 ARC appearances in last 5 years - 14
Manufacturer's ranking - 1st
A success almost by accident, since its introduction seven years ago, the 40.7 has
hit the spot for more than 600 owners and become the iconic modern 40ft cruiser-racer. While others have worked hard to create a mid-sized production boat that would be all things to all men, the Farr-designed 40.7 has managed to span the yawning gap between a boat to thrash around the cans and one in which to take family cruising or on an Atlantic crossing.
Since her launch in 1998 she has gained larger and smaller sisters exhibiting broadly the same lines yet none has hit the spot in quite the same way as this boat.
So what is it about this 40-footer that has made her such a success?
It's tempting to look for the secret ingredient, her unique selling point (her USP, as the marketing speak goes), but she doesn't really have one. The accommodation is pretty straightforward, with little if anything in the way of innovation. Above the waterline the sail plan is a simple fractional rig with a symmetrical spinnaker and overlapping headsails, while below the slender lines and modest foils are no different from many others in her class.
On deck the cockpit looks pretty straightforward for a boat of this size and type and it's not until you sail her that you start to see what makes her different. Even then there's no startling revelation for a
new age of sailing. She's modest and well behaved, balanced, light, responsive, easy to move about on and comfortable - an all round good egg, in fact.
It's this and her sensible price that makes her such an appealing choice for so many owners. And with success comes success. As the fleet size has built, more people see the boat as common currency, a safe bet, all of which swells the ranks further leaving her competitors green with envy and none the wiser as to the secret of her success.
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