Used boat test: Scanmar 40
If you’re moving up from a classic design like the Contessa 32, the Scanmar 40 is a boat well worth looking at, says David Harding
If you’re moving up from a classic design like the Contessa 32, this Swedish sporty forty is worth a look
Owners of Twisters, Contessa 32s and boats of similar ilk often find themselves with a very limited range of options should they be struck by the urge to buy something bigger.
I came across this situation on many occasions when working at Sadler and Starlight in the 1980s: enthusiasts of classic cruiser/racers like the Twister, Contessa, SHEs, Pioniers, Elizabethans, S&Ss and so on would come to our door because the Starlights were among the few boats that embodied the qualities they were looking for. Modern racing boats tended to be twitchier and more highly strung than they wanted. Out-and-out cruisers were too slow and ponderous and they considered the new-generation, middle-of-the-road, mass-produced, high-volume cruising yacht to be generally unappealing. Even when not wearing my salesman’s hat I tended to agree with them.
This lack of choice was good for our business because many of them would buy a Starlight 35 or 39. Those who didn’t would often go the Scandinavian route if finances allowed, perhaps plumping for a Najad, a Sweden Yacht, an X or a Maxi.
Scanning the market
Although all this was 30 years ago, the current generation of would-be movers-up from the Contessa et al face the same challenge today. Finding an affordable upgrade that offers extra space and pace without sacrificing the stiffness, durability, offshore ability and predictable, undemanding handling is no easier now than it was then. If you can lay your hands on a couple of hundred thousand pounds to top up the proceeds from the sale of your current boat, your choice broadens. Should your budget be more modest, however, chances are you’re going to have
to look hard to find something that appeals.
Someone in search of his next boat in 2016 was Jimmy Warington-Smyth. A few years earlier, Jimmy had reluctantly parted with his wooden-built Privateer 30, designed by his grandfather, and bought a Contessa 32. Then along came the children.
Fortunately for Jimmy, he has two significant advantages over many owners in search of their next boat. The second we’ll come to later. The first is that he’s a yacht broker, running Parkstone Bay Yachts in Poole where he also handles new-boat sales for RM, Contest, Wauquiez and Nordship. And despite being a mere stripling compared with whiskery veterans of the marine industry, Jimmy has been sailing since before he could walk and comes from a family with a long sailing history. So too does his wife, Emma, known in the dinghy-sailing world for her international campaigns with her sister, Victoria, in the
420 before they joined the Olympic Development
Squad in the 470 and later moved into the Yngling. It would be fair to say that, between them, Jimmy and Emma know a thing or two about boats.
As things turned out, it wasn’t in fact a broker’s inside knowledge that led them to their next boat. Jimmy put the Contessa on the market and included ‘for sale due to growing family’ in the avert. At the time he had no idea what to buy next, only having the Contest 35 and 36 on a list of vague possibilities.
A reply to the advert came from the owners of a Scanmar 40, who had intended to head off to waters blue but been forced to change their plans. Plan B was to sail locally in a smaller boat – specifically a Contessa 32. Jimmy went to see the Scanmar, liked it, sought the opinions of one or two friends in the industry, and a deal was done. He sailed it back from the Solent in November 2016, whipped it out of the water at Parkstone Bay Marina (being part of a family that owns a boatyard is advantage No.2), and set to work. While much had been done to equip the boat for long-distance cruising, some areas still needed attention. Before we come to that, however, what about the Scanmar herself? Many sailors and boat-owners are only vaguely aware of the Scanmar name, so just what is a Scanmar 40?
A Swedish story
The 40 is the largest boat to bear the Scanmar name. Her smaller sisters range from the 25 to the 35 and include the 33, a good few of which were sold from
Hamble by Scanmar Yachts UK and Semaphore Yacht Sales.
All Scanmars were designed by Nils-Erik Olofsson in conjunction with Rolf Magnusson (or Bernt Andersson in the case of the 25) who drew the lines for the hulls. Magnusson’s other designs include several of the Albins.
