# Palmer Johnson NY40



## rtmadm (Jul 24, 2007)

I was wondering if anyone had any info on the Palmer Johnson NY40. It's sailing characteristics, ability to cruise, construction- cored or solid? There are a few listed which are pretty reasonable in price for what appears to be a pretty nice 40' boat.


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## DarienGap (Feb 6, 2008)

Hi RTMADMAN,

I see you did not get any answers, here. I, too, would be interested in buying one of them and cannot find any info. Did you have any more luck somewhere else?

Gap


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## T34C (Sep 14, 2006)

BTW- I beleive the NY40 is 40' LWL not LOA. I beleive it is in the neighborhood of 50'+ LOA.


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## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

T34C said:


> BTW- I beleive the NY40 is 40' LWL not LOA. I beleive it is in the neighborhood of 50'+ LOA.


T34C, I'm not so sure of that. We had an NY 36 in the early 90s, and I remember racing against the NY40s and though clearly much bigger boats than ours, they were in the 40 foot range as I recall.


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## T34C (Sep 14, 2006)

This listing shows her at 65' LOA
http://search.boatshop24.co.uk/4921474-1916-Herreshoff-New-York-40.html


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## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

T34C said:


> This listing shows her at 65' LOA
> http://search.boatshop24.co.uk/4921474-1916-Herreshoff-New-York-40.html


Ah, I see the confusion. That's not a Palmer Johnson NY40 you linked too. It's a Herreshoff NY40.

Here's one though:

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...rrency=USD&access=Public&listing_id=1632&url=


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## T34C (Sep 14, 2006)

OK, now I have to agree that's a great looking boat. For the money I'd sure look at it. Thanks JRP-

With a PHRF of 90 she is pretty quick too.


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## sanctuarysam (Sep 16, 2006)

JohnRPollard said:


> Ah, I see the confusion. That's not a Palmer Johnson NY40 you linked too. It's a Herreshoff NY40.
> 
> Here's one though:
> 
> http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...rrency=USD&access=Public&listing_id=1632&url=


although i can't speak to this boat specifically, i can tell you the PJ boats (especially the aluminum hulled boats. were smoking fast..usually critically spartan down below usually pipe berths, and lots and lots of canvas. apparently this beauty doesn't suffer 'raceritis')
she is also a head turner..no bout adoubt it.
if i had a half dozen guaranteed crew, i'd snatch this baby up in a heartbeat.


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## T34C (Sep 14, 2006)

sanctuarysam said:


> although i can't speak to this boat specifically, i can tell you the PJ boats (especially the aluminum hulled boats. were smoking fast..usually critically spartan down below usually pipe berths, and lots and lots of canvas. apparently this beauty doesn't suffer 'raceritis')
> she is also a head turner..no bout adoubt it.
> if i had a half dozen guaranteed crew, i'd snatch this baby up in a heartbeat.


Until very recently all PJ boats were completely custom. While I'm sure you are correct in your description, there is will be significant variation from boat to boat based on owner preferences.


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## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

T34C said:


> Until very recently all PJ boats were completely custom. While I'm sure you are correct in your description, there is will be significant variation from boat to boat based on owner preferences.


T34C,

I think you are correct in general about PJ boats.

However, the NY40 was a one-design fleet commissioned by the New York Yacht Club in the mid-late-1970s. The design was penned by Doug Peterson, the hulls laid-up by New Orleans Marine, and the rest of the boat completed by Palmer Johnson. They were fairly tightly standardized, to begin with anyway. That doesn't mean changes haven't been made to them since then...

The NYYC has taken a similar one-design approach in the past, including with the NY36 (from the 1980s, a Bill Cook designed, W.D. Schock-built) and the current NYYC42 built by Nautor Swan.


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## T34C (Sep 14, 2006)

While I see a lot of PJ boats on a regular basis (factory is 13 mi. from my home port, and just across the cannal from where I lay-up for the winter.) I obviously don't know a lot about this model. Did the OD rule cover interior configuration, weight, or both? I would guess it pertained to hull, deck, equip, appendages, etc... and left interior to the individual owners.


