Lavranos Admiral 40 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The Admiral 40 is built of hand-laid FRP with vacuum-bagged balsa core throughout, and the hull-to-deck joint is tabbed rather than simply bonded. Inspectors who ventured into lockers and other out-of-the-way spaces during testing found the lamination detail to be consistently executed, a reliable indicator of production discipline. Balsa core gives way to higher-density material wherever compression loads are concentrated: balsa is replaced by plywood at every high-compression point, including beneath hardware and chainplate knees. The bulkhead that receives the deck-stepped mast and the heavy-duty chainplate structure both showed capable craftsmanship.

The hulls are fairly full in cross section, a deliberate choice that maximizes interior volume and reserve buoyancy rather than chasing windward performance. The Admiral 40 is an expanded successor to the Admiral 38; the larger model was engineered to accommodate more of the luxury features catamaran sailors are demanding. To keep the wave-slap penalty manageable, the wing deck forward is kept short, with a large trampoline spanning the hulls.

Rig and Handling

The sail plan follows the large-mainsail, small-jib formula favored by cruising cat designers: it simplifies handling for a short-handed crew and concentrates power where an autopilot can best use it. A masthead asymmetric spinnaker would add sea miles in a hurry on downwind passages — a logical addition for the tropics-bound sailor. The main trimming circuit benefits from an efficient traveler system, though the test boat relied more heavily on rope clutches than the tester felt was ideal, with too few dedicated winches assigned to key sail-trimming stations.

Rather than daggerboards, the Admiral 40 carries small fixed keels, a cruising-oriented choice that simplifies maintenance and eliminates the failure modes of board trunks in the bridgedeck. The trade-off is reduced pointing ability; the boat is frankly not built to race upwind. On a beam reach the test boat outperformed expectations despite the variable Chesapeake Bay breeze, confirming the rig is well suited to the reaching passages that characterize most trade-wind routes.

Power and Maneuverability

Twin 29-horsepower Yanmar saildrives provide the auxiliary power, and both the engines and the 4.2-kilowatt genset were installed to a high standard. Under power the boats are highly maneuverable, with the wide-track twin-screw configuration giving precise control in marinas. Speed under power is respectable: 6.4 knots at 2,500 rpm, and 8.4 knots at wide-open throttle. Like most cruising cats with modest sail areas relative to wetted surface, wind under 10 knots often calls for the engines, a characteristic buyers should factor into their fuel-planning for light-air passages.

Tankage of 105 gallons each for fuel and water gives reasonable range, and the standard-fit watermaker effectively removes the water-capacity constraint on longer passages.

Deck Layout and Accommodations

On deck, a targa arch makes a striking visual statement and does real work: it supports a hard bimini over the cockpit seating and lifts the mainsheet clear of the aft deck walkway so crew movement is unobstructed. The cockpit is designed for spacious seating, consistent with the boat's liveaboard mission.

Below, the standard arrangement delivers four double-berth cabins and two heads, all fitted into a 40-foot hull. Aft cabins receive queen-size doubles athwartships. An owners' version trades one cabin for higher fit-and-finish specifications throughout. The galley is positioned up, giving the cook a view out and equal social standing with the rest of the crew in the saloon — a feature experienced liveaboards consistently rate as important on long passages. Electrical and mechanical installation is a cut above production-cat norms, with wiring and plumbing routed with evident care throughout.

Known Issues

The most significant finding from the Cruising World test concerned weight distribution: the stern dragged during testing, suggesting the boat was floating below its designed waterline or carrying excess weight aft. The builder's explanation was that hull number one had been significantly customized, adding weight the production specification did not carry; subsequent hulls using molded modules came in lighter and presumably sat on their lines correctly. Prospective buyers should verify that any example they consider is not carrying accumulated gear weight aft — a common liveaboard habit that a catamaran's fine stern sections will punish with drag and performance loss.

The Verdict

The Lavranos Admiral 40 is a serious liveaboard catamaran built to carry two couples or a small family across oceans without requiring a post-purchase equipment campaign. Its construction quality, comprehensive standard specification, and capable twin-engine installation place it well above many competitors at its size. The fixed-keel underbody and modest sail area mean the boat is not a performer to windward, and crews must accept the engine-on threshold that defines most cruising cats in light air. Within those honest limits, this is an exceptionally well-thought-out design from one of South Africa's most experienced offshore architects.

Pros