Moody 41 DS Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The hull form is deliberate rather than decorative. A broad flat stem with hard corners supports the optional 100 metres of stainless steel anchor chain and a full water tank under the owner's berth without trimming the bow down, while a deep forefoot lets the bow thruster sit well forward for maximum effect. Below the waterline the boat carries an L-shaped iron fin keel of moderate proportions, with a standard draught of 7 feet 5 inches and a 6 foot 1 inch shoal option, and a saildrive set well forward of a single deep rudder. The deck is its own kind of shelter: sunken side decks protected by high bulwarks run all the way to the bow, and a nearly one-inch round stainless handrail takes the place of traditional lifelines around the entire perimeter. A trio of hull windows sits under that bulwark, and the low-slung coachroof wraps a window well aft to serve the cockpit awning. All glazing is in toughened glass, including the 360-degree panorama of the deckhouse.

Rig and Handling

Overhead is a deck-stepped, double-spreader, high-fractional rig. The boat supports a self-tacking jib on a Seldén Furlex 304 as standard, with the mainsail slab-reefing as standard but almost invariably delivered with push-button in-mast furling. A pair of headsails can be carried — a code-zero-type reacher on the forward stay and the self-tacker on the after stay — and the test boat added an optional outer forestay with a genoa on an electric furler. A pair of electric Lewmar 45 primary winches is standard, with all lines led aft through tunnels to clutches and winches forward of the twin helm stations, and the mainsheet fixed close below the boom on the coachroof. The Jefa steering gave a positive feel through twin wheels with seats right aft, and the 57 hp Yanmar with a fixed three-blade propeller pushed the boat at 6.3 knots at 1,500 rpm and 7 knots at 2,100 rpm. Writing in Cruising World's review, test sailors recorded a sound level of 60 decibels at 2,000 rpm making 6.8 knots, and 66 decibels at 2,400 rpm making 8.3 knots, with the engine under the cockpit sole and isolated from the deckhouse anchor. In about 13 knots of breeze the boat clipped along at 8 knots.

Accommodations

The decksaloon is the social core. Sliding patio doors — or a push-and-slide door in other descriptions — open to a spacious cockpit with a retractable sun awning under a hard top forward of the wheels, and the forward lower cockpit sole sits on the same level as the saloon. Inside, the galley runs along the port side with a large hatch to the cockpit for light and ventilation, facing an L-shaped settee and dining table to starboard; that table drops at a button press to form an extra double or lounge. A chart table sits forward to port, and the optional third helm station there lets the boat be steered from inside in bad weather. Below, all four layouts are two-stateroom plans centred on a forward master with a semi-island berth and a spacious en-suite heads shared via an extra door with the guest cabin, which can be twin or double; most owners are expected to take the optional second heads to port. A utility "cellar" under the galley sole holds a washing machine and second fridge. Mahogany is standard, golden oak an option, with oak, teak, and mahogany all available as furniture finishes.

Cockpit and Deck Life

The sheltered cockpit flows seamlessly into the saloon on one level, giving a 360-degree view from either space, and a third helm inside proves its worth on long passages in poor weather. Forward, a sun pad with adjustable headrest converts to a bench, and a bow seating-lounging area forms a sort of forward cockpit. At the stern, twin wheels with a deep rudder pair positioned well aft and outboard let crew step between them to a drop-down teak swim platform, with fold-down boarding steps built into the tubular guardrails and a hatch in the transom opening to the interior. Two diesel tanks live in lockers beneath the cockpit seats, and the liferaft stows just above the static waterline below the helm seats.

Ownership Notes

The engine is set in a smooth, wipe-clean moulding under the cockpit sole, with additional front access via the decksaloon — a layout that keeps service straightforward. The boat was delivered with high-end Victron electrical gear on the test example, and Elvstrom FCL laminate sails were judged a worthwhile upgrade over standard Dacron. The deckhouse glazing and one-level living are the defining ownership proposition: a boat that feels like living in the lap of luxury whatever the weather, yet remains a serious offshore cruiser.

The Verdict

The Moody 41 DS succeeds by translating catamaran-like single-level visibility and movement into a monohull that still docks and sails like a Dixon cruiser. The panoramic deckhouse, isolated quiet engine, and flexible two-cabin layouts make her a compelling couple's bluewater boat, though the deep forefoot and keel draught trade some shoal-water access for that volume.

Pros