Hunter Marines latest boat hadnt yet been launched as this issue went to press, so details were sketchy. We can surmise that the performance edge thats crept into the line over the last few years will continue with the 39, which has short overhangs and a long sailing waterline. A new direction in styling is also evident in the swoop of the cabintop portlights. Twin wheels,
Italys Cantiere del Pardo has been producing fast, handsome yachts for many years. The Grand Soleil 54 is the work of Luca Brenta, who has emerged as one of Italys leading yacht designers. Long, low and sleek, it is a performance cruiser that will also be a satisfying racing ride. Belowdecks there are three large sleeping cabins, each with en suite heads compartments, and
This British import arrives on this side of the Pond with an impressive pedigree. Her builders are renowned for hardy, seaworthy cruising boats, which may be why this daysailer manages to look both elegant and tough. The powerful yet easily-handled sailplan is balanced by a full keel, and build quality is first-class; this little Rustler is a welcome addition to the daysailer
With foreclosures, credit woes, and skyrocketing oil prices painting a gloomy economic picture recently, Ive been pleasantly surprised to see so many new boats being introduced this year. And it makes perfect sense that boatbuilders should compete that much harder for our business. As they say on TV, when [builders] compete, you winin this case you get better, more innovative, more
Most boatbuilders havent escaped the economic malaise thats infiltrated almost every area of activity during the past 18 months. And thats why it is so nice to see Goetz Custom Technologies LLC, one of the best of the high-end builders, digging out nicely from problems that quickly follow when theres a light order book. Goetz currently is not one but two 82 footers on the floor. One is a
The breeze was mild, but still it made an impression to see Dave Bernsten walk away from the tiller of his 14-foot trimaran, step to the bow, fiddle with an adjustment, then mosey back aft and resume his duties at the helm. The moment speaks to the value proposition of the Weta as stable and forgiving, a viable family playground that will crank out speed thrills when the
There are certain things you can count on in a Catalina. It will sail well. Not like a world beater, but like an honest boat. It will be built to a price point, but not the lowest price point. And a Catalina will incorporate scads of the value-add notions of in-house designer Gerry Douglas, who also gleans ideas from endless conversations with Catalina owners.The new
Its been quite a year for Morris Yachts. In January the yard launched the baby of its daysailer line-up, the M29, and in May the new flagship, the M52, was gently lowered into the chilly Maine water. I sailed the $1.3m yacht two weeks after her launch.Like the other M-series boats the M29, M36, and M42 – the M52 is designed by legendary naval architects Sparkman &
Lets face it: moving a wind-powered vehicle straight into the wind is no easy feat. Sailors have grappled with this problem for as long as sails and boats have been used in tandem, usually with limited results. Given enough tweaking, millions of dollars, and the best sails on Planet Earth, Americas Cup Class boats can sail tight, close-winded angles, but they still cant sail dead to
Its no secret that J/Boats is an industry leader when it comes to fast, innovative sailboats; the retractable sprit pole introduced with the J/105 gave new life to the asymmetric spinnaker, and the company practically invented the sport-boat genre. Now the Rhode Island-based company has done it again, this time with the sporty J/95, a 31-footer with twin rudders, a
The 2023 Marion to Bermuda Race, which departed Marion, Massachusetts, on June 16, will be remembered for a new course speed record and as one
Leg 7 Leg 7 started off with a bang—literally—when Guyot-Environment hit 11th Hour Racing Team. Visibility is limited on IMOCA 60s, and a simple port-starboard
For certain sailors, boats from Swedish builder Hallberg-Rassy are the stuff of dreams, synonymous with stout, go-anywhere yachts delivered in a gorgeous, thoughtful package that
In 1942, Ray Greene and Company changed the face of boatbuilding when they built the first viable polyester-fiberglass composite boat. These materials meant that boats
In Cape Horn: The Logical Route, Bernard Moitessier wrote about the joy of sailing into a harbor at night. Not just entering a harbor, but
You know you’ve nailed the start of a race when, after just one tack, you’re crossing the rest of the fleet’s bows. That’s a familiar
In an alternative universe, I might be writing about how I test sailed the new X4.3 performance cruiser in a super-scary thunder squall, and the
It’s not uncommon to spot a rainbow after a squall when the sunshine breaks through the clouds—a marker of hope and fairer weather ahead for
Whatever you call it, green, clean, or eco-friendly, the move toward carbon-free sailing has begun to take center stage in the conversation. Putting an ambitious
The Jules Verne Trophy is a prestigious award for the fastest time around the world on any type of sailing yacht with a crew of
