This yacht, from 1995, was
Dehler’s first flirtation with
deck-saloon cruising and in
many ways she was ahead of her
time. Unsurprisingly, given the
German yard’s predilection for
low, narrow and slippery hulls,
she features a sleek, graceful,
modern-looking wheelhouse
on a Kevlar-reinforced hull with
relatively modest beam. Below
the boot-top she has fine lines,
a balanced waterplane and a
cast-iron keel with an ‘upside-
down’ profile. Looking aloft, the
standard sailplan comprises a
small, self-tacking jib and a beefy,
fully-battened mainsail set on a
tall, 7/8 fractional rig. The cockpit
is designed for effortless short-
handed sailing, with two electric
winches operated via push-buttons on the wheel pedestal. Under way she is
surprisingly weatherly – boasting a tacking angle of 75° – and undemanding
on long passages. But her narrow waterline beam gives less form stability
than tubbier yachts, resulting in a more pronounced angle of heel when
sailing on the wind.
Down below, the 41DS is spacious and solidly fitted out in light ash joinery,
with ample stowage and two big double sleeping cabins, fore and aft of the
central saloon. The wheelhouse has a novel fold-out helm position, with
joystick steering and fly-by-wire engine controls.

LOA 12.45m (40ft 10in) LWL 11.05m (36ft 3in) Beam 3.9m (12ft 9in) Draught 1.95m(6ft 5in) Displacement 8,300kg (18,260 lb) YM test report May 1995
Class association www.dehlerowners.co.uk