At just over 39 feet overall and nearly 22 feet wide, the Isla 40 occupies about 850 square feet of waterline footprint. It shares the look and feel of its larger siblings, while Fountaine Pajot positions it as a “gateway” boat to the cruising multihull world.
Design and Construction
The Isla 40 replaced the Lucia 40, of which almost 300 examples were built during a production career lasting just under five years. The principal change centers on the hulls. In place of the predecessor’s earlier wise profile, the bows have inverted stems, a departure that turns the catamaran into a more sporty and seductive design.
The new hulls gained 8 inches at the waterline, increasing the waterline length from 38 feet 6 inches to 39 feet 2 inches. The Isla 40 has a 21-foot-7-inch beam, a 4-foot draft, a displacement of roughly 20,900 pounds, and a spade rudder. Fountaine Pajot’s partnership with Berret-Racoupeau began in 1991, and the Isla continues that lineage as the marque’s entry-level sailing catamaran.
Rig and Handling
The sail plan combines a 635-square-foot flat-top mainsail with a 388-square-foot overlapping genoa, a combination the boat shows to good effect. The raised helm station is to starboard, giving the helmsman a view over the cabin top and Bimini. It can be reached from both the cockpit and the side deck, and a set of steps leads up to the Bimini.
Three winches and several line clutches are within easy reach of the wheel, while the traveler spans the rear of the Bimini. The boom is mounted low enough to provide good access to the sail pouch when zipping it closed.
On the water, test sailors sailed the boat closehauled in about 12 knots of breeze—not a catamaran’s favorite point of sail—logging 6.5 to 7 knots on the GPS. Cracked off onto a reach, she showed a few 8s in the puffs.
Accommodations
Fountaine Pajot offers the Isla 40 in a Maestro layout, with the owner’s quarters occupying the starboard hull. The arrangement includes a berth aft, a desk and head compartment amidships, and a shower forward, with a washer/dryer in the forepeak.
The port hull has double-berth cabins at either end, with separate head and shower compartments between them. For charter duty, Fountaine Pajot also offers a four-stateroom Quatuor layout. A skipper’s cabin in the forepeak is another option.
In the cockpit, a table sits beside the galley, which is just inside the saloon door to port. Opposite the galley, a digital navigation station places a multifunction display at eye level, with dedicated laptop space below. Forward to port, another table can be raised for dining or lowered for cocktails.
Verdict
The Isla 40 is a thoughtful evolution of Fountaine Pajot’s entry-level sailing catamaran. It trades the Lucia’s conservative profile for inverted bows and a longer waterline while retaining the marque’s established interior logic.
The raised starboard helm, accessible winches, and flat-top rig make it a capable candidate for short-handed coastal and bluewater sailing. In Maestro form, the boat gives owners a genuinely separate hull, while the Quatuor version serves charter fleets without compromising the platform.
Pros
- Inverted bows and an 8-inch waterline gain over the Lucia 40 sharpen the silhouette and extend sailing length.
- The raised starboard helm, nearby winches, and traveler support single-handed sail trim and good visibility.
- The Maestro layout provides a full owner’s hull with a desk, head, and laundry facilities in the forepeak.
Cons
- At 39 feet, it is the smallest boat in Fountaine Pajot’s sailing range, limiting absolute volume compared with its larger siblings.
- The 4-foot draft suits cruising but keeps the boat at the smaller end of the multihull envelope.
