Design and Construction
The Elan 40 has a 39-foot-4-inch hull and a 33-foot-6-inch waterline. It displaces roughly 15,900 pounds, including 5,633 pounds of lead ballast in a bulb keel—figures that place it firmly between a pure cruiser and a pure racer.
The hull is a hand-laid, solid-glass laminate, while the deck is balsa-cored. Testers found the basic construction conventional but well executed. The hull-to-deck joint is bolted on a bed of sealant and then glassed over, creating a clean, monocoque-style closure that doesn’t rely solely on external fasteners.
Internal tie rods carry the rig loads from beneath the deck to a bonded structural grid in the bilge. This distributes mast tension through the hull instead of concentrating it around local fittings.
Winches, tracks, and other deck fittings aren’t backed by conventional plates. Instead, they’re screwed into aluminum plates bonded into the deck laminate, which removes typical paths for water penetration. Elan also bonded blank plates into locations where an owner might later add hardware and supplied a diagram showing their positions—a thoughtful provision for future rigging or instrument upgrades.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
Testers noted that the Elan 40 carries a nine-tenths fractional rig with double spreaders, along with a powerful full-batten mainsail and a 95 percent jib. Wire rigging was standard, while buyers planning to race could specify optional rod rigging.
In an extremely light southeasterly, the boat exceeded 5 knots under the main and a 135 percent genoa. It tacked through narrow angles and maintained similar speeds on a reach. The helm proved easy and responsive, with good sight lines, and both tall and short helmsmen could drive the boat without difficulty.
The reviewer sailed the standard-draft version, which carried a 6-foot-9-inch iron-bulb keel. Hard-core racers could choose a 7-foot-10-inch lead keel, while cruisers were offered a 5-foot-7-inch keel better suited to shallow harbors.
Under power, a Volvo Penta diesel of about 40 horsepower produced roughly 7 knots at 2,800 rpm into a light breeze. Motoring was smooth and easy.
Cockpit and Deck
A molded-in diamond antiskid pattern gives the deck good grip. The cockpit seats have teak inlays that are practical underfoot as well as pleasing to look at.
The helm seat folds into the sole, opening a walk-through route to the aft platform. A large-diameter, racing-style wheel sits on a binnacle that serves both as a brace point and an instrument mount.
Only some of the floorboards have positive-locking latches.
Interior and Accommodations
The saloon offers about 6 feet of headroom throughout, and every port opens to provide genuine cross-ventilation. The settee converts quickly into a useful seaberth with its standard leeboard. Its cushions fit snugly enough that they don’t need hook-and-eye fasteners to hold them in place.
The U-shaped galley includes a small centerline extension counter that gives the cook a useful bracing point in a seaway. Double sinks are positioned close to the centerline, allowing them to drain at any angle of heel. Fitted sink covers add counter space when secured.
A modest, aft-facing navigation station sits amidships and provides room for electronics. A hinged electrical panel opens to reveal the heart of the electrical system, with bundled wiring arranged to minimize chafe and fitted with proper busbars. Three batteries are secured beneath the settee in a ventilated compartment.
Both head compartments use easy-clean fiberglass surfaces. Each is properly ventilated and has enough room to work effectively.
To port, an immense cockpit locker provides substantial storage. In the three-cabin version, this space is a berth and is reached from inside through a door in the head.
Systems and Maintenance
The refrigerator is well insulated, and its compressor sits in a sizable, ventilated bay. Plumbing is neatly routed throughout, with double-clamped hoses.
The water and fuel tanks are bolted down and foamed in place, preventing them from shifting while also helping to quiet the interior. The bilges are neatly finished, and both the bilge-pump strainer and keel bolts are easy to reach. Large limber holes lead all bilgewater to the sump rather than allowing it to collect behind bulkheads.
Engine access is practical. Primary maintenance points are beneath the companionway ladder, while removable panels in the aft cabin and head provide access to the sides of the engine.
Refits and Ownership
The provision of blank deck plates and their accompanying location diagram makes planned retrofits straightforward. Because deck hardware fastens into bonded aluminum plates rather than conventional backing plates, any additions should follow the builder’s mapped positions instead of relying on guesses about where backing is located.
The sealed hull-to-deck joint, distributed rig-load path, and substantial installations for the tanks and wiring all point to an owner-focused design.
The Verdict
The Elan 40 is a fast, comfortable, and good-looking dual-purpose 40-footer. Its easy, responsive helm suits both short-handed cruising and occasional racing. Construction is carefully executed, and the interior includes practical cruising details, from the convertible seaberth to the centerline-draining galley sinks.
Pros
- Narrow tacking angles and more than 5 knots in very light air under a modest rig
- Glassed-over hull-to-deck joint 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 have positive-locking latches
- Deck fittings rely on bonded aluminum plates rather than conventional backing plates
