Boat Reviews

Bavaria 38

by Tom Dove, Posted December 10, 2008

Even with the declining dollar, it’s possible to own a European cruiser that offers decent value for the money. Bavaria has built thousands of boats since it began in 1979, and the new Bavaria 38 Cruiser is a chip off the old block. With its moderate displacement, ballast, and sail power, it’s not extreme in any way, yet it does have a slippery underbody that gives it a performance

Island Packet 460

by Sail Staff, Posted December 11, 2008

You’ve got to tip your cap to the folks at Island Packet. They know their market. If you’re looking for a lightweight, fin-keel cruising boat with a sporty feel and a big cockpit, there are many to choose from. But if you’re looking for a new solid, moderate-displacement, full-keel cruising boat that will look after you, chances are an Island Packet will be one of the few boats on your very short

X-Treme 25

by Adam Cort, Posted August 23, 2011

With its almost predatory lines, plumb bow and short fixed bowsprit, the X-Treme 25 is a sport boat that attracts a crowd just sitting on its trailer. The boat seems like a cutting-edge maxi in miniature—ICAP Leopard back in grade school.The resin-infused hull laminate, set in epoxy, is glass with a foam core. To increase stiffness, the boat has five structural bulkheads and a beefy

The Bavaria Cruiser Line

by Sail Staff, Posted September 13, 2011

This past summer, SAIL magazine had the opportunity to test sail and video the better part of the new Bavaria Cruiser line—including the Bavaria 32, 36 40—at the Bavaria Yachts USA headquarters in Annapolis, Maryland. Earlier this year, executive editor Charles J. Doane also took the Bavaria 45 out for a heavy-air trial off

New Boats Debut at Fall Shows

by Peter Nielsen, Posted September 30, 2011

It’s fall, and boat show season is upon us. It kicked off on the East Coast with the Newport International Boat Show, in France with the Grand Pavois de La Rochelle, and in England with the Southampton Boat Show. A jetlagged Peter Nielsen visited all three in one week. Here’s what he saw…

Hunter e36

by Adam Cort, Posted September 30, 2011

The Hunter e36 feels right from the moment you step aboard and is somehow more than the sum of its parts. In both appearance and functionality, it works well and is a pleasure to sail. Construction The hull and deck on the e36 are standard for Hunter, with balsa coring above the waterline and solid fiberglass below. The layup includes a modified

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 409

by Charles J. Doane, Posted October 31, 2011

Jeanneau’s Sun Odyssey 409 replaces the very successful Sun Odyssey 39i in the French builder’s fleet of performance cruising boats. With its angular styling and solid performance, the 409 won accolades as the 2011 European Yacht of the Year in the Family Cruisers category.

Draft Dodger

by Peter Nielsen, Posted October 31, 2011

Britain’s boatbuilding industry is a shadow of what it was back in the 1970s and 80s, but a handful of boutique yards still thrives around its shores. One such is Northshore Yachts, whose Southerly range has survived four decades of the boom-and-bust cycles that saw once-mighty production brands tumble.

Nautor Swan 66 FD

by Charles J. Doane, Posted October 31, 2011

Back in 1998, when Finnish builder Nautor was acquired by Italian fashion magnate Leonardo Ferragamo, many Swan aficionados worried that the core values of this iconic breed of cruiser-racers would be lost in a blaze of Euro-finery. But the Italians have since done a superb job of injecting their own unique sense of style into the brand while also retaining Nautor’s strong

Admiral 38

by Peter Nielsen, Posted January 16, 2008

Shhhh, don’t tell Famous Potatoes she’s being included in an article about starter cats. She thinks she’s at least 42 feet long, and she’s about convinced me of it too. The most impressive thing about this boat is her incredibly spacious feel. Owners of larger cats have come aboard and exclaimed,“Wow, you have so much room! What a beautiful boat!”I fell in love with her lines when