudder"? You cannot find such a boat, because they do not exist.Either it has a full keel and the rudder is mounted to the keel, or it has a fin keel and a skeg mounted rudder.  I think you will find that there are two schools of thought in offshore yacht design. The traditional, heavy (D/L 300+), full keel or cutaway forefoot boats, and the modern, moderate (D/L 200-300), fin keel boats.Dudley Dix does some very nice blue water boats. I mentioned Shannon in my first post. Michael Kasten does some very nice full keel (cut away forefoot)boats.One often overlooked component of seaworthiness is the ability of the boat to sail to windward in a blow. Most full keel boats are not very good in this regard. Many/most traditional, heavy, full keel boats are motorsailed to weather. A moderate fin keel (ala Cal 40, or Shannon) can have all the directional stability of a full keel boat and also sail well to weather.As you have found, it is hard to find many full keel boats for sale. They are not very popular (IMO for good reason). You will likely end up with a used semi-custom boat if your requirement for a full keel is non-negotiable. This brings up the problem of who built the boat. If the boat was professionally built to Lloyd's or ABYC standards (scantlings) your budget limits your choices. If the boat was owner built, you have to very careful with pre-purchase survey.As soon as you drop the full keel requirement, your budget should give you a choice of many solid blue-water cruisers.Henk chose a Hunter Legend, I like the Shannon's (except for too much wood to take care of), and the 2 cabin Catalina 42. Older Swan's are in your price range, but may be more race oriented than you are looking for. The late 60's early 70's Swans (S&S designs) are good, sound cruisers ... not full keels though.I'd be interested in hearing why you have added a full keel to your list. I'm hard pressed to think of many reasons that would make a full keel a requirement.Once again, I'm sorry if you find the tone of my posts sarcastic. Ken Barnes had a list much like yours when he went boat shopping and we have seen how much good it did him.  

Robert Gainer

I guess you don’t like full keel boats Moody Buccaneer,I guess you don’t like full keel boats with a cutaway forefoot. A large group of people don’t share your opinion about that. I think a well designed fin keel boat is fine offshore but a well designed full keel boat is also just as valid a choice. Going to windward is not an issue with a well handled and properly designed full keel boat and in fact under some condition the added weight and bite of a full keel is advantages. But more then that laying a-hull is much more comfortable in a full keel boat then the lighter fin keel boats. In fact some fin keel boats will not lay-a- hull and if you don’t have sea room running is not always and option. And if short handed or single handed sailing is what you want to do a fin keel might not be directionally stable enough for a windvane system under all conditions. So under some conditions a full keel is very desirable and it all depends on what you want to do. An example would by my first solo trans-Atlantic in 1974. That trip was done with a Carl Alberg designed full keel 22 foot Sea Sprite and I made that trip without any windvane because the hull was so balanced she could make the trip by sail choice and balancing the boat instead of steering.Selecting a boat involves choosing a system. How you intend to sail and handle the boat defines the type of boat you need. Your well thought out opinions are based on your experience and may not fit into someone else’s plans and they would be better off with a different choice of rig and boat instead of forcing their tactics onto your choice of boat. I don’t like to get involved in discussions about what boat someone should buy because if they are asking the question it usually means they don’t yet have the experience and haven’t read up enough to discuss the selection and fully integrate the boat selection with the intended use of the boat.By the way, today I sail a Tartan 34C designed by S&S during the days of the CCA rule. I have described her at times as a full keel boat with a skeg hung rudder. The size and shape of the lateral plane without the rudder is similar to many full keel boats with a cutaway forefoot. Of course the keel does not extend to the aft end of the waterline but the description is adequate for someone who is familiar with hull shapes. Traditionally a full keel boat had a keel from bow to stern with no cutaway at all. Over time the keel has become shorter with more and more of the forefoot missing and the rudder moved forward with the keel. At some point the rudder was separated from the keel and moved back to the aft end of the waterline. In the path of the evolution of today’s boat his step was a full keel with a separated rudder. Today the keel has become a clear fin independent of the canoe body of the hull proper. I enjoy reading some of your posts. What boat do you sail on now?All the best,Robert Gainer  

If you don'r care too much about windward performance look at a Morgan Out Island 41. More of them have been made than any other sail boat over 40 feet. They were built for the charter business in the Caribean, folks who chartered them went home and bout them. Huge inside, built really strong, full length keel but only 4.5 ft of draft. They sell for half of what you would pay for similar accomodation in another boat. A bit like Catalinas that way.The Morgan actually sails pretty well to windward in ocean conditions if you reef soon and let her stay pretty upright. The weight (27,000 lbs) keeps her going through head seas. I like to motor sail to windward anyway, and the Morgan really shines motor sailing to windward in ocean conditions.Google up Morgan Out Island 41 and check it out.  

i've me a little time folks and we can make this discussion fun.http://old.cruisingworld.com/herbrich.htmThis link is to Richey and Jester.http://www.boatingcornwall.co.uk/mostpopular.var.1087528.mostviewed.curlew_owners_return.phpThis link is to Pauline and Tim Carr and CurlewHal and Margaret RothLyn and Larry PardeyThese sailors have earned the right to having their opinions listened to with undivided attention. Donna Lange is quickly getting there.Others here can add names as they see fit but the thing that these people share in common is that their boats are on the small side of all of the discussion here.  

Research Help I am a little farther away from realizing my dream than you are but have basically the same one. In 10-15 years I hope to spend at least half the year exploring the Carib and ultimately making it over to the Med. Maybe even farther.I am still gaining experience, I have a lot to gain yet, and thus knowledge about the boat I want for the next stage. My desires so far are very similar to yours. Stability and able to take what the ocean can dish out lead to a heavily built boat. Probably something in between a full keel and fin keel with rudder mounted on skeg with prop in an aperture for protection of both. I will want to wait for a good weather window and if caught be able to lie a hull. Solid fiberglass hull, private rear stateroom, good tankage, plentiful storage. A cutter rig for the greater options in sail plan it would give me. I also very much like the idea of a Center Cockpit, all of which is why a Morgan Out Island 41 is very near the top of my list.While I know in general what I want knowing which boats offer that are whole different story. There are literally hundreds of different boats out there so finding those that meet my requirements is the hard part. I figured that was the point of this post, to get help from others in narrowing down the field, not questioning the posters criteria.Towards that end I mentioned the Morgan OI 41. Two books that I have in my library to help are:- Used Boat Notebook by John Kretschmer. This contains reviews of 50 different boats describing all aspects of them, strengths, weaknesses, etc. This was very helpful for me as it suggested boats I would not have otherwise.- The Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat by John Vigor. I like this one a lot because it goes into virtually every feature of a sailboat and describes why the author things it is valuable for a blue water boat. Using this criteria there is a test a boat can be put through to attempt to score its blue water ability. Not a real help in finding a specific boat but for me it has been helpful in identifying those things that I desire in my dream cruising boat.I don't have the opportunity now to spend much time on boats other than my current which is a 1971 Ericson 29. I love her but she is just not large enough for my wife and I to spend much time on; comfortably anyway. As such I need to make use of the same resources as you for finding my boat.Good Luck, Have Fun and Fair Winds.  

Buying a boat by the numbers Randy,The Catalina 30 is a nice boat and you will enjoy her offshore. I also have had the opportunity to work on a lot of them and had some fun doing deliveries for a dealer in my area. I also think you are right when you are comparing a full keel and fin keel approach to sailing to compare the best examples of each type instead of comparing one good boat to one poor boat.Like most knowledgeable people you point to some non dimensional ratios to compare and define boats. You know how it works and I think in the back of your mind are applying a fudge factor to allow for the differences that stem from boat size and its effect of these numbers. But I think some of these numbers are generally used inappropriately and in fact are misleading. From reading some of these boards I think people are comparing apples and oranges and may not understand all the numbers. When you are discussing the relative value of a boat for offshore passage making I think you need to consider the fixed dimensions involved and temper you judgment based on the non dimensional numbers. Ross gives us some links and they are for smaller boats which don’t hold up to scrutiny just by looking at the non dimensional ratios. But they do point out the success you can have with a small full keel boat.Stability or the power to carry sail varies as the fourth power of the length on the water line but sail area and wetted surface both vary as the square of the length on the water line. This means that a 30 foot boat needs a very different (greater) beam as a percentage of length to have equivalent stability to a 40 foot boat. As boats get longer they have less beam and draft so the ideal displacement length ratio changes with the size of the boat even staying with the same style of boat. But the ideal prismatic coefficient for a given speed length ratio stays the same if you keep the same target for resistance per pound of displacement. It may just be me but I think the non dimensional ratios are best confined to comparing similar boats of similar size instead of using them trying to decide the choice between full keel and fin keel.For the choice between a fin and full keel one thing I would propose is a number that takes into account the crew dimension and the endurance of the boat. The crew dimension is simply (number in crew) X (weight to support each person) X days of endurance you want out of the boat. Because the amount of weight you can add to a boat is a fixed percentage of displacement the smaller the boat in length the greater the displacement length ratio needs to be to carry the crew and stores without overloading the boat. By this way of thinking as the boat gets smaller you need a heaver boat and at some point a full keel boat is the only boat that will carry enough stores for the crew for the length of time needed. The flip side is as the boat gets larger the need for displacement to carry the crew and have sail carrying power decreases and a comparatively lighter boat with a fin keel starts to come into her own particularly given the fact that sail area or your horsepower only varies as the square of the water line length. As boats get longer the heaver boat will be underpowered because of the difference between the forth power and second power effects of stability and sail area. That’s why larger full keel boats are comparatively slower then smaller full keel boats.It all goes back to making a decision using an overview of the facts and the buyer’s opinions instead of focusing on one or two aspects of a design. The right boat for a given trip, crew, style of sailing etc is a blend with a big part of the decision based on the sailing style, skill and background of the skipper. The numbers are just a part of the decision process and shouldn’t be over emphasized during the process.All the best,Robert Gainer  

Right you are Robert You are exactly right. The realtionship of pounds per crew per day to boat size forces higher D/L ratios for smaller cruising boats. It is amplified by the fact that smaller boats are slower and have to spend more days at sea to make a passage (more food + more water = more total load for same number of miles). Your observations on the relationship between length, displacement and sail carrying power are also spot on. No need for fat boats as the length goes up.Ted Brewer's "Motion Comfort Ratio" is often used to make a case for heavy boats. But if you look at the formula, the D/L required to get a "good" MCR goes down as the length of the boat goes up. A moderate 40 foot LWL boat can have a better MCR than a heavy 25 foot LWL boat. If your budget allows, one of the Dashew designs (very low D/L for a "cruiser") at 55+ feet LWL gives both speed and comfort.At 40-45 feet LOA I don't see a need for a full keel hulform. At 25-30 feet the case gets better.My C30 has a lightship displacement of 10,500, the sailing weight on my IMS certificate is just under 13,000. At 834 pounds per inch immersion 2500 pounds of load sinks the boat about 3 inches.I'm looking at a total load budget of 2500 pounds in gear, crew, water, food, and fuel. As I go back together with the boat in the next couple of months I'll keep a log of everything that goes back in the boat. If I use 350 pounds each for two crew and clothing, I have 1800 pounds for the rest. If I budget 21 pounds a day for food and water per person for 30 days at sea, that's 1260 pounds (for 2 people), leaving only 540 pounds for other gear, fuel and spares.If I add a water maker I can reduce the weight budget from 21 pounds per day per person (5 food, 16 water) to say 10 pounds/person/day. Now my 30 day supply is 600 pounds and I can carry 1140 pounds of gear (including the watermaker), fuel, and spares.2 gallons/day/person for 30 days is 120 gallons of water for two people. How many small boats have that much tankage? For the same passage, the 40-45 foot boat might need only 20 days of supplies. That's 80 gallons in the water tanks in the larger boat. Again, no need for the full keel hullform on the 45 footer that might allow the 30 footer to have 120 gallons of water on board.I know it sounds like I'm over-thinking this, but I think it is prudent to keep the boat within design limits and have a safety margin in stores for any planned passage. BTW S&S has done some of the nicest boat ever to sail. I think it would be hard to go very wrong with one of their cruising designs.Randy  

Randy, from a nutritional point you are allowing too much for food. Cereal products run about 2000 calories per pound as does meat. Legumes(beans, peas etc) run about 1500 calories per pound,canned goods(fruit,tomato sauce)calories per pound. Fats (butter, bacon, summer sausage, hard cheese) allow 3000 calories per pound. Allow about 2500 calories per person per day depending on indivual size. Lyn Pardey in her book "The care and feeding of an off shore crew" covers this topic very nicely.  

• This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies. Accept Learn more…

10 of the Best Bluewater Sailboats Under 40 Feet

Navigating the open seas requires a model that combines performance, safety, and comfort. For sailors seeking adventure beyond the horizon, choosing the right bluewater sailboa t is paramount. In this article, we’ll delve into the technical specifications and features of 10 of the best bluewater sailboats, both monohulls and catamarans, all under 40 feet in length.

Hallberg-Rassy 372

Length: 37’6′.

The Hallberg-Rassy 372 was built in 120 units and is optimized for comfortable and fast family cruising. She will take you anywhere, anytime. Compared to the Hallberg-Rassy 37, the 372 is only a few centimetres longer, is 5 cm wider and has a fuller transom. The canoe body is slightly shallower, the waterline longer and the keel slightly deeper and lighter. The aft and mid sections of the hull are flatter and the bow section sharper. The sheer line is more pronounced. All this gives both improved sailing performance and more interior space. The modern sailplan is easy to handle. The yacht breathes graceful elegance.

Hallberg-Rassy may be best known for its centre cockpit boats, but over 5 900 of so far 9 700 built Hallberg-Rassys have an aft cockpit. The aft cockpit 372 is in every aspect an all-new Frers design and is not based on the centre cockpit Hallberg-Rassy 37.

The boat features a moderate draft, allowing it to navigate a variety of water depths with ease. The combination of a long waterline and a well-balanced sail plan contributes to its impressive performance under sail. The Hallberg-Rassy 372’s deck layout is thoughtfully designed for single-handed sailing, with well-positioned winches and control lines.

Stepping below deck, the Hallberg-Rassy 372 welcomes sailors into a spacious and well-appointed interior. The layout is designed with extended bluewater cruising in mind, offering comfort and practicality. The main saloon features a U-shaped settee around a large dining table, providing a cozy space for meals and relaxation.

The galley is equipped with all the amenities needed for preparing meals at sea, including a stove, oven, refrigerator, and ample storage space. The cabins are designed for comfort, with generous berths and storage solutions that make long journeys a pleasure rather than a challenge.

Outremer 4X

Length: 40′.

This catamaran showcases a fusion of speed and stability. The Outremer 4X’s lightweight design and innovative rigging contribute to its impressive performance, making it a preferred choice for bluewater sailors with a penchant for velocity.

