40 Passagemaker

Introduced in 1973, the DeFever 40 Passagemaker is a fiberglass version of the earlier wood-built Passagemaker 38. It is said to have a softer ride than the 38 thanks to a slightly rounded chine, and unlike her Taiwan-built predecessor, Jensen Marine produced the 40 Passagemaker in America. Jensen built the boat until the company ceased operations in 1980. Downeast Yachts, a California-based sailboat builder, then acquired the molds and tooling and production was resumed as the Downeast 40. Construction was fairly straightforward until Downeast started building the boat; they added cabin liner and engine room liners—unusual in a trawler design, but beneficial in that it strengthens the hull and makes engine room clean up easy. Both Passagemaker and Downeast models came with a full teak interior, and both offered identical layouts including a companionway in the aft stateroom for direct cockpit access. Additional features include a functional mast and boom, teak swim platform, port and starboard deck doors, and wide side decks. A single 120hp Lehman diesel will cruise at 7–8 knots with a range of close to 1,000 miles. Twin diesels were optional.