The builder set out to create a comfortable, quick-to-rig boat that would be easy to sail without giving up speed. The result falls somewhere between a beachable racer and a recreational daysailer.
Design and Construction
The 1400’s hull and deck are solid fiberglass rather than cored, laid up in resin and finished with gelcoat chosen for durability and appearance. The structure is strong but light, with positive internal flotation—a sensible feature in a board boat where crews should expect some spray. A center-strip design runs through the hull.
The unstayed cat rig uses a two-piece Windward mast made from clear-coat anodized aluminum. It’s designed to assemble and break down easily. Together with the loose-footed sail, that arrangement made cartopping preparation simple, according to test sailors. Buyers could also order custom colors and designs directly from the factory, an uncommon option among small builders.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The 1400 carries 75 square feet of sail on anodized aluminum spars, with the sail raised by a traditional halyard. The loose-footed sail is controlled by a mainsheet led to the daggerboard trunk and a boom vang with 3:1 mechanical advantage.
With the retractable daggerboard down, draft is 1.33 feet; with it raised, draft drops to 0.40 feet. This allows the boat to be beached and helps make roof-rack transport practical. The wide 4.42-foot beam also drew comment from testers, who credited it with higher-than-average board boat stability.
The boat has a Portsmouth Yardstick handicap of 96.0, although the same reference flags that figure as suspect. It’s normally raced singlehanded but can carry three people. The 1400 also remains the only sailboat of its size offered with an optional jib kit, allowing sailors to switch between a single mainsail and a main-and-jib setup.
Cockpit and Equipment
This is a dinghy, not a cruiser, but its cockpit is one of its defining features. The footwell is more than 13 inches deep, allowing sailors to sit with their legs below them rather than drawn up toward their chests. There’s ample room for two adults, and the open layout suits both recreational sailing and one-design racing.
A transom-hung, kick-up rudder with tiller steering is standard. All hardware is supplied by Harken, reflecting the builder’s choice to fit equipment above the usual hardware tier for a boat of this size.
Launching, Transport, and Ownership
At 140 pounds, the Barnett 1400 is easy to launch from shore. Two people can lift and move it by hand or with a dolly. Its retractable daggerboard and kick-up rudder suit beaching, trailering, and transport on a car roof.
Barnett Boats built the design first in Libertyville, Illinois, and later in Kenosha and Green Lake, Wisconsin. After Barnett went out of business in 2007, Windward Boatworks of Middleton, Wisconsin, acquired its assets and kept the 1400 in production. For owners, that means the company behind the current boat remains active.
Verdict
The Barnett 1400 is a well-considered one-design dinghy with a lot packed into its 13.83-foot length. It combines a light, flotation-equipped fiberglass hull with a genuinely roomy cockpit. Its unstayed rig is simple enough for cartopping, while the optional jib adds flexibility.
The wide beam provides stability that testers found unusual among board boats, and the retractable daggerboard and kick-up rudder simplify launching and recovery. The main caveat comes with the type: crews should expect to get wet.
Pros
- Strong, light fiberglass hull with positive flotation and a durable gelcoat finish
- Deep, roomy cockpit with space for two adults and a low seating position
- Simple unstayed cat rig with a two-piece mast that breaks down for cartopping
- Retractable daggerboard and kick-up rudder for beaching, trailering, and roof transport
- Optional jib kit unique in its size class
- Harken hardware throughout
Cons
- Its board-boat character means crews should expect to get wet
- The listed Portsmouth Yardstick handicap of 96.0 is flagged as suspect
