With renowned designer Gerard Dykstra approaching 80 years old, he was looking for a boat for himself that would fit a somewhat different use to his previous yachts. Yet at…
bluewater cruisers
First look: CNB 78 – stunning bluewater cruiser
As Nicolas Claris’ photos show, CNB has produced a sympathetic replacement to the popular 76 to mark its first yacht since its change of ownership from Groupe Beneteau to Solaris.…
Should you ship a yacht to a destination rather than sail it?
At some point, perhaps in an anchorage far from home, every bluewater cruiser is faced with a choice – do you sail on, or turn back and recross your wake?…
Two new Owen Clarke explorer yachts for high latitudes cruising
A well established and regarded name in the offshore racing world, the Owen Clarke studio has in recent years been making a reputation for its bespoke explorer yacht creations. The…
First look: 18m Explorer Yacht OC188
Designed for extended remote cruising including a circumnavigation, OC188 is six months into its aluminium construction at alloy experts KM Yachtbuilders in Makkum. Its experienced owner wanted an easily handled…
First look: 15m Explorer Yacht Lynx
This 15m Explorer Yacht Lynx is very much a descendant of Qilak, and is even dubbed ‘little Qilak’, thanks to its similar looks, its hydraulic lifting keel, twin rudders and…
Contest 49CS review: luxurious bluewater cruiser
Ahead of testing the Contest 49CS we had some miserable weather, certainly not the sort of conditions you’d ordinarily choose to go out in. It had been blowing 30 knots…
Expert advice at cruising seminars this spring: book now
World Cruising Club’s popular Ocean Cruising Seminar returns on March 25-26 2023 in Guildford, UK. The weekend seminar is suitable for any sailors considering the transition from coastal cruising to…
Solaris 50 review: fast, fun cruising
The drive to include all the features we now expect of new yachts, such as easy handling, big cockpits for al fresco dining and huge accommodation volumes, all too often…
Oyster 495 review: an impressive smaller Oyster
Good things come to those who wait. After tirelessly chasing the breeze for over 100 miles, we found our just rewards. It was a hazy, moody morning as I rose…
First look: Viator 54DS – electric powered explorer
Electric propulsion makes a great deal of sense for explorer yachts that have to be self-sufficient for long periods. Energy reserves can be replenished through regeneration when there’s enough wind…
Ovni 370 review – go-anywhere shoal draught cruising
With its distinctive range of bare aluminium lift-keel cruisers, Alubat’s Ovni brand has been synonymous with bluewater cruising since the 1970s. After a barren period it came out with a…
Hallberg-Rassy 69: Swedish yard announces its largest model ever
Magnus Rassy has announced that his Swedish yard is to build ‘the greatest Hallberg Rassy ever’ in its largest flagship to date, the Hallberg-Rassy 69. The Frers design is very…
Diving from a boat – advice from the experts
As cruisers, we can find ourselves in some of the most beautiful places this world has to offer. But more often than not, the real magic lies just below the…
First look: Owen Clarke 15m expedition yacht
The Owen Clarke 15m is an aluminium lifting keel expedition yacht, which builds on the success of the Owen Clarke-designed 20m (66ft) Qilak, one of the most notable vessels of…
Bluewater cruising insurance – what you need to know
There’s no getting around the fact it has become a lot harder to get boat insurance, particularly bluewater cruising insurance. However, there are still ways to secure good coverage –…
4 best bluewater cruisers of 2022
The results are in from the European Yacht of the Year Awards as the judges have announced their top four bluewater cruisers of 2022. The European Yacht of the Year…
Second hand boats: how to buy a ready to sail yacht
It’s no secret that if you want to buy a new yacht the wait is now likely to be two years or more. But what if you don’t want to…
JPK 39FC review: new sporty 40 cruiser
I have long held that bluewater cruising yachts, especially those under 40ft, have much to gain from the way today’s smaller short-handed offshore raceboats are designed and set up and…
Best bluewater multihulls: HH OC50
The Xiamen-built HH range of catamarans found popularity for its high-performance, all-carbon, hull-flying designs such as the HH66 and HH55. But the HH OC50 is designed as a more affordable…