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1981 — 1994
Designers
Ted Hood
Dieter Empacher
Builder
Bristol Yachts
Associations
?
# Built
104
Hull
Monohull
Keel
Stub + Centerboard
Rudder
?
Construction
FG

Dimensions

Length Overall
41 2 / 12.6 m
Waterline Length
33 4 / 10.2 m
Beam
12 11 / 3.9 m
Draft
4 5 / 1.4 m 10 0 / 3.1 m
Displacement
26,530 lb / 12,034 kg
Ballast
10,500 lb / 4,763 kg
Drawing of Bristol 41.1
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    Miami, FL, US
    1989 Bristol 41.1
    $59,900 USD
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    Miami, FL, US
    1989 Bristol 41.1
    $59,900 USD
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    Miami, FL, US
    1989 Bristol 41.1
    $59,900 USD
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    Miami, FL, US
    1989 Bristol 41.1
    $59,900 USD
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    Miami, FL, US
    1989 Bristol 41.1
    $59,900 USD
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    Miami, FL, US
    1989 Bristol 41.1
    $59,900 USD
  • 14 / 21
    Miami, FL, US
    1989 Bristol 41.1
    $59,900 USD
  • 15 / 21
    Miami, FL, US
    1989 Bristol 41.1
    $59,900 USD
  • 16 / 21
    Miami, FL, US
    1989 Bristol 41.1
    $59,900 USD
  • 17 / 21
    Miami, FL, US
    1989 Bristol 41.1
    $59,900 USD
  • 18 / 21
    Miami, FL, US
    1989 Bristol 41.1
    $59,900 USD
  • 19 / 21
    Miami, FL, US
    1989 Bristol 41.1
    $59,900 USD
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    Miami, FL, US
    1989 Bristol 41.1
    $59,900 USD
  • 21 / 21
    Miami, FL, US
    1989 Bristol 41.1
    $59,900 USD

Rig and Sails

Type
Sloop
Reported Sail Area
830′² / 77.1 m²
Total Sail Area
789′² / 73.3 m²
Mainsail
Sail Area
343′² / 31.9 m²
P
45 0 / 13.7 m
E
15 3 / 4.7 m
Air Draft
58 11 / 18 m
Foresail
Sail Area
446′² / 41.4 m²
I
52 11 / 16.2 m
J
16 9 / 5.1 m
Forestay Length
55 7 / 17 m

Auxilary Power

Make
Westerbeke
Model
?
HP
?
Fuel Type
Diesel
Fuel Capacity
80 gal / 303 l

Accomodations

Water Capacity
180 gal / 681 l
Holding Tank Capacity
?
Headroom
?
Cabins
?

Calculations

Hull Speed
7.9 kn
Classic: 7.74 kn

Hull Speed

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Formula

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

A more accurate formula devised by Dave Gerr in The Propeller Handbook replaces the Speed/Length ratio constant of 1.34 with a calculation based on the Displacement/Length ratio.

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio.311
Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

7.93 knots
Classic formula: 7.74 knots
Sail Area/Displacement
14.9
<16: under powered

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

Formula

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64)2/3

  • SA: Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
  • D: Displacement in pounds.
14.93
<16: under powered
16-20: good performance
>20: high performance
Ballast/Displacement
39.6
<40: less stiff, less powerful

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Formula

Ballast / Displacement * 100

39.58
<40: less stiff, less powerful
>40: stiffer, more powerful
Displacement/Length
319.8
300-400: heavy

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

Formula

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

  • D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
  • LWL: Waterline length in feet
319.79
<100: ultralight
100-200: light
200-300: moderate
300-400: heavy
>400: very heavy
Comfort Ratio
37.7
30-40: moderate bluewater cruising boat

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Formula

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam1.33)

  • D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
  • LWL: Waterline length in feet
  • LOA: Length overall in feet
  • Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet
37.73
<20: lightweight racing boat
20-30: coastal cruiser
30-40: moderate bluewater cruising boat
40-50: heavy bluewater boat
>50: extremely heavy bluewater boat
Capsize Screening
1.7
<2.0: better suited for ocean passages

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

Formula

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

  • Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet
  • D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
1.73
<2: better suited for ocean passages
>2: better suited for coastal cruising

Notes

From BlueWaterBoats.org:

The Bristol 41.1 is a high performance cruiser with distinctive classical styling from the board of famous naval architect Ted Hood. Launched in early 1981 by Bristol Yachts, the boat was built by some of New England’s finest craftsmen. With that kind of pedigree there is no surprise that among cruisers she has excellent reputation as a blue water boat.

When Clinton Pearson left Pearson Yachts in 1964, industry insiders probably thought his most influential work was done. How could you not considering he and his brother, Everett, had founded what was the first production fiberglass manufacturer ever with their launch of the Pearson Triton 28. But oh were they wrong. Subsequent to his ousting, Clinton purchased the troubled sailboat-maker, Sailstar and renamed the company Bristol Yachts in 1966 after the production facility’s location on Popasquash Road, in Bristol, Rhode Island. The early Bristols were Carl Alberg designs with full keel-hung rudders, they were stout boats with an easy motion in a seaway.

The Bristol 41.1, belongs to the second generation of yachts produced by the company. Most Bristols of this era were designed by Ted Hood’s office, and the 41.1 is no exception. Dieter Empacher was the primary naval architect of the 41.1 as well as the earlier Bristol 39/40.

In total 104 hulls were built from 1981 until 1994 after which the company concentrated on custom yacht construction until closing shop in 1997. Bristol Yachts of this era are known for high performance and a superb fit and finish details.

Configuration, Layout and Construction

The boat has a simple sloop rig. Below the waterline is a relatively long cruising fin keelwith a skeg hung rudder. As with most Ted Hood designs, there’s a centerboard arrangement, to maximize windward performance (10′ board down) while allowing access to shoal draft areas (4′ 6″ board up). Her bow has a fine entry leading to powerful aft sections.

Both both aft and center cockpit options were available, the center cockpit had the generally preferred full width stateroom aft.

As for construction the Bristol 41.1 was laid up using layers of solid woven roving and polyester resin. The ballast weighting in at 10,500 pounds of lead was encapsulated inside the fiberglass keel section. On deck notable are the copious teak touchings that compose the railing, coamings, and trim and highlight her sweet style. Down below, her joinery work is a mix of teak and Honduras mahogany.

Under Sail

The prime attraction of these yachts are their spectacular sailing capability. These medium displacement cruisers track very well and handle heavy weather with ease. Lowering the centerboard makes a tremendous difference to windward, allowing the boat to point 10 degrees higher.

Buyers Notes

Interior layouts vary. As noted there are aft and center cockpit deck molds. The center cockpit versions have a full width stateroom aft with either split berths or a full width king. In the main saloon is an L-shaped settee opposite either swivel chairs or a straight settee. All come with a V-berth forward. Along with the 41.1, Bristol produced around 26 hulls out of the same 41.1 mold of an alternate version called the 43.3 which had interior modifications – most notably an island queen berth aft. Instead of the walkthrough galley, the 43.3 has a corner galley arrangement like on the Bristol 45.5.

Links, References and Further Reading

» Bristol Owners, Bristol 41.1
» Mitchell, Steve (Good Old Boat), Pearson Yachts History
» Wikipedia, Bristol Yachts

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