40 ft cruising yacht

Oceanis 30.1

Oceanis 34.1, oceanis 37.1, oceanis 40.1, oceanis 46.1, oceanis 51.1.

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• Description
• Main Points

Specifications

Following in the wake of her elder sister the Oceanis 51.1, this 40-foot cruiser, with  a new hull design by Marc Lombard , offers unrivalled  deck volume and interior space , an there are no concessions to performance. The 12-metre long Oceanis 40.1 is  available in different layouts, draughts and rigs , adapting to the most demanding sailor’s cruising requirements and satisfying their need for comfort and pleasure under sail.

NAVAL ARCHITECT : Marc Lombard

INTERIOR & DECK DESIGN : Nauta Design

Exterior design

Exterior design.

How can you enjoy life at anchor as much as sailing? With the innovative flared hull design of the Oceanis 40.1, and steps extending over a third of the bow, BENETEAU has broken new ground but made no concessions. The result is a hull that has true speed potential and is stiff under sail. Above the waterline, her deck plan and ultra-spacious interior by  Nauta Design  is unheard of on a boat this size. You cannot help feeling that you are aboard a 45 foot cruiser!

Interior Design

With a  walnut or light oak ambiance , the styling of the interior by Italian designers Nauta, is remarkably bright and excels in the skilful arrangement of the living spaces. She is available with two, three or four cabins and a  C-shaped galley  on the starboard, offering lots of storage and a spacious worktop. On the port side, there is a large saloon with a table and a removable bench, and a chart table at the foot of the companionway provides ample working space. Everything is modular, so that everyone can live the way they want and enjoy sailing wherever the wind takes them.

12 METRES OF SPACE!

The philosophy of the Oceanis 40.1 is to make sailing and mooring really pleasurable. The strengths of this cruiser, studied in detail by the architect Marc Lombard and the BENETEAU design office, are unrivalled space inside, a huge deck plan and the ability to clock up miles when you are cruising.

LIFE AT ANCHOR

The ergonomics and easy movement in the cockpit make life on board so simple. Nothing interferes with the joy of life at anchor. Feel like splashing around the boat in an idyllic creek? The transom easily converts to an extensive swim platform, similar in size to the ones you find on the largest Oceanis cruising yachts. Having access to the sea is an integral part of life on a sailing yacht, and this one is a model of its kind. 

FOR SAILORS SEEKING EXCITEMENT UNDER SAIL…

As there is no one way to sail, and because everyone takes their cruising at their own pace, the Oceanis 40.1 comes in several versions. Sailors keen on performance can choose the First Line version, with a longer mast and a greater draught. The in-mast furling system and self-tacking jib will make manoeuvring easier shorthanded. A classic mast for a semi full batten mainsail is also available.

HEAVENS ABOVE, SO MUCH SPACE!

The hatches and the many hull and coachroof portholes, two of which look towards the cockpit, fill the boat with natural light and ventilation, making her exceptionally bright. You really feel like you are entering a much bigger boat! The Oceanis 40.1 comes in 4 different versions with two, three, and four cabins to fit everyone’s idea of a holiday on board. Couples and large families will feel like they are at home! The owner version has a suite with ensuite shower and head, and a bed easily accessed from either side. The four-cabin version has two forward spaces with bunk beds.

A connected boat

The mobile application, Seanapps , and its onboard unit lets you view the status of the boat's various systems (battery charge, fuel or water tank levels, maintenance scheduling) via your smartphone, as well as planning your route or reviewing your sailing status using your mobile phone.

Virtual tour

Length Overall

Beam overall

Lightship Displacement

Air Draught Max

Draught Min

Draught Max

Fuel Capacity

Water Capacity

Max. engine power

Cabin Number

CE Certification

A10 / B10 / C12

• CE Certification A10/ B10/C12 (12 passengers on board)
• Large benches seating six guests, with a fold away table.
• Two steering wheel stations each with a comfortable seat
• First Line version: extra-long mast and bigger draught
• Standard version: in-mast furling system and self-tacking jib
• Large locker in 2 sections in the cockpit floor

2 cabins & 1 head

• U-shaped saloon seat
• C-shaped fitted galley: fridge, sink, 2-ring hob, oven, storage and worktop
• Master cabin with double bed positioned on the boat’s centreline
• Aft cabin with double berths 
• Shower room with shower compartment and marine toilet 
• Several hull portholes and coachroof portlights make the space naturally bright

3 cabins & 1 head

• Two aft cabins with double berths
• Shower room with shower compartement, washbasin cabinet and marine toilet

3 cabins & 2 heads

• Two shower room with shower compartment and marine toilet

HARKEN HARDWARE

All Oceanis news

Where can you find out about the brand new BENETEAU sailing yachts and powerboats this fall ?

