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Railblaza C-Tug Dinghy Wheels review 

RailBlaza's C-Tug Dinghy Wheels are a practical, lightweight and affordable option that can transform the practicality of your dinghy

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A good, durable set of transom  dinghy wheels can be transformational for anyone who regularly needs to beach their dinghy. It can make the difference between being able to beach it like a Baywatch pro or getting stranded and cold as the tide ebbs away.

The gold standard has long been the New Zealand made Beachmaster wheels. But they are not cheap and take time to ship (direct orders only).

I looked at many copies and alternatives before finally coming across this new practical plastic design from Railblaza. The 10in puncture-free wheels are made using fibreglass reinforced plastic which is UV resistant.

I have been a fan of this innovative company’s boating accessories for years but was still pleasantly surprised at how seriously robust they felt on unboxing them. Sturdy enough to use on any boats up to 3.6m with outboards up to 15hp or a static weight of 120kg, they are also comparatively light at 4kg per pair.

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I estimate our dinghy is on the weight limit with its outboard, yet the wheels proved perfectly capable over the season and a variety of surfaces. They allowed me to cheat the tide on many occasions, stay out longer than normal and still be able to pull the boat up the foreshore single-handedly.

They’ve tackled mud, stones and sand with relative ease. And when landing on a beach with swell, you can quickly pull the dinghy up rather than having to anchor it or leave it exposed.

Assembling and fitting the wheels was relatively straightforward. They come with a mounting template to help you drill the holes correctly (and instructional videos on the company’s website) – although the stainless steel screws supplied were not long enough for our (admittedly chunky) transom width.

The wheels use a pin fitting which makes it easy to lock them in certain positions, and there are multiple wheel positions. As they don’t hold air like most wheels, it’s also a doddle to submerge them before beaching. If you need the additional turning circle space for the outboard, are stowing the dinghy or are towing anything and don’t want the wheels in the upright position while underway, then they can also disconnect from the brackets in around 30 seconds.
A brilliant investment.

Buy it now from Amazon

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Motorloc Atlantic outboard Slot Loc review

A good outboard lock is a worthwhile investment and the Motorloc Atlantic Slot Loc is one of the best we've tried

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It’s an unfortunate truth that we’ve all either had an outboard stolen or at least know of someone who has. An outboard lock is at the very least a worthwhile deterrent, while an approved model is likely required by your insurance company.

I have had more than my fair share of troubles with outboard locks. Probably because I am tight with money and disorganised. The start of the season is typically met with panic. I want to get afloat fast but find that the previous season’s padlock has corroded, so I go to buy the cheapest lock I can find. Typically that will then seize by the end of the season too.

I have tried the cheaper mild steel box style locks, which have rusted. I have had to hack saw a padlock off to free my engine and I have broken a clamping bracket on an outboard by trying to prise a seized padlock arm off.

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Oh the joy and satisfaction then of fitting this robust slot lock easily – and being able to remove it equally as easily at the end of the season! For those who keep their outboard on the pushpit, it makes it very easy to secure it quickly. British made from marine grade 316 stainless steel, Motorloc’s Atlantic Slot Loc slides over the outboard’s aligned clamping brackets to prevent access. The saltwater safe lock is also resistant to drill and screwdriver attack. It has genuinely turned a pre and post season chore into a pleasure and has given me reassuring peace of mind that my outboard is more likely to still be on the transom when I return to the boat.

The Atlantic models come in four sizes and cost £80. Motorloc’s smaller slot lock for 2.5hp outboards costs £59.41 and the company also makes bolt locks for through-transom engine installations.

Buy it now from Outboardmotorlocks.co.uk


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Theragun Pro review – is a massage gun useful for sailors?

Tired of back and joint pain, Yachting World's Toby Hodges has spent a season using Therabody’s Theragun Pro to find out if percussive therapy can be helpful on a yacht?

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It’s an age thing. You reach a certain stage in your life and things gradually stop working, hurt, or both. I am in my mid forties and have (vocally) put up with my fair share of back and joint pain for over 15 years already now. I have seen various health practitioners from physios and sports masseurs to Chinese and electro acupuncture, in various countries and continents.

So you can probably understand I am happy to try most suggestions (albeit with a little hard won scepticism) and was intrigued with the potential of percussive therapy – the use of massage guns that pummel muscles at a high frequency to simulate blood flow. It may not sound too tempting, but it has been used to good success and become increasingly popular over the last few years both by professional and recreational users, particularly for warm up and recovery in sport, to treat tension and prevent injury.

Once you are at sea, you are away from the comforts and wellness options that are only a phone call away on land. So while my ideal may be to have ‘magic hands Mo’ as a crewmate, a wily and wrinkled Moroccan who can make you laugh and cry out loud with pain, for hours, shipping a personal masseuse is, of course, not practical for the majority. Nor is trying to find a physio or pain relief in visiting ports.

Perhaps a portable massage gun is the way forward then?

Therabody says it pioneered percussive therapy when it launched in 2016 after a decade in R&D. The high speed vibration massage works by stimulating heat and blood flow in your muscles, encouraging oxygen in and lactic acid out.

The company says its trump lies in the speed and frequency (2,400 rpm) its devices hit and retract from the body and the 16mm amplitude that this PRO gun in particular is scientifically calibrated to work at. The continuous simulation a Theragun creates “distracts the brain away from the pain while also delivering deep, effective treatment,” it says.

As well as increasing blood flow by over five times reportedly, benefits include promoting flexibility, a speedier warm up and recovery when exercising, while decreasing muscle soreness and inflammation.

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In use: Theragun Pro

The Theragun Pro is a serious piece of engineering. It comes in a padded case and weighs a hefty 1.3kg. From the way the batteries load to the adjustments you can make to the rotating arm angles, it’s clearly been very well built.

Two batteries give a combined total of 300 minutes use. To put that in perspective, you could use it everyday for five minutes over two months, which is plenty of juice for a lengthy ocean crossing.

One of the trump cards of the Theragun Pro is its bluetooth capability and app. At first I thought driving it via an app would be a bit of a gimmick. But the routines, which Theragun is continuously adding to, give you guidance, the ability to customise your massage around certain ailments or sports and encourages you to mix up your routine so it doesn’t get too repetitive. So once paired, your phone becomes the controller, including the frequency in real-time.

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The Theragun Pro has a customisable speed range between 1750-2400 PPM and I particularly like the graphic force screen, which shows you how hard you’re applying the pressure (normally not as much as it recommends!).

I tend to use the Theragun before I go to bed and hit any areas that ache, or just as a general all-over massage. One of the main benefits I have found is that it relaxes you physically and mentally.  In fact, Therabody conducted trials which showed that 87% of participants fell asleep faster after using a Theragun.

Having used the Theragun Pro for a couple of seasons I would say it would suit the active racing sailor who is training hard or perhaps hiking frequently to help aid muscle fatigue/soreness. But it may equally suit cruising sailors too, those spending long periods of time away from home or a regular port, and want the means for a deep tissue massage on board.

The downsides of Theragun Pro

In reality, this is a solo use device – unless someone really loves you to, hold a gun to your back so to speak, on a daily or even weekly basis.

However, it’s quite a clunky device, and can be heavy and quite awkward to use on yourself, especially in trickier to reach spots, such as your back (arguably the place most people will want to massage most). So there is that slight concern that you may end up hurting yourself more trying to reach certain body parts! The result is you tend to use it mostly on major muscles like quads/hamstrings/chest/calves.

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The company makes much of its brushless QuietForce technology, but I found the Theragun Pro relatively noisy, especially when deep massaging with some force – so it’s not something to just quietly do while watching TV.

Were I to buy one, I’d certainly stick with the Theragun brand for its build quality, but I’d be tempted to go for a smaller, lighter version such as the Theragun Mini (particularly if using it long term on a boat), at a third the cost (£175) and half the weight (650g).

The Theragun Pro RED comes with a hard case, two lithium-ion batteries (150 minutes use each), charger, and six closed-cell foam attachment heads of different shapes and sizes.

Buy the Theragun Pro from TheraBody
Buy the Theragun Elite from TheraBody
Buy the Theragun Mini from TheraBody

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Satellite communication: how to stay connected at sea

How do you choose which satellite communication device to use for ocean sailing? By learning from others! Toby Hodges crunches the data from 216 skippers on the latest Atlantic rally for cruisers

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Our desire for almost constant communication and messaging, even when onboard, and our reliance on the internet continues to soar. Technology and the ability to stay in touch has allowed many sailors to take their work with them afloat and go ocean sailing while still employed or running a business. (That said, for many of us the joy of losing signal and truly switching off remains a key lure of sailing offshore!).

Indeed, an increasing number of cruisers make a living from showcasing their lifestyle afloat in vlog-style videos and social media posts. And for that you need high speed internet through wifi or 4G/cellular networks.

If you’re thinking of going further afield, to cross an ocean you’ll need longer range communication devices to remain just an email or phone call away.

Equally your needs should/will be paired down, probably to the odd email or weather forecast while on passage. However, balancing just what you need or want and how much you’re willing to spend to attain that is not as straightforward as you might think.

To help understand and decide on options, we sought the feedback of the 216 skippers who took part in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) last year. We also spoke with industry experts about the current options for those wanting to buy or upgrade satellite communications.

If you’re looking for a guide for what’s available on the market right now, don’t miss our guide to the best satellite phones for sailors.

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Many were still debugging their systems come the Las Palmas start. Photo: James Mitchell/WCC

Speccing up

ARC organisers, the World Cruising Club (WCC), insist that all yachts sailing in their transocean rallies must carry long-range communication equipment. Yachting World has partnered with WCC for the last two decades to issue ARC participants with our ’Great Atlantic Gear Survey’. The 216 skippers of the combined ARC 2021 crossings shared their communications setups, while 70 respondents gave us feedback on 30 detailed questions all about their satellite devices, costs, airtime, apps etc…

From former ARC surveys we know the majority regularly choose Iridium as it has a full, intelligible range of options and is the only brand with full global coverage. But it’s not just about picking the satellite provider. Selecting which type of hardware suits your needs (handheld or fixed with separate antenna), what airtime package, whether you want a router and perhaps a dedicated marine service for setup, email compression, support, and weather forecasting, is all budget relevant and should be a factor in your decisions.

The pace of satellite communication technology is slow, nevertheless these are still phones we’re talking about here, so people always want the latest!

A full 90% of our survey respondents, for example, only had their data comms equipment installed since 2019 and many were still debugging their systems come the Las Palmas start.

Iridium’s new Certus system has been in the pipeline for some years now and there were a few yachts which carried its higher-end 700 system last year. The more compact and economic 200 and 100 systems launched last summer, though, and will doubtless be in demand for those crossing this year and in the near future.

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A simple handheld is typically the slowest yet most intuitive of satcomm options. Photo: Tor Johnson

Basic / handset satellite communication options

The choice at the most affordable end of the scale is to go for a portable or handheld style satphone, a compact unit with its own aerial, such as Inmarsat’s Isatphone or Iridium’s 9555 or 9575. The latter were carried by 15 of our 70 skippers.

