Now there are electric outboards as well as petrol motors, the choice of 2-3hp outboard engines has never been better. But which is right for you?

Choosing an outboard engine for your tender used to be as simple as going to your nearest dealer and picking up whatever 2.5hp engine they had in stock. Now, however, things have got a bit more complicated – in a good way, with both petrol and electric outboards providing reasonable options.

First you’ve got to decide whether you are going to stick with petrol or go electric, then there’s the question of who offers the best combination of power, range, weight, build quality, refinement, ease of use and, of course, price.

You could go round and round in circles for hours trying to decide what was right for you. So that’s exactly what we did, on your behalf, by assembling all the main players along with one of F-RIB’s 2.75m folding mini-RIBs to test them on and work out which were the lightest, fastest, most user-friendly engines for your yacht’s tender.

Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Selva all provided petrol engines of 2.3-2.5hp for the test while Torqeedo and ePropulsion represented the electric outboards.

Electric outboards

ePropulsion Spirit 1.0 Plus

Chinese company ePropulsion is the (relatively) new electric kid on the block and clearly has its sights set on Torqeedo. The Spirit 1.0 Plus has a slightly less powerful 1.0kW motor but a longer lasting 1,276Wh battery that floats if dropped overboard.

It’s a bit heavier than the Torqeedo at 19.3kg but most of that extra weight is in the removable battery, with the motor and shaft weighing a comparable 10.6kg. Unlike the Torqeedo, the throttle arm is permanently attached to the shaft but folds down parallel to it for storage. Charging takes 8.5 hours using the standard 240V charger or 3.5 hours with the optional fast charger. Solar and 12V DC chargers are also extras, as is a travel bag.

Assembly is a little bit quicker and easier than the Torqeedo. The throttle arm folds up, the battery locks into place using a sprung handle and there is only one threaded power cord to connect. But it takes two hands to install the battery.

It also lacks the Torqeedo’s built-in GPS so displays range as remaining cruising time at your current speed as well as battery level. It’s not quite as useful for working out whether you’ve got enough charge to reach a specific place but most tender journeys are short enough not to need this. Besides, the bigger battery means you will have a longer range anyway; ePropulsion claims 22 miles at around 3.5 knots.

On the water it’s slightly less powerful electric motor means it can’t quite match the pace of the Torqeedo let alone the petrol engines (4.3 knots solo, 4.1 knots two up) but the difference is small enough for it not to be a deal breaker. However, it is just as quiet and user-friendly as the Torqeedo with a similar magnetic kill cord and shaped throttle that allows you to instinctively feel how far you’ve twisted it.

The larger, slower revolving plastic propellers of these electric motors gives excellent low speed control and a proper reverse without having to swing the motor through 180º. They also have centrally mounted (rather than offset) throttle arms meaning you can sit comfortably on either side, although the ePropulsion’s longer arm sometimes gets in the way on a small tender.

From a subjective point of view we don’t think it looks quite as stylish or neatly-finished as the Torqeedo but it’s three year warranty is longer than Torqeedo’s two-year offering and it’s £369 cheaper at £1,650.

Price: £1,650
Rating: ★★★★★

Buy it now from promarinestore.co.uk

Torqeedo Travel 1003C

German company Torqeedo was the first to spot the potential for a cleaner, quieter electric alternative to the petrol outboard in 2005 and has built up a strong following since. The entry-level Travel 603C model is equivalent to a 2hp petrol engine and costs £1,499 but we chose to test the 1103C costing £2,109. This is powered by a 1.1kW electric motor with a 915Wh lithium ion battery equivalent to a 3hp petrol motor.

Although it weighs almost as much as the heaviest petrol equivalent when assembled (17kg), it breaks down into three parts making it much easier to lift onto the tender’s transom as well as store. And of course there’s no risk of petrol or oil spills. The main shaft and motor weighs 11kg, while the battery accounts for most of the rest. An optional travel bag (£199) provides extra protection for long term storage.

It’s a beautifully designed motor that is stylish, well built and engineered, though assembly is a little bit fiddlier than the ePropulsion Spirit. The battery can be fitted one-handed but, although it’s waterproof, it won’t float (the battery on the smaller 603 model will) – at £829 replacements aren’t cheap. A built-in GPS gives SOG but also real time range as well as current draw and battery percentage so you know exactly how far you can go at any given pace.

It’s a joy to use with no pull cord, choke, stale petrol or oiled up carburettors – you just clip the magnetic kill cord onto the top of the throttle arm, press the on button, twist the throttle and away you go. There’s no gear lever or idle speed, it just sits silently at rest waiting for you to apply some throttle.

Under way the only sound you’ll hear is water passing the hull, making exploring creeks and rivers so much more enjoyable. Its top speed of 4.7 knots solo and 4.2 knots two-up was a little shy of the petrol engines but not enough to make a big difference, while a claimed range of 18 miles at half throttle (around 3 knots) or 4.6 miles at full throttle is more than enough for most needs.

Unlike the petrol motors it also has a reverse gear, simply by twisting the throttle the other way.

It is more than double the cost of a petrol motor but for cleanliness, refinement, ease of use and sheer enjoyment we reckon it’s worth it. Whether it can justify the £369 premium over the ePropulsion is harder to say.

Price: £2,019
Rating: ★★★★★

Buy it now on eBay

Petrol outboards

Honda BF2.3

The reason this motor has been around so long is because it continues to sell so well – due to its light weight (13.6kg), compact dimensions and Honda’s reputation for reliability. It’s commendably simple air-cooled single-cylinder 57cc 4-stroke engine should certainly be less prone to overheating from a blocked water intake or failed impeller than its water-cooled rivals and with no salt water circulating through the power head there’s less risk of corrosion or frost damage too.

Unlike the other petrol engines, it uses a twist-and-go centrifugal clutch rather than a manual gear lever. It’s also the only engine to boast a six year warranty instead of the usual five years.

But that’s where the good news stops because in use the BF2.3 is pretty crude. The transom clamps are sliding metal rods, the pull-out choke and petrol switch are flimsy plastic affairs and the skinny tiller arm feels rather basic compared to the chunkier Yamaha and more sophisticated Torqeedo. It has to be laid down on one side to prevent oiling up but does have raised supports to aid this.

In use it was the slowest of the petrol engines on test and by far the noisiest at 106db flat out. Without the damping effect of a water cooling jacket, it makes a distinctive ‘putt putting’ noise at idle that rises to a raucous crescendo at full throttle.

The twist and go clutch is a mixed blessing, it saves fiddling around going into and out of gear but means you don’t get any drive or steering at idle, making docking manoeuvres surprisingly tricky.

Verdict: Simple, reliable and lightweight, but average performance and too loud.

Price: £720
Rating: ★★★★★

Buy it now on eBay

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Selva Guppy 2.5hp

Italian company Selva boasts a full range of outboard engines from 2.5hp to 300hp,a five year warranty and a very competitive pricing structure. At the time of writing this was more than £100 cheaper than any of its Japanese rivals. And its technical specifications look pretty convincing too; its water-cooled 87cc 4-stroke single cylinder engine has the largest capacity of them all yet it weighs the same 13.5kg as the Suzuki.

It doesn’t look or feel quite as sturdy as the Yamaha but that’s hardly surprising given the weight differential. It’s closer to the Honda and Suzuki in that respect with some elements such as the plastic moulded transom clamps actually being easier to use than either of them while other parts such as the rather flimsy metal support that locks the engine in the raised position falling slightly below par. Again it can only be laid throttle-side down, so rests on the throttle arm when not in use.

On the water it got the F-RIB up on the plane and skimming along at a maximum speed of 8 knots with just the helmsperson on board. However, that big capacity cylinder meant it required a heftier pull to start it than any of the others and it was second noisiest on test.

Verdict: Not as slick or well engineered as either the Yamaha or Suzuki, although in terms of bang for buck this is up there with the best of them.

Price: £579
Rating: ★★★★★

Buy it now on swmarinestore.com

Yamaha 2.5hp

The Yamaha 2.5 is at the opposite end of the scale to the Honda, literally. It’s the heaviest of the petrol engines at 17.0kg and the largest too. The upside of this is that everything about it feels chunkier, better engineered and more robust, from minor switchgear like the fuel tap and choke to the major controls like the transom clamps, gear lever and throttle arm. It also has a larger capacity single-cylinder engine of 72cc compared to 57cc for the Honda so it should have more torque as well.

To cope with the extra weight, Yamaha has added a soft grip carrying handle to the back of the engine but you still feel those extra 3.5kg, especially when lifting the engine onto the transom.

On the plus side you can lie it flat on both sides or even on its back without oil flowing into the cylinder. This makes it easier to store and all but rules out the chance of it being laid down incorrectly and ruining your day.

This was by some margin the quietest and smoothest of all the petrol engines as well as the fastest. With just one person on board it actually had enough grunt to get the little F-RIB up on the plane and scooting along at 9.5 knots.

Verdict: Heavy and carries a price premium but in terms of build quality, engineering, performance and refinement, it justifies this. A top choice for a petrol engine.

Price: £760
Rating: ★★★★★

Buy it now on eBay

Suzuki BF2.5

Although this is a water-cooled 68cc single cylinder 4-stroke it actually weighs less than the smaller 57cc air-cooled Honda (13.5kg vs 13.6kg) – and a whopping 3.5kg saving over the Yamaha. Those weight savings show in places though. The transom clamps are the thinnest, fiddliest and least comfortable of the group, being little more than sliding metal pins which could easily snag a stray sleeve or trouser leg.

The throttle arm is also thinner, with a separate sleeved cable rather than an integrated one. Like the Honda it can only be laid down on one side to avoid oil leaking into the cylinder – throttle-side down in this case.

As with all the petrol engines it has an offset throttle-arm on the port side but the latch to unhook the engine from its raised position is tucked away underneath the port side of the cowling, making it hard to locate and use from the natural seated position.

It’s a nice, light pull start and there’s an easily visible tell tale to show the cooling system is working. The idle is smooth and quiet, but it doesn’t feel quite as punchy under way as the Yamaha, failing to get the F-RIB planing with one person on board.

Verdict: If you crave the quieter running of a water-cooled engine but without the weight of the Yamaha, this is a good compromise.

Price: £685
Rating: ★★★★★

Buy it now on eBay

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The alloy-hulled Allures 51.9 is set to be a much bigger boat than her predecessors, the Allures 51 and 52. Rupert Holmes and Toby Hodges report

Allures builds alloy centreboard cruisers with fibreglass decks and superstructures, which many contend is the the ideal combination for cruising. With that in mind, we picked the right boat to sail on a squally day off the coast of La Rochelle as he took the Allures 51.9 for a test sail.

The Allures 51.9 is the third generation of the flagship of this French bluewater range, and she retains the brand’s core concepts of a rugged aluminium hull combined with a composite deck that reduces weight and improves insulation, plus shoal draught and twin rudders.

However, it’s effectively a much larger boat than the previous Allures 51 and 52 models, with a longer waterline and more powerful broad stern sections, even though maximum beam is only 12cm greater.

An important part of the Allures 51.9 concept is also to raise the interior fit out to a higher level. Larger windows and overhead panels create even more natural light and there’s a 270° view from the generous navigation station at the forward end of the saloon.

Larger windows and overhead panels create plenty of natural light

Beyond this, the most obvious difference compared to the previous models is in the spacious full-beam aft master cabin, which is sure to be a major selling point for many prospective owners. The forward part of the accommodation can be arranged with either two equal en-suite double cabins, or a larger double guest cabin with a peninsula bed and more stowage, plus a smaller offset Pullman cabin with two single bunks.

The sizeable aft cabin doesn’t impact on the space available on deck and the cockpit is an impressive 6m long. Key sail handling operations are carried out from the security of the cockpit, making this an easy boat to sail short-handed.

