What should be on your hit list of fun gear to help maximise your time afloat and at anchor? Toby Hodges explains the burgeoning appeal of stand-up paddleboards and examines a few alternative inflatables
An inflatable paddleboard can transform your time at anchor
The advent of high-strength PVC inflatables and high-pressure pumps has transformed the world of marine toys. The variety of inflatable stand-up paddleboards, kayaks and windsurfers is getting all ages afloat with a minimum of fuss.
Red Ride 10’6 stand-up paddleboard review
The best tender/toy you’ve never had – granted, that sounds like a bold claim to make, but anyone who has tried any of the good quality inflatable stand-up paddleboards on the markety knows that there is no looking back. These blow-up stand-up paddleboards are one of the biggest game-changers in recent years for cruising sailors at anchor/leisure.
Why? After a season of trying one, I can safely say the reasons keep growing! For starters, once inflated, stand-up paddleboards immediately create extra deck-cum-pontoon space. So for lazy summer days it’s perfect for families to use as a base from which to swim and jump or board the yacht, to check the waterline or to scope out an anchorage.
Red’s Ride models come with a three-part paddle, pump, leash and ba
For use as a tender, a stand-up paddleboard is obviously hampered by its low freeboard and payload capacity. But for shipping waterproof items to the beach, an esky, kids, etc. it does the job with a lot less fuss than blowing up a RIB and rigging an outboard.
Then there are the fitness and independence benefits. To wake up, creep off the boat, and silently paddle off for some exercise at sunrise is liberating. I’ve also taken this 10’6 Ride – the world’s most popular inflatable stand-up paddleboard model – fishing, using a telescopic rod in a waterproof rucksack. I’ve also tried it in surf – though don’t expect to go down the line and carve: soft, rounded rails and plastic fins mean your body will try to go one way and the board won’t necessarily follow.
Perhaps the greatest appeal of an inflatable stand-up paddleboard, though, is for parents of young children. dinghies can seem alien to the young. But give them an inflatable paddleboard, something they can’t hurt themselves (or the topsides) with, and watch them become veritable ducks to water. In an instant, small kids literally cannot get enough of being in and around the water.
The best investment for parents of young children…
As a parent, it is intensely satisfying to witness and, for that reason alone, I cannot rate this product highly enough.
The quality of the stand-up paddleboard is commensurate with how much use you will get out of it. Red has been in the business for ten years and arguably has the best reputation for the stiffness of its boards, its superb pumps and carrying cases. I’ve tried cheaper, less stiff alternatives which result in more of the banana shape you might expect from an inflatable when you step onto it.
Red’s secret lies in its Monocoque Structural Laminate (MSL) Fusion technology. It creates a laminated layer on both surfaces to offer the stiffness of a double-layer board with the comparative lighter weight of a single layer type. There is a Top Gear-style video series of Red lab-testing a 10’6 board, including firing paint balls at it and driving a 22.5 tonne digger with caterpillar tracks clean over one.
The deck pad is robust and comfortable for bare feet and the integral bungee tie-downs on the bow are, handy for strapping a bag/barbecue/child in place. Red’s Titan twin-chamber pump is superb. It allows you to quickly pump in around 10-15psi pressure, before switching to a single chamber for the final, crucial extra pressure.
Five minutes pumping on the foredeck and your stand-up paddleboard is ready to go. The wheelie rucksack makes it easy to pack away the board, three-part paddle and pump and keep it in a locker or in the car boot. Yes the Ride is expensive – but you’ll quickly get your money’s worth in fun.
RRP: £849
YW Rating: 5/5
Using a stand-up paddleboard as a second tender
After the demise of his previous dinghy in Lanzarote, Aleko Stephan used a stand-up paddleboard as the primary tender aboard Beduin, a Nicholson 32, for a voyage to the west coast of Chile via the Magellan Straits and Beagle Channel. “At first everyone laughed at me,” he says, “but when they saw how good it was they also started to buy paddleboards.”
“It’s good to have a board with lots of buoyancy – at least 10cm deep – and a longer one: mine is 3.85m (12ft 8in). It will take two people, and I have used it for carrying anchors in the Patagonia Canals, as well as provisions and up to 70lt of water and diesel.”
Alternative inflatable toys – the best of the rest
Tiwal inflatable sailing dinghy
The Tiwal stows into two compact bags and can be launched, assembled and sailed in 20 minutes.
It uses the same high-strength PVC material as inflatable paddleboards, but an alloy structure gives it a backbone and allows the helmsman or crew to sit out. The carbon mast splits into four.
The latest models are more streamlined, practical and comfortable and hiking rack pads are on the accessories list.
The rise of stand-up paddleboards, windsurfing SUPs and inflatable SUPs led to a hybrid of all three. Since Starboard launched an inflatable windsurfer seven years ago, the design and build quality has risen to produce fun, planing, freestyle boards.
Inflatable rigs are available, but for those wanting more performance, a four piece solid mast and three piece boom makes a compact solution with an inflatable board.
Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence
Intex Explorer K2 inflatable kayak
For those who like to do things as a couple, a two-person inflatable kayak can be an economical solution to exploring creeks. The Intex Explorer K2 is one of the best selling models in the UK.
Elan’s new flagship, the GT6, is the first Porsche-designed sailing yacht. Toby Hodges takes it for a test sail in the Firth of Clyde
We tested the Elan GT6 in 2-10 knots, flat water on the Firth of Clyde. Photo: Richard Langdon / Ocean Images
A few decades ago having a supercar was a real status symbol, a prominent way of shouting ‘look at me!’. Times and trends have changed, as has, arguably, the appetite for such ostentation. So why, I wondered, would a 70-year-old shipyard with a well-regarded product line need to turn to Porsche for the design of its new flagship?
Over the years we’ve seen various car manufacturers and designers get involved with yacht design, yet few stand out for their success. However, as I was to find out with this new Elan GT6, the relationship between Elan and Porsche runs deeper than simply exploiting a name for marketing gain.
Studio F.A. Porsche is the design arm of the automotive giant. The Austrian company’s role is not about adding flashy flared bodywork or eye-catching spoilers. It’s all about refinement, whether working with architecture or dishwashers – or Elan skis, which is how the tie-in with Elan’s GT6 came about. The objective is care in detail and it aims to add a signature of understated class.
Considering this strong emphasis on design then, it is no surprise that the Elan GT6 hit the water looking sharp. I’m referring in particular to the clean lines, black-and-white styling, the angle of the tinted windows in the hull and the contemporary decksaloon-style coachroof.
But putting the styling aside for a moment, let’s concentrate on the powerful hull shape, which is all Humphreys Yacht Design. The Lymington firm was one of the first to successfully translate what it was doing with ocean racing yachts, such as Class 40s, into production cruising yachts, including those from Elan and Azuree.
Ten years ago Rob Humphreys broke new ground with the Elan 350 and 310 by incorporating race boat features, such as broad planing aft sections with hard chines and twin rudders. I have rarely enjoyed sail trials more. For this new flagship GT6, which Humphreys drew with his son, Tom, contemporary additions included powerful forward sections, a bluff stem with fixed bowsprit and wide beam carried right aft.
If it hadn’t been for the original Swan 65, Nautor’s Swan might never have become the famous name it is…
It all screams performance sailing… until you notice the hull design is balanced, tamed perhaps by a relatively conservative rig. This, together with the deckhouse and cockpit design, is the clue to this model’s purpose – easy cruising, or Grand Touring (GT) even.
So how does it measure up on the water? And is this a sailor’s yacht or a status symbol?
Slovenia to Scotland
I sought the answers near Glasgow, where Scottish dealer Great Harbour Yachts had recently taken delivery of a GT6. During the 24 hours we had aboard we spent a large portion hunting out the light snippets of breeze that funnelled into the surrounding lochs.
This design targets manageable fast cruising, using a modest sailplan that’s easy to trim and reef and a stable, easily-driven yet powerful hull. Photo: Richard Langdon / Ocean Images
It created a lasting impression of an easily driven and controlled boat. The Firth of Clyde is a notoriously tricky place to race because of the huge wind shifts.
And as we chased the catspaws that ruffled the otherwise calm, deep and dark waters, the Elan proved sporty and nimble enough to ensure the sailing was enjoyable.
The GT6 is nearly 50ft of yacht overall, so it should be capable of a certain level of pace. It gets up to speed easily and stays there, tracking true. As was to be expected with large, deep, twin rudders in light conditions, there was little to no feedback and the helms remained very neutral. However, the fact that we could keep sailing for the majority of the time shows this is a design that will suit the typically light conditions found when sailing in the Mediterranean.
Speeds were fine, easy to reach and consistent, if not electric. And despite the wide aft beam, particularly noticeable from the dock, there seemed to be negligible drag. The instruments were yet to be properly calibrated, but the GPS read 0.5-1 knot below true windspeed most of the time when slightly cracked or when reaching under A-sail (4 knots in 5, 6.7 knots in 7 and for a fleeting moment, 9 knots clocked in 11 knots on a close fetch).
Our test boat had a fine-looking suit of carbon and Vectran Ullman sails, plus upgraded deck gear, running rigging and winch packages. So, barring a composite mast and rigging, it was in high-performance spec.
But to my eye the sail plan looks a little reserved, with a high and short boom (the mainsheet is attached midway along the boom). And there is not even an option for a traveller. Instead the mainsheet is kept well out of the cockpit and led aft each side.
Photo: Richard Langdon / Ocean Images
It is set up to be safe and very manageable. Indeed, when you consider the modest sail area to displacement ratio, it all points to a boat designed for easy sailing above high performance. “Performance is about more than just speed,” maintains Tom Humphreys.
“It’s also about good manners: being easy to operate for a short-handed crew, family or couple.” Which is why he also incorporated generous form stability and righting moment to minimise heeling or the need for weight on the rail.
The running rigging is tunnelled really neatly under deck and I particularly liked the series of inspection hatches Elan has included to check inside this aluminium cage. The winch layout also works well. The pair of winches each side is within reach of the helm, there is enough space between them to make them practical to work, and there are good-sized tail lockers which keep the lines from wrapping around the helmsman’s feet.
Note the styling of the curved benches, pedestals and wheel designs. Photo: Richard Langdon / Ocean Images
The aft winch is set into the deck a little for optimum sheet lead. Again it’s a layout that prioritises short-handed cruising, as the cockpit benches continue almost all the way to the pedestals and leave little practical space for a trimmer to sit between the winches.
Grand touring deck
As well as the sail and deckgear upgrades, we had a secret weapon on board to ensure we got the most from the conditions. Bill Mackay, 84, arguably knows these waters better than any. Indeed, he recalls growing up aboard the only yacht for which the Royal Navy would lower its submarine nets to let sail out of the Firth of Clyde during the war, as his father was the local doctor who needed to reach the outlying islands.
When the decorated racing sailor and motorsports driver says the Elan GT6 is an ideal yacht for cruising these western isles, I’m inclined to take his word. But he does back up this statement by pointing out the deep coamings forward, the protection under the tall sprayhood and the ability to enjoy your surroundings from the interior.
Cockpit extension: cooking breakfast from the platform. Photo: Richard Langdon / Ocean Images
That said, there is little point in pretending this design is not aimed primarily at warm weather Med-style cruising. That open transom and cockpit layout targets lazy afternoons in clear water anchorages. The split tables work particularly well. These can quite often be a compromise, yet on the Elan they are sturdy, provide bracing, an unhindered walkthrough and still join together to form a dining area or can lower to form giant sunbeds.
Studio Porsche certainly waved its styling wand at the cockpit design. The smooth lines all work in harmony, from the coachroof and curved aft benches to the pedestal design with its racing car-inspired wheels.
There is the option of housing a grill and fridge instead of lockers within these aft benches. Standing on the swim platform while anchored in a calm loch, frying up black puddings and ‘tattie scones’ seemed slightly surreal, but proved the benefit of this alfresco option, by keeping smells and mess out of the midships galley below.
A primary benefit of a deckhouse-style roof is that it floods the saloon with natural light. Photo: Elan Yachts
A locker beneath the aft deck provides space for an inflatable, but only in its fully deflated state. There is also a large liferaft locker below the central cockpit sole and a sail locker in the bows.
Quadrants are mounted on each stock, which are linked by a rod. This is designed to double as emergency steering – if you lose steering on one side, you can disconnect it and use the other independently. Access to the quadrants and autopilot is from the aft cabins.
My concern with this set-up would be if you lost a rudder, as, there is no watertight bulkhead to separate the steering gear from the accommodation. Heeling the boat immediately on to the opposite tack might help prevent it flooding the interior.
The raised lockers and generous natural light allocation continues in the forward master cabin. Photo: Elan Yachts
Otherwise, Elan tells me that as bulkheads are all laminated to hull and deck anyway, it could make this one watertight “with minor adjustments” – although that would leave the issue of how to then access the steering gear.
A primary design goal was to position the mast forward of the coachroof to prevent it spoiling the aesthetics of the superstructure. The design team’s challenge was to leave a completely flush foredeck without compromising space in the forecabin. The rising sheer and forward freeboard of the Elan is sufficient to create up to 6ft headroom in this master cabin.
Growing appeal
Where the exterior styling is somewhat stark in its black and white theme, the interior is highly inviting, modern yet warm and full of natural light.
The boom is kept high and clear of the spacious walkthrough cockpit. Photo: Richard Langdon / Ocean Images
The styling and the perception of quality this brings are noteworthy. The light oak trim with its horizontal matching grain, smooth inner mouldings and creatively positioned spotlights and indirect lighting produce elegant first impressions.
Studio Porsche’s managing director, Roland Heiler, stresses his firm didn’t want to create lots of design details, but a flowing line all the way through. The raised bank of lockers, which runs through the saloon, galley and forecabin, helps create this feeling of continuity.
It would be illogical to invest such resource into design if the product wasn’t manufactured to a certain level, so it was pleasing to find a consistently high standard of finish on the Elan GT6. It has a hand-finished feel with plenty of solid wood trim used, and the quality of fixtures and fittings is a step-up from standard production yachts.
Poke in the nooks of lockers and bilges and you’ll find painted laminate – no bare fibre or exposed chopstrand mat. Elan was one of the first production yards to employ vacuum infusion and its experience shows.
A two-cabin layout is offered as standard. The Slovenian yard will accommodate some bespoke requests, so in the port aft cabin of the test boat, for instance, it agreed to fit a convertible (and arguably more practical) twin rather than the standard double.
The owner of the test boat opted for a second aft cabin and a twin set up to allow friends to share. Photo: Richard Langdon / Ocean Images
Becoming acquainted
Spending a night aboard can often unearth a few niggles that get to you in the quieter hours. But other than an unnecessarily loud water pump in the galley, this was not the case with the Elan. In fact the following day I found the interior just as appealing and the layout fit for purpose.
Despite the near-freezing temperature outside, there was also very little condensation in the morning thanks to good insulation and an efficient heating system. This and the installation of heating outlets throughout, including in the heads, makes a real difference to extending your season.
I liked the galley layout in particular. Positioned athwartships and amidships in the area of least pitching, it forms the heart of the boat. The cooking and refrigeration is arranged in the U-shaped section to port, with extra stowage surrounding the double sink to starboard. Cabinets for drinks and glasses add a classy touch and there is the option for a microwave or coffee machine to pop smartly out of the worksurface.
There is good engine access from three sides. Photo: Richard Langdon / Ocean Images
The abundance of practical stowage is another plus point – in particular the continuous head-height bank of lockers, which open top-down, and the tall lockers near the companionway, which can house director’s chairs or would make an ideal place for hanging wet weather gear.