Other than economy, the benefit of a handheld device with a keypad is arguably the ability to dial a number easily when in trouble and take it with you in a grab bag.

Walkabout, an Oceanis 45, has a second-hand 9555 (€800 from MailASail). “It worked okay but we found that text messages often got chopped off,” says Andrew Roantree. “Texting on an Iridium sat phone is really useful – but very painful to do!” he warns.

By far the most popular option carried last ARC was the Iridium GO (chosen by 47 out of 70 skippers).

A relatively economical portable device, this essentially has the same internal parts as Iridium’s handsets but without the numeric keypad. Instead they offer an easy way to create a wifi hub at sea for using mobile devices.

GO has been marketed at attractive prices in recent years, particularly through PredictWind. This, together with an original promise of ‘unlimited data’ for around US$125 per month made it appealing, although it is speed capped at the industry standard of 2.4kbps.

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Weather forecasting and routing is a prime use of satcomms. Photo: TimBisMedia

This means it’s as slow as a handheld, or less than 5% of the speed of 1990s dial-up internet! In practice, it’s enough to receive email and the odd GRIB file but can’t do chat apps. It needs a paired mobile phone to make voice calls and only certain apps work with it.

The majority of the 2021 ARC fleet were content with this though, and said they wouldn’t change their GO setup if doing it again.

There were many comments on data connection being slow and dropping off, but there was also a general assumption and acknowledgement that they knew that would probably be the case.

Make mine GO

Coco, a Lucia 40 catamaran, used GO with Iridium Mail and PredictWind: “The calls would briefly drop out, but only due to the device being situated inside,” skipper Alfie Moore reports. “It reconnected to the call quickly when signal was reestablished. The app would sometimes glitch, there are a few bugs that need ironing out within the app interface and the Offshore weather app could also do with a few upgrades. But in general it was a fantastic device and certainly helped us in the situations we were in during the crossing.” An external antenna is one of the only additions he would consider.

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Amanaki’s crew, using the same package, rates it for value for money. “Recommend people buy second-hand units on ebay and the PredictWind packages”. Equally, the Dutch on Hallberg-Rassy 46 Morgane of Sark were very happy with their GO and MailASail app, at a cost of €800 plus €170 per month for unlimited data and 150 mins.

The Norwegian skipper of Albicilla spent only €700 on his GO and €110 per month on airtime, running Iridium Mail and PredictWind and admitted: “Slow as hell, but works good for what you really need! GRIB + simple email.”

“Well, the speed was as low as expected, but we could live with it,” says Just4fun’s Thomas Klaus Henkelmann. “Sometimes it took up to 20 dial-in attempts before a connection was made… annoying.”

For others, it tested their patience. “The Iridium GO system is such old technology,” thinks Jim Davies on the First 40 Olympia’s Tigress. “It regularly dropped data calls, especially if run for long periods. The nature of the data service on the Certus system is much more user friendly in a modern world. I have no interest in streaming while at sea, but low text services like WhatsApp (with media downloads turned off) are useful…”

Davies adds: “The Ocens OneMail service is great as it allows you to check your own email address through GO. Also, the PredictWind Offshore app is superb for low data rate GRIB downloads.”

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They require patience but the simplicity of a handheld satphone with keypad still appeals. Photo: James Mitchell/WCC

The Valgrens on their Hallberg-Rassy 44 Pleasure found they had to restart their GO on a regular basis (1-2 times a day). “Moving the laptop closer to device improved the connection. An Android mobile seemed to handle the connection in a better way [than using a laptop with Windows].”

Perhaps the best summary of GO, however, was from Bavaria 51 Favorita of Hamble’s Barnaby Green: “We might trade up to a faster connection but not sure why. GO was sold as a basic entry level with low expectations but I thought it was excellent. Reliable. Portable. Transferable. Affordable. Slow.”

The majority chose the simple option of an Iridium GO and no router, but, as Jeremy Willems on Shadow of Black, one of the smaller yachts, warns: “We did need to have the intervention of the chap from MailASail to get it working properly”. (It should be noted they only purchased their equipment two months before the ARC). MailASail is a marine communication specialist and WCC partner, which has had support staff at Las Palmas for the ARC start for the last two decades.

Over half didn’t use a smart router (41/70), while 21 skippers used MailASail’s RedBox. Data compression tools such as this and the rival Redport can save airtime charges by optimising email and web use, act as a wifi hub and can integrate cellular and wifi extenders.

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The ability to download GRIB files mid ocean is a priorty for ARC skippers. Photo: James Mitchell/WCC

Mid range satellite communication systems

For those not happy with the ultra slow speeds typically offered by the portable/handset style devices, the mid range choice can offer a step change in speeds (100-200kbps). Until now, this has meant a severe increase in price (from €5,000 for hardware). Again, Certus may now address that.

Some GO users (including Just4Fun and Sundance II) say they’d prefer a more broadband-based option such as Inmarsat’s Fleet One. Maalu IV, Joia and Tortuga ran this system through a Red Box router (equipment cost €3-5,000) and all commented that it worked ‘perfectly’ or ‘flawlessly’.

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MailASail RedBox PRO Ultra Router

The German crew on CNB 60 Dumia, on the same setup, elaborated further: “We needed special help from MailASail – very professional and it led to a very stable and reliable installation. I followed the advice from WCC regarding installation in due time and we were very happy with this.”

Conversely, the Leests on Sandy Cay felt the expenditure (€5,000 equipment, €2,500 installation, €400 for airtime for crossing) didn’t merit the rewards… “from other sailors I understand that they had the same services with an Iridium GO, which is a lot less expensive to install.”

Airtime & communication apps

Similar to choosing a cellular/mobile phone, it’s not just about the hardware. Selecting the right amount of data and airtime to suit your needs is key.

Again, the most common set up was Iridium GO, Iridium Mail and PredictWind. Thirty skippers purchased airtime through PredictWind, 15 through MailASail.

“Loved PredictWind support and pricing,” says Amanaki’s Oliver Vauvelle. “No need for an external antenna and reasonable connectivity for the price. Decent voice calls as well”.

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Installing new satcomms equipment before the start of last year’s ARC. Photo: James Mitchell/WCC

LIV agrees: “PredictWind Unlimited for €140 per month was great. Not only did we have unlimited data and 150 voice minutes, we also got a tracking with the Iridium GO sending a GPS position report using SMS (text message) once per hour.” However, Zelda warns: “PredictWind Offshore worked only by email not directly with Iridium GO. Xgate had multiple errors that stopped data transfer”.

Choosing a specialist email provider can also be quite subjective. Emily Morgan used GO to run Airmail (Sailmail) with Iridium apps as backup from Global Telesat Communications. “GRIB files downloaded from Saildocs via Airmail, viewed in OpenCPN. Airmail filters emails so we only download the ones we want (approximately 12 received but eight actually downloaded per day),” says Anna Black.

The Swedes on Arcona 400 LIV found the Iridium Mail app “poor and always had to restart sending large mails with photos.”

Tilda’s Fabrizio Mancini advises others to download Iridium apps “on more than one smartphone because it allows several users.” The view from Walkabout, meanwhile, was: “MailASail systems and services are great and the service is personal and outstanding”.

When asked for feedback and any technical problems, half the skippers were either very satisfied or didn’t experience issues, other than the occasional dropped call or slow speeds.
Sebastian Gylling, sailing his fifth ARC on Eira, doesn’t think you need satcomms, only fitting them “because it was mandatory equipment,” while Scar Cat was left frustrated by recommendations that “were far more expensive than what I found on my own.”

Highly experienced skipper Dan Bower on Skyelark 2 using an Iridium handset, was one of very few RedBox users not to rate the router, finding the data compression inefficient.

Grace LR was also on the same system: “Difficult and long connection times despite having bought everything MailASail advised. I gave up using their weather info and used forecasts only from ARC.”

Lengthy downloads on Free Spirit (also on an Iridium handset and RedBox) led them to use their backup Garmin inReach to keep airtime economical. Rather than download GRIBs they got a weather router to email them forecasts.

Looking ahead

Like all marine equipment, satellite communications need to be reliable, so arguably the most important advice is to buy well in advance and test thoroughly before an ocean departure.

Don’t make decisions based purely on specification (seek a rounded combination of hardware/airtime/data optimisation and support plan if required) and don’t compare to land-based speeds (or expect anything close to them).

We have learned from the survey replies that there has been a shift to smaller/budget focussed setups. The majority of offshore sailors use Iridium and bought/used GO, primarily for its perceived ease and relative economy, and thanks to some good deals last year, particularly through PredictWind.

Hardware is only as good as its internal organs, and in the case of GO these are very similar to Iridium’s handsets as they have the same modules inside, MailASail’s Ed Wildgoose advises.

These are manufactured by various brands, but the supply pipeline started running out last year and satellite communication specialists warn of stock issues with many portable devices this year. As well as a global shortage of electronics, the invasion of Ukraine has also led to a huge demand there for handheld satphones.

A Certus future?

At the same time, we have seen the gradual evolution of a new crop of exciting new mid-range systems. While Inmarsat’s Fleet One is well established now, Iridium has been talking about implementing Certus for years and it was only in the second half of last year that the first yachts started carrying its 100 and 200 systems.

These represent a step change for sailors. The increase in speeds these provide is the equivalent of going from walking pace to flying on a jumbo jet, says Wildgoose.

All this leads to something of a no-brainer for those choosing new satcomms. Both MailASail’s Wildgoose and James Phipps from Global Telesat Communications now strongly advocate the Certus Skylink 100 system in particular as a sort of MkII version of GO. At around twice the hardware cost of GO (£2,000), it offers a global internet hotspot, with 4G, firewall and router built in.

“GO has been the entry level device we’d recommend, as you can send and receive email and the odd GRIB file, but you can’t do Whatsapp,” Phipps explains. “However, I think the Certus Skylink 100 is the way to go and will be a really popular service and hardware to replace GO.”

They think it particularly suits the sailing market as it provides fast enough data speeds for email and chat apps. It’s also more portable than the 200, which is more of a permanent installation, yet half the price and with a fraction of the power consumption (3W versus 25W).

“Personally, if I was going to do the ARC this year, I’d get the Certus 100 terminal. It would do everything I need it to with email, Whatsapp, images at an economical running cost plan,” Phipps concludes.

When considering airtime, the Certus 200 has the same chipset unit as the larger and costlier 700, but the same airtime tariff as the 100. So unless you need the increased upload speeds of the 200, the 100 will have roughly the same download speed but at half the cost.


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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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Musto LPX Primaloft Stretch Midlayer Jacket review

Toby Hodges tests the Musto LPX Midlayer jacket and finds it the ideal addition to an autumn or spring sailing kit bag

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The Musto LPX Primaloft Stretch Midlayer Jacket has been my go-to jacket for the autumn and spring seasons both ashore and afloat and remains in excellent condition.