Core Allures concepts of a rugged aluminium hull combined with a composite deck that reduces weight and improves insulation, plus shoal draught and twin rudders feature on the Allures 51.9

The first example was launched in May and is fitted with an optional hard bimini. After sea trials the first Allures 51.9 will join the 2021/2022 Grand Large World Odyssey 500, taking the southern route via the Magellan Straits.

Allures 51.9 specifications

LOA: 15.57m 51ft 1in
Beam: 4.82m 15ft 7in
Draught: 1.34 to 2.92m 4ft 5in to 9ft 7in
Displacement: 18,400kg 40,600lb
Base price: €706,860 ex VAT
Builder: allures.com

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We ask top sailors and marine industry gurus to choose the coolest and most innovative yachts of our times. Magnus Rassy nominates Rassker

“In 1983, at 16 years old, I dreamed of building my own keelboat. An IOR Half Tonner was the top of my list, but I soon realised this was far out of my budget,” says Magnus Rassy reflecting on why he has picked Rassker as his nomination for world’s coolest yacht.

“Instead, I designed my own Quarter Tonner-style boat, which was empty inside, to keep it simple and keep costs down.

“When I calculated the material cost, it was exactly what I had in my bank account, so I started immediately. My father and I built the boat over the winter of 1983-1984.

“The Orust area is world renowned, with several thousand years of boatbuilding history, but this was the first boat built in this area with a Divinycell [PVC foam] core, Kevlar, an open transom and a bolt-on lead keel.

“We had so much fun with it and quite a lot of racing success. Rassker is now 38 years old, under its original name and second owner, and is still amazingly competitive both in terms of looks and racing results.”

Rassker stats rating

Top speed: 10 knots
LOA: 26ft / 7m
Launched: 1984
Berths: 0
Price: £5,000
Adrenalin factor: 10%

Magnus Rassy

Twenty years after designing Rassker, Magnus Rassy took over the ownership and running of Hallberg-Rassy from his father, Christoph, in 2003. Since then he has instigated the modernisation of the yard and the introduction of the successful new generation line of Frers-designed cruising yachts. 

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With the hotly anticipated Hallbery-Rassy HR50 now on the water, Toby Hodges took one of the first boats for a test sail in France to see what makes her special

The eagerly awaited first new Hallberg-Rassy HR50, the fifth of Rassy’s new-generation twin-rudder designs, provides greater volume for accommodation and stowage, and the longer waterline and increased beam aft equates to faster speeds and greater form stability. Toby Hodges took the HR50 for a test sail in La Rochelle to find if she lived up to the hype.

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. I can’t think of another centre cockpit cruiser that offers this much pleasure and performance on the helm, albeit with the premium rig package. Considering the vast amount of comfort and roominess the HR50 provides for its length, it is a stunning sailing yacht.

The only slight blemishes of this masterpiece of evolution are that some may wish for more deck locker space (although others will appreciate the extra aft cabin space). And at this very top end price level, why not make the standard layout the most popular one?

Two years ago Magnus told me the Hallberg-Rassy HR40C was the best his yard has built – but what about this? “It’s always the latest that’s the best,” he smiles knowingly. “Every new model has to be an improvement.”

In short, for those in the market for a thoroughbred centre-cockpit cruiser from a traditional North European yard, this is as good as it gets. The HR50 is the ultimate in polished refinement.

Hallberg-Rassy’s world-renowned style and joiner work will feature below

Specifications

Price ex VAT: SEK11,971,500 (€1.158m)
Hull length: 15.23m / 50ft 0in
LWL: 14.80m / 48ft 7in
Beam: 5.00m / 16ft 5in
Draught: (standard keel) 2.35m 7ft 9in Displacement 21,000kg 46,300lb
Builder: www.hallberg-rassy.com

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The Oscars of the boatbuilding world, the European Yacht of the Year 2022, have been announced. Together they comprise the five best yachts of the year in a variety categories and, for the first time, three special mention awards 

This is the 19th year of the European Yacht of the Year awards, which is without a doubt the most thorough and impartial awards programme – the winners here are widely considered the best yachts of the year. The awards now include 12 jury members from across Europe, each leading voices on boat testing in their respective countries.

It involves shortlisting the best annual prospects, typically into five separate categories, before all 12 jury members trial each yacht to elect the winners. The trials were held in La Rochelle and Port Ginesta, Barcelona during the autumn.

Normally the awards would be presented at the Dusseldorf Boat Show, but for the second year running, this was cancelled because of Covid, hence a virtual presentation instead. The full report about the shortlisted yachts and winners is in our March 2022 issue. Below is a breakdown of the nominees and winners.

Best yachts of the year – Performance cruiser

Nominees: IC 36 Independence; J/45; JPK 39FC; Pogo 44; Solaris 40

Always an exciting category, this year’s shortlist had the full range. From the more conventional and definitive style of performance cruiser such as the J/45 and the Med-special Solaris 40, to the contemporary French interpretation of a lightweight fast cruiser in the Pogo and JPK – and through to a new brand of sports catamarans for the thrill seekers.

Winner: JPK 39FC

JPK builds boats that win trophies! Along with fellow Brittany yard Pogo, JPK has redefined what a modern performance cruiser should be: stiff, stable and efficient to the max. FC stands for Fast Cruiser, and the JPK certainly lives up to that billing.

For the keen sailor who wants to get the utmost enjoyment out of hands-on cruising, the JPK 39FC is a superb design (and to my eye, an appealing one too), while the yard has done a nice job with the vacuum-infusion build and interior fit-out. The two-cabin version we sailed has plenty of stowage too.  Click here for our full report and video

“A fast cruiser is a balance between a number of factors,” says our Norwegian jury member Axel Nissen-Lie. “JPK has succeeded in creating a boat that sails insanely well, and at the same time it is modern and comfortable.

“If you take the best from RM, X-Yachts and Pogo, you get something close to JPK 39FC. The boat beats almost as well as an X-Yachts, it has a superstructure like an RM, and goes downwind almost like a Pogo.”  Price ex VAT €205,100

Best yachts of the year – Luxury cruiser

Nominees: Hallberg-Rassy 50; Jeanneau Yachts 60; Lagoon 55; Swan 58; X5.6

What constitutes luxury for you? The broad selection for this category this year includes two from Groupe Beneteau which show how appealing space can be today, as well as offerings from more typical premium brands such as Swan and Hallberg-Rassy. Pricing is equally as varied: for the same length, one can cost three times the amount of the other.

Winner: Hallberg-Rassy 50

We featured a full test of this Swedish gem in our January issue, but in summary, this 50 is beautifully refined and arguably the best model yet in Rassy’s modern hull-shape generation. Check out our full video tour here.

It uses every inch of German Frers’ cunning design while still delivering highly impressive, push-button controlled performance across the wind ranges, particularly with the optional high-spec carbon rigging package.

“The Hallberg-Rassy 50 could use more practical outside storage space – but that’s about the only thing that could be improved on the yacht,” says our Dutch jury member from Zeilen, Marinus van Sijdenborgh de Jong.

“The perfection of the concept, the refined detailing and impeccable finish show the pinnacle of luxury. The use of the optional high tech rigging brings top of the bill performance, without adding complexity in handling. Luxury sailing as it is supposed to be: enjoy high quality sailing in comfort.”

Price ex VAT SEK 13,221,900 (approx €1.3m)

Best yachts of the year – Family cruiser

Nominees: Beneteau Oceanis 34.1; Dufour 470; Hanse 460; Jeanneau SO 380; Neel 43

A strong category brimming with interesting new designs. All these shortlisted yachts are winners in my eyes and worthy of close scrutiny by anyone in the market for a new mid-range yacht to suit easy cruising as couples, or with friends or family.

The space race continues to thrive but all of these designs prove you can have that volume without unnecessarily impacting performance or enjoyment on the helm.

Winner: Hanse 460

Hanse’s brave decision to change designers has seemingly paid off. The 460 cleverly meets its brief of providing a voluminous hull which still performs. It boasts appealing exterior aesthetics, is enjoyable to sail and gives the feel of a larger yacht/model (particularly in the cockpit).

A key indication of the success of a design is in the initial sales numbers – over 150 sold before any seatrials!  Our Finnish judge Pasi Nuutinen says: “Tiger’s leap to fresh looking modern design with all its benefits for easier control, better performance and more voluminous interiors. Still combining the traditional Hanse virtues of decent quality and sensible pricing.”
Price ex VAT €270,900

Best yachts of the year – Bluewater cruiser

Nominees: Allures 51.9; Outremer 55; Ovni 370; Windelo 50

For those planning long term cruising, would you choose a robust aluminium build for higher latitudes sailing, shoal draught to tuck into the shallows (a mix of both?), sustainable living or reliable comfort, or the ability to log sustained high speeds to outrun weather systems?

This selection gives you all those choices and more…

Winner: Outremer 55

With this model Outremer shows why it dominates the performance bluewater multihull sector. The well built and finished 55 is a mighty spaceship with a modern apartment inside, and although a lot to absorb and handle, it offers sustained double digit speeds in real comfort.

Outremer has done a fine job with packing in the creature comforts, stowage space and payload capacity while keeping it light enough to eat miles. And with over 50 orders for a yacht of this price range, this is arguably the most successful new production yacht on the market.

German de Soler from Spanish magazine Nautica y Yates thinks this “an outstanding catamaran forged by a formidable trio of designers – VPLP, Darnet Design and Patrick Le Quément – supported by the experience of a shipyard with more than 30 years creating bluewater cruising catamarans.
“The result of this conjunction is what should be expected in a boat aimed to fulfill the ocean dream of any sailor: quality of life on board and the ability to go far while enjoying sailing along the way.”   Price ex VAT €1.35m

Best yachts of the year – Special yacht

Nominees: De Cesari 33; Revolution 24; Saffier SE33 Life; Sunbeam 32.1; Tricat 6.90

Once again, we see a wonderfully eclectic mix comprising this category! From a scow-bowed aluminium tardis to a timeless Italian wood epoxy daysailer, all these nominees bring some fascinating ideas and were a pleasure to sail and get to know.

Winner: Saffier SE33 Life

Saffier is another yard which will not rest on its laurels and keeps improving and improving. Just when you think it’s found the perfect daysailer formula, it adds more and more refinement, from the design to the first class finish throughout.

The SE33 is an absolute joy to sail (and can provide a thrilling ride too), while the Dutch yard’s incredible sales figures bear witness to its looks and functionality.

It’s really saying something when a yard can win the same prize in back to back years for a similar product. Chairman of the jury, Jochen Rieker from Yacht explains: “Following-up from the previous year winner, SE 27, the 33 not only follows a proven concept. She actually beats the high standards the yard has established.

“In other words: She is not just bigger but that extra little better in any respect that there simply was no other choice than awarding the Dutch design again. And rightly so: stunning performance, great feel, loads of stability, beautiful lines and an interior that wants you stay longer than just for a day or so. Simply, absolutely, crazy wow!”

Special Mentions

Sustainability: Windelo 50

In an era where the big yards should be leading by example rather than greenwashing, few go to the extent that newcomers Windelo has. Two years were spent researching environmentally-friendly composite materials, developing what it describes as an eco-composite of basalt fibre and recycled PET foam so it could build boats that halve the environmental impact of standard glassfibre yachts.

The result is an intriguing package – from the styling, modular interior and novel layout to the solar field on the roof and the standard electric propulsion, the Windelo 50 is completely fresh.

Sustainability: Elvstrom eXPR

We hope Elvstrom could be leading the way to a cleaner method of sailmaking here. eXPR is a laminate sail, where the main constituents are all made from recycled polyester (including the UV film, taffeta and fibres), yet in looks and practice there is no telling difference to high-end laminates made from non-recyled materials.

