Bristol 39 and Bristol 40
Built by Bristol Yachts
Production (39) 1966-1971
Number built - 58
Production (40) 1970-1997
Number built - 149
Bristol 39 and Bristol 40
Built by Bristol Yachts
Production (39) 1966-1971
Number built - 58
Production (40) 1970-1997
Number built - 149
Here's some information (and opinions) on the Bristol 39/40 that I hope may inspire some dialogue.
Despite some uncertainty in the press, I believe that the 39 and 40 are
the same boat (or so nearly so it doesn't matter) so we can talk about
the two together.
Reproduction of a Bristol 40 brochure courtesy of Rick Stanley.
Cockpit: Cockpit seat hatches are scuppered. Molded winch bases with cockpit cutouts provide
handy storage for winch handles. Main sheet traveler is mounted on fiberglass bridge.
Deck Hardware: All hardware is chrome-plated bronze, stainless steel or high strength alloys.
Interior: Designed to please! Main cabin has a convertible dinette to port with upper and
lower berths to starboard. Fixed table with hinged extensions is standard. Main cabin bulkheads are
in formica (teak or mahogany optional). Main cabin floor teak plywood or carpeted. Several storage drawers and a
large chart drawer are also standard. Galley (aft) layout provides generous working space away from
main passage. Galley includes pressurized hot and cold water faucets: cold water hand pump; 3 burner
alcohol stove with oven; electric refrigerator; and storage drawers. Teak trim below decks. Large hanging
area aft of refrigerator is perfect for wet gear and boots. Passageway between cabins has second
hanging locker, a stand (5 drawer) with shelf and large caninet behind. Ampe head compartment ...
with two (2) doors providing private access from either forward or main cabin. Head fitted with ten
(10) drawers for storage and two (2) shelf compartments for linens. Entire head floor of molded
fiberglass .. makes excellent shower facility and simplifies cleaning. Hot and cold pressure water
system is standard for both wash basin and shower. Forward stateroom offers two(2) V-berths;
dressing area; hanging locker; and separate access to spacious head.
Engine Installation: 25 HP Volvo diesel, MD2b, with reduction. Bronze propeller shaft runs
in bristol-type rubber mounted shaft connected to engine with rattle-proof ball joints. Water
temperature, oil pressure, and ammeter gauges are located on aft side of cabin house. Two bladed
solid sailboat propeller. Oversized non-breakable fuel filter. Engine room exhaust blower ... as
well as natural forced draft ventilation (Coast Guard appoved). Engine comaprtment is easily
accessible ... with all switches and shutoff valves close at hand.
Electrical System: Heavy-duty system ... using alternator on engine and two (2) 12-volt marine
batteries with four-way switch. Bow, stern and side running lights. Interior (8) lights. Courtesy night
lights in cabin. 110-volt shore power ... with four (4) outlets.
Tanks:
Pressure water system (8-gallon hot water heater has two stainless steel water tanks (130 gallons)
with deck fill. fuel tank (monel) ... 25 gallon capacity.
Spars & Rigging: Anodized aluminum mast. Stainless steel standing rigging. Stainless steel
wire halyards. Geared roller reefing with internal outhaul at gooseneck. Main boom downhaul.
Colors: Owner may specify colors (from standard color selections) to be molded into hull and
deck and choose from a variety of available colors for boot-top, anti-fouling bottom paint,
cove stripe and mattresses.
Interior: Because of their (then) wide beam these boats were thought to be quite
commodious at the time. Now, when 40' boats have a beam of 13' and a
waterline length of 35', they seem cramped below. It's all relative.
"Nottoway" has a varnished teak interior, with teak and holly ply cabin
sole. Quite a bit of matte white formica and a white overhead lightens
the interior. Some Bristols had mahogany interior, some had mostly
formica in colors them have now, thankfully, gone out of fashion.
For four or fewer, the interior is comfortable and well thought out.
