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
Once, in the interests of research, I spent an afternoon bobbing around in a liferaft. Ever since, Ive had an obsession with bilge pumps, because what I learned was this: I dont ever want to spend time in a liferaft again. The discomfort was one thing, and should not be downplayed, but what really got to me was the sense of helplessness. A liferaft is a passive device, at the mercy of wind and
The Farr-designed First 40 is the follow-up to Beneteaus highly successful First 40.7, a boat that won a series of key international races and quickly established itself as a performer. Over the boats 11-year lifespan, Beneteau has sold more than 800 First 40.7s to customers around the globe. Launched in Europe a year ago, about 100 of these new 40-footers have already been sold, and the design
According to designer Alan Johnstone, the brief for the new 36ft 6in J/111 one-design was for a boat that he and the rest of the J/Boats crew would want to sail—and it shows. During a recent daysail off Newport, Rhode Island, hull #1 reveled in picture perfect sailing conditions, with winds out of the east in the mid to high teens. Sailing to windward, the boat was balanced and easy to
Swedish builder Najad is known for combining sweet-sailing hulls with meticulously fitted-out interiors, and its new flagship continues that tradition. It is a powerful world cruiser that can easily be handled by a crew of two. <object
There’s nothing more beautiful than a sunset on the water, but unless you’re doing an overnight passage, you’ve got to pay the price for it
Force 10 winds wrought havoc on 1979 Rolex Fastnet Race, resulting in Britain’s largest peace-time marine rescue effort. 75 boats capsized and 15 sailors were
The new 23-footer from J/Boats is a family daysailer with lively, stable sailing at the forefront.
This Friday, a panel of expert female sailors gather to share hard-won knowledge on the best kit and accessories to have when you’re planning to get offshore.
Reflecting on a pivotal Pacific passage, a sailor considers the nature of her voyages ahead.
Point Nemo is the most remote part of the ocean, marking the exact location where a boat is farthest from land in all directions. From
At the Banderas Bay Regatta, the term cruiser/racer is quite literal.
A disastrous collision forced two boats to return to port at the start of Leg 1 of The Ocean Race Europe.
There’s nothing quite like a little bit of summer sunshine, but when you can’t get it naturally, a nice bright spinnaker will do instead. We
A new Scandinavian deckhouse cruiser is making waves with its smart lines and bluewater capabilities.
