SAIL.SailMagazine

This carbon-fiber/epoxy performance cruiser is the result of yet another collaboration—this time between noted cruising boat designers J&J Design and performance specialists Doug Peterson and Guillaume Verdier.

The Catalina 385 is third in a series of new boats that began in 2009 with the award-winning 445 model. The concept behind this “5” series of boats is fairly simple: marry the best aspects of modern mass-production cruising boat design and construction with a healthy streak of common sense and practicality.

This latest offering in Beneteau’s revitalized Oceanis line of family cruising boats was introduced at the Miami International Boat Show in February. Like the new Oceanis 45, which received a 2012 European Boat of the Year Award, the 48 immediately won some accolades and was tapped for a National Marine Manufacturers Association Innovation Award soon after the show opened.

Sailing is about excitement, freedom and motion without machinery. What Americans would call “yachting” also includes security, comfort and luxury. Given this definition, the Oyster 625 truly provides the full yachting experience.

I had a feeling that the Marc Lombard-designed Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 379 would be fun to sail even before I took one out for a test drive in 20-25 knots of breeze. I’d sailed the first of the similarly re-designed Sun Odysseys—the 409—the previous year, and I expected the folks at Jeanneau would have little trouble serving up more of the same performance and comfort in a slightly smaller 37ft package.