This Azuree 41 video was shot during our test of this new fast cruiser in Turkey. Her alluring, powerful and modern hull shape helps make for a responsive and fun boat to sail.
Over the last decade Sirena Marine has established itself as Turkey’s leading production boat builder. But its learning curve has been a steep one, matched by improvements in quality and management.
This was the third time we visited Pendik, on the southern outskirts of Istanbul, to test an Azuree. Each time the experience has improved markedly.
Sirena’s original Azuree 40-footer was a fun design, a little ahead of her time perhaps, somewhat quirky and cumbersome for a production yacht – see the video here.
UK designer Rob Humphreys took the wide aft beam, hard chine, twin rudder theme of that Ceccarelli-designed hull as a starting point. He went on to produce a more user-friendly, aesthetically appealing and all round better product in the Azuree 46 – see video here.
And now, as we can see from this Azuree 41 video, we see the fruits of yet further refinement.
Humphreys, who joined me for the test sail, is particularly pleased with improvements in weight control. Sirena is building stiffer hulls with as much weight as possible concentrated deep in the bulb of the T-keel. This new Azuree 41 is a consummate cruiser-racer, a yacht that has been refined to be a cut above its competition.
For its 50th anniversary, Nautor’s Swan has produced the ClubSwan 50, a yacht so radical and so classy it had Toby Hodges running out of superlatives
For its 50 anniversary, Nautor’s Swan have launched their new racer-cruiser, the ClubSwan 50. She is the most extreme-looking production yacht we’ve ever seen. No computer-enhanced renderings could do justice to the yacht as seen for the first time – she is utterly, fantastically awesome.
Nautor has well and truly removed any shackles for this contemporary beast. It has unleashed a design so fresh she deserves an MTV documentary of her own.
But yes, she’s a Swan, even if the only thing that looks Swan-like about her is the coveline with its familiar blue arrow. Nautor’s Swan has often been ahead of the curve – the Finnish/Italian company has been building lightweight carbon flyers for over a decade now – and for its 50th anniversary it wanted to produce a spectacular yacht. I think I can agree it has achieved that rather handsomely.
Why is she so cool? Just look at the design features. She’s aggressive and flared, with muscular, powerful lines that ooze raw sex appeal. Designer Juan Kouyoumdjian seems to have pushed all contemporary features to the extreme: the pronounced, curved reverse sheer and stem together with the menacing bowsprit forward that creates a swordfish look; the forward sprayrail and hard chine aft; the prominent flare to the quarters and the angular companionway.
The mast is positioned well aft, deck-stepped and raked back like a multihull. This creates a massive J area for flying powerful A-sails, combined with a potent square-top mainsail. It’s monohull meets multihull territory, raceboat meets luxury performance. If there were a Top Trumps game for monohull design this would be the card to hold.
Take a look and see our assessment of this exciting new yacht in our boat test video.
The third model in the Azuree range, the Azuree 41, is a welcome refinement in terms of quality, and something of a gem (all photos by Rick Tomlinson).
What is a gem but a stone yet to be polished? When Sirena Marine produced its first Azuree yacht it was somewhat rough – the potential was there to see, produced by a big yard and workforce with industrial production experience, but it needed refinement.
Eight years on, with a great deal of hard graft, the brand has moved on and its latest offering is a jewel worthy of admiration – not perfect on close inspection, but one that has a definite sparkle.
Sirena Marine’s learning curve has been a steep one engineered by improvements in quality and management. To improve quality Sirena builds a prototype. By the time you get aboard for a test sail any teething problems have been spotted – indeed they are pointed out and have most likely already been adjusted for the production version.
Third time lucky
Sirena’s original 40-footer was a fun design, a little ahead of her time perhaps, somewhat quirky and cumbersome for a production yacht.
Rob Humphreys took the wide aft beam, hard chine, twin rudder theme of that Ceccarelli-designed hull and ran with it to produce a more user-friendly, aesthetically appealing and all round better product in the 46. And now, with this Azuree 41, we see the fruits of yet further refinement.
Humphreys, who joined me for a test sail aboard the prototype, is particularly pleased with improvements in weight control. Sirena is building stiffer hulls with as much weight as possible concentrated deep in the bulb of the T-keel. His brief was for a modern take on the classic cruiser-racer, but with the emphasis on the ‘cruiser’.
“If the balance was the other way it would have a more aggressive fit-out of the interior,” he explained. As it is, some of the weight can be shed – the teak decks, for example; this 200kg luxury is the equivalent of having four people on the rail.
For a couple of hours before the wind mysteriously vanished, conditions proved ideal – a 10-13 knot breeze under full sail over flat water. I am unashamedly fond of the hull shape of the 41.
The helm doesn’t load up with wind pressure; rather heel just keeps increasing. Once past a certain sweet spot, though, the effect has a negative impact on speed. It is easy to become comfortable with too much heel because the beam provides stability and the twin rudders give real traction. Humphreys remarked that an Azuree should be sold with an inclinometer – and its easy to see why, as you can sail at over 20° heel without even trying.
I found she responded better when sailed more like a multihull – keep the bow down and get the apparent breeze up before trying to point. By keeping the traveller up and easing the mainsheet a little to get some twist in the main, the Azuree felt freer.
As a consequence, with a little less heel, the speed upwind rose from the low sevens up to 7.5 knots. Sacrifice another 5 to 10º pointing and this quickly rises to 8 knots.
And there is certainly potential to get better performance out of her by adding the designed roach into the main, for example. The test boat also had approximately 500kg of extras, which could potentially be removed, including the teak decks already mentioned, certain lockers and the bathing platform.
Unfortunately by the time we hoisted the gennaker off Adalar island the wind had dropped right away, so we were denied the offwind blast I’d been looking forward to.
The Azuree 41’s muscular lines incorporate a high chine and minimised wetted surface for her beam.
Stiff and stable ride
The 41 is a fun boat to sail, responsive and light on the wheel. She has a relatively narrow waterline beam and high ballast ratio and the result is a stiff and stable ride. When she is heeled, foot chocks lift for the helmsman to brace on – a useful addition.
The diameter of the wheels could be a few inches wider, however, both to allow you to sit out properly – wide side decks mean it’s too far to sit comfortably against the rail and still hold a wheel – and to prevent your knuckles catching on the pedestal.
The best helming position I found was to straddle the wheel, which allows you to steer and trim. Unfortunately, the traveller set-up on this boat was, to put it bluntly, terrible – but I was told this was the choice of the owner for this first boat and not standard.
In my books it still should never have been fitted as it doesn’t allow for adjustment under load – only from deck level and from forward of the track – useless when heeled and sailing upwind.
A traveller that utilises the full beam, with control lines on a swivel cleat or led to cam cleats near deck level, would be a marked improvement. Harken deck gear is standard on future models.
For those who would prefer a more cruiser-friendly cockpit set-up, a mainsheet arch over the companionway is also an option. It would be good to see Dyneema used as standard for the running rigging, as our polyester lines stretched continually during the test – a small upgrade, but one that would be more in keeping with the performance credentials of this cruiser-racer.
Straddle the windward wheel and you can steer and trim in comfort with optimal sightlines.
Well sorted interior
With the 41 the concern for Sirena will be whether it is actually stealing potential customers away from its own 46. There is little to choose between the models. The 41 has three cabins with an optional second heads and the aft cabins are a similar size to those of the 46. Plus an offset forward berth helps to make the 41 feel voluminous below.
