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Offshore 40 Nautical Development
Designer: Raymond Creekmore/Steve Lippincott  ·  Builder: Nautical Development  ·  First built: 1983
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About the Offshore 40 Nautical Development

Built during a brief three-year production run from 1983 to 1985, this distinctive 40-footer represents the collaborative design work of Raymond Creekmore and Steve Lippincott for Nautical Development. With only 14 hulls constructed, the Offshore 40 stands as a relatively rare find in today's used boat market. The yacht's design philosophy clearly emphasizes serious offshore capability, evidenced by its robust 21,500-pound displacement and substantial 9,000-pound ballast ratio. The fin keel and spade rudder configuration provides responsive handling characteristics while maintaining the directional stability crucial for extended passages. At nearly 40 feet overall with a 35-foot waterline, the hull generates a theoretical hull speed of 7.93 knots, making her well-suited for comfortable passage-making. The masthead sloop rig carries 740 square feet of sail area, delivering a moderate sail area-to-displacement ratio that favors steady performance over racing speed. Her comfort ratio of 29.25 suggests motion characteristics that lean toward the gentler end of the spectrum, while the capsize screening formula of 1.91 indicates good stability margins for offshore work. This combination of specifications points to a yacht designed primarily for serious cruising couples or small crews seeking a capable, seaworthy platform for extended coastal and offshore adventures.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 39.58 ft / 12.06 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 35.00 ft / 10.67 m
Beam 13.25 ft / 4.04 m
Max Draft 5.16 ft / 1.57 m
Displacement 21,500.00 lb / 9,752 kg
Ballast 9,000.00 lb / 4,082 kg
Ballast Type Lead
Sail Area (Reported) 740.00 ft² / 68.75 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin w/spade rudder
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Raymond Creekmore/Steve Lippincott
Builder Nautical Development
First Built 1983
Last Built 1985
Number Built 14
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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
15.37
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
41.86
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
223.87
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
29.25
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
1.91
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. 7.93 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
2.26
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. 1,657.03 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. 15.38
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 50.00 ft / 15.24 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 18.00 ft / 5.49 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 43.00 ft / 13.11 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 13.50 ft / 4.11 m
SA Fore 450.00 ft² / 41.81 m²
SA Main 290.25 ft² / 26.97 m²
SA Total (100%) 740.25 ft² / 68.77 m²
Est. Forestay Length 53.14 ft / 16.20 m
Mast Height (DWL) 54.50 ft / 16.61 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make Lehman Ford
Engine Type Diesel
Horsepower 50
Fuel Capacity 75 gals / 284 L
Water Capacity 150 gals / 568 L
How It Compares

vs. Hunter 40, North American 40, Passport 40

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Offshore 40 Nautical Development ★
39.6 ft
Hunter 40
39.6 ft
North American 40
39.7 ft
Passport 40
39.4 ft
LWL
Offshore 40 Nautical Development ★
35.0 ft
Hunter 40
32.5 ft
North American 40
32.0 ft
Passport 40
33.4 ft
Beam
Offshore 40 Nautical Development ★
13.3 ft
Hunter 40
13.4 ft
North American 40
12.6 ft
Passport 40
12.7 ft
Displacement
Offshore 40 Nautical Development ★
21 lbs
Hunter 40
17 lbs
North American 40
17 lbs
Passport 40
22 lbs
Ballast
Offshore 40 Nautical Development ★
9 lbs
Hunter 40
7 lbs
North American 40
7 lbs
Passport 40
8 lbs
Sail Area
Offshore 40 Nautical Development ★
740 sq ft
Hunter 40
787 sq ft
North American 40
Passport 40
762 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Offshore 40 Nautical Development ★
Hunter 40
108 s/nm
North American 40
90 s/nm
Passport 40
141 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Offshore 40 Nautical Development ★
15.4
Hunter 40
18.8
North American 40
Passport 40
15.2
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Offshore 40 Nautical Development ★
41.9 %
Hunter 40
North American 40
45.2 %
Passport 40
37.3 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Offshore 40 Nautical Development ★
29.3
Hunter 40
24.5
North American 40
Passport 40
34.0
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Offshore 40 Nautical Development ★
1.91
Hunter 40
2.08
North American 40
Passport 40
1.79
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Offshore 40 Nautical Development ★
223
Hunter 40
North American 40
238
Passport 40
272
Hull Speed
Offshore 40 Nautical Development ★
7.9 kts
Hunter 40
7.6 kts
North American 40
Passport 40
7.8 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Offshore 40 Nautical Development ★
2.3
Hunter 40
2.6
North American 40
Passport 40
1.9
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