Design and Construction
Belliure moved from traditional wooden shipbuilding into fiberglass leisure boats during the 1970s. The 40 therefore reflects the yard’s mature FRP practice rather than an early experimental phase. Its hull is solid fiberglass, which period reviewers noted requires only minimal maintenance during the sailing season.
The boat’s keel arrangement varied. The Scheel keel has a reported maximum draft of 4.75 feet, but the yard also offered alternative configurations. One drawing shows a draft of about 1.45 to 1.55 meters, depending on load, for access to shallow marinas. Another shows about 1.80 to 1.90 meters for deeper water.
With a beam of 13.17 feet and a waterline length of 31.16 feet, the Belliure 40 has a length-to-beam ratio of 3.05. That places it among the roomier 40-foot designs. Reviewers calculated that it is more spacious than 76% of comparable sailboats.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The masthead sloop rig carries a reported 764 square feet of sail area. Its sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 16.20, a modest figure consistent with the boat’s classification as a heavy cruiser and its displacement-to-length ratio of 306.
Theoretical hull speed is 7.5 knots. The calculated maximum speed under the optional 67-horsepower Volvo Penta diesel, driving through a shaft, is also 7.5 knots.
A capsize screening value of 1.91 would, by that formula alone, qualify the boat for ocean racing. More relevant to a cruising couple, its Motion Comfort Ratio of 30.5 is more comfortable than 54% of similar designs. The sheet specifications are generous: a 30.5-meter mainsheet and 12.2-meter genoa sheets, both 14 mm, suit a crew handling her canvas by hand.
Accommodations and Tankage
Below deck, the Belliure 40 has three cabins, between six and nine berths, and a toilet facility. The three-cabin arrangement gives a cruising family or charter-style group useful separation.
Tankage is substantial, with 210 gallons of fresh water and 132 gallons of diesel. That water capacity supports extended stays away from the dock. A 41-square-meter wetted surface and an immersion rate of 254 kg/cm describe a hull that sits heavily and moves with steadiness rather than skittishness when loaded for a passage.
Keel Variations
The only documented design variability buyers need to understand is the keel. Because the Belliure 40 was built with different keel alternatives, draft and underwater profile vary from hull to hull. The stated maximum draft of 4.75 feet therefore doesn’t describe every boat afloat.
A shallow-keel boat can enter marinas that a deeper-draft sister cannot, while a deeper variant will have more ballast-style stability behavior in a seaway. This is a configuration difference rather than a defect, but it changes the boat’s character enough that buyers must confirm it on the specific hull.
Refits and Ownership
Ownership of a Belliure 40 centers on mechanical simplicity. The fiberglass hull asks little during the sailing season, while the Volvo Penta diesel and shaft drive form a conventional, serviceable installation.
Generous tankage and the three-cabin plan made the boat as well suited to extended cruising as to coastal Spanish life. The shallow-keel option also extends its reach into minor harbors.
The Verdict
The Belliure 40 is a thoughtfully proportioned Mediterranean cruiser with genuine passage-making substance. Its Scheel keel and configurable draft, roomy three-cabin interior, and heavy-cruiser stability profile make it a compelling used-market bluewater candidate, although the modest sail plan favors comfort over speed.
Pros
- Solid fiberglass hull with low seasonal maintenance demands
- Three cabins and six to nine berths
- 210 gallons of water and 132 gallons of fuel
- Configurable keel draft from about 4.75 feet to about 6.2 feet for marina access
- Comfort and space ratings above those of most similar 40-foot designs
Cons
- Modest sail plan and low sail-area-to-displacement figure limit light-air performance
- Keel configuration varies by hull, so the stated draft doesn’t apply to every boat
