The Passport 40 Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Passport 40, a masthead sloop, was designed by Bob Perry and built in Taiwan by Passport Yachts.

'Kismet', a Bob Perry designed Passport 40 Cruising Yacht

'Kismet', a Passport 40

Published Specification for the Passport 40

Underwater Profile: Fin keel and skeg-hung rudder

Hull Material: GRP (fiberglass)

Length Overall: 40'8" (12.4m)

Waterline Length: 33'8" (10.2m)

Beam: 12'8" (3.86m)

Draft: 5'9" (1.75m)

Rig Type: Masthead Sloop

Displacement: 22,771lb (10,329kg)

Designer: Bob Perry

Builder: Passport Yachts Inc (Taiwan)

Year First Built: 1980

Year Last Built: 1991

Number Built: 148

Published Design Ratios for the Passport 40

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 15.2

Less than 16 would be considered under-powered;
16 to 20 would indicate reasonably good performance;
Over 20 suggests relatively high performance.

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 37.3

Under 40: less stiff, less powerful
Over 40: stiffer, more powerful

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 272

Under 100: Ultralight
100 to 200: Light
200 to 275: Moderate
275 to 350: Heavy
Over 350: Ultraheavy

4. Comfort Ratio: 34.0

Under 20 indicates a lightweight racing boat
20 to 30 indicates a coastal cruiser
30 to 40 indicates a moderate offshore cruising boat
40 to 50 indicates a heavy offshore boat
Over 50 indicates an extremely heavy offshore boat

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 1.8

Under 2.0 (the lower the better): Better suited for ocean passages
Over 2.0: Less suited for ocean passages

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Passport 40

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1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 15.2 suggests that the Passport 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 37.3 means that the Passport 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 272, tells us the Passport 40 is a moderate displacement cruiser, which means she'll carry all your cruising gear without it having a dramatic effect on her performance. Most of today's sailboats intended for offshore cruising fall into this displacement category.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 34.0 suggests that crew comfort of a Passport 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 18.0 tells us that a Passport 40 would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0.