Cheoy Lee Offshore 40 Yawl

Description

The Cheoy Lee Offshore 40 Yawl is a classic bluewater cruising sailboat built by Cheoy Lee Shipyard Ltd. in Hong Kong from 1964 to around 1976 (with most examples from the late 1960s to mid-1970s). It was designed by Philip Rhodes (renowned American naval architect; a cost-reduced variant of his Rhodes Reliant 41, using iron ballast and simplified construction to reduce costs and royalties while sharing similar tooling and lines). Production numbers are approximately 156 hulls built (across sloop and yawl rigs, per sailboatdata.com and Cruising World references; a limited classic with many well-preserved survivors). Special features include its full long keel for superb tracking, directional stability, and protected rudder; heavy-duty fiberglass construction (hull, deck, and cabin trunk molded to Lloyd's specifications, with Burma teak trim, laid teak decks, and original Sitka spruce spars—aluminum upgrades common); yawl rig (mizzen aft of the rudder post for balanced, short-handed sailing, often called "jib and jigger" setup); elegant low-freeboard sheerline and narrow beam for classic aesthetics and efficient performance; spacious, high-quality teak interior; and a reputation as a sturdy, comfortable offshore cruiser with excellent motion comfort, forgiving handling, and proven ocean-crossing ability—ideal for extended cruising or liveaboard, though teak maintenance and potential rig/chainplate age are considerations.