Also very handsome. "Nottoway" has been fitted with a Shipmate propane
stove with 40 lbs. of gas on deck and a compressor driven
freezer/fridge--a custom installation. Both are very worthwhile for
anything other than short term cruising. The stove and ice box (now
freezer) were modified for liveaboard in the Bahamas. "Nottoway" now
cruises New England but I wouldn't trade them. The head is a wonder,
spacious and convenient with a h/c shower with sump. The head doors
permit entry from either cabin and also can separate the cabins. Very
ingenious. "Nottoway" has six opening, screened ports. Very nice for ventilation
but sometimes hard to keep watertight.
The cockpit lockers on both sides are cavernous, swallowing fenders,
lines, two anchors, the hot water heater, the life raft and who knows
what else. The lazarette tends to be full of eight life jackets plus
other odds and ends. How do boats manage with NO cockpit lockers?
The main sheets to a small traveler just forward of the wheel which
means the helmsman can sheet the main and reach the jib winches (at the
least the after pair) which is very handy for short handed sailing.
"Nottoway" is rigged for both a r/f jib and a self-tending club-footed
jib. We don't use the club footed jib as it uses the same luff track at
he r/f jib and also it doesn't really provide enough power for most
conditions. The self-tending rig now stays in the garage.
Because "Nottoway" is a wanderer, she is over-anchored, with 35 lb. plow
on the bow, with 3/8" chain and a hand windlass--which sill can be a
lot of work if there's a lot of chain out. She also has 50 lb Luke and
a 22 lb. Danforth. I hope I never have to use all at once.The 7'11" Dyer Dhow fits on the cabin top.
The Practical Sailor review repeats the common view that Bristol 39/40s
are tender. I think it's true, even given that modern boats are stiffer
than boats from the 60s and 70s. Because "Nottoway" is fast in light air
anyway, her new r/f jib is now a 125 per cent rather than the 150 per
cent it replaced. I haven't missed the extra overlap. Quite a few
Bristols, I've heard, have added internal ballast. I'd like to add about
500 lbs. in the bilge, but I'm not worrying about it.
Practical Sailor also writes of the Bristol's range of positive
stability being only about 120 degrees. (This article was written not too long
after the Fastnet race disaster so ultimate stability was a hot topic.)
120 degrees was considered about the conservative minimum for ocean
sailing. Now, my guess is that 120 degrees would look pretty good to the
wider, lighter brand of cruisers.
"Nottoway" has the ubiquitous Perkins 4-107 which suits her well, giving
6 knots cruising, and burning less than a gallon per hour. It is,
however, crammed into the boat, with the stuffing box almost
inaccessible which nearly sank me once when I was singlehanding. A lot
of glass work went into making more space for the shat coupling and
stuffing box.
In short:
Practical Sailor, in its much quoted review of the Bristol 39/40 of
April 1, 1989, says that 150 40s were built, many fewer 39s. My wife and
I own Bristol 39 #47, a centerboarder named "Nottoway" built in 1970.
Bristol 40 Standard Equipment
Hull & Deck: Molded high-impact fiberglass reinforced polyester resin ... largely woven
roving,strongest material available. Hull and deck thicknesses vary to suit structural demands.
Deckhouse,deck and cockpit are integrally molded. Deck clamp and cove stripe molded with hull.
Non-skid pattern molded into dec, seats and cabin top. Deck layout reflects careful planning.
Opening hatch forward (hinged to open either forward or aft) is large enough to permit handling
sailbags. Molded seahood is standard and molded rail from seahood to aft is perfect mount for a
dodger. All rails, coamings and trim are teak ... furnished natural, sealed or varnished (as desired).
Dorade boxes for cabin ventilation (forward) and engine room ventilator cowl scoops are mounted on
Dorade boxes to prevent shipping water into engine room.
Specs according to a Bristol Yachts sales brochure:
Designer: Ted Hood
Builder: Bristol Yachts
LOA: 39'81/2"
LWL: 27'61/2"
Beam: 10'9"
Draft: (Keel) 5' 4 1\2", (CB up) 4' 0"
Displacement: 17,580#
Ballast: 6500#
Sleeping Capacity: 6
Sail area (sloop):2 694 sq. ft.
