Soto 40

BoatsSoto 40

See her sail

The Soto 40, on the water

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

Footage from Sailing Sweet Ruca

Is it for you?

Character

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

LivelySea-kindly

Her light displacement on a moderate beam gives 13 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 13

CoastalBluewater

At 2.33 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 2.33

LightHeavy

64 — light for her waterline, so she is easily driven and quick to accelerate.

Displacement / length 64

EasygoingPowered-up

33.3 — a lot of sail for her weight; powered-up and eager, a real performer.

Sail area / displacement 33.3

TenderStiff

51% of her weight is ballast — very stiff, carrying full sail in a blow.

Ballast 51%

Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.

Lighter than ~86% of boats her size on file
Draws more than ~98% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2750 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Soto 40, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Soto 40 is a 12.3-meter fractional sloop racing sailboat designed by Javier Soto Acebal and built by M Boats from 2008 to the present. It features a fin keel with a bulb and a spade rudder, displacing 4290 kg with a 2.6-meter draft. The International Sailing Federation recognized the Soto 40 as a one-design class for several years. The model is part of a 40-foot racing class initiative in Palma, Mallorca, which aims to consolidate various performance boats like the GP42, HH42, and Fast 40+ under a unified handicap system.14:17 This class, which transitioned from IRC to ORC ratings, focuses on local regattas such as Palma Vela and Copa del Rey to reduce logistical costs for participants.13:41

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

50.8%

Rig & sail area

Rig

Fractional Sloop

Ratios

SA / displacement

33.3

Displacement / length

64.3

Comfort ratio

12.8

Capsize screening

2.33

Hull speed

8.5 kn

Pounds / inch immersion

1773

Hull

Hull type

Fin w/bulb & spade rudder

Construction

E-Glass/Epoxy/PVC foam

Ballast type

Lead

Production

Years built

First built 2008

Units built

35

Designer

Javier Soto Acebal

Builder

M Boats

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.

X Yachts X-4112.35 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 12.35-meter fractional sloop with a 2.5-meter draft and a 40% ballast ratio, built for competitive one-design racing

– You cannot win a championship on day one, but you can lose it Jesper Radich – Bearing on Sailing22:52 from SEILmagasinet

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 41512.35 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 2025 Marc Lombard design featuring a fractional rig and dual rudders for modern performance cruising

Sneak peek of the new Sun Odyssey 4150:03 from SEILmagasinet

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 40912.34 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Philippe Briand-designed fractional sloop with a performance-oriented sail area-to-displacement ratio of 19.21

Starting an adventure aboard Balanço | #SAL #33313:22 from Hashtag Sal

Linjett 4012.35 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA decade-long production run defines this 12-metre performance cruiser, balancing a 44% ballast ratio for stiff sailing

We are testing the Linjett 360:03 from SEILmagasinet

Jeanneau Sun Fizz 4012.30 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Philippe Briand-designed masthead sloop also marketed as the O'Day 39 and 40, available in both fin and keel/centerboard.

We finish with the Chichicastenango market, Antigua and the El Fuego volcano. S1/EP23 from LE VOYAGE DE NAMASTE

Dufour Yachts 4012.32 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 12.32-metre fractional sloop featuring a 1.65-metre draft and a balanced 36% ballast ratio for coastal cruising

Hans Geilinger. Around the world aboard the Tuvalu.3:27 from A Son de Mar

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.

Soto 30With a 32.07 sail-area-to-displacement ratio, this ultra-light 1,700kg racer is built for explosive speed in light air Extreme 40A rotating-spar catamaran built as a strict one-design class for the iShares Cup and high-speed stadium racing Schock 40The first production boat to feature the patented CBTF canting keel system, offering a high power-to-weight ratio Pogo 40A pioneering Class 40 racer with a 3-metre draft and a 4,800kg displacement designed for high-speed offshore competition Solaris 40A 2021 Javier Soto Acebal design featuring a fin keel with bulb and dual rudders for precise handling

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Soto 40, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

Search the fleet for boats like thisAsk the fleet about the Soto 40

The newsletter

New boats, new stories, from everywhere.

One email from the fleet — boats newly added, videos newly analyzed. No noise.

Report an issue