Advertisement

The SAIL Top 10 Best Boats

Best Boats 2012 Nominee: Catalina 385

The latest in the new Catalina line that began with the 445 in early 2009, the Catalina 385 includes a moderate beam carried well aft for a spacious cockpit, modest freeboard for reduce windage and a comfortable, practical interior belowdecks. catalinayachts.com

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: PT-11

The PT-11 is a semi-custom production boat with performance to spare. The boat also serves well as sprightly cruiser, capable of accommodating a refrigerator, watermaker and even a heating system without becoming overloaded. performancemultihulls.comSPECSLOD: 36ft, 1inLWL: 35ft 1inBeam: 28ft

Best Boats 2012: Jeanneau 439

Continuing the new styling introduced with the smart-looking 409 last year, the 439 is a fast and well-mannered family cruiser that also promises enough fizz for rewarding PHRF acing. The Philippe Briand design has a bright, well-thought-out interior layout and a deck plan that’s optimized for ease of handling.

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

jonathan-Payne

Eight Bells: Jonathan Payne

American Sailing has announced the passing of CEO Jonathan Payne. Payne is remembered as a champion for the sport who worked tirelessly to support and

Advertisement
Advertisement