The Outremer 4X stands as a performance catamaran unwavering in its commitment to seaworthiness, staying true to its ocean cruising heritage. Its construction prioritizes weight optimization without compromising on structural integrity. The sail plan and deck layout are meticulously designed to navigate diverse weather conditions seamlessly.

Maintaining the comfort standards set by its predecessor, the Outremer 45, the Outremer 4X goes beyond, pushing the limits of performance for an ocean cruiser. Whether embarking on blue-water cruising adventures with the family or engaging in competitive regattas, the Outremer 4X excels in both realms, showcasing its versatility and capability to meet the demands of various sailing pursuits.

Pacific Seacraft Crealock 37

Length: 37’10”.

The Pacific Seacraft 37, commonly referred to as the Crealock 37, is an American sailboat meticulously designed by the esteemed British naval architect, W. I. B. Crealock, with a primary focus on cruising. The initial construction of this sailboat commenced in 1978, marking the inception of a vessel renowned for its seafaring capabilities and thoughtful design.

Recognizing its exceptional contribution to sailing, the Crealock 37 earned a prestigious spot in the American Sailboat Hall of Fame in 2002, solidifying its legacy as a vessel of timeless significance within the maritime community.

The Crealock 37, a keelboat primarily constructed with a fiberglass hull featuring a plywood core and adorned with wooden accents, presents a versatile sailing experience. Its masthead sloop rig is complemented by optional configurations, including a cutter rig or yawl rig with a mizzen mast. The vessel boasts a distinctive design, featuring a raked stem, a raised canoe transom, a skeg-mounted rudder controlled by a wheel, and a fixed fin keel. With a displacement of 16,200 lb (7,348 kg) and a substantial 6,200 lb (2,812 kg) of lead ballast, the Crealock 37 ensures stability and seaworthiness.

Offering flexibility, the boat provides a draft of 5.50 ft (1.68 m) with the standard keel and 4.92 ft (1.50 m) with the optional shoal draft keel.

Designed to accommodate up to seven individuals, the Crealock 37 features a versatile layout. The bow offers an angled “V” berth, the main salon provides a double and single settee berth, and the stern houses a double berth alongside a quarter berth. The galley, located on the starboard side at the foot of the companionway steps, includes a double sink, a three-burner stove and oven, and a top-loading refrigerator. The head, positioned forward on the starboard side just aft of the bow cabin, includes a shower. A navigation station is thoughtfully provided aft on the port side, and the vessel ensures ample below-deck headroom of 75 in (191 cm). Ventilation is facilitated by two cabin hatches.

For sailing convenience, the jib is sheeted to short jib tracks, while the mainsheet traveler and three winches are mounted on the coach house roof. Additionally, two primary jib winches are strategically placed on the cockpit coamings.

Length: 37″11′

The Lagoon 380, a French sailboat designed by Van Peteghem/Lauriot-Prevost, serves the dual purpose of a cruiser and a yacht charter vessel. This versatile watercraft made its debut in the sailing scene in 1999.

The Lagoon 380 offers a flexible accommodation layout, featuring either three or four cabins designed for private use or yacht charter ventures. In both configurations, a spacious main salon welcomes occupants with an oval table and U-shaped seating. Positioned in the aft starboard section of the main salon, the galley is well-appointed, equipped with a two-burner stove, an icebox, and a double sink. A navigation station complements the galley on the port side of the salon.

In the four-cabin arrangement, each hull houses a double berth fore and aft, accompanied by a centrally located head. The three-cabin layout opts for a larger head in the starboard forward cabin while retaining the port side head. Maximum headroom reaches 80 inches (203 cm) in the main salon and 74 inches (188 cm) in the cabins.

Designed for optimal downwind sailing, the vessel can be outfitted with a 570 sq ft (53 m2) asymmetrical gennaker. The Lagoon 380 exhibits a hull speed of 8.05 knots (14.91 km/h).

Introduced in 2003, the S2 model brought forth several minor enhancements. Notable improvements included a more spacious shower area, enhanced storage shelving, a redesigned galley, and a double helm seat. While Katamarans.com acknowledges these updates, noting them as a marketing refresh, some potential buyers express a preference for the older models due to their increased storage capacity, superior interior finishes, and more straightforward engine access.

One of our most triumphant yacht designs to date, the Najad 380 is not only an aesthetically pleasing vessel with well-balanced proportions but also delivers remarkable performance for ocean-going ventures. Crafted through vacuum infusion, the yacht boasts a robust and rigid hull, ensuring durability on the open seas. The interior is thoughtfully designed, featuring two sizable double-berth cabins, an expansive saloon, and a fully equipped linear galley, providing an exceptionally comfortable onboard experience.

Gemini Legacy 35

Length: 35′.

The Gemini Legacy 35 is a bluewater sailboat under 40 feet designed with a focus on stability, safety, and ease of handling. Its catamaran design, with a beam of 14 feet, provides remarkable stability both at anchor and underway. The hulls are constructed using a combination of fiberglass and high-quality materials, ensuring durability and seaworthiness.

The sail plan of the Gemini Legacy 35 features a fractional rig with a large mainsail and a self-tacking jib. The self-tacking jib simplifies sail handling, making it an excellent choice for sailors who prefer ease of operation. The rig design contributes to the catamaran’s overall performance, making it responsive and agile under various wind conditions.

The interior of the Gemini Legacy 35 is designed for comfort and practicality. The saloon, located in the bridgedeck, is bright and open, with large windows providing panoramic views. The settee and dining area are spacious, creating a welcoming and social atmosphere. The galley, positioned for easy access, is equipped with essential amenities, including a stove, sink, and refrigerator.

The catamaran typically offers a three-cabin layout, including a comfortable owner’s suite in one hull and two guest cabins in the other. The cabins feature double berths and ample storage, providing a cozy retreat for extended cruises. The Gemini Legacy 35 can comfortably accommodate a small family or a group of friends.

Length: 37″3′

The Tayana 37, originating from Taiwan, is a sailboat penned by American designer Robert Perry, initially conceptualized as a cruiser and first introduced in 1976.

Originally commissioned by Will Eckert of Flying Dutchman Yachts and C.T. Chen of Ta Yang Yacht Building, the design was later acquired by the latter, commencing production under the name CT 37. Initially labeled the Ta Chiao 37 and then the Ta Yang 37, the nomenclature eventually evolved into the well-known Tayana 37.

The interior configuration of the Tayana 37 is adaptable, catering to various rig options and individual preferences. In a typical arrangement, the vessel provides sleeping quarters for seven individuals, featuring a double “V”-berth in the bow cabin, a U-shaped settee with a collapsible dinette table, and a straight settee in the main cabin. Additionally, a pilot berth is situated above, and an aft cabin with a double berth is found on the starboard side.

The galley is strategically positioned on the port side just forward of the companionway ladder, boasting a U-shaped design equipped with a three-burner propane-fired stove, an oven, and a double sink. Opposite the galley, on the starboard side, a navigation station facilitates onboard navigation tasks. The head, located just aft of the bow cabin on the port side, includes a shower with a teak floor grating, complemented by hot and cold pressurized water. Throughout the interior, the trim and doors showcase the craftsmanship of teak.

The Tayana 37 embodies a timeless design that reflects both functionality and elegance, making it a beloved choice among sailors seeking a reliable and comfortable cruising experience.

Fountaine Pajot Lucia 40

Length: 38’6′.

The Lucia 40, designed by Berret-Racoupeau and built by Fountaine Pajot , is a catamaran that exudes contemporary elegance. Its sleek lines, aerodynamic silhouette, and stylish curves not only catch the eye but also contribute to its impressive performance on the water. The use of cutting-edge materials ensures durability and seaworthiness, making it a reliable vessel for extended cruises.

The catamaran’s layout is optimized for comfort, offering spacious living areas both above and below deck. The main saloon is bathed in natural light, creating an inviting space for relaxation and socializing. The interior design reflects a modern and luxurious ambiance, featuring high-quality finishes and attention to detail.

Accommodations aboard the Lucia 40 include multiple cabins, each designed for maximum comfort. The cabins boast generous berths, ample storage, and well-appointed en-suite bathrooms. The vessel’s thoughtful layout ensures that every inch of space is utilized efficiently, providing a sense of openness and airiness.

Island Packet 370

Length: 37’2′.

Designed by Bob Johnson, the founder of Island Packet Yachts , the Island Packet 370 boasts a robust construction that prioritizes durability and stability. The vessel’s design reflects a timeless elegance, featuring a moderate freeboard, a well-balanced hull, and a bowsprit that adds a touch of classic charm. The encapsulated full keel enhances stability and ensures a smooth and comfortable ride in various sea conditions.

The interior of the Island Packet 370 is a testament to thoughtful design and attention to detail. The spacious and well-appointed main saloon features a U-shaped settee and a dining table, creating an inviting social space. Rich teak finishes and high-quality craftsmanship permeate throughout, providing an atmosphere of warmth and sophistication.

Accommodations include a generously-sized owner’s cabin forward with an ensuite head, a comfortable aft cabin, and a well-designed galley equipped with essential amenities. The vessel’s layout ensures that every inch of space is utilized efficiently, creating a cozy and practical living environment for extended cruising.

Seawind 1160

Length: 38′.

The Seawind 1160 is the perfect cruising catamaran combining the best of the 100’s of Seawind previously built and sailing around the world with new and innovative ideas to keep her light, fast and affordable. Easily sailed by a family, couple or single handed coastal cruising or offshore.

The Seawind 1160 has a spacious owners cabin in the port hull with a queen size island bed and plenty of storage. The three cabin version has an adjoining full size bathroom with separate shower and glass shower screen. The starboard hull has two double berth cabins with optional second bathroom forward and the fully open galley. You have everything you need and enough space to be very comfortable, yet the hulls remain streamline and efficient so that speed is not compromised.

With twin helm stations protected from the weather, all lines leading back to the cockpit and 360 degree visibility, they are set up to be easily handled by a crew of one or ten. The award winning trifold door system allows for indoor/outdoor living like no other boat on the market and is perfectly suited to the Australian climate.

Are you in agreement with our selection of the best 10 bluewater sailboats under 40 feet? It was truly challenging to choose, and we had to set aside models that deserved to be included in this list. If you have any suggestions, please write them in the comments.

Nautor Swan Merges With Sanlorenzo Group

Royal huisman project 410, ready to roll the hull, the first wallywind110 to debut at the monaco yacht show 2024, mishi 102 superyacht project will be unveiled at monaco yacht show 2024, live your passion, subscribe to our mailing list.

• Articles and Guides

Best Blue Water Sailboats Under 40 Feet

19th jan 2023 by samantha wilson.

What is a blue water sailboat?

What to look for when choosing a cruising sailboat under 40 feet, what are the advantages of small blue water sailboats, what are the disadvantages of small sailboats.

• Best blue water sailboat models under 40 Feet

The term blue water sailboat doesn’t refer to a specific style of boat in the same way that a ketch or schooner does. In fact, a blue water sailboat could be either of those and many more. But when we talk about blue water sailboats, they have shared characteristics that make them suitable for, you guessed it, blue water sailing. Making long, open sea voyages such as crossing the oceans requires a boat that is solidly-built and can tackle heavy seas and inclement weather conditions. Blue water sailboats are able to be self-sufficient and lived on for extended periods of time, and to offer safety and comfort.

In a previous guide we looked at the different types of sailboats , focusing on identifying them by their hull type, rigging and uses. In general, smaller blue water sailboats under 40 feet tend to be cutters , sloops or ketches . Catamarans and trimarans too are becoming increasingly popular as long cruising vessels, although these tend to be larger than 40 feet. In fact, while there are manufacturers producing some excellent, sturdy and compact blue water sailboats under 40 feet, they tend to be a minority and most ‘small’ sailboats designed for long-range cruising are usually above 50 feet. 

So what other characteristics should you be looking for in a small ocean sailboat? 

Construction:

The material of the hull is probably the most crucial aspect, as it needs to be solidly built and able to withstand harsh seas as well as any collisions with floating objects. Hulls made from steel, strong fiberglass or carbon fiber tend to be the most popular. With a brand new sailboat you can be assured of a sound hull, however when buying a used sailboat under 40 feet the most important aspect is to ensure that the hull is strong and durable. 

The type of keel also makes a big difference, as deep V hulls with an encapsulated keel will make your boat less likely to capsize or lose its keel. Keel sailboats under 40 feet with skeg-hung rudders are considered the best small sailboats for open ocean cruising. While in the past it tended to only be monohull boats which were used for blue water sailing, there are now several manufacturers offering catamarans and trimarans which are strong enough to cross oceans. 

While the rig itself doesn’t necessarily denote whether a sailboat is more blue water worthy, it needs to be able to be manned by the number of crew on board as well as less crew if anyone is injured. The most important aspect is to think of the manageability of the rig. 

Ocean-going sailboats tend to have small cockpits to keep water out. While traditionally they used to have an aft cockpit there are more center cockpit blue water sailboats around these days. They need to have good drainage as well as offering the helmsman easy reach of the headsail, staysail and mainsail sheets.

Self-steering:

Whether you’re sailing solo or with a small crew, having the ability to set an auto-pilot is an important characteristic of a blue water boat. From tiredness to accidents or illness, there might come a time when you need to set the autopilot when under power or windvane when under sail. 

A compact cabin, galley and head with plenty of handholds and safe storage are vital to spending long stretches of time at sea. There needs to be enough space to ensure you are able to be self-sufficient for long periods of time. This includes everything from provisions to safety equipment , power systems, water makers, fuel storage and two anchors. 

Ability to heave-to:

The act of heaving-to involves pointing the bow into the wind and fixing the helm and sail positions. This essentially stops the boat in the water and is a hugely important maneuver during storms to prevent capsizing and allows the crew to take shelter inside. Some sailboats are more able to perform this than others. 

Having a way to communicate an emergency is vital, and your blue water sailboat should have a satellite phone and radio installed. A radio will allow you to connect with passing vessels, while the satellite phone is your only means of true contact with land. On deck, safety is paramount, and additions such as granny bars by the mast, safety rails and of course a harness mean you’ll be staying on board in lively conditions. 

Ability to Store or Make Water:

Water water everywhere and not a drop to drink is not a phrase any sailor wants to utter. So it’s imperative that your sailboat has enough storage capacity for long voyages, as well as the ability to make fresh water for drinking and washing in. Consider that two people on a three week voyage will require around 50 gallons of fresh water (allowing for a 20% contingency). Space – and weight considerations - is always a premium on small sailboats, so you need to make sure there are enough water tanks. You’ll also want a water maker which are powered by motors and generators. AC water makers can produce around 20 gallons a day, while DC water makers which use a lot less power, produce around 12 gallons of water a day.

Good Navigation Systems:

Ok, we’re going to say how important navigation systems are on your boat, and that’s true, but in fact you don’t want to reply on electronic navigation systems alone if you’re out in the middle of the deep blue. Having paper charts on board (in digital format preferably to save on space in a small boat) and knowing how to navigate using them is imperative. 

