Caliber 40

{{Short description|Sailboat class}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}

{{Use American English|date=May 2020}}

{{Infobox sailboat specifications

|name =Caliber 40 LRC

|class_image =

|line drawing =

|line size =

|line alt =

|line caption =

|image boat =

|image size =

|image alt =

|image caption =

|designer = Michael McCreary

|location = United States

|year = 1995

|no built =

|design =

|class =

|brand =

|builder = Caliber Yachts

|role = Cruiser

|boats =

|crew =

|trapeze =

|draft = {{convert|5.08|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|air draft =

|displacement = {{convert|21600|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}

|hulls =

|hull type = Monohull

|construction = Fiberglass

|loa = {{convert|40.92|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|loh =

|lwl = {{convert|32.50|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|beam = {{convert|12.67|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|hull draft =

|hull weight =

|engine = Yanmar 4JH3 (B)E {{convert|56|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} diesel engine

|appendages =

|keel type = fin keel

|ballast = {{convert|9500|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}

|rudder type = skeg-mounted rudder

|rigs =

|rig type = Bermuda rig

|I = {{convert|50.50|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|J = {{convert|17.25|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|P = {{convert|45.75|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|E = {{convert|13.25|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|mast length =

|rig other =

|sails =

|sailplan = Cutter rigged sloop

|sailarea main = {{convert|303.09|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}

|sailarea headsail = {{convert|435.56|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}

|sailarea spin =

|sailarea gen =

|sails other =

|sailarea upwind =

|sailarea downwind =

|sailarea total = {{convert|738.66|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}

|rating =

|d-pn =

|rya-pn =

|phrf =

|status =

|previous =

|successor =

}}

The Caliber 40 is an American sailboat that was designed by Michael McCreary as a cruiser and first built in 1992.{{cite web|url = https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/caliber-40|title = Caliber 40 sailboat|access-date = 14 May 2020|last = McArthur|first = Bruce|work = sailboatdata.com|year = 2020|archiveurl = https://archive.today/20200518125013/https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/caliber-40|archivedate = 18 May 2020|url-status = live}}{{cite web|url = https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/caliber-40-lrc|title = Caliber 40 LRC sailboat |access-date = 14 May 2020|last= McArthur| first = Bruce |work = sailboatdata.com|year = 2020|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20181019220259/https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/caliber-40-lrc|archivedate =19 October 2018|url-status= live}}Sherwood, Richard M.: A Field Guide to Sailboats of North America, Second Edition, pages 370-371. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1994. {{ISBN|0-395-65239-1}}

Production

The design was built by Caliber Yachts in the United States, starting in 1992, but it is now out of production.{{cite web|url =https://sailboatdata.com/builder/caliber-yachts-usa|title = Caliber Yachts|access-date = 14 May 2020|last= McArthur| first = Bruce |work = sailboatdata.com|year = 2020|archiveurl = https://archive.today/20220414120138/https://sailboatdata.com/builder/caliber-yachts-usa|archivedate =14 April 2022|url-status= live}}

Design

The Caliber 40 is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of fiberglass, with teak wood trim. It has a cutter rig, with anodized aluminum spars, a bowsprit, a raked stem and reverse transom, with a swing-down swimming ladder and hand-held shower. It features a skeg-mounted rudder controlled by a wheel and a fixed fin keel. The boat displaces {{convert|21600|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} and carries {{convert|9500|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} of ballast.

The design has sleeping accommodation for six people, with a double "V"-berth in the bow cabin, an L-shaped settee and a straight settee in the main cabin and an aft cabin with a double berth on the starboard side. The galley is located on the port side just forward of the companionway ladder. The galley is L-shaped and is equipped with a two-burner liquid petroleum gas stove, an oven, an {{convert|11|cuft|m3|abbr=on}} icebox and a double sink. The cockpit also has its own icebox. A navigation station is at the aft end of the galley, on the port side. There are two heads, one in the bow cabin on the starboard side and one on the starboard side in the aft cabin, that can also be accessed from the main cabin. Both heads have showers, with hot and cold pressurized water. The interior is all finished in teak and has {{convert|74|in|cm|0|abbr=on}} of headroom.{{cite web|url = https://www.boats.com/reviews/caliber-40-review/|title = Caliber 40 Review|access-date = 15 May 2020|last = Prochazka|first = Zuzana |work = boats.com|date = 28 June 2010|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20170601140920/https://www.boats.com/reviews/caliber-40-review/|archivedate = 1 June 2017|url-status= live}}

Ventilation is provided by 14 stainless steel opening ports, seven hatches and two deck vent cowlings.

