Table of contents for Buyer's Gd & Review 2022 in SAIL

The beginning of the summer of 2021 was an interesting one for me in terms of sailing experiences. In addition to loving being able to sail with full crews again (after a very satisfying but sometimes lonely year of solo-sailing during the pandemic) I found myself taking a trip in Mr. Peabody’s “Wayback” machine with respect to the first couple of the boats I sailed. First up was a three-day delivery aboard an old Aage Nielsen design (launched the same year as yours truly!). After that came the return to an old 46-footer I hadn’t been aboard for a few years complete with—gasp!—an old-school symmetrical spinnaker of all things. The nature of change is such that it’s often easy to forget it’s continually happening, especially in the context of the…

Sticking with its proven design formula, but also cherry-picking popular features from its recent models, Leopard Catamarans has launched a “best of” package with this new boat that sold nearly 30 units before hull #1 even touched water. Like a greatest hits album, the Leopard 42 combines the best of its 40ft and 50ft sailing siblings, even grabbing some of the interior styling from the Leopard 53 powercat. The result has been rolling off the production line in unprecedented numbers. DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION Naval architects Simonis Voogd and South African builder Robertson and Caine created a boat that cruising couples as well as full charter groups will love. The construction consists of a foam-cored vacuum infusion topped by a one-piece cabinhouse—a departure from the three-section tops on the boat’s predecessors.…

Sportscar builders say, “Speed costs, how fast do you want to go?” This is also true of boats, and if you can foot the bill, Hudson Yacht Group will be more than happy to provide you with all the speed, luxurious accommodations and outstanding construction quality you could ever want in its new HH50. DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION The HH50 is the smallest boat in the Hudson Yacht Group line, but it remains very much on par with the company’s larger boats, which include an 88-footer. The entire HH line is produced in a new 1.2 million-ft2 factory in Xiamen, China, that is well equipped with CNC cutting machines, resin-infusion facilities, woodworking shops and testing facilities. Don’t be fooled. The boat is very much designed to serve as a serious offshore…

Often referenced and sometimes misquoted, the idea of a finished product being more than just the sum of its parts was first introduced nearly 2,400 years ago by Aristotle. The poor guy likely had no idea how his thinking would be applied centuries down the road. But since it works here, I’ll be more than happy to borrow it. In short, in creating its new 60-footer, Hylas Yachts has combined an established brand, a world-class design team and a renowned yard to create something truly special. You’d expect the result of this amalgam to be impressive, and you’d be right. DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION For the company’s first “from scratch” design under their leadership, Hylas’ Peggy and Andy Huang reached out to Germán Frers to draw a head-turning profile coupled with…

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. The advantage of this is that the D/L can be used to compare the relative heaviness of boats no matter their size. A boat with a 25ft waterline…

WWW.DUFOUR-YACHTS.COM + 33 546 30 07 60 Founded in 1964 by a young engineer, Michel Dufour, the shipyard has gone on to become one of the biggest in the world. Italian design combined with French savoir-faire creates boats with incredible looks, and incomparable marine qualities and comfort. For over 50 years, we have continued striving to exceed your expectations in terms of safety and cruising performance, while offering optimal construction quality. We are committed to constantly innovating through our designs and technology while also adopting a new working process. Discover the full Dufour range from 32ft to 61ft at dufour-yachts.com Information and dealers at marketing@dufour-yachts.com Visit all the range in the Dufour virtual Marina: www.dufour-yachts.com/marina/ Dufour 32 - AN INNOVATIVE 32-FOOT SAILING BOAT LADEN WITH INTELLIGENT FEATURES The Dufour 32…

HYLAS 57 Despite its impressive LOA, the H57 has been deliberately configured by veteran designer Bill Dixon to serve as a bluewater cruiser with couples in mind. All sail controls lead aft to the cockpit to be within reach of the twin helms. Similarly, twin rudders ensure there’s an automatic backup in the event one of the two appendages should ever be damaged by, say, an unidentified floating object while on passage. The boat’s main, genoa and self-tacking jib all come with power-furling standard, which in combination with the H57’s electric sheet winches makes sail trim a snap. An optional hardtop provides shelter in the cockpit without marring the boat’s graceful lines. A three-stateroom interior with an owner’s cabin aft comes standard, but as a semi-custom builder, Hylas is also…

With new catamaran brands springing up like mushrooms, France’s Fountaine-Pajot is something of an oak tree in the market, with a story that goes back to its founding in 1976. It is also one of the largest cat builders out there, sending some 600 boats down the ways a year. The new Elba 45 replaced the 7-year-old Helia 44 and is intended to be the yard’s new bestseller. For that reason, it is no mold-breaking tearaway, but rather a safe, dependable, well-thought-out mainstay model. Not for nothing were more than 100 of the boats sold before the first hull even hit the water. DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION Although it replaces the old Helia 44, the Fountaine-Pajot 45 has been designed by Olivier Racoupeau from scratch, following over 150 meetings and thousands…