There are thousands of models of liveaboard sailboats under 40 feet on the market, but certainly not all of them are suitable for crossing oceans. We’ve seen the general characteristics of what to look for when choosing a blue water sailboat, but what are the pros and cons of a smaller boat versus a larger model?

Affordability:

Smaller tends to mean cheaper and so affordability is a major factor when buying a blue water sailboat . Whether you’re in the market for a new or used blue water sailboat under 40 feet, there are some excellent deals to be found. It means that long-held dream of sailing across the world can happen now, rather than saving for years. The other bonus is that smaller, simpler pocket cruisers will be cheaper and easier to maintain. 

Easier to Sail:

The simpler the rig and the less systems on board the easier the boat will be to sail (and to care for). You’ll need a smaller crew meaning cruising boats under 40 feet tend to be popular with couples and solo sailors. 

Less Spacious:

It goes without saying that smaller boats have less space. While manufacturers are finding ever-more ingenious ways to equip small sailboats with everything their larger counterparts have – and there are some clever ways you can maximize storage space in a boat – realistically space will be at a premium, meaning the number of crew and the amount of comforts you can have on board will need to be minimal.

They Tend to be Slower:

As a general rule, the smaller the sailboat, the slower it will be. While this isn’t always a bad thing if you’re in no hurry to get anywhere, it’s worth considering that out-running bad weather can be trickier in a small boat. 

Less comfortable:

A smaller boat can make for a less comfortable ride, especially in bigger seas. 

Best blue water sailboat models under 40 Feet

If you’re in the market for a cruising sailboat under 40 feet the options can seem dizzying. With so many to choose from it’s hard to know where to start. There are thousands of excellent used boats on the market, with reputations for reliability, safety, comfort and build. Here however we’re going to take a look at some of the manufacturers making the best bluewater sailboats in 2023 . With a solid reputation and excellent craftsmanship, they make a good place to start your search. 

Beneteau’s Oceanis 40, Oceanis 38.1 and Oceanis 34.1.

Beneteau’s reputation shines through in this smaller range of ocean-going yachts. At the top end of the under-40 foot range is the Oceanis 40 , with a hull designed by Marc Lombard and a huge amount of deck and interior space for its size. The Oceanis 38.1 offers surprising comfort and speed, with the ability to be sailed with a small crew, while the smallest in the range is the Oceanis 34.1 pocket cruiser, with cleverly designed spaces and a modern hull design. 

Photo credit: Beneteau

Jeanneau’s Sun Odyssey 349 and Sun Odyssey 380:

For over 60 years Jeanneau has been crafting motor and sailboats which push the boundaries and the Sun Odyssey range is the perfect example of that. The Sun Odyssey 349 and Sun Odyssey 380 are the smallest in the range, offering high performance sailing you would expect of a much larger model. With an iconic inverted bow, huge interior spaces and fine-tuned handling, they are popular models for long distance cruising. 

Photo credit: Jeanneau 

Hallberg-Rassy 340, 372, 40 and 40C:

The range of Swedish-built Hallberg-Rassy small blue water yachts is one of the most impressive of any manufacturer. Boasting four yachts under 40 feet, they put their nine decades of expertise into both center cockpit and aft cockpit ocean-going cruisers and have the awards to show for it. From the Hallberg-Rassy 340 , which manages to pack everything you could need in a long-range cruiser into an ultra-compact package, to the award-winning 372 which manages to be even faster than the already fast Hallberg-Rassy 40 . They offer incredible handling, expansive oak interiors, generous cockpits and modern rigs.  

Photo credit: Hallberg-Rassy

SeaWind Catamarans’ 1160, 1190 and 1260:

It’s uncommon to find blue water catamarans under 40 feet, but SeaWind has crafted no less than three compact, sturdy cats that can cross oceans in safety and comfort. With huge interior spaces across its double beam, you get much more living space than you would in a monohull of the same size, as well as robust seaworthiness, great sailability and all at an attractive price. 

Photo credit: SeaWind  

Written By: Samantha Wilson

Samantha Wilson has spent her entire life on and around boats, from tiny sailing dinghies all the way up to superyachts. She writes for many boating and yachting publications, top charter agencies, and some of the largest travel businesses in the industry, combining her knowledge and passion of boating, travel and writing to create topical, useful and engaging content.

More from: Samantha Wilson

Related Articles and Guides

16th Aug 2024

Best Luxury Pontoon Boat Brands Have it All: Glamor, Speed, Fishing, Waterslides...

10th Aug 2024

Deck Boat vs. Bowrider: Which Runabout is Best?

19th Jul 2024

The World’s Best Yacht Brands

12th Jul 2024

Top Performance-Boat Brands, Where There’s Something For Everyone

• Explore Rightboat
• Boats for Sale
• Boating Articles
• Buyers Guide
• About RightBoat
• Sell Your Boat
• Boat Selling Advice
• All manufacturers
• All categories

Enter your email to keep up to date with the latest news

Join for free

Sign up now for free and discover how easy it is to keep up to date with THE latest boats for sale. Find your right boat, and tailor your voyage to finding your next boat.

Benefits of becoming a member:

• Set up tailored alerts
• Personalise your experience
• Download full specifications and broker details
• Keep tabs on your favourite boats

Are you a broker? Join as a Broker

Rightboat - join for free.

Do you have an account already? Login

Save this search

Save your search and receive new boats in your email..

You can unsubscribe from your alerts whenever you like. By pressing the button you accept the Legal Terms and conditions

• New Sailboats
• Sailboats 21-30ft
• Sailboats 31-35ft
• Sailboats 36-40ft
• Sailboats Over 40ft
• Sailboats Under 21feet
• used_sailboats
• Apps and Computer Programs
• Communications
• Fishfinders
• Handheld Electronics
• Plotters MFDS Rradar
• Wind, Speed & Depth Instruments
• Anchoring Mooring
• Running Rigging
• Sails Canvas
• Standing Rigging
• Diesel Engines
• Off Grid Energy
• Cleaning Waxing
• DIY Projects
• Repair, Tools & Materials
• Spare Parts
• Tools & Gadgets
• Cabin Comfort
• Ventilation
• Footwear Apparel
• Foul Weather Gear
• Mailport & PS Advisor
• Inside Practical Sailor Blog
• Activate My Web Access
• Reset Password
• Customer Service

• Free Newsletter

Ericson 41 Used Boat Review

Mason 33 Used Boat Review

Beneteau 311, Catalina 310 and Hunter 326 Used Boat Comparison

Maine Cat 41 Used Boat Review

Tips From A First “Sail” on the ICW

Tillerpilot Tips and Safety Cautions

Best Crimpers and Strippers for Fixing Marine Electrical Connectors

Thinking Through a Solar Power Installation

Getting the Most Out of Older Sails

How (Not) to Tie Your Boat to a Dock

Stopping Mainsheet Twist

Working with High-Tech Ropes

Fuel Lift Pump: Easy DIY Diesel Fuel System Diagnostic and Repair

Ensuring Safe Shorepower

Sinking? Check Your Stuffing Box

The Rain Catcher’s Guide

Boat Repairs for the Technically Illiterate

Boat Maintenance for the Technically Illiterate: Part 1

Whats the Best Way to Restore Clear Plastic Windows?

Mastering Precision Drilling: How to Use Drill Guides

Giving Bugs the Big Goodbye

Galley Gadgets for the Cruising Sailor

Those Extras you Don’t Need But Love to Have

UV Clothing: Is It Worth the Hype?

Preparing Yourself for Solo Sailing

How to Select Crew for a Passage or Delivery

Preparing A Boat to Sail Solo

On Watch: This 60-Year-Old Hinckley Pilot 35 is Also a Working…

On Watch: America’s Cup

On Watch: All Eyes on Europe Sail Racing

Dear Readers

Chafe Protection for Dock Lines

• Sailboat Reviews

A Look at Sailboat Design: Fin Keels vs. Full Keels

Details like keel design count when considering cruising sailboats..

Photos by Ralph Naranjo

When a keel tears away from a sailboats hull, it makes the loss of a rig or rudder seem like a minor inconvenience. History shows that its an uncommon occurrence, but because we now annually hear of such incidents, weve decided to take a closer look at keels and see what keeps the ballast where it belongs.

The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Offshore Special Regulations devotes pages to helping sailors prevent and respond to a crew overboard incident. There is nothing about how to handle the loss of a keel or ballast bulb. Some might say this is because such occurrences are so infrequent, while others note that, if youre still upright once the ballast breaks off theres not much you can do other than blow the sheets, douse the sails as quickly as possible and attempt to stop any leaks.

When solo sailor Mike Plants Open 60 Coyote lost her lead bulb in 1992, Mike was lost at sea. Other adventure-sailors have survived near instantaneous capsize precipitated by keel loss. In 2003, round-the-world racer Tim Kent and his crew capsized when Everest Horizontal lost its ballast on the way back from Bermuda. US Sailing Safety at Sea Committee Chairman Chuck Hawley was aboard the racing sloop Charlie, on the way back from Hawaii, when a loud groaning sound led to a deep heel as the lead peeled away from the keel bolts and ballast headed straight to the bottom. This encounter at least had a happy ending thanks to the crews quick actions to douse sail. Apparently the keel had been cast with too little antimony (an additive that causes lead to become a harder alloy). The point here is that keeping the keel attached is as important as keeping the crew safely on board. And for the offshore monohull sailor, preventing a keel loss, like preventing crew overboard, requires some informed forethought.

A ballast keel on a sailboat is a classic example of potential energy poised in a balancing act. The buoyancy of the hull itself offsets the effect of thousands of pounds of lead or iron. At rest, gravitys attraction for the dense material strains against the buoyancy of the hull, and the adjacent garboard region is continuously in tension. Few sailors spend much time contemplating how keel bolts corrode and what cycle-loading does to the resin matrix comprising the garboard region just above the ballast. What is apparent, is that the attachment material, whether it be wood, metal or fiber reinforced plastic (FRP), must be able to support a mass of metal weighing as much as a small truck-and do so day in and day out for decades.

Underway, every tack causes the rig and sailplan to try to lever this ballast package free from the hull. And when the helmsman starts daydreaming about lobster for dinner and wanders off course onto a granite ledge Down East, the keel designed to handle sailing loads takes it on the chin. Its easy to see why experienced designers and builders lose sleep over their decisions about keel shape, structure, and what kind of safety factor should be built into the structure.

Its surprising to discover that with better materials and computer-aided design, we still hear about incidents such as the Rambler capsize in the 2011 Fastnet Race (PS, May 2012). Just as significant is a spate of smaller race boat keel-ectomies that have caused ISAF to send out a cautionary note to sailors around the world, and introduce new structural standards for race boats. Keeping the ballast attached to the boat involves an awareness of a chain-like set of failure points. And one of the most difficult decisions each designer must make is how to marry foil efficiency with a structural safety margin that covers the boats intended usage and the unintended use of the keel as a depth sounding device.

For decades, engineers and naval architects have had to contend with some racing sailors Icarus-like quest-a trend that prioritizes shedding weight and making the keel foil a long, thin appendage with a high-aspect ratio. Though not quite a flight toward the sun with wings made of wax and feathers, some race-boat scan’tlings walk a fine line between lightweight and structural failure. The challenge lies in attaching a lead bulb on a high-tensile steel foil to a lightweight, high-modulus, FRP hull. Interconnecting the dense metallic ballast to the lower-density foam/fiberglass hull structure is a true engineering puzzle. Part of the challenge lies in the dissipation of point loads (confined to a relatively small area) and how to handle the resulting stress risers. A stress riser is the point at which theres an abrupt change in a materials flexibility, such as where a stiff, fin keel meets the more elastic hull bottom. In FRP composites like those found in a balsa-cored hull, stress risers are a likely place for delamination to occur. Over time, these can result in the failure of the FRP composite.

The see-saw effect of the keel counteracting a vessels righting moment is a mathematically predictable energy transfer. Even the effect of groundings such as those that turn hull speed into a dead stop can be quantified. But its the cumulative effect of fatigue (localized structural damage caused by cyclical loading) and corrosion that are harder to pin down.

The term allision refers to hitting a fixed object such as a granite ledge or coral reef. Naval architects analyze the energy transfer and evaluate the stress and strain characteristics that occur. The recognition that the keel-to-hull connection must endure even more punishment than is doled out in heavy-weather sailing episodes is at the heart of how structural specs are devised.

Designers also must consider the jack-hammer-like pounding of a keel on a reef in surf, and realize that there are limits to the abuse a keel and hull can endure. With this in mind, its reasonable to assume that sailboat keels should be built to handle sailing induced loads for decades. It is the extra safety factor built into the boat that defines what happens when the sandbar is a rock pile.

What is harder to anticipate are the unusual encounters that can inflict serious damage to the keel connection. Take, for example, what happens when a sailboats deep fin keel is wedged in a rocky cleft and a good Samaritan with a big powerboat attempts to pivot the sailboat using a line attached to the bow. The distance from the keels vertical centerline to the stem may be 20 feet or more, and with a couple of thousand pounds of bollard pull, the 20-foot lever arm creates a rotary force that can spike to 40,000 foot-pounds or more. This level of torque goes well beyond what most designers and builders model as sailing loads, and its likely to seriously damage the boat.

In plain low-tech talk, extreme fin keels provide a valuable performance edge, but they come with their own set of downsides that every owner needs to be aware of. In essence, the more radical the keel shape, the better the crew must navigate.

A couple of decades ago, PS Technical Editor Ralph Naranjo ran a boatyard and had a client who liked to cut the corners during Block Island Race Week. His first spinnaker reach into a granite boulder stopped the boat and shoved the companionway ladder upward six inches. This underscored how an allision that causes the keel to stop abruptly transfers a shock wave through the entire hull. The resulting compression cracked several transverse members in the New York 40 and damaged the core in the canoe body near the garboard.

The FRP repairs had to be tapered and all delamination problems resolved. The moderate-aspect-ratio lead fin keel absorbed a good deal of the blunt trauma. Judging from the cannonball-size dent on the leading edge of the lead keel, it was clear that the impact was significant. The dent offered grim proof of the advantage of having soft lead instead of steel as keel ballast. New floor frames were added, the broken transverse members were replaced, and the boat was off and sailing.

The next season, the boat had another Block Island encounter, and only because the Petersen-designed New York 40 was a pretty ruggedly built boat was a second repair even considered. This time, an equally violent keel-to-hull trauma came from an on-the-wind encounter with a different rock. The extent of the delamination was greater than it had been in the first go round, and more extensive core removal and repair was required. The keel was dropped in order to check the bolts and the garboard. With the bilge fully opened for the FRP repair work, the repair crew made a pattern of the canoe body dead rise and fore and aft contour. As the glass work was being completed, they fabricated a stainless-steel grid that would spread keel loads fore and aft as well as athwartship. The new grid reinforced the keel attachment and returned the sloop to the race course.