Sirena says that the lessons it learned from the 46 were more functional than aesthetic. A lot of after sales research was conducted to try to eliminate future problems. For instance, there was a water drainage issue on the deck of the 46, which was sorted at the design stage of the 41.
The Azuree 41 uses a carbon-reinforced spider frame, designed to absorb keel and rig loads. The admirable engineering is an example of Sirena’s focus on quality, which is now beginning to pay dividends – the 41 looks and feels like a higher end product than models from the mass-production yards that compete with it on price.
The comfort of the interior shows the emphasis clearly lies with the cruising brief of this cruiser-racer. Styled by Studio Spadolini, it is bright and smart, with a pale trim, lots of natural light and good headroom carried forward to the forward cabin bulkhead. The standard finish is in oak with options of walnut and teak. Understated, it is an interior that lets the quality of finish do the talking.
The C-shaped table has seating for six in the saloon, but with tank and batteries below the berth and galley opposite, stowage space is limited.
The outboard-facing navstation adjoining the after part of the saloon berth, the longitudinal galley and offset forward berth all help to create a generous impression of space. Examples of smart detailing include the indirect lighting, headlining with grabrails inset, alloy hinges and door handles.
The engine room has solid mesh sound and heat insulation as used by much larger yachts – a cut above the norm. There is access to the Jefa steering gear through the aft cabin bulkheads. The wire linkage to the quadrants is kept to a minimum; the latter are linked by a bar, but each can be operated independently.
Conclusion
This is a versatile 40-footer, a stiff, powerful yet manageable design, blessed with high levels of quality control. She will suit both family and performance cruisers and appeal to an owner who likes to race occasionally. The Azuree provides an enjoyable ride, which keeps things interesting by making you work out how best to sail her.
Sirena Marine has once again upped its game with weight control and finish quality without undue impact on the price.
In the past potential buyers might not have wanted to take on the risk of a relatively new Turkish brand. But through its mass production of automotive parts, Sirena is establishing itself as a composite expert on a global level. An Azuree is one tier up on quality over what might be suggested by the price, employing pedigree design and engineering.
Sirena has continued to polish and refine tirelessly so this 41 has taken on that brilliance that the Azuree name suggests.
Galley: The longitudinal galley works well on a yacht of this size, as it creates a connection with the saloon and offers plenty of light (including a large hull portlight), worktop space and stowage. The test boat had generous fridge volume and fiddled Corian worktops.
Navstation: This area is as compact as you can go before losing a dedicated chart table, though there is an impractical swinging seat which is being changed – in future boats the aft saloon seat will pivot round for use at the chart table.
Forward cabin: Providing a light, smart and inviting impression, this cabin has an offset berth to port that allows you to move further forward than with a conventional vee berth. It does, however, render the berth unusable on one tack – obviously a major downside. The heads-cum-wetroom has a shallow bowl sink, but a proper shower stand with mixer tap.
With 14 sold already, X-Yachts has built an absolute flyer to front its new X range, as we found out in Haderslev, Denmark.
When X-Yachts announced the X6 in 2014 (see YW X6 test video), revealing a powerful new raised saloon cruising yacht with aggressive lines, wraparound coachroof windows and a mainsheet arch, it seemed a radical move for this level-headed brand, but it wasn’t a one-off. X-Yachts has now created a whole new ‘X’ line by launching the X4 simultaneously this summer.
“Many clients feel that the Xp models are too race-oriented while the Xc boats are too heavy and classic-looking,” X-Yachts’s founder Niels Jeppesen explains. “So we went back to X-Yachts’s roots to design a very good, fast cruising yacht.”
The new ‘X’ line has similar modern lines to the Xp performance models, but with more volume and increased payload capacity. It is slightly heavier than the Xp but with the same T-shaped keel, rudder and ballast. ‘X’ models have vacuum-infused epoxy hulls, as per the Xp, but include X-Yachts’ renowned steel grid for stiffness.
“The X range is for those who want a sexy, modern-looking boat, but whose priority is cruising,” says Jeppesen. With 14 of the X4s selling immediately, this range has had a flying start. Take a look at the video and watch some great sailing.
The X6 is a bold design – a yacht that will place most others of her size firmly in the shade.
The new ‘X’ line fills the gap between X-Yachts’ performance (Xp) and cruising (Xc) range and includes the new X4 (see YW X4 video) as well as this semi-custom X6. But where the X4 is visually similar to the Xp range, the X6 is a completely different animal, inside and out, with a healthy dose of testosterone and raw contemporary appeal.
To descend the bare teak steps of the shallow companionway is to witness a new dawn for X-Yachts. The formidable natural light illuminates a mix of finishes including bare teak, clear-coat carbon, stainless steel and walnut – all modern, light, and fresh looking. Yes we’ve seen a lot of raised saloon models before, but this has lashings of added panache.
Stand in the saloon and you are at the perfect height for near-panoramic views, including that most prized angle looking forward over the flush foredeck. The amount of natural light in the saloon and galley is phenomenal.
Lift up the floorboards in the saloon and you’ll find high-calibre engineering: X-Yachts’s galvanised steel grid immediately imparts peace of mind; the tanks and batteries are all centrally positioned for optimum weight management and the hoses and wire looms are housed in metal cradles to keep them neatly together and out of the bilges. The plywood soles are thicker than those used in my house. I’m told that matching the walnut veneer in those lengths was somewhat tricky.
For an up-close look inside and out, take a look at the video.
The result of a design competition won by Juan K, the ClubSwan 50 is outrageously good to sail, says Toby Hodges. All pics by Rick Tomlinson.
Where we tested: From Nautor’s Swan’s waterfront location in Jakobstad, Finland. Wind: 5-13 knots over calm sea. Model: hull no 1 with two cabins. The standard one-design boat is theoretically the fastest.
The ClubSwan 50 is quite simply the most extreme-looking production yacht I’ve seen. No computer-enhanced renderings could do justice to seeing this yacht for the first time. She is fantastically awesome.
Nautor’s Swan well and truly removed the shackles for this contemporary beast. It has unleashed a design so fresh she deserves an MTV documentary about her.
The only thing that looks Swan-like is the coveline with its familiar blue arrow head.
Nautor’s Swan has often been ahead of the curve – the Finnish/Italian company has been building lightweight carbon flyers for over a decade now – and for its 50th anniversary it wanted to produce a spectacular yacht. I think I can say it has achieved that rather handsomely.
Marketing director Vanni Galgani said the company didn’t really care how many sold so long as the 50 had wow factor. It has, but Italian romanticism is not the point. This is the result of a diligently researched, multi-faceted programme from its first concept.
She’s a fabulously fancy weekender, perhaps, but moreover will be a fast and fun owner-driver one-design class, with an ambitious and exciting Nations Cup programme (see the panel at the end) – and one that could only potentially succeed under a name well practised in organising international regattas.
A beast secured: note the twisted contours of her flared topsides, the tidy twin backstay system and the main sheeted well aft.
So, why is she so cool? Just look at the design features. She’s aggressive and flared, with muscular, powerful lines that possess a raw sex appeal. Juan Kouyoumdjian seems to have pushed all contemporary features to the extreme: the pronounced, curved reverse sheer and stem together with the menacing bowsprit forward that creates a swordfish look; the forward sprayrail and hard chine aft; the prominent flare to the quarters and the angular companionway.