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Oceanis 40.1 and Oceanis Yacht 54 : The New Wave of Oceanis Cruising Yachts by BENETEAU

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4.5 m / 14’9’’

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• Cruising Yachts 35' to 40'

Popular Cruising Yachts from 35 to 40 Feet Long Overall Their Physical Properties & Key Performance Indicators

Welcome to this ever-growing gallery of some of the most popular cruising yachts between 35 and 40 feet (10.7m to 12.2m) long overall.

Cruising Yachts featured on this page...

Medium sized cruising yachts like these are often the sailboat of choice for short-handed crews, and if properly equipped and maintained, will take long offshore voyages in their stride.

Sailboats at the top of this size range, those above 12m long overall, will find that they are charged considerably more in marinas than those that fall just under 12m LOA. Something worth bearing in mind perhaps?

Beneteau First 35s5

Amel Sharki

Dehler 38 (Van de Stadt)

Dehler 39 CWS

Finnsailor 35

Bolero 35.5

Dehler 37 CWS

Hunter 36 Legend

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 35

Beneteau First 375

Challenger 35

Starlight 35

Starlight 39

Cabo Rico 38

Westerly Typhoon 37

Southerly 110

Sweden Yachts 390

Pearson 365

Jeanneau 'Sun Fast' 37

Hallberg-Rassy 37

Gulfstar 36

Beneteau Oceanis 381

Catalina 36

Undeniably, with her gentle sheer, clipper bow and 'moustache' nameplate, the Mariner 40 ketch is a very attractive cruising yacht. Her long keel and very heavy displacement suggest she'll be a steady, comfortable performer in a seaway but passage times will suffer as a result.

Cavalier 39

Many thanks to the owner of 'Kiwa' for this pic of his Cavalier 39 cruising yacht.

Vancouver 36

Bayfield 40

Island Packet Estero 36

Beneteau 393

Tashiba 40 (aka Baba 40 and Panda 40)

Oyster Heritage 37

Many thanks to Andy Thomson for this pic of  'Spellbinder',  his Oyster Heritage 37 cruising yacht  ...

Southerly 115 Mk1

Colvic Countess 37

Shearwater 39

Island Packet 38

Island Packet 380

Pearson 39-2

Many thanks to Crystal and Rob Bleecher for this pic of their Pearson 39-2 cruising yacht.

Many thanks to Barry Bateman for this great pic of 'New World' , his Valiant 40 cruising yacht. 

Westerly Conway 36

'Weohgi' , a ketch-rigged Westerly Conway 36 cruising yacht, winter-sailing off the south coast of England. Many thanks to owner Geoffrey Mills for the pic.

Reefed down, 'Transcendence' - a Cascade 36 sloop - is making good progress into a short chop. Many thanks to owner Michael McLaughlin for the pic.

Tradewind 35

Thank you, Han van der Stap, for submitting this pic of your stunning yacht 'SysterSol' . As you say, she is "a beautiful Swedish boat, sure and fast, for long distance cruising."

Allied Princess 36

Many thanks to David Humphreys for submitting this great pic of  'Gabriel', his ketch-rigged Allied Princess 36 Mk2. The Mk2 version was introduced in 1980, unlike its predecessor, sporting a bowsprit. Both versions were available as either ketch or cutter rigs.

David tells us that 'Gabriel'  (hull #130) has been well maintained and up-graded since her commissioning in 1980. She's based in Annapolis MD and spends her days sailing to local destinations with a few over-nighters.