Afterward, Naranjo and the owner discussed the details of the repair, including the possibility of hidden, widespread damage from the two groundings. These included the dynamic loads imposed upon the chainplates and rigging, the likelihood of hidden resin-cracking, and potential for more delamination and core shear linked to the torque induced by the accident. In short, any serious allision causes overt and hard-to-detect damage far from the actual impact zone, and these can lead to more problems down the road. When buying a used boat, look for a good pedigree, but also look for signs of previous blunt-force trauma. A good surveyor will be skilled in such structural forensics, and he or she will do more than comment on the gelcoat shine.

In the early days of wooden ships and iron men, a lack of dense metal ballast put less point-loading in the garboard region of the hull. Bilges free of cargo were filled with rocks or tighter-fitting granite blocks cut for more compact stacking. The principal of ballasting a vessel was to lower her center of gravity (CG) and create both an increase in the righting arm and a greater righting moment to offset the heeling moment created by the rig and sail plan. The keel also helped lessen leeway and would evolve into an appendage that added lift.

Movable ballast had a few downsides, not the least of which was its propensity to move in the wrong direction at the very worst moment. Even small boat sailors have found out what can happen to unsecured pigs of lead ballast when the boat heels far enough over for gravity to overcome friction. Whether stones, lead, movable water ballast, or a can’ting keel are used to augment the boats righting moment, a sailor must anticipate the worst-case scenario. This is when the weight ends up on the leeward side of the boat and a bad situation can turn into a real catastrophe. Fixing or locking ballast in place, controlling the volume of water put in ballast tanks, and limiting the can’ting keels range are sensible compromises.

Internal ballast, the ballast inside a keel envelope thats contiguous with the hull, is still seen in many new boats. Island Packet is an example of a builder has stuck with this traditional approach of securing ballast without using keel bolts. Its a sensible design for shoal-draft cruisers, and the upsides are numerous. These high-volume, long-range cruisers arent encumbered by the demands prioritized by light displacement, performance-oriented sailors. Instead, Island Packets combine a rugged laminate and a long-footed, shallow-draft keel. This may not place the lead or iron ballast as deep as the tip of a fin keel, but it does keep the all-important CG low enough to deliver a powerful righting moment along with shoal draft.

In order to deliver the high angle of vanishing stability (AVS) also known as limit of positive stability (LPS), designer Bob Johnson puts what amounts to an internal bulb in the very lowest point in the boat. This long slug of iron or lead (depending on the model) is then covered by Portland cement, locking it in the Island Packets monocoque structure. The result is a contiguous FRP structure spreading keel loads efficiently over a considerable amount of hull skin. Keel bolts and the infamous garboard seam are completely eliminated. This approach to sailboat keel design dates back to the Rhodes Bounty II and other prototypes in the production world of sailboats. Now over 50 years old, many of these boats continue to have a tenacious grasp on the lead or iron that they hold.

Encapsulated iron ballast is much less desirable than encapsulated lead, and its sad to see builders skimp on this. Iron, or even worse steel, has been used in many Far Eastern encapsulated keels. It works as long as water and the resulting oxidation havent caused expansion and cracking of the seal. Lead is also denser than ferrous metal, and therefore, the same amount of ballast will have a smaller volume and create less drag.

Encapsulated ballast starts to be less appealing as keels become more fin-like and high-aspect ratio. The reason for this is that the geometry of the support changes, focusing more load on less area of the hull. As hull shapes evolved into canoe underbodies with hard turns in the bilge, and fin-like keels became thinner, deeper, and with shorter chord measurements (thickness), the concept of encapsulated keel became impractical. The Cal 40, Ericson 39, Pearson 365, and a long list of similar genre boats signified the end of an era when performance racer/cruisers would be built with encapsulated ballast.

External Ballast

Performance-oriented sailors and race-boat designers quickly latched on to hull shapes marked by deep-draft, foil-shaped, high-aspect ratio fin keels. From the late 60s to whats currently glowing on CAD screens in designer offices around the world, keels have grown deeper and shorter in chord length, and bulb or anvil-like tips have grown more and more common.

The design development was sound, lift was enhanced, and deeper-not longer-became the answer to getting to windward faster. The challenge was not only in designing an efficient shape, it lay in creating an attachment means that minimized foil flex and twist, retained the low drag coefficient, and still had the ability to withstand an occasional, albeit modest, grounding.

During this same period, marine surveyors and boatyard techs began to see moderate groundings result in major structural problems. The classic example was the allision that produced a moderate dent in the lead at the leading edge of the keel tip. In many cases, further inspection revealed cracks radiating outward from a knot meter or depth sounder mistakenly placed just ahead of the keel. An even closer look often revealed grid damage or a cracked bulkhead just aft of the last keel bolt. Like the New York 40 mentioned earlier, this was a result of a shock wave radiating through the hull structure. As we learned in Mrs. McCrearys science class, Bodies in motion tend to stay in motion, unless acted on by an equal and opposite force. Fin keel sailboats encountering abrupt energy transfers,tend to endure more damage than their long-keel counterparts.

A forensic look at the Achilles heel of external ballast highlights a few pitfalls. First the good news: Lead absorbs impact well, consuming much of the imparted energy through deformation. However, the translation of the remaining energy from the metal keel foil and keelbolts into an FRP hull is where we often find stress risers, and point loading linked to material and hull shape changes. The near right-angle interface between a modern sailboats canoe body and its deep fin keel is a classic load-path hotspot. In the old days, fiberglass techs spoke of oil-canning or the dimpling of a large section of the garboard as tacks were swapped.

Today Naval Architects use Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to better engineer hull structure. Colorized graphics pinpoint load concentration, glowing bright red in the region where the keel joins the hull, the epicenter of the oil-canning. A common solution to coping with this high-load focal point, is to eliminate core in the region and to gradually increase the unit schedule (layers of FRP), or to add an internal FRP grid. Maximum thickness of a keel stub is located where the keelbolts penetrate the stub. In this region, the solid glass thickness is often equal to the dimension of the keel bolt diameter or even greater.

Laminate thickness at the keel bolts is only part of the equation. Just as important is how the transition to the general hull laminate transpires. A bullet-proof keel stub that immediately transitions into a core hull comprising two units of laminate on each side of the panel creates whats equivalent to a tear-on-the-dotted-line weakness. Transitions that involve sharp angles and marked differences in panel strength require a well-reinforced taper that spreads loads gradually rather than abruptly.

Occasionally, we see massive metal frameworks used in the bilge as support for keel bolts; these structures need to be carefully engineered to not create the same hard spot fracture points. When carefully tapered in order to gradually introduce more flex, the problem is abated, as it was in the repair of the New York 40 mentioned earlier. The stainless-steel grid built to support the keel loads incorporated a gradual decrease in stiffness to the framework. The keel was carefully mated to the underside of this grid to ensure full contact (See Keel Bolt Repair Options, online). As a result, the crew relieved the hard spots at the end points and made the transition to the more flexible FRP hull less dramatic.

For cruisers, the take-away lesson is that extra reinforcement, a long garboard keel-to-hull interface, and internal transverse and longitudinal reinforcement really do pay off. Keep in mind that the extra weight this entails is all below the center of gravity and contributes to the secondary righting moment as well as keeping the water out.

This is a big departure from the way many modern production boats are built. They carry a skimpy ballast ratio of 30 percent or less, have less structure to support the keel and are not designed to handle unintended cruising consequences. There are exceptions, and its worth looking at the keel design and structure of the Navy 44 Mark II and the USCG Leadership 44 (see PS, August 2012). These boats utilize external ballast and are examples of rugged keel attachment. They have a relatively long keel-to-stub garboard junction, the laminate scan’tling meets American Bureau of Shipping recommendations, and both utilize an overabundance of 316 stainless-steel keel bolts and an FRP grid to keep the keel where it belongs.

There are many reasons why were seeing more keel problems today. On one hand, light, fast, race-boat design pushes the envelope, and thats probably OK. But when mainstream racer/cruisers start to suffer from lead loss, too much of one good thing (high-aspect ratio) and too little of another good thing (reinforcement) can begin creeping into design and construction.

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Log in to leave a comment

Latest Videos

What’s the Best Sailboats for Beginners?

Why Does A Sailboat Keel Fall Off?

The Perfect Family Sailboat! Hunter 27-2 – Boat Review

Pettit EZ-Poxy – How to Paint a Boat

Latest sailboat review.

• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell My Personal Information
• Online Account Activation
• Privacy Manager

Best Blue Water Sailboats Under 40 Feet

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

December 28, 2023

‍ Key Takeaways

• If you enjoy sailing, then a bluewater boat under 40 feet is the perfect size
• Storage space must be considered when attempting to travel long distances
• Choose a boat brand that has a solid reputation and has better performance than others
• Keep in mind the rig and keel type that are going to be best for your situation
• Heavier boats tend to perform better in tough bluewater conditions

‍ There are plenty of sailboats in existence for blue water sailing that come in many shapes and sizes. But what are the best bluewater sailboats under 40 feet?

The best bluewater sailboats under 40 feet include the Westsail 32, Hunter e33, Tayana 37, and Najad 355. These bluewater sailboats, depending on your situation, can suit your needs for offshore sailing or long distance cruising. Sailboats under 40 feet also tend to be an adequate amount of space.

After a detailed analysis, the best bluewater sailboats under 40 feet can typically handle any situation you encounter on the water. However, the best sailboats will slightly differ based on your needs and what you want to accomplish while sailing.

Table of contents

‍ Top 10 Bluewater Sailboats Under 40 Feet

Bluewater sailing requires a sailboat that can cross oceans and handle harsh weather conditions. This means you might need a performance cruiser or something that you could live aboard. Below you can see which bluewater sailboat under 40 feet is best for you.

Westsail 32

{{boat-info="/boats/westsail-32"}}

Dubbed as the “ Wetsnail 32 ”, this boat offers a classic look but is also a great bluewater cruiser. It has that nickname due to its slower movements on the water but do not mistake it for a bad boat. There are plenty of sailors that have used this boat for open ocean cruising and is a great option for bluewater sailboats under 40 feet.

• Classic look
• Sturdy build to handle anything
• Slower than other cruisers around the same length

{{boat-info="/boats/hunter-e33"}}

The Hunter e33 is another great choice as a cruising sailboat. Cruising World once named this boat the best compact cruiser back in 2012. This is an improved sailing boat compared to other models around that time and is perfect for rough seas.

• Plenty of safety features and rugged build
• Great for single handed sailing
• Air conditioner is an additional feature

{{boat-info="/boats/tayana-37"}}

For those that are familiar with Bob Perry’s work, the Tayana 37 is another great installment in his line of boats. He wanted to build a classic looking boat that was also fast, so he made sure to have moderate displacement and add a long keel. This is perfect for those that want a bigger boat that can accommodate plenty of guests.

• Excellent for offshore sailing
• Ample room with tons of storage space
• Closer to 40 feet so sailors might not want that large of a bluewater sailboat

{{boat-info="/boats/najad-yachts-najad-355"}}

The Najad 355 is considered to be one of the best bluewater sailboats under 40 feet since it is rated to sail across many ocean conditions. It also has enough space to accommodate taller sailors and you do not feel like you are cramped for space. It also has a luxury feel to it so sailors can visually enjoy the boat while underway.

• Visually appealing luxury boat
• Plenty of headroom to move around below deck
• Heavier in weight compared to other 35 foot sailboats

Hans Christian 38T

{{boat-info="/boats/hans-christian-38t"}}

The Hans Christian 38T is a traditional looking bluewater sailboat that happens to rival other popular bluewater cruising yachts. They have a heavy displacement since they weigh a little more than other boats around this size. These boats have successfully crossed oceans and back and make the sailing experience exciting.

• Full keel sailboat with great stability
• Plenty of circumnavigation stories with this boat
• Heavier weight and potentially difficult to steer for novice sailors

{{boat-info="/boats/hanse-388"}}

Hanse 388 is regarded by many as one of the best liveaboard bluewater sailboats under 40 feet. It is relatively newer to the sailing scene, as it was produced in 2017. It is slightly lighter in weight for a sailboat that is nearing 38 feet.

• Increased stability compared to other similar models
• Excellent self-tacking jib system for sailing single handed
• Plenty of windows below deck but they cannot be opened

Island Packet 380

{{boat-info="/boats/island-packet-380"}}

Island Packet has plenty of excellent bluewater sailboats in their lineup, especially the 380 model . This boat is a rugged beast that can handle many sailing conditions or any other harsh conditions that is thrown its way. It also offers plenty of room below the deck to accommodate a small family.

• Plenty of room to move around below deck
• Boat design allows for increased safety and stability
• A hair from being 40 feet in length, which might be too long for some sailors

Catalina 38

{{boat-info="/boats/catalina-38"}}

Another one of Sparksman & Stephens designs, the Catalina 38 is perfect for those on a budget but still want a remarkable bluewater sailboat. You can find one of these in great condition for under $80,000 or more depending on the shape it is in. It also has a good amount of storage space that is perfect for long periods on the water.

• Great for those wanting a cheaper bluewater boat
• Plenty of storage to fit your long voyage needs
• Last built in 1990, so spare parts could be hard to find

{{boat-info="/boats/atkin-co-ingrid-38"}}

The Ingrid 38 has roots dating back to the 1930’s for a wooden boat design, but was later given a “remastered” treatment and turned into a fiberglass boat. This has a full keel and utilizes a heavy displacement. It serves a perfect balance being bluewater capable and rivals cruising boats of similar size.

• Long keel is great for stability
• Can be a good cruiser when not going through rough conditions
• Older boat and spare parts might be difficult to locate

{{boat-info="/boats/j-boats-j122e"}}

The J/122e is just a shade under 40 feet but is perfect because it still qualifies as “under 40”. It is arguably one of the best racing bluewater sailboats under 40 feet but also comes with a hefty price tag. For a boat nearing 40 feet it is lighter than other boats its size and is fast.

• Lighter in weight and fast
• Easy to move and to trim or tack
• Lacking adequate headroom for a boat this size

What Makes a Sailboat Bluewater Capable?

Sailing on a boat that is bluewater capable will make a huge difference than sailing on a boat that is meant to just cruise. The design of a boat will greatly affect what it can accomplish on the water and what it lacks. Below are some characteristics to look for when considering bluewater sailboats under 40 feet.

Most bluewater boats for sailing have two different rig types such as a ketch rig or cutter rig. This does not mean that other rig types cannot get the job done but some are more popular than others.

Cutter rigs are excellent for lighter winds or when you are battling tough storms. Ketch rigs are more common in larger boats and are perfect for handling any weather variations.

Type of Keel

A long keel is the best for providing stability but is usually seen on older sailboats. Newer boats might have different keel types that offer close similarities in safety and stability.

Fin keels are another great example that provide good lateral resistance but are not as strong as a full keel would be. Full keels lower boat speed since they are part of the boat’s hull rather than being bolted on like a fin keel.