The mast is positioned well aft, deck-stepped and raked back like a multihull. This creates a massive J area for flying powerful A-sails, combined with a potent square-top mainsail. It’s monohull meets multihull, raceboat meets luxury performance. If there were a Top Trumps game for monohull design this would be the card to hold.
More design details
The bowsprit (just 10kg), which protrudes as menacingly as a jouster’s lance, can be painted white
Reverse sheer helps soften the lines of a wide transom yacht. Because Juan K designed the boat
to heel, “if you don’t bring the sheer down it looks very high and can look bow down”
Despite the scrupulous attention to weight, teak decks are standard – she’s still a Swan after all
There is a huge cockpit locker below the aft deck. As with all Swans, this has a watertight bulkhead forward, so if a rudder is lost, there is no danger of sinking
the wide toerail is chamfered, affording hiking crew a comfortable perch, and the cambered foredeck increases headroom in the forward cabin – a feature that adds to her monocoque-like stiff shape.
Competitive edge
This is the first Swan not designed by German Frers in four decades. Nautor held a design competition with a brief for a contemporary, fast, competitive one-design that could sail offshore and be converted to a sports cruiser sailed with limited crew. A small ask, then! More importantly, it said: ‘In one word, this yacht has to be cool.’
In Juan K it found a designer with similar Argentinian flare to Frers, but with a more innovative, cutting-edge racing focus. He is known for his very shallow, wide-stern designs and his repeated VO70 successes – ABN Amro, Ericsson 4, Groupama 4 – and more recently the silver bullet Rambler 88.
“I looked a lot at what Frers had done with Swan to try to keep the Swan DNA,” Juan K explains. “For me it was essential to keep it as a racing boat that could cruise, not the other way around. Weight was essential.”
The 50 is seriously light at 8.5 tonnes. A good indication of her slippery profile was immediately apparent as we planed away from Nautor’s marina in Pietarsaari – under engine. The whole structure is built in carbon epoxy Sprint laminate. Even her keel fin is carbon – only top racing yachts such as VO65s have that. The modern interior is a lesson in disguise: all-carbon dressed in wafer-thin leather and teak veneer.
Glance through the specs (off-the-scale for a production yacht) and you can imagine Juan K giggling like a mad professor as he came up with the design. The outrageous sail area:displacement of 36.5 is by far the highest ratio I’ve seen for a series-built yacht. The 50 also has a feather-light displacement:length ratio of just 86 – and over 40 per cent of that displacement is in the keel’s torpedo bulb. She can set nearly 3,000sq ft of asymmetric sail.
It’s like lifting the bonnet of a muscle car to find someone has packed in far more cylinders than seemed possible.
The catch to all this lightweight bling? She costs nearly a million euros. That’s twice the price of our favourite pin-up from last year, the Solaris 50 (another trendsetter drawn by an Argentinian, Soto Acebal). To merit that sort of asking price, the ClubSwan 50 would have to excel in build and finish quality and be as seriously exciting on the water as first impressions suggest.
Setting the enormous asymmetric.
The deal with heel
So, what’s she like to sail? Although our test was only the third time the black 3Di sails had been hoisted on this very first 50, it did not take long to answer: utterly addictive.
We had relatively light winds; largely between 5 and 10 knots. But this is a vessel that needs little encouragement to create her own wind, especially once some heel is induced. Her optimum heel angles are high (20-25º upwind and 15-22º reaching) to gain maximum waterline length and righting moment for minimum wetted surface.
Seeing a hull in build from below makes it easier to appreciate how the 50 is designed to sail at a high degree of heel. She has very sharp bow sections, together with a long yet minimal wetted surface that extends to the chined quarters when heeled.
For the first half an hour or so I sailed her like that upwind as if in a trance. In just 5 knots of true wind, we were making 7-7.5 knots, sliding along with barely a wake. I was astonished. Five knots true! An owner would scarcely ever need to fire up the engine!
Enjoyment escalates with the addition of the vast kite. We were quickly matching the 7- to 10-knot true wind speeds, the base of the white, red and blue kite kissing the water as we pointed up to around 60° apparent.
At this angle the bottom leading edge of the windward rudder is exposed, baring the sawtooth profile that Juan K compares to the tubercles of a whale. The rudders are a development of those designed for Rambler 88: “As the boat is always sailed heeled, the tip of the windward rudder is touching the water, so you have to design the rudders to be sailed like this – in and out of the water.” The tubercle effect also helps prevent stalling, giving an extra 2-3° angle of attack.
The sawtooth shape to the leading edge of the rudders – like a whale tubercle, Juan K says – is to limit drag when dipping in and out of the water and to prevent the blades from stalling quickly.
Though the 50 uses raceboat design, technology and build processes, she remains a manageable yacht to sail. She showed no signs of twitchy behaviour. I could feel plenty of grip on the working blade even when we heated her up. These blades are deep enough to offer owner-drivers assured grip, but a combination of their outboard placement and high aspect shape means they still feel supremely light on the wheel.
Heading back upwind when the breeze increased to 10-13 knots, the 50 really started to come to life. We clocked 8.5 knots at 31-35° to the apparent wind. She really loves to heel and our test was a mere glimpse of the animal she promises to be in a breeze. A smoking offwind ride in heavy airs with the crew hiking out of the quarters would, I’m quite sure, provide as good a high as anything legal.
The ClubSwan 50 is designed to be (relatively) easily managed too. Taming that powerful sailplan would be the obvious concern for most owners considering any short-handed daysails or cruises. Below 10 knots of breeze the running backstays can remain at the mast base. Above that, two reefs are employed to allow the boom to pass the backstays.
The backstays are locked off and the jib sheets led to aft winches. The generous J area means a staysail can be set as well as or instead of the furling genoa. Tank allocation for water and fuel is enough for short cruises and the engine size is generous – we planed along at 9.5 knots at 2,500rpm.
Oyster Yachts’ popularity lies with its bluewater cruisers up to 60ft and, more recently its unrivalled success with 80 footers. Yet this season sees the British yard launch two new models in the ‘midsize’ range, the 675 and 745. Toby Hodges has been aboard both and trialled this Oyster 675 directly after her Southampton Boatshow debut.
When it comes to series-building large cruising yachts, Oyster Yachts is the undisputed world leader. In the 60ft size range alone it has, over its 40-year heritage, produced a 61, 62, 625, 655, 665, 66, 675 and a 68 – and has built 73 of these size yachts during its current 15-year partnership with designer Rob Humphreys alone.
The company considers this new Oyster 675 to be about the limit in size an owner can still operate a yacht without crew, yet concedes that a temporary paid hand may still be advised to keep the yacht suitably maintained. But it has simultaneously launched another new design, the 745 for those who will sail with crew. And it’s given this new ‘midsize’ range its own ‘coupe’ style.
These yachts herald a new modern look and era for Oyster. The hull shapes, drawn by Humphreys Yacht Design, are more powerful than their predecessors, more beamy with greater form stability. They sport twin rudders, flush foredecks and blade jibs and have more power in their rigs and keels.
They are still bluewater cruisers but they have been given a very purposeful, current look. A stretched coachroof window line marks the style of this new range.
Over and above the contemporary shapes and styles, however, it is the flexibility of choice that comes with the Oyster 675 and 745 which sets them apart. This 675 is the first Oyster to offer a forward master cabin from design stage and there are a wide variety of internal layouts available.
All models from the Oyster 675 and above are now offered with conventional sloping transoms or extended vertical transoms as standard. The extended version doubles the size of the lazarette stowage and creates the option for a tender garage – another first for Oyster.
