Concordia 40

Description

The Concordia 40 (commonly known as the Concordia Yawl or Concordia 40 Yawl) is an iconic American wooden classic designed by C. Raymond Hunt (with significant input from Waldo Howland of the Concordia Company) and built primarily by Abeking & Rasmussen (Lemwerder, Germany) under commission from the Concordia Company (Padanaram/Fairhaven, Massachusetts, USA) from 1938 to 1966. The first four hulls were built in the U.S., but the vast majority (99) were produced by A&R and shipped to the U.S. for finishing, resulting in a total of 103 hulls—making it the largest class of large one-design wooden sailboats ever built. It originated as a response to the 1938 New England hurricane, evolving from earlier designs like the Concordia 28 and 31, and became legendary for its timeless pre-WWII aesthetics (long overhangs, low freeboard, elegant sheer), exceptional seaworthiness, comfortable motion in rough conditions, robust construction (oak keel, steam-bent oak frames, African mahogany planking, canvas-covered deck), and versatility as a coastal/offshore cruiser. The yawl rig (with mizzen) splits sail area for easy short-handed handling, while the full keel ensures excellent tracking and stability—many have logged extensive passages, and the class remains active with a dedicated owners' association.