Differences in Rudders

Most sailboats have a spade rudder but the next best thing to have is a skeg-hung rudder or a keel-attached rudder. Spade rudders are great since they act as a wing underneath the boat and move about gracefully, which does not slow down the boat.

Skeg-hung rudders are a great option since they are protected from any direct attack from debris or land. However, it provides one of the lesser aids in performance.

How Much Displacement?

The debate for heavy or moderate displacement is another topic to tackle. A majority of sailboats that conduct offshore sailing or circumnavigate typically had heavy displacement.

These boats are best in tough conditions all around and can handle just about anything. Boats that have a moderate displacement can move a little quicker and potentially avoid storms that are coming so that is something to consider depending on your sailing goals.

Reputation of Boat Builder

There are plenty of boat builders out there that have gained a positive following from the boating world. Brands such as Island Packet or even Hunter are great examples for boats that have a good reputation. Consider looking at sailors that have already experienced sailing in open waters and see what types of boats that were used.

Boat Ratings

In addition to the boat builder, you might see different ratings on the design of your boat. These ratings mean different characteristics of what your boat can safely handle at sea, assuming you are experienced to handle it. If it does not have a rating anywhere you should ask the dealer specifically what it is characterized as.

For a category A boat, this means it is ocean ready and can handle over 40 knots of wind and wave heights that are nearing 13 feet. This does not mean you should challenge hurricane weather and you should never attempt to get close.

Storage and Fuel

In order to have a bluewater cruiser or something to live aboard while traveling in potentially rough conditions, you need to consider the amount of space on board. You will likely need to store plenty of dry goods and other supplies for long periods at a time.

You also need to consider how much fuel and water you are going to need for that period of time as well. In addition, you might need to add extra tanks of water and fuel in safe locations on the boat too.

Length of Boat

There are some people in this world that can do the unthinkable and amazing, such as going into deep bluewater areas in boats that have no business being out there, such as smaller boats. However, to be the safest you could be, you should consider a hull length on a boat that is over 20 feet and has plenty of storage.

Ideally, you want to aim for a boat that is 25 feet at a minimum and will be able to handle blue water and tough weather conditions. Always consider your sailing goals and how the boat you intend to use can get you safely there and back.

Some boats for blue water sailing are going to be fairly expensive. These prices can range from $25,000 all the way to over $1,000,000. This all depends on the type of brand and the condition of the boat you are considering for your long voyage at sea.

Maintenance and Care for Your Bluewater Boat Under 40 Feet

Maintaining your boat is one of the key factors in prolonging your investment and making sure it remains safe while sailing. Failure to properly inspect and stay up to date with your boat can lead to catastrophic circumstances.

Less Moving Parts

Since bluewater boats under 40 feet will likely have less moving parts than larger ones, it can make preventative maintenance a little easier and less expensive over the long run. It is crucial to inspect your boat often and to keep track of what has been done in order to stay ahead of your maintenance goals.

Spare Parts

Since a lot of these bluewater boats are going to be older they have a lot more wear and tear on them. This means older boats will need to either have spare parts on board while traveling or completely fix everything you can think of before heading out. Most common issues can be prevented at the last minute because you are able to catch these problems early.

Related Articles

I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

by this author

Best Sailboats

Most Recent

Affordable Sailboats You Can Build at Home

September 13, 2023

Best Small Sailboats With Standing Headroom

Important Legal Info

Lifeofsailing.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.

Similar Posts

Best Bluewater Sailboats Under $50K

Which Sailboats Have Lead Keels?

June 20, 2023

Best 2 Person Sailboats

Popular posts.

Best Liveaboard Catamaran Sailboats

Can a Novice Sail Around the World?

Elizabeth O'Malley

June 15, 2022

4 Best Electric Outboard Motors

How Long Did It Take The Vikings To Sail To England?

10 Best Sailboat Brands (And Why)

December 20, 2023

7 Best Places To Liveaboard A Sailboat

Get the best sailing content.

Top Rated Posts

Lifeofsailing.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. (866) 342-SAIL

© 2024 Life of Sailing Email: [email protected] Address: 11816 Inwood Rd #3024 Dallas, TX 75244 Disclaimer Privacy Policy

