Windy 40 Boat Review

I didn’t know what to expect when I was asked to board the outboard engine equipped Windy 40 Camira SX at the most recent Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. I am fourteen years into my career as a marine journalist and yet somehow was almost totally unfamiliar with the brand—and I had certainly never been on one. So it was with open eyes and a curious mind that I stepped aboard this latest model from Scandinavia (Windy is a Swedish builder owned by a Norwegian parent company), though I did have my preconceptions. For one, knowing how boats are built in that part of the world, for rough and unforgiving conditions, I’d assume she has a capable hull—though that will remain an assumption until further notice as I didn’t get to take her for a sea trial. The other thing I expect from Scandinavian boats is smart design, and that, I am pleased to say, I found in spades.

The 40 Camira I climbed aboard in Florida comes in an I/O version, but this particular one had twin Yamaha 450s that the builder hopes will appeal to the American market, and in particular the high-end dayboat sector that remains red hot despite downturns in some other marine spheres. The powerful Yammies are reported to give this 40-foot, 3-inch vessel a 45-knot top end that puts the express in express cruiser. Another American touch is the boat’s hardtop. Windy received feedback that we Americans well, how to put this gently? We don’t really feel the desire to raise a Bimini ourselves—so a fixed hardtop it was.

One happy effect of the outboards—besides the easy maintenance and badass aesthetic, is that this 40 Camira now has ample space for a garage. Inside of it were SeaBobs that amplify the boat’s bona fides as a pure fun machine. Interestingly, the garage also had a bit of a false bottom that pulled up to reveal a second stowage space that would be good for surfboards, snorkel gear, or even fishing equipment.

In the Camira’s cockpit you’ll find an obvious nod to this boat’s penthouse ambition in the fold-out teak table with a carbon lining around the edge. It’s quite slick looking, and a bright-red flare to all who step aboard that Windy doesn’t skimp. A wetbar to port, complete with a Kenyon cooktop fleshes out this 40’s dayboating resume.

Anyone giving this model a kick in the tires would be wise to head straight to the helm. It’s thoroughly thought out and I think the highlight of the boat. Twin Garmin screens with digital displays slip snugly into a matte dash designed to minimize glare. The captain’s seat is well padded and comfortable, but of course some of us like to stand when we are at the helm. The only problem is that windshield stanchion would be right in the line of sight of most people at standing height. So Windy figured out an ingenious workaround. At the push of a button a footstool pops out from below the helm seat so you can pop your head above the windshield and out into the wind. But can you still reach the controls? Yes, because they also raise up with you at the push of another button. Just to port of the controls is a set of sturdy steps leading up through a door in the windshield and out onto the small but workable foredeck.

Down below, the Camira has a V-berth with a convertible table in the forepeak. A second cabin at amidships has the expected low overhead but still looked quite cozy for a snooze. A galley to port had a sizable Bosch oven that actually was usable, while magnetized wine glasses and mugs in the cabinets—a very cool touch—won’t go flying. Air-conditioning vents encircling the accommodations are designed to let cool air seep into the space, as opposed to arriving in an arctic blast. And lastly, easy access to the bow thruster through a hatch in the forepeak shows that Windy put thought into actually operating this boat, as one might expect from a region of the world where hiring a captain is an impeachable offense.

What I found with the Windy 40 Camira was a versatile, clever, and well finished boat. I don’t know how this builder escaped my gaze for so long, but in the future, it most certainly won’t.

Windy 40 Specifications:

LOA: 40’3”
Beam: 12’1”
Draft: 4’
Displ.: 17,637 lb.
Fuel: 330 gal.
Standard Power: 2/450-hp Yamaha XTO
Price: $983,028

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This article originally appeared in the February 2024 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.

Source: https://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/cruisers/windy-40-boat-review