Bowman 40

Introducing Katinka, a genuine offshore passage-maker with an impressive logbook of ocean crossings behind her. Designed by Chuck Paine and built by Southern Boatbuilders Limited, the Bowman 40 was conceived from the outset for open water — fewer than sixty were ever produced, and she is a classic example of one of the breed's most respected bluewater yachts.

Launched in 1991, Katinka pairs a proven bluewater hull with a rig built for shorthanded sail handling, and comes with a clean, fully documented ownership history. Katinka offers an underlying pedigree — a vessel that ticks every box for capability, comfort, and endurance cruising.

Chuck Paine's design brief for the Bowman 40 was uncompromising offshore capability, and Rival Bowman's build quality carried that brief through to execution. Low production numbers mean these boats rarely come to market, and each one carries a well-known reputation among bluewater sailors for being genuinely capable of ocean crossings rather than simply styled to look the part.

Katinka has a medium-to-heavy displacement hull fitted with a Scheel keel, giving her stability in motion at sea and minimal bow-lift to power her through the toughest conditions. With balance in mind, she has mid-mounted engine positioned over her keel adding ballast where it's needed most.

Her long lead keel and skeg-hung rudder protect the rudder offshore and allow grounding in soft beds — a combination that favours long-tracking stability over point-and-shoot manoeuvrability, exactly what an ocean-crossing hull should prioritise.

She is set up as a cutter, with a battened mainsail, lazyjacks and a lazybag that together make sail reduction straightforward shorthanded and keep the boat balanced under way — a rig configuration built around two people managing long passages comfortably rather than a full crew on the rail.

Teak decks, capped bulwarks and wide side-decks give secure footing and safe stepping when working the foredeck at sea, a detail that matters in a night-shout on deck far more than it does at the dock.

Below decks, Katinka carries teak joinery throughout, two heads with showers, forward and aft sea berths for watch-keeping offshore, a dedicated chart table, and a galley positioned amidships over the engine for stability under way — a layout built around living aboard on passage, not just at anchor. An 8ft Caribe tender and a 5hp outboard are included in the sale.

There are ample spares on board for repairs at sea including Perkins parts rigging components. Hull & construction - Hand-laid GRP hull to Lloyd's approved drawings, heavily ribbed — "built like a tank" - Underwater hull epoxy-treated (8 coats) against osmosis in 2002 - 8.6 ton displacement — momentum and sea-kindly motion in heavy weather - A shallow draft of just 1.5m compared to yachts of a similar size.

Rig & sails - Cutter rig with double spreaders and twin backstays (unique for the class) - Standing rigging upsized to 8/10mm with Sta-Lok swageless terminals — owner-repairable at sea, with full spare rolls of 8 and 10mm wire, wire cutters and tension gauge aboard - Fully-battened main (3 reefs), Yankee, staysail; Harken and Furlex roller reefing - Twin kicking straps replacing rod kicker — crash-jibe prevention - Mast-stowed spinnaker pole, twin adjustable lazy jacks; running rigging renewed 2023 Self-steering & navigation - Monitor wind vane (all stainless) — mechanical, lightning-proof, fixable at sea; spares carried - GPS/AIS/VHF driving OpenCPN chart plotter; Rigel and hand-bearing compasses - Mast-top Visiball radar reflector Power & communications - Icom IC-M700 Pro SSB with AT-130 tuner, insulated backstay aerial, KISS ground plane, and SCS Pactor modem for SailMail — offshore email and cruiser nets - 2× 160W solar, KISS wind generator (rebuilt 2025), 2× 170Ah LiFePO4 batteries, CTEK MPPT/charging system (2020), 1kW inverter, Victron isolation transformer Tankage & self-sufficiency - 545L fresh water in three removable stainless tanks plus 320L fuel — deck fillers positioned to catch rainwater - PUR Survivor-35 emergency watermaker - 2× 6kg propane bottles; wood-burning stove (2017) for high latitudes - Induction hob for low consumption cooking - Massive storage — easily provisioned for 6 months off-grid Ground tackle & safety - 28kg + 20kg CQR anchors plus 15kg Danforth kedge, 54m calibrated stainless chain, 160m+ warp, electric windlass - Liferaft-grade safety fit: fire blankets/extinguishers, lifebuoy with light, jackstays, emergency VHF aerial, smoke/CO detectors Engine & spares - Perkins M50 amidships with short, fully accessible shaft run; comprehensive spares for engine, winches, wind vane, toilets, wind generator, plus manuals for everything.

Boat Details Year: 1991 Builder: Southern Boatbuilding Company Limited Keel: Long Keel Drive: Shaft Drive Engine: Single Rig: Cutter Dimensions Overall Length: 12.2 m / 40 ft Displacement: 8620 kg / 19003.8 lbs / 8.62 tonnes Draft: 1.5 m / 4.9 ft Beam: 3.94 m / 12.9 ft Cabins: 2 Engine Details Number of Engines: 1 Engine Make: Perkins Engine Model: Prima M50 Engine Power: 50 hp Fuel Type: Diesel Engine Type: inboard Propeller: Feathering Engine Hours: 4500