Admittedly, I found the height of the semi-raised saloon a little perplexing. Surely a benefit of having a deckhouse structure with its wraparound glazing, is to be able to enjoy the views from down below? I consider myself to be of average height at 5ft 10in, but I could not see horizontally out of the coachroof windows. Equally, the hull portlights are too low for a horizon view. The benefit these tinted windows bring, however, is natural light with a degree of privacy.
Elan has decided against a dedicated navstation, which will certainly be a big compromise for some. Yet its convertible solution, albeit compact and aft-facing, is more practical than many dual-purpose seating/chart table arrangements. By simply pulling the backrest, the whole seat hinges over to reveal the chart table, without any cushions needing to be rearranged.
No fixed navstation, but this convertible design works well. Photo: Richard Langdon / Ocean Images
Above the navstation is a SiMarine touchscreen display, which sits within a brushed aluminium switchboard and provides intuitive monitoring of all the yacht’s main systems. The look and finish smacks of quality.
There is enough beam in the forward ends to mount the headrests forward in the spacious en suite master cabin. However, the aft cabins feel more compact, with narrow doorways – although the test boat did have the optional third cabin. These aft cabins have spacious and beamy double berths with pleasant seated headroom outboard beside the hull windows.
The heads are smartly done. Both have separate showers and good stowage, although again the aft heads is narrow and the freestanding egg shaped sinks annoyingly small.
A clever niche?
The Elan GT6 comes with a base price of €370,000 ex VAT (although the owner of the test boat had spend nearly half of this again on options). For €50,000–70,000 less you could get a 50ft+ French or German production yacht.
Or it would cost more than this difference again for a higher performance X-Yacht/Solaris/Grand Soleil. Yet this is a larger step up in quality from the former than it is down from the latter.
The Elan has a vacuum-infused build and comes with a degree of flexibility to tailor it to your needs. In Tom Humphreys’ words it’s an ‘out-and-out cruiser’, which sits between Elan’s Impression and Performance ranges.
The Elan borrows the ‘GT/Grand Tourer’ name because its primary purpose is fun, short-handed cruising with a high level of comfort and style. Photo: Richard Langdon / Ocean Images
Most production yacht builders are now targeting this select area of the market – 45ft-55ft cruising yachts which offer a blend of luxury and speed, and that are comfortable, easy to handle and primarily suit warm weather sailing.
Yet Elan sits in its own pricing niche. And that is considerably less than you might expect for a product carrying the Porsche name.
Whether on watch in the cockpit, or with friends on the beach, a portable waterproof Bluetooth speaker will put a smile on your face, and the Fusion StereoActive is one of the best on the market
There is a good reason why the Fusion StereoActive should probably be at the top of the list for any sailor looking for a waterproof Bluetooth speaker.
Designed and built by marine stereo specialists Fusion in New Zealand, the StereoActive has proved to be seriously robust on test – and it floats.
It’s designed to be paddleboard-compatible, with scalloped buttons shaped to allow them to be pressed by the paddle blade. A Puck mounting system allows it to be (really) securely fixed to a dinghy, paddleboard or kayak.
Your feet can be warm, your feet can be dry, or your feet can smell (vaguely) acceptable when you pull…
In practice, the StereoActive is a comparatively large, yet user-friendly speaker that packs a proper audible punch. Dual 2.5in 40W directional speakers, together with an amplifier, are housed in the chunky casing, which is waterproof to IPx7 standards.
The StereoActive has been my speaker of choice, both at home and on the boat, for more than 18 months. Even for those with a good stereo system on board, this makes a great primary or back-up boom box for the cockpit.
The AM/FM tuner aspect is an added bonus. The size and weight is the StereoActive’s one slight drawback, but arguably this aspect boosts confidence in its durability.
Available with an ActiveSafe base, which is a waterproof, buoyant case for housing small valuables like phone, keys and cards (sold separately for around £100), the Fusion StereoActive retails at around £229 / $199.
Despite the difficulties and Covid restrictions during 2020, the European Yacht of the Year 2021 jury managed to test 15 yachts and award 5 category winners
The European Yacht of the Year 2021 award winners are announced this morning, Friday 22 January.
Yachting World has been a jury member for the European Yacht of the Year awards since its inception in 2004. This involves shortlisting the best annual prospects, typically into five categories before testing them all to elect the winners.
The awards have grown to include 12 judges from sailing magazines across Europe, each leading voices on boat testing in their respective countries. The yachts are all tested during trials which took place in Kiel, Cannes and La Rochelle last Autumn. The result is the largest, most influential and widely respected boatbuilding prize worldwide.
Normally the awards would be presented at a special event during the opening evening of the Dusseldorf Boat Show in January. This year it’s a virtual presentation, with a breakdown of the winners below. The full feature about the nominees and winners is in our March 2021 issue.
Family Cruisers
Nominees: Bavaria C42, Beneteau Oceanis 40.1, Elan GT6, Bali Catspace, Excess 11
Always a category brimming with interesting new production yachts, this year’s family cruiser crop was no exception as it included a couple of very popular new catamarans too. All proved worthy nominees and in the end it was a close run decision between the Elan GT6 and the Bavaria.
Bavaria C42 European Yacht of the Year 2021 winner
Winner: Bavaria C42
Cossutti’s design has a clever shape, the first Bavaria with hard chines and a rounded ‘V-bow’, which make a crucial difference, both below decks and on the water. It provides maximum space where you most want it – in the cabins, saloon and cockpit. And despite some sharp corners and small details, the yard should be commended for its increased attention to finish quality.
Bavaria C42 European Yacht of the Year 2021 winner
However, when competing in this broadest of markets – 40ft family cruisers – an extra something is still needed to help it stand out from the crowd. And in the case of the Bavaria C42 it’s this powerful but stable hull shape which combines with a generous sailplan for admirable performance, while providing sailors with direct helm feel of the single rudder.
We featured a full test in our January issue.
Price: ex VAT €157,900
Performance Cruisers
Nominees: Corsair (no show), Dragonfly 40, Grand Soleil 44 Performance (no show)
It was obviously a shame to have two late drop outs in what stood to be a very exciting category. The Corsair would have made for an intoxicating battle of the trimarans, while we now know from the first footage of the Grand Soleil that this new Matteo Polli design looks as slippery as it does stylish.
But in what was a remarkably difficult year for many, and a particularly problematic one for travel, the fact that this only left one contender in this category should in no way take away from the deserved glory of the Dragonfly 40.
Dragonfly 40 European Yacht of the Year 2021 winner
Winner: Dragonfly 40
A Dragonfly is always a thrill to sail, but what about the largest Dragonfly yet, how would that fare and how would the Danish yard manage to combine real performance with cruising comfort at this size?
In performance terms, the main difference at this size (compared to previous Dragonfly models) is that it feels like a proper fast cruising yacht as opposed to a sportsboat. Our Danish judge Morten, who sailed the boat the most and in good breeze, describes it as a solid performance cruiser, which remains very comfortable to sail in control at 15-20 knots with the big gennaker hoisted.
Dragonfly 40 European Yacht of the Year 2021 winner
The DF40 has the displacement for distance cruising, yet is light enough to thrill, can dry out easily and has folding outriggers to reduce its berthing beam. What’s not to like… other than the price?!
Price: from €570,000 ex VAT.
“One of the most stunning constructions out there at sea. Low freeboards, inverted bow sections, muscular beams and a nicely integrated bowsprit give the Dragonfly an athletic, racy feel.” Jochen Rieker, YACHT.
This was always going to be a very tough category as it comprises three really interesting and well executed designs. The Hallberg Rassy 40C we tested in our August issue and the Moody 41DS in our November issue.
In the end the award went to the yacht that befits the category perfectly – or as as our Italian judge described the Contest, for its “immersive and uncompromising luxury”
Contest 55CS European Yacht of the Year 2021 winner
Winner: Contest 55CS
A superb example of a fast, quality and comfortable bluewater cruiser, the Contest 55CS certainly has the wow factor. It offers real luxury, albeit at a price (circa €2m sailaway). But for that you are getting top build quality, comfort and technical solutions in a very appealing looking package.
The clean and crisp deck lines feature a flush foredeck, while the deckhouse is impressively low profile given the amount of light it allows into the accommodation.
Contest 55CS European Yacht of the Year 2021 winner
Our Finnish judge Pasi remarked on the ‘invisible comfort’ and how the Contest 55CS takes care of you without you even noticing. There are plenty of options for the saloon, which shows the custom nature of the yard, the galley is large and well planned and the owner’s aft cabin, with it’s aft facing secret window, is a proper suite.
Bluewater Cruisers
Nominees: Boreal 47.2, Garcia Explocat 52, Ovni 400, Pegasus 50, Viator Explorer 42 DS (no show)
It was exciting to have a really interesting crop of go-anywhere boats to zero-in on this year. It was a pity the Viator wasn’t available in time, as this looks like a very promising new offering from a German yard. But to have five contenders, four of which are bare aluminium boats, shows the recent spike in interest in expedition style cruising.
We featured a full test of the superb Garcia Explocat 52 in our February 2021 issue, and the Ovni 400 in our October issue. The Pegasus 50 is a particularly appealing new and original concept from a Slovenian brand formed of experienced hands and includes innovative features such as a gimballing saloon seating and a tandem fin keel connected by a bulb.
Boreal 47.2 European Yacht of the Year 2021 winner
Winner: Boreal 47.2
Boreal, is a Tréguier yard, specialising in ballasted aluminium centreboarders, robust yachts which are born out of its founder’s extensive cruising experience. Its designs have impressed the EYOTY jury before – the Boreal 52 won this category in 2015 – and the 47.2 was again a clear favourite with all returning to shore beaming and unanimously impressed as much by the feel on the helm as the practical features and refinement of the boat.
Boreal 47.2 European Yacht of the Year 2021 winner
Combine the excellent handling and performance with the cockpit layout and protection afforded by the doghouse, the abiltiy to move around and through the boat safely and easily and the construction and insulation quality, and you have a centreboard yacht that can take you anywhere.
Price: ex VAT: €541,620.
Special Yachts
Nominees: Mojito 650 (no show), Saffier SE 27, Tofinou 9.7
This category ended up being a head-to-head of two very attractive and refined daysailers which are a joy to sail. The Tofinou 9.7 may get the edge on the looks and the judges liked the tiller steering it offers, but the Saffier offers a more thrilling performance edge in a package that’s easier for one person to manage and with more space for a relaxing crew – and, significantly, it’s over €50k cheaper than the Tofinou.
Saffier Se27 Leisure European Yacht of the Year 2021 winner
Winner: Saffier SE 27 Leisure
Saffier has featured a lot in European Yacht of the Year competitions since it was first nominated and awarded 12 years ago. But this is arguably its finest and most evolved offering yet.
Here is proof that looks, ergonomics and performance can all coexist harmoniously.
The sporty shape and light weight of the SE 27 could be behind its appeal – build slots are already sold out for the next 18 months – but these combine with the boat’s ease of use. The Saffier is configured to be efficiently sailed single-handedly or crewed, yet the cockpit still leaves a large separate lounging space.
Saffier Se27 Leisure European Yacht of the Year 2021 winner
The result on the water is telling. “During our sea trials, this new Saffier not only showed its abilities to speed away even in the lightest of puffs, but also took on the challenges of heavier weather with excellence,” said Swedish judge Joakim.
Price: Starts at €77,500 ex VAT.
The full feature about the nominees and winners is in the MARCH 2021 issue of Yachting World.
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Richard Matthews' latest boat Oystercatcher XXXV should be an exceptional racer. The Shaun Carkeek designed rocketship should be faster than a TP52
Combining much of the concept behind Niklas Zennström’s radical Fast40 Ran VII with the experience of Oyster Yachts founder Richard Matthews is bound to result in an exceptional yacht. And so it looks if the first renderings of Oystercatcher XXXV are anything to go by.
Given Matthews’ latest 52ft IRC racer doesn’t have to fit a box rule, designer Shaun Carkeek had plenty of latitude to create the fastest possible 52-footer. As a result this boat is wider, more powerful and significantly faster than a TP52.
It’s also just as likely to turn heads as Ran VII. Matthews has been deeply involved with this project and has brought his enormous experience to many aspects of the vessel. The first boat out of the mould will be his 35th racing yacht and the builders, Lymington-based Fibre Mechanics, hope it will be the first of a short run of semi-custom boats.
Offshore plans
The design lends itself to either inshore or offshore use, with Oystercatcher XXXV configured for longer offshore races including events like the Rolex Fastnet, the North Sea Race and maybe RORC’s Caribbean 600.
The boat is fitted with twin rudders that will help to create a very fast reaching machine. It also has water ballast to allow racing with a civilised crew size of 7-8 people. However, an inshore-optimised boat sailing predominantly windward-leeward courses would suit the single-rudder option better.
The hull shape and low freeboard mean this has the potential to be a very wet boat, so a great deal of effort has been made to stop water getting below decks. There’s a pneumatic seal on the forehatch, for instance, and the companionway is under a dodger, which gives sufficient headroom to be able to stand up. In addition, where control lines, sheet and halyards run under the deck they are in sealed tunnels.
Construction of Oystercatcher XXXV is of high and intermediate modulus carbon with a Nomex core, plus foam core in the slam area forward. “It’s as extreme as you’d want to go with an offshore boat,” says Geoff Stock, co-founder and director of builder Fibre Mechanics.
This Lymington-based company, which rose from the ashes of the former Green Marine, has already been involved in notable projects, including building the deck and foil boxes for Jérémie Beyou’s IMOCA 60 Charal.
The deck layout is the result of input from both Shaun Carkeek and Matthews and his team. “We’ve made the deck mould in such a way that the layout is easy to customise,” Stock told me. “It has to be adaptable in terms of deck layout and we can change it radically if necessary.”
Bare not barren
All too often the stripped out interiors of grand-prix offshore raceboats lack the ergonomics that are needed to create an efficient environment at sea. “Richard doesn’t want to go offshore in a completely basic boat,” says Stock, “He says it just doesn’t work for the crew.” While the interior of Oystercatcher XXXV will still look bare, with a lot of pipe cots and an engine box in the middle, the galley is carefully thought out and there’s a working head, alongside much practical detailing from Matthews himself.
Stock says, apart from the pipe cots, the total weight of the composite interior elements is only 8kg. Matthews’ input goes right down to the angle of the base of the lockers, so kit stays where it should be, even in extreme conditions, and to the design of foot chocks.
Equally, he brought his experience to bear in areas like stowage around the companionway.
The final solution adds no extra weight but makes the whole arrangement more ergonomic. Instead of building a single custom boat, Fibre Mechanics has built female moulds, which will enable further boats to be built at a reduced cost.
“It’s a solid and very powerful platform that a race team can come in and tweak to optimise for their own purposes,” says Stock. Owners of subsequent boats will also be able to benefit hugely from the experience and knowledge that has gone into this first boat.
In addition, amortising the cost of design and the tooling over a number of boats gives a cost saving of around £200,000 compared to a TP52 built and equipped to a similar specification.
Moulding of the hull and deck shell were completed and baked at the end of October 2020 and the boat is expected to be afloat at the end of April 2021. At the time of writing build slots for subsequent examples were still available for the 2021 season.
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This new design is a collaboration between Mark Mills, Lucio Micheletti and Vismara and is a lightweight, easily handled yacht of a size that can offer fantastic accommodation, along with startling performance when pushed
The Vismara VMM76 is a powerful beast of a boat, which was conceived to offer high-speed sailing alongside civilised living and bags of style.
It’s the result of a collaborative development programme between Mark Mills, who was responsible for the hull shape, Lucio Micheletti for styling and interiors, plus Vismara’s in-house design team.
The project is for a very experienced owner who gets a lot of pleasure from being fully involved in sailing the boat. “The intention was to create a very good all-round performance cruiser, with a Mediterranean focus,” says Mills.
