Challenger 40
Description
The Challenger 40 is a classic cruising sailboat designed by Robert L. Bavier and built by Challenger Yachts Corp. in Wilmington (later Costa Mesa), California, USA. Production ran from approximately 1972 to 1977, with around 20-30 units constructed, making it a rare and sought-after model today. Founded by Howard D. Stern, the builder was celebrated for its high construction standards, including being among the first to offer an unconditional hull guarantee. The boat is a fiberglass monohull available in sloop or ketch configurations, emphasizing seaworthiness, spacious interiors, and offshore capability. It features a full or 3/4-length cutaway keel with an attached rudder for stability and tracking. Not to be confused with the Canadian Challenger Yachts Ltd. or unrelated models like the Anacapa 40/Acapulco 40 (which shared molds briefly but differ in design). Owners praise its sturdy build and roominess, ideal for coastal or blue water cruising, though it's underpowered in light winds and may require upgrades for modern use.
Construction Details
| Designer | Robert L. Bavier |
|---|---|
| Builder | Challenger Yachts |
| Length | 40.000 ft |
| LOA | 29.530 ft |
| LWL | 22.170 ft |
| Beam | 21.000 ft |
| Displacement | 3086 lb |
| Max Draft | 5.910 ft |
| Min Draft | 1.310 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 45.91 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 14.16 ft |
| p | 42.91 ft |
| e | 16.83 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45.91 ft | 14.16 ft | 42.91 ft | 16.83 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 42.91 ft - (13079 mm) |
| Foot | * 16.83 ft - (5130 mm) |
| Leech | * 45.26 ft - (13795 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 45.54 ft - (13881 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 370.27 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 38.44 ft - (11717 mm) |
| Foot | * 18.64 ft - (5681 mm) |
| Leech | * 33.57 ft - (10232 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 114.97 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 16.28 ft - (4962 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12.01 ° |
| Area | * 312.87 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 45.64 ft - (13911 mm) |
| Foot | * 22.77 ft - (6940 mm) |
| Leech | * 43.04 ft - (13119 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 21.24 ft - (6474 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.98 ° |
| Area | * 484.7 ft² |
| Sail Type | ASYMMETRICAL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 45.64 ft - (13911 mm) |
| Foot | * 23.36 ft - (7120 mm) |
| Leech | * 41.99 ft - (12799 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 800 ft² |
| Sail Type | STORMJIB |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 26.42 ft - (8053 mm) |
| Foot | * 10.53 ft - (3210 mm) |
| Leech | * 21.92 ft - (6681 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 60.03 % |
| Length Perp | * 8.5 ft - (2591 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 19.03 ° |
| Area | * 112.29 ft² |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.