Best Boats

Moody 45 DS

by Sail Staff, Posted August 17, 2009

What happens when one of Britain’s oldest and most conservative brands meets one of Germany’s most unorthodox boatbuilders? The Moody 45, that’s what. Longtime Moody designer Bill Dixon must have had a ball with this boat, built at the Hanse factory in Germany. It’s designed with most of the accommodation at deck level, just leaving heads and sleeping cabins down below. The

2011 Best Boats Flagship Monohull: Southerly 57RS

by Peter Nielsen, Posted August 11, 2011

One day you might be power-reaching across an ocean, logging double-digit speeds under a massive A-sail set on a retracting bowsprit. On another day you may be tacking effortlessly up a narrow channel, putting the helm over and watching the self-tacking jib slam across its track, enjoying the windward bite and responsive steering of a deep-drafted performance cruiser. Or you may have nosed up to

2010 Best Boats Dinghy: Topaz

by Peter Nielsen, Posted August 16, 2011

We were impressed by the potential of the 12 foot Topaz dinghy as well as by its existing features. The boat has developed quickly into an active racing class in Europe and it could do the same here, given proper organization and promotion.The Topaz is a generation beyond fiberglass in construction. The hull is rotomolded of polyethylene, a process that's expensive to set up initially but

Best Boats 2012: Marblehead 22

by Peter Nielsen, Posted August 26, 2011

Built in wood/epoxy by Samoset Boatworks in Maine, this little beauty is designed by Doug Zurn. Its big square-topped mainsail is set on a freestanding carbon spar and wishbone boom, which really sets it apart from the crowd. samosetboatworks.comSPECSLOA: 22ft, 9in LWL: 18ft, 8in Beam: 6ft, 10in Draft: 3ft,

Best Boats 2012 Nominee: Moody 45DS

by Peter Nielsen, Posted August 30, 2011

With its modern lines and dramatic deck saloon configuration, which puts the cabin sole at the same level as the cockpit— la the typical cruising multihull—the Moody 45DS has been turning heads for a couple of years over in Europe. Now it’s headed for U.S. waters, where its nearly plumb stem and transom, dual rudders, twin wheels, spacious accommodations and unique approach to cruising are sure

Best Boats 2012: Jeanneau 439

by Peter Nielsen, Posted September 8, 2011

Continuing the new styling introduced with the smart-looking 409 last year, the 439 is a fast and well-mannered family cruiser that also promises enough fizz for rewarding PHRF acing. The Philippe Briand design has a bright, well-thought-out interior layout and a deck plan that’s optimized for ease of handling.

Corsair Sprint 750 MK II

by Peter Nielsen, Posted September 14, 2011

This fast folding-wing trimaran is in its second incarnation, with a revised deck plan and rig and larger amas to improve sailing satisfaction and performance. Not changed: the adrenaline rush that comes with double-digit sailing speeds! corsairmarine.comSPECSLOA: 24ft 4inLWL: 23ft 1inBeam (folded)

Fleet Action: Best Boats 2010

by Sail Staff, Posted August 27, 2009

Check out the nominees for the 2010 awards!Never mind the economy -- it’s business as usual in the boating game. Well, not quite. Everyone in the marine trade is feeling the financial pinch these days, so it’s even more impressive that so many new boats have been developed and readied in time for the fall boat show season. What this year’s line-up of new models—everything from dinghies to

2011 Best Boats Innovation Award: Beneteau Sense 50

by Peter Nielsen, Posted August 11, 2011

In many ways, the Beneteau Sense 50 was the hit of the Annapolis boat show. The 50-foot performance cruiser with modern Euro styling was tied off in a small square basin just a few feet longer than the boat. Every hour on the hour her crew cast off the dock lines and spun the boat in its own length, stopping every 90 degrees to drive directly sideways up to the dock. It did so with ease, even in

2010 Best Boats Systems: Passport 615

by Peter Nielsen, Posted August 16, 2011

Over the years, the systems side of boats has improved steadily. This year's crop of new boats has raised the bar a little higher, with evidence of a great deal of thought. For example, the Catalina 445 has molded-in cable channels, above-the-waterline gravity draining holding tanks and a central drain location for winterizing the boat. Designer Gerry Douglas has put the battery charger under the