For sailing the design is equipped with a mainsheet traveler to the deck. The halyards are mounted internally and the boat has two backstays. There are two speed, self-tailing winches for the mainsheet, halyards and the genoas. The outhaul is rigged internally and there is a main topping lift. The mainsail is equipped with two reefing points, with lines aft to the cockpit.

Variants

;Caliber 40

:This model was introduced in 1992. The boat has a draft of {{convert|5.00|ft|m|abbr=on}} with the standard keel fitted. The boat has a Japanese Yanmar LIJH3E diesel engine. The fuel tank holds {{convert|55|u.s.gal}} and the fresh water tank has a capacity of {{convert|156|u.s.gal}} and there is a {{convert|110|u.s.gal}} holding tank forward.

;Caliber 40 LRC

:This "Long Range Cruiser" model was introduced in 1995 and brought increased tank capacities, with aluminum fuel and water tanks. It has a draft of {{convert|5.08|ft|m|abbr=on}} with the standard keel. The boat is fitted with a Japanese Yanmar 4JH3 (B)E {{convert|56|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} diesel engine. The fuel tank holds {{convert|212|u.s.gal}} and the fresh water tank has a capacity of {{convert|179|u.s.gal}}.{{cite web|url = https://www.spinsheet.com/boat-reviews/caliber-40-lrc|title = The Caliber 40 LRC|access-date = 14 May 2020|last =Hornor |first = Jack |work =SpinSheet |date = 27 March 2017|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20200514205838/https://www.spinsheet.com/boat-reviews/caliber-40-lrc|archivedate = 14 May 2020|url-status= live}}

Operational history

In a 1994 review Richard Sherwood described the Caliber 40 as, "a big cutter for cruising, with high displacement, and lots of ballast for stability."

Jack Hornor reviewed the boat in the Spinsheet in January 2009, saying, "designed by Caliber’s co-founder, Michael McCreary, the Caliber 40 LRC is moderate in nearly every way. This underbody features a long, low-aspect fin keel and rudder supported by a skeg forward and is a good compromise between the performance benefits of fin-keeled, spade-rudder designs and the directional stability of traditional full-keel designs. Above the waterline, the Caliber 40 LRC is not likely to win any accolades for her classic beauty, but her appearance is well-balanced and contemporary."

Zuzana Prochazka wrote a review of the design in 2010 for boats.com, stating, "Caliber 40 from Caliber Yachts fits the bill as a couple's boat for blue water cruising ... The design is a moderately heavy displacement cruising boat so it takes a bit of wind to get her going. However, like most cruising boats of this class, sailing 5 – 5.5 knots in 10 – 12 knots of wind on a beam reach is not bad and can provide 140 mile plus days in the tradewinds. Although the sheeting angles have been tightened as the tracks have been brought inboard, sailing to within 60 degrees of the apparent wind can be expected. Although the boat will kick around in heavy seas, it will do so no more than other cruising boats and it will remain fairly comfortable in big waves as well as big winds."

A Blue Water Sailing reader survey summary concluded, "a lot of thought has gone into the conception, construction and marketing of the Caliber 40LRC(Long Range Cruiser). That’s your overriding thought as you study the plans and exhaustive product information provided by Caliber Yachts, Inc. of Clearwater, Florida. Owners of this boat who cruised through the Blue Water Sailing Subscriber Survey appear to be in complete agreement. Says one: 'A well constructed boat, interestingly conceived, reasonably priced.'"{{cite web|url = http://www.caliberyacht.com/PR_40_Review_BWS_pg1.htm|title = Reader Survey: The Caliber 40LRC is a well-thought-out passagemaker|access-date = 14 May 2020|work = Blue Water Sailing|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20151026173657/http://www.caliberyacht.com/PR_40_Review_BWS_pg1.htm|archivedate = 26 October 2015|url-status = dead}}

A review in Sailing Magazine by Greta Reichelsdorfer concluded after a sail in the design, "I stepped back into the cockpit for a last look around deck. From the swim step with a freshwater shower to the tip of its sturdy anchor roller on the bowsprit, this boat is one well-built cruiser."{{cite web|url = http://www.caliberyacht.com/Models_40_Main_Window.htm|title = High Caliber Cruiser|access-date = 14 May 2020|last = Reichelsdorfer|first = Greta |work =Sailing Magazine|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20191023175117/http://www.caliberyacht.com/Models_40_Main_Window.htm|archivedate =23 October 2019|url-status= live}}

See also

References