Launched in 2014 as a refinement of the earlier Nautitech 40 Open, which had already earned SAIL’s Best Boats honors, the Mark II retains the slim hulls and open, social deck that define the Open philosophy. Its principal changes improve traffic flow through the interior.
Design and Construction
Nautitech builds the 40 Open in polyester fiberglass over a sandwich core. The decks use a closed-cell foam core that keeps weight down without sacrificing stiffness, while a resin-infused technique produces a light, strong, uniform composite.
Even under Bavaria’s ownership, the hulls continue to come from the original factory in Rochefort. Only the joinery pieces are fabricated at Bavaria’s facility in Giebelstadt, Germany. Solid-wood cabin doors are paired with foam-core veneer locker doors to reduce weight where it matters.
The secondary systems also show careful detailing. Wiring is bundled, wrapped, and labeled, while hoses are double-clamped to bronze seacocks fitted with ball valves. A distributed wiring architecture means that only control wires run to the panels, simplifying the electrical runs through the long hulls.
Rig, Sailing Performance, and Handling
The 40 Open has a Solent rig with a square-top mainsail and self-tacking inner jib. The test boat also carried a light asymmetric sail on a bowsprit top-furler, giving it more options downwind.
The mainsheet runs on a track mounted on the hardtop. Every other control line leads to winches and stoppers at the twin outboard helms, allowing the crew to work from the weather edge with clear sightlines. Sailors of average agility have easy steps to the cabin top and excellent access to the entire length of the boom for routine sail handling.
Testers were surprised by the boat’s light-air ability. Close-reaching in 6-knot puffs, it held 4.5 knots under mainsail and the lightweight outer foresail. It tacked without fuss under mainsail alone and kept moving under the smaller self-tacking jib. The helm provides solid, positive control.
Under power, both 40hp Volvos produced a turning circle of just over a boatlength at 1,000 rpm. With the engines opposed, the boat pirouetted in its own water. At a wide-open 3,000 rpm, it made 8.2 knots. At 2,500 rpm and 7.5 knots, the cabin remained quieter than most boats of this type and size.
Accommodations and Interior Layout
The Open concept deliberately reduces the size of the enclosed saloon. Lounging, dining, and socializing instead take place aft beneath the hardtop. A new open step at the forward end of the cabin preserves visibility from inside.
Roseo Design handled the interior. The test boat had three cabins: two in the starboard hull sharing a head, and an owner’s suite extending through the port hull.
For the Mark II, Nautitech reworked the original galley to improve circulation through the cabin. Open to the afterdeck, it includes a three-burner stove, large refrigerator, sink, and ample counter space. A convertible navigation desk slides along a rail to become a lounging seat.
Although the slim hulls are shaped for performance, enlarged outboard windows help create a bright interior, and there is still room for generous lockers.
Deck and Outdoor Living
The broad forward trampoline provides space for sunbathing and is flanked by fitted cushions and a small table. Two large foredeck lockers hold fenders and lines. A trough around the cabin top catches rainwater to fill the tanks and doubles as a continuous grab rail along the side decks.
Husky davits between the hulls and well-proportioned transom platforms make dinghy handling and swimming straightforward. The builder offers a full enclosure for the aft deck, and air conditioning can serve that enclosed area to keep it comfortable in less-than-perfect climates.
Machinery and Maintenance
Engine access is through the aft end of each hull, with good maintenance space around the 40hp Volvo saildrives.
The redesigned galley and open step are both products of the Mark II update, showing that the yard was willing to revise the layout rather than make only cosmetic changes. The combined rainwater-catchment trough and grab rail is a simple cruising feature that needs no upgrade.
Known Issues
The 65-foot 5-inch air draft can make travel on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway difficult at times because several fixed bridges are lower than 65 feet, even at high tide.
Testers also noted that, although the running-rigging arrangement works efficiently, the helms could use better stowage for line tails.
The Verdict
The Nautitech 40 Open is a performance-minded cruising catamaran that trades maximum enclosed volume for sailing engagement and indoor-outdoor living. Its Lombard hulls and Solent rig provide genuine light-air performance and easy close-quarters control, while the Rochefort construction and Giebelstadt joinery keep the finish and systems tidy.
The deliberately small saloon and tall rig are the trade-offs a buyer must accept. The water-catchment and grab-rail trough is a low-tech cruising asset that needs no upgrade.
Pros
- Slim hulls and a Solent rig provide excellent light-air performance and easy tacking under a single sail.
- Twin outboard helms, a turning circle just over a boatlength, and the ability to pirouette with opposed engines simplify close-quarters maneuvering.
- Resin-infused composite construction, labeled wiring, and double-clamped hoses reflect careful building practices.
- The open deck, sheltered social space beneath the hardtop, and optional full enclosure support outdoor living in a range of climates.
Cons
- The 65-foot 5-inch air draft restricts passage beneath fixed bridges on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.
- Enclosed accommodation is deliberately small compared with volume-maximized competitors.
- Line-tail stowage at the helms needs improvement.