It is rare for an owner to know exactly what they want in a yacht of this size. So having all these options designed-in is a useful solution for owner and yard to create a personalised yacht.
See our full report in the December 2016 issue of Yachting World
Stuck for Christmas gift ideas for the sailor who has it all? Yachting World is here to help with 30 great ideas
Are you wondering what to get the sailor in your life for Christmas. Here is our pick of 30 top products that are perfect Christmas gift ideas for sailors:
Wichard knife
Christmas gift ideas: Wichard Knife
Wichard has produced knives in Thiers, the French home of knife making, since 1919. Its latest range includes Offshore and more economic Aquaterra models. The Offshore knife has a serrated blade that can cut through Dyneema, and is available with a combined shackle key/marlinspike. The Aquaterra uses a conventional or serrated blade and has the accessory all sailors really need: a corkscrew.
Price from €17. wichard.com
2. Yachting World Subscription
Christmas gift ideas: A Yachting World subscription
A hardcopy of the world’s favourite sailing magazine every month from £19.49 a year – or an ipad/iphone digital issues for £16.49… Now THAT’S Christmas!
The simple ideas are the best. These compact LEDs stick to the underbelly of each bladder, which uses the large fluorescent surface like a diffuser to maximise the visibility of the flashing light. Once activated, the Lume-On provides up to two hours of intense flashing light. It adds very little extra weight, has a smooth profile so will not chafe the bladder, and is very simple to retrofit to most lifejackets. £15 per pair. spinlock.co.uk
4.Olaf Scooter
Here is an ingenious compact solution to getting around in foreign marinas and towns. The Olaf Urban combines four products in one: a kick-scooter, a trolley, a backpack and a skateboard. The Urban backpack is designed to carry the folded scooter. The combined backpack and trolley weigh just 3.5kg and the trolley can take a 120kg payload.
The esa is the first smartwatch designed for sailing, fusing the sailor’s thirst for gadgetry with high-street technology. The esa watch uses wifi to display information from onboard instruments on your wrist. As well as the ability to show performance sailing data including speed and polar target data, the watch is still essentially a smartphone, offering full Android capabilities.
This Australian innovation blends rowing with outboard motors to produce a clever lightweight solution for your tender. It uses a 3:1 gear ratio contained in the collar by the handle, driving a high-pitch propeller to provide a smooth, silent and fuel-less means of manual propulsion in either direction. Time to ditch the outboard, oars or both?
We conducted a waterproofing test on mobile phones, looking at nanotechnology sprays in particular, but concluded that a waterproof case remains the most secure way of protecting a mobile device. With more people using tablets for navigation, a case with a built-in GPS, like this SLXtreme Navigator could be the ideal solution.
The SnowLizard range include a built-in solar panel and back-up battery. US $349.99 www.snowlizard.com
8. Lifedge Ultimate Cable
Christmas gift ideas: Lifeedge Ultimate cable
If you’re going to get a waterproof case for your mobile device, you may want one of these charging cables too. The extra long (2m/6.5ft) and durable Ultimate cable is corrosion and tangle proof, and allows for waterproof phone charging when used with a compatible case.
Raymarine’s most affordable thermal camera to date, the Ocean Scout TK can extend vision afloat, day or night, by creating images from heat. It can spot objects up to 119m away, including boats, buoys, landmarks or wildlife. But its ability to potentially thermally identify a MOB could quickly make it high on sailors’ wishlists. Price £412.50. raymarine.com
It can alert any AIS-equipped vessels in the vicinity to the precise location of a casualty in the water, and it will fit on any inflatable lifejacket’s oral tube. It also includes DSC alerting so can both pinpoint a MOB location via AIS, plus trigger the yacht’s own VHF alarm.
The Nub puts a new, circular looking twist on the age-old rope pulley. It’s a simple, lightweight and economic plastic design that can take great loads with minimal friction. A 16g Nub for example can hold over four tonnes of static weight, and it can be fixed to a preloaded rope.
The Nub’s design is also inherently secure – if the polyplastic body does fail, the moving sheet will be held by the static sheet. €39.90 for two units from nub-connectics.com
This compact, lightweight double-ended torch shines a powerful white beam from one end and a red light from the other. Both can be operated simultaneously for a variety of uses from onboard, to the tender ride or cycle home.
Accessories include a headband that allows either colour to shine forwards, a reflective neck lanyard, plus stanchion, helmet and magnetic mounts. £99.95. exposuremarine.com
13.Touchscreen gloves
Christmas gift ideas: Touchscreen gloves
Those who need to swipe screens in colder climes can now keep their digits warm too with Mujjo’s latest fleece-lined touchscreen gloves. These have black leather cuffs and anti-slip palms with silicon grip dots. Price from €29.95. mujjo.com
14. Splash Drone
Christmas gift ideas: Splash Drone
This is the first fully waterproof quad copter – and it floats. The drone is not only designed to carry a GoPro, but has a payload release feature for carrying and releasing other items, including safety gear.
Race tactics involve decisions based on the wind direction and trends, gleaned from the yacht’s compass. This Danish TackingMaster helps make wind shifts quick and easy to gauge using a watch-style wrist mount.
Once the wind direction and course to the mark have been set, you can track any shifts by using its inner course dial. So you can easily see how a shift may affect the next tack or leg and keep track of the average wind trend. Price €79. tackingmaster.com
16. Restube
Christmas gift ideas: Restube safety device
Anyone who partakes in extreme watersports will know there are times when wearing a lifejacket is simply not practical afloat. And others may simply want the comfort of a personal flotation device without the bulk, perhaps when taking a swim away from an anchored yacht.
The Restube is a personal lifebuoy developed by a kitesurfer that stows into a small bum-bag like pouch. It uses a vertical or horizontal belt attachment, and a sports model is available with a harness mount.
If I were to recommend one piece of repair kit to carry aboard it would probably be this new emergency epoxy adhesive. The fast curing epoxy can be used on sails plus most materials in virtually all conditions – including underwater – so it can even help patch a hole below the waterline. Watch the video here
A Satsleeve turns your mobile phone into a satphone. It wraps around the phone, utilising the mobile’s internal electronics and encodes and boosts the signal for connection to the Thuraya satellite network. The SatSleeve+ has a universal adapter, so the user can switch between most smartphone models from 58 to 85mm in width. £370 ex VAT or £5 per day to rent from www.globaltelesat.co.uk
19. Fizzics portable beer tap
Christmas gift ideas: Fizzics beer tap
Sailors are discerning types with quality tastes. So why not ship a portable beer tap for draught-tasting beer with the perfect head? The founders of Fizzics have really delved into the science (or ‘fizzics’) of beer drinking, and created a device that they say will deliver the perfect pour, creating an ‘ultra dense, long-lasting foam head’ from any standard size beer can or bottle – and all beer types from lager and ale to stout.
It’s strictly for those who take their drinking seriously – I’ve asked Santa for one.
The JIVE is the first folding, electric, chainless bicycle – and it weighs just 15kg. It can be cycled manually, electrically, or a combination of both, which provides a 20 mile range on one two hour charge.
