At 42 feet 2 inches overall, the Pacific Seacraft 40 is a serious offshore boat intended for long-distance voyaging. It emphasizes control, comfort, and steady passage-making rather than outright speed.
Design and Construction
The 40 is a cutter-rigged monohull with a canoe stern, fin keel, and skeg-hung rudder. 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 from his office.
The boat has a 31-foot 3-inch waterline, a 12-foot 5-inch beam, and a displacement of 24,000 pounds. It weighs the same as a Valiant 42 while being three feet shorter on the waterline and an inch wider. Its displacement-to-length ratio is 351, placing it firmly in the heavy-displacement category. Ballast and draft are about the same as the Valiant’s.
The Crealock has 16 degrees of deadrise at station 5, compared with the Valiant’s 20 degrees. Its sections are more rounded amidships rather than taking the deep-V, high-deadrise form, though 16 degrees is still a lot of deadrise by today’s standards. That hull form, combined with roughly 8,600 to 8,800 pounds of lead ballast depending on draft, should provide a high degree of positive stability and a pleasant motion.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The cutter rig uses a short bowsprit. The main chainplate is mounted outside the hull, while both the forward and aft lowers are inboard. The mast stands well aft of the keel’s leading edge, leaving room in the foretriangle for a usable staysail.
In his boats.com design review, Perry noted that the mast location can sometimes make a boat difficult to balance. Even so, the Pacific Seacraft 40 is well balanced, with good directional stability that makes it easy to helm.
The main design aim was to help a short-handed crew remain in command when conditions turn ugly. The underbody was also shaped to make passages relaxing and fun. Sister boats in the line have reportedly surfed down waves in heavy weather at speed/length ratios over 2 while remaining easy to control.
With 846 square feet of sail and a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 16.26, the 40 is no speed demon. It can, however, log consistent 140-mile days with very good comfort at sea. It is seaworthy, sea-kindly, and capable of handling heavy weather.
Accommodations
Below, the Pacific Seacraft 40 has a sensible, spacious interior that can comfortably accommodate up to six people. The forward cabin comes in two layouts: an island double berth or a conventional V-berth with a filler. One review describes an arrangement with an island queen berth forward, a seagoing double quarter berth, and a convertible dinette that makes another double.
The mast’s position allows access to both ends of the dinette. The interior feels spacious and comfortable, admits natural light, and provides plenty of well-planned storage for provisions, gear, and equipment.
The large U-shaped galley has its sinks near the centerline and is equipped with a stove, oven, refrigerator, and sink. The reefer box extends into the aft cabin, where it forms a small shelf. The head is also large and includes a separate shower stall.
Machinery and Tankage
Auxiliary power comes from a 50-horsepower Yanmar 4JH2E. Engine access is good.
The boat carries 70 gallons of fuel and 150 gallons of water, giving it the volume below for decent cruising tankage.
Production and Ownership
The Pacific Seacraft 40 is internationally recognized as being among the finest bluewater sailing yachts in the world. 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. It combines a heavily built, positively stable hull with a cutter rig intended for a small crew and a roomy, well-organized cruising interior.
It isn’t designed for raw speed. Its strengths lie in dependable, comfortable passage-making in demanding conditions, while its lineage and reputation for construction place it firmly among serious bluewater cruisers.
Pros
- Designed primarily to keep a short-handed crew in command in foul conditions
- Rounded hull form and lead ballast should provide a high degree of positive stability
- Spacious, well-planned interior with berths for up to six and two forward-cabin layouts
- Good engine access
- Generous 70-gallon fuel and 150-gallon water capacities
- Sister boats have reportedly surfed in heavy weather at speed/length ratios over 2 with easy control
Cons
- The mast’s aft position can sometimes make a boat difficult to balance
- Heavy displacement and a low sail-area-to-displacement ratio mean modest daily speeds