Versatility: Tricat 6.90

Really easy, light, fast performance sailing in a simple, no-frills package. The 6.90 is versatile, in that it has a practical folding mechanism, can be trailered, and used by a small family for camping, beached. Plus it hits a price point in which most other yacht manufacturers have given up competing (from €52,000).  Here’s our video tour

EYOTY Jury

Toby Hodges, Yachting World, GBR

Jochen Rieker, YACHT, GER

Loic Madeline, Voiles & Voiliers, FRA

Pasi Nuutinen, Vene, FIN

Roland Duller, YachtRevue, AUT

Alberto Mariotti, Vela e Motore, ITA

Morten Brandt-Rasmussen, Bådmagasinet, DEN

Marinus van Sijdenborgh de Jong, Zeilen, NED

Joakim Hermansson, Praktiskt Båtägande, SWE

Axel Nissen-Lie, Seilmagasinet, NOR

Germán de Soler, Nautica Y Yates, ESP

Lori Schüpbach, Marina.ch, SWI

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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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The new Hallberg-Rassy 50 promises to be an ocean cruiser with ultra refined performance, volume and layout… Toby Hodges takes her for a sail to find out if there's a catch?

The Hallberg-Rassy 50, the latest from the renowned Swedish marque is a near masterpiece. German Frers has once again sprinkled his fairy dust over the design, conjuring up a modern hull shape that will continually surprise you with the volume it provides, yet one with enough character and thoroughbred sailing credentials to make it identifiable as one of a family line which spans five decades. And he’s incorporated an accommodation plan which appears to use every inch of this shape.

The renowned Swedish yard meanwhile has refined the deck and interior package to the nth degree. The result is a Hallberg-Rassy that is as contemporary in hull design, appendages, and sailing systems as it can be for its particular market sector, while maintaining that traditional, dignified Swedish style.

I found myself being drawn back to the Hallberg-Rassy 50 time and again during our European Yacht of the Year trials last autumn. And although the sailing is once again a first class experience, much of the appeal is in the evolution and pure refinement of the layout. The space has been used so intelligently it’s almost impossible to find fault.

Step below decks and it feels more like a 55-58 footer in fact, and could well pinch sales from that sector. Compared to the old Hallberg-Rassy 55, for example, this is actually 50cm longer at the waterline, has more overall beam, which is carried aft to give over a metre more beam at the transom.

Magnus Rassy, who was aboard for my two sails and various visits, has been preaching the benefits of modern hull shapes since the Hallberg-Rassy 44 launched in 2017, and explained how in particular the Hallberg-Rassy 50 has reaped the rewards. Its mast is further aft than previous generation boats, and everything below decks is correspondingly further aft too, so the accommodation feels wider, plus you get more stowage in a sail locker.

A powerful yet elegant shape with a tall rig, albeit without quite the same long lines of the HR57. Note: after the delivery crew crumpled the bowsprit en-route to La Rochelle, Magnus Rassy drove there with a mould and materials to fashion an invisible repair (hence a temporary lack of bow roller! Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

Frers has incorporated a proper sheerline, which also serves to buy headroom forward, an ingredient of the design sorcery needed to achieve a single-level sole below decks. The main engine and genset are now housed inline rather than next to each other, which creates more space in the galley and navstation and a longer cockpit.

A deeper cockpit and higher coamings are also a benefit of the increased beam, while the coamings provide additional headroom in the passageway galley below.

The Magnus factor

One reason why Hallberg-Rassys work so well is Magnus Rassy. He understands the product intricately and how to continually refine it, because he conceives each model and uses it for himself. The first boat is always called Rassker – named after the one-off, innovative 26ft yacht he designed and built as a 16-year old – and is a yacht he cruises extensively over its first year to help assess any improvements.

His father Christoph, who passed away just at the time of writing, will be remembered as a key figure in the development of today’s boatbuilding industry, but it is Magnus who is the face and spirit of the brand he took over 20 years ago.

Win wheels within the deep cockpit give good views, even if perching on the coaming becomes customary. Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

I contemplated this as I melted into one of the Hallberg-Rassy 50’s saloon armchairs, a traditional Rassy fixture that has featured in the boats for over 35 years, but is something I always associate with Magnus. It was so comfortable I didn’t want to move, despite the inviting sailing conditions outside. The bar was on one side, complete with storm-proof crystal glass holders, the remote for the 50in flatscreen on the other.

When I did venture to the helm, I was unsurprised to find how intelligently it has been set up to allow one person to manage the boat solo. Magnus has long been a big advocate of using modern push button controls to provide ease of use for his large yachts. Yes, I mused, this model is certainly all about refinement.

After Covid put paid to our plans to sail the Hallberg-Rassy 50 from the yard in the winter, our trials were instead held during the European Yacht of the Year tests in La Rochelle, late September.

Despite coming back for seconds, I still only saw light breezes that topped out at 12 knots over flat water. While not ideal, it did serve to highlight the yacht’s performance. It just never stopped moving, even in the faintest cat’s-paws. That’s certainly noteworthy for those who still consider wide-beamed modern designs to be sticky. Engine hours will likely remain very low.

The fun factor

For a centre cockpit medium displacement yacht (25 tonnes laden) with long rod steering connection to twin rudders, it was not only fast, but enjoyable to sail too. Fellow European Yacht of the Year judge, Morten Brandt from Denmark, who sailed it in stronger winds, told me it was the best sailing experience he’s had on a Hallberg-Rassy and noted how safe it makes you feel while clocking miles in real comfort.

At this stage I should point out that Rassker is equipped with some serious additional firepower. It’s the first yacht to feature Seldén’s carbon in-mast furling rig and Elvstrom’s vertically battened Fat Furl mainsail. This performance pack option includes mast, boom and spreaders in carbon, rod rigging, upgraded sheets and halyards, hydraulic outhaul, vang and backstay and halyard tensioners for main and genoa.

The winches are to hand and the pedestals well set-up with remote controls to manage the yacht short-handed. Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

Plus, for the first time ever on a Hallberg-Rassy, a mast jack. It’s a package that totals over €150,000. However, when you consider that’s less than 10% of the overall price of the boat, it’s a key investment, thinks Magnus.

“Altogether it gives a completely different performance,” he enthused. “It’s not just about pointing higher, but it’s less rolling, less pitching, less heel, better rudder pressure, being able to carry sails in more pressure… it’s all comfort! In fact I would say a carbon mast is even more important for a cruising sailor than a racing sailor.”

Even in the light breeze it’s easy to tell it’s a stiff mast which will resist pumping, while having the benefit of the hydraulic backstay control. And the performance you get from having a proper roach and headboard sets new standards for in-mast furling mainsails.

The motor for the furler is contained neatly in the mast profile, while the hydraulic ram is inside the boom. Another nice touch is the preventer permanently rigged through the boom, with a hook to engage on the forward cleat. The sail halyards meanwhile are on hydraulic cylinders, which allows you to get rid of the long line tails at the mast base.

Hallberg-Rassy 50 – engaging on the helm

The Hallberg-Rassy 50 is a little neutral in feel on the helm in the really light conditions, but becomes increasingly engaging once the breeze gets up above 7 knots – and with the Code 0 deployed.

We clocked 7-7.5 knots boatspeed in 8 knots true wind, 8 in 10, and 9-plus knots in 11-12, sailing at 60° to the apparent wind. To those who may associate centre cockpit cruisers as being yachts best left to the autopilot, I’d challenge them to try the Hallberg-Rassy 50 with this set-up – you won’t want to leave the wheel.

For downwind sailing across oceans Magnus says the Bluewater Runner twin headsail is popular these days, but reckons the Code 0 has become the go-to option for regular cruising. Our test boat was also trialling a new Seldén electric Code furler, which spun at formidable speed. This made it child’s play to deploy or furl the Code sail in under 30 seconds, all from the helm without needing to call upon another crewmember. Primaries and mainsheet winch are in easy reach from either pedestal.

The HR50 is a little neutral in feel on the helm in the really light conditions, but becomes increasingly engaging once the breeze gets up above 7 knots. Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

The twin rudders use two self aligning bearings and Frers set the tow angles. “German Frers very much encouraged the wide beam aft hull shape,” says Magnus. “I immediately understood. It’s obvious it was a much better performer and yet that it was a Hallberg-Rassy.”

Frers has now penned 25 Hallberg-Rassy designs over 34 years. There are already five models in the new generation range, which accounts for 90% of the yard’s turnover. Again the Hallberg-Rassy 50 is a refinement of these.

Deck stowage is one of the only areas you feel the difference in size to the Hallberg-Rassy 57, which has a large aft deck locker. Aboard the HR50, the aft berth extends to the transom, so there’s no option for that central lazarette. A dinghy would need to be on davits or on the foredeck.

Magnus says he wanted more deck locker space than the HR55. “Now I have a lot more because of the sail locker”. However, I still wonder if that’s enough. The sail locker is certainly ideal for carrying the offwind sails, spare halyards and fenders needed, but today’s cruisers crave more and more equipment.

Note the tall wet hanging locker by the companionway. Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

For liveaboard cruising, I’d personally want more space than the quarter lockers provide to stow bikes, paddleboards, and a raft of watersports gear.

Forward of the sail locker, the chain locker has a shelf for fenders and the chain wash gear. Moving along the wide side decks is easy and free of trip hazards and feels secure thanks to the toerail with teak cap rail.

The shroud bases are outboard enough to leave clear access, the scuppers drain below the waterline, and there is a step each side into the cockpit.

In the generous cockpit you’ll find comfortable benches with deep coamings and plenty of protection. Tell-tales of the premium quality are the 12 coats of gleaming varnish on the cockpit table, the extendable footbrace at its base, and the companionway washboards, which raise effortlessly on gas struts.

Single-level tradition

The interior is all on one level, a practical feature initiated by the iconic HR41 from the mid-1970s, which also set the trend for a walk-through to the aft cabin.

An inviting, spacious saloon split between relaxing and dining. Forward opening coachroof portholes make a big difference to natural ventilation. Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

The Hallberg-Rassy 50 feels particularly light and open. Magnus explained how modern hull stiffeners allow the creation of a lot more open spaces. These now run right up to deck level and, by using more longitudinal and horizontal reinforcements, fewer closed bulkheads are required.

The open bulkheads at the galley and navstation in particular help open up the interior, as does the light European oak finish and the neat integration of the keel-stepped mast by the central bulkhead.

The aft cabin is so wide it comes as standard with split berths: a double to starboard and single to port. Reportedly 99% of customers choose the central double berth, yet for some reason that remains an optional extra. Equally (strangely), a U-shape galley to starboard is the standard layout, yet a similar high percentage of Hallberg-Rassy buyers take linear galleys now, confirms Magnus, as they are larger with more worktop area, a bigger stove and extra refrigeration space.

Elsewhere, the forward cabin also has a vee-berth option rather than the island-style double, while the compact midships cabin can have a bunk above the double berth too.
For the majority choosing the linear galley format, this remains a practical sea-going design, with Corian worktops surrounded by fiddles that double as handrails. It boasts four fridges, three of which can be freezers. There is plenty of stowage, light and ventilation. However, the bin is too small – a custom shaped version with a sweep-in top may be the optimum solution.

Plenty of natural light in the spacious yet practical galley, which has electric cooking. . Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

The 3.5kW standard inverter is enough to run the induction stove without the (standard fit) genset, in the knowledge the large bank of lithium-ion batteries (50kWh) recharge rapidly. Hallberg-Rassy now places the majority of these batteries under the forward berth to reduce voltage drops, as the big consumers such as furlers and bow thruster are all forward.