“That’s always a bit of a balancing act, but this boat is as friendly in light airs as possible for a very well equipped cruiser, and the sail plan will also work really well for power reaching in a breeze.”
The hull has a very modern, powerful shape. Within the confines of providing volume below decks, including space for a large tender garage, the stern sections have a relatively low wetted surface area at rest, so the boat doesn’t need 15 knots of breeze to get going properly.
At the same time, the topsides chine gives very powerful stern sections that dig in to provide additional stability when the boat is heeled.
The result should make the Vismara VMM76 a lightweight, easily handled yacht of a size that can offer fantastic accommodation, along with startling performance when pushed. On the other hand, even when sailed conservatively it’s clear this is a boat with long legs that will happily cruise at speeds well into double digits and therefore make short work of long passages.
Key sail controls are taken to four electric winches ahead of the helm stations, so it can be comfortably handled by a small crew when offshore.
Construction is of carbon sandwich and a lot of effort has gone into minimising weight. As a result displacement is a whopping 11.5 tonnes lighter than the Swan 78, for instance.
Nevertheless even the briefest of glances at the teak deck, large guest cockpit and helm seats that convert to sunbeds make it clear this is no stripped-out racer.
Below decks there’s a fully fitted interior with three guest cabins, plus a forward owner’s suite and crew accommodation. A lifting keel reduces the 4m draught to just 2.5m, which opens up a wide range of anchorages. Mills says this is, “a critical solution to offer the necessary stability, without the usual increase in displacement.”
Fast and streamlined outside, light and airy inside this modern semi-custom cruiser is the best of both worlds, providing performance in comfort
The Maxi-Dolphin 62ab is a fast Italian-built semi-custom cruiser from the board of Argentinian designer Alejandro Bottino, a former protégé of Soto Acebal, and is for an owner who will base her in Punta del Este, Uruguay.
Contemporary hull lines include the inverted bow, maximum beam carried well aft at deck level and twin rudders.
The very streamlined coachroof belies a bright interior with plenty of natural light thanks to the use of extensive hull windows. Glazed overhead panels at the aft end of the coachroof also contribute to natural light intake down below and give a good view of the outside world, despite the sleek external styling.
A bright and airy interior, with a good sized master suite
The full forward sections of the hull should contribute to form stability and sail carrying ability, while also creating space for an owner’s suite which benefits from a proper walk-round peninsula bed.
The three spreader carbon rig is from Hall Spars and can be paired with a square-top mainsail and marginally overlapping headsail, or a self-tacking jib for easy handling.
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The latest Black Pearl will be a new custom Botin 56, a 56-footer that should push the boundaries of offshore performance to the limits
Stefan Jentzsch enjoyed a stunning run of racing successes with his 2014 Carkeek 47 Black Pearl, including the 1st sub-50ft yacht in the 2017 Caribbean 600, a class win in the challenging 2019 Rolex Middle Sea Race and an impressive overall victory in the 2017 Cape to Rio. Now, he’s shortly to take delivery of a new Botin 56.
For his latest build Jentzsch turned to Botin Partners for a custom 56-footer that would push the boundaries of offshore performance to the limits. The outcome is the result of a close collaboration between Jentzsch, his long-standing race team, Botin, Doyle Sails, Valencia-based King Marine and Carbo-Link.
The Botin 56 is a one-off, which has been optimised as a pure offshore racer, with a small coachroof for protection and an otherwise flush deck. The deck-stepped mast is one of a number of measures that ensure as much water as possible stays outside of the boat.
Between the twin companionways is a single pit winch located under the protection offered by an aft extension of the coachroof. The coffee grinder is located right aft, while the wheels are set relatively well forward in the cockpit.
Doyle’s Structured Luff sails were integrated as part of the project from the outset. Given the extent to which these reduce compression loads in the rig, making this decision at an early stage had an impact on structural engineering calculations. The smaller halyard loads also facilitate easier sail handling and manoeuvres.
The new Black Pearl will clearly be a boat to look out for. Her programme for this winter includes the RORC Transatlantic and Caribbean 600 races in January and February, after which she will return to Europe for the 2021 season.
If she manages to find the same success as her predecessor the Carkeek 47, and the signs are positive that she might, she should prove a mighty force on the offshore circuit.
The Bavaria C42 needs to offer bang for your buck if it is to stand out in a crowded field of 40ft cruisers. Toby Hodges takes the new offering for a gusty autumn sail to see what she's made of.
Photo: Rick Tomlinson
What constitutes ‘good value’? What you get for your money in any market segment often comes down to size – be that square feet of real estate area or gigabytes of memory. But is bigger necessarily better value?
Sailors with the means and desire to buy new understandably seek as much value for money as they can get for that size. What we’ve seen over the last decade is a marked increase in the volume to length ratio of new yachts, and more recently in the way contemporary hull shapes can further boost internal volumes at each end.
For a production yard to stay competitive though, it needs to offer more than just bang for your buck. It needs to be shrewd in its design and innovative enough to lure you away from the competition, to make you think its yachts are roomier, brighter and better. It needs to make boats that the crew want to spend time aboard, and are practical to manage or give the helmsman an enjoyable hands-on experience; preferably both. Value should include some emotive quality too – the hard to quantify satisfaction you get from using it.
This is a tall order. But as we surged down yet another wave face on our test sail I came to the conclusion that this new Bavaria offers that extra value. It was a fleeting taster of powered-up offwind sailing, but in a year of abnormality, a particularly memorable one. And in such a competitive marketplace, that extra something is what’s needed to stand out from the crowd.
Ups ‘n’ downs
The production yacht world doesn’t get any more competitive than in the 40ft sector, a size that remains so appealing for both private family cruising and charter. And I’m going to keep referring to the C42 as 40ft, because that’s the hull length without the optional bowsprit.
Before we consider Bavaria’s answer to the 40 footer question, let’s remember this company has been through its share of challenges recently. In 2018 it was flying high with a new C-line from 45-65ft. Yet by September that year, rather than celebrating its 40th anniversary, it was filing for insolvency.
Tall deck-stepped mast and the most sail area in its class help give the Bavaria notable performance. Photo: Rick Tomlinson
This C42 is the first model developed under Bavaria’s new management. It caused a stir when it was unveiled last January, with crowds queuing for an hour to view it at the Düsseldorf Boat Show. But then followed the global pandemic, when “order intake collapsed almost completely,” explains CEO Michael Müller. He points out that work has only been running at full capacity again since October. Bavaria’s financials must read like a heart rate monitor.
All of which makes the C42 a crucial new model for a yard on the rebound. This is Maurizio Cossutti’s fourth Bavaria design and he opted for a clever and powerful shape, the first Bavaria with hard chines and a rounded ‘V-bow’. As I was to discover, these features make a crucial difference, both down below and on the water.
One of the first and most striking things to note about sailing the C42 is the direct feel of the helm, which engages you immediately. This design may be in keeping with today’s breed of production cruiser, with its full bow sections and generous beam carried aft, but it’s unusual not to marry that shape with twin rudders. Bavaria says its owners want the close-quarters manoeuvrability that prop wash over a single rudder helps to provide. The C42 proved easy in reverse too, without the tendency of twin rudders to slam to one side once they catch.
Sailors will feel the benefit under canvas immediately. The Jefa steering linkage from the twin wheels to the single, easily accessible quadrant in-between is kept to a minimum, giving the best chance for direct feel.
Autumnal shakedown
With the in-mast mainsail and self-tacking jib fully unfurled (Elvstrom Sporttech laminate), we punched out into the Solent to meet photographer Rick Tomlinson. It was typical easterly conditions, with big variance in the strong gusts as we dialled down from a beam to a deep broad reach, endeavouring to keep speed up and apparent wind down.
The coachroof line is brought right aft, which draws out the lines and creates protective coamings for the cockpit. Photo: Rick Tomlinson
I particularly enjoyed the feel provided by the modestly sized single spade rudder as we surged down waves, making 7-9+ knots SOG against the tide, with gusts now up to the high 20s. (Note, we had no log installed, but the polars confirm that in anything over 20 knots the C42 is capable of hitting double figures reaching, and over 9 knots in 16 true.)
The chine and beam were doing what they should and buying form stability, while the bulbous stem kept trim bow-up. This powerful hull shape is allied with a 20m mast that sets around 100m2 of upwind sail area. That is a whopping 30% more than the Oceanis 40.1 and makes for a potent sail area to displacement ratio.
It points to a yacht that you can keep sailing in light winds – indeed my fellow European Yacht of the Year judges confirmed the C42 performs handsomely in sub 10-knot breeze – and one that should be able to maintain respectable passagemaking speeds even while reefed.
With power comes the need to treat it with respect. Thankfully, the rudder did what it should do and let me know when we were pressed and provided the chance to let off more sheet. Again, this is a marked difference from the majority of today’s cruising yachts with deep twin rudders, which tend to maintain grip at all angles and make you question what the fuse will be when you do push the boat.
The C42 features hard chines and a full bow, both of which help buy internal volume. Photo: Rick Tomlinson
Hands-on
A German mainsheet system is only an option on the Bavaria, and not one chosen for the test boat. Instead, and unusually nowadays, the main was sheeted to one of the companionway winches. So although you get the polite notification to ease from the rudder, you need to communicate this to a crewmember by the winch. Therefore, were I buying this boat for short-handed easy cruising – as is suggested by the self-tacking jib and in-mast mainsail set-up – I’d opt for the extra set of winches aft for the mainsheet.
The pedestals are mounted as close to the transom as possible to maximise the length of the cockpit benches. So it’s a little cramped in the quarters, particularly by the split backstay, but it doesn’t feel unsafe and the pay-off in cockpit size is worthwhile.
The mainsheet bridle set-up is a common system, which keeps the mainsheet out of the cockpit. But there’s no traveller option and it’s mounted more than half way forward along the boom, which puts a lot of load on the midboom section and places a reliance on the vang for mainsail shape. However, this arrangement does allow for a large companionway entrance.
The helms are right aft in the quarters. Photo: Rick Tomlinson
The winch layout spreads out the sheets and running rigging, so it’s not all piling up in one place. But there is no provision for the tail ends as standard, so bags or clips would need to be fitted to prevent a snake pit at the base of the companionway.
Sailing deep was manageable in the Force 6 gusting 7, with active crewmembers manning winches, but with the wind against tide conditions producing 1.5-2m overfalls to head back into, we needed to shorten sail to turn upwind.
With a couple of metres taken out of the foot of the main and three rolls in the genoa, the Bavaria felt comfortable as we beat upwind at 35-40° to the apparent breeze (7-8 knots SOG with tide). Given the conditions, the motion was not uncomfortable. The boat seemed relatively stiff without launching off waves or slamming.
However, after a couple of tacks the rig called time and the shrouds went alarmingly slack. Without rigging tools on board to tighten up the bottlescrews properly, we had to furl sails and accept a long motor home.
We tested the Bavaria on the Solent, UK in easterly winds of 18-29 knots. Photo: Rick Tomlinson
The aft helms leave room for a very generous cockpit table and long benches, which have proper coamings to give backrest support and some protection. Locker space is conservative in two shallow bench lockers, a port quarter locker and a sail locker. The latter has only a small hatch, which will limit the size of sail (or fenders) that it can accommodate.
The berth in forward cabin is particularly large. Photo: Rick Tomlinson
Outer and inner space
The coachroof is a clever design, which starts far forward to maximise headroom below. It is kept low and flat-topped, which allows good visibility forward from the helms and means the roof itself can accommodate sunbathing cushions.
Bavaria has incorporated an extra-long companionway roof, to allow for maximum light to enter the interior and for a gently angled descent. First impressions and a sense of space when going below is crucial, as it helps create that feeling of getting a lot of boat for your money.
Hanse was early onto this with the development of its loft-style interiors, which began over a decade ago. And latterly Groupe Beneteau has found a new way of increasing living space by adding volume to the bows in conjunction with increased beam aft. Bavaria seems to have combined the best of both ideas, so you really do keep asking yourself if this boat is really only 40ft.
The darker walnut veneer of the test boat. Photo: Rick Tomlinson
Inviting the considerable amount of natural light in through hatches, portholes and coachroof windows helps. The space is also used smartly, apportioning it most where it’s typically needed – in the saloon and cabins. The L-shaped galley is practical enough and there is a navstation of sorts, which shares the forward end of the port saloon berth.
The berth in the forward cabin looks particularly large as it is taken right out to the hull sides (1.80×2.07m). The fact that there is room to mount the headboard forward and to house the extra (optional) 250lt water tank below the berth points to the sheer volume in the bows.
Fine Detailing
The forward end of the port sofa forms the chart table seat. Photo: Rick Tomlinson
You can tell Bavaria has paid close attention to detail, in particular with the wood and veneer work, the lighting and home comforts. Personally I prefer the lighter Alpi veneer rather than the darker walnut of the test boat and find the use of dark grey panels on the bulkheads and heads area a little cold. I’d also choose a second heads if having a three-cabin boat.
The saloon feels especially roomy, a perception aided by the deck-stepped mast. Credit to the yard for including a table that can seat so many in its open format yet can fold over to halve in size and give walkthrough access.
However, I did take issue with the square edges and sharp corners this leaves on the saloon table (and chart table). Bavaria’s product manager, Pascal Kuhn, has assured me these will be modified, and you can see in the main saloon picture how the corner is now angled, but the edges remain an area of concern.
The table doubles over to join the port sofa. Photo: Rick Tomlinson
An extra couple of grab handles around this space between the galley, heads and saloon table would also be useful, but the galley surfaces are all fiddled and there is a sturdy support post by the curved companionway steps.
The joinery feels solid. The sole panels in particular were noticeably quiet underfoot. Although Bavaria’s method of screwing these down is not so practical for accessing the bilge in a hurry, there are numerous panels to allow access to all areas.
All five companionway steps lift to get at the forward end of the engine and there are good side panels in each aft cabin.
Look beneath the scenes and you begin to notice a few scrappier details. I don’t like seeing electronics mounted in non-watertight lockers, for example, and the use of bare ply and veneered bulkheads here are unlikely to prove durable. I also think it a backward step that Bavaria has returned to using hand lay-up for manufacture instead of vacuum infusion.
Why do sailing’s most successful influencers think the best boat for novice ocean cruisers is a performance multihull? Asks Toby Hodges
Over the last seven years Riley Whitelum and Elayna Carausu have advanced from novice sailors to logging more ocean miles than most of us will sail in a lifetime. And they’ve managed to translate their journey in the most engaging way, reaching more people than any other sailors on the planet via their YouTube channel, Sailing La Vagabonde.
This Australian couple are actively influencing a new generation of bluewater cruisers. Millions of viewers watch their weekly episodes of the Sailing La Vagabonde channel, which brings multihull cruising into your living room (or office).
In them they share their liveaboard lifestyle by providing 20-minute hits of endearing weekly escapism.
But their reach is now ensuring they have the ear of the industry too, with the couple starting to leak plans of a new emission-free vessel, which will be sponsored by marine manufacturers.
One of Riley’s latest videos is more opinionated and advises people what to look for – and what to avoid – when buying a new catamaran. Just how much do these influencers want to influence?
Sailing La Vagabonde: Novices to experts
For those unfamiliar with Sailing La Vagabonde, the channel has accrued over 1.5m followers thanks to the fresh, self-deprecating, and admittedly easy-on-the-eye nature of its bronzed protagonists. Riley and Elayna are supported by the crowdfunding model Patreon, through which they have accrued over 3,600 paying members, and make a healthy return from YouTube revenue.
