Design and Construction
The hull is robustly built, with a solid fiberglass laminate laid up with a very thick outer skin to keep it strong. Buyers choosing the cored option gain sound and temperature insulation and weight control, since the hull could be ordered with Core-Cell or balsa coring. A blister-resistant vinylester resin outer layer backs the 10-year hull warranty, and the bilge carries a rugged fiberglass grid system with no integral wood, eliminating any chance of future rot. On top of that grid sits a solid fiberglass subfloor, capped by a teak strip floor. The Mars Metals lead keel is securely bolted into the massive grid, and Cabo Rico continues to use true structural bulkheads fiberglassed directly to the hull for further stiffening.
The deck is cored with balsa but solid glass in high-load areas and around any through-deck penetrations. Hull and deck meet in a U-channel joint covered by a solid teak caprail, with the hull carrying an inward-facing flange that the deck wraps over to form a raised bulwark. This through-bolted joint bonded with 3M 5200 uses stainless fasteners and aircraft-style locking nuts, yielding a very stiff structure that eliminates flex underway.
Rig and Handling
Above the bulwarks, secure lifelines make for a very secure foredeck, and wide sidedecks with ample handholds along the pilothouse allow a safe trip forward from the cockpit. All lines are cleanly led aft to the cockpit coamings, and the deck hardware is robust and nicely installed. A proper helm station sits in the cockpit, while Cabo Rico surrounded the pilothouse in glass so visibility right through is great. The ample sailing rig drives the boat nicely when wind allows and stabilizes her under motorsail, and the very stiff hull form carries a lot of sail. The builder’s president related running a Northeast in 25 knots with full sails up and moving along at almost 9 knots; the 100-horsepower Yanmar diesel pushes the easily driven hull to 10 knots, though economical cruising is slower, and a fixed three-bladed prop gives plenty of reverse authority. An optional bow thruster exists, but single-screw handling has satisfied owners.
Accommodations
The wide, deep cockpit seats with supportive backrests give a secure feel, centered on a large table with internal storage and served by cavernous lockers that swallow cruising gear and bicycles. Step through the sliding door and the entire interior sits bright, airy, and on the same level as the cockpit — a bright, wide-open saloon. At its forward end is an inside steering station, a comfortable place in cold or wet weather with very good visibility. Forward and to port, a step down reaches the galley, with a large top-load refrigerator and freezer, ample counters, a gimbaled Force 10 stove, deep sinks, Corian tops, and cabinetry leaving room for a microwave. To starboard, a flexible space builds as a second cabin, office, or den, often with a propane or diesel fireplace. Just forward is the head, with a conventional full head and integral shower available. The forward master stateroom holds an island queen with plenty of storage, and the whole berth lifts on gas struts to reveal another huge locker.
Equipment and Access
Engine and system access is great, with the main entry through a large saloon-floor panel into a space set up with twin selectable Racor filters, a beefy strainer, ample electrical systems, and bright lighting. A transom boarding door and full swim platform round out the utility, and the furling 140-percent genoa with an optional furling main has proven a popular easy-living choice.
The Verdict
The Northeast 400 is a genuinely dual-natured yacht: a stiff, well-built pilothouse cruiser whose Ellis-designed hull form sails with real purpose yet motors with the calm authority of a trawler. Construction details — from the wood-free grid to the bonded hull-deck joint — argue for longevity, and the level, light interior with two steering stations suits serious cruising.
Pros
- True motorsailer that sails and motors well, per review testing
- Wood-free fiberglass grid and bonded hull-deck joint for stiffness and rot resistance
- Excellent engine access and well-appointed galley and master stateroom
- Secure foredeck and wide sightlines through glass pilothouse
Cons
- Fixed three-bladed prop noted as slight sailing resistance versus a feathering unit
- Furling main only an option, not standard
