Bristol 40 Yawl
Description
The Bristol 40 Yawl is a classic racer-cruiser sailboat from Bristol Yachts in Bristol, Rhode Island, produced from 1970 to 1986 (building on the closely related Bristol 39 from 1966–1970; total ~207 hulls across both). Designed by legendary naval architect Ted Hood, it's renowned for its timeless traditional lines: long overhangs, graceful sheer, low freeboard, narrow beam, spooned raked stem, raised counter reverse transom, and a modified full keel (with cutaway forefoot for better maneuverability). Many were built as yawls due to the appeal of the split rig and favorable treatment under the old CCA rating rule (mizzen sail area aft of the rudder post wasn't penalized). The yawl configuration offers easier shorthanded handling, better heavy-weather balance (mizzen for helm stability or mizzen staysail), and classic aesthetics—though the mizzen is often more decorative than powerful upwind (adds windage and can make the boat feel tippy if over-canvased). It's a moderate performer: solid in reaching/running, soft motion, and forgiving for coastal or offshore cruising, though it benefits from early reefing in puffs due to initial tenderness.
Construction Details
| Designer | Ted Hood |
|---|---|
| Builder | Bristol Yachts |
| Length | 40.160 ft |
| LOA | 40.170 ft |
| LWL | 27.540 ft |
| Beam | 10.750 ft |
| Displacement | 17580 lb |
| Ballast | 6500 lb |
| Max Draft | 5.370 ft |
| Min Draft | 4.920 ft |
| Year Built | 1970 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 45.50 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 14.58 ft |
| p | 39.45 ft |
| e | 16 ft |
| p2 | 18.16 ft |
| e2 | 6.75 ft |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45.50 ft | 14.58 ft | 39.45 ft | 16 ft | 18.16 ft | 6.75 ft | - | - |
Sails
Bristol 40 Yawl - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 39.45 ft - (12024 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 16 ft - (4877 mm) |
| Leech | * 41.75 ft - (12725 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 42.05 ft - (12817 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 323.79 ft² |
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Bristol 40 Yawl - JIBSAIL
| Luff | 38.22 ft - (11649 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 19.32 ft - (5889 mm) |
| Leech | * 33.18 ft - (10113 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115.02 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 16.77 ft - (5111 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12 ° |
| Area | * 320.5 ft² |
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Bristol 40 Yawl - GENOA
| Luff | 45.39 ft - (13835 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 23.55 ft - (7178 mm) |
| Leech | * 42.68 ft - (13009 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 21.87 ft - (6666 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.01 ° |
| Area | * 496.31 ft² |
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Bristol 40 Yawl - ASYMMETRICAL
| Luff | * 45.39 ft - (13835 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 24.06 ft - (7333 mm) |
| Leech | * 41.76 ft - (12728 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 819 ft² |
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Bristol 40 Yawl - MIZZEN
| Luff | 18.167 ft - (5537 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 6.75 ft - (2057 mm) |
| Leech-AftHdBd | 18.51 ft - (5642 mm) |
| Tack Ang | * 84.37 ° |
| Diag (clew/head) | 18.75 ft - (5715 mm) |
| Head (inches) | 4 in - (102 mm) |
| Area (no Roach) | * 63.17 ft² |
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Bristol 40 Yawl - STORMJIB
| Luff | * 26.28 ft - (8010 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 10.92 ft - (3328 mm) |
| Leech | * 21.6 ft - (6584 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 60.01 % |
| Length Perp | * 8.75 ft - (2667 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 18.97 ° |
| Area | * 114.99 ft² |
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Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.
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