There are very few times I feel the need to video the scene from a day on the water simply to brag to my friends. But standing in the master…
Boat tests
Contest 63CS review: Superyacht-level finish
We’re sailing the Contest 63CS upwind on a glorious late autumn day in the Balearics, in supreme comfort and with minimal heel, yet maintaining 6.5-7.1 knots of boat speed in…
Best Luxury Yacht 2025: The Ultimate Luxury Cruisers
The definition of the best luxury yacht will differ according to personal opinion and from boat to boat. This year’s nominees in the luxury yacht category of the European Yacht…
Ice 66RS Review: Slippery, Premium, Performance Cruiser
Finding the right mix of geographical influences can sometimes create formidable results. I’ve sailed most new Ice yachts over the last few years and all have been Italian-designed-and-built lookers. But…
Nautitech 48 Open review: No-compromise performance cruiser
Yacht design continues to advance quickly, as evidenced by the leap in performance made by the current generation of IMOCA 60s compared to just four years previously. The same is…
J/40 review: Pinnacle of evolution
Stand-out designs are often the result of a succession of well-informed evolutions rather than a revolution that turns existing thinking on its head. The J/40 is born out of a…
Heyman 42PPH: Handsome new decksaloon cruiser packed with ideas and space
Think about it relative to houses, and it makes more sense. After all, who would choose to put their kitchens and living rooms in the cellar or basement? Especially if…
Garcia Exploration 60 review: We crossed the Atlantic to test this adventure cruiser
The frenetic activity of the Caribbean season had already slowed by the end of April in Anse du Marin, where Albius IV waited on the pontoon. The commanding new Garcia…
YYachts Y8 Calabash review: Sailing this semi-custom, designer cruiser
This new generation YYachts Y8 is the Griefswald yard’s third version of this 80ft size. The original, which helped launch the brand in 2015, was a Lorenzo Argento and David…
CNB 78 One Review: ‘It was beautiful sailing… an engaging experience’
Sailing the CNB 78 One contrasts a little over 10 years ago when we had a memorable sail trial on the original CNB 76, a two-day return voyage from Palma.…
Dufour 44 review: More space but maintaining performance
What makes the perfect saloon for a cruising yacht? Ask anyone of a certain age and they’re likely to start with safety aspects – snug, with at least a couple…
Grand Soleil 65LC review: One of the most stunning new designs
Granted, the sight of Grand Soleil’s president Gigi Servidati sailing the beautiful Grand Soleil 65LC off Portofino arm in arm with his partner, tanned and clad in white linen, screams…
Pegasus 50 review: the best 50ft yacht you haven’t heard of?
Three towering masts pierce the skyline off Trieste, where the impounded Sailing Yacht A lies forlorn at anchor like a crippled leviathan. The Russian-owned Philippe Starck design makes a fittingly…
RM 1380 review: an enticing alternative to the mainstream
I’ve admired the innovative range of fast yet comfortable cruisers from RM Yachts for many years – their combination of spacious, attractive and brightly lit interiors, planing performance and well…
Bestevaer 36 review: Start exploring closer to home
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…
Exclusive 2 day sail on the largest Hallberg-Rassy ever built: Hallberg-Rassy 69 review
It was proper cold. An honest cold that cuts straight through us soft southerners, unused as we are to minus double digit temperatures. The docks were covered with gnarled ice,…
Bavaria C46 review: More accommodation and better performance?
It’s often thought that yachts with wide forward sections inevitably slam uncomfortably in head seas. But that’s not always the case as, when the boat heels, the hull’s immersed section…
Jeanneau Yachts 55 review: Thinking outside the box
Boatbuilders rarely have the courage to launch a model that represents a radically different way of thinking. Instead, most new yachts are simply variations on established themes with incremental improvements…
HH44 review: Taking fast multihull cruising to another level
A fast, fun catamaran that is safe and comfortable may once have been a pipe dream, but is now perhaps the biggest growth market in yachting. However, creating a performance…
XC47 review: is this the best bluewater cruiser ever?
We’re close-hauled in 7-10 knots of true wind, making 6-6.5 knots of boat speed, with the helm beautifully balanced and only a degree or two of weather helm. A gentle…