JIVE uses a chainless drive train and has a dashboard to mount smartphones to use a bike computer app. £1,499. jivebike.com
21. TaskOne G3 case
Christmas gift ideas: TaskOne phone case
For those who don’t already rely on their mobile phones enough, the TaskOne G3 case turns a smartphone into a Leatherman. It includes 22 tools and a mount for attaching saw blades. So you can now use your phone to cut, saw, grip, and screw things – then open a beer after your hard work. £79.99. thetasklab.com
22. Garmin Virb X and XE
Christmas gift ideas: Garmin Virb X
If your choice of action camera is more defined by durability, audio and picture quality, consider Garmin’s Virb cameras. Garmin has updated its excellent rugged and waterproof (to 50m) Virb cams, with new X and XE models which differ in HD levels.
The main improvements are with picture resolution, an increased variety of mounting options, and a new user experience programme called G-Metrix that uses sensors to capture everything from speed to g-force. The dedicated photo button to take stills at any time, even while the camera is recording, is also a neat addition. From £239.99 at garmin.com
23. HandiMoova trolley
Christmas gift ideas: HandiMoova trolley
This is the world’s first all-terrain, off-road trolley. It can transport loads of up to 60kg over rough terrain, sand and steps smoothly and easily. The secret lies with the wheels, shaped like a half orange and mounted on floating axles that allow it to walk over obstacles.
The lightweight (5kg), compact, folding trolley has a telescopic handle and rubber tyres, so is ideal for yachts. Video here £99.99. handiworld.com
24. Digital Yacht Aquawear
Digital Yacht Aquawear
This blackbox server will wirelessly stream information from onboard instruments to mobiles, tablets and laptops. The splash-proof wrist case included helps promote wearable navigation – the viewing of instrument, charting and AIS data on deck via apps on your smartphone. Aquawear aslo creates a wifi hotspot for the whole crew. £264. digitalyacht.co.uk
25. Spinlock Essentials chest pack
Christmas gift ideas: Spinlock Chest Pack
Spinlock’s Essential Packs are snug fitting solutions for keeping accessories like mobile phone, VHF, personal EPIRB to hand on the water.
They are available as belt, side or chest packs that attach with Velcro tie-downs, and neatly compliment Spinlock’s Deckvest 5D lifejacket. £14.95. spinlock.co.uk
26. Personalised champagne
Christmas gift ideas:Champagne by you
Here’s your chance to create your own bespoke bubbles. Buying a case of Champagne By You involves a tasting session to decide on the exact champagne style, all imported from family growers in the champagne region. Clients then get to design a unique handmade aluminium label using anything from a corporate logo to a photograph.
Sampling, design and delivery of a case of 24 bottles costs from £2,257. champagnebyyou.com
27. Pontos 4-speed winch
Christmas gift ideas: Pontos-Trimmer
These new winches use a clutch to provide two extra gears as well as the standard two-speeds most sailors are used to. These extra gears can either provide more speed or power. So with two faster gears, the Grinder winch offers up to six times the line-speed of conventional two-speed winches. And with two higher gears the Trimmer model offers twice the power, reducing the force needed to winch a line. It’s the biggest step-change in manual winches in a generation.
Vaavud is essentially a set of whirling cups that turn your smartphone into an anemometer. Live wind data through crowd sourcing – clever and particularly useful for those of us that dither on the shoreline wondering which sail/boat/kite/board to take, or whether to mow the lawn. A new compact Sleipnir model is now available that uses an electronic sensor and can read wind direction too. Video here From £37. vaavud.com
29. Sugru
Christmas gift ideas: Sugru
Sugru is a new material that feels like play dough but acts like superglue and sticks to most objects and surfaces. It’s very user-friendly, highly malleable and waterproof and comes in 10 bright colours. It’s ideal for both fixing things and giving items a new lease of life as it sets like silicone rubber (flexible and insulated) – it’s also surprisingly fun to apply.
Bring out your inner kid… Must watch WTF is Sugru video here From £6.99. sugru.com
30. Tiwal 3.2 inflatable dinghy
Christmas gift ideas: TIWAL inflatable dinghy
This French inflatable sailing dinghy stows into two compact bags and can be launched, assembled and sailed anywhere in 20 minutes. It looks like safe, enjoyable and family friendly fun, ideal for getting kids into dinghy sailing. It uses the same high-strength PVC material as stand-up paddleboards, inflated via a high-pressure pump. An alloy structure gives it a backbone and allows the helm or crew to sit out, and a freestanding carbon mast splits into four.
Keep in the locker or trailer sail – without the need for a trailer. Video here €5,490. tiwal.co.uk
We can’t promise any of these products will be delivered in time – but wish a merry Christmas to all!
Torqeedo has won the largest marine equipment design award for its innovative new Cruise Pod electric saildrives.
The electric propulsion pioneer Torqeedo won the largest marine equipment prize of the year today (15 November) – for the second time in four years. The DAME (Design Awards METS) award 2016 was presented to the German manufacturer for its Cruise FP range of integrated electric drives.
It is a deserved award for a company that has unveiled a series of new and innovative electric propulsion alternatives over the last decade from electric outboards to high voltage motors.
The Cruise FP is an electric saildrive leg that can directly replace a diesel-powered saildrive, together with comparative performance and pricing. Retrofitting a Cruise pod looks particularly straightforward.
The lightweight and efficient motor, the same as those proven in Torqeedo’s outboard range, is contained within the pod underwater (keeping it cool). The Cruise pod drives are, however, designed to be part of a fully integrated Torqeedo system that includes lithium batteries, electronic throttle and touchscreen user interface.
The Cruise models can be charged from shore power, solar panels or generators – yet have full hydro-generative power while sailing, even if the folding props version is chosen.
Torqeedo conducted flow resistance trials with a pod on a 30ft Dehler and reported a decrease of less than 0.04 knots speed (compared to having no motor/propeller). The pods are currently available to suit yachts from 25-40ft.
The DAME comes a month after Hanse’s E-Motion Rudder Drive was unveiled in corporation with Torqeedo and Jefa. This system effectively integrates a Torqeedo Pod within a rudder blade to provide an electric propulsion alternative with supreme manoeuvrability.
Hanse’s E-Motion rudder drive uses a Torqeedo electric pod
The DAME award is particularly impressive if you consider the high volume of innovative products on the shortlist of this year’s awards. Record numbers took top honours as 28 products were named as category winners or presented with special mentions.
The DAME Awards Jury of eight industry experts praised Torqeedo’s Cruise FP for its “beautiful engineering and close attention to detail design, its integrated approach, its compact dimensions and its market realistic price.” It sees this product as “an exciting development that will promote green boating and create exciting new opportunities too for the interior design of sailing yachts by removing the need for a traditional engine space aft of the companionway.”
“In the marine industry we collectively need to make boating much more fun for the end user,” said the chairman of the jury Bill Dixon. “To do that we need products that are interesting and make boating easier, exciting, enjoyable, comfortable and less stressful. This year’s DAME 2016 Awards provides great cause for believing we are heading in the right direction; our winner this year is a brilliant example of how true innovation, advances in technology and application of design will push boating ahead.”
The first of a new range from X-Yachts, the X4 looks like a sailing skipper's dream, but the proof is in the pudding, as Toby Hodges discovered. Photos Richard Langdon.
X-Yachts builds dependable cruiser-racers, right? Reliably built performance yachts that get regatta results – not glitzy trendsetters? Well, the Danish brand certainly likes to keep its Southampton-based design team busy. It designs everything in house and, in the last eight years alone, has brought out new ranges of both Xc cruising yachts (see the Xc45 test video here) and Xp performance yachts (read the Xp44 test report here).
