Aardvarc is a 2009 Arcona 400, built by Arcona Yachts AB as part of the Swedish yard’s highly regarded performance-cruising range. The Arcona 400 was conceived as a genuine cruiser-racer rather than a cruising yacht with sporting pretensions, combining a light, stiff structure, deep high-aspect keel, powerful sail plan and refined underwater profile with a proper cruising interior and systems installation.

Aardvarc is a particularly comprehensively equipped example. Her current inventory shows considerable investment in the areas that matter, including North 3D Endurance sails new in 2024, complete standing rigging replacement in 2019, a Yanmar SD60 saildrive fitted in 2024, 460Ah LiFePO4 domestic battery system, extensively renewed Victron charging and distribution equipment, solar charging, Raymarine Axiom Pro navigation, Quantum 2 Doppler radar, AIS700, updated autopilot controls, Coppercoat and substantial safety equipment.

The Arcona 400 itself has an established pedigree. More than 160 were built between its launch in 2001 and the end of production in 2014. The design won Sailboat of the Show in 2001 and was overall winner of the Gotland Runt in 2008. Arcona describes the 400 as equally intended for competitive sailing, family cruising and longer-distance passage making.

History & Build

• Model: Arcona 400


• Name: Aardvarc


• Type: Sailing yacht / performance cruiser-racer


• Builder: Arcona Yachts AB


• Builder’s registered address: Gustavsbergs Hamn, SE-134 40 Gustavsberg, Sweden


• Place of build: Kuressaare, Estonia


• Date of build recorded on Builder’s Certificate: November 2009


• Builder’s Certificate signed: 20 January 2010


• Construction: Glass-fibre composite


• Hull colour: White


• Original commissioning/build order recorded by Arcona


• Hull Identification Number recorded on Builder’s Certificate


• Engine identification recorded on Builder’s Certificate


• CE design philosophy: Category A – Ocean

Construction

Hull & Deck

• Vacuum-infused composite hull and deck construction


• Multiaxial glass-fibre reinforcement


• Divinycell foam core


• Solid laminate reinforcement around keel, rudder and through-hull fittings


• Solid deck laminate locally beneath deck hardware and fittings


• White GRP hull


• Open transom configuration


• Integrated bathing platform


• Structural bulkheads bonded directly to hull and deck


• Marine plywood structural bulkheads


• Interior structure laminated into hull rather than relying upon a moulded structural inner liner

A major structural feature of the Arcona 400 is its hot-dip galvanised steel chassis, designed to absorb and distribute loads from the keel, mast and rig into the hull structure. The chassis extends fore and aft of the keel and is connected to the principal structural bulkheads.

Keel

• Standard draft keel


• Draft: 2.10m


• Approximately 2.5-tonne keel weight


• Lead bulb


• Cast iron/steel fin


• Fin glassed and faired


• Keel secured through hull to structural steel chassis


• 12 x 20mm stainless steel keel bolts in the original design


• Low centre of gravity performance keel configuration


• Arcona Keel-Pro grounding-protection system incorporated into original design specification

Rudder & Steering

• High-aspect balanced spade rudder


• Hand-laminated multiaxial glass-fibre rudder blade


• 80mm aluminium rudder stock in the original specification


• Self-aligning rudder bearings


• Wheel steering


• Integrated GRP steering pedestal


• Stainless steel steering wheel


• Chain and wire steering transmission to quadrant


• Steering friction brake


• Emergency tiller included

Principal Dimensions

• Length overall: 11.98m / 39ft 4in


• Length waterline: 10.50m / 34ft 5in


• Beam: 3.82m / 12ft 6in


• Draft: 2.10m / 6ft 11in


• Displacement recorded on Builder’s Certificate: 7.0 tonnes


• Keel/ballast weight: approximately 2.5 tonnes


• Mast height above water: approximately 18.90m / 62ft


• CE Category: A – Ocean


• Published Arcona stability data: STIX 37


• Published AVS: 124°

Engine & Propulsion

• Yanmar 3JH5E


• Three-cylinder marine diesel engine


• 39hp


• Fresh-water cooled


• Engine identification recorded on original Builder’s Certificate


• Engine instrumentation and alarm system


• Yanmar SD60 saildrive fitted 2024


• Flexofold two-blade folding propeller


• Ambassador rope cutter


• Engine installation designed for straightforward service access

Charging

• Balmar 80A alternator


• Balmar smart alternator regulator


• Engine charging integrated into upgraded domestic charging system


• DC-DC domestic battery charging

Electrical System

Aardvarc has received a substantial modernisation of her domestic electrical and charging system.

