Table of contents for Buyer's Gd & Review 2023 in SAIL

As a kid, I always felt like graduating my youth program would be the end of the line for my sailing career. Who can afford to own a boat on a writer’s salary? Plus maintenance costs, slip fees, the occasional regatta entrance fee, maybe yacht club dues… And all that aside, how would I even begin to learn to maintain it? No, I certainly didn’t expect to sail as an adult. But the longer I spend working in this industry, the more I realize just how many opportunities to get out on the water there are, and I’m not just talking about community sailing centers, which are doing a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to getting and keeping young people involved with the sport. As the market trends…

The question new sailors often ask when they first experience a sailboat heeling is, “What stops it from going all the way over?” to which the usual answer is something like: “That big lump of lead underneath us.” However, while stability lies at the very root of sailboat design, ballast is only one of the many factors that influence it. In practice, a boat’s stability is contingent on the relationship between two key factors. One is the center of gravity (CG), through which gravity exerts a downward force equal to the weight of the boat, rig and contents. The other is the center of buoyancy (CB), the midpoint of the underwater volume of the boat, whose upward thrust counteracts the effect of the CG (see figure above). When a boat…

These days, when boats are selling like hotcakes, it may be tempting to sit back and ease up on the innovation process. After all, why spend R&D money developing something new when it’s easy to sell what already exists? Thankfully, Beneteau has chosen a very different path as it continues to improve and strengthen its line, an effort that is clearly in the Beneteau Oceanis 34.1, which takes the place of the Oceanis 35.1. DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION The new model is the sixth in the Oceanis “.1” line and features an all-new hull drawn by Marc Lombard, Beneteau’s latest go-to designer. Like her smaller sibling, the Oceanis 30.1, the new model is built in Poland, a country with a long, proud history of shipbuilding. Eric Levine, Beneteau sales manager, noted…

Annapolis may be the sailing capital of America, but if you looked around the United States Sailboat Show last fall, you would have no choice but to conclude most sailboats are now built in Europe. The Dufour 470 is a good example of a modern French performance cruiser. DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION The Dufour 470 carries the long waterline, hard chines, nearly flush deck and broad stern that have become commonplace of late aboard European boats. Particularly arresting is the chine that runs the entire length of the hull immediately below the sheerline and the slight tumblehome it provides up at the bow, presumably to help lower the center of gravity by reducing weight well above the waterline. Elongated hull windows and a second chine a short distance above the waterline…

The Xquisite X5 Plus is a major update of the boat that SAIL awarded Best Large Multihull and Best Systems titles in 2017. The changes were not just cosmetic, but genuine improvements to an already fine boat, making it lighter, faster and less dependent on fuel. The builder’s weight loss program dropped the D/L from 144 on the original boat to 126, while modifying the rig increased the sail area and yielded a significant performance boost in light air. An electrical system redesign means the Xquisite X5 Plus is also capable of supporting a luxurious lifestyle with minimal use of a genset to pump out the electrons. Lighter and greener: what’s not to like? DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION Phoenix Marine, the South African builder, went through a meticulous engineering study of…

The Jeanneau Yacht 60 looks like the sleek, racy, upscale vessels that populate tony Mediterranean regattas, but that low deck profile belies its tall, bright cruising interior. This is a stylish fast cruiser, not a stripped-out racer. DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION The Jeanneau 60 is actually a 57-footer with a three-foot bowsprit, but the waterline is quite long, and that is the significant performance measurement of a boat. This Philippe Briand design sports the current trend toward wide transoms, long chines, twin rudders and a fine entry. The emphasis is on form stability, not ballast, and such a boat prefers to be sailed upright rather than heeled over like a classic narrow hull. That makes for comfortable cruising, too. Our test boat had the shoal draft (6ft 10in) cast-iron keel, which…