There is complete access to the wiring looms behind the switch panel at the navstation, with every cable labelled to identify what kind of fuse it has. The chart table is spot on, with good surround stowage, including a deep cavity shelf aft for pilot books and manuals. Opposite here is a wet-hanging locker, ideally located by the companionway and heated by the engine room.

the aft cabin enjoys the maximum beam with the headboard against the transom. Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

Another staple of Hallberg-Rassys at this size is to have a walk-in engine room. Not only does it provide unhindered access to the 110hp Yanmar and 12kW genset, but the servicing is well considered in an area surrounded by thick perforated aluminium insulation. The fuel filters, mounted on panels (varnished mahogany no less), can be changed while the engine is running and there is an oil change pump and fuel sump pump fitted.

Hallberg-Rassy 50 – all In the detail

The master cabin is where you really appreciate the amount of volume the modern hull shape has bought – it’s palatial. I particularly like the offset desk/vanity area to starboard, which makes for a calm place to work. The raised sides each side of the berth will help keep you from rolling out, although leecloths are available. Some people may consider the positioning of the headboard right by the transom a downside as it could be a little noisy when berthed stern-to.

The inclusion of a panel in the deckhead for accessing the mainsheet winch without needing to remove all the headlining is smart. As is the location of the washing machine, accessed via the shower compartment yet contained within the engine room so it is sound insulated and can be removed via a panel in the cockpit floor.

The midships compact double and forward cabin share a sizable heads and shower. The shared entrance way is a little narrow, where headroom reduces to 6ft, but it opens out in the main guest cabin. This has good stowage and ample natural light from the double opening hatches.

Quality details include the lit and ventilated wardrobes, the continuous matching grain of the joiner work, and the carpeted sole, which has access panels where needed.

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This long awaited new launch, the Nautitech 44 Open has been designed with private owners in mind over charter, which makes for an impressive family bluewater cruiser

It’s been many years since we’ve seen an all new Nautitech catamaran, but it may have been worth the wait, with the first details of the new Nautitech 44 Open have been released and look impressive.

A really good looking blend of volume and performance for a family cruising production cat has ensured this new Nautitech 44 Open has risen to the top of our wishlist of new multihulls to see and sail in the new year.

It took 12 months in development after Nautitech used a panel of existing owners to try to create the ideal owner boat, one which sits between its Nautitech 40 Open and Nautitech 46 Open. While it’s a bold decision to abandon 50% of the market (catamaran charter) and only focus on private boats, this is where the DNA of the brand lies.

Nautitech 44 layout has been designed around the wishes of existing owners

Together with the fact that increasing numbers of its owners head for bluewater cruising, this led to the realisation that a technical room was missing and that existing owners often close off a forward cabin for use as stowage. So Nautitech developed a ‘SmartRoom’ option in the starboard forward cabin, a multifunctional space that can be laundry, workshop, clothes and toy stowage.

The modern Marc Lombard design features curved reverse bows and dual chines in the topsides. Displacement has been kept controlled and comparatively light at 10.5 tonnes, which, together with high freeboard and bridgedeck clearance, should help ensure it provides a fast yet comfortable ride.

Whatever your views on aft helms, they undeniably offer a more engaging helming experience as the connection to the rudders is so direct. Focus was placed on ensuring an ease of manoeuvring with minimum crew, and on ease of maintenance, including keeping running rigging visible and accessible. That, and creating an optimised flow through the cockpit and interior.

In contrast to today’s trend, the 44 Open has a large chart table, which has a forward-facing pride of place. It comes with two to four cabins both with two heads.
The first models are due to be shown in Miami in February and at La Grande Motte in April.

Nautitech 44 Open specifications

LOA: 13.30m / 43ft 8in
Beam: 7.36m / 23ft 0in
Draught: 1.45m / 4ft 9in
Displacement: 10,700kg / 22,046lb
Price: €543,600 ex VAT
Builder: nautitechcatamarans.com

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It's no secret that in recent years new launches under 40ft have become rarer and rarer. So this new Dufour 32 should stand out from the competition

The Dufour 32 is a compact new launch with particularly impressive deck and cockpit space thanks to its combination of modern wide aft beam hull shape and clever solutions.

An inflatable platform acts as a lightweight transom enclosure, for example, which can easily be removed and deflated or can serve as a sizable swim platform-cum-floating sunbathing space.

The tiller hinges up to free-up cockpit space, while the table can adjoin the two benches for full lounging space. The result is a cockpit that can transform into a much larger, and more comfortable area than most other 32ft yachts can accommodate.

Clever design features may lead you to believe the Dufour 32 is a much larger yacht than it really is. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot

The wide beam gives the interior a spacious feel as well in a two cabin, one heads layout. Again, Dufour has been smart with the furniture – the saloon table can be lowered to create a particularly large sleeping area.

This is a yacht which may have you constantly questioning its length.

Dufour 32 specifications:

LOA: 10.31m / 33ft 10in
Beam: 3.31m / 10ft 8in
Draught: 1.90m / 6ft 3in
Displacement: 4,900kg / 10,800lb
Price: €119,520 ex VAT
Builder: dufour-yachts.com

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Toby Hodges takes a look at all the nominees and the winner of the family cruising yachts category in the European Yacht of the Year Awards

Without doubt, the European Yacht of the Year awards is the most thorough and impartial awards programme – the winners here are widely considered the best yachts of the year. As such the boats nominated by the jury in the family cruising yachts category can be considered the best in class for 2022.

The awards now include 12 jury members from across Europe, each leading voices on boat testing in their respective countries. It involves shortlisting the best annual prospects, typically into five separate categories.

Best family cruising yachts of 2022

All these shortlisted yachts are worthy of closer scrutiny by anyone in the market for a new mid-range yacht to suit easy cruising, whether as couples, or with friends or family. The space race continues to thrive but these designs prove you can have that volume without unnecessarily impacting performance or enjoyment on the helm.

In the case of the Oceanis 34.1, a key priority for Beneteau when replacing its 35.1 was to ensure better performance in lighter air. The yard managed to save 500kg over the old model, while increasing the sail area. It also employed a lightweight 3D bridle style jib sheeting system, like Jeanneau and also now offers a lift keel solution, as per the smaller Sun Odyssey range.

We sailed the First Line version, which has a square-top mainsail and FlatDeck furler and found it approachable and surprisingly reactive, particularly when reaching at 8 knots under gennaker. A tulip-style bow/hull shape means the wetted area remains narrow but there’s more beam for interior space above that, particularly in the forward sections. We saw the three cabin interior with symmetrical aft cabins, but think that the two cabin version would be a standout in this class for the space it offers.

Beneteau Oceanis 34.1 price: €110,500

The Sun Odyssey 380 also packs in plenty of features and smart thinking, with prize examples being the walkaround deck (still practical even at this size) and the option for a lift keel. The latter is something Jeanneau has enjoyed a monopoly on in recent years, while a benefit over the 410 is that this model can have beaching legs too. As per the Oceanis 34.1 a performance version is offered.

Below decks owners can opt for a rectangular forward berth and a separate shower cum wet hanging compartment. Finish quality is questionable in areas, however the impressive part is arguably how much focus Jeanneau has paid to weight optimisation (up to two tonnes less than some of its competition). This includes a backstay-less rig, jib sheets on a textile bridle system and an injection made deck.

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 380 price: €153,700

Both my colleague Rupert Holmes and I feel that the Neel 43 stands out as the most exciting yacht in this category. It has the ability to outperform competitors on the water, offers so much more space than its fellow nominees and yet can still nose into the shallows. We also appreciate the more sustainable materials Neel is increasingly employing.

Once again, the Neel has a much more engaging helming experience compared to production catamarans and it was enjoyable and easy to average 8 knots in 10-12 knots, going in both directions. However, we understand some will find the interior too Spartan, with its lack of lockers and just a single heads. Full report in Sept 21

Neel 43 price: €377,000

The Dufour 470 gives the Hanse a good run for its money and could leave many torn between the two. Both yachts are single rudder designs that sail well and boast enormous volume, while the Dufour’s cockpit layout is arguably slightly more practical for sailing. In the end, the decision may just come down to aesthetics and interior layout preference.

Umberto Felci’s beamy hull still works in light winds but provides form stability when the breeze freshens. The test boat sported Elvstrom’s eXRP EKKO recycled polyester sails, for which we gave a special sustainability award and which we will feature in more detail in the next issue.

Dufour 470 price: €241,650

Best family cruising yacht of 2022 – Hanse 460

Hanse’s brave decision to change designers has seemingly paid off. The sporty looking 460 cleverly meets its brief of providing a voluminous hull that still performs. It boasts appealing exterior aesthetics and gives the feel of a larger yacht/model.

Following pitches from three naval architect firms, Hanse selected Berret Racoupeau’s interpretation, thus breaking from a long standing design partnership with Judel/Vrolijk.
Olivier Racoupeau joined me for my trial and explained how he kept the beamy hull narrow where it matters by using fore and aft chines.
During our light wind trials, the 460 certainly proved engaging to helm, with really light and communicative steering through the single rudder. As well as the standard self-tacking jib, the test boat has a second forestay to take a 140% furling reaching genoa – like a lightweight genoa of yesteryear – which allowed us to match the 5-knot breeze at 80-90ºT.

The neat pedestals have the option of B&G instruments mounted on the outboard facing sides, ideal for the helmsman. Our main gripe was with how cramped the sailing section of the cockpit and the quarters feel. Obviously the lion’s share has been given to the benches/guest cockpit space, which feels enormous with its telescopic twin tables.

Choices are numerous, including a fixed bimini with solar panels and windscreen, an open transom or an electric bathing platform with steps, folding helm seats, wet bar/ grill and retractable davits.

Interior design is by Olivier’s wife Isabelle Racoupeau and is again versatile with up to 48 layout configurations, from an owner’s hull to a charter layout for 10 guests. In the former version, the berth is large enough in the forward cabin to warrant steps up each side.

The 460 has already met exceptional response. Hanse had sold over 150 before we sailed the first one, accruing a two and a half year lead time.

Hanse 460 price: €270,900

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Toby Hodges takes a look at all the nominees and the winner of the performance cruisers 2022 category in the European Yacht of the Year Awards

The European Yacht of the Year awards is the most thorough and impartial awards programme – the winners here are widely considered the best yachts of the year. As such the boats nominated by the jury in the performance cruisers 2022 category can be considered the best of the best.

This year’s shortlist had the full range. From the more conventional definitive style of performance cruiser to the contemporary French interpretation of a lightweight planing cruiser – and even a new brand of sports catamarans for the thrill seekers.

Best performance cruisers 2022

Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/European Yacht of the Year

One such sports catamaran is the IC36, an exciting first offering from a new Czech brand that’s packed with fresh thinking. The first turbo version of this cruising catamaran (Independence) is built using a carbon fibre crossbeam, bowsprit, boards and rudders, epoxy hulls, plus a custom Pauger rotating mast, which all serve to keep weight below three tonnes.

It provided some spirited sailing, particularly when fetching at a measured pace of 10-13.5 knots with the code 0. The direct feel of tiller steering while seated in the low rotating bucket seats was a highlight.

The finish quality in the hulls is first class and there is somehow space for up to eight berths. The coachroof features a retractable bimini and removable vinyl side panels and solar panels, while the cockpit table, which includes an exterior galley, is also removable.

In fact the IC36 can be dismantled to 2.55m beam to make it legally trailable. It has so many options and ideas – too many perhaps – all reflected in the price.

IC36 price: €320,000 (basic) or €420,000 (Independence)

Monohull enthusiasts will share our congratulations to J-Boats for its elegant new flagship. The J/45 won the hearts of the jury and made for a long drawn out decision against the JPK. In the end the two yachts will appeal to different sailors and tastes.

J has stayed true to its roots, yet still managed to bring a current, classy new offering. The unmistakable Alan Johnstone lines have been paired with a contemporary, warm European interior designed by Isabelle Racopeau, while much focus has been paid to the joinerwork and the invisible quality. We saw the two cabin version, which has an excellent technical cabin in place of the second aft cabin.

