Nicholson 40 DS Sailboats for Sale

Drawing Diagram

Builder drawing

Hull Type

Monohull · fin

Rig

Masthead Sloop

LOA

40' · 12.19 m

Disp.

23,296 lbs · 10,567 kg

First year

1977

The late 1970s marked a pivotal transition for the venerable British shipyard Camper & Nicholsons. Known for over a century as builders of bespoke racing yachts and grand classic vessels, the Gosport yard faced a rapidly changing market where cruisers demanded longdistance, heavydisplacement passage makers. Under the guidance of chief designer Raymond Wall—the successor to the legendary Charles E. Nicholson—the yard introduced the Nicholson 40 DS (Deck Saloon) in 1977. Engineered to satisfy the rigorous Lloyd’s 100A1 certification standards, the 40 DS was a deliberate departure from the lowslung, flushdeck profiles of traditional Nicholsons. Wall designed the vessel to combine the impenetrable feel of a heavydisplacement hull with the lightfilled, 360degree visibility of a modern motor sailer. Constructed with an overbuilt solid fiberglass hull and fitted with exquisite, handjoined teak cabinetry, the boat was aimed squarely at affluent, highlatitude cruisers who valued safety, climateprotected watchkeeping, and traditional British maritime craftsmanship.