Nevins 40 Yawl
Description
The Nevins 40 is an iconic classic offshore cruising yawl designed by the legendary firm Sparkman & Stephens (design #1068) and hand-built in wood by Henry Nevins Inc. in City Island, New York, from 1955 to 1960. Only 12 examples were produced, making it a rare gem among mid-century bluewater yachts. Evolving directly from Carleton Mitchell's groundbreaking Finisterre—which won three consecutive Newport to Bermuda Races (1958, 1960, 1962)—the Nevins 40 refines that proven formula with a centerboard for versatile shallow-water access while retaining exceptional stability and seaworthiness. Its masthead yawl rig distributes sail power for balanced handling in heavy weather, and the plank-on-frame mahogany construction exudes timeless elegance. Ideal for long-distance voyages or coastal adventures, it's prized by purists for its "go-anywhere" ethos, with one example (Prima Donna) winning its class in the 1989 Marion-Bermuda Race.
Construction Details
| Designer | Sparkman and Stephens |
|---|---|
| Builder | Henry Nevins Inc. |
| Length | 40.000 ft |
| LOA | 40.000 ft |
| LWL | 27.500 ft |
| Beam | 11.250 ft |
| Displacement | 22000 lb |
| Ballast | 5100 lb |
| Max Draft | 7.580 ft |
| Year Built | 1955 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 47.40 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 14.33 ft |
| p | 42 ft |
| e | 13.84 ft |
| p2 | 18.84 ft |
| e2 | 7.08 ft |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 47.40 ft | 14.33 ft | 42 ft | 13.84 ft | 18.84 ft | 7.08 ft | - | - |
Sails
Nevins 40 Yawl - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 42 ft - (12802 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 13.84 ft - (4218 mm) |
| Leech | * 43.49 ft - (13256 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 43.76 ft - (13338 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 299.64 ft² |
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Nevins 40 Yawl - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 39.62 ft - (12076 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 18.81 ft - (5733 mm) |
| Leech | * 34.71 ft - (10580 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 16.48 ft - (5023 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12.01 ° |
| Area | * 326.44 ft² |
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Nevins 40 Yawl - JIBSAIL
| Luff | 45 ft - (13716 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 13.5 ft - (4115 mm) |
| Leech | 39.67 ft - (12091 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 80.39 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 11.52 ft - (3511 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 14.61 ° |
| Area | * 259.19 ft² |
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Nevins 40 Yawl - GENOA
| Luff | * 47.04 ft - (14338 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 23 ft - (7010 mm) |
| Leech | * 44.42 ft - (13539 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150.03 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 21.5 ft - (6553 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.99 ° |
| Area | * 505.68 ft² |
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Nevins 40 Yawl - ASYMMETRICAL
| Luff | * 47.04 ft - (14338 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 23.64 ft - (7205 mm) |
| Leech | * 43.28 ft - (13192 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 834 ft² |
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Nevins 40 Yawl - MIZZEN
| Luff | 18.84 ft - (5742 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 7.083 ft - (2159 mm) |
| Leech-AftHdBd | 19.59 ft - (5971 mm) |
| Tack Ang | * 87.7 ° |
| Diag (clew/head) | 19.86 ft - (6053 mm) |
| Head (inches) | 4.5 in - (114 mm) |
| Area (no Roach) | * 69.24 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.