Metalmast Block Island 40
Description
The Metalmast Block Island 40 is a classic yawl-rigged cruiser designed by William Tripp Jr. (originally as the Vitesse 40 in 1957, one of the earliest production fiberglass sailboats of its size). The molds passed through several builders: initially Van Breems International (imported from Holland), then American Boat Building Corporation (Warwick, RI; 22 hulls), and finally Metalmast Marine Inc. (Putnam, Connecticut), which built 14 hulls in the 1970s before ceasing production around 1977. Metalmast made significant modifications, including a separate spade rudder (replacing the original skeg-hung), reverse transom, higher-aspect mainsail, and centerboard/keel tweaks for improved performance. The design is renowned for its seaworthiness, balanced handling, and comfort, with a yawl rig (some sloop conversions) and solid fiberglass construction emphasizing durability for coastal or offshore cruising.
Construction Details
| Designer | William Tripp, Jr |
|---|---|
| Builder | Metalmast Marine (USA) |
| Length | 40.000 ft |
| LOA | 40.000 ft |
| LWL | 27.500 ft |
| Beam | 11.750 ft |
| Displacement | 21000 lb |
| Ballast | 7800 lb |
| Max Draft | 4.170 ft |
| Year Built | 1972 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 46.83 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 15.58 ft |
| p | 39.50 ft |
| e | 15 ft |
| p2 | 20.50 ft |
| e2 | 7.50 ft |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46.83 ft | 15.58 ft | 39.50 ft | 15 ft | 20.50 ft | 7.50 ft | - | - |
Sails
Metalmast Block Island 40 - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 39.5 ft - (12040 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 15 ft - (4572 mm) |
| Leech | * 41.41 ft - (12622 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 41.76 ft - (12728 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 303.49 ft² |
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Metalmast Block Island 40 - JIBSAIL
| Luff | 39.48 ft - (12034 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 20.78 ft - (6334 mm) |
| Leech | * 34.06 ft - (10381 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115.02 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 17.92 ft - (5462 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12 ° |
| Area | * 353.79 ft² |
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Metalmast Block Island 40 - GENOA
| Luff | 46.89 ft - (14292 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 25.28 ft - (7705 mm) |
| Leech | * 43.97 ft - (13402 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 23.37 ft - (7123 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.02 ° |
| Area | * 547.87 ft² |
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Metalmast Block Island 40 - SPINNAKER
| Stays | * 46.89 ft - (14292 mm) |
|---|---|
| MidGirth | * 28.04 ft - (8547 mm) |
| Foot | * 28.04 ft - (8547 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 1118 ft² |
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Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.
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