WWW.LEOPARDCATAMARANS.COM Built in South Africa by boat builders Robertson & Caine, Leopard Catamarans sets the standard for performance, comfort, style and innovation. These values are at the core of the design. Boasting generous equipment options and layouts designed with livability in mind, these blue water yachts are aesthetically pleasing, fun to sail and easy to maintain anywhere in the world. Leopard Catamarans also produces a fleet of superior power catamarans. To learn more about our fleet of Leopard Catamarans please visit www.leopardcatamarans.com. In addition to private ownership, all the catamarans listed below are available through the Moorings Yacht Ownership Program. You can learn more about Charter Yacht Ownership at www.mooringsyachtownership.com. Leopard 45 The Leopard 45 is nimble and sleek, yet comfortable. She incorporates a heritage of Leopard spanning twenty-five years…

X-YACHTSUSA.COM ● 860-536-7776 X43 - New X43 MKII One of X-Yachts’ most popular models throughout history, the X4.3, is going through a serious makeover process. This boat was the first model in the Pure X Range and was introduced to the world for the first time in 2016. Director of Design & Engineering, Thomas Mielec explains: “What we are developing now can be described as a smaller version of the X56. The development of the X43. is considered to be a natural evolution incorporating the lessons learned and the visual appearance of especially the X46 and X40, and after having launched the X56., we saw some opportunities for the X43. that will lift her to an even higher level”. LOA: 43’5” • LWL: 37’2” • Beam: 13’1” • Draft: 6’1”/7’3”/8’2”…

MOODY DS 41 The latest in Moody’s DS, or “deck saloon” line, the Moody DS 41 makes possible what Moody calls “living on one level,” in which the saloon and cockpit can be easily combined into a single barrier-free living space. Forward, the boat’s high freeboard and equally high bulwarks ensure maximum safety, whether it be while checking the anchor or catching rays on the expansive forward lounging area. Twin helms well outboard provide good sightlines, while the boat’s double-headsail rig will make things that much easier for the crew. A protected inside helm station is located to port in the saloon, facilitating yet more comfort and safety. The DS41 can be equipped with auxiliary heating or air conditioning, depending on where you expect your sailing to take you. LOA…

As a former dinghy racer, I can be hard to please when it comes to “bigger boats.” And while the 27ft Saffier SE 27 Leisure is hardly “big,” I’m always skeptical when a manufacturer says that the freedom and agility I’m used to will be found in a boat that weighs more than my car. However, the Dutch-built Saffier SE 27 was an absolute joy to sail and will give a Laser a run for its money when it comes to responsiveness, while at the same time keeping its crew a whole lot drier. We tested the Saffier SE 27 on a crisp, blustery day, one of the last perfect September sailing days in Newport, Rhode Island. There was enough wind that a lesser boat might have been overpowered, but…

Elan’s first sporty “Grand Turismo” yacht, the 43ft GT5, launched in 2017, and was actually a bit of a mashup. It combined an existing gofast hull from Elan’s sexy E5 racer with a new deck and interior optimized for cruising comfort and a somewhat detuned rig to create a modern, funtosail cruiser. In this latest offering, the veteran Slovenian builder has upscaled its GT concept to 49ft, but started with a clean slate: a new design from the ground up, with all new tooling. For the boat’s hull design and naval architecture, Elan handed the pen to Rob Humphreys, their goto man for the last quarter century. To ensure the boat’s aesthetics are first rate, they also turned to Studio F.A. Porsche, the iconic auto brand’s Austrian design affiliate. The…

I’m sure many readers have heard of the dinghy test, in which it’s considered important you be able to admire your own boat as you’re dinghying ashore. Taking things up a notch, I’d say there’s also a kind of waterborne vanity test underway, whereby it ain’t half bad finding yourself sailing around on a boat so cool you can’t help thinking you’re pretty cool yourself. Case in point: the new South African-built Balance 482 catamaran, winner in the 40-50ft multihull cruiser category in SAIL’s 2022 Best Boats contest. DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION A collaboration between Balance president Phillip Berman and naval architect Anton du Toit, the Balance 482 features a pair of narrow, slippery hulls that include either high-performance fixed keels or dual daggerboards (the latter far and away the more…