The purpose of Midlayer jackets is to create a comfortable warming layer. The Musto LPX jacket, part of Musto’s high performance lightweight range, feels like putting on a light sleeping bag, thanks to its soft and snag free material, which also makes it easy to don or remove a shell above it.

Stretch panels under the arms and on the back provide the ‘stretch’ in the jacket’s name

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The fit is obviously important for any sailing jacket, so I am fortunate that the medium fits me perfectly. The design is body mapped to promote breathability and insulation. But to aid fit, there are elasticated cuffs and an adjustable hem.

I prefer a midlayer style jacket to have a hood and the Musto one is really cosy, with a zip that comes up over the chin.  An internal pocket would be nice but I guess that’s against the streamline, lightweight design of this garment.

Ideal for those seeking lightweight insulation, whether for a midlayer or outer shell when  warm weather sailing, and one that is stylish enough to wear ashore too.

Buy it now from Musto

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

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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.
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 Musto LPX Primaloft Stretch Midlayer Jacket review appeared first on Yachting World.

North Sails Performance Trimmers fast dry shorts review

Toby Hodges tests out North Sails' new Trimmers fast dry shorts and finds them to be light and stretchy providing ease of movement and, after a year on test, they are showing impressive longevity

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North Sails Performance is a new venture into high end wet weather sailing gear by the world’s largest sailmaker and if these Trimmer Fast Dry Shorts are anything to go by, they will appeal to many performance sailors.

Last year we put North Sails Performance Offshore foulies to the test, and our Rubicon 3 skippers were suitably impressed with the light weight and high quality of the garments, which are designed by Nigel Musto.

The Trimmer Fast Dry Shorts are by far the lightest and stretchiest shorts I’ve ever worn, barring surf-style board shorts. They give the ease and flexibility of movement board shorts provide, however, these are proper sailing shorts with a zip, belt loops and pockets.

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The stretch is excellent, providing full flexibility of movement – and with an extra wide gusset, you don’t feel in the least bit constricted. So they are ideal for those with highly active roles on board, those prone to lunging on deck, or if you want to pack one pair of sailing shorts that you can also use for running, cycling, and swimming. They’re also light and cool (in feel) to wear, ideal for the summer.

The Trimmer shorts use a man-made fast dry, four-way stretch fabric (88% Polyamide (nylon), with the 12% Elastane (Spandex) helping the stretch), which also wicks moisture and offers UV40+ protection. They need to be cold washed.

I like the deep pockets, but have slight reservations over the side zipped entry of the thigh pockets. Personally I find a top zip more practical as things won’t fall out when you undo the zip, however these are designed to suit those sitting on the rail.

After a season’s use they appear to be durable and well made, with the stitching all still intact.

Buy them now from Northsails

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First look: Fountaine-Pajot Aura 51

Accommodation on a small superyacht scale but in a smaller package is the offer from the Fountaine-Pajot Aura 51

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This French yard’s latest model, the Fountaine-Pajot Aura 51, hit the water a couple of months ago. She packs in a huge amount of accommodation, both on deck and below and it’s of a scale that, until a few years ago, would more usually be found on small superyachts.

The Aura 51 is a semi-flybridge designed catamaran with a pronounced reverse sheer, subtle reverse bow shape and generous sized rig to power a hefty 18-tonne light displacement.

Key features include an ultra-wide opening between the saloon and aft cockpit area. In addition, the deck layout in general has been revamped to improve circulation and benefits from three distinct outdoor socialising areas.

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There are three distinct areas for socialising, while an ultra wide opening links cockpit and interior. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot

The four layout options encompass everything from three to six en suite double cabins, including a ‘full Maestro’ version in which one hull is given over to the owner’s suite, while the other houses three double cabins, each with a bathroom. The in-house design team has worked with Olivier Racoupeau Design to neatly integrate 2kW of solar panels on deck, giving the boat the potential for long periods of autonomy.

Images from the photoshoot of the first boat, off the Glenan islands on the south Brittany coast, emphasise the size of this vessel. However, they also show it sailing at what are clearly respectable speeds.

Fountaine-Pajot Aura 51 specifications

LOA: 15.54m / 51ft 0in
Beam: 8.08m / 26ft 6in
Displacement: 18,100kg / 39,900lb
Draught: 1.3m / 4ft 3in
Price: POA
Builder: catamarans-fountaine-pajot.com


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Hallberg-Rassy 69: Swedish yard announces its largest model ever

The greatest Hallberg-Rassy ever? Hallberg-Rassy goes BIG with its new Hallberg-Rassy 69 as the famous Swedish yard announces plans for its largest ever model

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New Hallberg-Rassy 69
New Hallberg-Rassy 69

Magnus Rassy has announced that his Swedish yard is to build ‘the greatest Hallberg Rassy ever’ in its largest flagship to date, the Hallberg-Rassy 69.

The Frers design is very much an evolution of the brand’s recent launches, which began with the Hallberg-Rassy 44 in 2017, and continued with the Hallberg-Rassy 40C and the Hallberg-Rassy 50. The latter Hallberg-Rassy 50 won European Yacht of the Year Luxury Cruiser category last year and for which we did a video plus a full report here.

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New Hallberg-Rassy 69

Frers design has now drawn over 25 Hallberg-Rassy models in the last 35 years, including this sixth in a new generation of hull shapes. In line with the trends seen on these models, we see a modern hull shape on the Hallberg-Rassy 69. This includes near plumb stem and generous beam carried aft, twin rudders, a fixed bowsprit and eight large hull portlights, although the Hallberg-Rassy 69 features a completely flush foredeck forward of the mast.

Large centre cockpit

The cockpit looks particularly spacious and can be further protected by Hallberg-Rassy’s signature fixed windscreen or a hard-top shelter. There’s also a generous 14.8m3 of locker space on deck.

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New Hallberg-Rassy 69

Magnus Rassy has long put forward the case for push-button sailing, including powered winches, furling sails and thrusters that enable joystick steering under power. And that should be the case even at this size to ensure it can be handled by a family crew, he says.

The engine is also over-specc’d, a 6-cylinder Volvo Penta D6-300, to ensure plenty of speed and torque at cruising revs.

A dedicated crew cabin is not in the accommodation plan, but there are Pullmans and plenty of space within the main living area. This is all on one level – a practical feature Hallberg-Rassy has tried to maintain on its bluewater boats since the mid 1970s.

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New Hallberg-Rassy 69

The owner’s cabin is aft, with split or double berth versions available both here and in the forecabin.

Launch is scheduled for late 2023.

Hallberg-Rassy 69 specifications

LOA: 20.96m / 68ft 9in
LWL: 19.70m / 64ft 8in
Beam: 5.89m / 19ft 4in
Draught: 2.70m / 8ft 10in
Displacement (light): 46,500kg / 102,500lb
Standard sail area: 224.4m2 / 2,415ft2


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Red Original EVO Pro Change Robe and stash bag review

Toby Hodges has spent a year testing the Red Original EVO Pro Change Robe and stash bag both of which get a big thumbs up

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If you are considering a changing robe or dry robe, there’s a burgeoning range to choose from now. These waterproof garments are designed to keep you warm when getting in and out of a wetsuit or swimming costume at a beach, and their popularity has soared in recent years with the explosion of watersports and wild swimming in particular.

Perhaps the most popular two labels you will see are from dryrobe and Red Original. In our family we have tried these and a Frostfire Moonwrap too. I am in the sea multiple times a week all year round in the UK and have gradually and increasingly started succumbing to the comfort of a dry robe.

After a season’s use I can safely say that Red’s new EVO Pro Change Robe is the most comfortable I’ve tried yet and I am impressed with the quality of manufacturing and details it has incorporated.

The EVO is the new version of the brand’s Pro Change Robe. It uses a more packable technical fabric with a moisture-wicking deep-pile fur lining. And it’s this latter feature which does it for me.

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It’s all about the fluff

In comparison to the competition, the fur lining is addictively comfortable. It’s like being cuddled by a friendly polar bear. In comparison the nylon inners of others feel stiffer and not quite as cosy.

Other details I like in particular are the comfort of the hood, which has adjustable elastic, the high neck, the buttoned protection flap covering the main zip, the angled fleece-lined outer pockets  – and, compared to the dryrobe, the longer and elasticated cutaways at the back.

If you can feel a ‘but’ coming on, there is one. And it’s with the tight cuffs. I just don’t get them. Why, when you make everything else so baggy for ease of movement and changing, are these so tight?

Granted they are elasticated and have velcro seals to keep rain and wind out, which I’m sure will be appreciated by some in the depths of winter –  but for me it ruins the experience each time I use it when I am wet (the point of them), because, as you push your arms through, the fur lining pushes out with it. For this reason I’d opt for the slightly cheaper short sleeve version (£129.95), which ends at the elbow.

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Game changing bag

In essence, other than the sheer comfort, there is not a massive amount of difference between changing robes and people will likely buy on a style decision – until now that is…

What is the worst thing about Dry Robes, other than people wearing them on the high street as a fashion item that is? The sheer amount of room they take up. To store a dry robe for each family member in the house would require its own walk-in closet, so when it comes to boat use they are too space heavy and you end up sharing one between four.

However, Red has now unveiled its Stash Bag, which is a game changer. It is the equivalent of a sleeping bag compression pack, where a cumbersome large item is quickly reduced to a very manageable and portable size.

The 12lt bag uses a rip stock material that is abrasion resistant, stitched and taped, and made from recycled materials. The roll top design and tightening straps allow you to pack it right down to a small rucksack size, which then allows space to add extras in, such as a microfibre towel, spare clothes or even another dry robe. And a detachable strap makes it easy to carry.

Before this, the dry robe would be one of the things I’d probably have left behind en route to the boat if space was tight. Now it’s coming!

Buy the Red Original EVO Pro Change Robe from Red Original
Buy the Red Original Stash Bag from Red Original

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First look: LM46 comfortable modern, wood yacht

The new LM46 should offer fast cruising under sail or under engine with the comfort and unique feel of a wooden yacht, all in a modern package

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This gorgeous performance cruiser is built of cold moulded timber with strategic carbon stiffening, by Lyman-Morse in Camden, Maine. Kiwi designer Kevin Dibley has drawn a boat that will offer a fast sailing experience, with speeds under both sail and power of 10 knots easily achieved, while combining these attributes with the comfort and ambience of a wooden yacht.

The first LM46 to launch hit a top speed of 13.6 knots on her 26-hour delivery trip, indicating 240-mile days are possible in the right conditions on passage. Yet the boat is designed to be finger light on the helm and easy for a pilot to steer.

The second example has just been launched for a very experienced former J/42 owner who has competed in 10 Newport-Bermuda races.

“I saw the LM46 as the perfect competitor for the race,” he says. “While speed is definitely a top priority, comfort makes the race that much more enjoyable and I saw the LM46 as being the best of both worlds.”

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The LM46 will feature an airy saloon and galley. Photo: Alison Langley

Construction is of four layers of vacuum-glued Douglas fir and western red cedar, creating a very stiff yet lightweight monocoque structure. Upwind sail area is a generous 110m2 and includes a square-top mainsail set from a triple spreader rig, plus masthead spinnakers.