Beam:  10.5'    Draft:  6'     Beam:  10.7'    Draft:  5.4'     Beam:  21.3'    Draft:  3.6'     Beam:  10.1'    Draft:  5.4'     Beam:  22.08'    Draft:  3.66'     Beam:  11.67'    Draft:  4.5'     Beam:  23.27'    Draft:  3.97'     Beam:  12.9'    Draft:  6.4'     Beam:  12.1'    Draft:  6'     Beam:  12.9'    Draft:  4'-11'     Beam:  11'    Draft:  5.58'     Beam:  12.47'    Draft:  6.89'     Beam:  12.4'    Draft:  4.10'     Beam:  13'    Draft:  5.1'     Beam:  12'    Draft:  2'     Beam:  12'    Draft:  5.8'     Beam:  14'    Draft:  3.5'     Beam:  13'    Draft:  5.9'     Beam:  13'    Draft:  6.5'     Beam:  11.7'    Draft:  6.7'     Beam:  11'    Draft:  5.5'     Beam:  11.66'    Draft:  4.6'     Beam:  12.6'    Draft:  5.7'     Beam:  12.3.'    Draft:  5.5'     Beam:  24'    Draft:  3.9'     Beam:  13'    Draft:  5'     Beam:  13.4'    Draft:  6.5'     Beam:  12.75'    Draft:  7'     Beam:  12.8'    Draft:  7'     Beam:  13.06'    Draft:  4.9'     Beam:  13.1'    Draft:  4.9'     Beam:  12.17'    Draft:  6.25'     Beam:  12.2'    Draft:  4'     Beam:  12.2'    Draft:  4'     Beam:  11.6'    Draft:  5.5'     Beam:  12.0'    Draft:  6.3'     Beam:  12.5'    Draft:  4.24'     Beam:  12.5'    Draft:  4.25'     Beam:  12'8'    Draft:  7'2'     Beam:  20'    Draft:  3'6'     Beam:  12 3'    Draft:  4.5'     Beam:  16.6'    Draft:  4'     Beam:  12'8'    Draft:  5'9'     Beam:  13'    Draft:  4.6'     Beam:  12'9'    Draft:  6'4'     Beam:  12'8'    Draft:  6'2'     Beam:  12'10'    Draft:  5'6'     Beam:  12'    Draft:  5'     Beam:  14'    Draft:  5'     Beam:  10'    Draft:  6'     Beam:  12'    Draft:  9'     Beam:  13'    Draft:  6'     Beam:  12'3'    Draft:  4'6'     Beam:  12.6'    Draft:  6.7' © 2001-2024 ./)   . . ./)   . . Home » Blog » Bluewater sailboats » The best bluewater sailboats under 40 feet (we analyzed 2,000 boats to find out) The best bluewater sailboats under 40 feet (we analyzed 2,000 boats to find out) By Author Fiona McGlynn Posted on Last updated: August 17, 2023 What are the best bluewater sailboats under 40 feet? Last year we analyzed 2,000 offshore designs to bring you a list of the most popular bluewater sailboats . However, most people are searching for a boat in a particular size class. So, we decided to do a double-click and look at the best sailboats under 40 feet for offshore sailing. If you’re interested in an even smaller boat, there are plenty of great options under 30 feet in our list of the best small sailboats for sailing around the world . The characteristics that make a sailboat a bluewater sailboat are a hotly debated topic, so we wanted to use real-world data and find out what cruisers are using to cross oceans and sail around the world. We looked at 2,000 boats that entered the Pacific Puddle Jump  (PPJ) over the last 12 years. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the PPJ, it’s a rally that crosses the Pacific ocean.  We took part in 2017 and had a ball! Also, if you’re looking to buy one of the bluewater boats on this list, you might want to check out our post on the best places to buy used boats and how to find free or cheap boats for sale . Just be aware that a bluewater boat isn’t necessarily offshore-ready. Our top five picks are all older boats and will undoubtedly require work. Every cruiser we know made substantial repairs and additions before going offshore: adding watermakers , life rafts, solar panels, and more. Also, always have a boat inspected by a professional and accredited marine surveyor before buying it or taking it offshore. So, without further preamble, here are the best bluewater sailboats under 40 feet. The best bluewater sailboats under 40 feet 1. the westsail 32. The Westsail 32 is one of the most iconic bluewater cruisers. Built by the Westsail Corporation in the 1970s, this plucky, small sailboat has developed a cult following over the decades. Since 2009, 19 have set out to cross the Pacific in the PPJ rallies. The Westsail 32 is known for its sturdy construction, seaworthiness, and classic looks. In fact, it set the standard for what a real bluewater cruiser should look like. In 1973, the Westsail 32 was featured in Time magazine and inspired many Americans to go cruising. Though popular, this boat has earned the unenviable nickname “ Wetsnail 32″, a reference to its poor ability to windward and sluggish performance. But Westsail 32 owners don’t care that they won’t be winning any races. What the boat lacks in speed it makes up for in classic looks and excellent offshore cruising characteristics. Many owners have crossed oceans and circumnavigated the globe in their Westsail 32s. LOA 32.00 ft / 9.75 m First built 1971 Builder Westsail (USA) Designer W. Crealock / W. Atkin Hull type Long keel, trans. hung rudder Rig type Cutter Displacement 19,500 lb / 8,845 kg 2. Tayana 37 The Tayana 37 is a wildly popular Bob Perry design. It first rolled off the production line in 1976 and there are now several hundred of them sailing the world’s oceans. Above the waterline, the Tayana 37 boasts beautiful traditional lines. However, Perry wanted to avoid the unenviable (read: sluggish) performance characteristics, associated with double-enders. So, he designed the Tayana 37 with a cut-away long keel and moderate displacement, maintaining the classic look, while achieving reasonable performance. The Tayana 37 has a devoted following of offshore enthusiasts. Since 2009, 12 Tayana 37s have set out to cross the Pacific in the PPJ rallies. Read more about the Tayana 37 in this Practical Sailor review . LOA 36.67 ft / 11.18 m First built 1976 Builder Ta Yang (TWN) Designer R. Perry Hull type Long keel Rig type Cutter Displacement 22,500 lb / 10,206 kg   3. Hans Christian 38T The Hans Christian 38T is a full-keeled, heavy displacement bluewater boat with a long bowsprit and a clipper bow, giving it a distinctive appearance. It was first introduced in 1976 and was produced until the early 1990s. If you hadn’t already guessed, the “T” in the name stands for “Traditional”. Like many boats on this list, it takes a cue from Crealock’s famous Westsail 32 which sparked a craze in the 1970s and 80s for Scandinavian-style doubled-enders. It’s gained a reputation as a capable and seaworthy cruising yacht. Many owners have crossed oceans and completed circumnavigations in Hans Christian 38Ts. By our count, eight Hans Christian 38Ts have participated in Pacific Puddle Jump rallies over the last 12 years. LOA 37.92 ft / 11.56 m First built 1976 Builder Anderson Yachts Ltd. (TAIWAN) Designer Harwood Ives Hull type Long keel Rig type Cutter Displacement 26,500 lb / 12,020 kg   4. Island Packet 380 I’ve always considered Island Packets the Rolls-Royce of the bluewater boat world. Their distinctive cream-colored topsides make them easy to spot and their robust bluewater construction makes them the envy of many far-flung anchorages. Designed by Bob Johnson and built by Island Packet Yachts in Florida, the Island Packet 380 was first introduced in 1998. 169 were built before 2004, over which time it gained a reputation as a capable and comfortable offshore cruiser. Having been built in the ’90s and early 2000s, this is a relatively newer boat. In many ways, it offers the best of both worlds, a classic-looking boat with all the modern cruising conveniences. The Island Packet 380 design prioritizes safety and stability. It also has several offshore features including standard twin bow rollers, a divided anchor locker, and ample storage for cruising gear. Life below deck is comfortable too. With a 13-foot (4 meter) beam there’s plenty of room for liveaboard amenities. The Island Packet 380 is a popular choice for long-distance cruising and offshore passages. Since 2009, six Island Packet 380s have set out to cross the Pacific in PPJ rallies. Read more about the Island Packet 380 in this review by Yachting Monthly . LOA 39.58 ft / 12.06 m First built 1998 Builder Island Packet Yachts (USA) Designer Bob Johnson Hull type Long keel Rig type Cutter Displacement 21,000 lb / 9,525 kg   5. Ingrid 38 The Ingrid 38 is a double-ended sailboat that was originally designed for wood construction in 1938. In 1971, Bluewater Boat Co. began building a fiberglass version. The design proved hugely popular and more than 140 were built. With a full keep and heavy displacement, the Ingrid 38 epitomizes the traditional bluewater cruiser. Yet, it remains a well-loved design today. Since 2009, six Ingrid 38s have set out to cross the Pacific in PPJ rallies. LOA 38.00 ft / 11.58 m First built 1938 Builder Bluewater Boat Company (USA) Designer William Atkin Hull type Long Keel Rig type Cutter Displacement 26,000 lb / 11,793 kg   Description Fiona McGlynn is an award-winning boating writer who created Waterborne as a place to learn about living aboard and traveling the world by sailboat. She has written for boating magazines including BoatUS, SAIL, Cruising World, and Good Old Boat. She’s also a contributing editor at Good Old Boat and BoatUS Magazine. In 2017, Fiona and her husband completed a 3-year, 13,000-mile voyage from Vancouver to Mexico to Australia on their 35-foot sailboat. Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy Best Bluewater Sailboats Under 40 Feet In the realm of blue water sailing, where the vast expanse of the sea beckons, one often finds an array of unique sailboats. These vessels come in various sizes and shapes. Still, a common question lingers: which are the best bluewater sailboats under 40 feet ? The answer to this query unfolds as we explore sailboats that encompass the essence of bluewater Adventure while staying within the confines of a 40-feet limit. Within this category, one discovers sailboats like the Westsail 32 , Hunter e33 , Tayana 37 , and Najad 355 , each offering its own set of advantages and charm. The beauty of these sailboats lies in their versatility, catering to the diverse needs of sailors, be it offshore expeditions or extended cruising. Furthermore, these sub-40-foot vessels provide a comfortable living space, ensuring sailors do not feel confined during their journeys. As one delves deeper into this realm, it becomes apparent that the best bluewater sailboat can vary depending on individual preferences and aspirations. Although united by their bluewater capabilities, these sailboats possess unique characteristics that set them apart . 🚨You may be interested in:   What is the Best Sailboat for Beginners? Exploring the Top 10 Blue Water Sailboats Under 40 Feet Embarking on bluewater sailing necessitates a vessel capable of conquering the open seas and confronting the harshest weather conditions. The journey may lead to a performance cruiser or a comfortable abode afloat. Here, we present a selection of bluewater sailboats under 40 feet , allowing you to discern the one best suited to your desires. 1- Westsail 32: The Timeless Classic Known affectionately as the " Wetsnail 32 ," this sailboat combines a classic appearance with bluewater prowess. Its leisurely pace on the water has earned it the endearing nickname, but do not be deceived—many sailors have embraced this vessel for open ocean cruising, highlighting its value among bluewater sailboats under 40 feet . Pros and Cons of Westsail 32 Classic aesthetics Robust construction for durability Slower compared to some cruisers of similar length 2- Tayana 37: Bob Perry's Masterpiece For those acquainted with Bob Perry's craftsmanship, the Tayana 37 is a testament to his legacy . This sailboat marries classic design with speed, featuring moderate displacement and an extended keel. It provides ample space for accommodating guests, making it an excellent choice for those seeking a larger vessel. Pros and Cons of Tayana 37 Ideal for offshore sailing Abundant room and storage space Approaching the 40-foot mark, which may deter some sailors 3- Najad 355: Luxury on the Waves The Najad 355 is prominent among the best bluewater sailboats under 40 feet . Its exceptional rating for sailing across diverse ocean conditions is complemented by generous headroom, ensuring sailors do not feel confined. This sailboat exudes luxury , delighting sailors with its visual appeal during their journeys. Pros and Cons of Najad 355 Luxurious aesthetics Spacious headroom below deck Heavier in weight compared to other 35-foot sailboats 4- Hans Christian 38T: Embracing Tradition The Hans Christian 38T boasts a traditional appearance that rivals popular bluewater cruising yachts . Its heavy displacement lends remarkable stability, a trait cherished by sailors who have traversed oceans and back, experiencing the thrill of bluewater sailing. Pros and Cons of Hans Christian 38T Full keel design for exceptional stability Abundance of circumnavigation stories Heavier weight, potentially challenging for novice sailors 5- Hanse 388: The Newcomer The Hanse 388, introduced in 2017, is a modern addition to the world of bluewater sailboats under 40 feet . Slightly weightless for its size, it offers enhanced stability. It features an efficient self-tacking jib system—an asset for solo sailors . Pros and Cons of Hanse 388 Increased stability compared to similar models Self-tacking jib system for single-handed sailing Numerous windows below the deck, none of which can be opened 6- Island Packet 380: Rugged and Reliable Island Packet boasts an impressive lineup of bluewater sailboats , with the 380 models at the forefront. This sturdy vessel excels in handling diverse sailing conditions and harsh elements. Its spacious interior ensures comfort for a small family. 🚀Recommended article:   14 Best Family Boat Brands: Deck, Bay & Ski Options Pros and Cons of Island Packet 380 There is ample room for movement below the deck Boat design prioritizes safety and stability Shy of 40 feet, which may not suit some sailors 7- Catalina 38: Budget-Friendly Adventure The Catalina 38 , a creation of Sparkman & Stephens, appeals to budget-conscious sailors seeking a remarkable bluewater sailboat . It is available in good condition for under $80,000 and provides generous storage space for extended journeys. Pros and Cons of Catalina 38 An affordable option for bluewater sailing Abundant storage capacity Last produced in 1990, potentially posing challenges in finding spare parts 8- Ingrid 38: A Classic Reinvented The Ingrid 38's lineage traces back to the 1930s as a wooden boat design. However, it transformed, emerging as a fiberglass vessel with a full keel and heavy displacement . This sailboat strikes a balance between bluewater capability and cruising comfort. Pros and Cons of Ingrid 38 Full keel design for stability Suitable for cruising in calm conditions An older boat , potentially leading to difficulty in locating spare parts 9- J/122e: Racing Meets Bluewater The J/122e, just under 40 feet, is a prime choice for racing-oriented bluewater sailing . Despite its size, it boasts a lightweight construction and impressive speed, albeit with a substantial price tag. Pros and Cons of J/122e Lightweight build for enhanced speed Maneuverability and agility for trimming and tacking Limited headroom for a vessel of this size 10- Hunter e33 The Hunter e33 emerges as a notable contender in cruising sailboats. It earned the prestigious title of the best compact cruiser by Cruising World in 2012, a testament to its prowess on the open waters . This sailing vessel represents an improvement over its contemporaries from that era. It is particularly well-suited for navigating rough seas. Pros and Cons of Hunter e33 Abundance of safety features, ensuring a secure sailing experience. Excellent for solo sailors, offering ease of handling. Air conditioning is an optional feature, which may require additional investment. The Anatomy of a Bluewater Capable Sailboat Embarking on bluewater voyages necessitates a sailboat capable of navigating the challenges of the open sea. The vessel's design plays a pivotal role in its performance on water. Key characteristics to consider when evaluating bluewater sailboats under 40 feet include : Bluewater sailboats typically feature ketch rigs or cutter rigs, renowned for their versatility and suitability in various weather conditions. Cutter rigs excel in handling storms, while ketch rigs are common in larger vessels, offering adaptability to weather variations. Type of Keel Choosing between a long and fin keel affects stability. Long keels provide stability and are often found in older sailboats. In contrast, fin keels offer good lateral resistance but are less robust . Differences in Rudders Sailboats typically employ spade rudders, which move gracefully under the boat, enhancing speed. Alternatively, skeg-hung rudders or keel-attached rudders offer protection against debris, though they provide lesser performance advantages. Displacement The debate between heavy and moderate displacement boats hinges on their suitability for various conditions. Heavy displacement boats excel in tough conditions, while mild displacement vessels offer increased speed and maneuverability. The reputation of Boat Builder Established boat builders with a positive reputation, such as Island Packet and Hunter, often produce reliable bluewater sailboats. Seek insights from experienced sailors to gauge the reputation of a boat builder. Boat Ratings Boats may feature ratings indicating their suitability for ocean sailing. A " category A " rating denotes ocean readiness, capable of withstanding over 40 knots of wind and significant wave heights. Always prioritize safety over bravado. Storage and Fuel Consider the boat's storage capacity for dry goods and supplies during extended voyages. Adequate fuel and water provisions are crucial. Additional tanks may be necessary for added security. Length of Boat Safety dictates opting for a boat with a hull length exceeding 20 feet . Ideally, a minimum of 25 feet is preferred, ensuring the vessel can withstand bluewater conditions while accommodating storage needs. The cost of bluewater sailboats varies significantly, ranging from $25,000 to over $1,000,000 . Budget considerations should align with brand and boat condition, ensuring a suitable choice for your extended sea voyage. Your Bluewater Boat Under 40 Feet: Maintenance and Care Maintaining your bluewater sailboat , especially those under 40 feet , is critical for longevity and safety. Here are some key aspects to consider: Less Moving Parts Smaller sailboats often have fewer moving parts than their larger counterparts, making maintenance simpler. Regularly checking these components and keeping a detailed maintenance log helps prevent unforeseen issues . Spare Parts Stocking up on essential spare parts for older bluewater sailboats is wise. This foresight can be invaluable, especially when sailing in remote areas where replacement parts are unavailable. Key Takeaways Ideal Size for Sailing Enthusiasts For those who have a passion for sailing, selecting a bluewater boat that is under 40 feet in size is an optimal choice . This site is considered ideal for such adventures. Importance of Storage Space When planning for extended voyages, it's crucial to consider the amount of storage space available on the boat. Adequate storage is essential for long-distance travel . Selecting a Reputable Boat Brand : Choosing a boat from a brand known for its solid reputation and superior performance is advisable. Opting for a brand that stands out in quality can enhance your sailing experience . Rig and Keel Considerations Pay attention to the type of rig and keel on the boat, as these should be suitable for your specific sailing needs and conditions. The right choice in these areas is crucial for a satisfactory sailing experience . Performance in Tough Conditions  In challenging bluewater conditions, heavier boats are generally more reliable. Their weight contributes to better performance and stability in demanding sea conditions . In conclusion, the quest for the best bluewater sailboats under 40 feet requires a balance of comfort, capability, and durability. The decision ultimately hinges on individual needs, preferences, and sailing aspirations. However, with the right boat and diligent maintenance, the world's oceans become a playground of endless possibilities, waiting to be explored by adventurous sailors. ⚡️Another article:   Best Liveaboard Boats to Live On Full-Time Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) What size boat is ideal for bluewater sailing, how important is storage space for long voyages, what should i consider when choosing a boat brand, how do i choose the right rig and keel, do heavier boats perform better in tough conditions. Was this page helpful? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The 5 tragic minutes that sank a superyacht PORTICELLO, Italy — Survivors of a storm that sank a superyacht off Sicily recounted their ordeal to one of the doctors who rushed to their aid, with some saying it took mere minutes for the 180-foot ship to go down.  Dr. Fabio Genco, head of the Palermo Emergency Medical Services, told NBC News on the phone Thursday that he arrived in the seaside village of Porticello before dawn Monday, about an hour after the $40 million Bayesian sank in the violent and sudden storm.    