Nautor’s Swan turned to Argentine wunderkind Juan Kouyoumdjian for its latest one-design racer, and the result is a spectacular-looking boat. The ClubSwan 50 is right on the bleeding edge of design; the axe bow with its jutting carbon fiber prod combine with the low freeboard and reverse sheer to give it a take-no-prisoners look, while the generously flared stern sections, long hull chines and twin rudders promise high-speed planing under perfect control.
There’ll be plenty to do for a full racing crew on this all-carbon fiber beauty, dealing with the masthead A-sail, square-top mainsail, running backstays and big racing headsails. But wait—the boat can also be handled by a couple; the runners tuck out of the way for cruising, there is a furling genoa, and the winches at the helm are electric. Better still, the interior can be configured either for racing, with a forepeak full of sails, or for comfortable coastal cruising as well.
An owner’s group has already been set up to promote the new class, which will be featured in Swan regattas around the world. The ClubSwan 50 features the same design overtones as the smaller boats in the range, with some original aesthetic and functional touches
Hull #1 of the new flagship from Hanse Yachts, the Hanse 675, was launched this spring. The Judel/Vrolijk design is the largest production boat to be built in Germany. Interior design is thoroughly contemporary, with a vast saloon, basketball-player headroom and several layout options that make the most of the considerable volume. A double-headsail rig and big full-battened mainsail guarantee good performance. An optional hardtop shelters the cockpit, which features no fewer than three 21in screens for navigation or watching movies.
It’s not often you get to see a new concept make its debut, but that’s what happened at the Miami Strictly Sail show when the new Gemini Freestyle 37 was unveiled. A kind of hybrid between an open bridgedeck sailing cat and a pontoon boat, the Freestyle 37 sacrifices belowdeck accommodations for a large open-plan cockpit. This is a blank sheet upon which owners can sketch out their own desires—kit it out with some lawn furniture of your choosing, add a grill and a cooler, and you are good to go.
The boat on display had a queen-sized berth in a small cabin in one hull and a heads/shower in the other, but it’s not the kind of boat you’d want to cruise long distances. The consensus among the bystanders admiring this new creation was that it would be an ideal boat for daysailing around the Florida Keys or the Bahamas—and going by the interest shown by resort owners, the bystanders were bang on the money. All that deck space is a winner, and by all accounts the boat sails well, too.
CONTACTS
Nautor’s Swan nautorswan.com
Gemini Catamarans geminicatamarans.com
Hanse Yachts hanseyachts.com
Photos courtesy of Swan, Gemini, Hanse
June 2016