The J/45 is designed to still perform when loaded with cruising gear. True to J’s reputation, it was a witch upwind and could outpoint anything else during our trials. The compromise is that it won’t plane easily like a JPK or Pogo.

J/45 price: €458,360

Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/European Yacht of the Year

The Solaris 40 is another looker from Soto Acebal and the blue steel metallic hull colour of the test boat made the powerful hull shape really stand out.

We liked the recessed traveller, direct steering to the twin rudders, neat folding helm seats, clutches integrated into the coamings and the easy access to the side decks. However, the jury found the cockpit with its short benches and deck design a little too flat and minimalist.

The interior is smart and contemporary, again offered with two or three cabins with two heads it makes good use of the space.

Solaris 40 price: €294,000

Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/European Yacht of the Year

One of the yachts I was looking forward to sailing most was the Pogo 44, and the only one shortlisted that I didn’t manage to! A collision with the photographer’s RIB shortly before my scheduled trial put it out of action.

However, my colleague Rupert Holmes did a full Pogo 44 test and report on it for Yachting World and describes the 44 as designed to thrill and unlike any other pure cruising yacht of its size. The stability from the beamy hull and deep lifting keel combines brilliantly with the ability to sail fast easily and in comfort. However some jury members didn’t like having to rely on an autopilot to use winches.

The interior is like a loft apartment, with so much natural light – it’s minimalist yet comfortable, spacious and practical for cruising.

Pogo 40 price: €271,715

Winner best performance cruisers 2022 – JPK 39FC

Along with fellow Brittany yard Pogo, JPK has redefined the modern performance cruiser: stiff, stable and efficient to the max. For the keen sailor who wants to get the utmost enjoyment out of hands-on cruising, the JPK 39 is a superb design (and to my eye, an appealing one too), while the yard has done a nice job with the vacuum-infused construction and interior fit-out. The two-cabin version we sailed had plenty of stowage too.

It looks different, behaves beautifully and stands up to its canvas, is designed to sail efficiently with a loaded displacement, and has a deck set-up to encourage you to trim it to your heart’s content. My only slight negative is the unnerving mess the cockpit can become as there are so many control lines.

This lightweight blast will best suit experienced sailors and those comfortable with short-handed sailing. And it guarantees smiles.

Jury comments:
“Sails insanely well,” Axel Nissen-Lie, Norway.
“Reassuringly stable and stiff, capable of speedy upwind legs as well as fully planing downwind – a combination still rare on the market.” Jochen Rieker, Germany.
“Extremely fast if you want it to be, suited to singlehanded sailing, but also containing every basic cruising need, whilst maintaining a high build quality.” Marinus van Sijdenborgh de Jong, NED

JPK 39FC price: €205,100

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Without doubt, the European Yacht of the Year awards is the most thorough and impartial awards programme – the winners…

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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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The post 5 best performance cruisers 2022 appeared first on Yachting World.

Toby Hodges takes a look at all the nominees and the winner of the luxury yachts category in the European Yacht of the Year Awards

There are many categories in the European Yacht of the Year awards, from the best family cruisers to performance yachts. But some of the most jaw-dropping options come when it is time to choose the nominees and winner in the best luxury yachts category.

The European Yacht of the Year awards are selected by a broad panel of expert judges from across the globe. These are people who spend their professional lives sailing and comparing yachts, so you can be certain that the yachts which stand out in this field are truly the best of the best on the market.

What constitutes luxury for you? Price, quality of finish, comfort (at sea or at anchor)? The broad selection for this category this year includes two from Group Beneteau which show how appealing space can be today, as well as offerings from more typical premium brands such as Swan and Hallberg-Rassy. Pricing is equally as broad: for the same length, one can cost three times the amount of the other.

Best luxury yachts of 2022

The outright winner in any space race is Lagoon and there would be very few people, if honest with themselves, who wouldn’t dream of spending holidays and extended cruising time aboard the resort that is the new Lagoon 55.

The jury and I were unanimous in our applause of Lagoon’s thorough approach with its prototype of this latest vast model, which spent a whole season logging 6,000 miles of mainly Mediterranean sailing and taking interested clients aboard to iron out any issues.

The second prototype will do the same in the US, the third in Asia. And despite 30 orders being placed at the Cannes Boat Show alone, Lagoon will still not start the assembly line until the full debugging process is complete, in September this year.

We reviewed the first model in the October 2021 issue. The sheer amount of different sections of the boat in which to relax will make you giggle, as will the beam in the hulls – executive suites is a closer description than aft cabins. Despite its size and only having very light winds, the Lagoon 55 always kept moving, thanks in part to the Code 0, which is a doddle to set and electrically furl away.

Lagoon 55 price: €1,139,300

The Jeanneau 60 is another new model which has seemingly mastered the appeal for space at an attractive price, combined with a raft of layout options offered, which will help give each identity. I viewed two at the Cannes Boat Show last autumn and, so different were they from one another, that it was only after disembarking and checking the specs did I believe they were the same model.

Whether you take the arch and fixed bimini roof or not is a key factor in the exterior look, but it’s more the 19 different available interior configurations, including fore or aft owners suite and forward galley layout, that will have the biggest effect.

Despite all the extras and accessories, including a 3m RIB housed in an offset garage, the 60 has been kept comparatively light weight and the resultant performance in light airs showed. Jeanneau says owners will typically use this model in the Med, so it focussed on the ability to walk through the deck and cockpit easily.

Jeanneau 60 price: €650,000

The Swan 58, meanwhile, has been conceived for distance cruising, an elegant and powerful looking Frers design which has already met with very popular demand. Swan pitched the 58 as a fast bluewater cruiser which can be managed by a couple, and concentrated on maintaining helming pleasure while prioritising comfort and safety.

That’s a lot of boxes to try to tick, however it is undoubtedly a good looking luxury cruising yacht with the potential for sparkling performance and covering long distances in style. Full report in February 2021.

Swan 58 price: €1.98m

Likewise, the sailing performance of the X.56 will be what grabs you the most – It’s pure X, 
But we also really liked the cockpit layout of the test boat with its mainsheet plinth and the attention to styling the Danish yard is increasingly giving to its interiors, including on this the optional island in the galley and the tinted oak veneer finish. See the full report on pXX.

X.56 price: €970,000

Best luxury yacht of 2022 – Hallberg-Rassy 50

We featured a full test of this Swedish gem in January, but in summary, this 50 is beautifully refined and arguably the best model yet in Rassy’s modern hull-shape generation. It uses every inch of German Frers’ cunning design while still delivering highly impressive, push-button controlled performance across the wind ranges, particularly with the optional high-spec carbon rigging package.

Hallberg-Rassy 509 price: SEK 13,221,900 – approx €1.28m

Jury comments:
“No other shipyard has mastered the balancing act between contemporary, modern yacht building and the retention of traditional values better than Hallberg-Rassy,” says Roland Duller, Austria.

“Performance, reliability and dignity of both sailing and living are found in balance,” Pasi Nuutinen, Finland.

“Magnificent hull lines, great ergonomics, spacious cabins and the rock solid Swedish build quality all combine to something universally great,” Jochen Rieker, Germany.

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Thinking of heading off on a world-girdling cruise or just want to cross oceans in style? Here's the best bluewater cruisers of 2022 that will help you se off on a new life at sea

The results are in from the European Yacht of the Year Awards as the judges have announced their top four bluewater cruisers of 2022.

The European Yacht of the Year awards are well regarded as the definitive yacht awards in the world a variety of categories are judged by the panel from best luxury cruisers, to best family cruisers to performance yachts.

But for those looking to liveaboard their yacht, making plans to do some ocean crossings, or looking to undertake some long distance passage making, the best bluewater cruisers will likely be the category that draws the eye.

There were a brilliantly diverse and interesting collection of new designs for this category – a celebration of French ingenuity. For those planning long term cruising, would you choose a robust aluminium build for higher latitudes sailing, shoal draught to tuck into the shallows (a mix of both?), sustainable living or reliable comfort, or the ability to log sustained high speeds to outrun weather systems? This selection gives you all those choices and more.

Best bluewater cruisers of 2022

The new flagship Allures 51.9, for example, is a no-nonsense adventure cruising design built and finished to a high standard. It retains Allures’ niche of using aluminium hulls with glassfibre decks and superstructures, which, the yard maintains, gives the optimum combination of least maintenance and less weight higher up. Priorities for this design were a full beam aft cabin and a spacious, long cockpit. Both are excellent, with the latter, at 6m long, offering formidable social, sailing and aft deck zones.

It likes some breeze to come to life on the wheel, but I appreciate that it’s designed to take up to five tonnes payload. And I like the ease with which you can change gears using the furling headsails and the positioning of the powerful Andersen winches inboard. The arch is standard and comes with a textile sprayhood or hard bimini.

Below decks you’ll find abundant headroom and natural light, a deep U-shape galley and cavernous stowage. For those who like the layout of the Amel 50 but would prefer aluminium or shoal draught, look no further.

Allures 51.9 price: €766,000

The Ovni 370 is another cunning new aluminum centreboard offering, a true deck saloon cruiser for two. The designers say the biggest challenge was to create a Category A ocean going yacht at this size with a lifting keel, hence the hull had to be very stable.

Enjoyable to helm, it has a practical, deep cockpit behind a large sprayhood, which can link to the bimini on the arch. Many of its most appealing features lie in the bright, light, contemporary, clever, voluminous interior, which has good stowage and tankage allocation. There’s also a practical navstation, a large workroom and a vast separate shower. I particularly like the convertible saloom, which can double as a large secure daybed or pilot berth.

Potentially the least expensive Category A lift keel boat available, the Ovni will get you dreaming of remote places again.

Ovni 370 price: €282,080

There’s no shortage of spirit in the Windelo 50. We gave this a sustainability award after it’s founders spent two years researching environmentally-friendly composite materials, developing an eco-composite of basalt fibre and recycled PET foam so it could build boats that halve the environmental impact of standard glassfibre yachts.

The Windelo 50 is an intriguing package – from the styling, modular interior and novel layout to the solar field on the roof and the standard electric propulsion, it is completely fresh.

Windelo 50 price: €795,000

Best bluewater cruiser of 2022 – Outremer 55

I would argue that this is the most successful new production yacht on the market. Well over 50 have already sold (an equipped model typically costs €1.6m) – and I can understand why. After all, were money no object, I had this design earmarked as the new yacht I would most likely choose for a world trip.

Indeed 55 number one Sanya, was fully equipped for a family’s world cruise, and left during our stay for the Grand Large Odyssey tour. Whereas we sailed Magic Kili, which was tricked up with performance options, including foam-cored deckheads and supports, carbon crossbeam and bulkheads, and synthetic rigging.

At rest, these are enticing space ships. Taking one out to sea is another matter though. These are speed machines with the size, scale and loads to be rightly weary of. Last month Nikki Henderson wrote a feature for us about how to manage a new breed of performance cruising cats just like this and how she coaches new owners. I could not think of wiser money spent for those who do not have ample multihull sailing experience.

Under sail, the most fun was obviously reserved for the reaching leg under asymmetric, where we clocked between 11-16 knots in 15-16 knots wind. But it was the stability and of those sustained low teen speeds which really hit home  – passagemaking where you really cover miles.

Key features include the swing helms, which give you views from outboard, over the coachroof or from a protected position in the cockpit through the coachroof windows, and the vast island in the galley, which is key to an open plan main living area. It helps provide cavernous stowage and acts as the heart of the entertaining space as it would in a modern home. As Danish judge Morten Brandt-Rasmussen comments: “Apart from being the TGV of ocean passages the boat offers the most spacious, open and best integration of the cockpit and salon areas in the market.”