Riley Whitelum. Photo: c/o Sailing La Vagabonde
Their journey began when Riley, now 33, bought a 43ft Beneteau Cyclades in 2013, financed from eight hard years spent working on oil rigs. He met Elayna in the Greek islands, where she was working as a musician for a travel company. Seduced by his characterful moustache and the appeal of life afloat, the 21-year-old from Geraldton soon agreed to join Riley aboard.
She began documenting their budget cruising adventures for family and friends, including the myriad trials, challenges and plain scary moments of liveaboard sailing, before sharing the videos publicly.
After three years, including crossing the Atlantic and Pacific, they struck a deal with Outremer for a new 48ft catamaran on a hire-purchase agreement. This provided a more comfortable base for shooting and editing video, which has transformed into slick TV-quality production for their Sailing La Vagabonde episodes.
It also provided a stable platform to bring a mini Vagabonde into the world in the shape of their son Lenny.
In November 2019 they made headlines by carrying climate activist Greta Thunberg eastwards across the North Atlantic (along with 11-month-old Lenny). However, it was only once Riley had completed this intense, stressful passage as skipper and topped up his estimated 80,000 sea miles that he says he felt more “comfortable handing out advice or behaving like an expert”.
Riley’s video on buying a new catamaran centres on why it makes sense, particularly in terms of safety, for anyone thinking of going long term cruising to opt for a performance multihull over a charter-style production cat. He thinks more buyers should look at the numbers, demand the polars, ask more relevant questions of brokers and not get sidetracked by sales talk.
“If more people start going into boat shows asking better questions and it all filters back through, then the second-hand market would be full of much better-performing vessels,” he reasons.
Cat among the pigeons
He describes people being attracted to a multihull that looks like a comfortable house as the ‘great safety paradox’. “You’re drawn towards, and inevitably end up buying, the exact vessel that you don’t want to be in when faced with a difficult forecast,” Riley argues. He believes that the performance potential of multihulls is one of their biggest safety factors, pointing out that during their passage with Greta they were “jumping from one safe piece of ocean to another, while surrounded by fairly inclement conditions”.
Riley lists a multitude of further benefits of a fast cat, including allowing you to: “pick your path across an ocean; keep up with weather systems; travel twice as far in a day; maintain the same boat speed with half the amount of sail up, making your passage dramatically safer”.
Riley and Elayna struck a deal with Outremer for a new 48ft catamaran on a hire-purchase agreement. Photo: Robin Christol
These are valid points, but I’m left wondering how far up the performance curve he recommends going for ocean cruising. “So that’s the question,” Riley replies enthusiastically. “If you’ve got a multihull that can really perform, you don’t need to sail it at full throttle all the time.” Therefore, excluding full race boats, he thinks performance craft from Outremer up to the more minimalist speedsters such as Marsaudon’s TSs are actually fine for beginners.
“You end up with a lot better sailors because those people will learn to sail on a boat that performs. You get that feedback, it talks to you more.”
That said, Riley and Elayna think that selling a performance machine to the less experienced sailor should come with responsibility.
Imagine escaping the daily routine of work, the long commute, the corporate life, the grey skies… What if you were…
“I think that they [the buyers] need to be trained by the company that’s selling the vessel. So it’s sort of like, ‘yeah, you can have this, but you need a license’.”
I point out that a high proportion of multihull buyers are coastal holiday sailors, while many new performance cats are too costly. But Riley confirms that his video is aimed at people who want to do some miles. “And I also said be aware that if you start doing this you’ll probably catch the bug and end up doing a lot more than you think.”
The ‘truth about buying video’ is more focussed on getting people to ask the right questions in the first place. Elayna thinks the larger companies selling production catamarans “need to give a truthful option of what is best for coastal sailing and what is best for crossing oceans.”
Creating, filming and editing accounts of liveaboard life are all part of the daily routine for Riley and Elayna. Photo: c/o Sailing La Vagabonde
Despite their opinions on production catamarans, Riley and Elayna make it very clear they don’t want to put anyone off sailing. “People are very emotional and I need to be really careful,” accepts Riley. “The last thing I want to do is upset Ma and Pa Kettle, who just spent their life savings on a Lagoon 45 – I really don’t. But all things considered, I just felt obligated to point out a few things… and because people do want to know our thoughts and ideas and opinions on stuff.”
Life in a slower lane
They emphasise that cruising is not all about sailing far or fast. “You don’t have to sail around the world to have fun, in fact the slower you go the more fun you have.” They refer to another channel, Catamaran Impi, inviting a response from South African couple Brent and Ana who’ve lived and cruised extensively aboard a heavier-style catamaran for 11 years.
Brent and Ana had to modify their Lagoon over 18 months to make it bluewater ready, but maintain they are comfortable on a heavier cat, especially during storms, when they’ll actually slow the boat down to avoid weather systems. In particular they highlight the ability for one person to be able to reef on any point of sail.
So, two different vloggers, two different views. It all shows how easily we can now gain rich information based on first-hand experience.
In their opinion, Riley and Elayna have the ideal boat for their adventures in their relatively new 48ft performance cat. Yet over the last couple of years they have been working away on a new zero emissions project, and have attracted sponsors, including Oceanvolt and Doyle Sails.
“The whole idea is to have a very good performing vessel… that can sail right up to the anchorage, before motoring in that last part,” Riley explains. He admits they don’t expect the new technology to be faultless and that with a young family they’ll err on the side of caution.
They already live relatively frugally, with minimal waste and use their reach to promote an awareness of ocean health. But do they feel the pressure to influence others with their new project too?
“With the emissions thing, it’s just so politically charged that we’re just generally going to lead by example,” Riley answers thoughtfully. “We’re going to do our own thing and just show you that either the technology works or it doesn’t.”
The bigger picture
Sailing La Vagabonde’s lifestyle may seem enviable, but when you consider the exhaustive hours of editing work, the endless search for wifi, and issues such as trolling which flourish when you make your personal life public, it’s heartening to find that Riley and Elayna still genuinely seem to love what they do.
Juggling the not insignificant trials of producing and uploading content along with parenting the newest Vagabonde, Lenny is not an easy task. Photo: c/o Sailing La Vagabonde
It seems viewers are increasingly turning to them for guidance too (they now produce digital sailing tutorials). “The journey itself is going to be harder than people think and probably more rewarding as well,” is Riley’s advice to those considering long-term cruising.
“So it’s not easy and you just have to love it. And once you do really love that time on the water, which is a massive reset, everything just disappears. Your worries, your concerns, all of the things that seemed important, just evaporate.”
He says his enjoyment of sailing has enriched his experience of becoming a capable skipper. “If you love the lifestyle and everything around it, then the learning side of things – and upping your level as a sailor – just becomes easy… it just happens.”
“But you do have to love the hard times too,” Elayna cautions. She is heartened that their typical viewers have evolved with them and moved on from older men to younger dreamers and doers.
When Nikki Henderson wrote her ‘Across the Atlantic with Greta’ account for Yachting World last year, she put Sailing La Vagabonde’s success down to the relatability of Riley and Elayna. I’d add to that their genuine desire to communicate the positives of sailing.
“One of the main things is getting people interested in sailing that aren’t already sailors. That’s really cool,” thinks Riley. Somewhat influenced, I couldn’t agree more.
If you enjoyed this….
Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.
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With sea trials for the Hallbery-Rassy HR50 underway at the end of 2020, Toby Hodges gets some more detail of the latest launch from the Swedish marque
The Hallberg-Rassy HR50 undergoing sea trials in late 2020
With the sea trialling underway the first sailing pictures of the HR50 have been released. Frers’s new hull shape provides greater volume for accommodation and stowage, and the longer waterline and increased beam aft equates to faster speeds and greater form stability.
Once again we see a Rassy designed to be a doddle to manage short-handed, thanks to push-button controls and furling sails, which include a blade or self-tacking jib.
The first boat has a new weapon in its cruising arsenal: a carbon furling mast with carbon boom. Magnus Rassy says that in-mast furling is used by so many of their owners at this size range that it’s a standard fit on its 50ft models and above.
But this is the first time that Hallberg-Rassy has offered a carbon option, and follows a long period of research and consultation with Seldén in Sweden. The tricky part, he says, has been developing the right profile in a carbon tube that has the opening in the aft end.
Almost 40% lighter than its aluminium counterpart, the mast is designed to take a large headboard and main with a full roach. “It’s a big improvement, it sails closer to the wind, with less heel, less mast pumping, and better balance – it’s a much better sailing experience,” Magnus Rassy enthuses.
Down below you can expect Hallberg-Rassy’s world-renowned style and joiner work and dependable features including a walk-in machinery room.
A retractable bow thruster, 12kW generator, electric cooking, fridge and freezer are standard.
Hallberg-Rassy’s world-renowned style and joiner work will feature below
Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.
Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.
Fast cruising is the theme this year, says Toby Hodges, who looks at some of 2021s exciting new multihull launches
2021 looks set to be a bumper year for new catamarans as the trend for fast cruising yachts, which deliver plenty if living space continues. This year there are set to be several new catamarans on the market, here’s our selection of those about which we are most excited.
ORC 57
Marsaudon Composites has quietly built an enthusiastic following for its TS42 and TS50 catamarans since the smaller boat was launched six years ago.
That these have been the first boats to cross the Atlantic in the last two ARCs has also done its reputation no harm.
The yard is based at Lorient La Base, at the heart of the French offshore racing scene, so it’s perhaps no surprise these designs are lightweight and offer plenty of performance.
The direct tiller steering, which gives a responsive feel to the helm, is an example of the thinking that sets these boats apart from other multihulls and makes them sought after models. Yet they also have enough space both on deck and below to offer very comfortable living.
A 57-footer from the board of Marc Lombard will be the third design to join the stable. It shares the same hallmarks as the existing models, although a wheel steering option will also be offered.
In suitable conditions this is a cruising yacht that can be expected to hit speeds of well over 20 knots.
The hull shape is clearly a progression from the earlier models, while following the same light displacement principles with fine hull shapes. Lombard drew a new shape for the bows to increase efficiency and reduce the tendency for bow-down trim. He told us: “The bows are shaped so that, when the boat is powered up and starts to heel, the lee bow will generate extra lift to push the bow up.”
The additional size makes the interior spaces of this boat significantly larger than those of the 50-footer, especially in the hulls. Much thought has also gone into ergonomics and weight saving, stripping out and simplifying anything that is not essential. CEO Damien Cailliau likes to draw on a quote from Colin Chapman, founder of Lotus Cars: “Simplify, then add lightness.”
As an example, there are no hull linings, which saves weight and complication, but requires extremely neat moulding. “A core competency of Marsaudon Composites is that we produce excellent mouldings,” says Cailliau, “so we don’t need to hide our work.”
The Seawind 1260 has been well received in the States, where the brand has a strong following, but these multihulls…
As a low volume builder – only 28 of the smaller boats have been built in total – Marsaudon Composites can offer semi-custom interior arrangements, providing they don’t add unnecessary weight. The boat can also be built with varying amounts of carbon to reduce displacement further.
At the same time as announcing this design Marsaudon launched a rebranding of the range, which will now be known as Ocean Rider Catamarans (or ORC). The new name is a better fit with the qualities with which owners identify than the Très Simple concept that led to the original TS designation.
To underscore the difference between these boats and the majority of catamarans in this size range a tiller has been incorporated in the logo.
Tooling for the ORC 57 is under construction and the first boat is scheduled to be unveiled in September 2021.
The founder of RS Sailing, Martin Wadhams, is a racing sailor who now spends more and more time cruising.
Martin and his wife, Amanda, enjoy sailing fast boats and have spent some time looking to upgrade from their Pogo 12.50 to a multihull. Their search for a true performance cruising catamaran – and one that wouldn’t cost seven figures – turned out few viable options.
Australian-based designer Jeff Shionning put them onto some fresh designs he has done for Current Marine, a new South African brand formed from an experienced team of composites experts at Knysna, between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth on the south coast.
It has been set up to build the new CM46 and CM52 in low-volume semi-custom production. On visiting the yard a year ago, Wadhams was impressed enough with the high tech builds to order the second CM46.
He reports that the joinery is all laminated in, there is plenty of opportunity for layout customisation (in three or four cabins) and, owing to the lower labour costs in South Africa, pricing is keen.
Shionning’s CM designs are lightweight, efficient catamarans that should be able to sail well in light breeze and outrun weather systems in the open ocean.
Key features include daggerboards, fine bows, centralised weight of engines and tanks, and high bridgedeck clearance. The rig is also positioned amidships for optimum weight centralisation, while also helping to create a large foretriangle for flying a range of furling headsails. Aluminium or carbon spars and diesel or hybrid propulsion are offered.
Wadhams says there is good stowage space and payload capacity for comfortable liveaboard cruising. “They’re built using post-cured epoxy, carbon, E-Glass and PVC foam-cored laminates – a level above mainstream brands,” he insists. “This brings the construction found in a few larger, high-end boats into smaller-size catamarans.” The first CM46 is a full carbon racing version destined for an Auckland-based owner and is due to launch early 2021. The second boat (for Wadhams) has a more cruising-oriented spec.
Is this the most popular new design of 2021? Although the first of this new 45ft model is not due to launch until later in the autumn, there has already been a phenomenal uptake in orders.
Publicity has been helped by vloggers Sailing Ruby Rose ordering one of the first boats, but a staggering 55 have been sold already. This has led to the Australian/Vietnamese yard establishing a new technical department that is separate from the production department.
European sales manager Jay Nolan says this 13-strong team is tasked with working up every system on the boat and looking at hybrid solutions.
A contemporary fast cat set up for short-handed world cruising, Outremer’s exciting new 55 launches this winter.
We previewed this VPLP design in our September issue and hope to test it during the spring. Much focus has been placed on weight and stiffness to help increase performance and ensure the boat can sail in the lightest breezes and therefore rarely need engine power.
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Toby Hodges gets behind the wheel of the Hanse 415 and finds a well built economical family cruiser that can be easily sailed shorthanded
Are you in the market for a new, economical family cruiser of 40-45ft? Then you’re in luck, the Hanse 415 could be everything you are looking for.
Some of the most impressive new launches I’ve tested recently have been in this sector, including the Oceanis, Sun Odyssey and Bavaria Vision ranges.
With this 415, Hanse have made it in among the big four manufacturers. This, of course, doesn’t make the decision about which to choose any easier, but competition-driven quality puts the buyer into a nice position.
How does the Hanse 415 sail?
‘Delightfully simple sailing pleasure’ sums up the Hanse 415. Contracting Judel-Vrolijk to draw their modern, sprightly yet beamy hull lines has proved a winning formula for Hanse, who have developed some of the cleanest deck profiles around. Coachroofs look sleek, though cockpit protection can suffer. But high topsides buy roomy interiors.
The 415 continues this trend, with running rigging led right aft to powered winches (optional) directly forward of each wheel. Another Hanse speciality is the use of a self-tacking jib for ease of sail-handling, meaning one person can hoist, tack and manage the sails while the family relax in
a cockpit free of lines.
Having the main sheeted from mid-boom and led aft to both winches makes short-handed sailing a doddle
The generous main provides the grunt in light airs and is sheeted using the German system, also led back to the two winches.
We started sailing conservatively with two reefs in the main, broad reaching at 7.5-8 knots in 15-17 knots apparent, and close reaching at 8 knots in 25 apparent.
A similar-sized Hallberg-Rassy 412 just eased passed us on a broad reach, but only when they had in one less reef. Shaking out our second reef, we were overpressed upwind, but clocked a sprightly 7.5 knots.
The Jefa steering helps to reinforce the feeling of being in complete control at the helm. In the gusts it proved easy to spill any excessive force, or electrically trim the sails from the helm – and although it was a doddle to sail the Hanse 415 solo like this, I was fortunate to have ex-Admiral’s Cup sailor Karl Dehler with me to provide a masterclass on mainsail trim.