Domestic Battery System

• Titan UK 460Ah LiFePO4 domestic battery


• Lithium domestic installation described by the owner as new


• Victron fused distribution system


• Battery monitoring


• Integrated charging from:
  
  
  
  • Shore power
  
  
  • Engine via DC-DC charger
  
  
  • Solar array
  
  
  
  

Engine Battery

• Optimax dedicated engine-start battery


• Separate engine battery charging


• New dedicated mains charger for engine-start battery

Shore Power

• Mains shore-power installation


• New hull shore-power inlet/socket


• New galvanic isolator


• 230/240V onboard supply

Inverter

• 300W inverter


• Mounted behind navigation-station panelling


• Dedicated outlet below outboard shelf


• Intended for low-load equipment such as a laptop computer

Solar Charging

• 2 x Solara Premium M-Series S100 solar panels


• Solar charging integrated into domestic battery charging system


• Victron charging/monitoring architecture

Lighting

• Predominantly LED interior lighting


• Some navigation-light bulbs remain conventional

Tankage & Plumbing

Fresh Water

• 226-litre bespoke plastic freshwater tank


• Tank fitted 2022


• 12V pressurised freshwater pump


• Hot and cold domestic water


• Drinking-water filtration system


• GUL Structured Matrix Technology drinking-water filter


• Cartridge reference: 400009

Hot Water

• Isotemp hot-water calorifier


• Engine-heated


• 230/240V immersion heating from shore power

Waste

• Original Arcona design provides a holding-tank sanitation system


• Shower sump and associated plumbing renewed as part of the current yacht’s plumbing updates

Through-Hull Fittings

• Hull fittings renewed


• Seacocks renewed


• Majority replaced with TruDesign composite seacocks


• Associated internal plumbing renewed

Bilge Pumps

• 2 x electric bilge pumps


• Automatic bilge water-level switches


• 1 x manual bilge pump

Showers

• Internal shower adjacent to heads


• Isolation valves


• Shower sump


• New transom shower unit


• Below-deck isolation valves for transom shower

Rig & Spars

Mast & Boom

• Selden aluminium mast


• Keel-stepped


• Three-spreader configuration


• Original mast section approximately 227 x 119mm


• Approximate mast length: 18.83m


• Internal halyard arrangement


• Selden aluminium boom


• Internal outhaul


• Single-line mainsail reefing


• Rod kicker / vang arrangement


• Furler headsail reefing system


• Spinnaker equipment


• Deck-mounted spinnaker-pole storage

Standing Rigging

Complete standing rigging renewed 2019:

• 1×19 DYFORM / COMPAK stainless steel wire


• New terminals


• New turnbuckles


• Swaged using Teknik Swedish swaging equipment/process

Running Rigging & Sail Handling

• Two spinnaker halyards


• Spinnaker pole


• Boom reefing system


• Spinnaker pole and boom reefing systems recently refurbished


• Cabin-roof rope clutches recently refurbished


• 2 banks of 6 rope clutches


• Halyard clutch components fitted with ceramic parts


• Mainsail stack-pack system


• Mainsail cover


• Headsail furling system

Published Rig Dimensions

• I: 15.95m


• J: 4.25m


• P: 15.35m


• E: 5.50m

Sail Inventory

Primary 2024 Sail Wardrobe

• North 3D Endurance mainsail – new 2024


• North 3D Endurance jib – new 2024

Additional Sails

• Quantum mainsail – original laminate sail


• Quantum jib – original laminate sail


• Yankee jib


• Anchor riding sail


• Asymmetric spinnaker


• Associated asymmetric spinnaker sheets


• Conventional symmetric spinnaker


• Associated symmetric spinnaker sheets


• Associated spinnaker guys

Sail Handling

• Headsail furling/reefing system


• Single-line mainsail reefing


• Stack-pack mainsail system


• Spinnaker pole


• Two spinnaker halyards

For reference, Arcona’s published sail-plan figures for the model include a mainsail of approximately 49.8m², Genoa 3 of 34.0m², Genoa 1 of 50.4m², symmetric spinnaker of approximately 115m² and asymmetric of approximately 110m². These are model design figures rather than measured dimensions of Aardvarc’s present sails.

Winch & Deck-Handling Inventory

Aardvarc’s current inventory records:

• 1 x electric winch


• 3 x manual winches


• 2 x winch handles


• Refurbished cabin-roof rope clutches


• 2 x 6 clutch arrangement


• Halyards and control lines led aft


• Spinnaker handling equipment


• Deck-mounted spinnaker pole

The original Arcona deck specification was based around Lewmar equipment, including Lewmar 48 self-tailing primary winches and Lewmar 40 halyard winches.

Navigation & Electronics

Aardvarc carries a particularly comprehensive Raymarine navigation package.

