The Bayfield 40 Sailboat

The Bayfield 40 is a classic Canadian sailboat that was designed by Ted Gozzard for cruising and first built in 1982.

It features a staysail ketch rig, a clipper bow with a bowsprit, a long keel, and a spacious interior. The boat is known for its traditional style, solid construction and comfortable sailing performance.

<i>'Island Girl'</i>, a Bayfield 40 sailboat anchored in Rodney Bay, St LuciaThe Bayfield 40 staysail ketch shows off her elegant clipper bow and long overhangs

Published Specification for the Bayfield 40

Underwater Profile: Long keel

Hull Material: GRP (Fiberglass)

Length Overall: 45'6" (13.9m) including bowsprit

Waterline Length: 30'6" (9.3m)

Beam: 12'0" (3.7m)

Draft: 4'11" (1.5m)

Rig Type: Staysail ketch

Displacement: 21,000lb (9,526kg)

Designer: Hayden Gozzard

Builder: Bayfield Boatyard (Canada)

Year First Built: 1982

Published Design Ratios for the Bayfield 40

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 16.9

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 35.1

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 291

4. Comfort Ratio: 30.7

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 1.8

read more about these all-revealing numbers...

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Bayfield 40

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1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 16.9 suggests that the Bayfield 40 will need a stiff breeze to get her going. In light conditions, unless you've got plenty of time on your hands, motor-sailing may be the way to go.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 35.1 means that the Bayfield 40 will have a tendency to heel excessively in a gust, and she'll need to be reefed early to keep her sailing upright in a moderate breeze. 

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 291, tells us the Bayfield 40 is clearly a heavy displacement cruising boat. You can load her down with all your cruising gear and equipment and it will hardly affect her waterline. Not an ideal choice for coastal sailing, but she'll come into her own on an offshore passage in testing conditions.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 30.7 suggests that crew comfort of a Bayfield 40 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a moderate bluewater cruising boat - a predictable and acceptable motion for most seasoned sailors.

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 1.8 tells us that a Bayfield 40 would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0. 

Any Questions?

Is the Bayfield 40 still in production and, if not, when did production end and how many of these sailboats were built?

The Bayfield 40 is no longer in production. The design was built by Bayfield Boat Yard in Clinton, Ontario, Canada, starting in 1984, but the company went out of business in 1988 after a factory fire which ended production. It is estimated that about 50 Bayfield 40s were built.

What is the history of the builders of the Bayfield 40 and is the company still in business?

Bayfield Boat Yard was founded by Hayden Gozzard in 1970. He started by building small sailboats and gradually expanded to larger models. He hired his brother Ted Gozzard as the chief designer in 1973. The company produced several popular designs, such as the Bayfield 25, 29, 32, and 36, before launching the Bayfield 40 in 1984.

What sailplan and rig options are available for the Bayfield 40?

The Bayfield 40 has a staysail ketch rig, with aluminium spars, a clipper bow with a bowsprit and a raised counter transom. The sail area is 794ft2 (74m2), with a mainsail area of 280ft2 (26m2) and a jib/genoa area of 514ft2 (48m2). The rig is designed to provide good balance and stability in various wind conditions.

What is the Bayfield 40 like to sail?

The Bayfield 40 is a comfortable and easy-to-sail boat that can handle various sea conditions. It has a moderate displacement of 21,000 lb (9,525 kg) and a high ballast ratio of 39%. It has a low sail area/displacement ratio of 16.9, which means it is not very fast or responsive, but it is stable and seaworthy. The boat has a long waterline of 30.50 ft (9.30 m) and a beam of 12.00 ft (3.66 m), which give it good hull speed and roominess. The boat is fitted with a Yanmar diesel engine of 44 hp (33 kW) or a Westerbeke diesel engine of 52 hp (39 kW) for docking and manoeuvring.

What is the average cost of a secondhand Bayfield 40?

The average cost of a secondhand Bayfield 40 depends on the condition, equipment, and location of the boat. According to some online listings, the price range for a used Bayfield 40 is between $60,000 and $100,000 USD.

What other sailboats have been created by the designer of the Bayfield 40?

Ted Gozzard, the designer of the Bayfield 40, has created several other sailboats, such as the Gozzard 31, Gozzard 36, Gozzard 37, Gozzard 41, Gozzard 44 and Gozzard 53. He also founded his own company, Gozzard Yachts, in 1984, which is still in operation today.

The above answers were drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; to the best of our knowledge, we believe them to be accurate.

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