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## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

T34C said:


> While I see a lot of PJ boats on a regular basis (factory is 13 mi. from my home port, and just across the cannal from where I lay-up for the winter.) I obviously don't know a lot about this model. Did the OD rule cover interior configuration, weight, or both? I would guess it pertained to hull, deck, equip, appendages, etc... and left interior to the individual owners.


T34C, I can't speak directly to the NY40, but on the NY36 the interiors were very standardized. I'd be surprised if the NY40 was done differently, since it too was conceived as a one-design. I'm pretty sure members of the NYYC are not penny pinchers, but allowing folks to customize interiors would send the prices through the roof and would ultimately thwart the one-design intent of the class.

What NYYC has done in the past on these one-design efforts is to develop a new, or identify an existing, design, then secured firm commitments from x number of members to purchase the design, then gone out to a builder to contract for a production run at a certain price per boat. It's actually a pretty smart way to approach one-design club racing. They get a boat that suits their requirements, at a competitive price based on their volume purchase. They usually also make the design available for purchase by non-club members as well. Since an NYYC sponsored class is virtually guaranteed a degree of success and notoriety, this is attractive for the builder and therefor helps to keep prices down for the NYYC members....


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## T34C (Sep 14, 2006)

Interesting. Thanks for the details and bringing this boat to my attention. I really like it as an option. (Always looking for the next boat!) I may see what additional details I can get from PJ, as soon as it gets warm enough to drive up there.

Thanks


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## rstephan (Dec 27, 2000)

NY 40's are alive and well on Long Island Sound. Several actively race and most are cruising as well. I have owned hull #9 for five years and have just re-powered it in 8/08 with a new Yanmar 40hp. Great boat to sail, cruise and race. I have much more information on NY 40's - please let me know how I can help. I may be putting my boat on the market.

Rob


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## sailordave (Jun 26, 2001)

The Palmer Johnson NY40 is the same S&S hull design as the original Swan 40. Whoda thunk? S&S #2025. 

I actually looked at a Swan 40 last year and loved the design but the boat hadn't had a single upgrade in 40 years! Thanks, no.
Saw an ad for a PJ NY 40 and really liked the look too. Wasn't til I started digging about that I found out it was the same design. No wonder I liked it and thought it looked familiar. Interior was slightly different.

Don't like the flush companionway though. IE No washboards. Just begging to have a wave wash over and down...


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## tartanexplorer (Apr 4, 2011)

*to rstephan*

not sure how this site works, but I would like to track down rstephan about his ny 40 and find out if he is in fact looking to sell. I know the ny 40 well, raced them for years as a kid, familiar with most that were built and raced in new england.


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## puddinlegs (Jul 5, 2006)

sailordave said:


> The Palmer Johnson NY40 is the same S&S hull design as the original Swan 40. Whoda thunk? S&S #2025.
> 
> I actually looked at a Swan 40 last year and loved the design but the boat hadn't had a single upgrade in 40 years! Thanks, no.
> Saw an ad for a PJ NY 40 and really liked the look too. Wasn't til I started digging about that I found out it was the same design. No wonder I liked it and thought it looked familiar. Interior was slightly different.
> ...


Just a quick historical footnote... PJ was the importer/finisher/distributor of Swan yachts (S&S designed in the early days). The build quality of the old Aluminum and Glass PJ yachts was outstanding.


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## PalmettoSailor (Mar 7, 2006)

tartanexplorer said:


> not sure how this site works, but I would like to track down rstephan about his ny 40 and find out if he is in fact looking to sell. I know the ny 40 well, raced them for years as a kid, familiar with most that were built and raced in new england.


