Design and Construction
For the 1980s, Sparkman & Stephens reshaped the Nauticat line by replacing the earlier full keel with a modern fin keel. This reduced wetted surface and improved sailing and seakeeping. The keel retains a long chord for directional stability while keeping draft to a modest 5 feet 9 inches.
Below the waterline, the hull is solid, single-skin GRP. During the 1980s, it was hand-laminated from E-glass fabrics in polyester resin, without vacuum bagging or resin infusion. The rudder hangs aft on a skeg, with a lower horn section projecting forward of the shaft to provide balance. Above the sheerline, the deck uses a balsa-cored fiberglass laminate, while teak decking provides secure footing outside.
The three S&S-designed Nauticats, including the 40, have shorter pilothouses, smaller windows, less freeboard, and a flatter—but still springy—sheer than earlier models. The S&S designs also dropped the original sliding pilothouse side doors to improve seaworthiness. Because the shorter pilothouse reduced forward visibility from the cockpit, the designers raised the cockpit sole high enough for the helmsperson to see over the roof. The boat retains its essential pilothouse character, with a high center cockpit and both inside and outside steering stations.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
Most Nauticat 40s are delivered as staysail ketches with a masthead rig, fixed staysail stay, and fixed bowsprit. The main, #2 genoa, and mizzen provide a combined sail area of 948 square feet.
A cutter-rigged example, Pyxis, used the same sail plan without the mizzen and had a keel-stepped mast. Its main and working jib total just 552 square feet. On a test sail in light air, the boat reached 5 knots on a close reach in 7 knots of wind. It generally made 4 to 6 knots and came through tacks smartly.
The design ratios confirm the boat’s emphasis on comfort. The displacement-to-length-waterline ratio is an extremely high 390, while the ballast-displacement ratio is a low 29 percent and the sail-area-displacement ratio is 12.9. Its capsize number is well below the safety threshold of 2, and the comfort ratio is a notably high 45.
Hydraulic steering is standard, with provision for an emergency tiller should the system fail.
Pilothouse and Accommodations
The light, airy interior is arranged around the center cockpit and pilothouse. Four steps lead down into the pilothouse, where there’s a navigation station suited to Baltic cruising and a helm with a 360-degree view. A hatch above the helm provides ventilation and a view of the sails. The inside steering station has a comfortable chair and full instruments, allowing the helmsperson to stay out of the elements.
A raised dinette to port puts its occupants at eye level with the large windows. Forward and down, there’s a compact galley to port and another dinette to starboard. The starboard dinette converts into a small double bunk and can be closed off with a privacy curtain. Farther forward, a head and cabin contain another small double bunk and a seat sized for two children.
The large owner’s cabin aft has a full-width berth and an en-suite head with a separate shower stall. It is more sumptuous than the aft cabins of the Gulfstar 39 and Pacific Seacraft 40. Storage is massive throughout, and forced-air heating is fitted for cold-weather use.
Tankage, Engine, and Cruising Equipment
The Nauticat 40 carries 230 gallons of fresh water in two tanks beneath the galley. One documented example held just over 200 gallons of diesel and burned roughly 1.5 gallons per hour under power.
A 90-horsepower Ford Lehman engine with a 22-inch Max-Prop propelled the cutter-rigged Pyxis. A vertical electric windlass with a wireless anchor remote simplified anchoring.
Together, the inside steering station, heating, and extensive storage make the Nauticat 40 a long-season coastal and moderate-offshore cruiser.
Known Issues
Owners report no evidence of osmotic blisters on their Nauticat 40 hulls, consistent with the solid laminate below the waterline.
The principal vulnerability is the balsa-cored deck. Water can track through dried-out bungs over screw heads and reach the core, severely compromising the deck’s integrity. The high center cockpit also makes it difficult to achieve fair leads for the foresail sheets. That is a consequence of the design rather than a defect.
The Verdict
The Nauticat 40 is a comfort-first pilothouse ketch with genuine sailing ability in light to moderate air, a protected helm, and an exceptionally roomy aft cabin. Its heavy displacement and low sail plan favor passage-making ease over speed, while the balsa deck core demands vigilance. For cruisers who value shelter and stowage more than racer-like performance, it is a considered choice.
Pros
- Pilothouse with inside and outside steering and 360-degree visibility
- Light, airy accommodations and a sumptuous aft owner’s cabin
- High comfort ratio and a stable, directional fin-keel underbody
- No reported osmotic blistering on the solid hull laminate
Cons
- Balsa-cored deck is vulnerable to water intrusion through the bungs
- Low sail-area-displacement ratio limits light-air performance
- High center cockpit complicates foresail sheet leads
