The Class40 grew out of a joint effort by designers, sailors and yards who wanted a class between the Mini and the 60-footers: a boat seaworthy enough to cross the Atlantic, yet affordable for non-professionals. The rule was drafted by journalist-skipper Patrice Carpentier, who brought the different views together. The class association was announced at the 2005 Paris boat show.
It was an immediate success, with series boats such as the Pogo 40, Jumbo 40 and Akilaria. By October 2006 the class had 54 members and 25 Class40s started the Route du Rhum. Each boat gets a permanent number when it leaves the yard: no. 1, Shere Khan 3, a Pierre Rolland Jumbo design, was launched in 2004. In March 2024 the latest number issued was 205, and no. 216 was announced in 2026. Several yards build series boats: Structures (Pogo), MC Tec (Akilaria), Jumbo Composites, FR Nautisme (Verdier design) and JPS (Mach40, Manuard design). Boat generations have followed one another, and since 2024 a separate ranking has existed for the older "pointy-bow" type of boats.
The class stars in major races: the Route du Rhum since 2006, the Transat Jacques-Vabre since 2007, The Transat and Québec–Saint-Malo since 2008, La Solidaire du Chocolat (2009 and 2012), the Normandy Channel Race, Les Sables–Horta–Les Sables, the Fastnet Race and the RORC Caribbean 600. It also has round-the-world events: the Global Ocean Race (2008-2009, 2011-2012) then the Globe 40 (2022-2023 and 2025-2026). The Class40 round-the-world record is 130 days, set by Cole Brauer in 2024.
A points championship, won twice each by Miranda Merron, Thibaut Vauchel-Camus and Phil Sharp, rewards the best boats every season. Chaired since March 2023 by Cédric de Kervenoaël (after Halvard Mabire for eight years), the association is based in Les Sables-d'Olonne. In 2021 the Class40 was the most active racing sailboat class.
The Class40 is a restricted box-rule class: hull shape, deck layout and general architecture are left open within simple limits, which keeps budgets relatively reasonable by banning certain costly devices.
The main limits are: maximum length 12.19 m (40 ft, excluding a removable bowsprit of up to 2 m), maximum beam 4.50 m, maximum draft 3 m, maximum air draft 19 m, minimum displacement 4,580 kg and maximum sail area 115 m². Keel and mast must be fixed: canting keels and canting masts are prohibited. Boats are raced solo, double-handed or fully crewed. Details on appendages, foils, materials, energy and safety are in the class rules and the yearly measurement rule published by the association.
Source: Class40 (opens in a new tab) (Wikipédia)
5 sources · updated 2 Nov 2026
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Source: Sillage, charte graphique : palette des classes (opens in a new tab)
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