Not only is Bavaria Yachtbau one of the world’s largest boatbuilders, it has got to be one of the hardest working. When it came time to begin work on what would become its new Vision line, the company didn’t just sit around and brainstorm what it thought its customers would like. Instead it went out and spoke to the customers themselves—hundreds of them—to find out what they thought worked (and didn’t work) on a cruising boat.
While test-sailing the new Moorings 5800 (sold to private buyers as the Leopard 58), the opening line from Samuel Coleridge’s famous poem kept running through
Although the new J/88 has very similar lines to the J/111 and J/70 that precede it, the boat still has a personality that is distinctly its own. For example, whereas the J/111 is almost in “big boat” range with its 9,300lb displacement, 36ft 6in LOA and 663ft2 of sail area, the J/88 is refreshingly nimble with its 4,990lb displacement, 439ft2 of sail area and a LOA of just over 29ft.
It looks like a Lagoon. It’s built like a Lagoon. But this 39-footer is a new breed of catamaran.
Like many monohull sailors, what first drew me to today’s cruising multihulls was all that lounging space. Performance concerns were secondary, at best. What was the point? Over the years, though, my standards have changed. No longer am I content sailing on a mere party platform.
Sporting a plumb stem and a slightly raked reverse transom, the Dufour 36P (“P” for performance) seems at first glance to be designed solely for speed: a notion that chines just above the waterline aft and a tall nine-tenths rig with swept-back spreaders do little to dispel.
Having introduced a number of new concepts in the creation of its flagship, the Discovery 67, British builder Discovery Yachts, has now created a slightly smaller yacht that is easier for a couple to handle. Like its predecessor, the new Discovery 57 was created by naval architect Ron Holland and Discovery’s own in-house design team.
According to Bavaria, the new Vision 46 is: “designed, from the start, to embody the cruising sailor’s wish list.” I have to admit, though, that I wasn’t paying too much attention to this wish list as we cast off lines prior to a recent delivery from Mystic, Connecticut.
Years ago, I spoke with a young naval architect who was critical of J/Boats, because of the fact that all their boats tended to look
There is something about a traditional boat that just feels right. How can you go wrong with a narrow hull, long overhangs and low topsides?
I have a confession to make: I recently read one of John Kretschmer’s books for the first time. You’d think someone who’s made a career
As the summer winds down, a season change is in the air. Autumn? Nope, it’s boat show season. You’d think the SAIL editors would all
A drop-in sailing lifestyle is a reasonable alternative to cruising on your own boat.
Reserve your tickets now.
Ready or not, boat show season is upon us.
As the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival approaches its half-century mark, a look at past, present, and future of this Pacific Northwest classic.
Tracy Edwards led the first all-female circumnavigation during the 1989/90 Whitbread Round the World Race and has been a bold advocate for women and girls ever since.
This Italian/Danish build aims to bridge the gap from small boat to grand prix sailing.
The Bar Keeper’s Friend It doesn’t matter what a class act your boat is, I’ll bet the builders let a few so-called stainless steel bolts
Michael Reardon, founder and CEO of Daedalus Yachts, has purchased several American-made brands this year.
