2005 Wauquiez Centurion 40s – NOW SOLD

Grabau International is delighted to announce its successful sale of the 2005 Wauquiez Centurion 40s ‘MOYANA TOO’.

There’s a new generation of 40-somethings designed to appeal to other 40-somethings. I refer, of course, to the group of 40-foot cruiser-racers aimed at folks who are not over the hill but have passed the hair-shirt-racer stage of life. The Wauquiez Centurion 40s is a nice example of this type, with attractive, comfortable accommodations ensconced in a fast, handsome hull powered by a big, competitive rig.

The deck is all business, as a racing boat’s deck should be, and the teak-topped seats compliment both security and esthetics. The effective antiskid, long grabrails on the low cabintop, and solid lifeline anchors are valuable on any boat. It was easy to reach about half the length of the boom from the cabintop without tripping on exposed lines; a fiberglass panel covers halyards and reef lines as they run aft. A big roller on the bow and a windlass inside the large foredeck locker will handle anchoring tasks with no sweat.

I found it easy to enter and leave the cockpit even though seatbacks are high; this is a nice bit of design that many other builders don’t get quite right. The cockpit is tapered, so the forward end is narrow enough for bracing feet as the boat heels while the aft end is broad enough for crew activity during racing maneuvers. From a distance the transom appears to be flat, but it opens to reveal a well-designed stern platform with boarding ladder. There’s plenty of stowage in the cockpit.

There are racing features everywhere. The mainsheet is double-ended, the wheel is large and runs in a trough, and winches are placed for efficient access by the crew. I especially appreciated the handy line-tail lockers near the companionway, as the rope spaghetti that can accumulate in the cockpit and cabin is a hazard when the action gets hot.

A few steps down the companionway ladder take you to an exceptionally pretty saloon, and there’s a wet locker in the head to port for your dripping foulies. Tall sailors will appreciate this space, which is open and unobstructed overhead for its entire length and has ample headroom. An attractive combination of padded vinyl, fabric, and wood trim sets off the saloon; our test boat had a lovely muted color scheme.

The L-shaped galley has a front-opening fridge and separate freezer. The stovetop cover does double duty as a serving tray or extra counter space. The deep double sink is near the centerline, and anchor rings for a stove safety belt are standard. The head compartment is mostly fiberglass and should be easy to clean. There’s a large separate shower stall. The nav station is efficient and well organized, with enough table space for a chart book and enough panel space for a plotter or radar display.

Stowage space is well distributed throughout the boat. Sizable cabinets in the saloon, hanging lockers and cabinets in the forward and aft cabins, and enclosed storage in the galley will contribute greatly to safety under way and convenience at rest, whether racing or cruising. Overhead clearance is good in the aft cabin. The double berth has reading lights, and the layout of this space and of the forward cabin with its V-berth is conventional.

I sailed one of the first four boats off the production line on a cool, overcast Chesapeake day with 8 to 9 knots of breeze. The boat accelerated easily to just over 6 knots and was quite easy to keep in the groove. The wheel action was a joy, with instant response to pressure but no squirreliness or erratic tracking if the skipper’s mind wandered for a moment.

The boat handles as well under power as under sail, with a one-length turning circle both to port and to starboard.

We wish her new owners fair winds and following seas.

For those that missed out, Grabau International has a number of other similar yachts available for sale including:

Elan 450 – full details here

Solaris One 44 – full details here

X-Yachts X-43 Modern – full details here

Arcona 430 – full details here

Dufour 40e Performance – full details here

Do you have a yacht like this to sell? Grabau International are always looking for new high-quality cruising yacht listings both in the UK and internationally. For further information about our tailored brokerage services, please look here or feel free to contact us.