Few designs pack as much fun into 18 feet as the Hobie Mirage Tandem Island, a two-person pedal-or-paddle kayak that converts to a sail-powered trimaran by attaching a pair of akas and amas, and stepping a carbon-fiber mast. The roller-reefing loose-footed mainsail carries a generous amount of sailcloth up high and is supported by vertical battens. The boats robust rotomolded hull encourages
The salty-looking gaff-rigged Norseboat 21.5 is just about the last boat you’d expect to see sailing against the shiny glass and steel backdrop of downtown Miami—which may explain why the beautiful people roaring by in their megayachts couldn’t seem to keep their eyes off us. I swear they looked more than a little envious. The 21.5 is the third in the Norseboat series,
The new Presto 30 is a rare and spectacular example of what a talented naval architect can do with an old but practical idea. The design is an evolution of an 1885 Biscayne Bay sharpie created by Commodore Ralph Munroe, a South Florida businessman who was also a passionate naval architect. Though Rodger Martin’s Presto 30 resembles Munroe’s boat, also called Presto, it is a true 21st
This new luxury center-cockpit cruiser carries the renowned Swedish companys design and build ethos to a logical conclusion. While only 3 feet longer on deck than the 62 it replaces, the 64 has an extra 7 feet of waterline length that will bring its performance up a level. Polars predict double-digit speeds in anything over 10 knots of wind, just what you want for a quick dash across the
Time was when the Oyster 71 was the biggest of these bespoke yachts that one could aspire to. Now that the British company is building superyachtsmaking it the only boatbuilder whose range starts at 46 feet and peaks at 125 feet the 71 is merely mid-range. The new 885 is the biggest boat Oyster could design to slip just under the 24-meter waterline load line rule. Any boat over that is subject
Long a major force in the boatbuilding world, Hunter Marine Corp. just seems to keep getting better and better at building sailboats. The latest Hunter to hit the water, the 50AC, demonstrates that despite its success the company refuses to rest on its laurels.
When Garry Hoyt began thinking about a new 28-footer, he wanted to avoid the two things he felt were keeping sailors from spending more time on the water. The first was an overly complex sailplan.
Catalina’s 445, introduced in 2009, won multiple awards and attracted much interest from buyers. According to Catalina VP and design maven Gerry Douglas, the only complaint some potential buyers had was that the boat was a bit bigger than what they needed or could afford. Hence the straightforward design brief for Douglas’s new boat, the 355, introduced at the 2010 Annapolis boat show: scale down
The words sleek and fast arent normally associated with the Prout name. Words like sturdy and well-finished more typically come to mind. Nonetheless, the new Prout 50SW is very different from thehow to say this diplomaticallypeculiarly English Prouts of the 1980s and 1990s. The signature mast-aft rig of those earlier boats, with their tiny mainsails and huge jibs, is long gone, as is the
It was one of those days a boat reviewer lives for: a solid 20 knots of wind, occasionally gusting toward 30; a cloudless blue sky; and a sharp performance cruiser with a couple of pro sailors aboard, all dialed up and ready to go. This example of Dufours new 40E had not been in the water long, and I happily seized the chance to put it through its paces during a visit last March to the factory
A major powercat brand is turning towards new horizons with the announcement of three new sailing cats to join their lineup.
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