It therefore made for unexpected and exciting news when X-Yachts created a whole new ‘X’ line by launching the brand new 41-footer, the X4, at the same time as its 60-footer, the X6, which was first announced in 2014, and which we tested simultaneously (see the X6 test video here). However, I couldn’t help but wonder whether there is room for a third model run. “Many clients feel that the Xp models are too race-oriented while the Xc boats are too heavy and classic-looking,” X-Yachts’s founder Niels Jeppesen explains. “So we went back to X-Yachts’s roots to design a very good, fast cruising yacht.”
The new ‘X’ line has similar modern lines to the Xp performance models, but with more volume and increased payload capacity. It is slightly heavier than the Xp but with the same T-shaped keel, rudder and ballast. ‘X’ models have vacuum-infused epoxy hulls, as per the Xp, but include X-Yachts’ renowned steel grid for stiffness.
“The X range is for those who want a sexy, modern-looking boat, but whose priority is cruising,” says Jeppesen. With 14 of the X4s selling immediately, this range has had a flying start. So I went to Haderslev for a test sail.
Quick to charm
Where we tested: Haderslev on the Baltic coast of Denmark not far from the German border
Wind: X4 tested in 18-25 knots
Model: hull number 1
Conditions off the Baltic coast of Denmark were ideal, with 18–25 knots of gusty wind in cloudy conditions that partly obscured the sun. This first brand new X4 was decidedly quick to charm as we headed off on a long upwind leg on starboard.
The X4 has a very definite and rewarding sweet spot. Put the bow down a little, feel her heel and accelerate, then edge back up so she flattens off slightly onto her soft chine. The log should then quickly rise by a third of a knot as she settles into a groove. Over-point and she’ll drop back down to 7 knots; get it right and she’ll carve to windward all day at 7.4 knots. It’s highly rewarding.
The test boat’s sails and deck gear were ideally set up for maximum performance. We carried full sail throughout the test with cunningham and, later, backstay cranked on. The 3Di black Kevlar/Spectra sails proved stiff enough to handle the bullets of wind that brought 30 knots over the deck without needing to resort to a reef. Admittedly, North Sails’ Peter Westfal was doing a fine job trimming the main. In these conditions he left the traveller alone slightly below the centreline and just played the mainsheet to control the twist at the head of the sail.
Mainsheet winches nestle in the coamings. Headsail sheets emerge from beneath the coachroof.
He was, however, uneasy about hoisting the shiny new A3 gennaker. Well Peter, I’m glad we talked you round. That long, stable offwind spell was the ideal demonstration of her power and agility and completely sold me on the X4. It was stupidly addictive on the responsive helm. We averaged 9.5 knots; at over 10.5 knots she started to plane and in gusts or little waves, we added another knot.
When asked to, she will point high and maintain admirable grip on the rudder. As in the upwind mode, there was an ideal amount of feedback with a touch of weather helm if and when pressed. It was really impressive stuff for a freshly launched model – but I guess that’s what you come to expect from a pedigree yard used to building performance boats. The X4 may be slightly fuller in her hull sections than this builder’s past cruiser-racers but she retains that addictive agility.
The excellent control line set-up including traveller, jib tracks, vang and cunningham encourages regular sail-shape tweaks to help get the best out of her. The leads are particularly neat, with jib sheets led under the deck, and mainsheet led through the aft coaming down to the traveller. Mainsheet winches are buried neatly into the coamings, with primaries mounted on top – all Harken Performas. The deck is also kept very clean, with flush, frameless hatches.
Flush, frameless hatches create a feeling of uninterrupted flow across the deck.
The test boat had a ‘Maxi style’ mainsheet set-up, led directly from boom end to recessed traveller and on to the winches positioned within reach of the helm. It’s a neat, direct system that I like but it loads the traveller more than a German led system. There is space in front of the wheels for a trimmer or helmsman if short-handed.
With plenty of beam carried aft, the deck lockers surrounding the cockpit have a practical amount of volume, plus there is a locker between the quarter lockers with room for two gas bottles. A deep sail locker forward has space for gennaker and fenders.
The standard boat comes without a cockpit table. Instead X-Yachts provides options for either a removable or fixed table. The tail bags were screwed-on accessories, and I would prefer to have seen proper built-in storage designed specifically for the job.
Design features
The rod rigging meets stainless steel chainplates that are covered to maintain a clean toerail line.
The mirrored windows on the first boat have been changed for tinted versions. Cockpit shelter can be enhanced by an optional sprayhood and fixed windscreen.
Most of the control lines are smartly concealed under the deck and led aft to clutches on the coachroof.
The X4 that we sailed is yet another open-transom design with only two aft guardrail wires. In response, X-Yachts has now improved the aft pushpit design to include a third lifeline.
An optional swim platform is lowered and raised using a simple rope purchase.
Interior
Heading below, my first impressions were a little anticlimactic following such an enjoyable sail. It just seemed a tad plain; I have seen the ‘oak Alpi’ look used a lot across production yachts recently and it seemed out of place for a pedigree Scandinavian yard like X-Yachts (although the standard finish is still teak).
This is a sore point for this builder, as in the past, X-Yachts has been criticised for being too conservative with its traditional teak interiors. However, my reservations are about more than simply the choice of veneer. The interior of the X4 – the quality of the finish – didn’t come across as a cut above the mass production yards. In essence, it lacked that feeling of luxury.
Some of this can be put down to her size – at 41ft there is only so much you can do with the space – but the doorways, for example, still felt unnecessarily narrow (although X-Yachts have now improved the frame detailing to make them wider) and offered just 5ft 7in headroom. In comparison, the interior of the X6 (overleaf) has more ‘wow factor’ than any other production yacht I’ve seen recently.
The optional oak Alpi decor. “We are being asked more and more for light wood finishes,” says X-Yachts’s founder Niels Jeppesen.
The X4 has a conventional three-cabin two heads layout. A two-cabin layout will be available in 2017, which I think would work better for this size and target market. The Oceanair blinds, optional indirect floor lights, and illuminated LED light switches are smart design touches and there is good all-round access to the engine space.
The test boat lacks a dedicated navstation hence the saloon feels extra roomy. In this three-cabin format, there is only the option to build in a minimum-size chart table adjoining the aft part of the starboard sofa. The two-cabin option will have a dedicated forward-facing navstation.
It’s a smart area with plenty of natural light. The flip-top table with integrated wine-bottle stowage is large enough for six. There are four raised lockers each side of the saloon, but with tanks located beneath the berths for optimum weight placement, storage space is a little limited in the saloon.
The galley is smart and functional. It has a light, practical layout with adequate storage, a Corian fiddled worktop, double sink and top-opening 90lt fridge. A front-opening second fridge is optional, as are accessories like Nespresso machine and microwave. A double bin slides out from below the sink.
Duck through the doorway and you’ll find a light and inviting cabin. The optional en-suite in place of an extra wardrobe seems to make the best use of the layout. The forward-looking coachroof window is a stylish touch to go with the hull portlights and the large deck hatch. Headroom of 6ft 4in is carried up to the island berth, which is somewhat elevated with generous stowage beneath. The berth lifts on gas struts for easy access.
The aft cabins have a conventional layout with a long double berth, small wardrobe, long double shelf and a hull window. In the heads, a swing door divides the wash area and heads itself, but also reveals the main entrance to the aft cabin. The heads converts into a wet-room and there is a shower on a stand with a mixer tap.
The master cabin bed has plenty of stowage beneath.
