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Bristol 411
Designer: Ted Hood  ·  Builder: Bristol Yachts Inc. (Usa)  ·  First built: 1981
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About the Bristol 411

Designed by renowned naval architect Ted Hood, this substantial 41-footer represents Bristol Yachts' commitment to building serious offshore cruising vessels during the 1980s and early 1990s. With its deep keel configuration and impressive 10,500-pound ballast, the Bristol 411 delivers the stability and seaworthiness that made Bristol's reputation among bluewater sailors. The masthead sloop rig provides straightforward sail handling, while the boat's moderate sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 14.99 suggests a design prioritizing comfort and safety over outright speed. A comfort ratio of 38.06 indicates excellent motion characteristics in seaway conditions, making long passages more pleasant for crew. The capsize screening formula of 1.74 falls well within acceptable parameters for offshore work, reflecting Hood's conservative approach to hull design. Built during Bristol's heyday from 1981 to 1994, only 104 examples were constructed, making this a relatively exclusive design. The fiberglass construction typical of the era has proven durable, with many examples still actively cruising today. This boat excels at coastal and offshore cruising, offering the kind of solid, predictable sailing characteristics that inspire confidence in challenging conditions while maintaining reasonable performance in lighter air.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 41.14 ft / 12.54 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 33.33 ft / 10.16 m
Beam 12.92 ft / 3.94 m
Max Draft 10.00 ft / 3.05 m
Min Draft 4.50 ft / 1.37 m
Displacement 26,530.00 lb / 12,034 kg
Ballast 10,500.00 lb / 4,763 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 830.00 ft² / 77.11 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Keel/Cbrd.
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Ted Hood
Builder Bristol Yachts Inc. (USA)
First Built 1981
Last Built 1994
Number Built 104
Related Sailboats ["Tartan 4100" · "Morgan Out Island 416" · "Contest 41" · "Sweden Yachts 41" · "Islander 41 Gurney"]
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Performance Ratios
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 14.99
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 39.58
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 319.88
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 38.06
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 1.74
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 7.74 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 1.4
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 1,538.67 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 14.25
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 53.00 ft / 16.15 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 16.83 ft / 5.13 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 45.00 ft / 13.72 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 15.25 ft / 4.65 m
SA Fore 446.00 ft² / 41.43 m²
SA Main 343.13 ft² / 31.88 m²
SA Total (100%) 789.13 ft² / 73.31 m²
Est. Forestay Length 55.61 ft / 16.95 m
Mast Height (DWL) 59.00 ft / 17.98 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make Westerbeke
Engine Type Diesel
Fuel Capacity 80 gals / 303 L
Water Capacity 180 gals / 681 L
How It Compares

vs. Contest 41, Morgan Out Island 416, Sweden Yachts 41

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Bristol 411 ★
41.1 ft
Contest 41
41.0 ft
Morgan Out Island 416
41.3 ft
Sweden Yachts 41
41.0 ft
LWL
Bristol 411 ★
33.3 ft
Contest 41
32.5 ft
Morgan Out Island 416
34.0 ft
Sweden Yachts 41
32.7 ft
Beam
Bristol 411 ★
12.9 ft
Contest 41
12.7 ft
Morgan Out Island 416
13.8 ft
Sweden Yachts 41
12.8 ft
Displacement
Bristol 411 ★
26 lbs
Contest 41
27 lbs
Morgan Out Island 416
27 lbs
Sweden Yachts 41
18 lbs
Ballast
Bristol 411 ★
10 lbs
Contest 41
9 lbs
Morgan Out Island 416
9 lbs
Sweden Yachts 41
8 lbs
Sail Area
Bristol 411 ★
830 sq ft
Contest 41
—
Morgan Out Island 416
877 sq ft
Sweden Yachts 41
—
Performance
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Bristol 411 ★
15.0
Contest 41
—
Morgan Out Island 416
15.7
Sweden Yachts 41
—
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Bristol 411 ★
39.6 %
Contest 41
33.5 %
Morgan Out Island 416
33.3 %
Sweden Yachts 41
43.5 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Bristol 411 ★
38.1
Contest 41
40.8
Morgan Out Island 416
34.9
Sweden Yachts 41
—
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Bristol 411 ★
1.74
Contest 41
1.69
Morgan Out Island 416
1.85
Sweden Yachts 41
—
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Bristol 411 ★
319
Contest 41
354
Morgan Out Island 416
306
Sweden Yachts 41
239
Hull Speed
Bristol 411 ★
7.7 kts
Contest 41
7.6 kts
Morgan Out Island 416
7.8 kts
Sweden Yachts 41
—
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Bristol 411 ★
1.4
Contest 41
—
Morgan Out Island 416
1.4
Sweden Yachts 41
—
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