Sail Magazine

by Tom Dove

Veteran new-boat reviewer Tom Dove divides his time between Annapolis, Maryland and Florida

Best Boats 2013 Neel 45

by Tom Dove, Posted April 24, 2013

“Everything old is new again” is a common theme in yacht design, and the Neel 45 is a perfect example. Many sailors younger than 60 won’t remember that the very first trimarans were full-bridgedeck boats built in plywood, and to them this boat will seem revolutionary.

Jeanneau 41DS

by Tom Dove, Posted March 4, 2013

The new 41DS marries a deck saloon layout with its raised living space amidships, large windows and private cabins forward and aft, to a proven hull with fine sailing qualities.

Flagship: Best Boat 2012 Passport Vista 545 CC

by Tom Dove, Posted August 6, 2012

I have always admired Passport Yachts for their beauty, performance and detailing, but stepping aboard the new Passport Vista 545 CC, SAIL’s 2012 Best Boat in the Flagship Monohull category, I felt an especially strong sense of déja vu.

Passport Vista 545 CC

by Tom Dove, Posted June 24, 2012

I have always admired Passport yachts for their beauty, performance and detailing, but stepping aboard the new Passport Vista 545 CC, SAIL’s 2012 Best Boat in the Flagship Monohull category, I felt an especially strong sense of déja vu. The boat not only shares a family resemblance to other Passports, but has the same hull and rig as the Passport 515 I sailed in 2008

Com-Pac CP 23 Pilothouse

by Tom Dove, Posted June 19, 2012

How could anybody not be smitten by the Com-Pac CP 23 Pilothouse? It's different from anything else on the market and is a departure for a Florida builder that has been turning out progressively larger vessels in recent years.

Oyster 625

by Tom Dove, Posted June 12, 2012

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.

Catana 47

by Tom Dove, Posted June 4, 2012

The Catana yard in the Catalan region of southern France has been building 47-foot cruising catamarans for more than a dozen years. The newly redesigned Catana 47 incorporates more carbon fiber than its predecessors and springs from an entirely new hull and deck mold, but retains the same distinctive profile, tall twin daggerboards, open helm stations and performance-oriented rig.

TomCat 970S

by Tom Dove, Posted June 2, 2012

The debut of TomCat’s first 32-foot 970 catamaran, about eight years ago at the Annapolis Sailboat Show, was a pleasant surprise. Since then, the builders have continued to refine the boat, a process that has resulted in the new TomCat 970S.

Island Packet 360

by Tom Dove, Posted June 2, 2012

The new Island Packet 360 shares the same hull and rig as last year’s Estero, but incorporates a more conventional interior layout, making it a very different boat.

Best Boats 2012 Winner: The Com-Pac CP 23 Pilothouse

by Tom Dove, Posted November 17, 2011

Among the many large, expensive sailing vessels at this year’s Annapolis show, the crowd-stopper was this diminutive 23-footer with a tall pilothouse. Something about it—perhaps the proportions, perhaps the novelty, perhaps the accessibility— made people pause, do double takes and smile.