Of the 22 people onboard, 15 survived despite storm conditions and darkness, climbing onto a lifeboat before being rescued by a nearby sailboat. The crew members have made no public statements so far, though some have been interviewed by investigators. “They told me that it was all dark, that the yacht hoisted itself up and then went down,” Genco said, recounting what the survivors told him. “All the objects were falling on them. That’s why I immediately made sure, by asking them questions, if they had any internal injuries,” he said.  It appears they had just minutes to abandon the sinking ship, Genco said.  “They told me that suddenly they found themselves catapulted into the water without even understanding how they had got there,” he said, “And that the whole thing seems to have lasted from 3 to 5 minutes.” Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, which owns Perini Navi, the Bayesian's shipbuilder, told Sky News that there were no flaws with the design or construction of the yacht. He said their structure and keel made boats like that “unsinkable bodies.” In an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, he disavowed responsibility, blaming instead the actions of the crew. “Mistakes were made,” he said.  Genco said one of his colleagues who arrived at the scene before him initially thought that only three people survived, but the coast guard reported there were other survivors and more emergency services were called in.  When Genco arrived, he found scenes of panic and despair.  “Unfortunately, we are used to such panic scenes because we are used to the shipwrecks that happen on Lampedusa ,” Genco said, referring to the island southwest of Sicily, where the wreckage of boats carrying migrants on the sea journey from North Africa to Italy are often found .  Six of the passengers were declared missing Monday, and by Thursday, the bodies of five had been recovered from the wreck , some 160 feet underwater. Among those who survived is Angela Bacares, wife of the British tech mogul Mike Lynch , whose body was recovered Thursday.  Another survivor has been identified as Charlotte Emsley, 35. She told the Italian news agency ANSA that she had momentarily lost hold of her year-old daughter, Sofia, in the water but managed to retrieve her and hold her over the waves until a lifeboat inflated and they were pulled into safety. Dr. Domenico Cipolla at the Di Cristina Children’s Hospital in Palermo is also part of a team of medical professionals treating the shipwreck survivors. He told the BBC on Wednesday that Emsley and her daughter, as well as the father of the child, who Cipolla said also survived, are continuing to receive psychological help.  “Psychological support was constant and is constant even today, because basically it is the wounds of the soul that are the most in need of healing in these cases,” Cipolla said. Genco also told NBC News that he was especially concerned about the child. “She did not understand anything. She was soaking wet and cold,” he said.  Karsten Borner, the Dutch captain of the Sir Robert Baden Powell, a yacht that was anchored near the Bayesian, said by phone Wednesday that he saw a thunderstorm come in at around 4 a.m. local time (10 p.m. ET) Monday, followed by what looked like a waterspout, a type of tornado that forms over water.  The International Centre for Waterspout Research noted on X that there was a “waterspout outbreak” off Italy on Monday, the day the Bayesian sank.  “I turned on the engine and made maneuvers so that we wouldn’t collide with the Bayesian, which was anchored about 100 meters from us,” Borner said. “Then all of a sudden it disappeared. Then the wind calmed down, we looked around and saw a red flare.” Borner said he got into his boat’s tender and saw a life raft with 15 people on it. Members of the crew were administering first aid.  “I don’t know why it sank so quickly, but it may have something to do with the mast which was incredibly long,” he said. Questions have been raised about whether the mast was to blame for the accident as tall masts, even with the sails down, have more surface area exposed to the wind, which can contribute to tipping a vessel in a storm. The CCTV footage that emerged Tuesday showed the yacht’s 250-foot mast, believed to be one of the tallest aluminum sailing masts in the world, lashed by the storm as it appears to tilt to one side before disappearing. Claudia Rizzo is an Italy based journalist. Claudio Lavanga is Rome-based foreign correspondent for NBC News. Yuliya Talmazan is a reporter for NBC News Digital, based in London. Smithsonian Voices From the Smithsonian Museums NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM Flying Boats Were Once the Luxury Liners of the Air Flying boats opened up travel destinations around the world—then they went to war Twilight glimmered in the western sky as the large aircraft began its descent to the Tagus River in Lisbon, Portugal. As it flew into view, the shores erupted in a cacophony of cheers, gun blasts, and tolling church bells. The euphoria reached a crescendo when the unusual craft finally landed on the water and glided to a stop. On that lovely evening—May 27, 1919—an ambitious and daring feat had been achieved. The U.S. Navy’s Curtiss NC-4, a massive “flying boat” crafted by pioneering designer Glenn Curtiss, became the first airplane to cross the Atlantic Ocean, making a stop in the Azores before setting down in the river on the European continent. “We are safely across the pond. The job is finished!” wrote Lieutenant Commander Albert C. Read, captain of the historic flight, in a message to his superior officers. Front page headlines dominated newspapers across the United States and around the world. “Twentieth century transportation has reached a new pinnacle, and the United States navy has led the way,” raved the Associated Press.  The Curtiss NC-4—in the collection of the National Air and Space Museum and on loan to the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida—led the way for the era of the flying boat. At the time, the lack of airports with hard surfaces in the world’s major destinations meant overseas service had to be handled by airplanes that could land on water. The flying boat—so named because the bottom of the fuselage looks like the keel of a waterborne vessel—dominated the prewar era of transoceanic flight. From the United States to South America, Europe, Pacific Islands, Asia, and beyond, this class of airplane went where others could not. It had the range, capacity, and ability to reach faraway, exotic locales that were inaccessible to most other aircraft of the day. The world’s militaries likewise embraced the adaptable aircraft, using it to patrol the world’s oceans and rescue downed fliers.  Then, flying boats all but disappeared. Larger land-based aircraft capable of carrying more passengers and cargo replaced it and transformed the way the world traveled.  Now it seems the flying boat is on the verge of a comeback, as countries seek them for missions as diverse as fighting fires to ferrying tourists to remote islands. Flying boat enthusiasts worldwide dare to wonder if they will see the magnificent machines soar and sail once again. In the lap of luxury At its zenith, traveling on a commercial flying boat was like sailing on the  Queen Mary 2 . Private sleeping rooms, silver dining service, chef-prepared meals, and white-gloved waiters were all part of the upscale treatment passengers could expect on these ocean liners of the sky.  The cost? In 1940, a one-way ticket from San Francisco to Hong Kong was $760—about $15,000 today. The main advantage? The trip took days by flying boat versus weeks by passenger ship. The aerial luxury afforded by flying boats was best epitomized by Pan American Airways. In a symbolic nod to the majestic sailing ships that plied the oceans in the 19th century, the airline’s flying boats were named “Clippers” by the company’s cofounder. The comparison did not stop there. “That was exactly what Juan Trippe, the founder of Pan Am wanted,” says Bob van der Linden, a National Air and Space Museum curator who specializes in air transportation and special purpose aircraft. “He knew his customers were the equivalent of first-class passengers onboard a high-end steamship. They expected the best service with stewards and pursers. The airplane was operated by a captain and navigator, terms that came from the navy. If you look at the old Pan Am uniform, it’s the same as a U.S. Navy uniform, including rank insignia. They were trying to emulate ocean liners.” In the 1920s and ’30s, flying boats came in a multitude of shapes and sizes—from small craft holding just a few people to massive airplanes with room for scores of travelers. In addition, airmail delivery was an essential part of commercial aviation at the time. Lucrative postal contracts from the federal government helped airlines reach profitability at a critical time of development while expanding routes across the Caribbean, South America, and the rest of the world. Flying boats are a unique style of vessel. Whereas a floatplane is basically a regular airplane mounted on pontoons, the flying boat is essentially a hybrid between a ship and an airplane. It features durable wings capable of withstanding strong winds and rough seas, as well as a sturdy hull—usually V-shaped like a boat—so it can withstand the rigors of landing on choppy waves. Designing such an unusual craft required a precise balance between two very different disciplines. “A flying boat must satisfy many of the same requirements for performance, efficiency, strength, and reliability as a landplane but, in addition, must possess some qualities of a boat in water and some qualities unique to the flying boat itself,” wrote the late Laurence K. Loftin Jr., former director of aeronautical research at NASA Langley, in his 1985 book  Quest for Performance: The Evolution of Modern Aircraft . “It must be seaworthy, maneuverable, and stable on the water and have low water and air drag. The hull must be designed with sufficient structural strength to withstand the various loads imposed by rough water in landing, taking off, and taxiing.” In other words, a flying boat had to be sleek and rugged. Finding the proper parity between these two opposite fields of performance was crucial if a proposed design was to be successful. A miscalculation in either area could have disastrous results.  Such were the challenges faced by Pan Am as it prepared to launch transoceanic service.  For Trippe and Charles Lindbergh, a key advisor, size was important. They wanted aircraft large enough and tough enough to handle the demands of flying over long expanses of ocean and through fluctuating weather conditions. Aeronautical engineers responded with some of the largest aircraft built in those years. “If you’re going to fly over water, you had to do it in a flying boat in case something happens,” says van der Linden. “Also, for that kind of range you need a big airplane, which meant they needed a lot of power and a lot of fuel. You needed a really, really long takeoff run to get the airplane airborne. In those days, there were no airfields long enough to do it. Plus, they were mostly grass and dirt then, and a heavy airplane would go right through that.” One of the earliest large models was the Sikorsky S-40—the first to get the nautical treatment by Pan Am. Known as the American Clipper, it had a wingspan of 114 feet, a gross weight of 34,000 pounds, and it could carry up to 38 passengers. The largest airplane built in the U.S. at the time, the S-40 required four powerful Pratt & Whitney Hornet radial engines to break free of the water’s drag and reach the sky. It made its first flight to the Caribbean on November 19, 1931. Pan Am and other airlines would go on to bigger and heavier flying boats. Pan Am opened transpacific service in 1935 with the Martin M-130 (one of which was christened the China Clipper) and began transatlantic service in 1939 with the Boeing B-314, which had a wingspan of 152 feet and a gross weight of 84,000 pounds.  With a range of 3,500 miles, the B-314 could reach Europe without refueling, and it could span the Pacific with a just few stops at islands along the way. In fact, Pan Am’s Pacific Clipper (which was briefly named the California Clipper) is considered the first commercial airliner to circumnavigate the globe. Stranded in New Zealand on December 7, 1941, the crew was forced to fly west across Asia and Africa to New York City to avoid capture by Japanese forces. “What’s important about the flying boat is that it had range,” says van der Linden. “In the 1930s, land-based airliners could fly 400 to 600 miles, if you’re lucky. The big flying boats could go 3,000 miles or more. In the Pacific, you needed to fly a minimum of 2,400 miles, which is the distance between San Francisco and Hawaii.” Preparing for war As the world wound its way to war in the 1930s, militaries in many countries turned to the flying boat to meet the aviation demands of an impending two-ocean conflict. All nations with access to the sea utilized these aircraft in wartime operations. Among Axis aircraft, Germany’s Blohm & Voss BV 138 Sea Dragon was a primary long-range maritime patrol aircraft, while Japan flew the Kawanishi H8K for naval reconnaissance and bombing missions. The island realm of Great Britain relied on the Short S.25 Sunderland for its patrol bomber needs and it served with several Commonwealth military branches. Powered by four Bristol Pegasus XVIII nine-cylinder engines, the aircraft bristled with up to 12 machine guns and could carry 2,000 pounds of bombs, mines, or depth charges for anti-submarine warfare. Flying boats were part of the U.S. war effort from the very beginning. Ten Sikorsky JRS-1 aircraft were at Pearl Harbor when the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked. All of them survived. They were immediately pressed into service and flew many missions patrolling for Japanese submarines and searching for the enemy fleet. (One of the surviving JRS-1s is on display at the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.) Perhaps the most iconic flying boat of World War II was the Consolidated PBY Catalina ( see “Bombs, Beer, and Black Cats” ). Affectionately called “Dumbo” by those who flew it because of its resemblance to Disney’s animated flying elephant, the large two-engine aircraft was not very nimble, but it was extremely durable and versatile. It played a crucial role for the U.S. Navy in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters as both a bomber and a search-and-rescue aircraft. The Catalina also performed reconnaissance missions. “The PBY was in the vanguard of the fight across the Pacific,” says W. Hill Goodspeed, an author and historian for the National Naval Aviation Museum, which has two Catalinas on display—one of which has been on loan from the Smithsonian since 1973. “It was the eyes of the fleet in World War II.”  A sky-high view proved decisive in 1942, when two spotted the Imperial Japanese Navy fleet just prior to the Battle of Midway. Early detection provided the U.S. Navy with a significant edge in that pivotal showdown early in the war.  With more than 3,300 units built, the PBY was the leading flying boat of World War II. It was also the most effective. Catalinas destroyed upward of 40 enemy submarines and sank more ships than any other aircraft. Other flying boats served the U.S. military during the conflict, including the Martin PBM Mariner. By 1945, it was flying more missions than the PBY Catalina. Of the 1,366 constructed, only one remains today: It is part of the collection of the National Air and Space Museum, and currently on loan to the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona. While World War II demonstrated the capabilities of flying boats, it also led to their decline. “The one thing that was holding back the development of all large airplanes in the 1930s was the lack of concrete runways,” says van der Linden. “All bets were off in World War II. We built concrete runways everywhere for the war effort. That killed the flying boat.” Making a comeback? Lawrence Reece is a hardcore fan of flying boats. For his aircraft restoration service, he flies around the country and beyond in search of spare parts for 80-plus-year-old PBY Catalinas. Keeping these vintage aircraft flying and floating has been his avocation and vocation for several years. Now, he is working to reintroduce the legendary airplane to meet the demands of modern travelers who want to visit remote locales accessible only to flying boats. “In the past 10 years or so, tourism has been growing,” says Reece, founder and president of Catalina Aircraft in Longboat Key, Florida. “People want to go places. Guess what you’re missing in a lot of places they want to go to? Airport infrastructure. A lot of islands today are not big enough to include room for that.” Reece plans to introduce what he calls the NGAA (Next Generation Amphibious Aircraft) Catalina by the end of the decade. Using the same airframe made sense, he says, because of its ruggedness and functionality—not to mention its continued appeal.  There is, however, another, more economical, reason for pursuing the platform: The basic aircraft already has approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. Even though the new version will have modern avionics and engines, Reece can save millions of dollars in development costs by sticking with a known concept. “This is a variant of an existing approved design,” says Reece, who owns the rights and plans to the original PBY Catalina. “I’m making some limited changes to it. I only have to recertify those limited changes to the overall aircraft.” Interested individuals and companies, as well as the military, have contacted Reece about his plans, which could include building variations for putting out wildfires, cargo and troop transport, passenger service, science exploration, and search and rescue. “Aerial firefighting is huge business,” he says. “Everybody wants planes for firefighting because it’s such a big concern these days. It will be scoop-on-the-fly, along with some new technology. We’ve got a drop computer system we’ve been developing that utilizes a spotter airplane with a [laser-based detection system] so we can map out our drop points and trajectories.” Not to be outdone, Amphibian Aerospace Industries of Darwin, Australia, is currently retrofitting older aircraft with modern components as it works on a planned release of the new Albatross 2.0, more properly known as the G-111, by the end of the decade. Coveted by collectors today, the Grumman HU-16 Albatross was originally introduced in 1949 and remained in active use through 1995. It featured a wingspan of 96 feet and could carry a crew of four with 15,000 pounds of cargo or passengers.  According to CEO Dan Webster, his company is eyeing a global market for commercial cargo and passenger service, medical transport, and multiple other uses. He sees the tourism industry, especially among the thousands of smaller islands without airport infrastructure in the South Pacific, as an important focal point. “Many resorts are operating marginally at the moment,” he says. “This changes the business model for them. They can bring in a weekend customer in a fraction of the time it took to get there before by ferry or other means. Now they can fly direct to the resort. The thing about the Albatross is its capacity. With room for 28 passengers and their luggage, it will be the largest certified flying boat on the market once we get it running.” With midrange flying boats preparing to take off again, is there hope for a return of the big “ocean liners of the sky”? Probably not. Though magnificent, the Clippers and other passenger ships were old and slow compared to the modern jetliners that dominate air travel today. “As graceful and luxurious as the flying boat was, it was terribly inefficient compared to a land plane,” says van der Linden. “You can’t run an airline if you can’t make money.” Sadly, none of the deluxe flying boats of that bygone era remain. All were scrapped, destroyed, or just fell victim to abandonment and neglect. A full-scale replica of the Boeing B-314, built to original specifications, is on display at the Foynes Flying Boat & Maritime Museum in Limerick, Ireland, once an important terminus for flying boats on the way to Europe. Today, about the only place you can view most of these majestic relics is at museums. I saw firsthand the NC-4 and PBY-5 Catalina on loan from the National Air and Space Museum at the National Naval Aviation Museum, as well as a PB2Y-5R Coronado. The size of these aircraft is stunning. For example, the wingspan of the NC-4 is 126 feet. By comparison, the Wright brothers’ flight on December 17, 1903, was just 120 feet. I learned that the Wright Flyer could have taken off and landed on the wings of the NC-4—with room to spare. The size of the Coronado is also impressive. I felt insignificant standing next to this flying sea monster, which is more than 27 feet tall. You can see why it required four gigantic engines to power free from the suction-like grip of the ocean and make altitude. Equally inspiring is the Catalina. Smaller than the other two, it has a wingspan of only 104 feet and required just two 1,200-horsepower engines to reach the skies. But what the PBY lacked in size, it made up for in toughness.  