If my buddy calls and invited me for a sail aboard his new daysailer I think I have a pretty good idea what to expect and how to prepare for the day. I’d bring some bottled water, sunscreen, a sandw

We have two high-performance daysailers to review this month. Both boats are promoted as daysailers, which begs the question: “Exactly what is a daysailer?” Is it a boat you sail during the day? A

The C&C 121 doesn’t resemble the venerable boats designed and built by C&C Yachts from the mid-1960s into the 1980s, but the sleek, 40-foot sloop is every bit as high quality as its predeces

The beefy integral bowsprit features stainless fittings and a Selden roller furling unit.Catalina owners are an enthusiastic bunch, and when they said they were yearning for a big offshore cruiser,

Every month I pester my editor Greta, “Find me something interesting. Find me something I can sink my teeth into.” Well, this month she has outdone herself. Thanks Greta. I think the most fun for

Naval architect John G. Alden never got to see his traditional Fuji 35 ketch make the jump from drafting table to boat-building production line. Alden was born in 1884 and died in 1962, eleven years b

It was a mile-long trek in 90-degree heat from the front gate of the Miami International Boat Show past countless fishing gear booths and outboard powerboats to the far southeast corner of the docks w

I get some unusual design commissions but this is the first time another yacht designer has asked me to design a boat for him. Rob Leighton­—I call him Capt. Rob—is an accomplished yacht des

Here’s an unusual catamaran project from my old friend Dudley Dix. It’s unusual because the client was Phil Harvey, builder of the Gunboat cats in South Africa, Dudley’s previous home. Dudley an

The center-cockpit Kelly Peterson 46 has sparked plenty of discussion among sailors who favor bluewater cutters, mostly because it’s often compared with its little sister, the popular Kelly Peterson

Ithink it was about eight years ago when I heard that Chuck Paine had retired. I was incredulous. How do you walk away from your life? I called Chuck and found him a bit bitter due to the complication

If you were walking the docks last weekend you probably didn’t notice the three old codgers sitting on the bench at the end of the pier. No reason you should except for the fact that the three of th

The newest boat in the Dufour line is the 530 designed by Felci Yacht Design. When I review a new boat I look for some defining feature that sets it apart from the competition. In this case we have a

In the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, Beneteau First cruiser-racers were winning regattas across the world. The popularity of multipurpose boats waned over the decades, with racing and cruising

This is the newest boat from the Arcona yard in Gustavsberg, Sweden. I think it is the perfect size for family cruising. Nothing is overwhelming. Space is tight but you can get everything you need in

The Invader was launched in 1965 during the golden age of fiberglass boat construction. This recreational cruising boat was one of the earliest C&C designs built. The Invader was designed by Geor

One of the ways to learn about the Corbin 39 is to read builder Marius Corbin’s story in his own words. On the verge of creating the boat of his dreams, Corbin founded Corbin les Bateaux Inc. in Can

I’ve known Tom Wylie for a long time. I once owned a boat he designed, a Wylie Wabbit—24 feet of thrills and spills. Tom has always been an original thinker. When just about every designer was doi