Design and Construction
C&C built the Landfall 39 predominantly of fibreglass, with a raked stem and near-vertical transom defining a hull that the builder’s own Landfall lineage places among purpose-built offshore cruisers. The centre-cockpit deck layout is the key to her interior plan, lifting the saloon and accommodation volume above the waterline while freeing the aft quarters for a private cabin. Owners who have lived aboard note that almost the entire hull is given over to living space, leaving only a cavernous lazarette as uncommitted storage. That generous allocation of volume to the human package, rather than to machinery or sail stowage, is the defining choice of the design.
Rig and Handling
Her masthead sloop rig sits atop a skeg-hung rudder turned by a wheel, a configuration that keeps steering manageable and separates the helm from the working deck skeg-mounted rudder controlled by a wheel. With 667 square feet of sail area and a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 14.73, the boat is squarely in cruising territory—enough canvas to make passages without demanding a racing crew. The fin keel and moderate displacement give her a hull speed near 7.5 knots, and the 31-foot waterline keeps wetted surface in check for a boat of her volume.
Accommodations
Step through the companionway and the ladder lands directly in a spacious main saloon where outboard settees face a substantial centreline drop-leaf table. The joinery quality draws repeated owner praise as above average, with varnished teak set off by areas of white laminate that keep the interior bright rather than dim. Headroom runs well past six feet, and overhead grab rails answer the practical need for hands-free security in a seaway. Aft to starboard, a large aft-facing navigation station and chart table sit under two deadlights and a pair of opening portlights, with two dorade vents drawing additional air through the saloon. Forward, a short passageway reaches the bow V-berth; the head lies to starboard, a hanging locker to port. The galley occupies the port-side passage to the aft cabin: a double sink and small counter sit behind the companionway, while the three-burner stove, further counter, and a large top-loading refrigerator/freezer run outboard. The aft cabin itself is a private suite with an athwartships double berth, numerous stowage spaces, its own head, and four opening portlights plus an overhead hatch for light and air.
The Verdict
The Landfall 39 is a thoughtfully laid-out centre-cockpit cruiser that trades speed for liveaboard comfort and private aft quarters. Her small production run and easy confusion with an unrelated same-name design mean careful identification matters, but the boat itself rewards the owner who values bright, roomy accommodation over race-day performance.
Pros
- Centre-cockpit layout with genuine aft cabin and own head
- Owner-praised above-average joinery with bright laminate accents
- Headroom over six feet with overhead grab rails for safety
- Well-ventilated saloon and aft cabin via deadlights, portlights, dorade vents
Cons
- Only about fifteen built; scarce on the market
- Often confused with the unrelated 1974 Ron Amy design of the same name
