Beneteau 40
by BWS Staff
Blue Water Sailing
September 2007
The new Beneteau 40 packs a lot of sailing capability and accommodations in 40-foot hull. On deck, the cockpit is large and laid out with two steering stations aft. A large table runs down the centerline and has a navigation pod at its aft end for a chartplotter. The swim platform aft is large enough to stand on to shower after a swim and makes boarding from a dinghy safe and easy.
The rig sports roller furling on the main and genoa so the boat will be easy to handle in a wide range of conditions. Note that the traveler is placed on the cabin top where it is out of the way.
The cabin top profile is a modified raised deck saloon with distinctive side windows and a flush skylight forward so the interior is filled with natural light; this is augmented by the narrow fixed port holes in the hull.
For a 40-footer, the new boat has a lot of room below. There are two accommodation plans, one with twin aft cabins, a Euro-style galley and two heads and one with a single aft cabin, an aft U-shaped galley and one head.
The styling of the interior was conceived by noted European yacht stylists Nauta and has a clean, modern feel. The wood used in the boat is an African hardwood known as Maobi, which has a light, warm color and very tight grain. In combination with white ceiling panels and stainless steel handrails and fixtures, the boat looks elegant without being flashy.
BWS has not yet sailed the 40, but judging from the performance of the 49, which we have sailed, the new boat will sail well and will be stiff enough to give her owners a lot of confidence as the breeze builds. Beneteau has been able to keep the base price of the new 40 well under $200,000 so the model represents remarkably good value.
Specifications: LOA 39’11”; LWL 33’11”; Beam 12’11”; Draft 6’4”; Displacement 16,934; Ballast 5,198; Sail Area 843 sq. ft.
For more information log on to www.beneteauusa.com
