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

Sun Odyssey 415 - Sailing Preview at the Genoa Boat Show0:12 from SVN solovelanet

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

Linjett 36 won Boat of the Year - See Linjett's reaction 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.

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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

Boats like this

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

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

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