8 September 2025
A bold new Class40 racing yacht designed to challenge limits, elevate British innovation, and inspire the next generation of offshore sailors and engineers.
SR Structures are proud to announce the SR40. A four year off shore racing campaign centred around the design, construction and competitive development of the Class40 racing yacht.
Our strategic goals are three fold:
- Promote British design & manufacturing - Showcasing cutting edge technology, innovation from young British naval architects, STEM and apprenticeships.
- Win major offshore races on a global stage - Challenge the French dominance in top-tier offshore racing.
- Inspire the next generation - Engage young talent from across Britain in offshore sailing, marine engineering and boat building.
While our mission is to elevate British talent through offshore sailing and engineering by competing at the highest level of offshore international racing, while inspiring the next generation to pursue careers in the marine industries while embracing adventure.
Thorne Yacht Design is proud to partner with SR Structures on the unveiling of the SR Class40, a project that unites the precision of British engineering with a research-driven design philosophy to set a new benchmark in offshore performance.
From the outset, the design office committed to a highly technical approach, conducting an extensive programme of CFD studies and VPP comparisons against the top performers in the current fleet. This rigorous process validated performance gains across a full range of conditions.
The resulting hull form is complemented by a highly developed keel and rudder package, optimised to deliver enhanced performance in light airs while maintaining control and stability when pushed hard in extreme conditions.
The cockpit design has been refined through lessons from SR Structures’ prior builds, direct race-team input, and the guidance of specialist consultants. The outcome is an ergonomic, secure, and efficient working space, tailored for both solo and short-handed racing.
On the structural side, development has focused on intelligent optimisation, balancing weight control, distribution, and efficient build methods. Sustainability has been considered at every stage, with thoughtful integration of eco-conscious materials and practices.
The SR Class40 is a testament to SR Structures and Thorne Yacht Design’s philosophy: marrying technical innovation with practical, seaman like solutions to ensure a yacht that is not only competitive but also dependable across the full spectrum of offshore conditions.
The Class40 yacht is a class of monohull offshore racing yacht designed for short-handed ocean racing. It’s a box rule class, which means the boats must conform to specific dimensional limits but allow for design freedom within those constraints.
Built on experience, cutting-edge design, sustainable engineering, and a mission to showcase British talent on the global stage.