The roller provides stem clearance for the anchor. It has an eye near the forward end to attach the tack of an asymmetric, keeping it clear of the furler
The result was a very pleasant afternoon’s sailing in Force 5 gusting 6 and flat water – easy, comfortable and fun.
Practical interior
An inviting, shallow companionway leads into a bright, airy and spacious interior with 1.9m headroom. The test boat was in satin-finished cherry trim, but Hanse offer multiple options.
In the two-cabin layout on test, I found the L-shaped passageway galley practical, with generous worktop and bracing aft for when heeled.
She feels a lot more spacious than the Hanse 395, notably in the aft cabin, which sports a generous double berth, and the heads with separate shower. And there’s still good headroom forward in a large master cabin.
The test boat was in satin-finished cherry trim
Yes, the latches and lockers are annoying and loud and some doors don’t line up properly, divulging her mass production build – production is actually very clever, with man hours cut to a minimum (300 hours).
But in general the interior did nothing to prevent me from gaining a decent overall impression of the Hanse 415.
This review first appeared in the March 2013 edition of Yachting World magazine.
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With her huge volume and comfortable accommodation, the Hanse 575 offers impressive home-from-home comfort. But Toby Hodges wondered how her high freeboard would affect her sailing performance.
When I went aboard the new Hanse 575 at the Southampton Boat Show, there was a couple in their mid-40s sitting in the saloon looking comfortably at home discussing the optional gadgets. “How does the flatscreen TV lift up?” the man asked. “How big is it? 46in? That’s impressive!” He nodded as if that had just swung his decision to place a deposit.
This voluminous new German cruiser is aimed at just such couples, who want comfortable and easy sailing. But, having needed steps that Nelson would be proud of on the plinth of his statue just to get aboard, I was more concerned about the height.
So high is this yacht inside that – I kid you not – there are step ladders provided in the aft cabins to reach the hatches!
There’s no doubt that such high freeboard creates luxurious space below, hence it feels as if your money is going further. It adds more light and ventilation, and makes the boat potentially drier to sail.
In Hanse’s case, it also helps make the coachroof appear low and sleek, and, exclusively for the Hanse 575, her freeboard height creates room for a jet tender to stow in the transom.
Photo: c/o Hanse Yachts
However, height can be imposing. For a production boat designed to be easily sailed by couples and families, the Hanse 575 looks alarmingly large on the dock.
I therefore left the boat show confused – is this a floating apartment to house an array of flashy mod-cons, the electronic comforts that fill our homes, or is it actually, as advertised, a stress-free distance cruiser for couples? Could it be both? The only way to find out was to take her sailing.
How does the Hanse 575 sail?
As we left the River Hamble at eight knots under engine at 2,000 rpm into 20 knots true, we couldn’t even politely try to ignore the loud hissing noise from under the companionway. It was the turbo of the Volvo D3 amplified above the wind like a cockpit concerto.
This being the first boat, Hanse apparently hadn’t allowed enough space for foam insulation (no kidding!). “This is why we do the first boat, and have already logged 800nm on her, to implement such changes,” said delivery skipper and test pilot Steffen Kluike with incontrovertible logic.
The Düsseldorf Boat Show in January presented the opportunity to have a good look over the latest and largest new…
You can probably tell by now that I was a little underwhelmed with the Hanse 575 before taking her sailing. I mean, how can this vast vessel possibly be aimed at couples? As if climbing aboard is not enough of an issue, manoeuvring out of the marina in a breeze tests the heart rate.
The optional thruster or two would certainly be required, as she was as stubborn as a mule to turn into the wind.
However, once out in the salty elements, the Hanse 575 proved she’s not just about volume and gimmicks. I was glad there were only two of us aboard, as it proved to me she is actually a very capable boat and indeed manageable by a couple.
Everything, including halyards, is led aft to a winch beside the wheels, so sails can be set and trimmed single-handedly.
We were well overpressed at times on our test day. Photo: Lester McCarthy
When the leeward gunwale goes under on a yacht with this kind of freeboard, you know you’re overpressed, so with Force 7 gusts across the deck, we put in a reef to head upwind in the western Solent against the tide.
Unfortunately, the German mainsheet pulled out through the coachroof tube from one side, which, with just two winches, could certainly have caused a problem in this breeze. However, although it meant having both sheets on one winch, the upside is that it proved the redundancy of the German twin sheet system.
Going upwind at 30°-35° apparent (40°-45° true) we made a steady 8-8.5 knots, tacking through 90°.
I was very impressed with the Jefa linkage, which felt particularly pleasant on optional carbon wheels. This chain-to-wire system felt direct, and communicated the Hanse 575’s 20 tonnes of displacement and tall rig power well.
She obeyed the helm quickly, and steering from far aft proved a joy, especially off the breeze where it was possible to play the small waves.
The 575 feels like a stiff boat. Despite carrying plenty of sail, including a large main, she is well-balanced by both displacement and ballast in a performance T-keel as standard, hence she stood up well to the wind and maintained good average speeds.
She is built in sandwich with a balsa core and vinylester resin for lightness and strength, and there’s enough volume and depth to her forward sections to stop her slamming in a short chop.
Her high sides obviously help to keep the decks dry, but her low, flat cockpit does mean that helmsman and crew feel exposed to the elements.
Broad-reaching at 135°-150° apparent against the ebb, we rarely made less than double figures and it was easy to coax her onto waves and play them up to 11 knots. This is where the 575’s 50ft of waterline comes in, making her an efficient passagemaker.
Rather than gybe this powerful boat, we employed a benefit of the self-tacking jib – the ‘handbrake turn’ as I like to call it – spinning her quickly into a tack. She would pirouette safely through 270° without needing to touch a sheet.
A 105 per cent genoa is offered as an alternative to the self-tacking jib if preferred.
Photo: c/o Hanse Yachts
Comfort at the helm is good, especially when seated outboard with uninterrupted views over the low coachroof. Plotter and instruments are to hand. Meanwhile, crew can relax in a huge cockpit devoid of sailing hardware and sheets.
Indeed, it’s the perfect place to sit and wonder quite why the boom is so high. With 185cm from deck to boom it makes it dangerous even to unzip the stackpack. And yet the sprayhood was annoyingly level with my chin.
Still, when at anchor in the Med with the family relaxing on the superb cockpit sunbed, keeping that pesky aluminium boom out of harm’s reach will be a benefit, I’m sure.
What is the Hanse 575 like below?
I’ve never known the word ‘high’ to crop up so many times in my notes. The aft cabins are 235cm from sole to deckhead and to the hatches in the saloon it is 227cm, so you can’t rely on the handholds in the headlining to move about safely.
However, all surfaces are fiddled to help safe thoroughfare when heeled. Suffice it to say you feel a bit dwarfed below decks.
Key features are the shallow companionway and a double set of flush hatches above the saloon, which give ample light.
The master cabin offers a huge island berth and plenty of light, thanks to those curved hatches in the coachroof, plus the hull windows. Photo: Lester McCarthy
In our three-cabin layout, having three en-suite heads certainly gave an aura of luxury. Six different layouts are offered – the standard has a Pullman cabin instead of the second aft heads and options forward include twin double cabins and a crew cabin.
Time and thought has gone into lining up the grain across the panels and, although the red-stained mahogany veneer would not be my choice, Hanse are masters at catering for different tastes, offering a plethora of options.
Although not the case on our boat, all the exposed end grain will be sealed on future boats, and personally I would ask for rubber dampeners to be put on soleboards, as she’s not a peaceful boat – soles creak, button latches reverberate through lockers and doors slam.
However, with all the space on offer, I was impressed with the array of optional luxury extras – which would no doubt have delighted the couple I saw at the boat show – such as white and red night lighting throughout, LEDs on dimmers, electric toilets, forced aircon, dual Oceanair blinds, dishwasher, washing machine, wine cooler and, of course, the flatscreen TV and docking system.
Situated conveniently at the foot of the companionway, this large desk area is certainly useful for the conscientious navigator, and will also double admirably as an office. Photo: Lester McCarthy
The custom-made cambered Lewmar hatches were a nice touch, bringing extra light and views to the forward and aft cabins. A bilge pump at the mast base and tanks sited low near the centreline are neat ideas.
There is good access to the engine and genset each side, but this simply reveals how inadequate the insulation is – I’d bake a fish using more foil than that! The companionway steps lift for primary access, but expose sharp corners to the aluminium supports, which would be nasty to bang your head on.
Meanwhile, all through the saloon and galley above the raised lockers is an impractically shallow fiddled shelf, where things will simply collect dust or get lost.
This review first appeared in the January 2013 issue of Yachting World.
If you enjoyed this….
Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.
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Does the Bénéteau Oceanis 55 represent a move to a more comfortable-cruising oriented boat in the Oceanis range? Toby Hodges gets behind the wheel to find out.
The Sense 55 chases the very similar-looking Oceanis 55. Photo: Lester McCarthy
Since they launched the radically different Sense range three years ago, French builders Bénéteau have marketed their other cruising brand, Oceanis, as more of a traditional sailor’s boat, but does this remain the case for the new Bénéteau Oceanis 55?
The marketing plan has obviously worked well as Oceanis continues to be the breadwinner for the company, accounting for 65-70 per cent of sales.
Sense, with which customers have a love/hate relationship, makes up 25-30 per cent and the performance First range a mere five per cent.
However, when testing the Bénéteau Oceanis 41, 45 and 48 last year, we noticed that the divisions between the two cruising boat ranges were beginning to merge.
Now as I approached the new Bénéteau Oceanis 55, with its pronounced chine, its mainsheet arch, those huge hull windows, even the gun metal colour, I did wonder if I was actually stepping aboard the Sense 55 I had tested the year before – indeed if he found them parked side by side, an owner of the Sense or Oceanis 55 could be forgiven for stepping aboard the wrong boat.
“The difference is it’s still a more secure/sailor oriented interior,” said Bénéteau’s Yves Mandin,
“but customers now want the vision from inside.”
The Sense 55 chases the very similar-looking Oceanis 55. Photo: Lester McCarthy
That explains the hull windows. It was going to take a couple of test sails in Palma Bay to decide for myself if this Bénéteau Oceanis 55 still carried the true Oceanis bloodline.
What is the Bénéteau Oceanis 55 like to sail?
The 55 is the first Oceanis to sport twin rudders (another Sense trait). “People with not so much experience now have more control,” says designer Olivier Racoupeau, who joined us for our test sail. I questioned this philosophy, however, as to me that means those same sailors might lack the
telltale signs to reef in time.
Indeed, the Bénéteau Oceanis 55 had apparently sailed in 30 knots true with just one reef the daybefore – proving her stiffness, but arguably not prudent. Like multihulls, beamy cruising boats with twin rudders generally need to be treated with caution and depowered early.
We tested in Palma, Mallorca in 7-14 knots. Photo Lester McCarthy
We did not have such stirring conditions, however, for our test – the wind generally averaged a Force 3-4. We were carrying upgraded Hydronet Incidences sails, including a fully battened main and 105 per cent genoa, but the Bénéteau Oceanis 55 felt sluggish in the lighter airs, as if it were too much effort to try to drag all that wetted surface along – the figures showed 4.5 knots in 7 knots on a close reach.
In fact, with the wind under 10 knots she felt rather lifeless in any seaway, like a grumpy child being dragged unwillingly uphill, and a fixed three-bladed prop didn’t help. But a bit more horsepower in the shape of a Code 0 made an astonishing difference; as soon as the Bénéteau Oceanis 55 was persuaded onto her hard chine, power and performance instantly improved.
In 12-14 knots true we consistently clocked 7.5 knots upwind and 9 plus close reaching at 60°A and, with the Code 0 unfurled, reaching numbers were more like 6.5 in 8.5 and 8 in 10 knots, once again the code sail proving a transformational option. She obviously feels light on the helm
with twin rudders, but with breeze and heel comes an appreciation of her beamy power.
Sail handling is kept to the area abaft the cockpit table and benches, leaving the forward area free for relaxation. The helmsman has a comfortable private space behind the wheels, with a raised sitting-out seat each side, and slight angles in the sole for grip.
Reefing lines and running rigging are split between the two winches in front of the wheels, but the main sheets only to the port one. Unfortunately, there’s no option for sheeting the main to both winches, which I would favour for ease of dumping.
Having a second screen to the pedestal each side, as we had aboard the test boat, was plain annoying as it prevents easy access to the winches from the helms. Does anyone really need four plotter screens?
Inboard primaries are easy to work. Photo: Lester McCarthy
Mounting the primary winches inboard is an ideal solution both for preventing crew from grinding dangerously on the leeward rail and for ease of handling for cruising couples – the helmsman can easily tack the boat single-handedly. But the working area does quickly become a tangled mess of lines, especially when changing over foresails. There are dedicated bins for rope
tails each side, but with halyards hoisted as well these soon start to overflow. A separate
tail bag for genoa sheets might help.
Bénéteau wanted to create a larger cockpit and more exterior space than the Bénéteau Oceanis 54, which this boat replaces, could muster. “The cockpit has become more and more like a living area,” says Racoupeau.
So the arch and companionway were moved forward to allow room for L-shaped cockpit benches and a companionway at a gentle 45°. Coamings are low, however, so protection from the big sprayhood forward of the arch is vital, but the cockpit is extraordinarily comfortable, with easily
enough space to seat eight around the table.
What is the Bénéteau Oceanis 55 like below?
A boat designed to compete with models from Hanse and Bavaria needs volume and versatility, and the Bénéteau Oceanis 55 has plenty, offering three, four or five-cabin versions – the latter has a Pullman instead of a second aft heads – two, three or four heads and even a crew cabin in the bows.
The galley This is not large for a 55ft boat, and if the second aft heads option is chosen, it would be positively small. Photo: Lester McCarthy
The test boat’s three-cabin/two-heads layout felt capacious. A shallow companionway is a real pleasure, but perhaps it felt extra luxurious on the 55 because of a perplexing waste of space on descent. The empty area here between the saloon, navstation and galley is large enough to conduct tango classes.
The modern Bénéteau, from either of their cruising ranges, is very much geared around the idea of a week or two’s pleasure and relaxation. As with their people-carriers, the French like to make things convertible to suit families and/or guests. So for sailing or at anchor, the 55’s saloon and cockpit are geared towards relaxation.
A roomy and light first-class master cabin, this can also be split in half to form two en-suite doubles – that gives you an idea of her beam. Photo Lester McCarthy
At least there is a dedicated chart table, an item the smaller Oceanis models dispensed with, and traditional sailors will still find the general layout more acceptable than a Sense.
Clients must learn to appreciate the veneer as there is only one choice only – alpi mahogany – the individual touch comes in the choice of seven types of upholstery. Furniture is well-fiddled and there’s good engine access below the companionway, although I found it a noisy interior, especially under engine.
All sorts of electronic bells and whistles are available as options – the test boat had €180,000 of extras – but long-distance cruisers will appreciate the ability to add extra optional extra tankage, increasing water and fuel to 1,000lt and 600lt respectively.
This review first appeared in the July 2013 edition of Yachting World.
If you enjoyed this….
Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.
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Well finished and well rounded, Toby Hodges finds a complete family cruiser in the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 469
Last in Jeanneau’s comprehensive upgrades of the Sun Odyssey range, the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 469 offers an impressive package, which benefits from the experience gained from earlier revamps.
Compared with her predecessor, she has increased freeboard and now has chines and a folding transom, improving her beam aft and her accommodation. The latter is akin to a 50-footer or the 49i, with up to four cabins and four heads on offer.
