The S40 One Design is heading to Australia. Rules? What rules???!

by Tim Newton on 22 Oct 2009
Something a little different is about to hit our race courses in Australia. It’s the new S40 One Design from the design board of Javier Soto Acebal. In between his designs for Wally Yachts and the TP52 circuit he came up with a 12 metre one-design yacht that promises true grand prix racing at an affordable price.

Longitude Yachts is bringing the S40 One Design into the country with the first arriving in February. Whilst production only started this year, there are already five of them racing in the South American circuit beating up on the 50 footers in the fleet.

Builders, M Boats of Buenos Aires, have worked with Javier Soto Acebal to come up with an affordable, fast and simple yacht with a striking appearance. With it’s topside 'winglets', square-top main and reverse sheer the boat will certainly stand out in a fleet.

Whilst designed for serious racing there is also adequate accommodation and comforts underdeck in line with the current generation of racing yachts. But there's not a lot f fabric and timber frippery if that's what you're looking for. Upstairs the cockpit boasts the biggest space for skipper and crew compared to any other 40 footer on the market. Crew ergonomics and a deep cockpit provide an excellent workspace that also lowers the yacht's centre of gravity.

The carbon rig carries two sets of swept-back spreaders, non-overlapping jibs and masthead asymmetrics tacked to a fixed bow sprit. Sailing upwind, the S40 One Design has nearly 100sm of sail exposed in a highly efficient sail plan including the square-top main. Twin backstays provide tension for the forestay. Underneath 50% of the displacement gives the yacht excellent stability.

Simplicity has been the key to the construction with production in mind, along with reduced costs and reduced weight. The S40 One Design is constructed in a female mould. Vacuum E-Glass and Core-cell with epoxy resin is used throughout. The internal structure has a grid with centre longitudinals and keel floors, side bunks as well as 'L' shape stringers and bulkheads. 12 metres of simplicity and innovation.

As for how much? Longitude Yachts won’t give us the exact price at the moment but promise that you will get an S40 racing on the water with sails for under $400,000. At that price point there really isn’t much else around in a 40ft racing yacht. As a bonus, the S40 will race competitively in IRC and AMS as well.

Check out the website - www.longitudeyachts.com - for heaps of info, pictures and video of the new S40.