Bristol 39/40 line drawings
Bristol 39/40 sloop sail plan
The design: Traditionalist agree that the Bristol 39/40 is a pretty boat
(like the 32 which closely resembles it). Long ends, short waterline,
pronounced sheer and fairly low cabin make for a classic look.
Production was from 1966 to 1986 according to Practical sailor.
The 1960s Sparkman & Stephens yawl Finisterre, one of the winningest
ocean racers of all time is stepfather to a number of similar boats that
have also made good dual purpose boats. Among them are the Hinckley
Bermuda 40, the Block Island 40, Alden Challenger and the Bristol 39/40.
All these boats share some characteristics that, at least the time of
their design set them apart: they combined fairly wide beam, shallow
draft and heavy displacement for their waterline length. By modern
standards, they are narrow, with a short waterline, but still heavy with
a shallow draft. Even the keel Bristol 39/40 has a relatively shallow
draft.
Apparently there were a number of interior arrangement offered in the
39/40. My brochure shows one plan with a dinette to port, upper and
lower berths to starboard and the V berth in the forward cabin. The
other has two upper and lowers in the main cabin, the V forward. In both
versions, the head is full width with three doors.
"Nottoway" has neither of these arrangements, but has only two berths in
the main cabin (with a ill-conceived provision for canvas pipe berths
over them) and V berth forward. With only four berths, "Nottoway" has
lots of stowage more than 50 drawers and lockers and with no quarter
berth, lots of cockpit stowage and a decent lazarette. Water tankage is
good by any standard, about 125 gallons, but only about 25 of diesel.On deck:
The cockpit is nearly 8' long which is great for comfortable sailing but
causes some to worry that in case of a boarding sea, the weight of water
in the cockpit could be dangerous. Particularly because the Bristol
39/40 does not have a high bridge deck separating the cockpit from the
companionway but only a sill of about six inches. I love the low sill
and in most conditions is a positive safety factor, keeping the crew low
in boat as they enter of leave the cockpit.Construction:
The construction has certainly been adequate to the job considering how
well Bristols have aged and how far they have ranged in their cruises.
Compared to a Hinckley, for instance, the construction is not over-heavy
and a little crude in spots. "Nottoway's" hull is solid glass, the deck
is glass with ply reinforcements, the cabin top is balsa cored. All has
stood the test of time. The centerboard is glass and not too heavy. We
have a custom centerboard pennant that leads to a wire winch on the
cabin top near the cockpit. The original pennant lead to the cockpit
seat side and was thought to have too many turns and too much friction. Our
board doesn't like to go down under all sailing conditions, and then
likes to clank in the box at anchor. Neither of which I know how to fix.
Any ideas?Under sail:
I find "Nottoway" to be surprisingly fast in light to moderate reaching
conditions. She won't point like a modern boat but tacks in less than 90
degrees. A more objective standard of 39/40 speed is their PHRF rating
of about 165 which is very close to the Bermuda 40, Block Island 40 and
Concordia Yawl. Having spent quite a bit of time in 39/40s and
Concordias, I'd bet on the Bristol in light condition and the Concordia
in a strong breeze. Nevertheless, a Bristol has won it's class in the
Marion-Bermuda Race more than once so in the right hands, it can be a
potent racer.
"Nottoway" suits my wife and me very well. We think she is pretty and
she is easy for two (her usual crew) to sail. And we don't really want
to sail with more than four. She's been well modified for long distance
cruising and she will take us anywhere we're brave enough to go. She's
seen the East Coast from the Bahamas to Canada, and may well see it all
again.
I'd be happy to correspond with other owners or interested parties. You
can reach me, Spencer Smith by e mail at bizbks@aol.com.
BTW, according to Dieter Empacher, who was the naval architect involved,
the 39 and 40 are from the same molds. The only difference is deck hardware
and interior layout. Further the centerboard and full keel versions
all start out the same, they just took a saw to the full keel hull after
it was layed up.
.