The standard 80hp engine gives faster than usual motoring speeds to get back to base at the end of a weekend and a 110hp unit is offered as an option.

Three different interior layouts are possible, all of which include a large forward owner’s cabin. There’s also a choice of one or two heads and one or two double quarter cabins. The saloon is configured to enable the settees to make excellent sea berths and there’s a huge, almost wrap-around galley that’s ideal for owners intending to spend extended periods on board. The interior finish shows off as much of the boat’s timber construction as possible, while including plenty of white painted surfaces to maintain a bright and airy feel.

Lyman-Morse’s vision is to build a series of these yachts, with the goal of starting a one design class. However, they will be customisable to fit the needs of each owner – as well as the different interior configurations, three keel options, giving draughts of between 1.83m (6ft) and 3.05m (10ft), are offered.

LM46 specifications:

LOA: 13.9m / 45ft 8in
Beam: 4.1m / 13ft 5in
Draught: 2.3m / 7ft 7in
Displacement: 11,200kg / 24,750lb
Price: POA
Builder: lymanmorse.com


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Stubble & Co Adventure Bag review

Badged 'the ultimate travel bag', does the Stubble & Co Adventure Bag live up to its name? Toby Hodges puts it to the test to find out

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Short-haul travel and quick sailing trips are back on. Plus, it’s summer time, which means packing light. What do you use for that weekend away or two-day work trip? If it’s solely for sailing, a duffel bag or rucksack might suffice, something that can stow away easily. But if, like me, you need to pack a laptop, electronics, some clothing and a bit of sailing gear and you only want to pack one bag, it needs to do lots of things and be comfortable enough to carry distances across airport terminals etc.

In recent years I resorted to a wheeled cabin bag to save my back, which had grown increasingly discontent about lugging rucksacks around airports. But hard cases are impractical as soon as you reach a boat.

Keeping an eye out for a solution, I came across this Adventure Bag from British travel bag company Stubble & Co – my interest piqued by its branding: ‘the ultimate travel bag’.

I’ve since used it for my last few trips.

A real draw of The Adventure Bag is that it’s made from 100% recycled plastic, which is described as weatherproof (the materials are waterproof and the seams are sealed, but it is not designed to be submerged). And despite an array of features, it has been kept light weight at 1.8kg. Its 42L capacity is designed to suit airline carry-on limits and once unpacked, it is all soft, so folds small for easy stowage.

The Adventure bag looks stylish, smacks of quality and as soon as you see it, you can tell there has been a lot of thought put into its design and development.

The padded shoulder straps, adjustable at both the top and bottom, have proven  particularly comfortable. These are aided by compression straps, a breathable back panel, a sternum, strap and a waist belt. The latter can be hidden by a cover, which itself can be rolled away into a zipped compartment, or it can be removed completely.

The clam shell design opens out like a hard case might and I like the bright orange internal fabric which makes it easy to identify contents.

The three different size sections each have their own netted zip retainer. The main/large section has recesses in it for the laptop and water bottle cases (accessed from outside), yet I still found it large enough to take the clothes and shoes needed for 2-3 nights out of season, more for summer clothes, leaving the other sections for electronics, jacket and toiletries etc.  There are a couple of small zipped pockets on the outside which are ideal for items to have to hand, such as passport, keys etc.

In short, the Stubble & Co Adventure Bag is expensive, but looks the part and so far has proven its worth in comfort and durability. Recommended for regular short-haul travellers who need a stowable bag.

Stubble & Co Adventure Bag specifications

Capacity: 42L
Laptop size: 16-inch
Dimensions: 55 x 38 x 24cm

Buy it now from Stubble & Co

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Best sailing tender: get a buzz from your boat or boot

Want some easy, fun sailing this summer? launched from your yacht or car, the latest sailing tender ideas give that instant sailing buzz. Toby Hodges and Sam Fortescue report

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While we all crave as much helming pleasure as possible from our cruising yachts, the reality is that after making realistic space, volume and budget compromises, they may not always be that exhilarating on the helm. But once you reach a destination or anchorage, what’s to stop you, your friends or kids getting your hands-on tiller-sailing fix if you can stow the right sailing tender aboard?

You could argue that the development of lightweight, modular or inflatable dinghies in recent years has solved a headache for some yacht owners – now they can go for extra volume, or switch to a multihull perhaps, safe in the knowledge they can get the spray-in-the-face dinghy experience from a tender or toy once anchored.

Stowage space, whether on deck, on davits or in a locker, governs what options are available. In the past the choice has fallen into three categories: a rowing dinghy you can sail, a nesting dinghy, or a sailing inflatable (such as the Tinker Tramp). And while these categories haven’t necessarily changed, the design and technology lately has made the products immeasurably more appealing!

The ability to stow a quick-to-rig toy in the boot or on the roof of the car, has also unlocked the potential to explore a multitude of different sailing waters easily. These designs have brought to sailing what inflatable paddleboards have brought to watersports.

Best sailing tender

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For cruising sailors, this could be an ideal solution: a stable, lightweight tender that will sail well too

OC Sailing Tender

This has been at the top of my wishlist for tenders for some time, but now the family-run New Zealand company has come out with a rig for this lightweight composite boat that has just doubled the appeal.

OC Tenders was developed by experienced cruising sailors who were after a dry, stable, maintenance-free tender which is light enough to pull up a beach. A wide hull shape with plumb bow and flat run provides stability and volume and early planing ability, while foam sandwich construction makes it solid (puncture free) and light enough to carry. These also happen to be key elements for many modern performance sailing dinghy designs.

OC Tenders is unveiling a new Sailing Tender version this year, a kit which transforms two of its existing tenders into sailing dinghies. The main difference is a centreboard case which attaches to the thwart with a mast step below, neither of which can be removed, but only add 6kg weight. The rest of the sailing components are stored in bags which fit inside the tender, including a 6m mast in two sections, boom (both in 30% carbon), centreboard, rudder, hiking straps and 7.5m2 sail.

OC has a video of the tender surfing along and another of how easy it is to right it if you capsize. The boats weighs 68kg for the 3.3m or 74kg for the 3.5m, while the sailing components add just 15kg. Both are also available in carbon versions (a NZ$4,000 upgrade). The slight catch may be the cost, and that it’s a small company with low production run and high demand.

Price: OC330 from NZ$23,500 (circa £12,000).

Buy it now from octenders

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Reverso Air is quick to get on the plane. Photo: Armand Dayde

Reverso Air

It may be a nesting dinghy, but there’s nothing clinker-built about the Reverso Air. From the outset, the team behind this pocket beast of a boat were focused on performance, and that is what you get in spades. It has been clocked at 16 knots and readily takes to the plane, surfing down anything from harbour chop to long swell.

Reverso is built in Brittany using advanced composite construction. The 3.40m hull is infused in honeycomb sandwich, for stiffness and light weight, and carbon reinforcing is added where the loads are greatest, such as the mast step. The mast itself is a tube of high-modulus carbon fibre weighing just under 3kg, and the sail is 7m2 of high-tech membrane from Incidence.

Part of the stellar performance comes from the hull shape, designed by Charles Bertrand. A broad beam, flat bottom and deep chines provide stability for sailing with kids and a great platform for planing when a gust blows. “It is the lightness of the boat which makes it fast and efficient, allowing it to accelerate quickly,” says founder Antoine Simon. “Also, the quality of the materials, which give a dynamic response and transmit the forces, especially with the rigid hull.”

The boat is designed to take two grown-ups or an adult and two kids, so you can refine your technique in company if you like. Simon says this makes the boat ideal for teaching kids or going out for a solo burn.

Assembly is pretty simple and can take less than two minutes. The hull is composed of four parts, the heaviest of which weighs 16.8kg. The sections clip together along the coaming using stainless-steel levers. Then you add tension along the bottom of the boat using two Dyneema lines with a 1:14 cascade that puts on 600kg of compression.

When disassembled, the parts nest inside each other, fitting readily into the boot of a family car or an SUV. Measuring 1.45m x 0.92m x 0.72m, the folded boat is also designed for easy fixing to a trailer or towing-ball platform behind a car.

Accessories that improve the storage and use of the boat include a bag, (€490); smaller padded bags for the four mast sections, centreboard, tiller and rudder; a mounting mat to protect the boat on rough surfaces (€170); and a folding beach trolley (€490). And there’s a GPS speedometer (€499), specially designed for mounting at the base of the mast.

Price: Reverso Air €8,913 plus €1,090 shipping.

Buy it now from Sailreverso

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You don’t have to
be a pro to get the AST Foiler skimming the waves. Photo: Sören Hese

AST Foiler

Foiling is no longer limited to pros and daredevils. AST’s beautifully designed foiling dinghy makes it possible for almost anyone to experience the exhilaration of flying on water. With a top speed of 25 knots-plus and a really simple control system, it is easy to get airborne.

The key is the mechanical foiling system, which requires no trimming. A foil on each side of the 3.85m hull resembles nothing more than a giant spider’s leg, or a wonky ‘7’. The foils are loose-mounted in such a way that they can cant slightly according to the tack you’re on. When the boat goes about, the leeward foil rises and the new windward foil drops. It requires no electronics or hydraulics – just a bit of elementary physics.

You control the boat using a T-shaped rudder whose foil supports the boat aft and helps keep you balanced while foiling. With foils deployed, the effective beam jumps from 1.58m to 2.10m and the draught from 15cm to 1.10m, giving the boat excellent stability.

AST says the hull will fly from 8 knots of true wind, thanks in part to the lightweight layup, with an overall weight of 55kg. The foils, rudder and mast are all in carbon fibre, while the hull is in a lightweight foam-epoxy sandwich.

With a cool reverse bow, open transom and hiking wings, this boat looks the business. It can support up to 95kg of crew weight, so could in theory take two children. But this is really a solo sailer, designed for thrills and spills. AST offers two different sails, 7.5m2 or 9.5m2.

The foils can be folded flush to the hull for transport., there’s a custom-made aluminium trolley for launching and towing; padded covers for the foils and rudder (€269); and a Velocitek SpeedPuck to measure your speed (€399).

This is not a cheap option… but it is a fun one.

AST also does a non-foiling L12 Lowrider – a 3.82m planing performance dinghy, which weighs just 30kg.

Prices: AST Folier €15,631 inc VAT, L12 Lowrider €8,824 ex VAT.

Buy it now from Ast-yachts

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IZIBoat is easy to transport and can be assembled in 15 minutes

IZIBoat

IZIBoat germinated from a desire to make sailing easy, fun and accessible to all, by creating a catamaran that is ultra fast to assemble (less than 15 minutes). No tools are needed thanks to a neat plug, lock and tension system. While speeds of 14+ knots are reportedly achievable, it is more aimed at accessible sailing, regardless of age or ability. So it can seat four and is intuitive for new sailors thanks to joystick steering – just tilt the stick the way you want to turn.

