SAIL.SailMagazine

This latest offering in Beneteau’s revitalized Oceanis line of family cruising boats was introduced at the Miami International Boat Show in February. Like the new Oceanis 45, which received a 2012 European Boat of the Year Award, the 48 immediately won some accolades and was tapped for a National Marine Manufacturers Association Innovation Award soon after the show opened.

Sailing is about excitement, freedom and motion without machinery. What Americans would call “yachting” also includes security, comfort and luxury. Given this definition, the Oyster 625 truly provides the full yachting experience.

I had a feeling that the Marc Lombard-designed Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 379 would be fun to sail even before I took one out for a test drive in 20-25 knots of breeze. I’d sailed the first of the similarly re-designed Sun Odysseys—the 409—the previous year, and I expected the folks at Jeanneau would have little trouble serving up more of the same performance and comfort in a slightly smaller 37ft package.

Along with the burgeoning popularity of catamarans comes the realization that there are nowhere near as many entry-level cruising cats as there are monohulls. If I want to buy a new 30- to 33-foot monohull for some unambitious, uncomplicated coastal sailing, then all of the major production builders have at least one model that would suit me.

A collaboration between Sparkman & Stephens and England’s Spirit Yachts, this “Super J” is adapted from the plans for Ranger, which defended the America’s Cup in 1937.