The latest from the UK-based dinghy and performance-skiff manufacturer RS Sailing, the new 16-foot Venture dinghy serves equally well as a daysailer, trainer or club racer. The boat’s huge cockpit can fit a half-dozen people and includes storage space in a rear locker for an outboard engine. An internal ballast option provides additional stability, making the boat nearly self-righting should it
Small beach cats are always good for some fun sailing, and this new 14-footer promises to combine thrills with user-friendliness. Designed by top European multihull sailors Rob White and Yves Loday, the Topaz 14 CX comes with a choice of rigs that take it from perky singlehander to red-hot twin-trapeze racer.
With its almost predatory lines, plumb bow and short fixed bowsprit, the X-Treme 25 is a sport boat that attracts a crowd just sitting on its trailer. The boat seems like a cutting-edge maxi in miniatureICAP Leopard back in grade school.The resin-infused hull laminate, set in epoxy, is glass with a foam core. To increase stiffness, the boat has five structural bulkheads and a beefy
One of the things we liked most about the Outbound 52, which also wins the Best Flagship award this year, is its no-nonsense center-cockpit layout. Where most center-cockpit boats have wide, shallow cockpits that promote a nagging sense of vulnerability, the Outbound 52s cockpit is deep, narrow, and secure. Relative to the helmsman, the primary winches are installed at waist height on the
The Optimist may be the most successful class in history. Thousands of kids around the world have cut their teeth sailing and racing Optis since the boat first appeared in 1952, but is that it? Must young sailors start out in a square boat thats not too durable, not self-bailing, and needs fixed buoyancy bags? Yes, the Opti has earned its place by sheer force of numbers, and its going to take a
In addition to the Santa Cruz 37, several performance/racing designs (King 40, A35 and A40 from Archambault, Andrews 28, and the Melges 20) debuted this year, and a case can be made for each design in this category. But the Santa Cruz 37 ended up narrowly edging out the others because its hit the sweet spot between racing performance, accommodations, and trailerability. For starters, the boat is
Octobers Annapolis Boat Show opened as Wall Street experienced one of the biggest sell-offs in history. With the scary economic news, it was easy to think that many people would put off investing in a new boat. That idea went out the window as VIP Thursday appeared to be more crowded than ever. Instead of panicking, sailors seemed to be turning to sailing, much as they did after 9/11as a
The boatbuilding industry is benefiting from a series of mini-revolutions. Real strides are being made with hybrid propulsion systems. Designers are working on automatic systems that will trim sails as easily and as effectively as an autopilot steers. Radically modern designs are redefining boat aesthetics. NMEA 2000 promises to expand electronic options, and distributed power systems offer a
Over the years, the systems side of boats has improved steadily. This year’s crop of new boats has raised the bar a little higher, with evidence of a great deal of thought. For example, the Catalina 445 has molded-in cable channels, above-the-waterline gravity draining holding tanks and a central drain location for winterizing the boat. Designer Gerry Douglas has put the battery charger under the
A boat is often defined by its interior accommodation plan. An ocean voyager needs stowage and snug sea berths, while a family cruising coastwise wants open space to enjoy at anchor. It’s a rare designer who can blend a world cruiser hull with a short-hop interior, but that’s what designer Bob Johnson has done with the Island Packet Estero.Johnson adapted the forward saloon layout seen in
Don’t clutter out all the rain Radar is great for micro-weather forecasting. With a modern set you can see instantly where it’s raining in your
These days connectivity is everywhere. From smart appliances to assisted driving, all of our electronics seem to have an app. So it only makes sense
Offshore sailor and U.S Marine veteran Peter Gibbons-Neff Jr. has announced a two-year bid for the 2027 Mini Transat.
After 20 days at sea, six climate advocates and four sailors arrived in Belem, Brazil for the COP30 last night.
A primer on the science of sleep and how to use it to your advantage on passage.
Beneteau is debuting the first of what they call the “planing cruiser” with the First 30, which pushes small boat sailing towards a full cruising
Sporty, sleek, and comfortable—meet Beneteau’s new and versatile GT 40.
When getting away means more than just a weekend out of the slip, here are some ideas for achieving range and independence when you go cruising.
Stretching the comfort zone can be awesome.
With this model, Lagoon has introduced some interesting sustainability features. The structure of the deck and hulls is done with vacuum infusion molding, for a
