Continuing the new styling introduced with the smart-looking 409 last year, the 439 is a fast and well-mannered family cruiser that also promises enough fizz for rewarding PHRF acing. The Philippe Briand design has a bright, well-thought-out interior layout and a deck plan thats optimized for ease of handling.
The Swan lineage is immediately recognizable in the sleek form of this new luxury performance cruiser from the legendary Finnish builder. The deck plan is deceptively simple and incorporates a huge “lounging” cockpit ahead of the working area. nautorswan.com SPECS LOA: 66ft LWL: 56ft, 5in Beam: 17ft, 8in Draught:
An imposing yacht from any angle, Lagoon’s latest cruiser offers the interior space of a 75ft monohull and the deck space of a small aircraft carrier. Okay, so that’s an exaggeration. What’s not is the luxurious standard of cruising comfort offered by boats like this. cata-lagoon.com SPECS LOA: 56ft LWL: 54ft Beam:
Yet another new arrival from South Africa, the Fluid 550 is available with either fixed keels or daggerboards, and has a pair of sheltered helm stations. It falls into the luxury catamaran niche and is packed with interesting features, like a built-in soft enclosure for the cockpit. fluidyachts.com SPECS LOA: 40ft, 8in LWL:
Continuing the trend begun by last year’s Hanse 545, the Hanse 495 combines comfort below with performance underway, while a retractable bow-thruster—part of the boat’s SMS (Smart Mooring System)—makes tying up at the end of the day a snap. The boat’s twin helm stations and low cabin trunk create excellent sight lines, while the drop-down swim step provides a great platform for cooling off in an
Light weight and good performance are hallmarks of the Catana line. This sporty new 50-footer benefits from the liberal use of carbon fiber, which allows laminates to be made thinner yet stronger. catana.com SPECS LOA: 49ft, 11.6in Beam: 26ft Displacement: 27,400lbs. Draft: 9ft, 8in Sail area: 1076sq ft,
Angelo Lavranos designed this South African-built catamaran for serious cruising, but kept performance in mind too. Construction is strong but light and the boat has already proven to be a fast, comfortable passagemaker. knysnayachtco.com SPECS LOA: 48ft LWL: 45ft, 2in Beam: 27ft Draft: 3ft, 11.5in
Built in Florida by Hake Yachts, the Seaward 46 is a fast variable-draft boat that can dry out on its twin rudders and retracting keel. It’s mainly intended for express cruising in thin water, but also has ocean-crossing capability. seawardyachts.com SPECS LOA: 48ft LWL: 44ft, 10in Beam: 13ft, 3in Displacement:
The Tartan 4700 combines a deck saloon configuration with a traditionally raked transom and handsome bow overhang to create a cruiser with good looks and comfortable accommodations belowdecks. The mast and boom are carbon fiber, and the hull is vacuum-infused with epoxy resin—both Tartan trademarks. tartanyachts.com SPECS LOA:
One of two new aft-cockpit designs from the venerable Moody yard on England’s River Hamble, the 45AC is a classic-looking cruiser that combines a traditional raked transom with a nearly plumb bow and a long, low cabintrunk. A tall fractional rig, fin keel and large, partially balanced spade rudder should ensure sprightly performance under sail.
It was a crisp Saturday morning in early spring. Six of us had assembled to commission our sailing club’s older 32-foot sloop for a season
Nov. 29/2023: And here I am—way late—with a description of how the good ship Lunacy and her faithful Lunatics finally finished their voyage down to
The results are in, and the Cruising Club of America (CCA) has announced the recipients of its 2023 awards. Kirsten Neuschäfer of Port Elizabeth, South
The Cruising Club of America (CCA) is a collection of 1,400 ocean sailors with extensive offshore seamanship, command experience, and a shared passion for making
Every year, boatbuilders of all types submit their new models to be nominees in the SAIL Top 10 Best Boats contest. We start reviewing these
SAIL Editor-in-Chief Wendy Mitman Clarke visits Harken Inc., in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, during Harken University—where the industry pros who help us choose and use our boats’
It’s not easy to smile when it’s 39° F outside and blowing 20-30 knots, but the X-Yachts Xc 47 had no problem making that happen
The new model from X-Yachts is a bluewater thoroughbred with leading edge propulsion and design. SAIL was invited for an exclusive preview test sail before
In his 59° North podcast On the Wind, Andy Schell sits down with SAIL Editor-in-Chief Wendy Mitman Clarke to talk about the sailing life, cruising,
Put human beings in confined quarters with limited privacy, mix in periods of boredom spiced with exhaustion, add a pinch of terror and seasickness, and