Seeing these remarkable aircraft up close is a memorable experience. I can only imagine what it would be like to fly in one of them. Sadly, the chances of doing so these days are slim. Thank goodness, a new generation of flying boats is on the horizon. Maybe, just maybe. As I walked out of the museum, I could only wonder what the future would hold. I looked back at the airplanes one last time and was reminded of the words of Jimmy Buffett, a true fan of the half plane, half boat: “Taking off and landing in the water held a romantic fascination for me.”  Dave Kindy  is a journalist, freelance writer, and book reviewer who writes about aviation, space, military history, and other topics. This article is from the Summer 2024 issue of  Air & Space Quarterly , the National Air and Space Museum's signature magazine that explores topics in aviation and space, from the earliest moments of flight to today.  Explore the full issue.   Advertisement Supported by Lynch Yacht Sinking Off Sicily Proves as Baffling as It Is Tragic As bodies were recovered, the authorities and experts wondered how a $40 million, stable and secure vessel could have sunk so quickly. Share full article By Emma Bubola and Michael J. de la Merced Emma Bubola reported from Porticello, Italy, and Michael J. de la Merced from London. Two months after being cleared in a bruising legal battle over fraud charges, the British tech mogul Mike Lynch celebrated his freedom with a cruise. He invited his family, friends and part of his legal team on board his luxury sailing yacht, a majestic 180-foot vessel named Bayesian after the mathematical theorem around which he had built his empire. On Sunday night, after a tour of the Gulf of Naples, including Capri, and volcanic islands in the Eolian archipelago, the boat anchored half a mile off the Sicilian coast in Porticello, Italy. It chose a stretch of water favored by the Phoenicians thousands of years ago for its protection from the mistral wind and, in more recent times, by the yachts of tech billionaires. The boat was lit “like a Christmas tree,” local residents said, standing out against the full moon. But about 4 a.m., calamity unfolded. A violent and fast storm hit the area with some of the strongest winds locals said they had ever felt. Fabio Cefalù, a fisherman, said he saw a flare pierce the darkness shortly after 4. Minutes later, the yacht was underwater. Only dozens of cushions from the boat’s deck and a gigantic radar from its mast floated on the surface of the sea, fishermen said. In all, 22 people were on board, 15 of whom were rescued. Six bodies — five passengers and the ship’s cook — had been recovered by Thursday afternoon, including that of Mr. Lynch, an Italian government official said, adding that the search was continuing for his daughter. It was a tragic and mystifying turn of events for Mr. Lynch, 59, who had spent years seeking to clear his name and was finally inaugurating a new chapter in his life. Experts wondered how a $40 million yacht, so robust and stable could have been sunk by a storm near a port within minutes. “It drives me insane,” said Giovanni Costantino, the chief executive of the Italian Sea Group, which in 2022 bought the company, Perini, that made the Bayesian. “Following all the proper procedures, that boat is unsinkable.” The aura of misfortune only deepened when it emerged that Stephen Chamberlain, 52, a former vice president of finance for Mr. Lynch’s former company and a co-defendant in the fraud case, was killed two days earlier, when he was hit by a car while jogging near his house in England. Since June, the two men had been in a jubilant mood. A jury in San Francisco had acquitted both on fraud charges that could have sent them to prison for two decades. There were hugs and tears, and they and their legal teams went for a celebratory dinner party at a restaurant in the city, said Gary S. Lincenberg, a lawyer for Mr. Chamberlain. The sea excursion was meant as a thank-you by Mr. Lynch to those who had helped him in his legal travails. Among the guests was Christopher J. Morvillo, 59, a scion of a prominent New York family of lawyers who had represented Mr. Lynch for 12 years. He and his wife, Neda, 57, were among the missing. So, too, was Jonathan Bloomer, 70, a veteran British insurance executive who chaired Morgan Stanley International and the insurer Hiscox. The body of the ship’s cook, Recaldo Thomas, was recovered. All the other crew members survived. Among them was Leo Eppel, 19, of South Africa, who was on his first yacht voyage working as a deck steward, said a friend, who asked not to be identified. Since the sinking, the recovery effort and investigation have turned the tiny port town of Porticello, a quiet enclave where older men sit bare-chested on balconies, into what feels like the set of a movie. Helicopters have flown overhead. Ambulances have sped by with the sirens blaring. The Coast Guard has patrolled the waters off shore, within sight of a cordoned-off dock that had been turned into an emergency headquarters. On Wednesday afternoon, a church bell tolled after the first body bag was loaded into an ambulance, a crowd watching in silence. The survivors were sheltering in a sprawling resort near Porticello, with a view of the shipwreck spot, and had so far declined to comment. Attilio Di Diodato, director of the Italian Air Force’s Center for Aerospace Meteorology and Climatology, said that the yacht had most likely been hit by a fierce “down burst” — when air generated within a thunderstorm descends rapidly — or by a waterspout , similar to a tornado over water. He added that his agency had put out rough-sea warnings the previous evening, alerting sailors about storms and strong winds. Locals said the winds “felt like an earthquake.” Mr. Costantino, the boat executive, said the yacht had been specifically designed for having a tall mast — the second-tallest aluminum mast in the world. He said the Bayesian was an extremely safe and secure boat that could list even to 75 degrees without capsizing. But he said that if some of the hatches on the side and in the stern, or some of the deck doors, had been open, the boat could have taken on water and sunk. Standard procedure in such storms, he said, is to switch on the engine, lift the anchor and turn the boat into the wind, lowering the keel for extra stability, closing doors and gathering the guests in the main hall inside the deck. 12 guests occupied the yacht’s six cabins. There were also 10 crew members. Open hatches, doors and cabin windows could have let in water during a storm, according to the manufacturer. Open hatches, doors and cabin windows could have let in water during a storm, according to the manufacturer. Source: Superyacht Times, YachtCharterFleet, MarineTraffic By Veronica Penney The New York Times attempted to reach the captain, James Cutfield, who had survived, for comment through social media, his brother and the management company of the yacht (which did not hire the crew), but did not make contact. So far none of the surviving crew members have made a public statement about what happened that night. Fabio Genco, the director of Palermo’s emergency services, who treated some of the survivors, said that the victims had recounted feeling as if the boat was being lifted, then suddenly dropped, with objects from the cabins falling on them. The Italian Coast Guard said it had deployed a remotely operated vehicle that can prowl underwater for up to seven hours at a depth of more than 980 feet and record videos and images that they hoped would help them reconstruct the dynamics of the sinking. Such devices were used during the search and rescue operations of the Titan vessel that is believed to have imploded last summer near the wreckage of the Titanic. After rescuers broke inside the yacht, they struggled to navigate the ropes and many pieces of furniture cluttering the vessel, said Luca Cari, a spokesman for Italy’s national firefighter corps. Finally, as of Thursday morning, they had managed to retrieve all but one of the missing bodies, and hopes of finding the missing person alive were thin. “Can a human being be underwater for two days?” Mr. Cari asked. What was certain was that Mr. Lynch’s death was yet another cruel twist of fate for a man who had spent years seeking to clear his name. He earned a fortune in technology and was nicknamed Britain’s Bill Gates. But for more than a decade, he had been treated as anything but a respected tech leader. He was accused by Hewlett-Packard, the American technological pioneer that had bought his software company, Autonomy, for $11 billion, of misleading it about his company’s worth. (Hewlett-Packard wrote down the value of the transaction by about $8.8 billion, and critics called it one of the worst deals of all time .) He had been increasingly shunned by the British establishment that he sought to break into after growing up working-class outside London. He was extradited to San Francisco to face criminal charges, and confined to house arrest and 24-hour surveillance on his dime. In a townhouse in the Pacific Heights neighborhood — with security people he jokingly told associates were his “roommates” — he spent his mornings talking with researchers whom he funded personally on new applications for artificial intelligence. Afterward, he devoted hours to discussing legal strategy with his team. Despite his persistent claims of innocence, even those close to Mr. Lynch had believed his odds of victory were slim. Autonomy’s chief financial officer, Sushovan Hussain, was convicted in 2018 of similar fraud charges and spent five years in prison. During Mr. Lynch’s house arrest, his brother and mother died. His wife, Angela Bacares, frequently flew over from England, and she became a constant presence in the San Francisco courtroom during the trial. After he was finally acquitted, Mr. Lynch had his eye on the future. “I am looking forward to returning to the U.K. and getting back to what I love most: my family and innovating in my field,” he said. Elisabetta Povoledo contributed reporting from Pallanza, Italy. Emma Bubola is a Times reporter based in Rome. More about Emma Bubola Michael J. de la Merced has covered global business and finance news for The Times since 2006. More about Michael J. de la Merced 191 IMAGES Top Five 40 Foot Sailboats 1993 40 foot Hunter 40 Sailboat For Sale in Cape Coral, FL Sailing design yacht designers and naval architects : Owen Clarke 5 Surprising Advantages of a Full Keel Sailboat Popular Cruising Yachts from 35 to 40 feet Length Overall 43 of the best bluewater sailing yacht designs of all time VIDEO Adventure 40 Sailboat Interior Arrangement Reveal Sailing World Magazine Boat of the Year 2023 Best Crossover: J/45 Lagoon 40: The ideal catamaran for family cruising SAILBOAT PASSING ASTERN-- LOOKING GOOD! Luxury Sailing Yacht: BENETEAU Oceanis Yacht 60 (New 2022-2023) HD Sailboat about 40 ft I’ve been dreaming about this week COMMENTS 13 Popular Full Keel Sailboats Worth Considering Full keel sailboats are very stable and durable - they are great for cruising long distances. ... Sadly, Westsail 32 was in production only for some 9 years. Sales were booming, they made over 800 boats, but bad business practices and cash flow issues resulted in its demise. ... 13 World-Famous Bluewater Sailboats Under 40 Feet. 17 Legendary ... 5 Top Affordable Bluewater Cruising Sailboats With these considerations in mind, here are my picks—five top choices for affordable bluewater cruising sailboats (in alphabetical order). Caliber 40 LRC. The Caliber 40 design appeared in 1991 and through its evolution into the 40 LRC, remains a very attractive cutter. It has a fully encapsulated, elongated fin keel, and the ballast to ... 10 Best Used Cruising Sailboats & Liveaboards Full-keel boats may make some younger sailors cringe, but the CR 38 has a very soft ride in rough seas and heaves to effectively. ... the 38 tracks nicely with a reefed main and staysail. I encounter 38s all over the Caribbean. They're easy to spot; they're the beautiful boats in the anchorage. ... especially because 40 feet is an iconic ... 43 of the best bluewater sailboat designs of all time Allures 51.9 price: €766,000. The Ovni 370 is another cunning new aluminum centreboard offering, a true deck saloon cruiser for two. The designers say the biggest challenge was to create a ... 10 best long keel yachts The British built Vancouver range of 27-34ft yachts were all long-keel designs intended to appeal to buyers wanting a distinctive boat that would stand out among run-of-the-mill designs and that would look after their crew in challenging conditions. The 32 was launched in 1981, as a larger version of the already successful 27/28 model. Popular Cruising Yachts from 40 to 45ft (12.2m to 13.7m) Long Overall Welcome to this ever-growing gallery of some of the most popular cruising yachts between 40 and 45 feet (12.2m to 13.7m) long overall. But it's more than just a gallery - every image is a link to a page setting out the boat's physical properties, key performance indicators and other data. Best Bluewater Cruising Sailboats: Top Picks & Reviews There have been many thousands of sailboats ranging from 40 to 65 feet sold all over the world. But a vast majority of these designs were not built with ocean voyaging as their primary purpose. ... Older boats have long or full keel designs. Amel Super Maramu. This once little-known French manufacturer of beefy offshore ketches has experienced ... Preowned sailboats for sale over 40 feet Preowned sailboats for sale over 40 feet preowned sailboats for sale by owner. Home. Register & Post. View All Sailboats. Search. ... 26.11' Catalina 250 MK II Wing Keel Westbrook, Connecticut Asking $24,000. 30' Canadian Sailcraft Cs30 Marina Gosselin ST-Paul-de-lile-aux-noix Quebec Asking $35,000. The best bluewater sailboats (we analyzed 2,000 boats to find out) The 10 best bluewater boats. 1. Westsail 32. Photo credit: SailboatData.com. The Westsail 32 is one of the most iconic bluewater cruisers and 19 have set out to cross the Pacific in the PPJ rally since 2009. In 1973, this small cruising sailboat garnered a 4-page spread in Time magazine. 2022 Boat of the Year: Best Full-Size Cruiser Even with two strong sailing boats in the hunt for top honors, the Hylas H57 still managed to kick things up a notch or two, both dockside and sailing. As the judges reviewed their notes and deliberated over the Full-Size Cruiser entries, there were many reasons that it rose to the top of this highly competitive category. Preowned sailboats for sale over 40 feet Preowned sailboats for sale over 40 feet preowned sailboats for sale by owner. Home. Register & Post. View All Sailboats. Search. ... 25' catalina 250 with wing keel lincoln, Nebraska Asking $12,000. 26.5' S2 27 Annapolis, Maryland Asking $6,950. 20' Schock Harbor 20 Brick, New Jersey Asking $12,500. 5 Best Liveaboard Bluewater Sailboats The swing keel certainly doesn't make the Pearson 35 a shoal-draft sailboat. It has a modified full keel which (with the swing keel retracted) draws 3 feet 9 inches. With the additional swing keel down, the draft of the Pearson 35 increases to over 7 feet. The Pearson 35 is a heavy boat with good sea keeping abilities. Best Midsize Cruiser 40-44 Feet Winner: Elan GT5. This is going to be a tough category," said Bill Bolin of the Best Midsize Cruiser 40 to 44 Feet division. "We have three very different but very good boats in this class — the Elan GT5, the Hallberg-Rassy 412 and the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 440.". To begin, Bolin said of the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 440, "It's the best ... Full Keel Sailboats ... Favorable Argument A good bluewater sailboat must provide a balance of design-characteristics that satisfy the sailor's affinity for ocean passage in six categories: 1) Strength vs. speed; 2) Robust mechanical systems; 3) Layout for shorthand operation; 4) Sail inventory; 5) Piloting and navigation systems; and, 6) Electric power management. Best Bluewater boat 40'-45' A moderate 40 foot LWL boat can have a better MCR than a heavy 25 foot LWL boat. If your budget allows, one of the Dashew designs (very low D/L for a "cruiser") at 55+ feet LWL gives both speed and comfort.u000bu000bAt 40-45 feet LOA I don't see a need for a full keel hulform. 10 of the Best Bluewater Sailboats Under 40 Feet Length: 35′. Courtesy Gemini Catamarans. The Gemini Legacy 35 is a bluewater sailboat under 40 feet designed with a focus on stability, safety, and ease of handling. Its catamaran design, with a beam of 14 feet, provides remarkable stability both at anchor and underway. 13 World-Famous Bluewater Sailboats Under 40 Feet The Flicka 20 is a small but mighty bluewater sailboat that has been around for over 40 years. It was designed by Bruce Bingham in the early 1970s and was initially built by Pacific Seacraft. The Flicka 20 has a full keel design with a displacement of around 4,000 pounds. Best Blue Water Sailboats Under 40 Feet Hallberg-Rassy 340, 372, 40 and 40C: The range of Swedish-built Hallberg-Rassy small blue water yachts is one of the most impressive of any manufacturer. Boasting four yachts under 40 feet, they put their nine decades of expertise into both center cockpit and aft cockpit ocean-going cruisers and have the awards to show for it. From the Hallberg ... A Look at Sailboat Design: Fin Keels vs. Full Keels Keel bolts and the infamous garboard seam are completely eliminated. This approach to sailboat keel design dates back to the Rhodes Bounty II and other prototypes in the production world of sailboats. Now over 50 years old, many of these boats continue to have a tenacious grasp on the lead or iron that they hold. Best Blue Water Sailboats Under 40 Feet The best bluewater sailboats under 40 feet include the Westsail 32, Hunter e33, Tayana 37, and Najad 355. These bluewater sailboats, depending on your situation, can suit your needs for offshore sailing or long distance cruising. Sailboats under 40 feet also tend to be an adequate amount of space. After a detailed analysis, the best bluewater ... Preowned sailboats for sale over 40 feet Preowned sailboats for sale over 40 feet preowned sailboats for sale by owner. Home. Register & Post. View All Sailboats. Search. Avoid Fraud. ... 26.11' Catalina 250 MK II Wing Keel Westbrook, Connecticut Asking $24,000. 30' Canadian Sailcraft Cs30 Marina Gosselin ST-Paul-de-lile-aux-noix Quebec Asking $35,000. The best bluewater sailboats under 40 feet (we analyzed ... The Westsail 32 is one of the most iconic bluewater cruisers. Built by the Westsail Corporation in the 1970s, this plucky, small sailboat has developed a cult following over the decades. Since 2009, 19 have set out to cross the Pacific in the PPJ rallies. The Westsail 32 is known for its sturdy construction, seaworthiness, and classic looks. Best Bluewater Sailboats Under 40 Feet However, it transformed, emerging as a fiberglass vessel with a full keel and heavy displacement. This sailboat strikes a balance between bluewater capability and cruising comfort. Pros and Cons of Ingrid 38. Pros: Full keel design for stability; Suitable for cruising in calm conditions; Cons: The 5 tragic minutes that sank a superyacht Of the 22 people onboard, 15 survived despite storm conditions and darkness, climbing onto a lifeboat before being rescued by a nearby sailboat. The crew members have made no public statements so ... Bayesian yacht: What we know about the luxury boat sank by a ... The yacht's mast stood 72.27 meters (237 feet) high above the designated water line, just short of the world's tallest mast which is 75.2 meters, according to Guinness World Records. Flying Boats Were Once the Luxury Liners of the Air One of the earliest large models was the Sikorsky S-40—the first to get the nautical treatment by Pan Am. Known as the American Clipper, it had a wingspan of 114 feet, a gross weight of 34,000 ... Lynch Yacht Sinking Off Sicily Proves as Baffling as It Is Tragic Only dozens of cushions from the boat's deck and a gigantic radar from its mast floated on the surface of the sea, fishermen said. In all, 22 people were on board, 15 of whom were rescued. Bayesian yacht: Fifth body found in search for those missing from ... Angela Barcares, Mike Lynch's wife, survived. Speaking to the Italian daily La Repubblica while sitting in a wheelchair in a Sicilian hospital, Bacares said she was woken at 4 a.m. local time as ... catamaran gulet motorboat powerboat riverboat sailboat trimaran yacht