Pacific Seacraft 37

Next ~ Cruising Yachts 40-45ft LOA >>>>

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Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Fast and furious Neo 400 is claimed to be the ‘fastest cruising 40-footer in the world’

• Toby Hodges
• February 20, 2015

Is the boast plausible? Toby Hodges takes a close look at this muscular racer-cruiser

A sign that brags ‘the fastest cruising 40-footer in the world’ is a sure-fire way to attract attention. My first impressions of the Neo 400 stern-to at the Genoa Boat Show made me question that statement, but the more I discovered about this quirky boat, the more the boast seemed plausible.

She’s a little like the tweaked road cars in the Fast and Furious film series – ie not an out-an-out racing design, but a muscular racer-cruiser with accommodation.

The Neo is built entirely in carbon (optionally pre-preg), so weighs a butterfly-light 4.8 tonnes, with exactly half of that in her torpedo-shaped keel. And like the nitro-fuelled Japanese cars in the blockbuster films, she is capable of exhilarating speeds – reportedly up to 24 knots downwind.

The prototype has clocked 10,000 miles since launching in February. Once Paolo Semeraro, the man behind her conception, had finished showing me round the boat, she departed for the Rolex Middle Sea Race.

America’s Cup designer Giovanni Ceccarelli drew the Neo for racing under ORCi and IRC ratings. Her hull is optimised for max waterline length at 20° heel and features a slightly reverse stem. The result is, says Semeraro: “She sails upwind like an Xp44 and downwind like a Class 40.”

Unusual options include a very deep keel and high aspect rudder, which can retract for accessing shallower waters. Both aft cabins include three single berths that can be canted to the optimum windward angle to suit racing crews. And forward of the mast a loft option is offered, which is left open to create a large saloon.

Neo 400 interior

Another notable feature is the double compression post in the centre of the interior, which looks like carbon scaffolding, but serves to absorb mast base and shroud base loads. Construction throughout looks rigid, including solid laminate ringframes, a Weldox steel keel fin and a lead bulb.

The Neo is built at Banks Sails in Bari, Italy. It produces two carbon sails per day on average so boasts plenty of laminating experience. It is no surprise then that a large sailplan has been developed for the boat to include a square-top main and a generous foretriangle for asymmetric sails flown off a fixed sprit.

A planned Neo 550 looks sleeker and more refined. With greater attention given to the accommodation and weighing just over ten tonnes, she could be one to watch. The 400 viewed was a working prototype, which was obvious from the standard of finish. And I suspect, however fast or furiously she sails, the price of construction may ensure she remains a niche boat.

Price ex VAT €355,000 (£282,000). www.neoyachts.com

LOA 12.15m/39ft 10in

LWL 11.50m/37ft 9in

Beam 3.99m/13ft 1in

Draught 2.60m-1.60m/ 8ft 6in-5ft 3in

Displacement 4,600kg/10,141lb

This is an extract from a feature in the November 2014 issue of Yachting World

Greenline 40

Technical Specifications

Solar / Power Management

Greenline 40 Testimonial by The Flemings

The Fleming’s have now owned their Greenline 40 for 7 years, and they absolutely love the boat. Jon first became aware of Greenline as a brand around 2011. European boating magazines were writing about the Greenline when their first model (a 33 footer) started winning “boat of the show” at most European boat shows at the time. Jon contacted us, wanting to undergo a test run our Greenline 33, and had his first experience in that boat on Middle Harbour At that time, Jon and his wife owned a 42 ft Herreschoff Leeboard Ketch which they sailed in Sydney and Pittwater. They later relocated to the Gold Coast and sailed her up to join them, going as far north as the Whitsundays. They had owned her for 14 years, but were beginning to think ‘power craft’. The Greenline 33 was impressive, but once Greenline began to talk about a new 40 ft, twin engine version they were developing. Eventually the Fleming’s decided that this new boat would better suit them and their plans to do extended cruising. So, at the Sydney boatshow in 2012 they signed up with eYachts and haven’t regretted it!

Barcodoro of Netherlands

We fell in love with the greenline 40 immediately. My wife wanted it so badly, and also bought it through a broker in Portugal. we had it transported by road to the Netherlands. We have now sailed with it for a season and are so happy with it, the space and ease of use. Wow what a boat. We call him the "Barcodoro" There are videos of us on Youtube. And many more to follow.

