It wasn’t until the end of a lengthy press conference in Düsseldorf that Grand Soleil’s management team dropped what was, for me, the bombshell. It has already designed and engineered…
Yachting World
Solaris 55 first look: an ‘aggressive increase in form stability’
During its 50th anniversary, Solaris Yachts is launching a new version of this popular model size, Solaris 55. This shows Solaris and its faithful designer, Soto Acebal, continuing to refine…
World’s coolest yachts: Open 7.50
The Open 7.50 is the fastest one-design sportsboat ever built. Designed by the Finot Group, it applies much of the developments from Open 50s and 60s ocean racing designs to…
Bluewater Luxury – The new Moody DS48
When Moody launched its first version of the Deck Saloon yacht in the ’90s, with the exceptionally popular Eclipse range, the concept was ground-breaking. The Eclipse designs were the first…
Baltic 80 Custom: A ‘rosy’ design for racing and luxury offshore cruising
You’d never mistake this sleek Baltic 80 Custom for anything else in her trademark ‘rose’ livery. Only recently revealed by the Finnish boatbuilder, there are relatively few details available so…
How to use tides and tidal currents to your advantage
We all know the tide ebbs and flows. It’s as predictable as the sun rising or the seasons changing, but it’s also not an exact science. Getting the timing wrong…
Expert tips: how to sail multihulls downwind in big breezes
Pushing fast multihulls downwind in gnarly conditions can be a hazardous business. Knowing how hard you can push, and when you need to back off, mostly comes down to experience.…
Stylia: 22.8m of bluewater perfection
It would take years to plan, design and build a catamaran to the standard of Stylia. This unique Sunreef 70S was delivered barely two years ago with every imaginable upgrade…
Cruising Australia’s east coast: ‘A delicious mix of modern convenience and truly isolated’ adventure
When we tell people we’re bluewater cruising around the world, the first question is almost always the same: ‘What about storms?’ I’m hesitant to reinforce a Hollywood dramatised view of…
Simena Ares 62 first look: the surprising superyacht
Türkiye’s Ares Shipyard recently revealed it is halfway through the build of Simena, a 62m yacht based loosely on the lines of a clipper ship. It comes as a surprise,…
How to sail around the world: Launching an epic adventure
Personal preparations and sailing skills are still the biggest part of planning to sail around the world. Knowledge and competence takes the stress out of situations, which is more fun…
Hunters to racers: the fascinating world of Azorean whaleboat racing
When the tow rope is released, two of the strongest Azorean whaleboat crewmembers leap forward and haul up the mainsail gaff as quickly as possible. The secret is not to…
World’s coolest yachts: Amaryllis
Amaryllis, and her replica Amaryllis II, are among the coolest yachts. I had the opportunity to see her in the Herreshoff Museum in Bristol, Rhode Island, during the 2010 Little…
5 top tips: Sailing upwind in survival conditions
Across 45,000 miles of steering around the world on the Clipper Race, sailing upwind safely in survival conditions becomes routine. But it’s something never to be taken for granted, and…
Cold water cruising: sailing in perfect tranquility in the San Juan Islands
The weather looked truly terrible for a sail through the San Juan Islands. The week’s National Weather Service forecasts displayed that unwelcome ‘cloud and rain shower’ graphic, puffy gale symbols,…
Air Yacht 80 a dream package
What if you could have it all? The speed of an ocean racing multihull, combined with the comfort and space of a luxury motoryacht, all in a bluewater vessel which…
How do you solve problems at sea? Learning from the best is a good way to start
Knowledge 2.0 tackles tricky questions such as: how much is survival in extreme situations down to chance? How much self-confidence is too much… and can lead to disaster? Each area…
Is your anti-foul choice contributing to Global warming?
Visit a marina now and you’ll be greeted by the unpleasant smell of solvents. Known as VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), solvents are a major component of traditional anti-foul paints, many…
Your expert guide to routing for multihulls
Over recent years there has been a big increase in the number of cruising catamarans making the transatlantic crossing. Of the 250 yachts crossing the Atlantic with the ARC and…
Ever dreamed of packing it all in a living on a yacht remotely?
If you sail far enough from home, you’ll eventually reach a place that looks wonderfully unfamiliar and is almost entirely your own. A place where there’s no jostling for space…