Construction was by the Börjesson Brothers near Örnsköldsvik, roughly half way between Stockholm and the top of the Gulf of Bothnia – much further north than most Swedish yards. Although the Börjesson name will be unknown to many, they also built the Omega and Maxi ranges.
Scanmar sales were handled by Olofsson’s own company, Scanmar Boats, until he sold it to the Börjesson Brothers in the mid 1980s and it became Yachts of Scandinavia. Production ended in 1991, by which time 21 Scanmar 40s had been built.
So, now that we know the origins of the boat, what’s she like? As ever, a quick look at the lines and statistics tells you a good deal. The hull is slim, with modest freeboard, moderate beam and a good depth of canoe body. It’s kept sunny side up by a lead fin keel bolted to a moulded stub, a step providing extra protection against grounding (always a consideration in rock-strewn Scandinavian waters). Accounting for nearly half the boat’s weight, this low-down lead allows the Scanmar to carry a sizeable rig that gives her a sail area/displacement ratio of just over 19. In addition to that you have the overlap of a large genoa. Combined with a displacement/length ratio of 185 and a modest wetted area, everything points to a boat that should be stiff, quick and well mannered.
Further reassuring features below the waterline include the shaft log and the long partial skeg ahead of the semi-balanced rudder. It’s exactly the sort of underwater configuration you’d hope for in an offshore performance cruiser that’s designed to take you anywhere in speed and comfort and with minimum hassle. P-brackets, free-hanging spade rudders and iron keels bolted directly to the hull may have their place – but not in a boat like this.
It would take very little detective work to realise that this is a product of the mid 1980s: the rake of the stem, the point of maximum beam and the width of the transom (without a sugar-scoop) are all clues, as are the proportions of the rig.
These aren’t necessarily drawbacks; simply characteristic of boats from this era. She has much in common with the Starlight 39, dating from just that little bit earlier – as is evident in her design. Then again, you can buy her for less money and, as we will discuss shortly, the quality of that Swedish joinery is to drool over. Compared with many of the better-known Scandinavian alternatives offering a comparable quality of interior finish, she’s extremely good value. Asking prices typically range from around £55,000 to £75,000.
To see how an on-paper analysis of the Scanmar 40 compared with reality, I dragged Jimmy out of the office one bright and breezy autumn day and we headed into Poole Bay.
One feature of the Scanmar that’s immediately noticeable is her smooth, easy motion. She has long legs and a loping gait that lets her swallow the miles quickly and effortlessly. And though by no means a heavy boat, she simply shoulders aside waves that would bring many dumpy cruisers up short.
A stonking sail
After hoisting the mainsail and before we had even unrolled the headsail we were reaching along at 8 knots. We also tried making upwind under mainsail only, clocking around 4.5 knots and tacking through 90° in flat water.
Given that the wind was already nudging 25 knots, we only unfurled about half the
headsail. That proved to be plenty, especially when the anemometer later started registering 30 knots, but we never felt overpowered. Those four tons of lead made their presence felt and the boat remained well balanced. If I provoked her by putting the helm down and leaving the sheets pinned in when hard on the wind she barely murmured in protest, and only then if we were hit by a gust half-way through.
What you get with the Scanmar is relaxing, easy sailing. She just gets on with it and makes minimal demands on her crew. For a boat that’s rewarding and responsive to sail she has a wide groove to windward so you don’t suddenly find she has stalled or slowed right down if you let your attention wander for a moment at the helm. Upwind we clocked high-5s to low 6s most of the time and tacked through around 85° – far from spectacular, but that was with a well-rolled genoa and rigging that could have done with some tweaking up. A few inches of pre-bend in the mast would probably have brought out the best in the nice Moatt mainsail.
