Boat Reviews

Morris 52

by Charles Mason, Posted August 11, 2008

With one order in hand and serious interest from several other clients, Morris Yachts is well along on the first Morris 52 hull from the board of Sparkman & Stephens. The new owners found that their S&S-designed Morris 42 was getting a little cramped with their three young children aboard and wanted a larger yacht with the traditional interior layout they presently enjoy. In this case

Hodgdon 62

by Sail Staff, Posted August 11, 2008

This new semicustom design by Bill Tripp promises to be a cruiser with exceptional performance characteristics. Designed for fast extended cruising in open water, the yacht contains all the best features that Tripp has developed over the years on his larger designs. Tripp has given the hull a very long waterline, and the structure is cold-molded using Hodgdon's proprietary lamination

Hallberg-Rassey 54

by Sail Staff, Posted August 11, 2008

This new 54-foot long-distance cruiser from the board of German Frers has received considerable interest since its introduction in Sweden last fall. An all-inclusive hydraulics package makes sail control easy, and the large engine room makes it easy to walk around and inspect the yacht's systems. The engine space is made quieter by perforated aluminum linings that cover the soundproofing for

Jeanneau 42i

by Sail Staff, Posted August 11, 2008

The Jeanneau 42i is not of the same family as the iPod, iPhone, or iMac, but it's just as much a piece of 21st-century technology. At Jeanneau, the "i" stands for "resin infusion." CONSTRUCTIONResin infusion is an engineering process that makes a strong laminate with optimum glass:resin ratios and few voids while reducing factory emissions. Jeanneau uses the method to

X-34

by Sail Staff, Posted August 11, 2008

Many of today's boats are designed to be both quick and comfortable, and X Yachts continues to stake its claim in the performance-cruiser market. The X-34 is light, nimble, and sturdy, as I learned firsthand during several hours of thrashing into a stiff 17-to-20-knot headwind and steep chop on a recent 50-mile test sail/delivery.CONSTRUCTIONThe hull and deck are built

Najad 355

by Sail Staff, Posted August 11, 2008

A fixed windshield and teak deck create a familiar Scandinavian look, but the Najad 355 appears sleeker than many offshore cruisers. "It attracts the younger crowd with a little higher performance, contemporary style and interior, and a racy look," said broker Rob Robinson. CONSTRUCTIONThe hull carries a flat underbody and a fine entry that flares gracefully into a moderately

Beneteau First 50

by Tom Dove, Posted August 11, 2008

There's a whole lot more here than headroom and easily handled sailsThe hull form is sleek and sophisticated, the eyebrows above the ports denote competence and self-worth, and some of the accessories belowdeck are fine leather. The Beneteau First 50 starts with style, but it carries through with performance. An owner looking for a fast cruiser, an occasional racer, and/or a

Dean 441

by Sail Staff, Posted August 26, 2008

Get close to the Dean 441 and open a bundle of surprises. From a distance, it could be just a typical mid-size catamaran with more mast rake than most, but once you’re aboard you’ll see a boat that’s totally different in both design and execution.The accommodations can be customized to suit the owner’s needs, and the hull, rig, and systems are built to thrive at sea. Since every

Beneteau 31

by Bill Springer, Posted November 3, 2008

I’m always impressed when a boat design shows you can teach an old dog new tricks. Thirty-one-foot coastal-cruising designs have been around since builders started using fiberglass to build hulls, so it’s easy to think that it’s all been done before. But the new Beneteau 31 has innovative solutions and incremental changes that have a positive effect on comfort, functionality, aesthetics, and

Catalina 375

by Sail Staff, Posted December 8, 2008

All new designs from Catalina Yachts can trace their pedigrees back to the first boats Frank Butler built in California just as fiberglass-boat building was taking off. The newest, the Catalina 375, is one of them. In coming up with a successor to the legendary Catalina 36, Catalina’s long-time in-house designer, Gerry Douglas, had his work cut out for him. How do you improve on a design that has