Design Lineage and Hull Form
Tripp developed the Bermuda 40 from the Block Island 40 rather than starting with a clean sheet. Compared with its predecessor, the Bermuda 40 has a slightly flatter sheer, a broader and more vertical transom, and a bow that is slightly less spoon-shaped. The result is a calmer, more modern profile that still retains the classic long-overhang idiom.
On most boats, the hull is a solid laminate of fiberglass cloth and resin; newer examples reportedly incorporate some Kevlar fabric. Hinckley joined the hull and deck along an inward flange nearly twice as thick and twice as wide as those on comparably sized boats. The yard drilled the fastener holes slightly undersized, then tapped them for machine screws. It’s a structural joint built with margin rather than minimalism.
Construction and Evolution
The original decks were solid fiberglass-and-resin laminates. For the later Mark III, Hinckley switched to cored construction—first balsa and later PVC foam—to reduce weight.
Around 1968, an airfoil-shaped centerboard replaced the original flat-plate board. The mast was also raised slightly, adding roughly 20 square feet of sail area. The 1972 Mark III moved the mast aft nearly two feet and introduced a main mast more than four feet taller. Its greater sail area and higher center of effort required nearly 1,000 pounds of additional ballast.
Those changes belong to later generations, but they show the direction of development that began with the 40-1.
Rig, Draft, and Handling
The 40-1 is a centerboard yawl drawing 4.3 feet with the board raised and 8.6 feet with it lowered. That range lets her enter shallow anchorages while providing a deep foil under sail.
Her long overhangs, broad bilges, shallow draft, and centerboard don’t make her particularly fast upwind. Off the wind, however, performance is very good. The full keel and centerboard also make her easy to balance and comfortable on beam and broad reaches.
Across 11 similar IMS-rule boats, the average range of positive stability index was measured at 116.5 degrees. For a seagoing cruiser, that figure places the Bermuda 40 in credible offshore company.
Accommodations and Deck Layout
Below, the Bermuda 40 comfortably accommodates four people. Hinckley gave clients considerable latitude in choosing layouts, finishes, and furnishings, so individual boats can differ noticeably.
The cockpit is very large and comfortable. Wide, uncluttered, well-laid-out deck surfaces work for both lounging and handling sails. This combination of a bespoke interior and a practical deck plan is central to the model’s enduring appeal.
Propulsion
Until 1992, B-40s were powered by Westerbeke diesels ranging from 35 to 46 hp. Later models carry a 51 hp Yanmar.
The 40-1 predates the Yanmar installation and falls within the Westerbeke range, an important distinction when tracing the machinery fitted to a particular hull.
Verdict
The Bermuda 40-1 is a thoughtfully developed Tripp design. Its solid-laminate fiberglass hull, oversized hull flange, and tapped fastenings point to a structure built to outlast fashion.
She isn’t a windward rocket, but she is balanced and comfortable off the wind and on a reach. Her centerboard combines shoal draft with offshore stability, while the custom interiors and generous cockpit make her a genuine cruiser rather than merely a platform.
Pros
- Refined from the Block Island 40 with a flatter sheer, broader transom, and less spoon-shaped bow
- Solid fiberglass hull with an exceptionally thick and wide inward-flange joint
- Centerboard provides a 4.3 ft shoal draft and an 8.6 ft draft with the board lowered
- Easy to balance and comfortable off the wind, with a credible stability index
- Customizable, comfortable accommodations for four and a large cockpit
Cons
- Not particularly fast upwind because of the long overhangs, broad bilges, shallow draft, and centerboard
- Early decks are solid laminate; cored construction arrived only later
- The pre-1992 Westerbeke power range is modest by modern standards
