It’s a rare occurrence for me to conduct a boat test and have an experience far from expectations. Some, I know I’ll love from the jump. Others, I know I’m really exploring how well a boat does the job it sets out to do and the audience it sets out to serve, even if perhaps it’s not for me. But a small handful of tests, which now includes the Hallberg-Rassy 40C, bring me aboard boats I didn’t know I should have been dreaming about. In this case, the 40C’s distinct character and class, its comfort and cavernous full-beam aft stateroom, its complex construction and celerity under sail—welcome to my dreams, Hallberg-Rassy 40C. Of course, I am well aware of the Swedish builder’s bluewater reputation, and I expected to revere the 40C’s cruising chops. I just didn’t know it would be such a delight to sail.
The Hallberg-Rassy DNA is on display everywhere on the 40C. Lots of the standards that the company is known for are still employed—a fiberglassed hull-to-deck joint, rods supporting the stanchions set down into that joint, and a true commitment to keeping water out of the cabin thanks to a deck-stepped mast (with compression post below), and real glass employed for dodger windows. These more traditional build practices, though, share this vessel with some distinctly modern design elements. From the hull shape carrying nearly its full beam aft to a fin bulb keel diving deeper than six feet, from an adjustable backstay to a bowsprit for flying sails including a dedicated code zero tack and a spinnaker tack a good 24 inches farther forward; from a below deck jib furler to twin rudders. Intriguing.
I arrived at the boat to find local Hallberg-Rassy dealer, Ryan Helling, already aboard with the boat’s beaming owner, Boris. It’s a special boat that leaves the owner this excited a year after he’s taken delivery! Spring sun splashed down all around, but it wasn’t very windy, nor was it forecast to be that way. I made a couple of comments about the conditions not allowing us to see what the boat can really do, eliciting responses of, “You may be surprised,” offered with knowing smirks.
The “C” in 40C stands for center cockpit, but I admit, I didn’t put that together until I stepped down into it. Hallberg-Rassy worked to keep the cockpit low for aesthetic purposes and also for safety. To my eye, it looks like a happy compromise between what comes to mind when I think of a more conventional center cockpit and an aft cockpit, and I don’t think the boat will read “center cockpit” at first glance, even for some experienced sailors.
No one would mistake the cockpit itself as an entertaining space for big parties, but the aft deck, especially with the pulpit “Gin and Tonic” seats, provides ample room to hang out and welcome others aboard. This aft deck is more than just spacious though, it’s also home to a pair of clever draining lockers and a streamlined integral davits system flanking the drop-down transom with a thoughtful little step to mitigate the high freeboard. This boat had a grill installed on the starboard aft quarter, which would be my kind of post for dinners on the hook.
Is it easy? There’s electric everything, controlled either from the winches or from the binnacle, making shorthanded sailing ever more within reach for mere mortals. The electronic array at the helm is legitimately cutting edge, with more controls than I could have hoped to understand on day one. This 40C’s beautifully finished hard dodger leaves excellent sightlines—there’s easily 18 inches of space between the top of the dodger and the boom, which was right where my gaze landed when standing at the helm. The helm itself is raised a step from the cockpit sole, under which is a compartment for the life raft. Lines run neatly under the deck from the mast and back to the cockpit. It’s cozy, comfortable, and everything is in its right place.
The 40C’s rig employs three spreaders with a gentle sweep, and still has a backstay (including its well-rigged cascade of tackle allowing for adjustment!). A pleasant aspect of this rig choice is that the lower shrouds are set inboard along the cabin-top, meaning there’s a wide, easy path forward down the side deck.
We got ready to cast off, reversing into a narrow marina fairway. I was ready to jump into action with a roving fender, but was quickly relegated back to just looking pretty, thanks to the boat’s bow and stern thrusters. Rounding the breakwater, we found a little more breeze than I worried there might be, about 5-6 knots. The spring sun made a truly gorgeous day, with both the Seattle skyline and the shape of the Olympic foothills in view. As is always the case, there was an eagerness to illustrate how easy it is to get the main out with the furler. Yup, no issue. Jib unfurled too, and we were zero to sailing in no time flat.
