Pacific Seacraft 40 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The 40 is a cutter-rigged monohull with a canoe stern, fin keel, and skeg-hung rudder, and its underbody retains the general form of a split configuration with a ventral fin between the keel and a large skeg. Crealock's overhanging canoe stern became a permanent feature of all the new Pacific Seacraft designs out of his office. Weighing the same as a Valiant 42 while being three feet shorter on the waterline, and an inch wider, the boat carries a displacement-to-length ratio of 351, which qualifies it as heavy; ballast runs about the same as the Valiant, as does draft. The Crealock shows 16 degrees of deadrise at station 5 compared to the Valiant's 20 degrees, with a more rounded sectional shape amidships instead of the deep V, high-deadrise form — and 16 degrees remains a lot of deadrise by today's standards. That hull form, combined with the lead ballast of roughly 8,600 to 8,800 pounds depending on draft, should help provide a high degree of positive stability along with a nice motion.

Rig and Handling

The cutter rig uses a short bowsprit, with the main chainplate mounted outside the hull while both forward and aft lowers are inboard. The mast sits well aft in relation to the leading edge of the keel — positioned to make room in the foretriangle for a useable staysail. Writing in boats.com, Perry's design review found the mast location can sometimes make for a boat that is difficult to balance anchor, yet the boat is well balanced and directional stability is good, making it easy to helm. The design aimed above all at letting a short-handed crew stay in command when conditions turn ugly, and the underbody was formed to make passages relaxing and fun; sister boats in the line have been reported surfing down waves in heavy weather at speed/length ratios over 2 with easy control. With a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 16.26 and 846 square feet of sail, the 40 is not a speed demon but can log consistent 140-mile days with very good sea comfort, and it is seaworthy, sea-kindly, and capable of handling heavy weather.

Accommodations

Below, the 40 offers a sensible and spacious interior that can accommodate up to six people comfortably. The forward cabin is offered in two layouts — an island double berth or a conventional V-berth with filler — and one review describes the forward cabin with an island queen bed, a seagoing double quarter berth, and a convertible dinette that becomes a double. The galley is quite large and U-shaped, with sinks near centerline and equipped with a stove, oven, refrigerator, and sink; the reefer box extends into the aft cabin to make a small shelf. The head is big and has a shower stall. With the mast placed as it is, there is access to both ends of the dinette, and the boat has plenty of well-thought-out storage for provisions, gear, and equipment, with an interior that feels spacious and comfortable and brings in natural light.

Refits and Ownership

The auxiliary is a Yanmar 4JH2E 50-horsepower engine, and the boat has good engine access along with a large fuel capacity of 70 gallons and water capacity of 150 gallons — enough volume below for decent cruising tankage. The Pacific Seacraft 40 is internationally recognized to be among the finest bluewater sailing yachts in the world, and Pacific Seacraft has continued to produce the model alongside the 31, 34, and 37.

The Verdict

The Pacific Seacraft 40 is a thoughtfully evolved Crealock design that pairs a heavily built, positively stable hull with a small-crew-friendly cutter rig and a roomy, well-organized cruising interior. It is not built for raw speed but for dependable, comfortable passage-making in demanding conditions, and its lineage and construction reputation place it firmly among serious bluewater cruisers.

Pros