Boats

BoatUS: LightSquared Still Threatens GPS

by Adam Cort, Posted March 5, 2012

Two weeks after declaring victory in its battle to defend GPS, BoatUS is cautioning sailors and other GPS users that they’re not “out of the woods just yet,” following a Federal Communications Commission decision to extend the public comment period on the issue to March 16.

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 44DS

by Adam Cort, Posted March 2, 2012

I tend to look askance at boats like the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 44DS, under the assumption that dramatic styling and scads of space belowdecks leave little room in the design brief for performance. In the case of the 4DS, though, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Hanse 78 Premium

by Sail Staff, Posted March 1, 2012

Who’d have thought, just a few years ago, that production boatbuilders would soon be edging closer to super-yacht territory? Falling just a shade short of 80 feet, this semi-custom yacht opens up a new market for the prolific German builder.

Outremer 5X

by Sail Staff, Posted March 1, 2012

This stunning cat is the latest debutante from a French company known for its fast, sweet-sailing offshore boats. Designed by Van Peteghem Lauriot Prevost (also responsible for the AC45 catamarans), the boat displaces just 15 tons in cruising trim.

Best Boat 2013 Fountaine-Pajot Sanya 57

by Sail Staff, Posted March 1, 2012

The bigger the catamaran, the better looking it tends to be. Attempts to maximize the living spaces in smaller cats can result in rather dumpy boats, but if a designer/stylist has plenty of LOA to play with, the result can be downright elegant.

The Matrix 450

by Andrew Burton, Posted February 8, 2012

After Matrix Yachts’ president, Peter Wehrley, retired from his job as a structural engineer to operate charter boats in the Caribbean with his wife, Fiona, they soon saw the potential for a large catamaran in the charter trade. Peter’s son, Mark, also captains boats in the charter trade and has now joined the family firm. The Wehrleys’ extensive sailing experience is readily apparent in the Vision 450’s systems, layout and style.

Gunboat Opens Boatyard in North Carolina

by Meredith Laitos, Posted February 1, 2012

Gunboat, manufacturer of high-end racing and cruising catamarans, announced the opening of its new boatyard in Wanchese, North Carolina. The company will employ 71 people at the new 30,000 square foot facility, from which it will be able to haul, launch, sea trial and service boats year round.

Just Launched: New Rackam Wing 26 Heats Up the Market

by Peter Nielsen, Posted February 1, 2012

Recently launched boats boast of high-performance, luxury and quality that sailing enthusiasts can't miss out on. Think high-performance sub-30-foot racer/ cruiser multihull and you think trimaran. But the imminent arrival in the United States of the Rackam Wing 26 Xtreme could quickly change that.

Beneteau Sense 43

by Charles J. Doane, Posted January 24, 2012

This 43-foot offering doesn’t have as many bells and whistles as its big sister, the new Sense 50, but it does demonstrate that the Sense design concept can translate successfully into a significantly smaller hull.

The Farr 400: A wolf in wolf's clothing

by Ralph Naranjo, Posted January 10, 2012

The new Farr 400 is all predator, a no-holds-barred one design that can ghost through 5-knot holes and still stand tall in 25-knot gusts. As the heir apparent to the Farr 40, this all-carbon lightweight speedster reveals an up-tick in commitment to performance and an upgrade in the commitment to technology.