BoatsManta 40

Manta 40

Catamaran, twin keels · Fractional Sloop · First built 1994

An Erik LeRouge-designed performance catamaran with a high sail area-to-displacement ratio for spirited cruising

Designed by LeRouge & Erik Lerouge, built by Endeavour Yachts.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Hull type
Catamaran Twin Keel

See her sail

The Manta 40, on the water

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

Footage from Adventureman Dan

Is it for you?

Character

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

Shoal draughtDraws 1.12 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 98
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 31.5

What the fleet has seen

The Manta 40, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Manta 40 is a fractional sloop catamaran with twin keels, designed by Erik LeRouge and built by Endeavour Yachts and Endeavour Catamaran Corp. from 1994 to the present. It measures 12.1 meters LOA, has a 6.4-meter beam, a 1.1-meter draft, and displaces 5896 kg. The Manta 40 is an extended version of the Manta 38, itself based on LeRouge's earlier FREYDIS design. Aboard *Adventureman Dan*, a 2003 Manta Mark II 42-foot catamaran named *Nau and Zen* features a dolphin chaser at the bow, a self-tacking jib on its own boom, and a cockpit with a deep well and large scuppers designed to drain wave flooding.0:04 The helm sits high, offering sightlines to all four corners.31:03 The salon includes a well-organized electrical cabinet with dual inverters and both 12V and 120V load panels.8:57 Owners Leslie and Ralph have lived and sailed aboard for 16 years, splitting time between the Bahamas and chartering in Jacksonville, Florida.0:04 Another 2005 Manta 42, seen on *Adventureman Dan*, has a 21-foot beam, a 4-foot draft, and a 61-foot air draft, making it suitable for the Intracoastal Waterway.0:42 This vessel is designed for cruising couples and single-handed operation, utilizing a single electric winch at the helm for mainsheet, halyard, and jib sheet control.2:21 It features a hard bimini with a 1,000-watt solar array and a rainwater collection system.2:19 The owners upgraded the original lead-acid battery bank to a 1,680-amp-hour lithium system.9:49

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen 2 times across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Manta 40 on video

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
31.5
Displacement / length
97.8
Hull
Hull type
Catamaran Twin Keel
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 1994
Designer
LeRouge, Erik Lerouge
Builder
Endeavour Yachts

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.

Fastcat 39512.01 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA high-performance fractional catamaran from Simonis-Voogd, featuring a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for speed
Dragonfly 4012.40 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA high-performance swing-wing trimaran featuring carbon-fiber construction and a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio
Beneteau Blue 4112.34 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA 12.34-metre catamaran with a twin-keel hull, designed as a larger version of the Blue II
Rapido 4012.03 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 12-metre trimaran with a 2.18-metre draft and a 36.71 SA/D ratio, built for speed since 2020
Lagoon 41012.37 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA French-built fractional sloop catamaran designed by VPLP to succeed the US-built Lagoon 42

The family

Boats like this

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

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

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

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