International Yachting Media

Greenline 40 Electric, the future is now

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dciDjWyF3NQ

40ft Catamaran Models Comparisons

We compare specifications, dimensions, sail area, and pricing on the most popular 40ft catamarans in 2020.

Since 2016, Fountaine Pajot, Lagoon, Leopard, Bali, and Nautitech all rolled out new 40 ft catamaran models in a similar price range that are innovative, spacious, well-built, and comfortable. The latest model to be added to this 40ft array in 2020 is the Bali Catspace.

Bali has done away with the Bali 4.1 model and has designed the Bali Catspace with much improved and innovative features while Lagoon updated their popular L400 and redesigned it with the mast further back to accommodate a self-tacking jib, open scoops, and updated interior. The FP Lucia 40, released in 2016, has pretty much stayed the same, as has the Leopard 40. They are both very popular and successful cats. While the Nautitech Open 40 is a nice sporty sailing cat, it has not really taken hold in the US market with the aft helm stations.

These 40ft catamaran models are affordable and easily be handled by a coupled. It also has all the amenities suitable for a cruising boat such as an ice maker, washing machine, bigger fridge/freezer capacity, and big living spaces, which is very attractive for live-aboard cruising couples. 

The 40ft catamaran holds its value because it is in high demand on the used boat market. The 40ft catamaran size range just makes sense.

Read our previous 40ft comparison article for older models:  How Do The Most Popular 40-ft Production Catamarans Compare?

New 2020 40Ft Catamaran Comparison

The five main production catamaran contenders in 2020 for liveaboard couples are:

• BALI Catspace
• FP Lucia 40
• Nautitech 40 Open

40ft Catamaran Models Specifications

40ft catamaran deck & flybridge layout comparison, 40ft catamaran deck & flybridge layout comparisons, 40ft catamaran models sail plan comparisons, 40ft catamaran cabin layouts comparisons, 3-cabin layout, 4-cabin layout, reader's question answered: andy asked: "which cat is the best value and what do you budget for upgrades that deliver an above average sailing and comfort experience" .

The pricing for the different brands are generally in the same range since this a competitive space and the manufacturers have to make sure they are not priced out of the market. There are essentially no “bad catamarans”. Most are all built to recognized and enforced codes such as the European CE standard, so it comes down to personal preference. Some boats have Balsa cores and others have closed cell foam cores. Some have large nets, others have small nets and some have no nets.

All the forward deck designs are acceptable and safe, as we have now conclusively seen over the last five years. The current trend is smaller nets and larger foredeck areas for the most part on cruising cats. Performance cats all have nets and longer bows and are a different category to the production cruisers. Lagoon has the biggest living space, Bali has the best live-ability overall and FP and Leopard are very popular for couples with the semi-raised helm position but that too is a personal preference.

In terms of the extras or additional options, I normally recommend the following:

• The largest engine option available – this is important for your exit strategy especially in the US market and of course it is nice to have the extra power since the modern cats have quite a lot of windage.
• The best winch pack available
• All the cleats offered
• Mostly it is smart to take the code zero pack even if you do not order the sail immediately (Difficult and expensive to retro fit)
• Folding props – I really think that if you are going to do any extended cruising the last thing you want is to be dragging fixed props
• Air Conditioning if you want to have it
• Generator unless you are going to go Lithium with all the inverters and electronics to replace the generator.
• Solar – I normally take the factory option and then add aftermarket to increase the array
• If possible cable throttles and not electronic (If you are struck by lightning at least you can still control the engines if they still run)
• Electrically assisted davits at a minimum – your dinghy is your “car” so one needs to have an efficient handling system (we raise our dinghy every night for security)
• Watermaker is fantastic to have. It really makes life so much easier.
• Estelle will definitely opt for the washing machine – we never had one but since she’s had it onboard our Lagoon 450, she will not go without again.

Which Is Your Favorite 40ft Catamaran?

So many cruisers and liveaboard couples choose their dream boats from this new 40ft catamaran market. Which is your favorite catamaran and why? Leave your comment below!

Contact us for more information, price lists, specifications, and available charter management programs.

Estelle Cockcroft

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10 thoughts on “40ft Catamaran Models Comparisons”

Fabulous article and great comparisons, thank you. How do they sail? Is there any real difference?

