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2015 July 1

A powerful rig and plenty of headroom make this cat fast and comfortable

In Bavaria’s Open 40, Marc Lombard created an interesting design that blurs the line between cockpit and interior. The freeboard is high to allow for headroom in the hulls, and the hull ends are chopped off to maximize the DWL. I see square-cornered fixed ports in the hull sides. This seems to be a very popular styling feature of the new European models today. I think the look works well in this design.
2015 June 1

An impressive rig will move this nice-looking weekender easily under sail

I have been a big fan of the Van De Stadt Design office since I was a kid and saw the first drawings of the mighty ocean-racing ketch Stormvogel. I think “Stormy” caught everyone’s eye. 
2015 June 1

Generous accommodations make this a great trailerable family cruiser

 The RTC-22 comes to us from Buckley Design in Southampton, England. It’s a good fit to review this month because it’s aimed at the same market as the Bente 24. The RTC-22 is even shorter tha
2015 June 1

With exquisite lines and a powerful rig, this daysailer is a go-fast beauty

I like to think I truly understand small boats. I’m a fan of small, simple boats. My last boat, Perrywinkle, was small, and I enjoy reviewing boats that I can imagine owning. The Bente 24 is bu
2015 April 30

This cruiser offers sleek looks with lots of options

 George Nissan designed the new Contest 42CS for Dutch builder Contest Yachts. I’m inclined to call this boat the Option 42. There are multiple interior options and multiple cockpit options. You are going to be hard pressed to find a reason not to like this boat.
2015 April 30

Semicustom design gives owners almost unlimited options

This design combines the efforts of the V. Ahlen design office with the Sirius Design Team. The overall design is highly unusual and I’m not sure I have ever seen so many features combined in a boat this size. Keep in mind that these boats are semicustom, so the layout and finish details are up to the owner working with the yard’s design team. I have drawings for six layouts, but the company built 14 different layouts on its previous 31-foot model. I think we can expect a lot more variations on the new 40.
2015 April 30

Beneteau's new flagship is all about comfort

The Oceanis 60 is the flagship of the Beneteau fleet, designed by Berret Racoupeau with help on the interior by Nauta Design. This is a very good-looking boat in the European modern style punctuated by a mainsheet arch over the cockpit.
2015 April 1

Aiming to be fast in IRC and ORR, this Tripp design also brings good looks to the table

Most of us have looked across the harbor at an incoming boat at some time and said, "Yup, must be Hinckley." The signs were hard to mistake. There were beautifully sculpted teak toerails and magnificent, big stainless steel bow fittings lapping down the stem. And there was the hull defined by graceful overhangs that gave the boat an ageless beauty, what I think of as the epitome of the American yacht. 
2015 April 1

A blend of design elements makes this cruiser handsome and fast

Alain Mortain and Yannis Mavrikos designed this new 44- foot model, produced by Privilege Marine, and I liked this design the moment I saw it. I find all the proportions pleasing to my eye. The aim of the design is a fast cruising boat with a nice balance of speed and comfort. 
2015 March 1

This hard topped daysailer has a sweet, sweeping sheer and an easy-to-sail rig

I  live in the Pacific Northwest, and do everything in the rain, and  it does not bother me. The sun bothers me. When I saw this  new design from my buddy Paul Waring and his partner Robert  Stephens I thought, "Perfect! I can get out of the sun." 
2015 March 1

Domination of the IRC fleet is the goal for this no-compromise racer

One of the fun things about reviewing a Mark Mills design is that I get to Skype Mark and chat with him for an hour. Mark was not shy about explaining the details of his latest work to me. In this case, it's his exciting new 38-foot 9-inch IRC racer now being built in Turkey at the Gurit yard.
2015 March 1

Interior volume and a great layout define this family cruiser

My Danish friend Tom came up with the "bloated tennis shoe" description for some kinds of yacht styling. He recently described a boat to me as looking like "the box the boat came in." 
2015 February 1

This lifting-keel performance cruiser will satisfy the need for comfort and speed

It’s nice to get real designer drawings from Kevin Dibley. The drawings are expertly produced and a clear sign that Kevin loves his work. Kevin calls this sailboat a performance voyager. 
2015 February 1

Classic-looking on the outside, this cruiser is a modern design built for bluewater sailing

I have been a fan of the Rustler series for years. They are so English. The company’s style is in contrast to what my buddy Tom calls the “Euro bloated tennis shoe” look. 
2015 February 1

This catboat is a pugnacious daysailer and an American icon

The most fun reviews I do are of the boats I would like to own myself. I sure like this catboat. It would be the perfect boat for me to introduce my grandchildren to sailing. 
2014 December 1

This svelte-looking performance cruiser has some speedy options

This great looking boat is a Judel/Vrolijk design built by Dehler Yachts. The vertical stem and transom give the boat a very strong look. Of course we see this in almost all the new boats but with 46
2014 December 1

The versatile 35-footer aims to maximize accomodations

 The Beneteau Oceanis 35 designed by Finot-Conq appears to be a very versatile design aimed at hitting a wide segment of the market. There is a daysailer model, a weekender model and a cruiser mo
2014 December 1

A strong deck design makes Bavaria's latest boat a sailor's cruiser

This new model from Bavaria was designed by the Farr office in partnership with Design Unlimited. I’m not exactly sure who designed what but I think it’s safe to assume that the hull, appendages a
2014 November 1

Performance cruiser

Judel/Vrolijk is the design name behind this new Varianta model, built as an entry boat for the Hanse line. It’s a clean-looking boat with modest styling, and it is a little more conventional lookin
2014 November 1

Performance cruiser

This new Elan model was designed by Rob Humphreys in the UK with an interior design by Gigo Design. I’ve been a Humphreys fan for many years. His designs always appeal to my eye, and he has a very g

Perry on Design

  • This folding trimaran for fun cruising offers plenty of options

  • The redesign of a popular 50-foot cruiser offers better performance and more comfort

  • Retro style but modern performance are the trademarks of this new cruiser

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