There is a PJ NY40 listed on Yachtworld down in Deltaville, VA. It belongs to the father of a guy I used to crew with. I've only been on the boat for after race libations, but the boat seemed to be in fair shape. I'm not down that way any more but you might be able to find someone to take a look to confirm my memories to see if the boat warrants a trip to look at. I don't expect there are a lot of them on the market at any given time.

Its listed by Jonathan Hutchings of Annapolis Yacht Sales South.

Good Luck,


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## csw31 (Feb 7, 2012)

*Pj ny40*

Does anyone know how the rating is for the NY40 (IRC/OCC) Is anyone having some success in New England racing one of these. We are looking for a small (38-41 ft) seaworthy distance racer. Annapolis Newport, Halifax etc. and the NY 40 looks like the right kind of boat, if it can sail to a rating. I raced on one years ago but that was one design.


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## 1958 (Oct 19, 2010)

Long time since this thread started and still not many replies. It is 2012 and I see 2 PJ NY 40's for sale and look like maybe interesting fun/cruiser with good PHRF. Does anyone know anything about hull and deck construction on these?


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## Quickening (Oct 3, 2021)

I own ny40 hull 16 for 21 years. Formerly tachyon. This a Palmer Johnson finished boat designed by Doug Peterson for the New York yacht club. The hulls were built by New Orleans marine and shipped to PJ to be finished. I have been on seven sister boats - all are a little different.

The boat sails fantastic. Balanced, fast, and the more rough the conditions the more you will love this boat.
We raced this boat under phrf with good result given you have a large and skilled crew. No, it is not as easy to race as a more modern, big main, small jib boat with an A-sym. But with 5-6 really good sailors and another 5 on the rail and you can be competitive under handicap. The boat is incredibly tunable and extremely responsive to the tune. If you like tweaking - and seeing the speedo react - this is a rewarding boat to sail.

This a racer cruiser. The interior is varnished wood on every inch. It’s beautiful. The quality of finish is Baltic or swan or Alden in my opinion. The Baltic 42 is a very similar boat- a Peterson design also.

We cruised this boat with other couples, two of us and with both kids from weeks old into teen years. It’s a solid boat, sails great. We left Nantucket once in a 40 knots sw and out going tide to Martha’s Vineyard. We got pounded for hours - just my wife and I. We both had 100% confidence in the boat. She goes to weather like witch. It’s a fun boat to sail.

Deep cockpit feels safe in horrible conditions and the deck is mostly flat with only couplle inch rise for ports - super easy to walk around.

We can pull into any harbor and some one will ask “is that a ny40 - I used race on one ...”. Then they tell you sailing stories that are unbelievable and definitely true.

The negatives - the small head/shower. If you want to race, it will take time to figure out the boat and you need some good sailors. I have never found a tuning guide. My wife and I are life long sailors - we got spanked racing for a couple years until we had some rock stars help us figure out to to teak the boat. 

On the positive - you can tweet endlessly and keep learning and the boat tells you what it right and wrong immediately.

If you want to cruise it - in my opinion its a fantastic boat. No expense was spared building it. If the size of the head is important to you - it will only feel smaller over time. This is a sailors boat.

We have looked a so many boats as possible upgrades - We always come back to the ny40 is perfect for us.


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## wildings1 (8 mo ago)

tartanexplorer said:


> *to rstephan*
> 
> not sure how this site works, but I would like to track down rstephan about his ny 40 and find out if he is in fact looking to sell. I know the ny 40 well, raced them for years as a kid, familiar with most that were built and raced in new england.


I purchased Fantod after NYYC fleet was superceded. Sailed in Maine for many years. Guy who purchased mine trucked to California, installed a tiller, and reportedly set off to sail the Pacific. An earlier poster inquired about interior variations. To my knowledge one could be ordered with an aft head, never saw. I tried to re create/organize an owners group in late 90's early 2000's with NYYC info help but not much interest. Loved mine, single handed 90% of time . (Renamed Wildings). Often wonder where she is. Lost the CG documentation info. Great memories!


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