HI Chrissy thank you! The performance of the boats are all very similar. They are all cruising cats, so not exactly rocket ships but totally adequate for a an average cruising couple. You could get a little more performance out of any of these boats depending on how aggressively you sail the boat and the type of sails you have. We race our boat and almost always end up in the top three boats.

Thank you for your article, I think we will go for the Catspace

Your welcome! I think you will be very happy with this choice. Only recommendation for any of these models, is upgrade the engines to 40hp.

In your opinion, which Cat is the the best value and what would you budget for upgrades that deliver an above average sailing and comfort experience? Obviously upgrades can be all over the map but you mentioned upgrading engine to 40hp – what else do you feel are almost ‘required’ upgrades? Thanks!

The pricing for the different brands are generally in the same range since this a competitive space and the manufacturers have to make sure they are not priced out of the market. There are essentially no bad catamarans, most are all built to recognized and enforced codes such as CE so it comes down to personal preference. Some boats have Balsa cores and other have closed cell foam cores, others have large nets, some have small nets and some have no nets, all designs are acceptable as we have now conclusively seen over the last five years.The trend is to smaller nets and larger foredeck areas for the most part. Performance boats all have nets and longer bows and are a different category to the production cruisers. Lagoon is good bang for your buck, Bali has the best liveability and space overall and FP and Leopard are very popular for couples because of the helm position.

In terms of the extras or additional options I normally recommend the following: The largest engine option available – this is important for your exit strategy especially in the US market and of course it is nice to have the extra power since the modern cats have quite a bot of windage. the best winch pack available All the cleats offered Mostly it is smart to take the code zero pack even if you do not order the sail immediately (Difficult and expensive to retro fit) Folding props – I really think that if you are going to do any extended cruising the last thing you want is to be dragging fixed props Air Conditioning if you want to have it Generator unless you are going to go Lithium with all the inverters and electronics to replace the generator. Solar – I normally take the factory option and then add aftermarket to increase the array If possible cable throttles and not electronic (If you are struck by lightning at least you can still control the engines if they still run) Electrically assisted davits at a minimum – your dinghy is your car so one needs to have an efficient handling system (we raise our dinghy every night for security) Watermaker is fantastic to have. It really makes life so much easier. Estelle will definitely opt for the washing machine – we never had one but since she’s ahd it onboard our Lagoon 450, she will not go without again.

This is a big subject and there are many opinions, I would be happy to discuss further -Stephen

We have a 2020 Leopard 40 Owners version. We love it. Just wish it carried a bit more fuel.

Hi Eugene, yes! The Leopards are very popular and we sell many of them. They are definitely a great bang for your buck. Thank you for your input!

The 40 Open has the longest WL, Largest Sail Area and has the lightest displacement… indicating it ‘should’ sail better than the others. Other than the helm position, what are the other differences (drawbacks?) you have observed or can comment on (if any)? It appears to be trying to straddle the ‘performance / cruiser’ designation… would you say it is successful?

Doug, yes you are correct however it is a displacement hull, just like the other cats in this category and while it may be a little lighter and have a bigger sailplan, it sails marginally faster, so that is not too much of a factor. In general they are nice boats but the living space is small and just like the new Excess range from Lagoon, the biggest drawback of these cats in our market is the helm position. The aft helm station have just never caught on, which is the reason that Catana and Outremer also moved their helm stations to the bulkhead rather than on the sterns.

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Used Yachts For Sale Below 40 Feet

Listed below are used yachts for sale worldwide below 40 feet. Use the search tools to narrow your exploration. SYS Yacht Sales offers a wide range of used yachts for sale, including motor yachts, center consoles, trawlers, express cruisers, sportfish yachts, sailboats and everything in between. Search top brands like Riviera, Boston Whaler, Tiara, Yellowfin, Beneteau and much more. Need assistance? Contact our experienced yacht brokers. We look forward to helping you find the yacht that's right for you.

Fjord 40 Open

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Meridian 408 Motoryacht

World Cat 400DC-X

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Sea Ray 400 SLX R

Ocean Yachts 40 Super Sport

Boston Whaler 405 Conquest

Roots & wings.

