SAIL’s Best Boats 2016
November 17, 2015
By Nigel Calder, Christopher White, Adam Cort, Charles J. Doane, Zuzana Prochazka & Tom Dove Every year’s Best Boats competition brings at least a few
By Nigel Calder, Christopher White, Adam Cort, Charles J. Doane, Zuzana Prochazka & Tom Dove Every year’s Best Boats competition brings at least a few
it would be hard to imagine a greater diversity of modern design styles than those comprising the SAIL Magazine Best Boats class of 2015. From a cutting-edge carbon cat to an aluminum sloop expressly designed to nudge aside icebergs, the winners of this year’s Best Boats contest have it all.
A few months ago, SAIL ran a story in which we considered exactly what it is that makes for a great small boat. And as fate would have it, the Topaz Argo from the UK’s Topper International meets an awful lot of the standards we came up with.
The Mini Class has long served as a feeder into the wild world of singlehanded offshore racing, offering huge adventure in a 21-foot package that emphasizes performance over all else. However, while this works well for the hard-core, 20- and 30-something crowd, Minis are cramped, highly strung raceboats that oftentimes stretch the definition of the term “enjoyable sailing.”
We don’t often have ties in our Best Boats competition, but with two very different and equally exciting boats in the 30ft-and-under performance category, we just couldn’t go with a single winner.
Quorning Boats of Denmark has been absent from American boat shows for several years, and it’s good to have them back, especially with something as special as the new Dragonfly 32.
Step aboard the Xp 44 and the first thing you might find yourself wondering is: what’s not to love? This mid-40-foot racer-cruiser is designed to deliver decades of racing and cruising pleasure while offering a wealth of the kind of design features sailors have long since come to expect from this high-end Danish builder.
Gunboat catamarans are known for their sleek lines and speed. Owners take pride in sailing their boats, and the engines are used primarily for maneuvering and intermittent auxiliary propulsion-; they are rarely used for extended motoring.
Talk about timing! No sooner does Oracle Team USA stage a comeback for the ages than the veteran UK sportboat and dinghy builder RS unveils a performance beach cat with wave-piercing bows just like those on an AC72!
We spend too much time in the sun as sailors and need all the protection we can get… but, have you ever put on a
The Charter issue is on the way! Here’s what to look forward to in the April issue of SAIL Magazine. Cruising in the Land of
Francesca Clapcich has had incredible few years both on and off the race course. Meet the sailor behind the trophy collection.
Cornell University and Dartmouth College are in search of new head sailing coaches in the 2026 season. Both positions were listed this week and are
The Gulf Stream is a fascinating navigational puzzle.
It’s March, and if you’re like most sailors who’ve had to put their beloveds away for the winter, you’re champing at the bit to get
Don’t let the close confines and recurring stresses of living aboard sink your relationships.
Replacing a legend isn’t easy, but this new cruising cat may have what it takes.
A beginner’s guide to getting off soundings in New England.
ORC has been criticized for re-rating the XR 41 for the 2026 season. Let’s talk about it.
