Bermuda 40

Post by **Tim** » Tue Apr 15, 2003 7:22 am

I'm a sucker for sweet sheer and long overhangs. For utter beauty and class, you just can't beat the Bermuda 40 MK III (the "latest" iteration of the design featuring a taller mast and higher aspect ratio).

Though I'm not a fan of centerboards, I am a fan of shallow draft, so the B40 is attractive in that way as well. Maybe it's not the ultimate long-term cruising machine, but God, those lines...it's enough to make a grown man cry.

Too bad you never see one of these languishing in the back of a boatyard for the taking. Even lousy ones sell for close to $100,000. Ridiculous.

An attractive alternative with very similar hull shape (not including the centerboard) is the Tripp Javelin. Very few of these were built, but the hulls are gorgeous. Check out http://www.javelin38.com.

Tim

George ( Triton #236 ) · Tue Apr 15, 2003 8:49 am

Hi Tim,

I was going to add the Bermuda 40 to my list of classics just on looks alone. There's one here in the lower bay and it is easily the best looking boat afloat. I don't like centerboard boats either which is why it didn't make the list.

George
Triton #236

D. Fox · Post by **D. Fox** » Wed Apr 23, 2003 2:28 pm

I'd put the Bermuda 40 at the top of my personal list. There's a flag blue example a couple slips down from me...they're incredible. The Bristol 40 is a reasonable alternative. I'd hate to have to maintain either. If I'm spending my own money, I think it'd be a Tartan 34C. Beautiful boats (to my eye anyway), decent interior, good performance, and all with shoal draft. The Allied Seabreeze has similar looks - GOB had a good write up of one a few months ago.

Figment · Post by **Figment** » Wed Apr 23, 2003 5:29 pm

[quote="D. Fox"]I'd put the Bermuda 40 at the top of my personal list. There's a flag blue example a couple slips down from me...they're incredible. The Bristol 40 is a reasonable alternative. I'd hate to have to maintain either. quote]

Is that based on sheer size, or because of some other model-specific attribute?

D. Fox · Post by **D. Fox** » Thu Apr 24, 2003 9:07 am

Is that based on sheer size, or because of some other model-specific attribute?[/quote]

Sheer size. I'm always amazed at how quickly price escalates relative to boat size. I'd bet a decent roller-furling genoa for a 40 footer costs close to what I paid for my B27. I know its like whining about gas mileage when talking about exotic cars, but I'm a pragmatist. The things that tend to appeal to me most are the ones I can afford (like Alberg designs). Or does that just make me cheap?

Post by **dasein668** » Thu Apr 24, 2003 9:21 am

I wouldn't say cheap. I'd say realistic.

I'm constantly amazed by how many people never seem to get a chance to use their 40-something or 50-something sailboats. When questioned, invariably: too busy. Too busy working to pay for it usually.

I think the best boat is the one that you can afford to use! Otherwise, what's the point, right?

Post by **Tim** » Thu Apr 24, 2003 1:57 pm

When questioned, invariably: too busy. Too busy working to pay for it usually.

I think the best boat is the one that you can afford to use! Otherwise, what's the point, right?

AMEN, BABY!!!

Tim

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Apr 27, 2003 9:35 pm

Look for a Block Island 40, same boat, same designer, different builder, different interior. They go for about half the price of a Bermuda 40 because they don't have Hinkley in the name.

Tim wrote:I'm a sucker for sweet sheer and long overhangs. For utter beauty and class, you just can't beat the Bermuda 40 MK III (the "latest" iteration of the design featuring a taller mast and higher aspect ratio).

Though I'm not a fan of centerboards, I am a fan of shallow draft, so the B40 is attractive in that way as well. Maybe it's not the ultimate long-term cruising machine, but God, those lines...it's enough to make a grown man cry.

Too bad you never see one of these languishing in the back of a boatyard for the taking. Even lousy ones sell for close to $100,000. Ridiculous.

An attractive alternative with very similar hull shape (not including the centerboard) is the Tripp Javelin. Very few of these were built, but the hulls are gorgeous. Check out http://www.javelin38.com.

Tim

Post by **Tim** » Mon Apr 28, 2003 7:20 am

Look for a Block Island 40, same boat, same designer, different builder, different interior.

