BoatsBristol Yachts 41.1

Bristol Yachts 41.1

Masthead Sloop · Keel/centreboard · 1981–1994

A masthead sloop with a deep 3.05-metre keel-centreboard draft, bridging the gap between the 411 and 43.3 models

Designed by Ted Hood & Dieter Empacher.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Keel/Cbrd.

See her sail

The Bristol Yachts 41.1, on the water

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

Footage from Sailing Into Oblivion

Is it for you?

Character

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

LivelySea-kindly

Her heavy displacement on a moderate beam gives 38 — a sea-kindly motion in a seaway.

Comfort ratio 38
CoastalBluewater

1.74 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.74
LightHeavy

320 — heavy for her waterline, built to carry stores and ride steadily.

Displacement / length 320
EasygoingPowered-up

14.3 — modest power for her weight; easygoing rather than lively, and happier with a breeze.

Sail area / displacement 14.3
TenderStiff

40% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 40%

Built heavy and sea-kindly — a boat made to cross oceans and forgive a rough night.

  • Heavier than ~79% of boats her size on file
  • Draws more than ~82% of boats her size on file

Compared with 268 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Bristol Yachts 41.1, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Bristol Yachts 41.1 is a masthead sloop designed by Ted Hood and Dieter Empacher, built by Bristol Yachts from 1981 to 1994. This keel/centerboard cruiser has an LOA of 12.5 meters, a beam of 3.9 meters, and a draft of 3.0 meters, displacing 12,033 kg. Aboard *Sailing Into Oblivion*, an owner chose a 1983 Bristol 41.1 for offshore cruising after researching over 100 designs, prioritizing a ready-to-sail vessel.39:59 This owner replaced old head tubing and serviced the Perkins 4108 engine, which had approximately 1,200 hours.14:03 The owner also replaced legacy electronics with modern communication systems like the Iridium Go and maintained a minimalist setup to manage storage.33:24 When sailing coastal routes, the owner prefers to go around Georges Bank to avoid the Cape Cod Canal. *Be The Captain* identifies Bristols, including the 41, as good value for cruising, noting that older Perkins diesels can achieve over 14,000 hours with proper maintenance.53:02

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

Who's been looking

Market signal

Crews the fleet has filmed weighing this model up — no sale seen, and no asking price.

1channel weighed buying one

From the fleet's own footage — our observed signal, not broker listings.

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
39.6%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
14.3
Displacement / length
319.9
Comfort ratio
38.1
Capsize screening
1.74
Hull speed
7.7 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1539
Hull
Hull type
Keel/Cbrd.
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1981–1994
Units built
104
Designer
Ted Hood, Dieter Empacher
Builder
Bristol Yachts Inc

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.

Brewer 4413.41 mSame hull family0.9 m longerA stretched evolution of the 12.8 featuring a reverse transom and a versatile keel-centerboard configuration
Still No Boat...But THIS Made Up for It | S.1 - Ep.85:14from Plan-Sea
Pearson Yachts 4012.17 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA 12-metre masthead sloop with a deep 2.87-metre draft and high ballast ratio, built for stability and speed
OPB: Pearson 40, svMarbella, Boat Tour (Feb 2026) - For Sale!from keeldragger
Southerly 42012.86 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA Rob Humphreys-designed fractional sloop featuring a versatile swing keel that later evolved into the Southerly 430
Building an Aluminum Sailboat Pt 6 - Your questions answered | EP 2241:29from Distant Shores TV
Bristol Yachts 45.513.79 mSame hull family1.3 m longerA heavy-displacement masthead sloop with a 3.35-metre keel-centerboard draft, built for deep-water cruising performance
Bringing Our Sailboat Back to Life | (EP. 021)from Plan-Sea
Henry R. Hinckley Bermuda 40-112.42 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA long-running production classic with 203 hulls built between 1959 and 1991, featuring a versatile keel-centerboard.
Top 5 Classic Cruising Sailboats — Pearson 365, Westsail 32, Alberg 37, Valiant 40, & Hinckley 405:38from Practical Sailor
Garcia Yachts Exploration 4514.88 mSame hull family2.3 m longerA rugged aluminum cutter by Berret-Racoupeau featuring a centerboard and dual rudders for high-latitude exploration
We found OUR NEXT BOAT... but there is only one PROBLEM $$$ [Ep.93] The Bohemian Journey2:32from El Viaje de Bohemia

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Bristol Yachts 43.3A cutter-rigged cruiser featuring a versatile keel-centerboard configuration and a high comfort ratio of 37.4Bristol Yachts 31.1A 1983 masthead sloop with a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder, optimised for a stable, comfortable coastal paceBristol Yachts 32A Ted Hood-designed masthead sloop with a modified full keel, built for steady, comfortable cruising over two decadesBristol Yachts 47.7A 14.33-metre semi-custom cruiser featuring a traditional counter stern and a deep 3.35-metre keel-centreboard draughtBristol Yachts 35.5A long-running production cruiser with a 43% ballast ratio, designed for a stiff and stable coastal sailing experienceBristol Yachts 51.1A 1987 semi-custom masthead sloop with a 3.2-metre keel-centerboard draft and a high 40.31 comfort ratio

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

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