Boat Reviews

J/133

by Charles J. Doane, Posted June 3, 2004

Hard on the heels of the 2002 introduction of its new 35-footer, the J/109, J Boats followed up this past fall by sprouting yet another high-performance sprit-boat. Bracketed between the 40-foot J/120 and the 48-foot J/145, the new 43-foot J/133 stakes a claim in the highly competitive mid-40s size range. An extrapolation of the 109, it seeks to combine the fun and performance of an

Wauquiez Pilot Saloon 47

by Sail Staff, Posted July 12, 2005

The French design team of Berret/Racoupeau has come up with this new aft-cockpit yacht with a futuristic cabinhouse profile that is sure to turn some heads when it is introduced this fall. Dual steering stations provide clear access to the transom, and the composite arch overhead gets the mainsheet out of the cockpit and provides support for the bimini top.

Delphia 40

by Sail Staff, Posted June 6, 2006

Built as a sturdy passagemaker capable of withstanding the harshest of Baltic Sea conditions, this 40-foot Polish import carries 841 square feet of sail area, has a displacement of 18,000 pounds, and is available with a shoal or deep keel (5 feet, 6 inches/7 feet, 1 inch). The interior features 6-foot, 8-inch headroom in the saloon, mahogany joinerwork, and a choice of three- or four-cabin

Beneteau First 10R

by Sail Staff, Posted March 29, 2006

The 32-foot First 10R represents a new generation of Beneteau’s sleek one-design racers. Designed by Farr Yacht Design with speed as the top priority, the 10R features an aggressive sailplan, an iron blade/lead bulb combo keel, and an asymmetrical spinnaker. While it is the smallest in Beneteau’s First series, it also serves as a comfortable cruiser and is equipped with a separate head, nav

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

Eleuthera 60

by Sail Staff, Posted July 12, 2005

This flagship of the Fountaine-Pajot fleet made its U.S. debut at the Strictly Sail Show in Miami, Florida, last February. The 60-footer reflects the builder's decade of experience building its 56-foot Marquises design, with its well-proportioned sailplan and well-apportioned interior spaces. This new model has slightly wider hulls than the 56-footer, which has created more

Broadblue 42

by Sail Staff, Posted September 23, 2005

The Broadblue 42 is the latest cruising cat designed specifically for owners with offshore-cruising aspirations, and it appears to have all the right comfort and safety features. It has the large saloon, the bright, airy interior, the well-designed galley, and the four private cabins you’d expect on a cat that’s 42 feet long and over 20 feet wide, as well as watertight

Dufour 385

by Sail Staff, Posted February 28, 2005

Ever since Dufour Yachts was purchased by Cantiere del Padro several years ago, older Dufour designs have been systematically replaced with newer, more stylish models. Italian designer Umberto Felci first drew new 34-, 40-, and 44-foot performance cruisers, and now he's turned his eye to a new 38-footer that is the first in Dufour's revamped cruising line. The

Maiden Hong Kong

by Sail Staff, Posted May 31, 2005

Mari-Cha IV currently rules the Atlantic, but there may be a new sheriff in town with the launching of Frank Pong's record chaser, Maiden Hong Kong. Designer Juan Kouyoumdjian's brief was for a 100-foot-plus monohull capable of breaking existing transoceanic records. Maiden's 115-foot carbon-composite hull is a stripped-out (pipe berths only) racer built by DK Yachts in

Perry 57

by Sail Staff, Posted May 3, 2005

A market is often the mother of invention. According to Australian cruising-catamaran designer and builder Bryan Perry, "A number of people saw the Perry 43 and liked it. They said they wanted something bigger along the same lines." So he checked on what was already available and came up with the Perry 57 to scratch the itch of his potential customers. The resulting design is 57 feet long and