Valiant Yachts 40-2
Cutter · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · 1981–1992
A Robert Perry-designed cutter built for offshore passage-making, featuring a skeg-hung rudder and a stiff, heavy hull
Designed by Robert H. Perry, built by Uniflite.
- LOA
- Beam
- Draft (max)
- Displacement
- Ballast
- Hull type
- Fin With Rudder On Skeg
See her sail
The Valiant Yachts 40-2, on the water
The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.
Footage from keeldragger
Is it for you?
Character
Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.
Her moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 34 — a sea-kindly motion in a seaway.
1.75 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.
256 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.
15.5 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.
34% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.
Built heavy and sea-kindly — a boat made to cross oceans and forgive a rough night.
- Heavier than ~82% of boats her size on file
Compared with 2814 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.
The living fleet
Sailed by the fleet
The channels sailing this model, and where they were last seen.
Seen 99 times across 6 channels of the fleet.
On the water
The Valiant Yachts 40-2 on video
What broke, what changed
Gear aboard, as the crews told it
Moments from individual boats of this model that the fleet has filmed — one crew, one piece of kit, one day on the water. Not a review of the class, and not a count of anything.
ReplacedDyneemain place of hydraulic adjustable back stay
A new lashed Dyneema backstay was installed to replace a frequently failing hydraulic system.
aboard keeldraggerseen September 202417:03
ReplacedHydrovanein place of old one
The new Hydrovane replaced a 2006-era unit due to a need for a larger rudder and stronger shaft.
aboard keeldraggerseen July 20240:11
ReplacedRaymarinein place of BNG Triton 2 instrument displays
The speaker is replacing old instrument displays with new ones.
aboard keeldraggerseen January 20241:37
ReplacedVolvo Pentain place of Beta 35
The old engine was removed to make way for a new one
aboard keeldraggerseen October 20228:40
FailedGoPro
The sailor realized a GoPro camera was not recording during a maneuver.
aboard keeldraggerseen June 202415:39
ComparedNavionicsweighed against Navionics chart on my chart plotter
The speaker notes a discrepancy between the mobile app and the chart plotter regarding fish farming operations.
aboard keeldraggerseen March 202513:37
ComparedWindyweighed against PredictWind
The speaker uses Windy for visual weather but prefers PredictWind.
aboard keeldraggerseen May 20241:58
InstalledGarmin
All new electronics, including the chart plotter, are Garmin.
aboard keeldraggerseen March 202610:13
InstalledVulcan
The speaker is installing a new chart plotter at the helm.
aboard keeldraggerseen January 20241:27
InstalledBalmar
The sailor recently installed a Balmar MC-618 charge controller to protect the alternator from overheating with the new lithium batteries.
aboard keeldraggerseen December 2023watch
Each line is one crew's account of their own boat. Another Valiant Yachts 40-2 may be fitted out entirely differently.
What they go for
Market signal
Where the fleet has seen this model for sale, and the asking prices that came with it.
The creator made an offer and reached an agreed purchase price, contingent on survey
from keeldraggerseen November 2019watch
Valiant 40 listed for $55,000 in Florida, considered a killer deal for a boat usually over $100,000
from Be The Captainseen April 2025watch
A specific Valiant 40 is for sale in Florida for $120,000, prompting the review
from Lady K Sailingseen October 20250:13
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.
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.
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 Valiant Yachts 40-2, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.
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