Table of contents for New Boat & Gear Guide 2026 in SAIL

The boats in this section represent the future of the industry, models that have been announced but are not yet on the water or available in the United States. We can expect to see some of them in SAIL’s boat review section soon and others may have launch dates far in the future, but as a whole this selection of new boats provides a snapshot into the future of what tomorrow’s sailing industry will look like. Here you’ll find fresh new ideas, favorite features scaled to create versatile new versions, and a few interesting builders that could be making a splash on the American market soon enough. The catamaran experts at Fountaine Pajot have been focusing on some big projects in recent years, so it’s nice to see some attention…

Cure is a name we haven’t seen on this list before, and for good reason—beginning as a successful composite expert based in Australia, Cure’s work on custom catamarans inspired the launch of this all-carbon production cat.“Our challenge was to design a product that could cater to the market by offering a performance-oriented cruiser with a standardized specification, one that didn’t require extensive customization yet still met the demands of buyers seeking both high performance and luxury,” said Cure’s David Biggar. Despite being new to the market, they have high hopes for the appeal of this smart new cat. This boat is designed for passagemaking potential, scaled up from an original 52-foot idea because a longer LOA means better handling in a seaway. With the ability to design for their specific…

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I like a boat that’s for someone. The design trend for so many years has been a regression towards the mean, closer and closer to this perfectly optimized build for the hypothetical typical sailor with more and more swappable, customizable features to make the same boat well suited for everyone. Sometimes it works, sometimes better than others, but I rarely fall in love with a boat that’s trying to do it all for everyone. The soul gets lost along the way. Enter the Pegasus 50. Even a cursory look through the boat is enough to see that there’s something a little different in its DNA. This build is simultaneously designed on salty classic ideals and creative innovation, making for arresting lines,…

Following in the footsteps of the Top 10-winning 510 in 2024 and 460 in 2023, the Hanse 360 has a lot to live up to, and with a clever approach to space onboard, a stable yet speedy hull design, and high build quality throughout, the 360 does not disappoint. Designed by the storied naval architects at Berret-Racoupeau, the 360 is at the smaller end of Hanse’s range at just 36 feet, but this year small boats seem to be the big trend. Many manufacturers are looking at more accessible, manageable sizes as an essential cornerstone for the future of their brands, and while all of the builders debuting smaller boats this year endeavored to bring big boat features to downsized versions, what Hanse did exceptionally well—and one reason this boat…

Diversifying ways to generate power onboard without using fossil fuels, and maximizing that power generation, is the holy grail of sailors who want energy independence, self-sufficiency, and a cleaner wake. Solar and wind are the most common and well practiced methods, but hydrogeneration—harnessing the power of your boat’s speed while sailing to generate juice via the spinning propeller—is gaining traction in today’s ever-evolving hybrid and electric systems. GORI, the Danish propeller manufacturer, has developed the GORI Hybrid Propeller, which is specifically designed for this task. Based on the same platform as the company’s DAME Design Award-winning GORI 3-Blade Folding Propeller, the new wheel is the first folding prop that lets sailors seamlessly switch between sailing performance and regeneration modes, the company says in a media release. Announced last fall and…

The latest from the 44-year long partnership between Frers Naval Architecture and Nautor Swan represents something of a full circle moment for the companies. The first Swan that Germán Frers designed back in 1981 was also a Swan 51 and the beginning of a partnership that would launch over 700 boats. Over the years, the design brief has evolved, but the 51 is still a Swan right down to its DNA, with the pure sailing experience at its core, “more a sportscar than a limousine,” as the company says. To that end, pains were taken to design a hull shape that balances volume distribution with performance, and three different deck configurations and sail plans help each model suit the owner’s specific needs—Cruise, Comfort, and Sport. The first is a straightforward…

Meet the latest in one design racing, the Kiss 25. This all-carbon sport boat brings speed and agility to a smaller size range, creating a perfect transition boat for competitive dinghy sailors hoping to move to grand prix sailing. Teaming up with the Italy’s Neo Yachts and Composites, the Danish builders at Kiss have brought their technical refinement up a notch with this model, boasting a vacuum-infused carbon hull and carbon mast, boom, and poles. Designed to be sailed by up to five crew members, the cockpit is a functional workspace with an open transom, running backstays, and aft-led traveler. Steering is done by tiller. The boat is extremely light, particularly when compared to the sail area, meaning that the crew’s weight management will contribute significantly to the performance of…

It isn’t very often that you can have Newport Harbor all to yourself. However, when it’s below freezing, blowing 12-15 knots, and mid-December, it can happen. Maybe this doesn’t sound too enticing? How about if we add a beautifully balanced new boat into the mix? I couldn’t resist. An extra layer or two made for an invigorating day on the water with the new J/7 from J/Boats.Hull No. 1 had just splashed at Sail Newport, and we had the opportunity to be first outsiders onboard. When you’re at the ground level, you really get to experience how the builder thinks; I’m impressed with the J/Boats approach. Not only for what this boat represents in their evolutionary process, but for the continuous improvement mentality within each build. It all starts with…

Not for the first time this trip, I find myself wondering why the folk at Grand Soleil have opted for a boat test on an inaccessible stretch of fresh water hemmed in with 6,000-foot-high alpine peaks. It is early spring, and there is a dusting of fresh snow up there. Down on the shores of Lake Garda, where a succession of trains, buses, and taxis have delivered me to the ancient olive town of Malcesine, the water has a glacial blue tinge to it and the bite of winter still. The boat I’ve travelled across Europe to see is an innovative 33-footer called the Blue and, in a departure from Grand Soleil’s famous cruiser-racer lines, it is billed as a daysailer. Built with sustainability in mind, here is a boat…