“She’s not going to be the first, fastest or most innovative,” Jeanneau’s Hervé Piveteau says openly. “But the target of the [Sun Odyssey] range is to be the best all-rounder… to reach the biggest market.”
What is the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 469 like to sail?
Jeanneau and Philippe Briand have opted for a taller mast, a shorter boom and a smaller 106 per cent genoa to make the boat easier to sail, although a 140 per cent genoa is still an option. In fact, there are eight sail options, including an in-mast mainsail and a self-tacking jib.
“We don’t do complicated packs any more. All options are à la carte,” Piveteau explains.
This 46-footer is easily operated by one person, so is good for short-handed cruising. The chine helps create volume for two aft cabins and a sizeable cockpit
The Code 0 option, as offered on modern Bénéteaus, certainly enhances Mediterranean sailing. The Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 469 is remarkably easy and pleasant to sail. Despite just five knots of wind, we still made 4.5 knots thanks to the Code 0 – pretty slick for a big cruising machine. And even in the zephyrs I enjoyed steering the boat, something that can’t be said for many mass-production boats in light airs.
There were just two of us aboard, but only one ever needed to do anything. The deck layout has been designed to make it easy to sit and sail comfortably from the quarters, with just one winch by each wheel to take the mainsheet or genoa sheets, led aft through the coachroof.
Pip Hare tests the first Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 490, the eighth generation of its hugely popular cruising range
£218,322.00
A single backstay means maximum comfort for the helmsman when seated and Raymarine Hybrid plotters fit neatly on the aft face of the coamings, so the touchscreen is simple to operate from here.
Under engine we made seven knots at 2,000rpm with the 45hp Yanmar driving an optional three-bladed Flexifold prop.
What is the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 469 like below?
A wide companionway with shallow angled steps leads into a light interior. The finish is in Alpi teak. I warmed quickly to the feel, and the set-up will instil pride in any owner.
There’s no dedicated navstation
The lack of a dedicated chart table is one of the few negatives, but the compromise is practical. A versatile table works as a coffee table, a desk or a chart table, complete with lift top, etc, or drops down to form a berth.
The L-shaped galley has plenty of work surface, stowage and fridge space and cooks can brace against the companionway when working at the hob. However, the galley becomes linear in format, sacrificing the desk and sofa area, if you choose a second heads aft.
The spacious forward cabin is a copy of the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 509’s, with hull windows, lots of light and hanging stowage. There’s a generous en-suite and, if selecting a fourth cabin, the central bulkhead can be removed and stowed below the berths.
The interior is ideal for a cruising family
The aft cabins benefit from the Briand chine, including space between them for a technical area. The heads is narrow to enter and has varnished woodwork in the shower, but includes wet-hanging space.
Plus points include wide doorways, a level sole, LED lighting as standard, handrails everywhere and rubber-lined soleboards.
This review first appeared in the June 2013 issue of Yachting World.
If you enjoyed this….
Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.
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This edition of the America's Cup sees teams racing at speeds of up to 50 knots in an incredibly intense environment. So what goes into the kit bag of a sailor at the very top end of the sport?
Watching the AC75s cracking along on a foil, it’s easy to forget that innovation pervades every element of elite racing, particularly America’s Cup racing and goes well beyond simply boat design.
Right down to the helmets the sailors wear and their choice of rash vest, hundreds of hours of R&D lie behind the garments on display.
America’s Cup rules stipulate between 3kg and 5kg of gear per team member, which has to include everything from water bottles to goggles, personal flotation devices to gloves. Little wonder, then, that there has been an intensive effort by the clothing brands that work with each team to develop new materials and new ways of building garments.
“No ‘off-the-shelf’ sailing kit exists for the extremities of America’s Cup racing, so the athletes’ technical gear needed to be custom made,” says Henri-Lloyd’s Sarah Alexander. Those garments are now being put to the test, and the most successful elements will find their way through to the commercial lines available to us mere mortals. Here’s a look at what might be heading for your locker.
Garmin Wearables
In gearing up for the Cup, all the teams made use of cutting edge electronics to monitor heart rate and performance during training sessions, logging progress. For instance, INEOS Team UK crewmembers wore Garmin HRM Pro heartrate monitors connected to Fenix 6 GPS watches and Edge bike computers.
“There were no special tweaks made for the team,” says Garmin’s Erika Dulay. “But they do use certain features more than others (training load, sleep etc). From this they were able to collect data and show progression from the beginning of their training throughout.”
The crew on American Magic wore specially commissioned Garmin Marq Captain watches, with sailing features including ‘tack assist’ and wind direction analysis, and fitness tracking that includes a specific profile for sail grinding.
All eyes were on Ben Ainslie’s INEOS Team UK after the team confounded pundits ahead of the Prada Cup. They may have ultimately failed to win the Prada Cup but the team threw a great many resources at their impressive effort alongside partners like Henri-Lloyd on the clothing side. They have developed the Aero-Foil line, which they describe as the lightest, most agile sailing kit they’ve ever made.
The range includes a neoprene pant and long john, a hybrid pant, long- and short-sleeved rash vests and the warmup jacket.
Features include varying thicknesses of neoprene to balance protection and mobility. So, there is a 3mm panel in front of the knee and over the hips, which are constantly working, with thinner 2mm neoprene behind the knee and in the body. There is no lining or hem to arm and leg holes, to eliminate a few more grams of weight, while the arm holes are oversized to make it easier to pull the garment on and off when wet.
There are seams, but they are positioned with great precision to avoid chafing. And instead of heavy stitching, they use glue and tape for closure. A silicone coating is printed to the inner cuff for grip and anti-abrasion material is printed onto the knee and seat.
Team principal and skipper Sir Ben Ainslie. Photo: Team INEOS UK /Lloyd Images
Although air temperatures in Auckland are pretty balmy, there is a real risk of cooling down after the intensity of a race is over. “We are sailing in 25°C plus of heat in a black trench with no airflow, so for us to have kit that we can be close to max heart rate in, be comfortable in, be super sweaty in, and the kit not be an annoyance is fantastic,” says grinder David ‘Freddie’ Carr.
“Then as soon as we finish the racing and we’re calming down on the tow back in, when the wind chill is quite high, to chuck on all the relevant kit [such as our Henri-Lloyd warm up jacket] to keep you primed and warm and ready to hit the dock in good shape is equally as important.”
Limited numbers of the AC line are available, but Henri-Lloyd is awaiting final feedback from the team to see which features to bring forward into new collections. “Many of the Aero-Foil items will be standard kit going forward,” says the firm’s Sarah Alexander.
The British team wears Smith helmets and goggles from the motorcycle range. The Squad MTB goggles have Chromapop lens technology, which resists fogging and enhances natural contrast and colour.
Emirates Team New Zealand is the Defender of the America’s Cup
Emirates Team New Zealand – America’s Cup Defender
Swedish outfit, Sail Racing International, is the official supplier to the kiwi team. It produces two grand prix collections called 50KTS and Reference, developed with Oracle Team USA during the last America’s Cup.
The Emirates Team New Zealand gear is heavily based on that – all in black, naturally enough. “We have made some tweaks to the garments that ETNZ is using while racing to make the team more flexible, faster and waterproof,” says Erik Martinsson, crew centre manager at Sail Racing.
“On the neoprene pant, for example, we have excluded some shin guards to make it a little bit lighter, and made the waist on the back a little bit higher.”
The short and long-sleeved rash vests are in super-stretchy layered construction of nylon, elastane and durable water-repellent treatment. Astonishingly, this imparts waterproofing similar to that of a top-line foul weather jacket (20,000WP), and breathability that goes far beyond the norm.
A mesh panel at the back permits extra stretch and there are Rashguard panels on the arms and sides.
The long john is in thin 2mm neoprene, while there is stretchy GORE-Tex fabric for the warm-up jackets. “When you come to rashguards and bottom halves, we still have some neoprene but we have also applied some super-stretch fabric instead,” says Henric Vikestam, head of design and production. “Neoprene is a rubber sponge, so not so functional.”
Some of the ETNZ garments are available online, but the more specialised gear that has been modified for the America’s Cup is only available for the team. “These items are usually based on gear we have in our collections, but small adjustments are made to fit even better for purpose of these fantastic AC75s!” says Vikestam.
New York Yacht Club’s American Magic racing Ineos Team UK
American Magic
Helly Hansen is the clothing brand behind the US team’s clothing. Terry Hutchinson and his crew may have gone home empty handed, but they also devoted huge attention to the technical gear worn in the boat.
“Every fabric, seam, panel and zipper makes a difference in enabling crews to execute their responsibilities to perfection on deck in such a fast-paced environment,” says Paul Stoneham, CEO of Helly Hansen.
Helly Hansen has translated the extreme requirements of its America’s Cup garments into a slightly more commercial offering under the HP Foil Pro moniker, available through its online shop. The range currently extends to a jacket (830g), a smock top (630g) and a pair of shorts. A softshell jacket will also be launched this spring, built of 4-way stretch fabric that gives great freedom of movement.
Photo: Will Ricketson/American Magic
Based on feedback from the American Magic team during training, the smock top was designed with low-profile zippers on the front kangaroo pocket and front zipper, hiding a mesh ventilation system. The close-to-body fit reduces drag and improves freedom of movement. All the garments use three-ply Helly Tech for waterproofing and extreme breathability, plus sonic-welded seams to keep weight down and improve aerodynamics.
The jackets also incorporate latex neckline and cuffs for comfort. “We are honoured to work closely with the American Magic team as we continue to evolve our designs to perform at the highest level of professional sailing,” said Øyvind Vedvik, category managing director of sailing at Helly Hansen.
The Italian team took a unique approach by signing up Australia’s Woolmark company to develop technical garments made with natural merino wool.
Among the properties of its very fine fibres are superb breathability, good wicking away of moisture and excellent thermoregulation – all key traits in technical sailing clothing. “We tested the garments on support tenders in rough conditions at 50 knots, by fire-hosing someone for 30 minutes to test waterproofing,” says Luna Rossa’s design and development manager Shannon Falcone, also a crewmember and veteran Cup sailor.
“Our Merino wool garments passed these tests and more. I want guys on the team to wear this, not because they have to contractually, but because it’s the best gear they’ve ever worn.”
The wardrobe includes a waterproof jacket, a soft-shell jacket, a polo shirt, a wet jacket, a blouson, a T-shirt and a wetsuit and base-layers – all made from varying proportions of Merino wool alongside some synthetic fibres.
There’s also an impressive sustainability message to the tie-up between Luna Rossa and Woolmark. “Choosing a fibre like wool, that is both natural and biodegradable, is closely tied to our goal of minimising ocean pollution, an issue to which our team is very sensitive,” says Luna Rossa skipper Max Sirena.
There’s no off-the-shelf option when it comes to the mandatory personal flotation device that each Cup crewmember has to wear.
Light weight is obviously key, and it must include comms equipment, an oxygen cylinder and snorkel for emergency breathing, and a safety knife. It should also allow the sailors to move as freely as possible, and be highly breathable.
Spinlock supplies INEOS Team UK’s PFD and has used innovative materials to maximise breathability, while getting the overall weight down to about 600g. INEOS Team UK trimmer Nick Hutton says the PFD is based on work done with Spinlock during the previous America’s Cup. “For this next iteration, we have retained all the ‘likes’ of the previous model and developed them for our new AC75 PFD.
“Every detail needs to be taken into consideration when developing our kit and we need to go into a training session or race knowing we have done everything we can to ensure the crew are wearing the best safety equipment while also being comfortable and able to perform to their optimum.”
ETNZ and Luna Rossa have both opted for the Sea-Guard PFD designed by Dainese, best known for its motorbike and skiing protection. Consequently, the garment looks somewhat different, with much more visible spinal protection than the Spinlock vest. It weighs a little more at 700g, and includes a water bladder at the top of the back.
Again, breathability is the key. “Once you’ve got it on, you almost don’t feel you have it on,” says Dainese CEO Cristiano Silei.
While ETNZ has opted for a proprietary Dainese technical fabric for the vest, Luna Rossa uses a fabric incorporating precious platinum from another supplier. It also carries the spinal protection right down to the coccyx. Shannon Falcone of Luna Rossa adds: “I think we couldn’t have expected anything better. It is the ideal combination of practicality, wearability and safety.”
Some of the gear worn by America’s Cup crews is outside any sponsorship deal, and selected by each individual simply because they like it!
This is the case for footwear, for example, where most sailors wear the shoes they know and love.
Dynamic Aussie clothing manufacturer Zhik says it has worked with lots of America’s Cup sailors on a non-branded basis, ‘due to other clothing sponsorship commitments’.
It has used the experience to hone its products, and now offers a broad range of protective garments, including its P2 personal flotation device, H1 helmet and Kollition impact suits.
Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.
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Technical gear is crucial to your sailing experience, but adding some of the best boating accessories as well will makes a day on the water so much more fun
Best portable barbecues
Cobb Grill Premier Plus portable barbecue
I was introduced to the Cobb when a friend offered me a hot dog – which he was cooking in the boot of his car. Once over my initial amazement, I discovered why there is a bit of a cult surrounding these fully insulated barbecues.
The stainless steel dome-shaped Cobb has a clever design that allows fat to drip through to a moat.
An inner fire basket is designed to take a round cobblestone (a coconut husk fuel brick), which is easy to light, heats to cooking temperature in minutes and burns to ashes.
The downside to the Cobb is the clean-up, but my answer this season is not to be too precious about keeping it clean. The carry bag is useful, but deserves a better zip.
The Cobb’s excellent insulation makes it a must have. I’ve even been mid-barbecue on the beach, picked up the Cobb and its contents, rowed the tender back to the boat and carried on cooking in the cockpit.
There is a good reason why the Fusion StereoActive should probably be at the top of the list for any…
£229.00
Our rating:
Lotus Grill portable barbecue
The German-designed Lotus is smokeless and, thanks to a built-in battery-operated fan which blows air onto the charcoal, uses 90% less fuel than a standard barbecue. It’s ready to cook within four minutes of being lit.
A powered esky like this is a good solution to increase galley refrigeration volume and provide a portable means to keep drinks cold in the cockpit or on the beach.
The negatives of the Powerbox Plus are that the compressor fan obviously takes up some of the cooling space and it is not the most robust build.
But it has proved reliable and a good way to transport cold drinks to the boat and keep them cool without monopolising fridge space.
It has 30 per cent more insulation than its predecessors and can run on 12V or 240V. An antimicrobial treatment injected into the plastic combats mildew.
Dometic’s Coolfreeze line is a hybrid of coolbox and fridge that uses up to 35% less energy than its predecessors.
Smart electronics start up the compressor gently to save energy, a turbo compressor can also kick-in and it auto-switches to energy saving mode at the desired temperature.
The 35W has 32lt volume and can be powered by 12V or 24V DC supplies, as well as any AC voltage from 100-240V.
The bulk of Gul’s mask is made up of its tempered glass lenses, so when taking a quick dip off the bathing platform, you get maximum vision without seeing too much of the silicone skirt that locks water out. The snorkel has a splashguard, snorkel keeper and purge valve.
The bore tube on the Pro Adult Combo Set’s snorkel is pretty large and the top is designed to minimise water ingress, making breathing underwater easy. The purge valve is easy cleaning and the lens is tempered safety glass.
We love the style of Mares’ Vento set. But will it give you gills? Yes, and then some. The soft silicone mouthpiece provides comfort on extended snorkelling expeditions while the system of skirt buckles allow speedy adjustment of the mask’s straps.
Parents of young sailors keen to practise their snorkelling skills can rest easy. The Glide Junior is safe and comfortable, the silicone strap is hypoallergenic and the TPR mask seal makes it super watertight.
The Tusa’s Serene mask moulds to your face like a glove to a hand. It has a one-window-wide field of vision and the snorkel features Hyperdry Elite technology that stops water entering, as well as a large-capacity drain chamber and purge valve.