She hove to happily enough, forereaching at around 2 knots. We could probably have slowed her further had we played around a little more, the combination of large mainsail and small headsail rarely making it easy to kill the speed. The full-width traveller meant she responded well to the ‘heave one’ (heaving to under mainsail only), sitting almost dead in the water. From the more normal hove-to position she would gybe around with the sheets pinned in and carry on sailing as though nothing had happened. If we pinched her mercilessly upwind, the foils would eventually stall and she would crab gently. Cracking off a few degrees got her straight back into harness.
Whatever we tried it was difficult to upset this boat. The only aspect of sailing her that’s remotely hard is winching in that large headsail (and we did have it fully open on an earlier outing for the photos). Even with a pair of self-tailing Lewmar 55s it took some grinding in. When you’re in cruising mode you just need a sympathetic helmsman who gives you a luff after each tack.
How the Scanmar would behave downwind in a significant seaway I didn’t have a chance to find out. Jimmy says she shows no corkscrewing tendencies but doesn’t break away and surf that readily. I’m sure she would surf if the whip were cracked hard enough (not something you necessarily want to try as a family crew with two young children aboard).
Cockpit convenience
Deck and cockpit layouts work well. The primary winches are positioned for use by the crew without being too much of a stretch for a single-handed helmsman. Moving past the wheel is no problem
‘What you get with the Scanmar is relaxing, easy sailing. She just gets on with it’
because there’s space either side. At the same time the wheel’s diameter means you can helm from the coamings if you want to.
Several features of the cockpit are worthy of note. For a start it’s not excessively wide, and that’s not only because the Scanmar is narrower in the stern than a typical modern equivalent. It’s also a sensible width in relation to the overall beam, allowing the side decks to run all the way to the transom and avoiding the need for anyone moving aft to step into the cockpit. Other benefits include a good leg-bracing distance between the seats and enough space outboard of the coamings so you can sit on them and lean back against the guardwires when the boat’s heeled.
All these things make an enormous difference. The dance floors on many of today’s cruisers might impress boat-show visitors but can be an uncomfortable liability at sea. It’s particularly good to see cubby lockers in the coamings. I wouldn’t want to be without them, yet they’re rarely found on modern yachts.
The theme of unfashionable practicality continues further forward with the high, up-and-over bridgedeck. This is another feature in common with the Starlights and one I like, especially having been pooped in the Red Sea many moons ago on a boat that, as it happens, was owned by a couple of Swedes from Örnsköldsvik with whom I covered a fair few miles. Enough water went below on that occasion to put the electrics out of action – not really what you want in the Straits of Bab el-Mandeb. That’s one reason why some of us are more than happy to have a sensible wave-break at the forward end of the cockpit.
Jimmy likes it for other reasons too. On a night passage he can sit under the sprayhood with Navionics on his iPad and a good view all round.
Forward march
Moving forward from the cockpit along the wide, teak-laid side decks is easy. Outboard is a slotted aluminium toerail through which are bolted seriously chunky spring cleats to match those at the bow and stern.
Teak handholds run most of the length of the coachroof – which is also laid with teak except down the middle – and they continue forward of the mast to the forehatch. In the bow is a good-sized double bow roller and an anchor locker.
Chainplates are inboard to give a respectably narrow sheeting angle for the overlapping headsails, though the tracks only extend to the aft lowers so there’s no obvious way of sheeting a short-footed headsail with a low clew. At least with soft headlinings below decks it would be possible to reach the underside of the deck to add reinforcement.
A keel-stepped Seldén rig keeps the mast section slimmer than it would be if deck-stepped. It’s supported by two sets of in-line spreaders with continuous caps and intermediates. Forward and aft lowers limit pumping in the mid-section.
A tensioner would be a useful addition to the backstay and, while we’re at this end of the boat again, it’s worth mentioning that the Whitlock steering is cable rather than rod, leading to a slightly more spongy feel. It’s also relatively low-geared, with 13⁄4 turns from lock to lock.