The X4 strikes a delicious balance between the performance of a cruiser-racer and the manageability of a cruising yacht. You can feel it, trim it and tune it properly: it’s a yacht to delight the active helmsman, without needing multiple crew. If the difference between a standard production yacht and a premium performance cruiser is unclear to you, then you need to get behind the wheel of the X4 in a breeze.
However, for a boat that makes you feel like royalty on the helm, the interior comes across as a little plain. It will come down to personal taste – and 14 X4s have already been sold – but for its price, I think the X4 could do more below.
In the groove upwind.
X-Yachts X4 sailplan.
The optional carbon bowsprit keeps the anchor clear of the vertical stem.
X-Yachts X4 interior accommodation plan.
Aft cabin double berth.
The three-cabin version includes a minimal chart table.
Build
X-Yachts has a facility in north Poland with 110 workers where the initial hull and deck lay up for both the X4 and the X6 is done. The rest of the assembly, including quality control, takes place in Haderslev, Denmark.
Toby Hodges takes the highly customised hull number one of X-Yachts new 65-footer for a test sail and found a yacht with untold potential for idyllic onboard life. Photos Richard Langdon.
The X6 is a bold design: a muscular, small superyacht blessed with powerful lines; a yacht that will place most others of her size firmly in the shade. The flagship of the new X range (the 41ft X4 was launched simultaneously – see full X4 test report), the X6 is a completely different animal, inside and out, from X-Yachts Xp performance cruiser range, designed to be a semi-custom cruiser with a healthy dose of testosterone and raw contemporary appeal.
“I have never walked into a boat before and fallen straight in love with it like this,” said our veteran photographer Richard Langdon, not one normally prone to exaggeration. The formidable natural light illuminates a mix of finishes including bare teak, clear-coat carbon, stainless steel and walnut – all modern, light, and fresh looking. “It’s sensational,” I agreed.
It should be noted however that this first X6 was built in collaboration with its British owner and is customised with a multitude of optional extras, including the carbon and leather trim, the brushed-stainless galley surfaces and the backlit feature bookshelf. He has also opted for a carbon Hall Spars mast and custom-made roller boom, which, together with features like her large hull portlights and bespoke dinghy stowage – there is room to stow a RIB facing forward on a roller-launching system that hinges down, as the aft deck lifts up – help identify her as very much a scaled-down superyacht.
Twin rudders are unusual for X-Yachts. The X73 in 2001 was the first model to have twin rudders – making room for the tender garage. “We don’t do it on smaller models because of prop walk,” Jeppesen explained. “But at this size you have a stern thruster.”
The X6 has very similar hull lines to the X65 I tested in 2009, seven of which were produced. She has a similar price and specification but her interior design is a quantum leap ahead.
Interior panache
To descend the bare teak steps of the shallow companionway is to witness a new dawn for X-Yachts. Yes we’ve seen a lot of raised saloon models before, but this has lashings of added panache. Stand in the saloon and you are at the perfect height for near-panoramic views, including that most prized angle looking forward over the flush foredeck. The amount of natural light in the saloon and galley is phenomenal.
The interior of the X6 sparkles with natural light, her design and layout outshining all other recent production yachts.
Lift up the floorboards in the saloon and you’ll find high-calibre engineering: X-Yachts’s galvanised steel grid immediately imparts peace of mind; the tanks and batteries are all centrally positioned for optimum weight management and the hoses and wire looms are housed in metal cradles to keep them neatly together and out of the bilges. The plywood soles are thicker than those used in my house. I’m told that matching the walnut veneer in those lengths was somewhat tricky. The predominant trim is light oak Alpi again, but this has been brushed when bare for a more tactile finish.
By providing a modular layout to the three-part accommodation plan, X-Yachts can offer a variety of options. The test boat had a four-cabin format (two Pullmans and two double cabins). The choice of an extra Pullman forward, reduces the size of the sail locker and removes the space for a forepeak crew cabin. The aft Pullman is ideally placed for a professional crew next to the walk-in engine room and galley, although the addition of an en-suite here would make it more practical for crew use.
The telescopic coffee table in the saloon is an odd, over-complicated device with four diagonal folding leaf sections to seat a maximum of seven. Combined with a small cockpit table, this restricts the options for hosting any kind of slap-up meal from the wonderfully light and large galley, the size and quality of which is a real selling point of the boat. It has a phenomenal amount of locker space and cold storage, plus space for extras like a trash compactor, coffee machine, dishwasher, and microwave.
The owner’s cabin forward, with over 7ft of headroom, is again well lit and inviting with a distinct impression of luxury. The double aft has a corridor-style entrance that extends under the cockpit sole. It then widens out to reveal a generous cabin with a large hull portlight and private access to the adjoining heads.
More design features: stylish porthole-style barometer and temperature displays
Twin rudder power
Anyone familiar with X-Yachts will not be surprised to read that this is a slippery, powerful beast. In just 5–7 knots of breeze the X6 will almost match the wind speed to windward. Add a couple of knots in a puff and she heels elegantly and clocks 7.5–8 knots. When it piped up to 14 knots we were slicing upwind pointing 30–35º at 8.5 knots, even topping nine if we footed off 5º.
It was a potent and commanding performance. The inhaulers make a notable difference, adding five degrees to her pointing. An X-Yacht is consistently a delight to sail upwind, but the twin rudder grip offered on the X6 encourages you to push a little offwind. In 10–15 knots and with the Code 0 unleashed we maintained a steady 9.5 knots at 55–80º(apparent). This felt to me more steady than exhilarating and I noted excessive drag off the leeward rudder and wash off the windward rudder in this mode. Jeppesen said they had been tuning the rudder angles to get the best orientation. The loaded helm when reaching was probably more down to poor trim, as it was a nicer, more neutral feeling going upwind.
There’s no doubt that the X6 will make a formidable passage-maker. And if the wind does dip below 5 knots, the standard Yanmar 160hp engine with three-blade Flexifold propels her at 7.4 knots at 1,700rpm, consuming just 5.6lt of diesel per hour.
The optional carbon arch keeps mainsheet lines out of the cockpit.
Cockpit arch benefits
For a large, powerful design, she’s a calm yacht to sail, thanks in part to a very smart, well thought-out deck design. The sheets for example disappear below deck aft, reappearing at two Harken 980s abaft the cockpit. The furlers for staysail, genoa and Code 0 are all under the deck and I like the versatility her cutter rig provides. The mainsheet is led from the arch forward through the boom and back to winches.
Personally I’m a fan of the cockpit arch. It’s a look reminiscent of the showpiece spoilers that typified the dream cars of the 1980s, but an arch also helps to create a cockpit enclosure, a sense of privacy and protection, and keeps the boom clear. The custom-made furler boom on the test boat has a manual override so the deck winch can be used in case of any power problems. This UK owner was also having a fixed bimini fitted with solar panels on top.
The lengthy but shallow cockpit has a small table and a dedicated liferaft locker by the companionway. Abaft the benches is a pair of winches either side, with storage beneath the side decks for running rigging tails. A generous sail locker swallows fenders and furling sails, plus there’s a chain locker with a wash-down hose and windlass.
The X6 is right in the sweet spot for this new X range, as the 55-80ft sector is where the interior can shine too. I was excited about the edgy, muscular looks of this new age for X-Yachts, but it was the interior of this yacht that blew me away. It’s a prime example of how, if you’re prepared to pay for the extras, the step up to this size level brings the sort of customisation and systems design more typically associated with the superyacht world.
