The Block Island 40, also known as the Vitesse 40, is an American sailboat that was designed by William Tripp, Jr. in 1956–1957 and first built in 1957.[1]

Block Island 40 (Vitesse 40)
Development
DesignerWilliam Tripp, Jr.
LocationUnited States
Year1957–2000
No. built22 (Mark I)
14 (Mark II)
17+ (Mark III)
Builder(s)Mark I: American Boatbuilding Corporation, Beetle Boat Division
Mark II: Metalmast Marine
Mark III: Migrator Yachts
RoleRacer-Cruiser
NameBlock Island 40 (Vitesse 40)
Boat
Displacement20,000 lb (9,072 kg)
DraftMark I: 3.92 ft (1.19 m), centerboard up; 8.42 ft (2.57 m), centerboard down; Mark III: 4.16 ft (1.27 m), centerboard up; 8.83 ft (2.69 m), centerboard down
Hull
TypeMonohull
ConstructionFiberglass
LOA40.0 ft (12.2 m)
LWL29.16 ft (8.89 m)
Beam11.83 ft (3.61 m)
Hull appendages
Keel/board typefull keel with centerboard
BallastMark I: 5,200 lb (2,359 kg); Mark III: 7,800 lb (3,538 kg)
Rudder(s)keel-mounted rudder
Rig
Rig typeYawl rig
I foretriangle height46.83 ft (14.27 m)
J foretriangle base25.58 ft (7.80 m)
P mainsail luff39.50 ft (12.04 m)
E mainsail foot15.0 ft (4.6 m)
Sails
SailplanMasthead yawl
Total sail areaMark I: 752 sq ft (69.9 m2); Mark III: 738 sq ft (68.6 m2)
Racing
PHRF156–186

Production

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Three versions of the Block Island 40 were built: Mark I, built by the Beetle Boat division of American Boatbuilding Corporation from 1957 to the early 1960s,[2] Mark II, built by Metalmast Marine from 1974 to 1977,[2] and Mark III, built by Migrator Yachts from 1985 to at least 2000.[3][4][2][5]

The Block Island 40 design was modified by Tripp for Hinckley Yachts and sold as the Bermuda 40.

Design

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The design was originally commissioned in 1956 for a Connecticut lawyer named Frederick Lorenzen, who said of wooden boats of the time, "I don't like them. They leak."[6] The design is said to be inspired by the Sparkman & Stephens yacht Finisterre.[7][4] The design is one of the first fiberglass production sailboats built.[6][4][8]

The design features a yawl sail plan, six berths, and over 6.0 ft (183 cm) of headroom ("standing headroom throughout").[9] A centerboard allowed for a minimum draft of 3 ft 11 in (1.2 m) that extended to 8 ft 15 in (2.8 m) when lowered.[6][9]

Variants

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Vitesse 40 / Mark I (1957-early 1960s)

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Initially, a Dutch company, Van Breems International (VBI), was to build Tripp's design as the Vitesse 40.[2] VBI never built a hull, and sold the rights to American Boatbuilding Corporation in 1957.[2] The Mark I was first known as the Vitesse 40 and later, with some modifications, renamed the Block Island 40.[8] As late as 1961, references to the Vitesse 40 were still found in VBI promotional materials.[10] The Beetle Boat Division of American Boatbuilding Corporation built a total of 22 hulls of the Mark I design.[5]

Mark II (1974–1977)

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Metalmast Marine made significant changes to the design, including changes to the stern, coachroof, rudder, centerboard, and keel.[2] The keel and rudder were separated, in contrast to the full keel featured on the Mark I and Mark III. Metalmast built 14 hulls of the Mark II design.[5]

Mark III (1985-early 2000s)

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In 1985, Eric Woods attempted to get Metalmast Marine to build him a customized Block Island 40. Metalmast declined and instead sold him the molds.[5] Woods founded Migrator Yachts and created the Mark III iteration. Migrator built at least 17 hulls of the Mark III design as of 2000.[3]

Operational history

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The Block Island 40 found success in racing, with early wins in the 1958 Miami to Nassau race by Rhubarb[6] and the 1958 Edlu Trophy by Frederick Lorenzen's Seal.[8]

Six Block Island 40s participated in the 1960 Newport to Bermuda race, all placing in the top 11.[5][4] Hull No. 8, Alaris, won its class in the 1978 edition of the same race.[4] Hull No. 7, Bantu, won the Chicago to Mackinac Race overall in 1964, 1965, 1996, and 1997.[4]

A 1962 advertisement by American Boatbuilding Corporation references wins by Reindeer in the Annapolis to Newport Race and Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race; Swamp Yankee in the New Bedford Whalers Race and Martha's Vineyard Ocean Race; Volta in the Newport to Cuttyhunk Race; Scylla in the Storm Trysail Race, and Alaris in the Chesapeake Bay Fall Series, but does not specify the years.[11]

References

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  1. ^ McArthur, Bruce (2022). "Block Island 40 sailboat". sailboatdata.com. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Cruising World, June 2000, p. 68{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  3. ^ a b Nicholson, Darrell (June 23, 2000). "Beautiful Block Island 40". Practical Sailor. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Good Old Boat, July–August 1999, pp. 44–48
  5. ^ a b c d e Nicholson, Darrell (June 14, 2000). "Block Island 40". Practical Sailor. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  6. ^ a b c d "Sport: Tripp Up". Time. February 16, 1959. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
  7. ^ Good Old Boat, July–August 1999, p. 49
  8. ^ a b c Mitchell, Carleton (November 28, 1960). "Mold of the Future". Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com. p. 60. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
  9. ^ a b Yachting Publishing Corporation (January 1959). Yachting. p. 257.
  10. ^ MotorBoating. January 1961. p. 162.
  11. ^ Boating. January–March 1962. p. 79.