Design and Construction
Salona Yachts built the 40 with a vacuum-infused hull bonded to a stainless-steel internal frame, and testers credit that combination with keeping weight low while delivering a stiff platform. The solid fiberglass hull and deck carry the loads through that backbone rather than relying on the skin alone. This is a yacht whose construction logic serves the sailing brief: low mass and structural stiffness together produce a boat that testers found inspires confidence for offshore passages. The beam carried aft and the broad side decks that stay clear for maneuvering are products of the same performance-minded layout thinking.
Rig and Handling
On the water, the Salona 40 accelerates quickly and keeps speed close to the true wind even in light air, remaining lively upwind where lesser cruisers go sullen. Test sailors found her settled on the helm with responsive steering and predictable balance when pressed, a handling signature that marks her as a sailor's boat rather than a passive float. The fractional sloop rig carries 874 square feet of sail and offers plenty of rig stiffness to hold sail before reefing compared with similar 40-foot performance cruisers. Standard hardware such as six winches, a full-width traveller, and a German mainsheet give the crew the leverage to exploit that stiffness without constant trimming.
Accommodations
Below, the cruising interior is solidly finished and practical rather than showy, with a galley and saloon that provide good ergonomics for passage making. Forward and aft cabins are comfortable for cruising crews, and the aft space benefits from the beam carried aft. The boat sleeps eight across three cabins with two heads, though storage is judged adequate but not as generous as volume-focused production cruisers, and interior volume and stowage are tighter than charter-oriented boats. The wide swim platform that closes the transom is appreciated for boarding, even if some sailors feel a smaller platform would suit the lines better; that large platform plus performance rigging can limit space for cockpit shade.
Ownership Notes
Owners have warned about past delivery delays when the Salona 40 was new, a historical footnote rather than a defect in the boats themselves. The structure and rigging described above are what a long-term owner lives with, and the practical, non-showy interior suggests a boat specced for use rather than display.
The Verdict
The Salona 40 is a genuinely performance-oriented cruiser that rewards an engaged helm. Her vacuum-infused hull on a stainless backbone delivers stiffness without weight penalty, and the rig holds shape in a way that lets her stay quick and lively when the breeze fades. She is not a volume boat: stowage is honest but tight against charter-class rivals, and the big transom platform trades some shade and visual restraint for easy boarding. For a crew that sails rather than floats, she is a compelling 40-foot expression of the J&J/Salona brief.
Pros
- Stiff, low-weight vacuum-infused hull on stainless backbone builds offshore confidence
- Quick acceleration and lively upwind performance in light air
- Responsive, predictable helm with strong rig stiffness before reefing
- Practical, solidly finished passage-making interior with good galley/saloon ergonomics
Cons
- Storage and interior volume tighter than charter-oriented production cruisers
- Wide transom platform can limit cockpit shade and divides opinion on looks
- Historical new-boat delivery delays reported by owners
