.

The 40 hulls were built by Sen Koh Shipbuilding in Kaohsiung, Taiwan and were fitted out by Wiggers Yachts in Bowmanville ON Canada http://www.wiggerscustomyachts.com/

Only five or six Nonsuch (Nereus) 40s were built. Have tracked down 5 boats, 1 long 'known', 3 'found' in 2006, and 1 more 'found' in early 2008, but still want to learn about the one possibly existing and 'missing' boat.

GOLDENMEAN 40 - /1 in the U.K. 'was already known' ; JOURNEYMAN 40 - /2 is in Malta ; CARAMBA 40 22 /3 is in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, U.S.A. ; CAPELLA III 40 4 is in Toronto, Ontario, Canada ; and SEQUOIA 40 (#?) is in Seattle WA, U.S.A.

Please report any sightings and/or the names of the one or two "missing" boats to arthur_langley@hotmail.com Thank you. :)

They have a "baby sister", TALLY ON 36 9 , the 36 built by Hinterhoeller as a ketch.

The 40 is a long-distance cruising yacht with an unstayed cat ketch rig. She has a very spacious cockpit and interior, with very easy handling under sail. Both sails are self-tacking, and all running rigging leads to the cockpit. She has two large double cabins, each with a head/shower. There is a large salon and galley.

The 40 was the largest Nonsuch design. In some ways she resembles, and like all Nonsuches "decends slightly" from, the 1976 Garry Hoyt/Halsey Herreshoff design Freedom 40, of which about a hundred were built. The 'Nonsuch' 40 is however beamier and heavier than a Freedom 40, plus she has a much more efficient underbody, fin keel, and spade rudder than the long shallow keel with a centerboard and the keel hung rudder of the Freedom 40 design.

The 'Nonsuch' Nereus 40 hull is of solid GRP below the waterline, with balsa core above the waterline and in the deck moulding. The interior fittings are of very high quality, and laid out to provide very spacious accommodation for two couples.

LOA: 45'/13.7 m - LOD: 40'/12.2 m - Beam: 14'/4.3 m - Draft: 6'7"/2m - Disp: 13.5 tons/12.2 metric tons - Rig: Ketch - Berths: 5 - Heads: 2



October 2007 Arthur Langley wrote :

One of the major confusions/ errors with wishbone/cat rigs is thinking of, trimming, and sailing them as though the boats have a MAIN sail. These are GENOA type head sails attached to a VERY large diameter, solid, and vertical headtstay (the mast).

Trimming the sail on a Nonsuch or any wishbone rigged sail like a head sail will yield excellent sailing performance. Trimming the sails like a marconi rigged boat�s mail or mizzen will yield slower speeds and poor or worse pointing performance.

I loved the Freedom 40 when it came out back it the mid '70s but they didn't go well upwind (weren't intended to either!).

Have been aboard one but I can't wait to sail one of these rare 'Nonsuch' 40s . . . one of these days!


.