First published in the Jul 2018 issue of Yachting World.
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Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.
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A technical masterpiece or a piece of art? The new Spirit 111 is somehow both, and is one of the most remarkable large yachts Toby Hodges has ever sailed
Very little is permitted to impact on the Spirit 111’s aesthetic. Note the totally flush fore and aft decks and the smooth rise to the mahogany coachroof. Photo: Waterline Media
Powering upwind with green water rushing over the leeward rail, an enormous mahogany-clad wheel in hand and a view of the cleanest flush decks ahead, I couldn’t help but feel this was as good as it gets. This is real big boat sailing, yachting glamour at its finest.
It is tempting to compare this Spirit 111, with her timeless lines and towering sloop rig, to the mighty J Class, which are well known to evoke such rapturous feelings. After all, this is the largest single-masted wooden yacht to be built in Britain since the oldest existing J, Shamrock V, launched in 1930.
However, striking though any initial impressions are, there is so much more to the Ipswich-built Spirit 111 than first meets the eye. It has a multitude of qualities which combine to make it incomparable. In short, this is one of the most sensational yachts ever built.
Toby enjoys all the space to himself at the deep, secure helm. The cockpit seems like it is sculpted from a tree; the tables lower to form sunbeds. Photo: Richard Langdon / Ocean Images
First, there is the scale of the project. Not only is this one of the largest timber craft constructed on our shores, it is also one of very few yachts of this size capable of being sailed without a professional crew.
Spirit’s new flagship is a technical masterpiece. It is conceived to be one of the most environmentally friendly superyachts to date, a particularly demanding brief which has driven some fascinating solutions for the equipment and engineering throughout.
And finally – yet to my mind fundamentally – this Spirit 111 is an art exhibition, a yacht that takes aesthetics to new heights. The interior, from layout to furniture design to craftsmanship, is unlike anything seen on a boat before.
For more than 25 years Spirit Yachts has been melting the hearts of yachtsmen with its distinctive range of wood…
Bespoke brief
Geist, German for ghost or spirit, is “a project for someone who wanted to do something different from the norm,” confirms Spirit’s managing director, Nigel Stuart. This someone is a young European owner in his mid-thirties, who already has a Spirit 52, but wanted something larger.
The result of his clear vision is a celebration of bespoke design and engineering. Going below decks feels like walking into a gallery. As long as you can put practicality aside, it’s a mind-boggling, fantastical experience.
The initial design started at 90ft, but in a clue to the importance of aesthetics, got stretched an additional 20ft to ensure the most appealing lines. A skipper will help maintain the yacht, but while on board the owner wants to sail it himself. There isn’t even accommodation for crew. Many of us who view private time aboard our boats as sacrosanct may understand such a request, but it is rarely seen on this scale.
Hoisting the code sail – but most operations are done with the push of a button. Photo: Richard Langdon / Ocean Images
Our trial sail proved that such self-sufficiency really is possible, with most operations able to be carried out from the helm pedestal.
Sound of silence
I joined Geist at Endeavour Quay, Gosport, a significant venue for it was here, under the yard’s former owner, Camper & Nicholsons, that the British J Class yachts were built in the 1930s.
Leaving port is a smooth, peaceful affair. As we glided silently away from the dock and entered the bustle of Portsmouth Harbour, the only detectable noise on board came from the turning of the prop or the whir of a hydraulic pump.
‘She handled full sail up with delicious ease.’ Photo: Mike Jones / Waterline Media
The Torqeedo electric drive is always ready for instant activation, with no pre-heat needed and no throttle lag. Just push the lever. This is particularly handy if you need a quick burst of power to help the bows through the wind or to clear an obstruction while under sail. Spirit has also fitted a power on/off button, a sensible safety measure to avoid accidental operation.
Hoisting sail is equally without fuss. It involves using one finger on a portable remote control to instruct the boom mandrel to unfurl the main, and another to direct the main halyard to pull the sail up the four-spreader carbon mast.
As the genoa released, I let the bows fall off a little and Geist powered up gracefully. What a feeling!
‘You need to adjust your mindset aboard this yacht.’ Photo: Mike Jones / Waterline Media
We were treated to a proper sea trial of an elegant large yacht. Sailing upwind at 10-11.5 knots and back down at 12-14 knots makes the Solent seem pretty small. It is a delight in both directions, but particularly on the breeze with a rail awash and 23-27 knots blowing over the decks.
Sheeting off a bit of main in gusts is done via the push of another button to release the captive mainsheet or drop the traveller down the rail. It all seemed so manageable considering the sail area aloft. These are the largest sails yet produced by the OneSails UK loft and use its 4T Forte technology, a recyclable performance cloth.
It was also the most breeze Geist had sailed in and we kept full sail up for the duration. She handled it all with delicious ease as we worked our way through the deeper parts of the Solent.
Traditional overhangs surrender lots of space over modern designs, but there is good stowage in two huge lazarette lockers. Two road legal electric motorbikes store in the starboard locker. Photo: Richard Langdon / Ocean Images
In its own class
It is easy to fall into the trap of comparing this Spirit to a J Class. I’ve been lucky enough to sail a few Js, including the three built at Camper & Nicholsons that are still afloat today. But there are fundamental differences.
Js are traditional long-keelers that are three times the weight of Geist. They are stubborn, awkward yachts to handle and certainly need a large crew who know their salt. If the helmsman doesn’t work in harmony with the mainsail trimmer, for example, a recalcitrant J will refuse to turn.
Not so the Spirit. This is a lightweight composite machine, a speedster in comparison, complete with T-keel, a carbon spade rudder and direct steering. If you have sailed a Spirit before, you will know they are highly rewarding on the wheel and the Spirit 111 is no different. It’s balanced and delightfully direct.
Angled panels house the plotters and controls for the hydraulics and electronics. Photo: Richard Langdon / Ocean Images
This Spirit 111 is perhaps more comparable to the Js when it comes to use of technology. The original J Class owners were known for pushing innovation in their quest for America’s Cup spoils. Spirit Yachts has done the same here, with a focus on ease of operation and environmental efficiency.
Geist’s highly technical construction uses wood epoxy on stainless steel space frames to ensure a stiff structure for a light displacement under 60 tonnes. The majority of this weight has been kept central and low down, with little to weigh down the 40ft of overhangs, which all equates to a high righting moment and ballast ratio (45%).
The times when I was left alone in the cockpit, with 80ft or so of flush deck up ahead and all that sail area above, were particularly exhilarating and I started to understand the owner’s desire to sail short-handed.
The high-voltage lithium battery bank is mounted on shock absorbers. Photo: Mike Bowden
With the push-button controls making it a doddle to trim, and backwinding winches making it easier and safer to ease high loads, in fact Geist is more analogous to an overgrown daysailer than a J, which is more appropriate given the owner’s brief.
Where Js are bewitching to sail upwind, modern performance boats are all about the downwind thrills. The Spirit 111 gives you a taste of both, making you crave every minute on the helm.
Once past Cowes, we hoisted the furling code sail. Manhandling such a large sail, combined with the occasional groan from a loaded winch, were telling reminders of Geist’s size and power. But once set and trimmed, the cableless sail helped generate that sportsboat feel, especially when we had the sea room to heat it up a little.
Wine glass transom and the beautiful classic lines of Geist. Photo: Mike Jones / Waterline Media
Hand crafted wonder
The credit for Geist’s timeless lines and her balance under sail goes to Spirit’s co-founder Sean McMillan, who has drawn all the Spirit yachts to date. He has also built up a team of world-class craftsmen in his Ipswich yard.
Look anywhere around Geist’s deck and you’ll be struck by the hand-built details. Around her flush aft deck, for example, you’ll notice the eyelet fairleads in the transom, the way the bulwark curves around her pushpit and the perfect angle of the ensign staff. This is the type of deck jewellery Spirit specialises in. But the real showpiece aboard Geist is reserved for below decks.
I cannot think of another yacht that is so impressive on the outside, so thrilling and memorable to sail, yet the interior is even more striking.
The saloon seating is made from strips of 10x10mm American walnut, steam-bent into shape, and took 2,000 hours to build. Photo: Mike Jones / Waterline Media
The owner had visited Antelope Canyon in Arizona and drew inspiration from its famously smooth, flowing sandstone shapes, the light beams and reflections. The resultant S-shaped layout of Geist’s interior, with its free-flowing curves and sculptural furniture, is nothing short of an artistic wonderland.
The saloon table and surround seating, floodlit by a fanlight of glass in the coachroof above, is the centrepiece of the yacht. Artistic simplicity like this is incredibly hard to achieve.
There are only two vertical bulkheads on the boat and only three different types of timber used: sipo (mahogany) bulkheads, teak soles and American walnut furniture. The sipo has all been cut from one log to ensure matching grain throughout, which makes for a magnificent sight.
Saloon seating detail. Photo: Mike Jones / Waterline Media
For the first time Spirit used an independent design agency, Rhoades Young, who came up with the novel layout and drew the capstan-style table. This table has 64 wooden legs, all of which are curved, each with slightly different measurements.
Two former Spirit employees, Will Fennell and Ben Jackson, fashioned the artistic steam-bent seating. This exquisitely detailed design feature, which is also replicated on the bedheads in the owner’s and VIP cabins, “blurs the line between furniture and sculpture,” declares Jonathan Rhoades.
Initially the galley was designed to join this table and seating arrangement, however the owner didn’t want anything to detract from the centrepiece. Even now all galley elements are hidden below the countertop and inside lockers.
Galley sink in yellow metal. Photo: Mike Jones / Waterline Media
Visuals first
Aesthetics, you quickly learn, trump all else on Geist. The owner didn’t want to see door handles, so Spirit used sensor-activated latches. Placing a finger across the recessed sensor triggers the latch (and yes, if you lose power, the doors all open automatically).
The joiners have managed to match the grain on these bowed-out sections to the rest of the bulwark, thereby camouflaging the handle recesses by maintaining a contoured look. The result is that you can’t see any cabins from the saloon, or even their doors, just an undulating maze of mahogany.
“This is someone who really knows what he wants as the overall picture,” Stuart comments.
The capstan table has 64 legs, each one a slightly different shape and measurement. Photo: Mike Jones / Waterline Media
The sofa to starboard appears to float, seemingly growing out of the side of the hull. Above this a panel can be removed to reveal the sailing instruments and electronics that would typically be at the navstation. These screens are hidden away when the yacht is at rest.
The shadow gaps in the panels and joiner work are so precise you can’t see where lockers are built in. Were it not pointed out to me I’d never have noticed the door opposite the owner’s cabin, which leads into a large mechanical room.
There are no discernible fixings, no plumbing visible in the four ensuite heads. The owner didn’t even want the heads to be seen. Lift the solid timber lid of a heads and you’ll find sections for loo roll and a brush neatly built-in and concealed. It’s precision craftsmanship to the very last detail.
Interior lighting adjusts automatically to match the conditions. Photo: Mike Jones / Waterline Media
There are no visible light switches either. The lighting uses a network of motion-activated and light-sensitive sensors. If it goes cloudy above the saloon fanlight windows, the interior light adjusts accordingly. It ensures there are no big differences in brightness between outside and in, matching the soft yellow natural light in the morning or a golden evening glow.
At night, motion sensors activate floor lighting to guide you. These are intelligent, so they are designed to light the way to the heads if you move in that direction from your berth. “If a guest starts to go elsewhere in the interior, the system will deduce which way they are going and light the relevant areas in a very soft warm light,” Stuart explains. It’s like being aboard a wooden spaceship.
The banality of practicality
Most sailors will naturally question the practicality issues aboard Geist. Can you imagine setting your mug of tea down on that table? Or being at heel and sliding across the near 20ft of beam from galley to navstation sofa? Unfortunately, were you to do so, you might connect with one of the only hard edges on the boat on the aft end of the saloon seating!
The showstopping berth, a nest within an egg, in the master cabin. All furniture appears to float. Photo: Mike Jones / Waterline Media
The fear of damaging the woodwork might drive you to distraction. And with the elaborate open spaces of the saloon and so much volume lost in the overhangs, Geist is comparatively compact below. There are only four cabins and no crew accommodation at all.
However, you need to adjust your mindset aboard this yacht. The rules of practicality do not govern art. They’re not something the owner of a seven-cum-eight figure yacht such as this should necessarily be concerned with.
“Sean [McMillan] and I had pointed out the total impracticalities along the way,” says Stuart. “The owner could understand it – he loves racing his Spirit 52 and understands sailing boats.”
The mahogany trim continues in the heads, with sinks machined out of the same wood. Photo: Mike Jones / Waterline Media
The owner did concede elements might need to be added at a later date to make Geist more practical, says Stuart, but initially he didn’t want anything to detract from the visuals.
“It’s not that Spirit can’t do practical. We’re just delivering on his brief,” Stuart points out. This project certainly shows just how customised a custom yacht really can be.
Eco collaboration
A key priority was to make the yacht as environmentally friendly as possible. The shell of Geist is built using responsibly sourced timber and the yacht is dressed with recyclable sails, but it’s the power system that forms the heart of her green credentials.
One of the two ensuite aft guest cabins The panel on the right removes for interior access to the engine room. Photo: Mike Jones / Waterline Media
The 100kW electric motor can propel Geist silently for 30 miles at 8 knots using high-voltage battery power alone. The propeller regenerates power to the four 40kWh BMW battery banks while sailing too. This makes it possible to run for four days without needing to start a generator or plug into shorepower.
“When the yacht crosses the Atlantic, as long as there is adequate wind, she will not need to consume any fossil fuels,” Stuart predicts. During her initial delivery trips, Geist has averaged 11-13 knots under sail, at which speed she consistently regenerates 3kW.
Two 25kW Torqeedo gensets are installed, but these are for class compliance purposes and will be used only as a back-up to the electric system. “The owner said to go as far as we can while making it reliable,” Stuart explains.
Spirit’s managing director took a holistic approach to this with all the systems that would go on board. There was a certain fanaticism about energy-saving, pushing their suppliers to innovate and work together towards a goal of maximising the time the boat could run off battery power.
Mounted above the electric drive is a Lewmar Vortex reservoir, a system that reduces hydraulic oil needs (and therefore waste) by 90%. It requires just 25lt of oil, giving a weight saving of over 50% over a traditional power pack. The hydraulics can operate in eco mode for lowest battery consumption and have fast cruise or race options.
Meanwhile, the air-conditioning uses a variable-speed compressor, which ensures it can be run overnight without needing generator power.
The hot water employs a highly efficient on-demand system, which minimises wasted water and energy, and Cryogel insulation is used for the refrigeration to ensure low temperature holding for minimal power.
The main engine room space is particularly well-laid-out, with access from the deck or interior, and contains a sewage treatment plant to ensure waste water is clean.
A spirited vessel
I have been fortunate enough to sail many large yachts. Some look striking, sail particularly handsomely or are easy to manage.
Others have standout interiors or the craftsmanship shines above all else. And, latterly, it has been heartening to see more superyachts with an eco-friendly slant.
But I have never seen or sailed a yacht that has so many of these attributes wrapped into one exquisitely elegant, unique and extrovertly custom package. Aboard Geist, art has successfully married with technology and created something truly stunning.
Not only the first foiling superyacht - or foil-assisted superyacht, but the first cruising yacht with a foil, the 142ft Canova is a groundbreaking project in so many ways, says Toby Hodges
Were you to somehow be teleported into foilingsuperyacht, Canova’s palatial master cabin while under way – and let’s face it, many of us would like a sudden change of scene these days – you could be forgiven for thinking her owner doesn’t much like sailing.
