Crowther Buccaneer 40 Information, Review, Specs

Sailing Performance & Handling

The Buccaneer 40 is a "rocketship" of its era, often outperforming much larger contemporary monohulls in light to moderate air. With a reported sail area of over 1,000 square feet and a displacement of roughly 9,500 lbs, the vessel possesses a Sail Area/Displacement (SA/Disp) ratio in the high 30s, placing it firmly in the category of high-performance multihulls. This light-weight philosophy ensures it can "ghost" through light winds while other cruisers remain becalmed.

Under sail, the boat is characterized by its high dihedral (the angle of the outer hulls or "amas" relative to the center hull), which reduces wetted surface area but causes a characteristic "flip-flop" at anchor or in very light chop as the boat shifts weight from one float to the other. Owners describe the tracking as exceptional due to the deep, vertically lifting daggerboard, though the boat requires attentive sail trimming. In heavier conditions, the Buccaneer 40 can become overpowered quickly; historical data suggests that as the lee ama buries, the boat loses speed and rounds up, signaling the need for an early reef. Unlike modern trimarans with high-volume, "wave-piercing" bows, the Buccaneer’s hulls are finer, which can lead to pitching in short, steep seas—a design trait often mitigated by experienced owners through careful weight distribution.

Interior Comfort & Variations

The interior of the Buccaneer 40 is centered entirely within the narrow main hull (vaka), as the outer amas are reserved for buoyancy and storage. Because the beam of the main hull is constrained to maintain performance, the living space feels more like a 30-foot monohull than a 40-foot cruiser. However, the design provides standing headroom throughout the main cabin, a full galley, and a dedicated head.

Accommodations typically feature a V-berth forward, a central salon with a folding table, and often a "craw-through" to a double berth located aft under the cockpit. The boat’s siblings, such as the widely popular Buccaneer 33, offer similar layouts but lack the offshore payload capacity and bridge deck clearance of the 40. The Kraken 40, a racing-focused sibling, offers a much sparser "spartan" interior to maximize speed. Because the Buccaneer 40 was a "plan-built" boat, variations abound: some builders opted for heavier interior cabinetry, while performance-minded owners utilized honeycomb panels and minimal trim to keep weight at a minimum.

Popular Mentions & Media

While the Buccaneer 40 itself enjoyed a quiet professional career, its design lineage is inextricably linked to the most famous survival story in multihull history. The Rose Noelle, which famously capsized in the South Pacific in 1989, trapping its crew for 119 days, was a heavily modified Crowther trimaran based on the same design principles as the Buccaneer and Kraken series. Lock Crowther’s reputation as a pioneer in the field is well-documented by the Australian National Maritime Museum, which preserves the history of his designs as a cornerstone of the multihull revolution in the Southern Hemisphere.

Known Issues & Buyer’s Checklist

Prospective buyers should approach a Buccaneer 40 with the scrutiny required for a custom-built, vintage wood or foam composite vessel.

• Crossbeam Integrity: The "akas" (crossbeams) are the most critical structural component. In plywood builds, moisture often enters through deck hardware or trampoline attachments, leading to rot in the box-beam structure.
• Ama Buoyancy: Older Crowther designs have significantly less buoyancy in the floats compared to modern Farrier or Corsair designs. Inspect for any amateur modifications to the amas that may have added weight or affected the center of buoyancy.
• Core Delamination: For foam-sandwich builds, a percussion (tap) test or thermal imaging is essential to detect delamination, particularly around the high-load areas where the beams join the main hull.
• Weight Deviations: Many plan-built boats ended up significantly heavier than the 9,500 lb design weight due to over-glassing or heavy interiors. A "heavy" Buccaneer loses its primary advantage: performance.

Community & Resources

The legacy of Lock Crowther is maintained by a small but dedicated community of multihull enthusiasts. Technical discussions and historical design queries are often addressed through the Crowther Multihulls Design Archive, though official plans are no longer publicly sold by the successor firm, Incat-Crowther.

The Verdict

The Crowther Buccaneer 40 is a sailor’s multihull, offering a level of speed and engagement that modern, "condo-maran" cruisers cannot match. It is an offshore-capable vessel for those who prioritize the journey and the thrill of double-digit speeds over expansive living quarters.

Pros

• Exceptional light-air performance and top speeds of 15–20 knots.
• Shallow draft (approx. 3.5 ft with board up) allows for "beach-able" cruising.
• Elegant, timeless lines that still look modern on the water.

Cons

• Limited interior volume compared to modern cats or monohulls of similar length.
• Potential for high maintenance if built with early plywood/epoxy techniques.
• Can be "tender" and requires active sail management in heavy weather.