The brainchild of François Tissier, who dreamed of a dinghy with ease and stability while living in the South Pacific, it took many years of R&D and 11 prototypes. The beach cat measures 500x62cm, so can easily be stored in a garage and its five components weigh 152kg, so it can be transported on the roof of a car or even towed by a bike or e-bike.

Price: from €8,990.

Buy it now from Iziboat

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LiteboatXP 16 can be rowed or sailed – fast

LiteboatXP 16

This is a fun sailing boat that you can row properly for recreation too. The first Liteboat XP was a 20ft model which we tested four years ago and were so impressed with the sailing ability, we jointly gave it a European Yacht of the Year award. It’s also excellent for rowing enthusiasts. For those still sceptical, consider that it’s drawn by in-demand IMOCA designer Sam Manuard.

The new 5m/16ft model is more compact and lighter still (100kg). There’s no cuddy, but it still sports a sliding rowing seat, carbon oars and outriggers and a catboat-style rig with two part carbon mast and a 7.5m2 boom-less sail. But it’s when reaching with the 6m2 gennaker that you’ll really get the buzz. It converts from sailing to rowing mode in under a minute. It’s an efficient explorer that’s blast to sail, will keep you fit and avoids the need for a smelly, noisy outboard.

Price: from €14,500.

Buy it now from Liteboat

Best inflatable sailing tender

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The black and yellow Tiwal rocket is designed in Brittany. Photo: Christiane le Port

Tiwal 3R

The original Tiwal 3 is already marking its 10th anniversary, the design having been at the forefront of using drop stitch technology to create a really stiff inflatable. Now the boat has been turbo-charged, tweaked and improved. The result is the Tiwal 3R, with a top speed of 14 knots and a helming position just millimetres off the water.

It comes deflated in two bags weighing around 30kg each (plus a smaller sail bag), and comprises a concave inflatable hull and anodised aluminium ‘exoskeleton’, which transmits the forces from the mast, rudder and daggerboard. It also provides two raised hiking ‘wings’ which allow you to balance the 6m2 or 7m2 sail, tailor-made by North Sails in Xi V2 racing laminate.

The 3R’s performance boost stems from a number of small steps. For instance, the hiking bars have been extended aft so that you can shift weight back when the wind picks up. The aluminium frame is stronger and stiffer for better power transfer, and the hull is a more efficient shape, courtesy of the rail on the stern. The mast and boom are now 90% carbon for lighter weight.

Assembly takes 25 minutes – a little longer than the original Tiwals, because of the additional elements of the frame and control lines, according to founder Emmanuel Bertrand. Experience says there is a bit of fiddly slotting of aluminium tubes together, which can be trickier if sand gets into the joint. The boat is rated for crew up to 200kg, which allows for two adults or one grown-up and two children. Really, though, you want to be sailing this alone at top speed. And with a choice of two sails, you can go out in pretty much any conditions.

Price: from £8,140.

Buy it now from Tiwal

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Orca 375

Dutch brand DinghyGo has built a reputation for the reliability of its growing range of sailing inflatables.

They are not performance oriented, but are easy to assemble, have bags of buoyancy and can be stored in two mid-sized bags. The range starts at 2.30m LOA, but the flagship Orca 375 is the latest release, with a 4.8m2 mainsail and a 1.1m2 jib.

The four-piece mast requires three soft stays to keep it aloft, while the foot is anchored through a thwart.
With 650kg of payload capacity, you can bring three adults and a heap of camping gear with you.

Price: £4,000.

Buy it now from Dinghygo

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Minicat Guppy

The Czech sailor behind the MiniCat brand teamed up with round-the-world sailor Laura Dekker to launch the Guppy.

At 3.00m LOA, it is the smallest boat in the Minicat range, with a capacity for two, but weighs a staggeringly small 26kg itself.

Perched on two big 33cm floats, just a small aluminium frame does the job of supporting the mast and the trampoline. The mast and its 3.9m2 sail is stayed to a short bowsprit, and the whole takes just 15 minutes to put together. Stub keel fins help reduce leeway.

Its light weight makes it eminently portable and easy to stow.

Price: €2,665 ex-VAT.

Buy it now from Minicatamaran

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Inflatable Wingfoil

Granted, it can look a bit daft watching middle-aged folk pumping and flapping away while trying to get a giant inflatable wing to lift their mass onto a skinny foil. But once you’ve experienced that feeling of pure flight, silently skimming over the surface, there’s no going back.

Whether for surfing, windsurfing, or even kiting, any solid boards take up valuable locker space. All of which arguably makes an inflatable foil board and an inflatable wing the ultimate in compact sailing fun.

The foils typically disconnect from their masts and pack in protective bags. The inflatable boards can also be used to wingsurf or paddle on in displacement mode. Or try towing one behind a tender – with a foil you only need very small speeds (around 6 knots) and, with practice, you can be surfing a wee wake.

The smaller volume boards better suit surf and wingfoil use and the larger boards are for wing and SUP enthusiasts.

F-One’s Rocket Air is designed around its rigid boards, and range from 75lt (4ft 11in) to 185lt (7ft 11in) and prices from £625-£825.

Buy it now from f-one.world

Naish, meanwhile, has models of its new Hover board from 80-170lt, which have composite carbon plates on the bottom for the foil join for a stiff ride.

Buy it now from Naishfoils


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First look Dehler 46SQ

Toby Hodges gets a first look at the new Dehler 46SQ, which sees the Dehler 46 get the 'SQ" treatment 7 years after its release and follows the success. of the Dehler 38SQ

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Following the successful update that transformed the Dehler 38 into the 38SQ, the German yard has given similar treatment to its flagship model, a Judel/Vrolijk design dating from 2015, now launching the Dehler 46SQ.

Improvements include a bowsprit with bobstay for code sails, plus an integrated arm for anchor handling. There’s also a staysail intended as a heavy-weather jib that gives efficient upwind performance in a blow when used with two reefs in the mainsail. Yet this is easily removed, and therefore doesn’t get in the way of the primary headsail when it’s not needed.

There’s also an optional cockpit arch with integrated sprayhood and sheeting point for the mainsail.

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Lots of natural light in the 46SQ saloon

Below decks hull windows are larger, new options are offered from the interior design, and there’s a wider choice of flexible layouts. The first example will be unveiled at the Cannes boat show in September this year.

Dehler 46SQ specifications

Hull length: 13.95m 45ft 9in
Beam: 4.38m 14ft 4in
Draught: (standard keel) 2.25m 7ft 5in
Displacement: 11,500kg 25,353lb
Base price: €384,900 ex VAT
Builder: hanseyachtsag.com/dehler


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Ovni 370 review – go-anywhere shoal draught cruising

Ovni’s smallest new model, the Ovni 370 is packed with smart thinking to appeal to those who want to cruise all waters, says Toby Hodges

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With its distinctive range of bare aluminium lift-keel cruisers, Alubat’s Ovni brand has been synonymous with bluewater cruising since the 1970s. After a barren period it came out with a contemporary new Ovni 400 two years ago and has followed that up with an arguably more innovative and approachable shorter model, the Ovni 370.

The Ovni 370 shares some of the styling of the 400, in particular the angular and voluminous look with full forward sections, so it shan’t win any beauty prizes. However, Ovnis have always attracted more for practicality than aesthetics, and this model certainly packs in the features for its length.

The Les Sables-d’Olonne yard wanted the Ovni 370 to have a true deck saloon, a panoramic heart as opposed to the (optional) lower single level format of the 400 – clearly a popular decision which all 17 buyers so far have chosen.

Once you accept you need to climb up and down steps to get through the boat, the benefits are multifarious. This is particularly true of the Ovni 370, which has many of the staple ingredients bluewater sailors will look for even at this size, including a deep, protected cockpit, a pilot berth in the deck saloon, wet hanging stowage and a proper navstation.

Another benefit is the stowage space below a deck saloon – enough for 300lt water and 300lt diesel tanks in the Ovni’s case.

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The transom skirt with arch above is a recipe Ovni has perfected. A block and tackle system is used for the dinghy and the liferaft has a prime central location. Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

Built for distance

Alubat says the design development began after it received many requests for its old 365 model. However, that was a Category B (offshore) rated design and the majority of its clients today are couples who want to go long distances. Nina Karlseder from Création Brouns Architecture, one of the five designers who worked on the Ovni 370, explained the major challenges involved with trying to make a Category A yacht with a lift keel at this size and volume.

The keel, which lifts completely inside the boat to allow for beaching, needed to be kept light enough to raise manually yet heavy enough for stability purposes when lowered.

Meanwhile the hull needed to be stable and light in the right places. So a light aluminium plate was chosen, milled into a NACA profile, and over three tonnes of ballast was used in the hull to make up the necessary righting moment. The 260kg ballasted centreboard has a safety release in case of grounding and a plate protecting the bottom of the boat for drying out.

The result, the yard argues, is the least expensive new Category A lift keel yacht. But what is it like under sail?

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The voluminous bow and hard chines create significant living space and helped the designers achieve a prime goal of meeting Category A ocean-going requirements. Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

Sailing the Ovni 370

We had a very pleasant late afternoon sail off La Rochelle in 8-9 knots true wind. As mentioned, the centre of gravity needs to be strictly controlled with a centreboard design, hence the relatively short rig and a modest 33m2 Solent jib. The only option for added oomph here is a laminate square-top main and running backstays, as the test boat sported.

Still, the Ovni 370 is not blessed with a shape designed for pointing or upwind speed. Her angular shape has plenty of wetted surface area and in these single figure windspeeds, 4-4.5 knots were average beating speeds – and at wide tacking angles.

As we know, though, no well-planned cruise should involve sailing to windward, hence we spent the majority of the time under Code 0 averaging over 5.5 knots reaching at 60° to the apparent wind. The helming experience was enjoyable – nice and light on the dual rudder steering with good balance and some feedback.

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The views and natural light benefits of a deck saloon. The linear galley has good stowage and solid fiddles, and ajdoins a practical navstation aft. Photo: Christophe Favreau

The helmsman has a snug area between the aft end of the coamings and the davits with clear sightlines forward, while the primaries are within easy reach with handy tailing lockers under the cockpit benches. The mainsheet and reefing lines are led to the coachroof winches, which is a good, protected position for a crewmember, but it does mean that those sailing short-handed will need to rely on the autopilot while they trim sails.

A fixed aluminium dodger is an option, but the very deep cockpit already offers excellent protection behind the high coamings and sprayhood (which links to the bimini on the arch). Sturdy handrails and toerails, good non-slip and a high coachroof make it feel safe and robust around the deck. The foredeck feels huge, and a double bow roller allows the setting of two anchors.

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Generous berths and plenty of light in both cabins. Photo: Christophe Favreau

Ovni 370 accommodation

The two-cabin plan makes excellent use of the interior space. The saloon layout is particularly smart, with a table that drops to create a large daybed or pilot berth. The latter uses a carbon pole for a backrest (with cushions), which can be moved to double as a leeboard.

