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
Nautor Swan’s latest one design race boat prioritizes simplicity, quality, and speed in a compact model. Drawn up by Juan Kouyoumdjian, it’s designed to be
I was inspired to write this column when Axel and I were in the car listening to the Moana soundtrack, and I was crying cathartic
The new 36-foot trimaran from Denmark’s Dragonfly is a versatile boat with incredible speed potential. The 36 is offered in a touring or performance version,
Last fall I helped some friends deliver a new-to-them boat from Annapolis to Newport. It’s a route that I have traced a few times before,
Here at SAIL, we understand that having the right accessories can make all the difference. That’s why we’re excited to bring you our weekly roundup
When it comes to keeping it clean, a little insider know-how goes a long way.
The latest in this performance cruiser line has J/Boat DNA through and through.
Known for its racer-cruisers, Grand Soleil builds a sleek daysailer with sustainability driving its brief.
James Cook, famed British explorer, navigator, and cartographer was born in this day 1728. He is best known for his three exploratory voyages around the
This weekend, the four Transat Café L’Or (formerly the Transat Jacques Vabre) fleets will set off to cross the Atlantic. Among the competitors in the
