Cal 40 Sailboats for Sale

Drawing Diagram

Builder drawing

Hull Type

Monohull · fin

Rig

Masthead Sloop

LOA

39.33' · 11.99 m

Disp.

15,000 lbs · 6,804 kg

First year

1963

The Cal 40 is widely regarded as the most influential production fiberglass sailboat ever constructed. Designed by C. William "Bill" Lapworth and launched in 1963 by Jensen Marine, it shattered the prevailing design conventions of the era. At a time when offshore racing was dominated by heavydisplacement, fullkeeled vessels with rudders attached to the trailing edge of the keel, the Cal 40 introduced a separate fin keel and a highaspect spade rudder. This radical departure, combined with a relatively light displacement of 15,000 pounds and a flatbottomed hull, allowed the boat to do what few 40footers could then achieve: surf downwind at sustained speeds of 15 knots or more. As noted by Latitude 38, the design was so successful in ocean racing that it is often credited with causing the demise of the Cruising Club of America (CCA) handicap rule.