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…

If variety is the spice of life, it would be hard to think of a more rewarding life than that of a sailor. For as long as I can remember I’ve loved wandering through boatyards in the off-season up here north of the Mason-Dixon line. The reason? The simple pleasure of being able to check out the seemingly limitless ways the naval architects of the world have tried to solve the problem of a boat moving through the water under sail. Plumb bows, spoon bows, clipper bows, you name it, it’s been tried. And that’s just the pointy end. Fin keels, full keels, spade, scimitar and keel-hung rudders, the list goes on and on. Better yet, in a world of seemingly ever-increasing homogeneity, the world of boatbuilding and sailboat design…

WWW.FOUNTAINE-PAJOT.COM + 33(0) 546 35 70 40 Fountaine Pajot is the worldwide cruising catamaran reference shipyard and we 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 #45thANNIVERSARY New 51 - A NEW SUSTAINABLE CATAMARAN The New 51 marks a new stage…

WWW.HHCATAMARANS.COM • 864-324-7825 Hudson Yacht Group’s premium line of semi-custom, carbon 44-88 foot models offer both performance and luxury. Committed to excellence at every turn, Hudson Yacht Group recently introduced the HH Ocean series, combining the pedigree of HH with streamlined production processes and cost-effective materials, reducing price and build times with the aim of bringing the HH experience to a broader market. HH44 Originally conceived in partnership with the Disabled Sailor’s Association as a wheelchair accessible blue water sailing platform, the HH44 design has evolved to now include three distinctly different versions, the OC44, HH44, and 44Open. Built to suite a range of requirements, safety and ease of use are paramount, while style, performance and technology abound. Parallel hybrid propulsion, closed transoms and flush decks set the new 44…

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,…

I’ve often written in the boat reviews I’ve done over the years that pretty much any boat sails well in 15 knots of breeze (typically as a word of explanation as to why sail trials done in drifting conditions are as relevant as those done in a small gale). However, it occurred to me that there is an exception to this rule of thumb, and that is aboard a performance multihull like the Corsair 880 trimaran. The reason for this is the basic nature of tris. Aboard a monohull (especially one with a keel), things may get a little hectic if you’re hit by an unexpected gust. But the fact that a monohull heels before the breeze provides you with a kind of automatic safety valve. Not so with a…

Groupe Beneteau, builder of Lagoon Catamarans, debuted its new multihull line called Excess at the Dusseldorf boat show in Germany in 2018. They held a press conference where I may have been a bit of a pain as I asked what I thought were appropriate questions about the target market as well as the differentiation of these models from Lagoon multihulls. In fact, the first two XCS models launched were based on previous Lagoon designs. The Excess (or XCS) 12 and 15 translate loosely to the Lagoon 40 and 50 respectively, but were being touted as sporty versions of their cousins. I had my doubts—until I sailed them. DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION Construction of the Excess line is a vacuum-infusion with balsa coring in the deck and the hull above the…

The new Beneteau Oceanis Yacht 54 shares a lot of DNA with the company’s First Yacht 53, introduced last year and reviewed by SAIL in its May 2020 issue. The Oceanis Yacht 54, however, is both a good deal more luxurious and carries a slightly different rig for sailors who lean more toward cruising and entertaining than racing. DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION The hull and deck of the Oceanis Yacht 54 are both infused with a balsa core, and an inner liner is also vacuum-infused to the hull in conventional Beneteau fashion. Less typically for Beneteau, a pair of aluminum beams runs the length of the hull beneath the cabin sole, adding support and rigidity. The Beneteau Oceanis Yacht 54 will serve as an outstanding modern sailing home where owners can…

With heel angle increasing from left to right and the righting arm plotted vertically, the GZ curve will tell you several things about a boat’s stability. The angle of the upward leg of the curve indicates the initial stiffness of the boat. A shallow angle would indicate, for example, that the boat is initially tender; a steep angle points to a boat that has high initial stability. The top of the curve marks the maximum righting arm; after this point is passed the boat will become progressively less stable as GZ decreases. The intersection of the upper portion of the curve with the zero-GZ line marks the LPS. Below the line to the right of the LPS is the negative area, which indicates how stable the boat will be when…

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 sailing and power 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 launches the new 53’ X5 PLUS, which is a luxury cruising yacht based on the very successful previous X5 SAIL model, and designed for couples or families to explore our Oceans in comfort and safety. This very exciting new model is lighter and faster and has many improved new features. The Xquisite Sixty Solar Sail is the latest model from the yard and…

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…

It’s no secret boat sales were through the roof last year as droves of people looked for safe, socially distanced ways to get out of the house. Not only that, but every boat sold to a new sailor also meant a couple of life jackets, foulweather gear and maybe even a harness for those more ambitious newbies out there. Outfitting oneself for sailing can be a significant investment, but is also a drop in the ocean when compared to outfitting a new boat, to say nothing of all the used boats that have changed hands of late. Many of those used boats went from storage to moorings by way of motivated new owners ready to invest some serious time and money in a rehab. Whether that was done DIY or…