A large wet hanging locker is located beside the companionway, and the decision to split the heads and shower (more potential wet hanging) works well. The heads links through to a work/utility cabin aft, where a bunk can be fitted, but this primarily serves as a wonderful amount of stowage for long term cruisers.

Abundant natural light and lots of light trim make for a modern, fresh look, albeit with a few sharp edges on the window surrounds and bulkhead coverings on the prototype we sailed. The interior is insulated with sprayed cork above the waterline and owners can choose whether to leave this exposed or cover with headlining.

The port aft cabin is capacious, with tall headroom, wide berth, good stowage and a large porthole. Headroom reduces to 5ft 10in in the entrance to the forward cabin. On the test boat this had an extra wide but relatively short (1.85m) berth, and a vast shower room with space for a washing machine abaft the main bulkhead.

Ovni has since addressed the balance of these areas, pushing the bulkhead further aft to increase the berth length – a bonus of building in aluminium over a fixed mould.


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First look: Balance 442 – lightweight, fast catamaran

Toby Hodges casts his eye over the new Balance 442, a new performance catamaran which saw 30 orders placed before the first one was out of the factory

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Although relatively heavy designs that maximise space and comfort still dominate the market, demand for lightweight and fast cruising catamarans appears to be increasing dramatically, with this South African yard reporting unprecedented demand as they launched the Balance 442.

In terms of both concept and layout the Balance 442 is in many ways a scaled down version of the 482 that made its European premiere at the recent International Multihull Show at La Grande Motte.

It offers an appealing mix of a high performance potential allied to an easily tamed self-tacking rig with a deck layout optimised for easy solo watch-keeping while on passage. The first boat has already hit speeds of more than 13 knots on early sea trials off Cape Town.

It’s available with fixed keels or daggerboards, the latter giving a minimum draught of only 1.05m (3ft 6in). All but a handful of the 30 orders placed so far have specified the daggerboards.

Overall, this a very appealing design for anyone looking for a fast boat that’s fun to sail, but who also wants the advantages that a multihull brings to life on board.

Balance 442 specifications

LOA: 13.50m / 44ft 4in
Beam: 7.6m / 24ft 11in
Draught (boards down): 2.15m / 7ft 1in
Displacement: 10,750kg / 23,704lb
Base price: US$820,000 ex VAT
Builder: balancecatamarans.com


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Pilot Classic 47 review – timeless elegance

Sometimes looks really do matter. And this Pilot Classic 47 is a sweet harmony of classic lines and modern build. Toby Hodges reports

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Pride of ownership is a tricky quality to quantify. To many yacht owners looks will play second fiddle to pragmatics – practicality, space and affordability all rank higher (hence the success of serial production yachts). But surely you have considered which yacht might theoretically make you the most proud to own? If you have, the Pilot Classic 47 might be just the thing for you.

Here the monohull will likely always reign, with classic yachts in particular having that evergreen appeal, their owners willing to offset that need for constant maintenance with the visual pleasure their yacht brings.

I’m often asked which yacht I would choose, and that depends on circumstance – including when, where, for how long and for what imaginary budget. But for those lucky enough to afford a treasured possession to keep in a warm location, something they can take continued pride in whenever they see or sail it, to my eye, Performance Classic Yachts (PC Yachts) offers a range of Hoek pilot classic designs that are hard to top.

PC Yachts is a small volume brand producing modern classics which take their appealing lines from the traditional pilot cutter. It builds a couple of yachts a year in composite or wood epoxy at Metur Yachts in Turkey, a yard also renowned for its refits (it recently restored the 74ft ocean racing ketch Stormvogel).

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Dreamy lines above the waterline; below is a T-keel with steel fin and lead ballast. Photo: Richard Langdon

These designs may sport a Bermudan rather than gaff rig, but still boast the prodigious sail area of pilot cutters. The cutters were proven designs for north European waters over a century ago, when they’d race to reach incoming ships, often in ugly conditions, and needed to be fast and easy to manage short-handed. The latter part rings true for PC Yachts too.

We were invited to trial the smallest and latest PC design just days after it was launched and rigged and on the eve of the brand’s owner’s rendezvous regatta in Bodrum. The Pilot Classic 47 Kazumi was commissioned by a Japanese gentleman, who tragically died with his wife in a dinghy sailing accident during the yacht’s construction. Their family decided that the build should be completed as the couple would have wished, before it would be put on the market. The result is something they would surely be proud of.

Pilot Classic 47 – an ocean-ready weekender?

The brief was atypical. With aesthetics keenly in mind, the original client asked Hoek to reduce freeboard by 10cm, leaving a max of around 185cm headroom below decks, which would have been enough for him, but is low for many westerners. He also wanted a weekender that could be managed easily single-handedly, hence the boat is rigged with a furling boom, self-tacking jib, electric winches and a bowthruster.

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Forward visibility is excellent over the low coachroof. Photo: Richard Langdon

First impressions tend to be focussed on the Pilot Classic 47’s gorgeous looks. To confirm the enduring appeal of such lines, it was moored next door to the Pilot Classic 55, which we reviewed five years ago, and the Pilot Classic 66 from 2014, neither of which have dated and still stand out in a busy marina.

Viewed next to her larger sisters the Pilot Classic 47 carries her beam significantly further aft, creating a much wider stern and larger cockpit. Andre Hoek likens the wider stern to Herreshoff’s NY40s and confirms it also helps with upwind performance under heel. Typically a longer yacht will carry its lines more gracefully, but these changes create a striking effect on the Pilot Classic 47 – nestled among its larger sisters it was turning the most heads.

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Hoek lines and sinkered! The elegant new design has wider stern sections. Topsides are painted in Awlgrip Chevvy Gray. Photo: Richard Langdon

The design still includes plenty of traditional styling appeal, including taff rail, squared coachroof, and a traditional sheer that sweeps up from a low freeboard aft to the high bow sections, culminating in a bowsprit serious enough to befit a classic working boat.

It is built to Category A ocean going standards, with a carbon reinforced structure in epoxy foam sandwich with all structures bonded together. There are fore and aft waterproof bulkheads and a sacrificial bow section. So while it is tasked to be a weekender, this Pilot Classic 47 is structurally capable of sailing anywhere. I was intrigued.

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Flush, uncluttered foredeck enhances the PC47’s classic lines. Photo: Richard Langdon

We motored out into Bodrum Bay on a beautiful mid-May day, waiting for the hilltop’s gigantic Turkish flag to start fluttering and signal some thermal activity. It was, at mid morning, already on my temperature limit of comfort as the first ripples appeared, and the resultant effect of the breeze on your face is one of the welcomed joys of eastern Mediterranean sailing.

This was only the second outing for Kazumi and while experience has taught me to expect teething problems with such a new vessel, there were very few. Admittedly my heart sank when I learned we had no offwind sails, which was an understandable downside to this being an unsold boat at the time. Then I remembered the formidable sailplan with which Andre Hoek tends to endear these designs.

The roach of the in-boom mainsail on this Pilot Classic 47 is generous, as is the J area of the self tacking jib, thanks to the clew being rigged midway along the long carbon bowsprit. So when the 10 knot breeze materialised we had plenty of canvas to power her up and feel some proper heel and response. We were quickly making up to 7 knots close-hauled and late 7s with sheets eased.

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A self-tacking jib with large foot area tacked off the bowsprit provides plenty of drive. Photo: Richard Langdon

Simple pleasures

Ah, the delights of taking a big single wheel! The Pilot Classic 47 quickly proved agile, light on the helm. We tacked up the channel between the mainland and Kara Ada island, where, right in close to the island shore, the water colour changes from a deep blue to a tantalising aqua shade. Despite the hypnotic effect, you need to be astute sailing this close to the land as the sounder goes from 40m to single figures in less than a boat length.

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Single wheel in a spacious cockpit. Photo: Richard Langdon

This was where the self-tacking jib came into its own. The ability to short-tack up a coast knowing you can instantly spin the craft through tacks in its own length without anyone needing to move is highly reassuring.

It quickly gave me confidence to spin the boat around single-handedly in response to photographer Richard Langdon’s requests.

We deliberately maximised the apparent wind for our sail set up, keeping the wind forward of the beam when possible. Once the true breeze dropped to single figures, speed, feedback and helming pleasure declined correspondingly: from 6 in 9 knots to 5 in 7 knots beating, or matching 6-7 knot winds when fetching.

So although she has plenty of power and sail area for the typical light breezes around this part of the world, a code or asymmetric sail for reaching or downwind sailing would be a valued investment. Indeed, PC Yachts founder Mark Speirs says the popular choice is an electric code furler integrated into the bowsprit. I would also want an inner staysail if likely to sail in heavier weather.

In a similar manner to classic yachts, aesthetics win over comfort in quite a few areas. For instance, I didn’t find it particularly comfortable around the helm. To windward when heeled it’s too far a stretch to the wheel to sit outboard and steer from the rail. So for longer spells on the wheel you either need to stand and therefore need footchocks (fitted to suit owners), or sit to leeward, which is quite angular against the coamings.

That said, there are clear sightlines forward over the low coachroof and it’s a doddle to work either of the powered Harken winches each side. It would have been nice to see some provision for tail ends in the design rather than have to rely on additional tail bags or tying off on the guardrails, a niggle I remember from the PC55 too.

The main traveller is mounted forward of the companionway using a manual Antal line driver, which makes operation relatively easy. Those wanting to solo sail and trim from the helm could presumably make that remotely operated too.

I found it inviting to sail solo and liked the sporty feel – with white sails only in light breezes, you can still seek out the dark patches and heel into them when beating and reaching. Then there is the satisfaction you get from looking up the swept decks and admiring teak details on the coachroof and bulwark capping rails.

The comparatively wider stern creates a large area behind the wheel, a poop deck which is best used at anchor as there are no guardrails around the stern. The bowsprit meanwhile also looks magnificent and adds sailpower without increasing mast height (something the pilot cutters did so well).

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The deck-stepped aluminium mast has a composite Furlerboom to make mainsail handling easy. Photo: Richard Langdon

However it has its downsides in the additional LOA it creates in port, together with the practicalities of anchoring. For the latter, PC Yachts uses an anchor roller offset to port of the bowsprit, though to ensure this clears the bobstay it’s a lengthy bracket set at 45° which looks a little ungainly.

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The spacious cockpit with its long table and benches will come into its own when relaxing and entertaining. Beneath the starboard bench is a large cockpit locker, which provides the main stowage – essentially where a third cabin would typically be on a yacht this length. It’s large enough for an inflatable dinghy, toys and fenders. It also contains the immersion and black water tanks and has an access panel to the engine room to get at the muffler. “We’ve tried to make it as easy to maintain as possible,” Speirs explained.

I was impressed to see that bilge alarms are fitted as standard in the cockpit, and that even though the stock is hard to access below the cockpit table a useful solution has been designed to use the winches to help control the emergency tiller arm once it is set up.

Looking good

A yacht which prioritises aesthetics such as this, should look good throughout and the Pilot Classics manage this extremely well below decks too, striking that modern classic balance. Kazumi’s ‘New England beach house’ style interior translates to light and chic.