The B-40 was indeed based on the Block Island 40. However, in addition to the different deck design, there are also some subtle differences in the hull shape, mainly in the bow and counter/transom profiles. But still a very attractive boat.

Unfortunately, I'm not in the market for either one at the moment...maybe someday. The Block Island 40 is definitely one to keep in mind, and I've been remiss to not mention it already. It has that sweet sheer that only Bill Tripp could really pen.

Tim

Figment · Post by **Figment** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 9:30 am

The BoatUS newsletter arrived yesterday, complete with a little writeup on the Bermuda/Block Island 40. It was about as good as could be expected from a 3-minute read.

These boats are gorgeous. Serious cruisers. I salivate.

D. Fox · Post by **D. Fox** » Fri May 23, 2003 3:09 pm

The current issue of Cruising World has a good article by a guy who retrofitted his Seabreeze for an Atlantic crossing. I love the look of those boats. However, one of his "Things that didn't work" comments was that the centerboard sometimes banged around terribly in its housing, scaring the bejesus out of everyone aboard and generally making life miserable. I like a lot of centerboard boats, and the idea of being able to get that shallow draft, but don't think I'd ever want to live with one. I didn't consider them when I was looking for a boat (my current B27 is my first) because I wanted to avoid unncessary maintenance headaches and costs. I like T27s but ruled them out for that reason. Interesting that many of the boats in this thread are centerboarders.

Post by **Tim** » Fri May 23, 2003 3:56 pm

One reason that many of the boats in this thread are centerboarders is that these boats are mostly CCA-inspired (or designed) boats. The CCA rating rule actually encouraged centerboards (along with short waterlines and yawl rigs).

One thing to remember with centerboards (in boats like this) is that they provide resistance to leeway and marginal lift only. There is no real stability gain, as the boards are frequently lighter weight than you think; the bulk of the ballast is still contained inside the shallow keel. In some cases, there is some stability gain, but most boards only weigh a few hundres pounds at most. (You have to be able to lift it with simple machines, after all.) Most people with centerboard boats like this probably rarely even lower the things, since slightly increased leeway and decreased pointing ability is less important when sailing for fun rather than racing. And off the wind, you'd raise it anyway.

I sailed for 20 years on my Dad's C&C 40, which featured a keel-centerboard. When racing, of course we always had the board down going to windward. At the windward mark, one or two of us would always grind the ridiculous thing up with the winch dedicated to that purpose. It was heavy, and hard work. Later, when the boat was "retired" to a cruising boat only, the board was almost never lowered. It simply was unnecessary for that sort of sailing, and little overall performance loss was ever noticeable.

Still, the banging around thing is a bother at best, and dangerous at worst. That would be a problem for me too. A well-installed board should not bang. Of course, many are probably not well installed.

Tim

Post by **dasein668** » Fri May 23, 2003 6:19 pm

Tim wrote: A well-installed board should not bang. Of course, many are probably not well installed.

Not even Antonisa's board was well installed. In fact, it was so not well installed that when she arrived in the Carribbean after leaving East Boothbay for her first passage, they discovered that the centerboard was... umm... missing.

Post by **Tim** » Fri May 23, 2003 6:23 pm

Now that's an "oops"!

Tim

Jet Stream · Post by **Jet Stream** » Fri May 23, 2003 6:35 pm

That is one thing I like about the Javelin. It has the same lines as the B40 but no board. Here is an image I just received:

Is this a classic?

Post by **Tim** » Sat May 24, 2003 8:41 am

Bruce,

Is that actually Jet Stream, or is it another Javelin? Great picture--looks like the boat's going about 100 knots. Awesome.

Just about any beautiful, traditional hull is a classic in my book. In spite of my dissertation, the word has pretty open meaning for me.

Tim

JetStream · Post by **JetStream** » Sat May 24, 2003 12:22 pm

Actually, the picture is of Javelin Hull #9 "Sinsonte II" at the time, now "Harpoen" from the Bay Area. I just received quite a few photos of her.
Bruce

Post by **Tim** » Sat May 24, 2003 12:59 pm

Thanks, Bruce. I just found the rest of the pics on your site. Images to inspire you, no doubt!

Tim

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