Practical Boat Owner described the 740 as a tough, fast, capable little yacht that can be built at home, while the builder’s literature calls it a good sailor and a safe, stable boat.
Design and Construction
The 740 measures 7.40 m overall, with a 6.70 m waterline and a 2.74 m beam. It displaces 1500 kg and carries 700 kg of ballast. That 47% ballast ratio places it firmly at the stable, seakindly end of the small-yacht spectrum.
Like other Waarschips of its era, the 740 is built from Bruynzeel plywood, a high-grade marine ply. The coachroof’s transverse and fore-and-aft stiffening members are worked externally rather than internally. The builder’s literature says this detail leaves the interior volume unbroken and keeps the lines smooth and undistorted. This leaves the interior volume unbroken and keeps the lines smooth and undistorted.
The hull has a relatively narrow waterline for its overall beam. Combined with close to half the total weight in ballast, this shape underpins the manufacturer’s claim that the boat is safe under all circumstances.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The fractional sloop rig carries a 12.7 m² mainsail and a 21 m² genoa, giving 33.7 m² of sail upwind. Downwind sail area rises to 56.7 m² with the 44 m² spinnaker. The mast stands 10.28 m above the waterline.
Draft is 1.25 m, or 1 m with the shoal option. With a built-in motor, the 740 is extremely easy to handle on inland waterways. The builder presents it as a boat in which sailors can first explore inland navigation and later go to sea.
Practical Boat Owner found the 740 conveniently small for coastal and short-handed sailing, with power and performance that belie its modest size. The maker calls it an ideal boat for experienced sailors planning great trips overseas and, for less experienced crews, an ideal weekend base on rivers and lakes.
Accommodation
Below deck, the 740 is an exercise in compact Dutch pragmatism. The manufacturer describes an excellent interior design with five fixed berths, about 1.60 m of cabin height, and plenty of storage. The arrangement includes a lockable forward cabin, a separate toilet, a large hanging cupboard, a large sliding galley, and a large cabin table.
Practical Boat Owner’s survey adds more detail. The interior uses varnished and epoxied plywood, with mahogany knees, trim, and structural members. The layout is relatively open: a partial bulkhead, supplemented by a curtain, separates the saloon from the heads and forecabin.
A full-length berth to starboard runs directly into the quarter berth. To port are a settee berth and, abaft it, the galley. The galley was originally designed to slide aft beneath the cockpit seat, freeing a full-length port berth.
The coachroof ends just ahead of the mast, leaving a flush foredeck. The bridgedeck carries a mainsheet track, with stern lockers on either side of the rudder stock.
Cockpit and Deck
The cockpit is well conceived for a 24-footer. Its seats are set well inboard, providing good leg-bracing width between them while leaving room outboard for the side decks to run all the way aft. The helming position is excellent.
Willem, an owner who contributed to the review, kept the coamings to little more than marginal upstands for the primary winches and cleats. This minimalist choice preserves a clear deck layout. Forward, the flush foredeck makes short-handed sail handling straightforward.
Variants and Lineage
Around 200 standard 740s have been built since the model’s introduction. The design succeeded the three-plank 730 and replaced the 725 in 1980, marking Waarschip’s move to a five-plank hull in this size range.
Klaas Kremer later developed the 740 Ocean as a souped-up version with more of an offshore bias. Changes included a lighter hull, lead instead of an iron keel, a lowered coachroof, and a raised bridgedeck. A sugar scoop extended the waterline and effectively brought the transom-hung rudder inboard, while a taller fractional rig replaced the original masthead rig.
A Sport version was also offered for sailors seeking maximum performance. Together, the Ocean and Sport derivatives show the range of the basic design.
Nautisch Centrum Delfzijl builds Waarschip boats worldwide as the official builder. The 740 is CE certified and a member of HISWA.
Verdict
The Waarschip 740 is a small yacht with an outsized reputation in self-build and short-handed cruising circles. It combines a stable, ballast-heavy plywood hull with a genuinely thoughtful interior and a cockpit that works well at this length. Its modest dimensions suit inland and coastal sailing, while the builder also presents it as capable of overseas trips in experienced hands.
Pros
- Stable hull with a 47% ballast ratio and a beamy form over a relatively narrow waterline
- Excellent, leg-bracing cockpit with a superlative helming position
- Clever sliding galley and an open layout with five fixed berths and generous stowage
- Easy handling on inland waterways, with a shoal-draft option and built-in motor
- Capable offshore for experienced crews
Cons
- Modest 1.60 m cabin height limits standing comfort
- The original four-to-five-berth capacity is tight for extended overseas use, despite the maker’s claim
- External coachroof stiffeners require survey attention for plywood bond integrity
