Catalina boats typically have long production runs, and Catalina is more likely to tweak and update a boat than to totally redesign it. After building 1,039 Catalina 320s since 1993, with few changes other than offering a shallower wing keel about halfway through the production run, the company decided it was time to bring this popular vessel solidly into the new century.The
In a way, all sailboats that have an engine are hybrid-power sailers, but the Shannon 53 HPS is touted as the first motorsailer to maximize all three of these desirable elements: sailing, powering, and accommodation.There may be motorsailer builders who disagree with that claim to be the first, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that the boat is capable of
The King 40 is designed to be a true dual-purpose cruiser/racer, effective at racing offshore and around the cans as well as comfortable enough for family cruising. The deck plan was developed to allow plenty of room for a racing crew, but there are also comfortable places to sit in cruising mode. The lead bulb/narrow chord keel and high-aspect rudder should combine to provide
Shhhh, dont tell Famous Potatoes shes being included in an article about starter cats. She thinks shes at least 42 feet long, and shes about convinced me of it too. The most impressive thing about this boat is her incredibly spacious feel. Owners of larger cats have come aboard and exclaimed,Wow, you have so much room! What a beautiful boat!I fell in love with her lines when
The German builder Bavaria was sold for 1.3 billion euros in 2007, so it should not come as a surprise that the new owners are announcing new models. What surprises me a little is that the first new boat is a 34-footer rather than a big-ticket 60-footer. But then again, the new owners may realize that sticking with Bavarias proven high-volume production formula is probably a
Stylish French crusing catamaran Fountaine Pajot has been building cruising catamarans for a long time, and the company makes a refined product. I sailed the
Finngulf Yachts has been building quick, sturdy performance cruisers for 25 years, but the company’s new 43-footer is the first to be designed by a well-known firm here in the States. Farr Yacht Design got the commission, and the result appears to be an excellent combination of style, performance, and good old-fashioned Finish sturdiness. The hull and deck are laid up with
The SB3 (stands for sportboat for three people), hugely popular in Europe, made its American debut at the Annapolis sailboat show earlier this month. It seems to have hit the elusive target that sportboat designers shoot fora fun, fast, durable, and reasonably affordable raceboat. To that end, theres some carbon used in the bowsprit and foils, but the rest of the boat uses tried-and-true
Not everybody can race an Open 60. But the Akilaria Class 40 thats making an appearance here in the States makes it possible for mere mortals to experience the exhilaration of sailing and racing a water-ballasted thoroughbred without necessarily needing a sponsor to foot a rather large bill. Its built to the French Class 40 box rule, which was created by a group of designers,
On a gorgeous autumn day, I found myself trimming the mainsheet aboard a Grand Soleil 37 during a race series in Annapolis. There couldnt have been a better way to test the sailing performance of this new boat from Italy.Though there are relatively few of this builders boats in the U.S., Grand Soleil is well respected among the cognoscenti here and in Europe. Its nicely
The J/42 Allegiant set a new milestone in the Annapolis-Newport Race this year as the first all-female team to complete the race.
A cruising family and two friends have recovered the University of Washington’s Seaglider in the Pacific, after learning about the plight of the damaged automated underwater vehicle from a story in SAIL.
Named for the author of Around the World in 80 Days, the Jules Verne Trophy commemorates the fastest circumnavigation on record. Which of the following
A sail to Newfoundland, and a summer spent cruising there, expands one sailor’s horizons in every way.
This passage reflects on the enduring impact of Steve Callahan’s remarkable survival story—his 76 days adrift in a life raft after his sloop Napoleon Solo
“It was almost standing waves, and we were hobby horsing. The bow was going whoosh, and we were going nowhere,” says Kevin Starnes, 62. He’s
The latest from Dufour should help achieve the French builder’s goal of encouraging people to get on the water and sail, sail, sail.
Going up the mast can be daunting, but not for this sailor who tackled the task while underway on Narragansett Bay last summer. This year,
Title: Gear: Streamlight Wedge EDC Flashlight
When his tiller head broke at the worst moment, cool thinking and the Hydrovane came to the rescue.
