Class40

This article is about sailing. For rail transportation, see Class 40.

Class40

Development
Boat
Hull
LOA	11.9 m (39 ft 1 in)
Hull appendages
Rig

Class 40 is a class of monohull sailboat and a yacht primarily used for short handed offshore and coastal racing. The class is administered by International Class 40 Association which is recognised by the International Sailing Federation.

Background

The "Class 40" can be designed by anyone provided the boat fits within the measurement rule defined. This rule takes the form of a box rule.

The association is responsible for defining and updating the class rules for the boats, and has the additional aims of co-ordinating events.

Class 40 monohulls outnumbered all other boat classes during their first appearance in a world-class competition, the 2006 Route du Rhum, with 25 boats registered.

The Class 40 monohulls are high-performance racing boats, designed principally for single-handed or small crew offshore competition.

By their design, Class 40 monohulls sits nicely in size between boats such as Classe Mini and Figaro 2 to that of the Open 60 IMOCA.

Single and double handed sailing represents a rapidly growing sector of the sport of sailing. The class 40 is a unique design that offers an affordable boat that can be sailed competitively in a range of conditions either short handed, by two people, or a solo sailor. The class is very active in Europe, but growing in North America. Boats are built on a semi-production or custom basis. The class rules though work to keep the boat affordable, limiting exotic materials and equipment seen in high end offshore boats such as the IMOCA 60. Though some boats are sailed by pro sailors, the amateur class continues to grow as sailors look for the next challenge in offshore sailing.

Events

• Atlantic Cup Charleston-New York-Newport May Annually
• Route de Rhum Single Handed France to Guadeloupe, November

World Championships

Event	Gold	Silver	Bronze
2009 Hamble	Concise Sailing Team (GBR) Ned Collier Wakefield	Clarke Offshore Racing (GBR) Simon Clarke	Desafio Cabo De Hornos (CHI) Felipe Cubillos
2010 Gijon	Tales Sailing Team (ESP) Gonzalo Botin	Mistral Loisirs – Pole Santé Elior (FRA) Thierry Bouchard	Concise Sailing Team (GBR) Ned Collier Wakefield

External links

• Official web site of the International Class 40 association
• North American Official web site of the North American Class 40 association
• ISAF Class 40 Microsite
• Charter – Express 40 offshore racing yacht
• - Akilaria.com - United States importers for the Akilaria Class 40 monohull
• - Akilaria.fr - Official french website for the Akilaria Class 40 monohull
• - Owen Clarke Design - Designers of custom and semi custom Class 40's, of which three sailing are racing in the USA, including the 2008 Class 40 world champion, 40 Degrees.