Outremer has done a top job in packing in the creature comforts, stowage space and payload capacity, while keeping it light enough to eat miles. Although a lot to absorb and handle, the 55 offers a formidable blend of speed and luxury cruising.

Outremer 55 price: €1.35m

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Toby Hodges takes a look at all the nominees and the winner of the special yachts category in the European Yacht of the Year Awards

Often one of the most interesting categories in the European Yacht of the Year Awards, the special yachts category once again comprises a wonderfully eclectic mix in 2022, which bring some fascinating ideas.

Where other categories in the awards such as the best family cruisers, best bluewater yachts, or best luxury yachts are made up of boats that are similar in terms of their usage the best special yachts category has a plethora of options, all of which have found a new, interesting or otherwise noteworthy design direction.

Best special yachts of 2022

Take the Revolution 24 for example, a really special looking special yacht, this aluminium built David Raison scow design is a veritable tardis. The test boat is very basic below decks, agricultural even, but the boat has intrigue, innovation and charm. The concept was to keep it simple and light (although it is 2.2 tonnes), so, for example, a spray cork insulation is used for the interior with no liners needed. Built by Afep Marine in La Rochelle it has a vertical lift keel which reduces draught from 1.9m to 1m and it can dry out on its bulb and rudders using legs. Whether you admire the scow shape or not, the volume it buys you below is astonishing.

Revolution 24 price: €72,600

Arguably at the other end of the spectrum, the De Cesari 33 is a timeless, gorgeous daysailer, the product of an 80-year old, third generation yard near Rimini, which only builds in wood.

The Ceccarelli design is constructed from mahogany using three layouts of diagonals and vacuum infused with epoxy. It proved a delight to sail with – slicing high to windward into a short swell and Force 4-5, twisting the square-top main to spill the gusts – and fun to trim (although a mainsheet plinth would certainly help).

An appealing option for classic regatta sailing and flat water daysailing, which would give pride of ownership.

De Cesari 33 price: €145,000

Although the aggressively contemporary look may not be to everyone’s aesthetic tastes, the Sunbeam 32.1 is perhaps the most innovative design of the nominees. The 65-year old Austrian yard went back to a blank drawing board to try to re-evaluate what a certain sector of the market wants. It’s decision to focus on a demand for weekenders has already met with formidable response with over 30 orders taken last autumn.

Sunbeam sought something practical and fun with the space to take friends aboard for watersports etc. The 32.1 therefore maximises deck area, using an electric bathing platform to give an additional 4m2, while the entire cockpit can be enclosed in a sprayhood and bimini. The novel ‘Flightdeck’ forward section is also designed to create more foredeck without widening the waterline.

Rigged to be easy to handle solo, the Sunbeam offers approachable sporty sailing. It powers up and heels easily thanks to the square top main, which may suit lake sailing, but is perhaps a little tender. The interior has lots of natural light and bright colours to ensure it feels modern and spacious, plus a separate private heads. Finish quality is superb.

Sunbeam 32.1 price: €179,000

The smallest and most inexpensive of the nominees this year is the Tricat 6.90, which scooped a special mention award for versatility. It has a practical folding mechanism, can be trailered, beached and used by a small family for camping – plus it hits a price point in which most other yacht manufacturers have given up competing.
A vacuum-infused polyester build with Corecell core ensures that it’s light enough (720kg) to plane easily and trail behind a normal car and can be slip-launched quickly to open up your sailing locations. On the water it provides really easy, light, fast performance sailing in a simple, no-frills package. The 6.90 comes in three versions from basic to sport. The deck design is well thought out, the interior Spartan but functional.

Tricat 6.90 price: €52,000

Winner special yachts of 2022 – Saffier SE33

Just when you think it’s found the perfect daysailer formula, Saffier adds more and more refinement, from the design to the first class finish throughout. So even though the SE27 won this award last year, this slightly bigger and better version made it almost impossible not to award again.

The SE33 is a beauty, an absolute joy to sail. It has a beamier shape than its predecessor and that beam is carried all the way aft. The resultant volume is felt throughout but particularly below decks, which can be laid out with two or four berths. Interior fit out quality and finish quality is now top notch.

Saffier uses a carbon foredeck to avoid bulkheads and allow for a 2.20m vee berth with a fill-in section. The test boat also had a carbon mast (all owners have chosen this so far), with curved spreaders that allow for a 115% genoa.

The ease with which you can leave the dock and be sailing is a calling card of Saffier, particularly with the noise-free electric engine option. Then it’s all about the pure sailing experience: stable, stiff, rewarding, light handling and, thanks to the deck ergonomics, easy.

Upwind, the SE33 responded well to keeping the bow down and speed up to slice into the sharp swell, where boatspeed stayed up around late 7s-8 knots (in 15-18 knots). I particularly like the inclusion of reversible Harken winches, which allows you to control the main and jib sheet from the windward seated position. Then with the A-sail popped, we had the best downwind sleighrides, with the log clocking between 11-15 knots across and with the waves.

Once again this is a Saffier which, in a heartbeat, can change from elegant gentleman’s daysailer to an adrenaline ride of a sportsboat. It’s a dangerously addictive formula.

Saffier SE33 price: €139,500

Jury comments:
“By combining elegant styling, excellent workmanship and fantastic sailing characteristics Saffier has found the philosopher’s stone for the concept of daysailers” Roland Duller, Austria.

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The recently announced Sunreef 43 will be a luxury superyacht catamaran designed to accommodate 12 guests with a 50ft wide owners cabin

Sunreef has been dropping tantalising hints for some time about a 43m/140ft super sailing catamaran, and now the first renderings of this behemoth have landed. Details are still fairly sparse about the Sunreef 43, as it is a work in progress, but it has been designed to accommodate 12 guests in luxury, including a full-beam owner’s suite (that’s 50ft of beam!). This last has private access to a bow terrace and spa pool.

Very much in line with current trends, this huge boat is available in an ‘Eco’ variant, which basically equates to hybrid propulsion with hydrogeneration and solar panels. Not just any panels, however – these are Sunreef’s proprietary system and can be set into any surface on board, from decks and topsides to masts. A titanic 50kW are envisaged.

The other key feature revealed is the simply vast ‘beach’ aft. A very large hydraulic platform lowers from the height of the aft deck to just above the waterline. At the same time, two platforms built into the outer edge of the transom skirts fold outwards, creating a deep terrace that runs round the quarter. Behind these doors lie a garage to port and a gym to starboard, although the spaces can be customised.

There’s a gigantic flybridge with a hardtop protecting it, and this runs to lounging, dining and bar space – as well as the skipper’s futuristic helm station.

A yacht this size naturally spreads a lot of canvas. The main alone covers 500m2 with a gennaker up to 800m2. And while the speed under sail is not defined, the boat’s cruising pace of 11 knots should be an easy reach for the twin 200kW motors. The accommodation is designed for seven crew, and negotiations are under way with a potential buyer.

Sunreef 43 Specifications:

LOA: 43.00m 141ft 1in
Beam: 15.40m 50ft 6in
Bulder: sunreef-yachts.com

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The Velarca 135 is designed to provide motoryacht owners with a greener, less power-hungry alternative

Billed as the ‘next generation’ yacht for eco-conscious cruisers, the Velarca 135 combines a motoryacht-style hull and superstructure with a rather original rig. Finns Sami Lehtonen and Sanna-Kaisa Koivisto are the sailors behind the new Isola Corvus brand, whose concept has been brought to life by Beiderbeck.

Two carbon masts set three hydraulic furling jibs. But the middle one is rigged upside down, with the foot of the sail uppermost. More than anything, it resembles a modern take on the billowing ‘fisherman’ sail deployed by traditional schooners in light winds.

And yet this is anything but a traditional boat. The sails will be in high performance laminate or membrane, their control lines hidden in conduits. The easy-to-handle rig reduces the need for crew on deck, so the eight-strong team can spend more time pampering the guests.

A diesel-electric hybrid propulsion system will be capable of regenerating power under sail, slashing emissions in the process.

The aim is really to provide motoryacht owners with a greener, less power-hungry alternative. And as such, the Velarca has been conceived to bring a new ease to the activity of sailing a yacht, allied to all the creature comforts that superyacht owners expect.

Key features include an attractive oval-shaped spa pool on the aft deck and two fold-down wings close to the quarters for setting out sun loungers.

There are five or six en-suite guest cabins with double and bunk bed options, and a huge social area on the upper deck which includes a bar and a forward observation lounge.

“We wanted to bring a better, more environmentally friendly alternative to the yacht market, in order for us to make sure the next generations get to enjoy the wonders of the seas as well,” says Lehtonen.

Velarca 135 specifications:

LOA: 41.00m 134ft 6in
LWL: 40.80m 133ft 10in
Beam: 9.30m 30ft 6in
Draft: 3.60m-6.50m 11ft 10in-21ft 4in(various options)
Displacement: 210 tonnes
Builder: velarca.com

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Southern Wind Hybrid 108 is a brand new sloop with diesel-electric propulsion designed by BAE Systems with significant built-in regeneration capability

Cape Town’s Southern Wind shipyard has unveiled more details of its new 108ft hybrid sloop the Southern Wind Hybrid 108, which is already well into the moulding phase.

Penned by Nauta and Farr Yacht Design, it is the brand’s first project to be designed from the off with diesel-electric propulsion, being supplied by BAE Systems.

Identical to the system found in electric city buses, the BAE product should save the boat up to 30% in fuel consumption. It comes with regeneration capability that means the boat could arrive after an ocean crossing with its fuel tanks still topped up.

“The total weight depends on the battery capacity that the owner chooses to have, but if you compare like for like, it’s not much heavier than a normal diesel installation,” says Southern Wind technical manager Yann Dabbadie.

Full carbon build, an increased sailplan and a 6.2m lifting keel should keep the boat sailing even in light conditions. “The production of SW108 will begin with a well-canvassed, very powerful arrangement for exceptional performance in light winds, but also up through the wind range,” says Farr’s Jim Schmicker.

We’ve also been given a first glimpse of the Nauta interior, which resembles that of the boat’s smaller sister Taniwha. There’s space for three double cabins, plus a studio that can be converted into a cabin. It leaves room for an L-shaped social area with seating, a dining area and a TV lounge.

The yacht has been designed in Southern’s ‘smart custom’ programme, meaning the technical platform and hull shape will be reused for further 108ft boats. Deck plans, interior configuration, styling and outfitting are entirely at the owner’s discretion.

Southern Wind Hybrid 108 specifications:

LOA: 32.77m 107ft 6in
LWL:29.89m 98ft 1in
Beam: 7.51m 24ft 8in
Draft: 3.65m-5.60m 12ft 0in-18ft 4in
Displacement: 79.6 tonnes
Builder: sws-yachts.com

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Toby Hodges and Rupert Holmes take a look at some of the latest eco-friendly sails technology, from recycleable to recycled materials

Sails are predominantly made from new plastics, chemicals and virgin fibres, but some latest developments may help address that and make eco-friendly sails a real option when you buy your next set.

As consumers, looking after your sails and making them last remains key. But for manufacturers, developing circular economy products should be the holy grail – using sustainably sourced products which can be recycled again to make raw materials. While Dacron, Dyneema, carbon fibre, aramid, Mylar films, chemicals and glues remain the mainstay of sailmaking, that seems a pipe dream. However, we understand, for example, that North Sails has a team working on circular cradle-to-grave recycling for the polyester versions of its 3Di sails that would enable the company to derive raw materials for new fabric from end-of-life sails.

