Design and Construction
The hull is a hand-laid solid-glass laminate with a balsa-cored deck, and testers found the basic construction conventional but well executed anchor. The hull-to-deck joint is bolted on a bed of sealant and then glassed over, a method that yields a clean monocoque-style closure without reliance on external fastening alone. Rig loads are carried through internal tie rods running under the deck down to a bonded structural grid in the bilge, so mast tension is distributed through the hull rather than concentrated at local fittings. Deck hardware such as winches, tracks, and other fittings are not backed with conventional plates; instead they are screwed into aluminum plates bonded into the deck laminate, which removes typical water-penetration paths. Elan also bonded blank plates into locations where an owner might later want to add hardware, and supplied a diagram of those positions—a thoughtful provision for future rigging or instrument upgrades.
Rig and Handling
Testers noted the Elan 40 carries a nine-tenths fractional rig with double spreaders and a powerful full-batten main paired with a 95 percent jib anchor. Buyers could specify wire rigging as standard or rod rigging as a racing option. On the water, the boat proved quick and agreeable: in an extremely light southeasterly she moved past 5 knots under the main and a 135 percent genoa, with narrow tacking angles and similar pace on reaches. The helm is easy and responsive with good sight lines, and both tall and short helmsmen were found to drive her without difficulty. Under power, a Volvo Penta diesel of about 40 horsepower gave roughly 7 knots at 2,800 rpm into a light breeze, and motoring was smooth and easy. The standard-draft version sailed by the reviewer carried a 6-foot-9-inch iron-bulb keel; hard-core racers could opt for lead and a 7-foot-10-inch keel, while cruisers were offered a 5-foot-7-inch keel better suited to shallow harbors.
Accommodations
Below, the saloon holds about 6 feet of headroom throughout, and every port opens for genuine cross-ventilation. The settee converts quickly into a good seaberth using its standard leeboard, and the cushions fit snugly enough that no hook-and-eye fasteners are needed to hold them in place. The galley is U-shaped with a small centerline extension counter for bracing in a seaway; double sinks sit close to the centerline so they drain at any angle of heel, and their fitted covers add counter space when secured. A modest aft-facing nav station amidships offers room for electronics, and the heart of the electrical system is a hinged panel there that opens to reveal bundled, chafe-minimized wiring with proper busbars. Three batteries sit securely under the settee in a ventilated compartment. Both head compartments use easy-clean fiberglass surfaces, are properly ventilated, and have enough room to be effective. The immense cockpit locker to port is a berth in the three-cabin version, reached from inside through a door from the head.
Deck and Equipment
The deck wears a molded-in diamond antiskid pattern that grips well, and the cockpit seats have teak inlays that are both practical underfoot and pleasing. The helm seat folds down into the sole to give walk-through access from the aft platform, and the racing-style large-diameter wheel sits on a binnacle that doubles as a brace point and instrument mount. The fridge is well insulated with its compressor in a sizable ventilated bay, and the plumbing throughout uses neatly routed, double-clamped hoses. Water and fuel tanks are bolted down and foamed in place to stop shifting and quieten the interior. Bilges are neatly finished, the bilgepump strainer and keelbolts are easy to reach, and large limber holes direct all bilgewater to the sump rather than trapping it behind bulkheads—though only some floorboards have positive-locking latches.
Refits and Ownership
Engine access is practical: primary maintenance points sit under the companionway ladder, and removable panels in the aft cabin and head open to the engine sides. The provision of blank deck plates with a location diagram makes planned retrofits straightforward, and the bonded aluminum plate scheme means any new hardware should follow the builder’s mapped positions rather than guess at backing. The sealed hull-deck joint, distributed rig load path, and substantial tank and wiring installation point to an owner-focused design.
The Verdict
The Elan 40 is a fast, comfortable, and good-looking dual-purpose 40-footer that handles with an easy, responsive helm and rewards both short-handed cruising and occasional racing. Her construction is carefully executed, and her interior is laid out with practical cruising details from the seaberth settee to the centerline draining sinks.
Pros
- Narrow tacking angles and 5-plus knots in very light air under a modest rig
- Hull-deck joint glassed over and rig loads distributed to a bonded bilge grid
- Walk-through helm seat, molded antiskid, and teak cockpit inlays
- Centerline galley sinks, convertible settee seaberth, and opening ports throughout
Cons
- Only some floorboards use positive-locking latches
- Deck fittings rely on bonded aluminum plates rather than conventional backing plates
