Class40s are 40-foot yachts grouped together under a common measurement, the Class40. Find here the latest news and investigations from Tip & Shaft.
After a prologue between Lorient and Cadiz won by the duo Ian Lipinski/Antoine Carpentier (Crédit Mutuel), eight crews set sail on Sunday for the first leg of the Globe40 between Cadiz and Mindelo (Cape Verde). Tip & Shaft takes stock of the second edition of this double-handed round-the-world race in Class40 with organiser Manfred Ramspacher and some of the participants.
On Sunday 31 August, Ian Lipinski will set sail from Lorient aboard Crédit Mutuel for the prologue of the second edition of the Globe40, a double-handed round-the-world race with stopovers in Class40. A challenge full of new experiences for the skipper. Interview.
On the eve of his 60th birthday, two-time Vendée Globe winner Michel Desjoyeaux is launching a Class40 project with Alexandre Le Gallais, with the aim of designing and building a new boat, the Agité40. Interview.
The 2025 edition of the CIC Normandy Channel Race was marked by a rare incident: the collision between a container ship and the Class40 NST-Cabinet Z, which was cut in two before its skippers, Thomas Jourdren and Cédric de Kervenoaël, were rescued by helicopter. Tip & Shaft looks back at the sequence of events.
After a period of strong growth, the Class40, which made its 2025 debut with the Spi Ouest-France Banque Populaire Grand Ouest last weekend, is now back at cruising speed, while at the same time succeeding in renewing itself. With a brand-new race in the Mediterranean, an ever-expanding round-the-world race, architectural innovations and an ever-increasing number of competitors, the formula continues to attract.
After two seasons in Class40 under the colours of Zeiss, Timothé Polet (24) is preparing to move up the range, as he launches a new Mach 40.6 designed by Sam Manuard and built by JPS in La Trinité-sur-Mer on Monday 25 November. An opportunity for Tip & Shaft to talk to Nicolas Series, president of Zeiss France, who is committed to working alongside the Norman sailor until the end of 2026.
25 Class40s – and 4 monohulls from 45 to 70 feet – set off on 30 June for the 10th edition of the Transat Québec Saint-Malo, raced as a crew. One of these is the Crédit Mutuel boat, n°158, launched in August 2019, which skipper Ian Lipinski will be sailing for the last time, before taking the helm of his new Raison design, unveiled in April. An opportunity for Tip & Shaft to chat to the man who took second place in The Transat CIC in May.
With two new races on the calendar, several new designs in the water and a growing number of contenders to join the circuit, Class40 continues to be buoyed by favourable winds at the start of the 2024 season. Tip & Shaft takes stock.
On 7 March, aboard her Class40 First Light, Cole Brauer (29) became the first American female sailor to complete a non-stop round the world race (130 days), finishing second in the Golden Globe Solo Challenge behind France’s Philippe Delamare. This performance, combined with her enthusiasm, has made her a media phenomenon in the United States. Tip & Shaft spoke to her on Thursday.
At a time when the carbon footprint of composite boats is being called into question, the Greenscow 40, designed by the architect Gildas Plessis, offers an alternative. This Class40 concept, built from birch plywood and also used for a Imoca’s preliminary draft, aims to considerably reduce the environmental impact of the boats, while delivering similar performance? Tip & Shaft tells you more.
After the Ultims and the Ocean Fifty, the Transat Jacques Vabre delivered its podium finish in the Imoca class last weekend and in the Class40 class on Thursday afternoon, with the rvictories of the duos Thomas Ruyant / Morgan Lagravière (For People) and Ambrogio Beccaria / Nicolas Andrieu (Alla Grande Pirelli). Tip & Shaft brought together a number of architects and engineers for a technical analysis of the race.
Since Tuesday and the departure from Le Havre of the Imoca boats, the Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie-Le Havre has resumed its ‘normal’ course, with matches in all four classes. Tip & Shaft takes a look at each of them (to be followed on our website), accompanied by Pierre-Marie Bourguinat, the editor covering the race for the organisation, the routers Jean-Yves Bernot and Marcel Van Triest for the Ultims, Martin Le Pape for the Imocas, Daniel Souben for the Ocean Fiftys and Bruno Jourdren for the Class40s.
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