Sail Magazine

by Bill Springer

Shannon 53 HPS

by Bill Springer, Posted May 19, 2008

In a way, all sailboats that have an engine are hybrid-power sailers, but the Shannon 53 HPS is touted as the first motorsailer to maximize all three of these desirable elements: sailing, powering, and accommodation.There may be motorsailer builders who disagree with that claim to be the first, but it doesn't take away from the fact that the boat is capable of

King 40

by Bill Springer, Posted April 15, 2008

The King 40 is designed to be a true dual-purpose cruiser/racer, effective at racing offshore and around the cans as well as comfortable enough for family cruising. The deck plan was developed to allow plenty of room for a racing crew, but there are also comfortable places to sit in cruising mode. The lead bulb/narrow chord keel and high-aspect rudder should combine to provide

Bavaria 34

by Bill Springer, Posted January 15, 2008

The German builder Bavaria was sold for 1.3 billion euros in 2007, so it should not come as a surprise that the new owners are announcing new models. What surprises me a little is that the first new boat is a 34-footer rather than a big-ticket 60-footer. But then again, the new owners may realize that sticking with Bavaria’s proven high-volume production formula is probably a

Finngulf 43

by Bill Springer, Posted November 12, 2007

Finngulf Yachts has been building quick, sturdy performance cruisers for 25 years, but the company's new 43-footer is the first to be designed by a well-known firm here in the States. Farr Yacht Design got the commission, and the result appears to be an excellent combination of style, performance, and good old-fashioned Finish sturdiness. The hull and deck are laid up with

Laser SB3

by Bill Springer, Posted October 17, 2007

The SB3 (stands for sportboat for three people), hugely popular in Europe, made its American debut at the Annapolis sailboat show earlier this month. It seems to have hit the elusive target that sportboat designers shoot for—a fun, fast, durable, and reasonably affordable raceboat. To that end, there’s some carbon used in the bowsprit and foils, but the rest of the boat uses tried-and-true

Akilaria Class 40

by Bill Springer, Posted September 14, 2007

Not everybody can race an Open 60. But the Akilaria Class 40 that’s making an appearance here in the States makes it possible for mere mortals to experience the exhilaration of sailing and racing a water-ballasted thoroughbred without necessarily needing a sponsor to foot a rather large bill. It’s built to the French Class 40 box rule, which was created by a group of designers,

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42 DS

by Bill Springer, Posted June 14, 2007

Click here to read a PDF version of this reviewBack in 2004, Jeanneau caused quite a stir with the launch of its stylish Sun Odyssey 54 DS (deck saloon). Italian designer Vittorio Garroni had worked more with cars than boats when he came up with the fresh-looking 54 DS, and he wasn’t bound by any conventional

Open 5.70

by Bill Springer, Posted May 11, 2007

With its flat, plane-friendly Groupe Finot hull shape, dual rudders, square-headed full-batten main, and lifting, narrow-chord bulb keel, the Open 5.7 is obviously designed for the high-end of the performance spectrum. It’s only 20 feet long, displaces merely 1,020 pounds (330 pounds are in the keel), and boasts a working sail area of 280 square feet. Off the wind the 5.7 carries a

Alerion Express 38

by Bill Springer, Posted January 29, 2007

It could be said that Garry Hoyt’s Alerion Express 28 was ahead of the “big daysailer” trend when it was launched in the early 1990s. I took his latest entry in this growing genre—the Alerion Express 38—for a test sail in light air off Newport, Rhode Island.Under SailThe boat is designed to excel in light air, and my test sail proved it was up to the task.

Hoyt H-10

by Bill Springer, Posted September 21, 2006

You’ll find Opti-mists and 420s on many yacht-club docks, but hasn’t the time come for a more modern small-boat design? Designer Garry Hoyt thinks so. His new H-10 is designed to be a stable, fast, and fun dinghy that will fill the gap between the Opti and bigger boats like the Laser and 420. To keep the boat light and easy for a kid to handle alone, the 10-foot-long hull is