Jeanneau Sun Fast 40

A Daniel Andrieu racer/cruiser Jeanneau no longer builds, suited to sailors who want a quick, easy-steering yacht for racing with room to cruise in comfort.

The Sun Fast 40 was designed by Daniel Andrieu with Jeanneau as a boat you could race hard at the weekend and still cruise comfortably. She's no longer in production, so you'd be looking at her on the used market, but the thinking behind her still holds up.

Jeanneau wanted her quick on every point of sail and competitive under any measurement system. The deep keel is a big part of that. It combines iron and lead, draws 2.4 m and gives her an easy helm with a wide groove, which means you don't have to fight her to keep her going well.

Up top she carries a triple spreader rig with swept-back spreaders. Without running backs or lower shrouds there's less to handle when you tack, and an adjustable backstay lets you tune the rig as conditions change. On deck the hardware is all Harken, the traveller is mounted in the cockpit and she was fitted with upgraded winches.

Overall length is 12.2 m, with a hull length of 11.75 m. Below there are 2 or 3 cabins, and she carries 320 l of fresh water and 136 l of fuel. She's rated for a maximum of 4 people.