For starters, it would seem remarkably quiet, thanks to the impressive insulation and a quiet ship system that ensures no unnecessary mechanical noise.
Then consider how surprisingly flat it feels for a monohull under sail, and not just because the generous berth you’re sitting on can gimbal.
However, once you look out of the considerable porthole, see the blue sea streaking past at over 20 knots and notice the orange plank of carbon fibre sticking out to leeward – which is serving to keep the boat a lot more upright than it should otherwise be – you’ll understand you’re actually aboard a truly state-of-the-art superyacht.
Lines and proportions are superb, hence it’s hard to gauge Canova’s size, and her long deckhouse blends in well. Photo: Baltic/Carlo Borlenghi
Anyone studying these pictures of Canova ripping along will quickly realise just how forward-thinking its owner is and how much he actually must enjoy sailing. Indeed, it can be argued that this yacht represents the present and future of cruising at speed and in utmost comfort.
Superyacht of the year
The 142ft/43m Farr design, launched from Baltic Yachts in October 2019, was conceived to be a powerful yet easily handled bluewater cruiser, capable of operating for long periods without specialist assistance.
It was commissioned by a serial yacht owner, who was also keen to minimise emissions by using hydro-generating electric propulsion. Canova was crowned sailing superyacht of the year winner 2020 at the World Superyacht Awards, with the jury commenting that it will “influence the future of sailing superyachts”.
Although this yacht teems with advanced technology throughout, you’ll notice little of it on boarding. You probably won’t even see the foil protruding while the boat is in port. The marvels of engineering have all been hidden behind a wonderfully luxurious cruising layout. Canova is a carbon epoxy wolf dressed in the finest lambswool clothing.
Demonstrating the foil, which retracts to the beam width of the boat. Photo: Baltic/Carlo Borlenghi
I was given a tour of the boat by her captain, Mattia Belleri, who project-managed the design and build over four years. I made the presumably common mistake of thinking Canova would be all about the foil, and while there are many integrated parts to that technological feat alone, I soon came to realise that the boat is full of innovative engineering, all aimed at creating a fast yet comfortable voyager.
Take the elegant, long and low deckhouse design for example, with its acreage of dimmable glass, which affords guests full protection and one-level living comfort.
Then there’s the inventive double deck design forward, which helps create room for a vast sail locker in which drums are stored for the furling foresails. And consider the diesel electric pod drive, which rotates to generate power while sailing.
It’s easy to be seduced by modern high performance, especially downwind. As the wake flattens out astern and the foils…
£320,760.00
Canova employs the most sustainable tech the yard felt it could use to still ensure it would still sail safely round the world.
The design team is extensive, including Gurit and BAR Technologies, but a lot of credit is given to the owner for his initial and enduring vision. “Everything began in the summer of 2015, when the owner started this quest of merging new technologies, volumes conception and energetic efficiency into a yacht,” Belleri stresses.
Foiling superyacht, Trend or trailblazer?
But let’s first address the talking point feature of the boat: a foil on a cruising superyacht… really?
Let’s remember that when Canova was being designed, monohulls with foils were still only really discussed in cult circles. And while we’ve seen this scene explode in racing, to the point where a boat is boring if it doesn’t fly and miraculously challenge physics, we’ve yet to see any foils employed for cruising purposes at all.
To decide to go ahead and create a foiling superyacht shows serious confidence in the technology.
Hugh Welbourn’s Dynamic Stability Systems (DSS) foil design has proved itself on smaller boats including the Infiniti 46 and 36 over the last decade, and retrofits have been successfully made to existing race boats such as Wild Oats XI and Wild Joe.
Helm stations and sailing systems are concentrated around Canova’s raised andbeamy aft deck. Photo: Baltic/Carlo Borlenghi
The multi-million dollar question here, though, was always going to be whether such a system would work on a 150-tonne superyacht.
In theory, the foil, which protrudes 22ft/6.7m horizontally to leeward to add masses of lift, should create a paradigm shift in fast cruising comfort. It was predicted to reduce heel and help the boat reach in comfort at sustained high speeds.
In practice, during initial sea trials Baltic tested the DSS upwind in 20-24 knots of wind and found not only a VMG increase, but a heel reduction of 30%. “To put these numbers into context, it would take an extra 33,000kg in the keel bulb – the total displacement weight of an IOR maxi – to achieve the same heel reduction,” Baltic reported.
During Canova’s passage across Biscay in winter, aftersales representative Sam Evans described the yacht as much easier to handle with the foil deployed, “as boatspeed averaged between 20 and 22 knots and topped out at 24 knots”.
The DSS foil has also produced a dramatic reduction in pitching motion – measured at 42% less during trials – an element with which the owner was particularly impressed. Gordon Kay of Infiniti Yachts, the company that markets DSS, describes it as “industry-changing comfort”.
Although it’s a significantly complex piece of engineering, Baltic wanted to make the casing and mechanism to move the foil as simple and reliable as possible. The Finnish yard constructed a full-sized dummy system before the foil itself was fashioned by ISOTOP to within 1mm tolerance tip to toe.
It is controlled using a system of rope pulleys led to a Harken captive winch and, remarkably, can be pulled in or out at up to 17 knots of boatspeed.
As Belleri demonstrates the system, pushing the button to make the fluorescent diving board extend silently outwards, he explains that they wanted length for maximum leverage, but that it had to be practical too, to allow other boats to moor alongside. The resulting appendage is the same length as Canova’s beam, so although the foil doesn’t retract fully, it meets a straight line to the top of the topsides.
Myriad push-button controls, including for two sets of deflectors, helps allow short-handed control of a powerful yacht. Photo: Baltic/Carlo Borlenghi
After a season spent mainly in the Tyrrhenian, especially in the breezy area between Sardinia and Corsica, Belleri tells me Canova has clocked over 25 knots, “and reaches the early 20s fairly quickly”. He also thinks her light wind performance is incredible: “she can sail at 14 knots in 9 knots of breeze.”
“She’s fast, stable, silent and always ready to thrill,” he enthuses. “The foil was aimed primarily at comfort, motion dampening and reduced heeling and it is impressive to see how easily all these points are achieved at the push of a button.”
More retractable appendages
Advanced engineering is employed below the waterline too, in the form of a lifting keel with trim tab and an electrically-powered propeller leg. The latter rotates 170° each way to greatly ease manoeuvring. When sailing, water flow can turn the prop to generate energy and charge the lithium battery bank.
Belleri reports that the regeneration numbers go beyond expectations: “We have been generating many times more energy than required to sustain the yacht’s operational consumption.
Imagine sailing along at high speeds in full comfort, with no noise, no gases and no pollution, in a zero emissions energy balance. It is incredible and a must-try experience.”
Baltic predicts that Canova is able to sail across the Atlantic “using all her systems without recourse to conventional charging using an internal combustion engine”. The composite specialist also points out that the yacht was always devised around bluewater cruising, which means being independent of specialist support.
This includes the ability for it to be serviced without being lifted out. Canova can take her own weight sitting on her lifting keel in the raised position and the skipper told me they also wanted to be able to sail with the keel up in shallow waters. A super duplex stainless steel fin was constructed, with the keel mechanism itself made by APM in Italy.
Hiding the sails
At first glance, the rig may appear relatively conventional. The carbon Rondal mast and boom has electric in-boom furling and Carbolink rigging. A 3.5m batten supports the head of the huge square-top main, which can pass between the flying backstays once reefed.
The closer you look, the more you start to understand that the rig set-up is a clever one for power cruising once sails are unfurled.
The 7m guest tender carries a 1,000lt bladder for fuel bunkering and is housed under the flush foredeck. The 4.6m crew tender stows aft. Photo: Baltic/Carlo Borlenghi
The mast is stepped only slightly forward of the keel trunk, which leaves a large foretriangle area with tack points on deck for storm jib, staysail, self-tacking jib, code and asymmetric sails.
The really neat part is how this canvas stows. The three furling code and asymmetric sails use underdeck drum stowage, all housed in a gargantuan sail locker. The two drums act like giant fire hose reels. “They allow us to hoist and drop the heavy [400kg] furling sails safely, using minimal crew,” Belleri explains.
“I wanted furling sails that were easy to manage,” the skipper continues. The idea is that six permanent crew can run and actively sail the boat around the world and can manage a big (1,200m2) gennaker downwind. The sail options also include a quadrilateral, twin-clewed headsail, developed with Infiniti Yachts to complement the DSS system, which has found favour with the crew for its wide performance range.
The foredeck is kept particularly clean thanks to the intelligent design of hiding a second deck below. This keeps mooring equipment, including capstans, cleats and warps, all away from view yet accessible. The captive winches are also contained here, all built in carbon, which equates to a reported 200kg weight saving on each of the eight winches.
A large portion of the space below the foredeck is reserved for the guest tender. A crane mounts on deck to lift the 1.5 tonne limo into the water. The 7m length of this boat was one of the driving forces for the yacht’s overall dimensions, as the guest tender is also equipped with a 1,000lt bladder to allow for fuel bunkering in remote locations.
This also means there’s a proper watertight bulkhead aft instead of a traditional garage. Instead, the 4.6m crew tender stores in the lazarette under the aft deck. The aft deck itself is high enough to give clear visibility from the two outboard pedestals over the deckhouse and forward. “The idea was to be able to see the jib furler from the helms,” says Belleri.
Influential design
The design and construction of the deckhouse is another standout feature that should influence the design of large cruising yachts in the future. Why? Because of how well it blends into the lines, how much comfort it affords guests, and how well-finished it is for what is a seriously complex piece of engineering.
The guest cockpit, which is fully-protected by the hard bimini extending from the superstructure, is on the same level as the decksaloon. It means the guests have an amazing amount of protected space to enjoy their surroundings with almost unhindered views.
The whole aft section of the roof is freestanding and incorporates side windows that drop down at the push of a button to let fresh air into the guest cockpit.
Dimmable glass is used on the coachroof windows and skylights, all highly UV-protective to spare the interior woodwork. Made by Vision Systems, the dimming level of each window is adjustable.
Electric windows can be lowered to increase fresh air in the guest cockpit. Photo: Baltic/Carlo Borlenghi
As well as incorporating all this glass, the structure and its central supporting bulkhead has to take the 24-tonne loads of the mainsheet track. The traveller stretches over the beam of the roof, which helps keep loaded sheets away from the guest area.
The styling by Lucio Micheletti here – and throughout the interior – is particularly tasteful. It is peaceful and in harmony with the design. The majority of the finish is in teak timber veneers and white panelling, making natural light the star of the show.
Canova’s general accommodation plan is formidable for cruising purposes. The guest accommodation is all forward of the saloon and central bulkhead. The presumption when you walk into the forward cabin is that this must be the owner’s suite – it certainly feels large and luxurious enough.
This makes for a particularly pleasant surprise then when you find the real deal beneath the deck saloon – in the most sensible, central section of the yacht, which boasts the greatest beam with the least pitching.
The owner’s full-beam suite is located almost amidships where there is least motion. Photo: Baltic/Carlo Borlenghi
The owner’s 65m2 apartment features a gimballing island berth, the largest bathroom or ‘spa’ you could imagine on a sailing yacht, including sauna and carbon fibre bath tub, plus his and hers/walk in wardrobes and washbasin areas. The owners spend a lot of time aboard so the idea was to provide the most comfortable facilities possible.
The crew area is all located abaft the saloon, with a central galley and private access from the aft deck. It’s an excellent design for ensuring privacy between guests and crew, while providing the accessibility serving staff need.
His and hers changing and bathroom areas in the master cabin. Photo: Baltic/Carlo Borlenghi
The day heads and entrance to the engine room are at the foot of the companionway to the saloon. The bank of programmable logic controllers in the control room should warn you that this is no ordinary engine room.
An electric heart
The machinery room proper houses the remarkably compact 420kW propulsion motor, two custom 210kW Cummins generators and six banks of Alkasol lithium-ion batteries.
The benefits of choosing this electric-hybrid route over conventional diesels include less vibration, noise, smell, maintenance, fewer running hours and a fraction of the oil required. And it is much more efficient, because the high-voltage charges are quicker and the gensets never run unnecessarily.
The 750V DC system is supplied by batteries, shorepower or generators. The generators were custom-built in carbon housings to optimise size, weight and performance and can charge the battery bank in two hours. The engineer shows me how everything is controlled from a Toughbook screen, flicking a genset on with the swipe of a finger. Canova can run silently at 9 knots with only one generator running.
I notice how comparatively cool it is in here. The engine room is strictly temperature controlled to a max of 31°C (as opposed to a more conventional 50°C or so). The battery bank and powerful inverters are water-cooled and the gensets have built-in ventilation extraction units.
It also feels alien to be able to talk rather than shout with a genset running. A lot of attention was paid to insulation, particularly as we are only one bulkhead away from the owner’s cabin (the 9m foil running under his berth encouraged the yard to focus intently on insulation). Mounting the batteries vertically also reportedly helps with damping.
Canova is all about mixing comfort with high technology. Micheletti’s styling reflects this technological clean design. Photo: Baltic/Carlo Borlenghi
With such a large battery and electrical capacity, the need for hydraulics is reduced, hence less weight and fewer space-hungry cables. The flexible energy system used means that power can be generated from multiple sources. The captive winches for instance draw energy, but when you sheet out they also create energy that can be tapped.
Belleri says the owner wanted the electric-hybrid technology from the outset, but that it needed to be safe and reliable for bluewater sailing. The environmental side was one of the big draws.
“Superyachting is not a green industry so we tried our best to go that way,” the skipper explains. “But it’s not fully possible without gensets yet.”
Instead he feels that the combination of electric engine, inverters, batteries and generators gives them plenty of redundancy power for cruising. COVID may have put their cruising temporarily on hold, but Canova’s crew is still gearing up to start a circumnavigation later this year.
Fast forward
We often see technology trickle down from the racing or superyacht sides of sailing, where the large budgets and thirst for technology abound.
Many of the big ideas employed on Canova have been around for some years, including DSS foils and the regenerating drive system. But it takes a bold project (and owner) such as this to integrate them practically before people really take notice.
Canova is like a giant Swiss Army knife: it has so many useful features it can pull out, which stow away to leave a graceful profile. I would go so far as to say the sheer quantity of intelligent design incorporated makes this as innovative a project as we’ve seen to date in the superyachting world.
It is actively using technology, design and engineering that may have a telling effect not only on sailing superyachts, but on many cruising yachts to come. Given a choice, Canova is certainly the boat I would choose to be beamed aboard right now.
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The hull shape and low freeboard mean this has the potential to be a very wet boat, so a great deal of effort has been made to stop water getting below decks. There’s a pneumatic seal on the forehatch, for instance, and the companionway is under a dodger, which gives sufficient headroom to be able to stand up. In addition, where control lines, sheet and halyards run under the deck they are in sealed tunnels.
The deck layout is the result of input from both Shaun Carkeek and Matthews and his team. “We’ve made the deck mould in such a way that the layout is easy to customise,” Stock told me. “It has to be adaptable in terms of deck layout and we can change it radically if necessary.”
The result should make the Vismara VMM76 a lightweight, easily handled yacht of a size that can offer fantastic accommodation, along with startling performance when pushed. On the other hand, even when sailed conservatively it’s clear this is a boat with long legs that will happily cruise at speeds well into double digits and therefore make short work of long passages.
Between the twin companionways is a single pit winch located under the protection offered by an aft extension of the coachroof. The coffee grinder is located right aft, while the wheels are set relatively well forward in the cockpit.
Seawind 1370
Outremer 55
Spirit’s managing director took a holistic approach to this with all the systems that would go on board. There was a certain fanaticism about energy-saving, pushing their suppliers to innovate and work together towards a goal of maximising the time the boat could run off battery power.