Even full lock doesn’t give quite the rudder angle you might expect, not that it restricts manoeuvrability within the confines of a marina: under power, as under sail, the Scanmar does as she’s asked. You just have to bear in mind that prop-walk in ahead and kick in astern are more pronounced with a shaft than with a saildrive, and this boat’s left-handed prop leads to a gentle pull to starboard in ahead and a modest kick to starboard in astern.
When Jimmy bought Scamper – as she’s now called – she had a two-bladed fixed prop, which he changed for a three-bladed Flexofold. A bigger job was changing the keel bolts. As soon as he got the boat to Parkstone, he lifted her out of the water, blasted off the layers of rough antifouling that had accumulated over the years, and took the keel off. It was sent to Henry Irons for new bolts and a complete refurbishment before being re-fitted. Apart from that, Scamper was good to go and little has had to be done.
The same applies below decks too. We tend to have expectations of Swedish boats not only in terms of their build
quality but also when it comes to interior finish. In this latter respect, as in most others, the Scanmar does not disappoint.
Attention to detail is in a different league to that found on run-of-the-mill production cruisers. The result is a boat that’s stronger, safer, easier to maintain and more comfortable at sea. Being in such a pleasant environment below decks is also more relaxing in harbour: it’s a pleasure to be surrounded by such beautifully finished mahogany.
A major plus in my book is the absence of interior mouldings. Joinery is bonded directly to the hull, strengthening the structure, saving unnecessary weight and helping avoid those inaccessible corners. Similarly, the bulkheads are bonded to the deck: the capping where the veneer has been removed is always a good sign and, in any event, there’s no moulded headliner for them to be slotted into.
Every space counts
No space is wasted. Like the cockpit, the saloon is a sensible width. There’s stowage outboard of the settee berths and the lockers and shelving units above the backrests extend right up to the underside of the deck.
Forward of the galley and chart table is a vestigial keyhole bulkhead. It helps stiffen the hull at the point of maximum beam and provides landing points for pillar handholds. Sadly the fashion for open space means such features are rarely seen these days.
Stowage is everywhere unless the space is used for something else essential. Just don’t look for it beneath the saloon berths: this Is where you find the two 44-gallon (200l) water tanks.
As you’d expect by now, drawers are all-wood. Another feature you would expect is ventilation, and you get it, with vents over the galley and chart table, in both heads and in the forecabin.
It almost goes without saying that the chart table is a good size: 32in (81cm) fore-and-aft 38in (97cm) athwartships. Space for instrumentation is generous, panels outboard hinge down for access to wiring and there’s even a swivel chair for the navigator.
Moving aft from the chart table we enter the full-width aft cabin with its generous double berth (incorporating a central lee-cloth) and an en-suite heads and shower. From the cabin you have access to the aft end of the engine and there’s a small ‘airing cupboard’ to make use of the heat.
Because the cabin is full width, cockpit stowage is limited to lockers in the stern. While they will swallow a good deal, an inflatable dinghy needs to be kept on deck. Jimmy’s fits between the mast and the fore hatch when fully inflated. Hatches in the cockpit seats provide escape routes from the cabin.
The amount of thought that has gone into the interior would justify an article in itself. There are inevitably areas of compromise – the V-berth in the fore cabin is just 6ft (1.83m) long, for example – but on the whole there’s little to criticise and a lot to like.
PBO’s verdict
When you have seen and sailed a boat like this it would be hard to settle for anything less. There are alternatives, of course, including the Starlight 39 with which I keep making comparisons. Then there are others from Scandinavian yards, but few that seem to offer so much for similar money.
Because she’s so well mannered and beautifully finished, boats like the Scanmar 40 will always be in demand and, I suspect, will hold their value too. All too often I come away from testing a boat accepting that it serves a purposes for those who want something like that. The Scanmar is different: she reminds you that sailing and being on a boat should be a pleasure.
‘Swedish boats have a reputation for being solidly built and well finished below decks’