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Saloon and cabins feel light and airy thanks to white tongue and groove headlining. Photo: Richard Langdon

Were you to compare it to a modern cruising yacht it would be short on volume, stowage and headroom in particular. Yet against a weekender-style design, or even a classic yacht with narrow beam and long overhanging ends, it comes across as a smart, spacious open plan format, which includes six berths.

The comparatively low headroom on this model in particular is impossible to ignore at around 182-185cm at its maximum in the companionway and saloon. But you get used to it, while remembering a ‘standard’ version can be 10cm higher.

The styling and details are admirable, notably the hull linings and deckheads in white painted tongue and groove, the satin varnished teak joinerwork and the solid wood sculpted fiddles around all furniture. Rather than use any plywood, PC Yachts and Metur use foam-cored furniture to save weight wherever possible.

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Navstation is extra large to allow for working on board. Photo: Richard Langdon

The navstation boasts an extra large chart table. The original owner was a busy man who wanted to be able to work on board when weekending the yacht from Japan. And I found myself instantly drawn to it, so much so it was the first time I’ve sat to type notes out during a test.

It rightly feels like the heart of the interior, from where you can passage plan and work. I was frustrated that the raised locker doors didn’t line up perfectly, but there is ample locker space and a neat switchboard which includes smart analogue tank gauges.

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Appealing forecabin, albeit without standing headroom. Photo: Richard Langdon

Opposite is a mini galley – meaning that it’s all there, including a 1.5 sink with retractable tap, Force 10 two-burner stove, and surround stowage – just in a slightly more compact size to what you may expect for a 45ft yacht. The fridge freezer is only 40lt, for example, and that could be a concern for any longer periods spent aboard, but future clients could obviously adapt this.

The heads compartment might be the other area where space will feel tight. Once you step up to the sea toilet, where you would need to sit and shower, there’s not even full seated headroom. Again though, compared to most classic-style weekenders it’s still roomy, while personally I find one of the greatest pleasures of warm weather sailing is showering on the aft deck/transom!

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Good size aft double cabin. Photo: Richard Langdon

The large saloon keeps standing headroom until the coachroof ends. It has sofa berths long enough to sleep on each side (2m) and, similar to the cockpit, a generous table you could seat six to eight around.

The lovely large berth in the forward cabin has drawers below and hanging lockers to each side and, after a couple of decent head bangs, you will quickly get used to sitting to change. The aft cabin also feels very light, with a large double berth and an ideal reclining position against the hull in the forward part of the bed.

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Galley is compact on this version. Photo: Richard Langdon

Finishing touches

Accepting that it was a hurry to get it launched and ready in time for the owner’s regatta, there were still plenty of details that needed to be finished off to ensure this PC47 meets the quality its looks suggest. These included smaller issues that can be tuned, such as locker doors not quite lining up, exposed wiring, rough teak work around hatches, mastic on glass etc, plus exposed areas between furniture and headlining and small nicks in woodwork.

Speirs explained that some areas had been left unfinished deliberately, such as in lockers, because different owners will all want different features in different places. The sliding doors for the forward cabin, for example, were not fitted as they take up valuable space and a new owner might not want them.

In terms of what’s not on show, the diesel tanks are below the saloon berths, with the water tank and batteries forward. There’s comparatively little buoyancy aft so Hoek likes to get weight forward, to prevent a stern down attitude. It is a 24V boat, with two big alternators (110A),and is set up with the potential to run air conditioning on shorepower.


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First look: Jeanneau 65

We take a look at the new Jeanneau 65 another offering from the French brand that can be configured in a variety of different ways

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The new Jeanneau 65 represents a significant makeover of the already successful Jeanneau 64. As with the Jeanneau 60 this is intended as a boat that can be configured in many different ways, each with a different character.

Those wanting more of a performance boat can specify a taller rig and mainsheet taken to the cockpit sole, while those looking for safer and easier handling can opt for a mainsheet arch, plus a long hard top, with an optional central folding sunroof area.

In all cases cockpit space is maximised as a result of pushing the wheels well back in the boat – Jeanneau claims it offers the equivalent space to a multihull in this respect.

Accommodation below decks is by London-based designer Andrew Winch, with options including two spacious owner’s cabins with private bathrooms, three cabins including owner forward, or four cabins. All of these have the possibility of an additional single cabin that could be a walk-in closet, additional berth, or even an office area – although the expansive chart table is also designed to be used as a desk when cruising.

Jeanneau is also set to unveil an innovative new 55ft cruising model this winter in time for the Düsseldorf show in January. Drawn by the same Briand/Winch team as the 60 and 65, this will have a very different deck and interior layout, featuring three separate companionways.

Jeanneau 65 specifications

Hull length: 19.55m / 64ft 1in
Beam: 5.40m / 17ft 8in
Ballast: 9,350kg / 20,613lb
Displacement: 31,000kg / 68,343lb
Price: TBA
Builder: jeanneau.com


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First look: Oceanis Yacht 60

We take a quick look at the new Oceanis Yacht 60, which looks every bit the stylish bluewater yacht, which reduces freeboard but maintains internal volume

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Beneteau’s latest flagship is intended as a sturdy and stylish bluewater vessel with a very high standard of interior finish. It’s also a result of a Lorenzo Argento and Roberto Biscontini collaboration and is a very different yacht to the 62-footer it replaces.

In particular it has a lot less freeboard, which has helped to reduce displacement by a massive five tonnes. However, internal volume remains the same, although instead of the entire accommodation being on a single level there are modest steps down from the saloon into the full width forward galley and the aft cabins.

Biscontini drew a similar hull shape to the First 44 and 53, and the Oceanis Yachts 54, with flare above the waterline at the transom and soft chines that will be relatively quick in light airs, but will offer lots of stability in strong winds. See Yachting World June 2022 for more detail.

Oceanis Yacht 60 specifications

LOA: 18.8m / 61ft 8in
Hull length: 17.64m / 57ft 1in
Beam: 5.3m / 17ft 5in
Draught: (std keel) 2.65m / 8ft 4in
Displacement: 21,500kg / 37,400lb
Price: TBA
Builder: beneteau.com


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Oyster 495 review: an impressive smaller Oyster

An exclusive three-day test on the new baby of the Oyster range, the Oyster 495, shows that big things can come in (slightly) smaller sizes, says Toby Hodges

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Good things come to those who wait. After tirelessly chasing the breeze for over 100 miles, we found our just rewards. It was a hazy, moody morning as I rose from the privileged comfort of the aft berth of the new Oyster 495. Twin thrusters were pushing us effortlessly off the dock in Guernsey, our late night stopover, as I took my coffee from the galley espresso machine up on deck, noting how quickly and easily I was beginning to enjoy such creature comforts.

Once out past the harbour arms, white caps indicated a solid breeze. The sails were unfurled at the push of a button and Carpe Diem, Oyster 495 number one, began to heel and power up properly, as if finally set free. This was the moment for me that Oyster’s latest design came alive and transformed into what is arguably the definitive modern day luxury distance cruiser.

It has been a long, highly publicised build up to the launch of Oyster’s first boat fully conceived in the four years under software entrepreneur Richard Hadida’s tenureship. This is a model the CEO has talked about from the start, one to widen the luxury brand’s net and bring more, and younger, people on board. It seems that strategy is already working, as, out of the 15 Oyster 495’s already sold around the world, only two are to existing Oyster owners.

This is also the smallest yacht the Southampton firm has developed from scratch since 2005, and warranted a new yard in Hythe to take production in-house and build up to a schedule of 12 Oyster 495s a year.

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Sailing out past The Needles. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

49ft for the 49th year

This is only a 49 in name though, not in the looks, volume or price tag. The Oyster 495 is as much a part of the small superyacht style of Oyster as its last few launches from the Oyster 565 to the Oyster 885, all by Humphreys Yacht Design.

First impressions centre on its size: the deck space and internal volume that all the beam and freeboard height creates. Yet while the duck egg vinyl wrap intentionally sets off a vibrant aesthetic, it’s the rest of the renowned quality and styling on the boat that really hits home.

The integral boarding ladders which fold down from the guardrails are optional but arguably essential, though once aboard you quickly realise how easy it is to move around the deck and through the superb cockpit.

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With sprayhood removed and dark, stiff sails trimmed, the 495 in powerful performance mode against the Sark tide. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Below decks you’ll find a clever new layout which, for me, makes the galley a star of the show and helps ensure the aft cabin, with its views and space, is best in class.

Once I discovered the deck stowage, engine room space and mechanical layout, I was convinced this could be a serious world cruiser and was excited about the chance to spend proper time aboard, a long weekend-style mini cruise, to see how it performs and how practical it is.

Southbound

Oyster reserved our three-day slot aboard the first Oyster 495 during its ‘world tour’, in which it is premiering this new model in the Baltic and Mediterranean.

With a ridge of high pressure settling over the south coast, the obvious option to find wind was to take the north-easterly across the Channel. We met a spell of glorious summer conditions once out of the western Solent, sailing close-hauled over flat water at 7 knots in 10 knots localised seabreeze, before we pointed our bows across the Channel and settled in for many hours of reaching with and without asymmetric spinnaker, or motorsailing when the wind dropped. With double figure apparent wind speeds you can reliably sail at a speed similar to or exceeding that of the engine at cruising revs, meaning you can passage plan at 8 knots.

Although the standard Oyster 495 comes very complete, the test boat was equipped with plenty of optional extras including a carbon mast and in-mast furling carbon spectra sails to help bolster performance. As I was to discover in the Channel Islands, the boat still likes to be powered up before you get much communication on the helm, and in the lighter breezes I had to watch the numbers to avoid wandering off course.

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The robust fixed bowsprit neatly integrates anchor roller and keeps the spinnaker tack clear of the headstay. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Initially, the helm felt overly heavy, despite the dual rudders. Our skipper, Oyster’s CCO Paul Adamson, was quick to access the steering gear through the pedestals and after some tweaking the result was slightly lighter. However, long geared linkage of centre cockpit steering to twin rudders will always mean hopes for direct feedback need to be measured accordingly.

Built for breeze and ease

To have extra breeze the following day was transformational. With the true wind in the teens or more The Oyster 495 comes alive. It’s powerful and stable, exactly what you want from a distance cruiser.

It was also a really impressive display of how easy it is for one person to manage. I sailed Carpe Diem right into Sark’s Le Grand Greve cove, using the pedestal push buttons to furl the jib, then the main and finally to command the windlass to lower chain as we glided to a halt with no engine or any other hands required.

The push button ease with which you can manage this boat is a big deal. Three new clients of boats in build have converted from power to give sail a go, says Adamson. That said, they’re expensive options, with retractable bow and stern thrusters alone costing around £40,000.

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Clear views for my watch during last light crossing the Channel. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

While a standard Oyster 495 has an aluminium rig with electric in-mast furling, Oyster has been working with Seldén on a new hydraulic in-mast furling system for this optional £140,000 carbon rig. The test boat had a full hydraulics package to serve the outhaul, vang, mainsheet and backstay, the twin compact pumps of which need comparatively little oil and are remarkably quiet (good for not waking the off watch). The push button system is being developed and uses a smart pressure release mechanism to prevent accidental overloading.

