Design and Construction
The Gozzard 41 is 41 feet overall, with a 13-foot beam and a displacement of 23,500 pounds, including 8,600 pounds of lead ballast.
Structurally, the design deliberately separates solid and cored laminate. The hull bottom is solid fibreglass, while the topsides and deck use a balsa-cored sandwich. Those cored sections must remain dry to maintain structural integrity.
Below the waterline, the outer skin is 5/16 inch thick; above it, the skin is 1/4 inch. The laminate is thicker at the bow, trailboard, chainplates, mast step, and transom. Solid glass replaces the coring at the sheer line, centerline, keel, rudderpost, and all through-hulls.
The hull-to-deck joint is bedded in 3M 5200 and through-bolted with 316 stainless-steel machine screws on 6-inch centers. A segmented, varnished teak rail caps the joint and provides an independent seal. Internal stainless-steel frameworks reinforce the rudder and skeg assembly, which is built to withstand a grounding.
The 41 is a semicustom boat, with production manager Mike Gozzard overseeing construction and the onboard systems—an area where the design stands out. The builder has used strong, lightweight composites to put the boat on a diet, while hull integrity has been one of Ted Gozzard’s hallmarks since his Bayfield days. A Category A (Ocean) rating under RCD/STIX criteria confirms the structural intent.
Rig, Sailing, and Handling
The cutter rig carries a full-battened mainsail, 130-percent genoa, and generously proportioned staysail. It is a true cutter arrangement, with a self-tacking staysail on an arced sheeting track. That makes tacking in tight quarters manageable without a crew, while all control lines lead aft to the cockpit.
The mainsheet attaches at the end of the boom and runs through a 3:1 purchase to a winch on the cockpit console. This arrangement precludes a mainsheet track, while a Forespar rigid boom vang controls the boom. The low-aspect rig helps keep the boat upright and manageable.
Under sail, the Gozzard 41 shows surprising power. Its high displacement and modest sail area make it slow in light air, however. In less than 10 knots of wind, it is sluggish and often needs motor-sailing to maintain speed. In return, it delivers excellent motion comfort and stability.
Engine and Steering
The standard Westerbeke 71C4 produces 71 horsepower. The test boat cruised comfortably and quietly at 6.6 knots and 2,800 rpm.
In reverse, there is noticeable prop walk. This is an inevitable trade-off for the full-length skeg protecting the rudder and the large three-bladed propeller.
Steering is by a pull-pull system using sheathed cables. Boat of the Year judges considered it less desirable than cable-and-sheave steering. The builder, however, has used the system for more than 20 years and regards a properly installed version as an improvement. Hydraulic or cable-and-sheave steering is available on request.
The standard Autohelm 7000 autopilot connects directly to the steering quadrant as a backup. An emergency tiller is stored in the seat-locker lid.
Accommodations
The interior is designed around two people cruising and living aboard, and the builder will modify details on this semicustom boat. A clear fore-and-aft passage without steps makes it easier to move through the cabin.
The signature feature is the unconventional forward “great room.” Settees wrap around a coffee table, creating a generous social area. At night, the settees swing together to form a large island berth behind a closable bulkhead. This conversion doesn’t compromise the structure.
A double berth occupies the aft port quarter. It has about 24 inches of clearance above much of its surface, making the forward sleeping space preferable for a couple.
The galley is aft to starboard and includes a Force 10 stove on lockable gimbals, a double sink with a foot-pump backup, and a top-loading freezer with a pneumatic hinge. The head and shower sit just below the companionway to starboard, while a navigation station with an ample chart table lies forward. Ventilation throughout the interior is excellent.
Systems and Service Access
Tankage is generous and carefully arranged. A 70-gallon main fuel tank and an 18-gallon day tank, both made from epoxy-coated aluminium, feed a self-polishing fuel system. Every tank has a top access panel.
Three water tanks provide a total capacity of up to 175 gallons. Their vents have shutoffs to prevent seawater contamination.
The house electrical system uses 2-volt cells with capacity up to 900 amp-hours, supported by a 190-amp alternator and a Freedom inverter/charger. All seacocks are Marelon.
Removable panels provide easy access to wiring and through-bolts. The builder claims the engine can be removed in under four hours without damaging the boat, and supplies a special oil-filter tool.
The Verdict
The Gozzard 41 is a niche, high-quality gentleman’s cutter for sailors who value easy handling and sociable living space more than racing pace. Its self-tacking staysail and cockpit-led controls suit short-handed sailing, while the adaptable forward cabin gives a cruising couple both an inviting saloon and a large island berth.
High displacement and modest sail area limit performance in light winds, but the boat offers excellent motion comfort and stability. Its construction and systems reflect the builder’s long refinement of the voyaging liveaboard, though the extensive exterior teak and cored deck call for vigilant inspection of moisture and caulking.
Pros
- Category A (Ocean)-rated composite structure, with solid glass at all penetrations and a sealed hull-to-deck joint
- Self-tacking staysail and cockpit-led control lines make short-handed sailing practical
- Forward great-room layout converts from social space to an island berth without compromising the structure
- Sensible tankage, Marelon seacocks, and easy service access throughout
Cons
- Some Boat of the Year judges considered the pull-pull steering inferior to a cable-and-sheave system
- Protected skeg and large propeller contribute to noticeable prop walk in reverse
- Sluggish in less than 10 knots of wind, often requiring motor-sailing to maintain speed
- Extensive exterior teak and the cored deck require vigilant moisture and caulk inspection