The Jeanneau Sun Odyssey line is in its eighth generation, which is to say that the new Sun Odyssey 350 represents the eighth time this 34-footer has been reimagined. And this time around, the collaborative talent from Lombard Yacht Design, Piaton Yacht Design, and Jeanneau has produced a sharp-looking hull that moves well, with cockpit and interior layouts that make it feel like much more boat than a 34-footer. In short, they pack a lot into what could be considered, by today’s standards, a relatively small package, with thoughtful ergonomics and goodies you’d typically expect on a much bigger model. The 350 replaces the Sun Odyssey 349, which since its launch in 2013 has sold nearly 1,000 boats. The redesigned hull incorporates a full-length chine and inverted bow for a…

The world of yacht design is always full of exciting innovation, as can be seen in each boat review in this magazine, but it’s not just the boat builders that are in the business of making sailing more safe, fun, accessible, or exciting. The gear industry that supports them is constantly churning out new innovative ideas to improve our lives out there on the water. From apparel to toys to tech, each season brings a new wave of products to the market. Here’s a brief look at what’s new this year. Raymarine has released its latest generation of LightHouseCharts for Raymarine Axiom and Element multifunction displays, delivering faster redraw speeds and expanded and updated coverage. The LightHouse Charts GEN 2 comprise a global upgrade with more than 14,000 updates, new…

CLiX for diesel and gas boats is a revolutionary solution to one of boating’s biggest challenges—fueling without spills. It features patent-pending technology that prevents messes, protects waterways, and ensures a safer, more efficient refueling experience. Recognized by the marine industry, CLiX recently won the 2024 IBEX Innovation Award for its game-changing design. Beyond innovation, CLiX is committed to environmental responsibility. Fuel spills are a persistent issue for boaters and marinas, but CLiX eliminates them—helping to keep our waters clean. As part of our dedication to ocean conservation, 5% of all proceeds go directly to nonprofits dedicated to protecting and preserving our oceans. Say goodbye to spills and hello to effortless, stress-free, eco-friendly fueling. Clixfueling.com…

Bali has announced the launch of the new Bali 5.2 just a year after the launch of the 5.8, and while the 5.8 was a luxury condo on two hulls, the 5.2 took lessons from her big sister and fit them skillfully into a more approachable LOA. Bali has long been synonymous with one thing: space. So packing more into a smaller hull was a challenge, but one that designer Pianton-Bercault was more than up to. This new model is available with three to six cabins and sleeping up to 16 people in a pinch. The table in the salon seats 12. Though the 5.2s going into charter will likely opt for more cabins, in the three or four cabin versions, massive staterooms aft will be a unique selling point…

The makers of the sporty cruising cats Balance have announced a new model, the 580. Larger than their pre-existing models, this catamaran is the fastest and leanest in their line, but Balance Catamaran’s founder Phil Berman says there’s no sacrifice on accommodations: “She’s a true high performance luxury voyager.” The cat is designed to be lightweight to improve performance, and with carbon reinforced structure, closed cell foam core hulls, and handcrafted foam core wood furniture, the designers have gone the extra mile to reduce weight on board. On a catamaran, this can make or break the performance, and it seems the team at Balance has dreamed up a winner, reporting that high pointing angles (thanks in part to twin high aspect daggerboards) and the ability to reach wind speed at…

There’s something about a raised deckhouse yacht that puts me in mind of late summer sailing. Temperatures are still clement enough during the day, but there’s a nip in the air at night and you want to be tucked up inside for your morning coffee. Where better than behind a layer of insulating glass that still lets you survey the anchorage? With the recent launch of the new Heyman 42 Pocket Pilot House (PPH), deckhouse design has returned to its roots. From the comfortable motor-sailers and trawlers of the past, via the sleeker raised salons of Wauquiez, Amel and Discovery, the Heyman puts the salon back at cockpit level. Hardly surprising, then, that its distinctive form stopped me in my tracks as I weaved through the Düsseldorf boat show last…

Standing in the aft cockpit of the new Leopard 46, my gaze is directed at the Leopard 50 parked across the dock. “It looks just about the same size,” says Franck Bauguil, global sales manager of the South African boatbuilder. “On the 46, we packed in almost everything that used to be on a boat 4 feet longer.” It seems a bit of sorcery but it’s true. Starting with a blank sheet, Leopard Catamarans and Simonis Voogd Design reimagined life on 46 feet. The new model feels much larger than its specifications suggest, and it’s poised to become a worthy successor to the popular Leopard 45 that launched 379 hulls since its introduction in 2017. Leopard embraced their formula for years primarily because it worked. Now they’re switching it up…

I love a great dinghy dock when we’re cruising. But gorgeous and pristine spots don’t have that luxury. Nor do the remote beaches where we gather for a bonfire. I wouldn’t count on those perfect snorkeling sites having any sort of tie-up either. Tanner, our 7-foot, 6-inch Puffin dinghy, is like a member of the family, and we wouldn’t want her drifting away from all the fun. We need a great anchor. And we’ve counted on our Mantus Dinghy Anchor for the last few years, from the rocky coasts of Maine to the sands of the Caribbean. It’s always held strong and never dragged, even as the wave action moves away from being friendly. The concept isn’t anything magical, just logical. Mantus Marine took the same great design as their…