Boatbuilders refresh their designs all the time, and there’s usually a new version in the same length about every 10 years. However, French catamaran builder Lagoon took its time—34 years to be exact—to bring out a new version of its classic 55-footer. Add a year for the model to make it to this side of the Atlantic, and you have 3 ½ decades in between. Things have changed since the original came out in 1987, and we took hull #2 out for a spin in Miami to see what’s new. DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION Naval architecture firm VPLP (the same firm used for the original 55) teamed with designer Patrick Le Quément to dial in a good-looking boat with lots of amenities. The hull, deck and coach roof are infused and…

Dufour, long one of France’s most well respected builders, has been producing sailboats in La Rochelle since the dawn of fiberglass boatbuilding. Having recently merged with another La Rochelle-based builder, Fountaine-Pajot, Dufour has now joined other European mass-production yards in producing a large-scale luxury cruising yacht. Its new Dufour 61, winner of SAIL’s 2022 Best Boat Award in the Flagship Monohull category, combines a competitive price point with high-end comfort and some seat-of-the pants performance. DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION Dufour has been working with Italian designer Umberto Felci since the turn of this century, when it bifurcated its models into a Grand Large cruising range and a Performance racing range. Stepping now into the big-boat luxury cruising market, Dufour has again teamed with Felci to create a boat that hews to…

WWW.XQUISITEYACHTS.COM ● +1 (707) 370 5264 Xquisite Yachts has teamed up with the South African Builder, Phoenix Marine Manufacturing, to develop and build a new line of luxury catamarans. As a boutique boatyard, the company limits its productions to be able to focus on delivering the highest quality build and finish, while offering an after sales service unmatched in the industry. This year Xquisite is opening its new base in the Bahamas, the Xquisite Catamaran Center where the company offers dockage, charters, onboard training and all kind of repairs for its owners. X5 PLUS The new 53’ X5 PLUS (winner of 2022 Boat of the Year Award) is a luxury cruising yacht based on the very successful previous X5 SAIL model, and designed for couples or families to explore our…

When buying a boat, consider how its ratios compare with those of similar boats in its category. DISPLACEMENT-LENGTH RATIO The displacement-length ratio (D/L) is a nondimensional expression of how heavy a boat is in relation to its waterline length. A D/L is calculated by dividing a boat’s displacement in long tons (2,240lb) by one one-hundredth of the waterline length (in feet) cubed. Since the displacement in long tons can be expressed as a volume (in cubic feet of seawater), and since length-cubed is also volumetric, the D/L formula is nondimensional—the units of the numerator and the denominator are the same: feet cubed. DISPLACEMENT-LENGTH RATIO = (displacement/2,240) (0.01 x LWL)3 The advantage of this is that the D/L can be used to compare the relative heaviness of boats no matter their…

Although they don’t generally make it into print, there’s often a backstory to the boat tests we do at SAIL: case in point my sail trial of the J/9, winner in the “daysailer” category of SAIL’s 2022 Best Boats” awards. Checking the forecast before setting out from Boston for Newport, Rhode Island, it looked like we’d be in for a pretty spirited sail with windspeeds in the mid-20s. Sure enough, crossing the Sakonnet River Bridge it was blowing stink. Great! I thought, the perfect day to put a boat like the 28ft J/9—the first in a planned series of daysailers from J/Boats—through its paces. The reason I was so happy to discover we were going to have a hatful of wind is because I was curious how the boat was…

For years, Nautitech Catamarans has been doing things differently from other production cat builders, and it seems to be paying off. When the French company launched its Open series in 2013, it shrunk the saloon and dedicated more space to the cockpit where most catamaran living takes place. The company also placed the helms outboard on the amas rather than high up on a bulkhead or flybridge. Owners loved both approaches. Now Nautitech has decided to focus on its core market of private owners rather than building for charter. That strategy can be tricky, since it ignores 50 percent of the market. But it does give the builder the ability to dial in exactly what distance cruisers are looking for. With that in mind, Nautitech just introduced its new 44…