Multifunction Display

• Raymarine Axiom Pro 9


• 9-inch multifunction navigation display


• Software reported up to date


• Associated cabling


• SeaTalk1 to SeaTalkNG converter


• Cabling arranged to support installation/use at navigation and helm stations

Radar

• Raymarine Quantum 2 Doppler radar


• 18-inch radome


• Doppler target processing


• Mounted on gimballed Scanstrut installation


• SeaTalkHS connectivity


• Associated radar cabling

AIS

• Raymarine AIS700


• Class B AIS transceiver


• Transmit and receive capability


• Integrated VHF antenna splitter

Autopilot

• Raymarine SPX-10 SmartPilot


• Linear-drive autopilot


• Raymarine p70s autopilot controller – new


• p70s controller positioned at helm station


• Remote autopilot control

Sailing Instruments

• 3 x Raymarine ST60+ instruments


• 1 x Raymarine ST70 instrument


• Wind speed


• Wind direction


• GPS data


• Boat speed


• Depth sounder


• New speed/temperature sensor fitted 2026


• Raymarine i70s multifunction display at helm

NMEA / Wireless Data

• W2K-1 NMEA-to-Wi-Fi converter


• Allows compatible navigation/instrument data to be viewed through mobile applications and wireless devices

Compasses

• Contest 130 compass


• Companionway mounted


• Silva steering compass


• Helm mounted


• Bespoke compass table

Radar Reflector

• Echomax dual-channel radar reflector – new


• Gimballed installation


• Mounted above radar

Communications

• ICOM M505 marine VHF


• Fixed VHF installation


• Raymarine AIS700 with integrated VHF splitter


• W2K-1 wireless NMEA data interface

Sound Signals

• Removable electric foghorn


• Configured for automatic operation through VHF radio


• Hand-held gas foghorn

Deck & Cockpit

• Open-transom performance-cruising deck arrangement


• Large working cockpit


• Wheel steering


• Stainless steel wheel


• Teak cockpit table


• Sprayhood arrangement


• Bimini frame and cover


• Bimini cockpit extension


• Large cockpit lockers


• Dedicated rope/halyard stowage


• Stainless steel pulpit


• Twin pushpit arrangement


• Stainless steel guardrails


• Double lifelines


• Mooring cleats


• Spring cleats


• Stainless steel stern bathing ladder


• Transom shower


• Emergency tiller


• Fenders


• Mooring warps


• Wooden passerelle included if required

Deck Construction

• Composite sandwich deck


• Local solid-laminate reinforcement beneath deck fittings


• Concealed/organised halyard and control-line routing characteristic of the Arcona 400 deck layout

Ground Tackle

Primary Anchor

• Rocna 20kg anchor


• 60m x 8mm anchor chain


• Electric anchor windlass


• Windlass remote control


• Deck-mounted windlass switches

Secondary / Stern Anchoring

• Ankarolina 56/25 spooled tape anchor line


• Pushpit mounted


• 12kg folding Danforth-type anchor


• Associated anchor chain


• Danforth anchor stored in port stern locker

Accommodation

The Arcona 400 interior was built in selected Khaya/mahogany, finished in satin varnish, with extensive solid timber framing and cabinetry. Structural and interior components are integrated into the yacht rather than concealed behind a large moulded inner liner.

Saloon

• Full standing headroom, approximately 1.96m in the standard design


• Large U-shaped port saloon settee


• Starboard settee


• Central dining table


• Drop-leaf table arrangement


• Bottle storage


• Extensive storage behind seat backs


• Bookshelves


• Cupboards


• Reading lights


• Overhead lighting


• Mahogany interior joinery


• Removable floor panels providing access to bilge and systems


• Teak-style/varnished timber cabin sole

Navigation Station

• Dedicated navigation station


• Large chart table


• Chart storage


• Drawers


• Navigation light


• Electronics installation area


• 300W inverter installed behind panelling


• Dedicated low-load inverter socket beneath outboard shelf

Ventilation & Natural Light

The Arcona 400 design incorporates multiple opening portlights, coachroof windows and deck hatches, with additional ventilation through Dorade-style vents in the saloon.

Galley

• U-shaped galley


• Centrally positioned adjacent to saloon and companionway


• ENO Gascogne gas cooker


• Gimballed cooker installation


• Gas hob


• Oven


• Twin stainless steel sinks


• Pressurised freshwater supply


• Hot and cold water


• Filtered drinking water


• Refrigerated storage


• Large preparation/work surfaces


• Provision storage


• Plate, cup and glass cupboards


• Lower utensil storage


• Cutlery drawers


• Waste-bin storage beneath sink


• Cutting/preparation board arrangement

Gas System

• Dedicated gas locker in port stern locker


• 2 x gas cylinders


• One operational cylinder


• One spare cylinder


• Gas alarm system

Heads & Shower

• Dedicated heads compartment


• Marine toilet


• Holding-tank system


• Recessed washbasin


• Hot and cold water


• Separate/adjacent shower arrangement


• Shower isolation valves


• Shower sump


• Shower evacuation system


• Mirror


• Storage cupboard


• Wet-clothing storage


• Deck hatch/ventilation


• Internal plumbing substantially renewed


• Majority of seacocks replaced with TruDesign fittings