BoatsJ/40 Classic

J/40 Classic

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · 1984–1993

A 12.19-metre masthead sloop with a 1.98m draft, balanced for offshore cruising and production stability

Designed by Rodney S. Johnstone & Rod Johnstone, built by J Boats Tillotson Pearson.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/spade Rudder

See her sail

The J/40 Classic, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from The Mariner

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelyComfort 28Sea-kindly
CoastalCapsize 1.86Bluewater
LightD/L 204Heavy
EasygoingSA/D 17.9Powered-up
TenderBallast 36%Stiff

A capable cruiser that sits just inside the offshore line — coastal work with real passages in her.

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
36.1%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
17.9
Displacement / length
204.4
Comfort ratio
27.9
Capsize screening
1.86
Hull speed
7.8 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1478
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1984–1993
Units built
85
Designer
Rodney S. Johnstone, Rod Johnstone
Builder
J Boats Tillotson Pearson

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Beneteau Oceanis 4012.15 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA spacious fractional sloop from Berret-Racoupeau featuring a versatile optional shallow draft keel
He almost went home alone… nothing went as planned… Vlog 1220:49from Vagabond Voyages
Beneteau 4012.14 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 2007 Berret-Racoupeau design with a 1.9m draft, also marketed internationally as the Oceanis 40 and Moorings 41.3
Deadpool & Wolverine Buy a SailGP Team?!9:46from The Sailing Doodles Podcast
O'day 4012.06 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 12-metre masthead sloop featuring an extended sugar scoop stern and a taller rig on later production models
O’Day 40 - A Budget Cruiser for the Bahamasfrom Practical Sailor
Dufour Yachts 405 Grand Large12.17 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 12-meter cruiser featuring a 2.03m fin keel and a balanced displacement-to-ballast ratio for stable coastal passages
Dufour 405from SVN solovelanet
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 40.312.20 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 12.2-meter masthead sloop featuring a 1.95-meter fin-and-bulb keel designed for stable, mid-2000s cruising
Krait sailboat. Around the world in 2 yearsfrom Velero Regina
Hunter Marine 41 DS12.29 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA deck salon cruiser featuring a high-volume interior and a B&R rig for simplified handling
⚓ Hunter 41 DS vs Beneteau 411 – Sailboat Comparison ⛵0:47from Practical Sailor

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

J/36 ClassicA high-performance fractional sloop with a 22.07 SA/displacement ratio, built for speed between 1981 and 1984J J/40A 2024 Alan Johnstone fractional sloop featuring a high-performance fin keel and spade rudder configurationJ/41 FRA 12.44-metre IOR 1-ton level racer featuring a high 23.24 SA/displacement ratio for competitive speedJ Boats Tillotson Pearson J/44A 13.69-metre masthead sloop designed for offshore performance with a 2.44m draft and a powerful 21.26 SA/displacement ratioJ Boats Tillotson Pearson J/41A 12.47-metre IOR 1-ton level racer available in both masthead and fractional rig configurationsJ Boats Tillotson Pearson J/39A masthead-rigged 12-metre performance cruiser with a 2.21m fin keel, built for speed and offshore stability

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