If you can sell more than 150 catamarans off-plan before the resin has even hit the fiberglass, you must be doing something right. Despite costing around $1.1m once fitted out and on the water, Fountaine-Pajot’s new 51 has done just that. The French yard has been at it since 1986 and has built up an enviable reputation for soundly designed bluewater catamarans. Buoyed by the recent purchase of Dufour, the business is booming. It hangs its hat on the rigor of its industrial processes and the consideration that goes into every detail of the design. Not for nothing is Fountaine-Pajot a multiple winner of SAIL’s Best Boats awards. DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION A towering mast allied to her principle dimensions of 51ft LOA and 26ft 6in in the beam make the…

Imagine a sailboat under 60ft with private en suite accommodations for five couples plus professional crew. Add to that enough space to allow those same lucky guests their own private lounging areas outside. That’s a lot of room. That’s the Fountaine Pajot Samana 59. DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION The design emphasis of the Samana 59 is on easy maintenance, a welcome feature to any boat owner. The fiberglass hulls and structural bulkheads are molded with balsa cores and reinforced with carbon. The interior joinery is Alpi wood laminate, the countertops are made of synthetic resin, and the only visible solid wood in the entire boat is a few tabletops and doors. The primary structural member of this big vessel is a husky, welded aluminum truss that passes under the bridgedeck to…

Today’s new boats become tomorrow’s used boats, and whether you’re in the market for a brand new hull or something with a few miles under its keel, it’s worth keeping that in mind. From reverse sheers to double rudders—even cruising catamarans as a concept—nearly everything that is now common in the world of yacht design was once considered a radical idea. Sure, there have been a lot of strikeouts over the years (consider the ill-fated “blooper” headsail), but even the misses often inspire other, better responses to the design brief. Between computer modeling and innovative materials, today’s boatbuilders have come so close to an ideal formula that more and more we’re seeing custom or semi-custom options available from builders once limited to production models. Builders want their boats to be…

WWW.FOUNTAINE-PAJOT.COM + 33(0) 546 35 70 40 Fountaine Pajot is the cruising catamaran worldwide reference shipyard and have been professional Yacht designers and boat builders since 1976. Our team comprises passionate sailors, and our aim has always been to use our wealth of expertise to develop high-performing, seaworthy, innovative, comfortable and supremely stylish boats. For the last 45 years, we have continued to strive to exceed your expectations in terms of safety and cruising pleasure, while offering optimal construction quality. We are committed to constantly innovating through our designs and technology while adopting an environmentally friendly practice. Discover the full range of Fountaine Pajot Sailing Catamarans from 40 ft to 67 ft on: catamarans-fountaine-pajot.com #ShareYourEmotions OD Sea Lab - THE BOAT OF TOMORROW by Fountaine Pajot To become the pioneer in…

X-YACHTSUSA.COM ● 860-536-7776 In 1979, one of today’s most successful and quality orientated production yards was established in Denmark. During the 1980’s, X-Yachts designed andbuilt winning IOR yachts for World Class Racing. Our success with this market attracted the attention of the cruising market, which was then looking for fast, high quality and comfortable sailing yachts. It seemed very clear to us that we should use our boat building experience from the fast racers and combine this with building high performance cruising yachts. X-Yachts are designed by sailors, for sailors. Every yacht is created to perform superbly in all conditions and in all sail configurations. However, many of the very same factors which make the X-Yachts race-winners, also ensure that they are enjoyable fast cruisers. The complete X-Yachts range: Xc,…

It’s no secret that boat manufacturers have been working at max capacity for the past couple of years. Walking around a boat show, you find long lines just to check out the goods, and a brief chat with the sales folks oftentimes reveals that a new boat won’t actually make it to its owner for at least a year. Supply chain issues coupled with huge demand means getting a new boat these days can be a lengthy wait. So what do you do if you want the thrill of upgrading without the wait time? Spruce up your old boat with new gear, of course. You may be investing in a fresh coat of paint for a hull that’s seen better days while waiting for your dream boat to ship, or…