Ker 40

BoatsKer 40

See her sail

The Ker 40, on the water

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

Footage from SEILmagasinet

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

Capsize screening 2.48

LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 74

EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 30.0

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

Lighter than ~76% of boats her size on file
Draws more than ~98% of boats her size on file
Beamier than ~86% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2764 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Ker 40, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Ker 40 is a 12.2-meter fractional sloop designed by Jason Ker and built by McConaghy Boats, featuring a fin with bulb and spade rudder hull. Introduced in 2010, it has a 4.2-meter beam, a 2.6-meter draft, and displaces 4849 kg. The Ker 40 is a performance racing sailboat, grouped with models like the GP42, HH42, and Fast 40+ in competitive circuits. Sigge Bjørn Mansåker is organizing a 40-foot racing class in Palma, Mallorca, to provide a competitive alternative to the TP52 circuit, initially using IRC ratings and later transitioning to ORC rules to differentiate performance among designs.0:02 This class focuses on local regattas like Palma Vela and Copa del Rey to reduce logistical costs and encourage participation from owners.18:34

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

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

Rig & sail area

Rig

Fractional Sloop

Ratios

SA / displacement

30.0

Displacement / length

74.4

Comfort ratio

12.7

Capsize screening

2.48

Hull speed

8.5 kn

Pounds / inch immersion

1948

Hull

Hull type

Fin w/bulb & spade rudder

Construction

E-glass/epoxy/foam sandwich

Production

Years built

First built 2010

Designer

Jason Ker

Builder

McConaghy 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.

Pogo 4012.18 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA pioneering Class 40 racer with a 3-metre draft and a 4,800kg displacement designed for high-speed offshore competition

Ari Huusela in the Vendée Globe1:04 from SEILmagasinet

Schock 4012.19 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthThe first production boat to feature the patented CBTF canting keel system, offering a high power-to-weight ratio

My boat doesn't have any ANODES!! 😨 | Ask The Expert with NIGEL CALDER0:18 from BoatHowTo

Bavaria Yachts 39012.15 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 12-metre fractional sloop originally built for the charter trade, featuring a 37.5% ballast ratio for coastal stability

Why Does A Sailboat Keel Fall Off?3:09 from Practical Sailor

J Boats J/12212.19 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA high-performance fractional sloop designed by Alan Johnstone, balancing a stiff 37% ballast ratio with a versatile interior

Lydia Mullan // Seamanship & the Sinking of Alliance4:29 from 59° North Sailing

Jpk 105012.15 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Jacques Valer design optimized for IRC racing, featuring a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio and dual rudders

You need a boat that performs upwind to win the Rolex Fastnet Race, says winner Jean-Pierre Kelbert.from SEILmagasinet

Arcona 41012.20 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 2009-era fractional sloop with a 2.2-metre draft and a displacement-to-ballast ratio optimized for agility

Arcona 410 Hybrid0:21 from SEILmagasinet

The family

Boats like this

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

Ker 33A Jason Ker-designed fractional sloop built for performance with a high sail area-to-displacement ratio Farr 40 One-DesignA Bruce Farr-designed fractional sloop built for pure one-design racing with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio Carkeek 40A high-performance fractional sloop with an extreme sail-area-to-displacement ratio built for competitive racing Melges 40A high-performance Botin-designed racer featuring a powerful sail-area-to-displacement ratio and a deep, bulb-weighted keel J J/40A 2024 Alan Johnstone fractional sloop featuring a high-performance fin keel and spade rudder configuration

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The fleet has more to say

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