Meanwhile, a couple of large lofts have forged ahead with looking for solutions for high standard laminate sails using greener tech. OneSails is producing sails which can be broken down for recycling after use, while Elvstrom has launched its EKKO range of laminate sails that are made entirely out of recycled materials.

eXRP EKKO mix of black polyester fibres with white taffeta produces a grey sail

Elvstrom eXRP EKKO – Sails from plastic bottles

eXRP Cruise is the latest addition to Danish sailmaker, Elvstrom’s more sustainable EKKO line, sails made from recycled plastic bottles. Essentially, this is a high end laminate, where the main constituents are all made from recycled PET/polyester – including the UV film, the taffeta and fibres.

We got to see the product in use in La Rochelle, trialling it on a new Dufour 470. The European Yacht of the Year jury was impressed enough with seeing the performance, and with finding out the lengths to which Elvstrom has gone to implement its construction, that we gave eXRP EKKO a special mention award.

Three different weights are offered: light, medium and heavy. To get stability in the heaviest version (the eXRP Cruise laminate we sailed with) Elvstrom had to add some UPE virgin fibres – “but only a few grams per m2 to get it up to a 50ft boat,” reasoned Flemming Christensen, product development manager and the driving force behind the new greener sails.

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Elvstrom’s tests have shown eXRP to be highly form stable, even more stable than similar laminate from market competitors, thinks Christensen: “with no real optical difference to other laminates made from virgin materials”. The EKKO option is available on Elvstrom’s performance and bluewater cruising and club racing products.

“The goal was to make as green a construction as we could,” Christensen told me while trimming the stackpack mainsail. He explained how laminate sails use a chemical on the outer layer of taffeta as a UV inhibitor. Elvstrom managed to avoid this by using a UV PET film within the sail, “which gives us a bit more protection to the polyester fibres inside”. The PU glue also has a UV inhibitor in it which helps promote longevity.

Christensen thinks using recycled content rather than focussing on trying to develop recyclable sails is the way to go for now.

“There is no product on the market that can be fully recycled because they all have glue inside. So our goal was to make a new product from scrap material,” he said.

Falling costs of recycled materials mean EKKO sails are competitively priced

Why only now?

Laminate sails largely comprise polyester products such as Dacron and Mylar, so why has it taken this long for a loft to start producing sails made from recycled products? Firstly there’s the issue of sourcing recycled materials that are a reliably high standard.

Elvstrom ended up teaming up with cloth manufacturer Challenge but first needed to establish reliable suppliers of recycled polyester. “When you recycle polyester, you have to find the right quality,” said Christensen. “It took some time, but we found some in Holland and then in China.”

He also points out that it’s to do with the demand:cost spiral. Where just three years ago it cost 10-15% more for the raw materials, such is the demand from the textile industry today that the price of recycled PET has come right down.

The result is that there is little difference in pricing, whether you choose the EKKO product or not. “We hope that the fact you do not really have to consider the price issue on this one, will make the decision to go for the more sustainable version very easy,” Christensen reasoned. “We believe we can make something equivalent to a high quality virgin fibre sail today.”

elvstromsails.com

OneSails 4T Forte sails can be broken down for recycling after use

OneSails 4T Forte – Sails you can recycle

Unfortunately there’s no way to recycle a sail that’s made out of a mix of material such as carbon, aramid, Mylar and glues. However, in 2013 Piercarlo Molta, OneSails’ R&D coordinator and CEO of Flexon Composites, producer of 4T Forte sails, set out to develop a new material that can be recycled, without compromising shape retention, longevity and reliability.

“At that time I decided to get rid of carbon and Mylar and move towards materials and processes that would be more sustainable,” he told us, “but we still had to ensure the performance would be the same.”

Conceptually the general idea is straightforward: to build the structure of the sail using a single material, plus a layer of thermoplastic melting matrix in the sandwich. These are vacuum bagged and then heated over a shaped air suspension surface, so that when the thermoplastic melts it flows through all the other layers, bonding all the elements together in exactly the right shape.

At the end of its life the sail can be recycled locally in a standard industrial recycling plant. The first stage is to mill it into small pieces, heat to extract the thermoplastic, then heat further until the fabric is molten and can be extruded into pellets. As an example, one of the sails Pip Hare used in the Vendée Globe has already been recycled in this way.

4T Forte sail fabric is constructed from multiple micro-layers

On the downside, you can’t get back to a pure polyethylene, so this is not a full circular economy model in which old sails provide the raw materials for new ones. However, the pellets can be used to create a variety of other new injection moulded products.

The engineering involved in creating such a sail is not simple. The fabric is a composite made of 16-20 micro layers, all of which are fine tuned for each sail and each boat. In addition to the structural fibres and thermoplastic melting matrix, they include a secondary grid for support and stability, a honeycomb that increases stiffness while keeping weight as low as possible, plus UV and abrasion resistant outer layers.

Other than the thermoplastic matrix, the base material for every layer is pure high modulus polyethylene (UHMWPE), a part of the same chemical family as Dyneema. This has a very similar modulus to carbon, but crucially enables the sail to be constructed from a single material – a prerequisite for recycling.

Molta is keen to point out that the thermoplastic film used is not a conventional glue. Its chemical properties are not changed at any stage of the process, which means it can be recovered entirely by heating.

In addition to producing sails for racing and cruising yachts of all sizes, he’s “very involved” in emerging technologies for wind powered shipping, developing sails for vessels with a total sail area of around 4,000m2 and individual sails of around 600-700m2 each. To give a sense of scale, a 4T Forte mainsail for the ClubSwan 125 Skorpios is around half that size at 380m2.

onesails.com

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We showcase three of the latest 3 standout sailing superyacht designs for their ability to bring the outside in

A priority with any new superyacht design should be of providing the owners with the ability to enjoy their surroundings to the absolute fullest while giving them the means and options for proper privacy.

We’ve picked out three new standout yachts we have viewed which achieve just that, but in different ways.

All were launched during the pandemic and are high performance cruising yachts which have a prized asset in the form of their accommodation layout, superstructure design or both. And they afford their owners some truly special space.

Here’s hoping that before long the learnings from such design combinations trickle down to smaller yachts too.

CeFeA – Solaris 111

Solaris Yachts’ new flagship is a performance pin-up, but on top of CeFeA’s beamy, powerful, alluring lines, towering sailplan and ultra clean deck, there’s something else that surely grabs your attention – the sheer amount of space sculpted out of the aft section.

Now consider that this is only the exterior portion of a vast owner’s area. The concept’s goal was to create the type of master cabin you might find on a mega motoryacht, a suite which links directly to its own private terrace on the sea. The result is nothing short of spectacular.

CeFeA was built for Luxemburg businessman and yachtsman Marc Giorgetti and named, like his previous Solaris 72DH, after his three children (using a combination of their names). Last year Giorgetti became the majority shareholder and president of Solaris Yachts.

CeFeA’s imposing beam and the way it’s been carried right aft so that there is still 7.6m at the transom is key to creating the palatial aft owner’s suite

His Solaris 111 is the first of a series of semi-custom high-performance superyachts by the Italian brand. The lines are by its go-to designer Soto Acebal, while the exterior, interior and engineering was placed in the experienced hands of MYT Design’s Carlo Torre.

Light and fast but principally designed for cruising, CeFeA was built in prepreg carbon and epoxy at Performance Boats, the Forli facility Solaris bought in 2014. This composite specialist produced Wally Yachts over the last two decades, led by production manager Lorenzo Mascarucci, and has the new Wally 101 in build.

The Wally similarities don’t only lie with the construction and engineering or the aft terrace design. Think Wally’s style, performance and easy handling, but with a hefty measure of luxury and comfort added in.

views up the mast through the companionway glass from the saloon

As the pictures show, CeFeA sets a considerable amount of canvas, which includes a 650m2 main and self-tacking jib hoisted up a 50m Southern Spars high modulus mast. The key, though, with a yacht designed mainly for cruising is to make sure it’s practical to do so. Sheets and halyards are led under deck and MagicTrim hydraulic pullers are used for the main and jib (a system also long favoured by Wally) – so as Mascarucci points out, you can ease sheets when reaching with no one needing to go near winches.

And then it happens

Torre told me how Solaris wanted a semi-custom platform at this size to appeal to clients who did not necessarily have the time or experience to start custom projects. A telescopic keel with no trunk helps allow the yard to adapt the layout easily.

The interior has a light, modern and relaxed feel, with warm materials and finishes and lots of natural and indirect light. There are two enormous guest cabins aft of the saloon (which include ensuites with twin basins and marbled showers). The mix of walnut trim, leather, fabrics and alcantara – not to mention the cashmere carpets – create a tactile finish.

Now that’s a cabin! The glass companionway doors are angled, so double as skylights

And then it happens. Little can prepare you for entering the owner’s cabin – it’s certainly on a scale unlike anything we’ve seen before. The doors leading out to an aft terrace format has nods to the Wallys of the 1990s and 2000s, Tiketitan, Sensei and even the mighty Esense. But the crucial difference here is that CeFeA uses modern (delta style) hull shape to the utmost, positioning this cabin in the max beam of the boat.

“You can’t find another cabin like this on a boat this size,” Mascarucci reasons. Not only does the cabin itself boast nearly 40m2 in area, thanks to the astonishing beam, but at the push of a deckhead button the glass doors slide open and you’re straight onto another 40m2 section: the terrace complete with its inviting sunset loungers.

Most superyacht owners, whatever the size of boat, will always feel like they are sharing space with crew when they walk on deck/into the cockpit.

Sliding companionway leads from the owner’s suite onto a 40m2 private terrace

Instead, imagine waking up and breezing onto that sea terrace with a coffee and only the horizon to greet you. It’s a design which enables a true sense of privacy.
A louvred headboard creates a privacy screen at the forward end of the master cabin and its island berth. With nearly 8m of beam, there’s space for his and hers bathrooms, an office to one side of the berth and a sofa area the other.

The forward accommodation, beyond the raised saloon and dining area, comprises another twin guest cabin, and a ‘playroom’, an adaptable snug/games/mess zone. The galley and crew section comprises three cabins for the four or five permanent crew, plus a small laundry area with access to the low yet wide engine room.

CeFeA’s commanding aesthetics are set off by the cool-looking coachroof with its tinted wraparound windows. The owner wanted that more classic style seen on his previous 72DH. But it’s the layout and space available which impresses as much. In short, thanks to the freeboard and beam, the accommodation and volume is more equivalent to a 130ft+ yacht.

The powerful hull is topped with a highly distinctive deckhouse, which brings multiple benefits.
Right: the cascading oak steps. Photo: Andreas Lindlahr

Prevail – Y-Yachts Tripp 90

Prevail is a unique, bold and arresting design inside and out. Modern, refreshing, intriguing, the project has taken an established performance hull shape and given it a completely bespoke spin. It’s a team effort the German builders, Tripp Design and Andrew Winch were rightly proud of when they showed us around the yacht and its multitude of details.

The result of creating that distinctive and substantial deckhouse as the yacht’s heart is striking and provides its owners with the ability to truly enjoy their surroundings from within a lightweight fast cruiser. It also helps give the effect of a much larger yacht, a capacious superyacht.

“Design and architecture-wise the deckhouse style is a lot more interesting,” thinks Bill Tripp. “A flush deck boat is fine for racing and hiking crew – otherwise, you want that inside/outside experience. It’s so much more interesting to draw a house to go outside.”

The extra long pilothouse he conceived expands the volume and feeling of space within, together with its vertical windows, which also help encourage light in while restricting glare and heat. Tripp considers this reminiscent of 1900s pilot cutters, with L-beams overlapping each other, a style he has been wanting to do for years. “Prevail’s owner came from one of our 65’s that had the distinctive deckhouse design developed for the Baltic Black Pearl (2009),” Tripp explains while swiping through designs on his iPad. “When he saw the first impressions of this more radical deckhouse he liked it.

The house with a view: glass companionway doors and huge skylight panels provide plenty of natural light. Photo: Michal Baginski

“We’re always looking for something new yet timeless.” The project started at 85ft and grew – to 88ft, then 90ft – so that it could take part in Bucket regattas.

