Class 40
Box rule: limits, built by many designers
- Boats
- 9
- Results
- 18
- Wins
- 8
- Races
- 7
- Length
- 12.19m
- Beam
- 4.5m
- Draft
- 3m
Why sailors choose the Class 40
Class40 is a box rule for 40-foot offshore racers sailed solo, double-handed or crewed, created as a cheaper alternative to Open 60s. Sailors choose it because limits on materials and keels keep budgets within reach of private owners, while races such as the Route du Rhum and the OSTAR offer top-level competition. Professionals now dominate many fleets, and older boats struggle to keep up with new designs.
- Box rule with glass and foam hulls and no canting keels to curb costs
- Raced solo, double-handed and crewed offshore
- Major transatlantic races and a world circuit
- Pro-am fleets with room for private owners
- Boats keep resale and charter value
- Older designs fall behind newer ones
Our note
Specifications
Box rule: limits, built by many designers
- Length
- 12.19m
- Beam
- 4.5m
- Draft
- 3m
Rule maxima for length, beam and draft
Published figures for the design; individual boats are often modified. Sources: globe40.com
What sailors and testers say · in our words, from the linked pages
She credits the box rule with holding down budgets and argues that space for private owners alongside sponsored pros is the class's key to success.
Yachting World, Elaine Bunting · Yachting World, 2011
Against its rivals
The Class 40 against four designs like it, from published figures. Swap any of the four. Each spoke is scaled to the largest of the five; a figure that isn't published sits at the centre (— in the table).
| Design | Length | Beam | Draft | Weight | Sail area | Power (SA/D) | Boats racing | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class 40 | 12.2 m | 4.50 m | 3.00 m | — | — | — | 9 | 8 |
| Farr 40 | 12.2 m | 3.68 m | 2.59 m | 4.3 t | 94 m² | 35.9 | 19 | 28 |
| J/122 | 12.2 m | 3.63 m | 2.20 m | 6.8 t | 90 m² | 25.6 | 6 | 10 |
| Farr 40 One Design | 12.2 m | 3.68 m | 2.59 m | 4.3 t | 94 m² | 35.9 | 3 | 1 |
| X-40 Sport | 12.2 m | 3.80 m | 2.40 m | 7.5 t | 99 m² | 26.4 | 1 | 6 |
| Boat | Sail no. | Skipper or owner | Years | Results | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centrakor | FRA 183 | Mikaël Mergui / Richard Robini | 2022–2024 | 3 | 2 |
| Tquila | — | Alister Richardson | 2025 | 3 | 2 |
| Tyrolit | FRA 180 | Matteo Sericano / Nicola Brunoti | 2024 | 3 | 1 |
| Vaquita | — | Alessio Bernabò | 2023–2024 | 2 | 1 |
| Amarris | — | — | 2024 | 1 | 1 |
| Palanad 3 | — | Olivier Magre | 2021 | 1 | 1 |
| Blue Planet | — | Chris Kerl | 2021–2022 | 2 | — |
| HBF Reforest'Action | — | Kito de Pavant / Brice Decrisenoy | 2021–2022 | 2 | — |
| Iren - Vaquita | — | — | 2024 | 1 | — |
| Race | Results of this design | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massilia Cup Offshore – Trophée Corsica Med | 4 | 2 | 2022, 2024 |
| RORC Transatlantic Race | 4 | 3 | 2021, 2025 |
| Palermo–Montecarlo | 4 | 1 | 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 |
| Med Max | 3 | 1 | 2024 |
| RAN 630 – Regata dell'Accademia Navale | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| AEGEAN 600 | 1 | — | 2021 |
| Millevele IREN | 1 | — | 2024 |