That afternoon was full glamour: sunny sailing in a puffy 15-20+ knots, which meant gusts in the mid- to late-20s over the deck. With some heel induced, the Oyster 495 stabilises and powers up. On the times we did really press we only managed to stall on a couple of occasions in the higher gusts and even then the round-up came very gently, politely inviting you to depower the main.

In general, speeds remained in the high 8s when close-hauled, rising into the 9s when we freed up a bit more, while we nudged double figures broad reaching in flat water and in stronger gusts. Around the 9-knot mark is the comfort zone, with comfort the byword – the 495 promotes a lot of confidence to keep sail up, without shipping water or overloading, and has a reassuring, forgiving motion through waves.

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Spacious cockpit, table and long benches encourage alfresco dining. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

The helm stations are typical for modern Oysters in that they’re relatively high up to give clear sightlines from the wheels and headroom below decks. Add to that the freeboard height and you may wonder if it feels exposed. However the deep footwells with angled sides really suit standing at heel, while most will realistically engage autopilot and seek cockpit protection during lengthy watches anyway.

First class layout

I took to helming seated outboard on the coaming, which feels a more natural position at heel than trying to reach forward from the helm seat. The pedestals are well designed, particularly the grab handles each side, although a smaller or repositioned throttle lever would be prudent to prevent consistent snagging.

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U-shaped galley suits working at sea, while a deep, angled footwell proves useful at the helm. Photo: Waterline Media

The positioning of the primary winches has also been very well considered, on a raised step each side outboard of the coamings and perfectly in reach of the helm. It’s also a useful step out from the cockpit to the side deck.

The standard block and winch is installed as well as the hydraulically controlled mainsheet, showing a system which can also easily be adjusted from the helm. I appreciated how a preventer line is rigged on each side of the boom, with clutches on deck allowing this to be set up on one side and the tack line on the other.

The intelligent, practical design elements continue around the clean decks, including genoa sheet leads kept neatly inboard alongside the coachroof. Reverse sheer helps generate headroom below without needing to extend the coachroof forward of the mast, while removable dorades and cages help keep the foredeck flush.

A quick swim at the anchorage and a hot shower on the bathing platform was necessary to prove the benefits of the new cassette platform design. An electric ram pushes it out horizontally aft from the lazarette to extend deck space. The full beam lazarette itself is enormous, and while the sail locker is certainly beneficial it could use a larger hatch as it was a squeeze to try and get the gennaker through.

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Plenty of instrument and switchboard space at the navstation. Photo: Waterline Media

The cockpit is perhaps Oyster’s best yet relative to its size. It provides excellent protection, particularly under the sturdy sprayhood with its large clear panels. The huge table makes it clear this is where the majority of meals will be taken, with deep benches easily long enough to seat eight or to lie down on. While much design work has clearly gone into the flowing lines, I found the backrest angle a little severe, so cushions might be a wise extra.

We eventually had to wrench ourselves away from the stunning Sark anchorage to try to catch favourable tides back across the channel. Sailing to the Casquets under sunset we met a dying breeze in the Channel for the long motor and night watches across the shipping lanes.

At cruising revs we clocked 8.5 knots at 2,100rpm burning just 6lt per hour of the tank’s 880lt. Noise levels were very acceptable down below too, thanks in part to some excellent insulation. Adamson puts this know-how down to Oyster’s larger yachts and says a key is that the acoustic sandwich insulation used is all glued with no fastenings that can transmit sound.

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The passageway aft helps allow for superb engine access. Photo: Waterline Media

Life at heel

Spending proper time aboard on passage is the ideal way to assess the practicality and comfort of the interior in use and at heel.

In terms of styling and quality of finish, today’s Oyster is top drawer. Rather than the typical passageway galley seen on a centre cockpit model this size, the 495 has the beam for a seaworthy U-shaped galley to port, while the starboard passageway provides stowage space and helps open up access to the engine room. It’s a one-fits-all layout, but a solution the yard is understandably delighted with. Smart features seen on the latest larger models are also included, such as the formidable lighting system throughout and the digital switching touchscreen monitors which clearly show and interrogate all systems.

Sturdy handholds lead you down six deep steps to a saloon bathed in light and natural ventilation, the latter from the large, forward-opening coachroof windows. The table on the test boat could be lowered to extend the starboard sofa into a double or daybed. It also has a handrail which extends out, which is needed at heel as there’s a large open area to navigate across – a longitudinal rail on the deckhead would make sense here.

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it’s hard to believe you can get such a stateroom at this length – the sea views it provides are incomparable. Photo: Waterline Media

The adjoining galley is excellent, ideally shaped for working at heel, with abundant natural light. The fact that we as a crew all offered to cook or make drinks so often said plenty. Although modestly sized, with relatively compact outboard lockers and only a half height fridge aft, extra optional fridge/freezer space can be chosen here, in the cockpit and particularly in the passageway. Practical elements include the inboard sink and surround acrylic work surfaces with radiused upstands and an integrated bin. If being picky, a larger porthole to the cockpit to pass drinks through would be handy.

A generous chart table and plentiful space for instruments encourages passage planning and quiet study in the navstation. The coachroof windows extend aft to encourage extra light both here and in the galley, but the navstation is too low to enjoy that benefit. I found it comparatively dark and would prefer to see out more, but the large computer monitor was deemed to be more useful than a hull port here.

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Forward cabin is spacious and light with good views too. Photo: Waterline Media

Trump card

Aft stateroom cabins have long been an Oyster calling card and the Oyster 495 continues that tradition to the extent this is arguably the best you can get in 50ft. A step in the cockpit helps create a wide passage forward of the berth with 6ft 4in/193cm headroom.

It’s taller still in the adjoining heads, a clever design with an area sculpted out from between the engine room and galley to create a proper shower stall.

From the stowage, both in cedar-lined wardrobes, drawers and small lockers around the berth, to the superb lighting, overhead escape hatches, blinds and ventilation, it all smacks of quality. The vertical hull portlights steal the show, inviting prime sea views, especially from the privacy of the sofa to port.

Accommodation forward of the saloon comprises a compact Pullman, ideal for kids or a delivery crew, and a generous guest double. These share a good sized heads and separate shower, although with no wet locker, foul weather gear will likely end up cohabiting the shower too.

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Working at the chart table at night. Photo: Waterline Media

Once again it’s the headroom and light that stands out in the forward cabin, the latter thanks to long twin overhead hatches with mushroom vents plus hull ports.

For a yacht which is so nice and light below decks, and which has such fine sea views from the cabins, my main issue is that you can’t actually see the sea properly from the saloon, galley or navstation. The coachroof windows are too high to see out of when standing in the saloon, the hull ports too low when seated.

It can be argued that a prime benefit of Oyster’s long favoured semi-raised saloon is that it’s low enough to adjoin the surrounding areas and high enough to house the large polyethylene fuel and water tanks, together with the battery bank, below the sole. The test boat has standard 800Ah gel batteries, sealed in airtight containers and ventilated overboard by fan, while all systems including the aircon can run off the inverter.

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Plenty of deck space to enjoy Sark’s west coast anchorage. Photo: Waterline Media

Further aft, the grey water runs into the deep keel stub, a smart idea to centralise weight in otherwise wasted space. The stub also helps keep the rest of the bilge dry, holding liquid in one place, with strumboxes used for the bilge pumps to help prevent blockage. Some of the infused glassfibre construction and carbon reinforced stringers are visible here – a solid laminate with Vinylester outer skin is used below the waterline.

Where Oyster’s larger models have a workshop cabin leading into the engine room, the Oyster 495 doesn’t have the space for this, yet the layout solution here and access to the engine room are superb. Twin doors open out to reveal the motor mounted in the centre of the boat, at max beam, a saildrive to negate shaft space and allow for an 8kW genset accessed via its own door immediately aft.

Opposite is excellent stowage in the passageway, including freezer and washing machine, with optional 110lt/hour watermaker below the sole.

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Modern hull shape buys plenty of volume aft. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Benefits of a prototype

Our voyage was temporarily paused after a leak was traced to a cracked skin fitting in the lazarette, a watertight compartment aft. It was a fitting for the emergency boarding ladder, a practical device which allows the release of a pushpit-mounted soft ladder from the water, but one that was mistakenly installed with an incorrect part. We are told it is not a feature on other models and all subsequent Oyster 495s will be fitted with a bronze or TruDesign skin fitting.

Lazarettes are often decked out with a single level floor, yet here Oyster understandably wanted to make as much of the cavernous stowage space available as possible. It’s stowage world cruisers will love, but fitting storage units to take individual boxes might help prevent loose items sliding around pipework and steering gear.
The incident highlighted the prime value of having a model that is thoroughly tested before going into full production.


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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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First look: wallywind110

Details been disclosed of the new Wally range of cruiser-racers, with the wallywind110 the first design to be shown under the brand's new ownership

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While we were given a tantalising peak last autumn of what iconic Italian brand Wally may be up to under its new Ferretti ownership, only now have full details been disclosed of its sizzling new wallywind range of cruiser-racers, with this wallywind110  the first of a new series, which also includes a 130 and 150.

And it’s encouraging to see that it reprises the hallmark features of the most successful Wally Yachts which exude minimalist elegance. These include high bulwarks to help blend in raised saloon lines, an aft deck terrace on the sea, magic trim hydraulic sheeting systems for ease of handling, and an underwater anchoring system.

At its heart lies Wally’s promise for blistering performance thanks to a full carbon build and a design that pairs short-handed fast cruising comfort with race winning potential.

wallywind is the stylistic brainchild of Wally founder Luca Bassani, combined with naval architecture by Judel/Vrolijk. It’s a partnership which also created the wallycento Hamilton and the 2018 Wally 93 Nahiti, now competing under her new name Bullitt.

“The 110 is a true hybrid because it offers the volumes and comforts of a deckhouse yacht, but with a flush deck that offers the spirit and the performance of a racing boat,” Bassani explains.

“The raised bulwarks do the job of disguising the fact that this is a raised saloon yacht, with the engine room beneath the floor. That means all the advantages of the layout, without the compromised aesthetics.”

Sociable layout

A quick glance at the wallywind110 visuals will show you the opulent amount of social space the design team has created on deck. With no coamings, the full extent of the 80m2 cockpit is employed, allowing seating for up to 15 guests within the security of the bulwarks. Most of the deck furniture is removable for racing, while below the aft terrace is space for a garage for a 4m tender.

The interior is bathed in natural light, chiefly thanks to a skylight running the full length of the coachroof. Plenty of flexibility is offered in the finish and layout, with a forward owner’s suite and up to three guest and three crew cabins. Unusually, a choice of three keel types – fixed, telescopic or lifting – is offered.

Construction has started on the first wallywind110, due to launch in May 2024.

Builder: wally.com


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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.
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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