Intrepid 407 Panacea

Scout 400 LXF

Formula 400 SS Super Sport

Silverton 35 Motor Yacht

Knot at work.

Intrepid 407 Cuddy

Marlow-Hunter 40

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• Event Details

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.

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 .

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.

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 .

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.

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.

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Sailor Cole Brauer makes history as the first American woman to race solo around the world

Aboard her 40-foot racing boat First Light ,  29-year-old Cole Brauer just became the first American woman to race nonstop around the world by herself.

The New York native pulled into A Coruña, Spain, on Thursday after a treacherous 30,000-mile journey that took 130 days.

She thanked a cheering crowd of family and fans who had been waiting for her on shore.

“This is really cool and so overwhelming in every sense of the word,” she exclaimed, before drinking Champagne from her trophy.

The 5-foot-2 powerhouse placed second out of 16 avid sailors who competed in the Global Solo Challenge, a circumnavigation race that started in A Coruña with participants from 10 countries. The first-of-its-kind event   allowed a wide range of boats to set off in successive departures based on performance characteristics. Brauer started on Oct. 29, sailing down the west coast of Africa, over to Australia, and around the tip of South America before returning to Spain.

Brauer is the only woman and the youngest competitor in the event — something she hopes young girls in and out of the sport can draw inspiration from.

“It would be amazing if there was just one girl that saw me and said, ‘Oh, I can do that too,’” Brauer said of her history-making sail.

It’s a grueling race, and more than half of the competitors have dropped out so far. One struck something that caused his boat to flood, and another sailor had to abandon his ship after a mast broke as a severe storm was moving in.

The four-month journey is fraught with danger, including navigating the three “Great Capes” of Africa, Australia and South America. Rounding South America’s Cape Horn, where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet, is often likened to climbing Mount Everest because of its perfect storm of hazards — a sharp rise in the ocean floor and whipping westerly winds push up massive waves. Combined with the frigid waters and stray icebergs, the area is known as a graveyard for ships, according to NASA. Brauer  said  she was “so unbelievably stoked” when she sailed past Cape Horn in January.

Marco Nannini, organizer of the Global Solo Challenge, said the comparison to scaling Mount Everest doesn’t capture the difficulty of the race. Sailing solo means not just being a skipper but a project manager — steering the boat, fixing equipment, understanding the weather and maintaining one’s physical health.

Nannini cited the relatively minuscule number of people who have sailed around the world solo — 186, according to the International Association of Cape Horners — as evidence of the challenges that competitors face. More than 6,000 people have climbed Mount Everest, according to  High Adventure Expeditions .

Brauer stared down 30-foot waves that had enough force to throw her across the boat. In a scare caught on camera, she badly injured her rib   near the halfway point of the event. At another point, her team in the U.S. directed Brauer to insert an IV into her own arm due to dehydration from vomiting and diarrhea.

She was able to stay in constant communication with members of her team, most of whom are based in New England,   and keep herself entertained with Netflix and video calls with family through Starlink satellites.   That’s also how Brauer was able to use Zoom to connect with NBC News for an interview, while she was sailing about 1,000 miles west of the Canary Islands.

While Brauer was technically alone on First Light, she had the company of 450,000 followers on Instagram, where she frequently got candid about life on an unforgiving sea while reflecting on her journey.

“It all makes it worth it when you come out here, you sit on the bow, and you see how beautiful it is,” she said in an Instagram video, before panning the camera to reveal the radiant sunrise.

Brauer grew up on Long Island but didn’t learn to sail until she went to college in Hawaii. She traded in her goal of becoming a doctor for life on the water. But she quickly learned making a career as a sailor is extremely difficult, with professional racers often hesitant to welcome a 100-pound young woman on their team.

Even when she was trying to find sponsors for the Global Solo Challenge, she said a lot of people “wouldn’t touch her with a 10-foot pole” because they saw her as a “liability.”

Brauer’s message to the skeptics and naysayers? “Watch me.”

“I push so much harder when someone’s like, ‘No, you can’t do that,’ or ‘You’re too small,’” Brauer explained.

“The biggest asset is your mental strength, not the physical one,” Nannini said. “Cole is showing everyone that.”

