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2012

Best Boats 2012 Nominee: Herreshoff 20

The Herreshoff 20 is a unique new production boat based on an 80-year-old design created by Capt. Nat himself that was never built. In addition to serving as a sharp little daysailer, the Bristol Boat Company, which manufactures the boat, is also promoting it as a one-design racer and sail trainer.

Best Boats 2012 Nominee: Swan 66FD

The Swan lineage is immediately recognizable in the sleek form of this new luxury performance cruiser from the legendary Finnish builder. The deck plan is deceptively simple and incorporates a huge “lounging” cockpit ahead of the working area. nautorswan.com SPECS LOA: 66ft LWL: 56ft, 5in Beam: 17ft, 8in Draught:

Best Boats 2012 Nominee: Lagoon 560

An imposing yacht from any angle, Lagoon’s latest cruiser offers the interior space of a 75ft monohull and the deck space of a small aircraft carrier. Okay, so that’s an exaggeration. What’s not is the luxurious standard of cruising comfort offered by boats like this. cata-lagoon.com SPECS LOA: 56ft LWL: 54ft Beam:

Best Boats 2012 Nominee: Fluid 550

Yet another new arrival from South Africa, the Fluid 550 is available with either fixed keels or daggerboards, and has a pair of sheltered helm stations. It falls into the luxury catamaran niche and is packed with interesting features, like a built-in soft enclosure for the cockpit. fluidyachts.com SPECS LOA: 40ft, 8in LWL:

Best Boats 2012 Nominee: Hanse 495

Continuing the trend begun by last year’s Hanse 545, the Hanse 495 combines comfort below with performance underway, while a retractable bow-thruster—part of the boat’s SMS (Smart Mooring System)—makes tying up at the end of the day a snap. The boat’s twin helm stations and low cabin trunk create excellent sight lines, while the drop-down swim step provides a great platform for cooling off in an

Best Boats 2012 Nominee: Catana 50

Light weight and good performance are hallmarks of the Catana line. This sporty new 50-footer benefits from the liberal use of carbon fiber, which allows laminates to be made thinner yet stronger. catana.com SPECS LOA: 49ft, 11.6in Beam: 26ft Displacement: 27,400lbs. Draft: 9ft, 8in Sail area: 1076sq ft,

Best Boats 2012 Nominee: Knysna 480

Angelo Lavranos designed this South African-built catamaran for serious cruising, but kept performance in mind too. Construction is strong but light and the boat has already proven to be a fast, comfortable passagemaker. knysnayachtco.com SPECS LOA: 48ft LWL: 45ft, 2in Beam: 27ft Draft: 3ft, 11.5in

Best Boats 2012 Nominee: Seaward 46RK

Built in Florida by Hake Yachts, the Seaward 46 is a fast variable-draft boat that can dry out on its twin rudders and retracting keel. It’s mainly intended for express cruising in thin water, but also has ocean-crossing capability. seawardyachts.com SPECS LOA: 48ft LWL: 44ft, 10in Beam: 13ft, 3in Displacement:

Best Boats 2012 Nominee: Tartan 4700

The Tartan 4700 combines a deck saloon configuration with a traditionally raked transom and handsome bow overhang to create a cruiser with good looks and comfortable accommodations belowdecks. The mast and boom are carbon fiber, and the hull is vacuum-infused with epoxy resin—both Tartan trademarks. tartanyachts.com SPECS LOA:

Best Boats 2012 Nominee: Moody 45AC

One of two new aft-cockpit designs from the venerable Moody yard on England’s River Hamble, the 45AC is a classic-looking cruiser that combines a traditional raked transom with a nearly plumb bow and a long, low cabintrunk. A tall fractional rig, fin keel and large, partially balanced spade rudder should ensure sprightly performance under sail.

Transpac Update

As the second fleet of starters get under way, a quick look at the tracker and the prep that goes into a race of over 2,000 open ocean miles.

This Atlantic Summer

Between the slow Marion-Bermuda and glacial Annapolis-Newport, there have been some real drifters on the Atlantic this summer. Still, however unwelcome for racing purposes, pure

GEAR: Fillet Away Fish Mat

Catching and prepping your own dinner while underway is one of those one of a kind cruiser experiences. The process gets a whole lot better with the right gear.

Marion-Bermuda Race: A Lesson in Tenacity

In her first Marion-Bermuda Race as skipper of a Navy 44, Nancy Rhodes and her team of U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen aboard Integrity stuck to their strategy—even when things looked grim—and walked away with bragging rights and an armful of silver. 

Today’s Trivia: Living Literature

In addition to having the trophy for fastest circumnavigation named after him, what other Junes Verne reference might be found in the modern sailor’s vocabulary?A)

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