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?
Hunter Marine—now known as Marlow Hunter—celebrated its 40th birthday and a recent change in ownership by introducing its latest mid-size cruising boat, the new Hunter 40,
The Hanse 415 is superficially like a lot of new production cruising boats in the 40-foot range. It has a plumb bow, generous beam carried well aft, a comfortable cockpit, dual helms and a walk-through transom leading to a drop-down swim step. Like many new cruising boats today, it’s also designed to be fast and easy to handle. But as I found out during a test sail on Narragansett Bay last fall, not all 40-foot “performance cruisers” are created equal.
The sound of water rushing past the foils and propellers took on a note of urgency as Gemini’s Robin Hodges cranked in the genoa and pointed the Gemini Legacy 35 higher into the 10-knot breeze.
It’s good to be a multihull sailor these days. Advances in materials and design have not only revolutionized the market, but it seems the innovations just keep coming. Case in point: the Leopard 48, a boat that employs the latest in catamaran thinking to deliver a platform that is as fun as it is comfortable.
As winterizing gets underway, the
question keeps coming up: Can’t we do something about all this plastic?
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