Alright, in this review full of superlatives, I’ll say it. The HR 40C’s Elvstrom Fat Furl main with vertical battens was the best looking in-mast furling sail I’ve seen to date—in both material and, importantly, in shape. It has a long foot length, something I appreciate in furling mains because it makes me feel like I can manipulate the shape more effectively. In its application on the 40C, though, the main’s notable attribute was power—and more of it than I anticipated.
In the light air, this 24,250-pound beast with a 13-plus foot beam didn’t exactly light up, but very quickly, we were actually sailing, efficiently making speed between 3.5 and 4.5 knots close hauled. That would have been serviceable on a race boat in those conditions, but this is a stout bluewater cruiser. The 105% jib sheets to traditional tracks just outboard of the inner shrouds; no self-tackers here, which means the designers knew people are going to actually sail this boat frequently and for long distances. This track position allows for a sheeting angle I’d estimate in the mid teens (narrower and more efficient than many cruising boats). I liked the end-boom sheeting for the main and the nice, wide traveler that runs just aft of the cockpit.
The boat’s balance under sail was remarkable. You don’t get the traditional weather helm feel because of the twin rudders, but the German Frers design was so comfortable in its own skin that on multiple occasions we changed drivers by simply walking away from the wheel while someone else stepped into place, no autopilot, no worries. Don’t fall off this thing solo, it doesn’t need you to keep sailing beautifully!
As we bit westward into Puget Sound, we found a little more breeze, which clocked north in the afternoon warmth. We had rigged the code zero before leaving the dock and, as we eased off the breeze, the big black sail unfurled smoothly. Now we were cooking. It was a lovely sail (not every code zero looks this good, even when new), and our speed quickly increased to 5.5 knots. We played around, sailing as deep as a broad reach (though not going so far as to ease the halyard) and up to a close reach, which was where the code really impressed in the light breeze. Achieving boat speed equal to the windspeed on your bluewater boat will bring a grin to anyone’s face—6.5 knots in 6.5 knots. Just, wow.
Of course, the day didn’t provide the chance to test the boat in really rough stuff, but so much of the design reflects Hallberg-Rassy’s know-how and commitment to ocean readiness, that I know it would be confidence inspiring even in the snottiest conditions.
But wait, with this genuine sailing prowess, is it comfy and cruiseable? The mind boggles. The fine finish work in the cabin wasn’t a surprise, but is still a sight to behold. If you come across more artfully crafted wooden handrails, I’d love to see them. There’s no doubt that the centerpiece of the Hallberg Rassy 40C’s interior is the full-beam aft stateroom with a very large centerline bed, accessible from either side. I’ve seen the like before, but not in a 40-footer. More than spacious, no detail has been left unattended, and the above-berth window was dreamworthy on its own.
The main salon leans traditional, and is flawlessly executed and function-forward. There are options for galley size, and this 40C had the “extra large” galley with all the bells and whistles like a dishwasher, but is still a snug seagoing galley with good places to brace and hold on. I appreciated the blend of storage above the settees and then bay-style windows adjacent that extend to the hull and provide the sense of space. There were at least a few inches of headroom for my 6-foot frame in the main salon, though I didn’t quite have full standing headroom in the luxurious aft stateroom. Another swanky berth and the head with shower are forward.
The interior hardware is exceptional as well, from the engine room providing excellent access to the 55-horsepower diesel to the solid rod steering system, from the solid wood finish work to some of the cleanest electrical panels imaginable supporting the array of luxuries like the clothes washer and dryer.
Ultimately, the 40C’s interior is liveable in the most literal sense—I’d live there. It’s a great sailing boat, and not just for its category. And it should be just as ocean-worthy as its long line of sea-sturdy predecessors. This boat does so much, offers so much, in what is a fairly compact package by modern voyaging standards. This is not a budget cruising boat option, but as I got to know the Hallberg-Rassy 40C, I couldn’t help but feel that it still delivers a lot of value. Caught in my own expectations, I was beyond impressed. I’ll be dreaming about the boat. How about you?
Joe Cline has been the Managing Editor of 48° North since 2014. Thanks to Ryan from Swiftsure Yachts and Boris for the fun sail.