Brauer hopes to continue competing professionally and is already eyeing another around-the-world competition, but not before she gets her hands on a croissant and cappuccino.

“My mouth is watering just thinking about that.”

Emilie Ikeda is an NBC News correspondent.

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40 Best Sailboats

• By Cruising World Editors
• Updated: April 18, 2019

Sailors are certainly passionate about their boats, and if you doubt that bold statement, try posting an article dubbed “ 40 Best Sailboats ” and see what happens.

Barely had the list gone live, when one reader responded, “Where do I begin? So many glaring omissions!” Like scores of others, he listed a number of sailboats and brands that we were too stupid to think of, but unlike some, he did sign off on a somewhat upbeat note: “If it weren’t for the presence of the Bermuda 40 in Cruising World’s list, I wouldn’t even have bothered to vote.”

By vote, he means that he, like hundreds of other readers, took the time to click through to an accompanying page where we asked you to help us reshuffle our alphabetical listing of noteworthy production sailboats so that we could rank them instead by popularity. So we ask you to keep in mind that this list of the best sailboats was created by our readers.

The quest to building this list all began with such a simple question, one that’s probably been posed at one time or another in any bar where sailors meet to raise a glass or two: If you had to pick, what’re the best sailboats ever built?

In no time, a dozen or more from a variety of sailboat manufacturers were on the table and the debate was on. And so, having fun with it, we decided to put the same question to a handful of CW ‘s friends: writers and sailors and designers and builders whose opinions we value. Their favorites poured in and soon an inkling of a list began to take shape. To corral things a bit and avoid going all the way back to Joshua Slocum and his venerable Spray —Hell, to Noah and his infamous Ark —we decided to focus our concentration on production monohull sailboats, which literally opened up the sport to anyone who wanted to get out on the water. And since CW is on the verge or turning 40, we decided that would be a nice round number at which to draw the line and usher in our coming ruby anniversary.

If you enjoy scrolling through this list, which includes all types of sailboats, then perhaps you would also be interested in browsing our list of the Best Cruising Sailboats . Check it out and, of course, feel free to add your favorite boat, too. Here at Cruising World , we like nothing better than talking about boats, and it turns out, so do you.

40. Moore 24

39. Pearson Vanguard

38. Dufour Arpege 30

37. Alerion Express 28

36. Mason 43/44

35. Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 43DS

34. Nor’Sea 27

33. Freedom 40

32. Beneteau Sense 50

31. Nonsuch 30

30. Swan 44

29. C&C Landfall 38

28. Gulfstar 50

27. Sabre 36

26. Pearson Triton

25. Islander 36

24. Gozzard 36

23. Bristol 40

22. Tartan 34

21. Morgan Out Island 41

20. Hylas 49

19. Contessa 26

18. Whitby 42

17. Columbia 50

16. Morris 36

15. Hunter 356

13. Beneteau 423

12. Westsail 32

10. Alberg 30

9. Island Packet 38

8. Passport 40

7. Tayana 37

6. Peterson 44

5. Pacific Seacraft 37

4. Hallberg-Rassy 42

3. Catalina 30

2. Hinckley Bermuda 40

1. Valiant 40

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72-year-old man rescued from sinking ship near Fort Myers

by Gershon Harrell

FORT MYERS, Fla. (CBS12) — A 72-year-old man was rescued from a sinking boat near Fort Myers on Friday, according to the United States Coast Guard (USCG).

USCG says they were alerted to the man's distress call at 8 a.m. after he reported his 40-foot sailing vessel was taking on water. He activated his emergency position utilizing a radio beacon.

See also: Second arrest made in double homicide in Indian River County

The man was spotted at 12 p.m. by an MH-60 Jayhawk Helicopter and a C-27J Spartan airplane. USCG states the man was hoisted off his sinking vessel and was taken to the Tampa Fire emergency medical services at Peter O. Knight Airport to receive a higher level of care.

"Coast Guard crews were able to complete this rescue quickly and efficiently thanks to the boater having a properly registered EPIRB aboard his vessel," said Petty Officer 1st Class Michel D. Dinapolis, Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg Command Center watchstander. "We encourage all boaters to adhere to safe boating in case they find themselves in an emergency out at sea."