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King 40
Designer: Mills Design  ·  Builder: Summit Yachts (Usa)  ·  First built: 2001
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About the King 40

Mills Design created this impressive 40-footer for Summit Yachts as a performance-oriented cruiser that bridges the gap between racing and comfortable passage-making. Built from 2001 onward, the King 40 showcases a modern fin keel with bulb and spade rudder configuration that delivers excellent upwind performance while maintaining good directional stability. The fractional sloop rig generates substantial sail area relative to displacement, giving this boat spirited performance in light to moderate conditions. With a respectable sail area-to-displacement ratio of 22.15 and hull speed of 7.90 knots, the King 40 rewards skilled sailors with impressive boat speeds. The relatively low comfort ratio of 24 indicates this design prioritizes performance over interior volume, making it ideal for sailors who value sailing ability over maximum living space. The boat's moderate displacement of 15,653 pounds combined with nearly 50% ballast ratio provides excellent stability and sea-keeping abilities. This makes the King 40 well-suited for coastal cruising and weekend racing, though its robust construction and seaworthy design characteristics also make it capable of offshore passages. The capsize screening formula of 1.94 falls within acceptable ranges for ocean sailing, reflecting the designer's attention to creating a truly versatile sailing platform.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 39.73 ft / 12.11 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 34.78 ft / 10.60 m
Beam 12.14 ft / 3.70 m
Max Draft 8.23 ft / 2.51 m
Displacement 15,653.00 lb / 7,100 kg
Ballast 7,275.00 lb / 3,300 kg
Ballast Type Lead
Sail Area (Reported) 863.00 ft² / 80.18 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin w/bulb & spade rudder
Rigging Type Fractional Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Mills Design
Builder Summit Yachts (USA)
First Built 2001
Related Sailboats J/39 · X 402 · Hanse 400 2008 2014 · X4 · Contest 40S
Owner Reviews

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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
22.15
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
46.48
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
166.1
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
24
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
1.94
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. 7.90 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
3.79
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. 1,508.67 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. 22.15
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 53.31 ft / 16.25 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 15.42 ft / 4.70 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 52.49 ft / 16.00 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 17.22 ft / 5.25 m
ISP (Spinnaker Luff) 58.46 ft / 17.82 m
SPL/TPS 21.69 ft / 6.61 m
SA Fore 411.02 ft² / 38.19 m²
SA Main 451.94 ft² / 41.99 m²
SA Total (100%) 862.96 ft² / 80.17 m²
Est. Forestay Length 55.50 ft / 16.92 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make Yanmar w/saildrive
Engine Model 3JH4E
Engine Type Diesel
Horsepower 39
Fuel Capacity 26 gals / 98 L
Water Capacity 53 gals / 201 L
How It Compares

vs. Contest 40S, Hanse 400 2008 2014, J/39, X 402, X4

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
King 40 ★
39.7 ft
Contest 40S
39.7 ft
Hanse 400 2008 2014
39.7 ft
J/39
39.8 ft
X 402
39.7 ft
X4
39.7 ft
LWL
King 40 ★
34.8 ft
Contest 40S
30.8 ft
Hanse 400 2008 2014
35.4 ft
J/39
33.5 ft
X 402
33.2 ft
X4
34.1 ft
Beam
King 40 ★
12.1 ft
Contest 40S
12.7 ft
Hanse 400 2008 2014
13.3 ft
J/39
13.0 ft
X 402
12.9 ft
X4
12.5 ft
Displacement
King 40 ★
15 lbs
Contest 40S
26 lbs
Hanse 400 2008 2014
18 lbs
J/39
16 lbs
X 402
13 lbs
X4
17 lbs
Ballast
King 40 ★
7 lbs
Contest 40S
10 lbs
Hanse 400 2008 2014
5 lbs
J/39
6 lbs
X 402
6 lbs
X4
6 lbs
Sail Area
King 40 ★
863 sq ft
Contest 40S
767 sq ft
Hanse 400 2008 2014
1 sq ft
J/39
720 sq ft
X 402
703 sq ft
X4
818 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
King 40 ★
Contest 40S
186 s/nm
Hanse 400 2008 2014
J/39
45 s/nm
X 402
78 s/nm
X4
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
King 40 ★
22.2
Contest 40S
14.0
Hanse 400 2008 2014
26.1
J/39
16.9
X 402
20.2
X4
19.2
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
King 40 ★
46.5 %
Contest 40S
38.5 %
Hanse 400 2008 2014
J/39
39.4 %
X 402
51.7 %
X4
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
King 40 ★
24.0
Contest 40S
40.8
Hanse 400 2008 2014
25.0
J/39
33.7
X 402
19.2
X4
26.7
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
King 40 ★
1.94
Contest 40S
1.71
Hanse 400 2008 2014
2.01
J/39
1.61
X 402
2.19
X4
1.92
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
King 40 ★
166
Contest 40S
397
Hanse 400 2008 2014
J/39
168
X 402
161
X4
Hull Speed
King 40 ★
7.9 kts
Contest 40S
7.4 kts
Hanse 400 2008 2014
8.0 kts
J/39
9.4 kts
X 402
7.7 kts
X4
7.8 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
King 40 ★
3.8
Contest 40S
1.0
Hanse 400 2008 2014
3.3
J/39
X 402
3.6
X4
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