Boat Reviews

Malo 41

by Sail Staff, Posted February 4, 2003

The Malo 41 has many of the same features that impressed us on the other Swedish boats we sailed—strong no-nonsense construction combined with lush mahogany interior joinery work—as well as a few unique twists of its own. For example, the distinctive traveler arch over the cockpit, long a Malo trademark (they call it their TARGA system), works very well, and its height can be

PDQ Antares 44i

by Sail Staff, Posted November 4, 2005

Voluminous cruising catamarans have a reputation for being ideal charterboats, but the boat builders at PDQ Yachts are quick to point out that the new Antares 44i cruising cat is not intended to be a charterboat. Rather, they say, it’s a sturdy, well-equipped bluewater cruiser built specifically for private owners. They also report that the accommodations plan is well suited to long-term

Sabre Spirit

by Sail Staff, Posted August 8, 2008

Big daysailers that are attractive, quick, and easy to sail continue to gain in popularity for a simple reason—the design concept fits a growing number of owners (and prospective owners). The folks at Sabre understand this, and the 36-foot Sabre Spirit is a worthy entry into this ever-expanding field. Most of my test sail took place during a friendly race staged off Marblehead, Massachusetts. I

Class of the Month: Class 40

by Adam Cort, Posted March 11, 2011

The Class 40 began in 2004 as a scaled-down, less-expensive version of the Open 60 and Open 50 monohulls that are the darlings of professional shorthanded offshore racing in Europe. The idea was to give amateurs an affordable class that was a step up from the Mini Transat 6.5, but pros have since embraced the boat as well.In the 2006 Route du Rhum race from France to Guadeloupe, 25 Class

Catri 24

by Peter Nielsen, Posted May 31, 2005

Even if you find it difficult to accept the builder’s claim that this little folding trimaran is capable of 30 knots, the Catri 24 is an intriguing boat. Each ama sports a retractable curved daggerboard in its forward section and a fixed V-shaped foil aft. There is also a horizontal foil on the rudder.Designer Aldis Eglajs, from Latvia, claims that the combined effect of these foils is to

Vitters 140

by Sail Staff, Posted June 2, 2005

Last spring Vitters Shipyard launched this 140-foot aluminum sloop designed by Ed Dubois. Built to MCA standards, the yacht is a refinement of other DuBois designs in this size range. The contemporary birch interior by Dick Young Designs is exceptionally well finished. Bulkheads are brushed stainless steel with oiled- teak surrounds, and all the bathrooms have floating teak

e33

by Peter Nielsen, Posted March 3, 2006

A sailmaker, a boatbuilder, and a naval architect are standing at a bar having a quiet drink… no, this isn’t yet another incarnation of an old joke. It’s how sailmaker Robbie Doyle explains the genesis of the e33, a collaboration between him, builder Dirk Kneulman, and designer Jeremy Wurmfeld. Talk turned to the declining state of one-design racing and of what type of boat it would take to

Beneteau 523

by Bill Springer, Posted August 23, 2006

Groupe Beneteau is the largest sailboat manufacturer in the world. It comprises four separate companies—Beneteau, Jeanneau, Lagoon, and CNB—that operate independently but share economies of scale. At first glance, Beneteau and Jeanneau may appear to be competing for the same buyers, but in reality each line is designed to fill wide (and separate) swaths in the marketplace. Jeanneau has had great

Waterwitch 48

by Charles Mason, Posted September 28, 2006

As president of the New York Jets football team, Jay Cross puts in his share of long hours. When it’s time to decompress, chances are he’ll be found out on the water. That’s nothing new. As a young sailor, Cross competed in 470 dinghies at the Olympic level and also designed and raced International 14s; in the early ‘80s his Cross III design was a world standard for the class. But his subsequent

Barracuda 105

by Sail Staff, Posted October 5, 2006

The design concept behind this motorsailer, constructed at Barcos Deportivos Yard in Spain, is to maximize space on deck and below. The cockpit is wide, and the airy feeling below is enhanced by large windows in both the hull and the superstructure. The upper saloon is effectively a continuation of the cockpit. A permanent bimini is installed over the cockpit, which has separate dining and