Delphia 40 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Skrzat's 39-foot-2-inch hull draws 18,150 pounds at the waterline length of 36 feet 3 inches, with 6,072 pounds of ballast set in a bulb-tipped fin keel and a beamy 12 feet 11 inches of beam. The shoal-draft keel measures 5 feet 6 inches and showed its potential for Chesapeake Bay and other draft-restricted cruising grounds, while the deep keel at 7 feet 2 inches should offer even sharper performance anchor. A spade rudder and fractional sloop rig complete the essential configuration. The glasswork is tidy throughout and every recessed surface is gelcoated for protection and easy upkeep, which speaks to the considerable cruising-sailboat experience that went into the construction. Under the helm station, the lockers open to reveal good access to the steering gear and a clever stowage slot for the companionway drop board. The pushpit wraps around the stern from well forward, giving real security across the back of the cockpit rather than the open transom-platform fashion of the day.

Rig and Handling

The keel-stepped mast is stayed by shrouds led well inboard, and long deck tracks close to the coachroof permit tight sheeting angles with a generous range of adjustment for the lead anchor. Under sail, test sailors found that with too much canvas up she wanted to round up into the wind, yet the helm never loaded up and the rudder never stalled. The helm itself was so light as to be disconcerting at first, but once the tester grew accustomed to not fighting it, he found it positive and responsive. Under power, the noise level was pleasantly low both on deck and below; BOTY judge Ed Sherman's decibel readings placed her in the middle of the 2006 fleet, owing in part to well-chosen soundproofing materials around the standard 40-horsepower Volvo diesel with saildrive, with a 55-horsepower Volvo optional.

Accommodations

The saloon furniture is pushed well outboard to emphasize space, serving a three-stateroom arrangement that caters to three couples. In two of the layouts a pair of double-berth cabins flanks the cockpit, each with a large berth, hanging locker, overhead hatch, and a port opening to the cockpit. The tested boat devoted the forward section to a master suite with a traditional V-berth, hanging lockers, and a loveseat, while the private head to port uses a fold-down seat over the toilet to turn the whole compartment into a low-maintenance shower room. The builder offers three interior versions differing largely forward of the main bulkhead, with the two-stateroom version geared more toward long-range cruising and an L-shaped port galley that secures the cook. The three-stateroom layout is aimed at families and charter crews for weekends or weeks, seldom long-range passage making.

The distinctive elevated "bubble" above the coachroof gives the boat her recognizable profile and pours light through deadlights, while opening deck hatches allow adequate airflow in fair weather. The cockpit coamings sweep up forward to form deep shelters in each corner, and the seats easily hold half a dozen despite being too short for sleeping. Companionway treads turn up at their outboard ends so feet stay put at steep heel, and a solid pillar at the nav desk supports the port side. A cavernous port-side locker aft of the galley is reachable from both cockpit and galley. Eye-level locker doors outboard hinge low and strut open as shelves, with deep fiddles keeping crockery secure in radical motion. The starboard-side galley has a single stainless sink by the range with integral draining board and a foot pump for the frugal water keeper.

Known Issues

Ventilation is the design's soft spot. With no dorades or equivalent, airflow will be lacking on days thick with rain or spray, and the bubble's greenhouse effect can build heat. The tested three-cabin cook is not adequately supported when working on starboard tack in a seaway, a contrast to the two-cabin layout's secured galley. At the bow, the stainless fabrication supporting the anchor roller may be viewed as light-duty for a dedicated anchoring cruiser, though the foredeck windlass is tucked inside the locker so it won't foul sheets or endanger the bowman. Boarding from a dinghy draws two cautions: the stern platform needs better handholds, and the absence of lifeline gates hinders step-across from a low pontoon.

Refits and Ownership

From the order form, the greenhouse effect can be lessened by checking the blinds-and-screens box, and small outward-opening hatches in the doghouse windscreen can be specified to augment ventilation. These are factory options rather than aftermarket fixes, worth confirming on any specific hull. The standard and optional Volvo saildrives are straightforward diesel installations, and the tidy gelcoated lockers make ongoing maintenance forgiving for an owner willing to keep the ventilation question solved.

The Verdict

The Delphia 40 is a thoughtfully detailed Baltic cruiser with a light, responsive helm and a roomy three-couple interior wrapped in distinctive styling. She rewards the buyer who sails in temperate, breezy waters and treats her ventilation gaps as a known design trade rather than a defect.

Pros