For the Winch Design team responsible for the interior, it was their first big sailing yacht project since Inoui in 2012. Their enthusiasm for it shows: below decks is sensational. All the more so when you consider how it was achieved… during a pandemic. “It was one of the only projects we’ve had to manage fully remotely,” confirms senior partner Ignacio Oliva-Velez.

The king-sized berth is offset to port in the owners’ suite and there is abundant natural light. The oak sole boards contrast with anigre bulkheads. Photo: Michal Baginsk

Prevail has a true decksaloon in that it is sited at deck level for 360° vision. “The owner wanted to be able to sit in the saloon and see the sea all around,” says Winch Design’s senior project manager Joost Roes. Add to that the volume and beam afforded to the engine room space below and you really appreciate the benefits the decksaloon brings.

Another particularly impressive feature of the layout, and one of the largest challenges for the design team, is one you cannot see: the APM lifting keel has been integrated so neatly so you wouldn’t know it was there.

In fact, the amount of luxury and space on offer disguise the fact that this is a lightweight (55 tonne) carbon speedster. “This is an ocean going full performance cruiser and Andrew’s [Winch] philosophy is that this has to work for a sailor, hence there are handholds everywhere,” Roes explains, while also pointing out the bevelled edges to the wooden furniture.

Materials gain

The turn of the century style which Tripp brings with the pilot boat inspired deckhouse is subtly echoed on the interior, including the use of plank-style deckheads and plenty of timber. Roes says that Prevail’s US owners were very involved in the build and styling, in particular the plethora of materials and different wood finishes. The abundant joinerwork is in stained anigre, a tropical hardwood – “the owner liked cherry, but this is a little subtler and lighter,” Roes clarifies.

The snug area connecting saloon and forward cabins. Photo: Michal Baginski

Polished stainless steel and clear-coat carbon fibre help to bring the outside in, replicating materials seen on deck. There is also plenty of fine leather on show, in cream, white, tan and blue on handrails, headboards and sideboards. These holistic details and finishes have been finished in superb quality by the German yard.

The companionway steps are a favourite feature, a true work of art. Smoothly crafted from oak to avoid any sharp edges, they cascade like a waterfall seamlessly into a secondary set of steps leading to the aft accommodation. Indirect lighting is used subtly to enhance the flowing curves. Alongside here is more cabinet-making mastery: a dining area dresser with Rosewood doors framed in darker Macassar wood.

The lower saloon seating area features a Barcelona chair and Poltrona Frau sofas, while the snug area forward of the saloon is a clever space which connects saloon to master cabin. Here the combination of a large wooden desk, together with a curved sofa which can become a berth, makes for an adaptable work or relaxation space. The owner is a musician and an area to sit and play and have his favourite guitar hung on the bulkhead was a must.

The stunning vast expanse of deck space

The owners also wanted a galley that they could feel at home cooking in and not feel too segregated from the crew. Yet when privacy is required an electronic sliding door separates the galley and the crew quarters from the main accommodation. The U-shaped galley, finished in bright blue with white countertops, is practical with plenty of headroom, natural light and worksurfaces. The latter are, like the bathroom sinks, man-made Caesarstone, which feels like marble, but is finished here with radiused edges and fiddles.

It is very rare to find a yacht that offers such crossovers: high performance yet easy handling, the space and comfort of a much larger yacht, and one designed to be practical at sea yet with a first class luxury look and finish.

Path’s prominent deckhouse and its extensive hard bimini

Path – Baltic 146

All 146ft of this giant from Baltic Yachts, including the prominent deckhouse and its extensive hard bimini aft, has been designed with input from a deeply practical owner, writes Sam Fortescue. That means a fast hull, light carbon layup and a tried-and-tested rig geometry. And when it comes to the interior, the philosophy was very similar: creating a bullet-proof, bluewater yacht.

The large deckhouse amidships is flush with the boat’s supersized cockpit. It’s a brilliant seagoing design which affords extensive protection to crew and guests as well as the surface area for meaningful solar power. In fact, Path has arguably the ultimate modern day deckhouse, a concept which again offers fine views from the dining table, chart table and deep sofas, all in considerable space.

Glass screen in owner’s cabin can be used to display navigational data

Down below, there are three flexible double guest cabins, but it is the owner’s cabin amidships that is really intriguing. Its double bed can be split into two singles for more comfortable sleeping on the heel, with integrated leecloths. An antechamber fitted with Poltrona Frau recliners is separated from the sleeping area by a glass screen. The flick of a button turns this opaque so that it can be used to project navigational info, including charts and NMEA data. A cabinet fitted between the two armchairs contains specially shaped compartments to accommodate a whisky decanter and tumblers with magnets in the base that cling to the cabinet top.

The owner is an IT wizard, and his office on a half level just behind the mast reflects this. Where some might have put a hull window, it has a 7ft-long LED screen, used to display images of fish in an aquarium when I visit. Technicians are also busy relocating the server set-up from the anonymity of a locker to the desk, where it is to sit in plain view.

Plenty of space for guests with views out over the water

Another nice touch in the eight-strong crew area is the retractable navigation station. Press a button and a plotter screen set in a busy chunk of cabinetry descends to divide the mess from the navigation station. There is independent access to this area via an aft deck companionway.

The styling itself doesn’t offer many surprises, with warm teak, stained oak floors and an array of beige, white and blue upholstery. Interior designer Margo Vrolijk of Judel/Vrolijk explains the latter: “You can spill anything on the fabrics – wine; chocolate – it will still stay the same colour.” It all adds up to a beautiful but conservative finish.

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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The post Outside in: 3 Stunning superyacht designs appeared first on Yachting World.

Protect your outboard, add durability to it and deter thieves with a custom fit OCA Outboard Cover. Toby Hodges puts one to the test to find out if it does the job

For those who keep their outboards outside, whether on the tender or pushpit, a good outboard cover is highly recommended. I keep my dinghy tied to a quay for the season and after recently investing in an outboard, I wanted to make sure it was covered and protected. With full bespoke options available, these splash covers from Outboard Covers and Accessories (OCA) look smart, keep your cowling in top condition (good for resale) and can deter would-be thieves.

Anyone who has used an outboard cover for long periods, whether for a boat or a barbecue, will know it can typically be a get-what-you-pay-for experience. Sure you can pick one up for £10-15 online, but if you don’t want UV and wind to shred it within a season, it’s worth investing in a custom fitting cover made from quality material. OCA has been making its covers in Perth, Australia for over 20 years. Its marine-grade Polysoft fabric is UV and water resistant and breathable, and guaranteed against fading for two years.

The easy to carry bag makes moving around with your motor easy

Its splash covers are designed to snugly fit most outboard makes and models and to be left on when in use. There are over 80,000 already in existence.

I am very impressed with the manufacturing quality. It fits my outboard perfectly – tight but with no chance of coming off easily. The vent hole aligns perfectly and it has a nice soft lining to protect the cowling. After six month’s hard use, the cover remains in top condition and the cowling unscathed.

OCA also makes waterproof and breathable full covers for protecting outboards during towing and storing, while its Outboard Carry Bag might be particularly useful for those who stow their outboard in a cockpit locker. Designed for small engines (up to 9.9hp 2-stroke or 6hp 4-stroke), these durable bags have both external carry straps or allow you to use the motor’s handle and include vents for moisture to escape.

Prices start at £52 for a splash cover (2-5hp) and £95 for a full cover.

Buy it now from Outboardcovers.com

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.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

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The Yachting World team take to the water in 4 new inflatable tenders to see which will be best for you and your yacht

Tenders are so much more than taxis. They can add freedom, sport and exploration to any stopover or anchorage, particularly if your yacht is large enough to carry a rigid dinghy, mini RIB or folding alternative. If not, however, that means investing in one of a number of inflatable tenders that are small and light enough to pack away in a locker when not in use.

Thanks to the invention of the high pressure air deck the latest generation of lightweight inflatable tenders are remarkably stable craft that can be rowed or powered by an outboard engine yet still be easily stowed.

We tested a range of different 2.3-2.4m inflatables, all with air deck floors and an emphasis on light weight and compact packaging, and picked out the best.

We rowed and motored all of the boats solo and with two aboard as well as weighing, measuring and comparing specifications. The size, shape and quality of the carry bag as well as the pumps supplied can also make a surprising difference to the speed and ease of inflating and deflating each tender.

Inflatable tenders tested

Crewsaver Air Deck 230

While the Crewsaver rucksack doesn’t have a front pocket for storing accessories, there are no zips to corrode and the adjustable webbing buckles mean the top opening of the bag is quite forgiving for repacking.

The safety lines are robustly attached to the hull, the rubbing strake also adds durability and the splash guards help keep water out of the boat. Hard plastic coned aft sponson caps enable vertical storage without damage and the rowlocks double as cleats.

There are davit rings in the bow and through the transom board, plus the bow handle is wide for ergonomic carrying. The inflatable deck feels sturdy but lacks the V-shape or inflatable keel so it’s not quite as comfortable in a chop.

Specifications:

Inflated size: 230x130cm
Packed size: 95x55x35cm
Weight overall: 23kg
Max engine: 4hp
Max load: 350kg

Buy it now from Crewsaver

YAM 240 STi Air Floor Sport Tender

The Yamaha features an inflatable keel as well as a floor section, plus two sponsons, and with that much to inflate a high quality pump would have been better. There is, though, a pressure gauge with the package to get everything sufficiently firm.

The seat is fixed but the long oars made it the nicest boat to row. The rowlocks double as cleats and the rounded aft end of the sponsons have protective, hard plastic caps. There are no safety lines fitted and the carry handles are spread far apart, which makes carrying it a little more awkward than it should be. But there is a good, ergonomic bow carry handle and the boat is rated to carry the most load on test (up to 400kg/5hp).

Specifications:

Inflated size: 240x123cm
Packed size: 120x60x30cm
Weight overall: 27kg
Max engine: 5hp
Max load: 400kg

Buy it now from Yamaha

3D Twin V Shape 230 Air Deck Tender

This French manufacturer was one of the earliest producers of ultralight inflatable tenders. This model sports premium touches, such as davit rings and the best pump on test (dual chamber hand pump). It packs away into a rucksack carry bag with a large front pocket for the pump and accessories.

The inflatable V-floor makes for a stable ride with easy handling under engine or oars and uses a single chamber design, keeping set-up time to a minimum. The rowlocks double as cleats and the rubbing strake provides extra protection for the tubes but little in the way of splash-proofing for passengers.

Overall a high quality tender that performs well and strikes a good balance between weight, convenience and price.

Specifications:

Inflated size: 230x130cm
Packed size: 90x45x40cm
Weight overall: 24kg
Max engine: 3.5hp
Max load: 350kg

Buy it now from Marine Superstore

Quicksilver Tendy Air Floor 240

This has an inflatable keel as well as a removable inflatable floor. A rigid slat athwartships between the floor and keel also helps to maintain its shape and rigidity but increases the weight.

The heaviest boat on test, the Quicksilver is one of the largest in packed dimensions but it is also one of the best equipped. It features a fuel tank strap, a robust keel strip to prevent damage on slipways, a decent bow carry handle, rowlock cleats and an adjustable seat. The rubbing strake is quite chunky and the carry bag very forgiving.

It doesn’t have carry handles on the sponsons and the safety rope fixings aren’t as solid as some of the other boats on test.

A smart and robust tender albeit with a weight penalty attached.

Specifications:

Inflated size: 240×132
Packed size: 110x50x31
Weight overall: 28.5kg
Max engine: 4hp
Max load: 390kg

Buy it now from Boats and Outboards

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.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

The post Tested: 4 of the best inflatable tenders appeared first on Yachting World.