When it comes to choosing a modern performance cruising yacht, it could be argued that many of the current crop of designs share very similar trends, particularly those from Med-based…
monohull
First look: Jack Setton’s JV60
This 60ft Judel/Vrolijk daysailer is the latest commission by French businessman and serial boatowner Jack Setton. Those familiar with Setton’s yachts over the last few decades will know he is…
First look: Rapide 41 – a new Mills Café-Racer
This graceful new Rapide 41 is the first to be built in a new series of performance café-racers drawn by Mark Mills. The in-demand Irish designer was commissioned by a…
Italia Yachts 12.98 review: premium cruiser-racer
Few new boatbuilders notch up a succession of race wins, including three ORC World Championship victories, as quickly as Italia Yachts has managed. What makes this even more impressive is…
First look: Swallow Yachts BayCruiser 32
Look beyond the traditional styling of the Swallow Yachts BayCruiser 32 and you’ll find a thoroughly up-to-date trailer-sailer concept with carbon rig, water ballast and deep draught (2.7m) lifting keel.…
First look: Bavaria C46
Maurizio Cossutti’s sixth design for Bavaria, the Bavaria C46, is the first model in a second generation of the German yard’s C-series, which was originally launched six years ago. The…
Sea Eagle II: One of the world’s finest superyachts
It’s very rare to see quite such a large vessel, the world’s largest aluminium sailing yacht in this case, truly in its element: sailing full bore in an idyllic location.…
Coolest yachts: J/105
“The J/105 revolutionised downwind sailing in the sport as the first boat over 20ft with a retractable bowsprit and asymmetric spinnaker,” explains J-Boats founder Bob Johnstone. “The system was pioneered…
First look: Tison 12m Mediterranean daysailer
The Tison 12m is a stunning ultra-light daysailer that is intended to strip sailing back to its simplest fundamentals, though with top quality materials and deck hardware being employed. The…
Extraordinary boats: Sailing the sustainable Ecoracer 25
This heartening story involves a crew of Italian sailing friends, who fostered a desire to do something different, to make a change. The fact that this Ecoracer ‘garage project’ has…
First look: ClubSwan 43 – first UK-built Swan
One design classes used to provide top-level racing for huge numbers, as anyone who raced Lightwave 395s, Sigma 38s or X-99s in the late 1980s, or J/109s and even J/111s…
Superyacht Cup Palma: Battle of the giants
All eyes will turn to Mallorca from 21-24 June, when the world’s most beautiful yachts will be seeking glory in the Superyacht Cup Palma. Nine yachts were on the entry…
First look: Bestevaer 36 – downsized pilothouse cruiser
In a world in which yachts are constantly becoming larger, this Dutch brand is bucking the trend, with the smallest-ever model in its 20-year history. It’s intended to offer performance…
Elan E6 review: Fun to sail with a nice, sporty feel
I’ve always looked forward to testing new models in Elan’s performance range. Historically they’ve offered an enticing blend of performance and comfort, with every example I’ve sailed in the last…
World’s coolest yachts: Windward Passage
“A very modern boat for her times: very large stern (almost like today’s naval architecture) and semi-round bilge hull made her very fast in reaching – and with a flush…
Grand Soleil 40 review: A rare-breed cruiser / racer
Grand Soleil’s latest launch, the Grand Soleil 40, is something of a rarity in today’s market – a cruiser-racer with a comfortable three-cabin interior, yet the ability to excel on…
Clarisse Crémer confirms new Vendée Globe sponsor, Alex Thomson heads team
It has been confirmed that Clarisse Crémer’s Vendée Globe campaign is back on with L’Occitane en Provence stepping in as headline sponsor, while British five-time Vendée Globe veteran Alex Thomson…
The best semi-custom superyachts
A bubble has appeared, the rise of a buoyant large yacht market sector that’s proving difficult to label. It typically caters for those who are looking for extra size, space…
Linjett 39 review: Contemporary interpretation of a traditional design
How quickly will today’s new yachts date? A handful are surely destined to become design classics, but many will be quickly forgotten, becoming the floating equivalent of an ageing mass-market…
First look: Wally 101 – all-carbon flier
Full custom yachts don’t come much fleeter than the Wally 101, an all-carbon flier from Wally, which is based on the famous Wallycento box rule. The Wally 101 will displace…