This mid-60ft sector has traction, so new designs have to stand out. The modern styling of the X6 is certainly backed up with the performance X-Yachts is renowned for, although the increased size, load and power level, can lead to a certain ‘loss of feel’.
Build
X-Yachts has a facility in north Poland with 110 workers where the initial hull and deck lay up for both the X4 and the X6 is done. The rest of the assembly, including quality control, takes place in Haderslev, Denmark.
The owner’s cabin forward has 7ft headroom and plenty of natural light through the hatch and the portlights.
The smart bookshelves on the forward bulkhead have indirect lighting.
Helm controls include a stern-thruster.
A nice mix of contemporary design and semi-custom finishing.
In the new Figaro 3, Groupe Beneteau is producing the first series-built production monohull with foils. It is a strong message that is sure to have a knock-on effect, both for racing and yacht production.
For those in any doubt as to whether foiling will make it into mainstream sailing, news that Beneteau is to produce a radical new one-design Figaro 3 fleet with foils should put this question to rest.
Beneteau unveiled renderings of the Figaro 3, the first production-built monohull with foils at the Paris Boatshow in December. Leading French design firm VPLP has drawn a contemporary looking race boat, but it is the parts sticking out of the sides like spiders’ legs that are causing a real stir.
These novel looking foils are designed to replace the traditional weighty ballast tanks used on past Figaro models. Described as ‘asymmetric tip foils’ they work by creating side force to supplement the skinny keel and reduce leeway while causing minimal drag. An important factor is also that they are able to retract within the boat’s maximum beam.
In short foils can herald a step-change – a Figaro 3 with foils working is expected to be up to 15 per cent faster than its predecessor.
Bar the carbon mast, bowsprit and foils, the Figaro 3 is still built in conventional foam sandwich fibreglass and polyester. But it stands to be considerably faster than its predecessor
The Figaro has been a reasonably conventional and durable one-design class that has served as the training and proving platform for aspiring solo offshore racing sailors, many of whom have then moved up to the IMOCA 60 fleet. Those 60s with foils are currently showing an unmatchable speed advantage on the Vendee Globe – see why here
The Figaro 3 will replace its predecessor when the Solitaire, the championship of the solo Figaro circuit, marks its 50th anniversary in 2019. Do not presume however that Beneteau might solely be doing such a project for the typically 40-strong Solitaire fleet. The new Figaro 3 is a Category A ocean-rated boat and we can envisage worldwide appeal, particularly in the burgeoning shorthanded offshore racing scene.
“We think we can go more international with this boat,” said,” said Bénéteau’s sailboat marketing director Guinguido Girotti, who coordinated the project for Beneteau and heads its new racing division. Think distance races and short-handed offshore racing worldwide and the potential for this Figaro looks exciting.
“I think there is also potential for this boat to attract buyers outside the Figaro fleet,” our shorthanded sailing expert Pip Hare agreed. “For crewed offshore racing it could be a lot of fun. And yes I would absolutely love to sail one solo!”
Looking at where Beneteau’s first foil project could lead, Girotti replies, “We are fully industrialising a system… I think we have a technological advantage over anyone else. It [foils] could become mainstream for First or SunFast models from here on – with a fast implementation. This is not a prototype.”
A cockpit layout to suit short-handed racing and a hull with skinny appendages. And gone are symmetrical spinnakers in favour of A sails and running backstays
Clever thinking behind the Figaro 3 design
Obviously to be able to generate enough lift for a sailing yacht to foil, the boat has to be kept very light. The target displacement of the Figaro 3 is 2,900kg – 200 kilos less than the Figaro 2. The Figaro 3 is slightly smaller than the Figaro 2, yet a look at the polars shows she will potentially be between five to 10 per cent faster on most sail points and only slower in full downwind mode.
The foils are not designed to lift the boat out of the water, but to eliminate the need for water ballast tanks by creating side force to help the keel. “More righting moment for less weight means that in general you have a much more powerful boat,” Girotti told me.
The foils on the Figaro 3 are manually deployed and retract to within the max beam
It is reliability that comes first for this class however. Crucial to the design is that the foils retract to within the max beam of the boat and that they do so well above the waterline to maintain structural and watertight integrity in the case of impact.
It’s one thing to use foils to improve righting moment and performance when sailing at full speed in plenty of water. But I wonder how practical foils will be for a tight-knit class that predominantly races in variable winds, strong tides and rocky shores of Normandy, Brittany and the south coast of the UK.
The potential for these foils to strike another boat or an unidentified floating object is a concern. The brief for the Figaro 3 therefore, which will be adopted by the Figaro class from 2019, was to be as reliable as her predecessor. VPLP designer Vincent Lauriot-Prévost affirms that if a foil were to break in a collision, it wouldn’t damage the boat’s structure.
The bow has plenty of volume to maximise the waterline length and create lift and will reportedly also improve the pitch angle of the foils
The Figaro 3 has a modern, high performance hullshape and sail plan that includes fixed bowsprit for flying furling asymmetric sails. Our February 2017 issue, which comes out in early January, has a full feature about the design of the boat, how the foils work and reaction from some notable shorthanded sailors.
The first prototype will be trialled in summer 2017. A first batch of 50 Figaro 3s will then be produced for the end of 2018. Any Figaro class member can buy a boat and hull numbers will be drawn in lots to keep the one design element strict.
Beneteau is currently finalising the pricing of the boat with the class.
What does a Figaro 3 with foils mean for this popular class? Here is the reaction from some expert shorthanded sailors.
“To have a chance to be competitive it is best to come in at this time as everyone is new and learning so there is no advantage,” says Dee Caffari, “whereas now the old timers are so advanced at sailing the Figaro 2 that it really is a tough call to race the circuit. I think this may open the class up again with some fresh and new faces, maybe even mine!”
Pip Hare addressed it another way. “At the moment it is possible for someone with less skill and a lower budget to get into the fleet, learn with others and still take part in the events. Until the second hand boats come through initially the class will become incredibly elite which will be an exciting thing – I wonder whether the differential between the front and the back of the fleet will grow.
“Judging by the reports from the Vendee it is hard work to keep these boats on the pace all of the time – this type of sailing is becoming more and more physically demanding it really is hard core.”
Conrad Humphreys, who has raced in both Class 40s and IMOCA 60s, wonders how much budget may affect the new class. “The question will be if the racing remains as close/tight as its been and of course the budget required to purchase/run a campaign,” “You might well see the bigger teams purchasing two boats and chartering one, which happened with the Figaro 2. Last time around the purchase price was very competitive and those that could buy two boats did very well on the charter income (10+years €30,000/year).
“Assuming strict one design, I think they will be close and the top guys will learn quickly how to use the foil. This is an important transition, as after this Vendee Globe, they’ll be no going back. If anything foils are going to improve further.”
For Figaro and MOD70 sailor Henry Bomby the design change is an exciting one. “The only weakness of the Figaro class for me was that the boat didn’t help you develop skills that you could transfer onto other boats. It’s really exciting to see the class updated with square top mains, foils and asymmetrical downwind and reaching sails. I can’t wait to get out on one!”
LOA 10.85m
LWL 9.00m
Beam 3.40m
Disp 2,900kg
Ballast 1,100kg
Test Editor Toby Hodges gets to know a yacht with true character aboard the brand new 67ft Contest.
Contest 67CS: The owner of this first 67CS started sailing in Norway in September 2009, aged 40. Since then he has owned two yachts, completed an ARC crossing and sailed with his wife in the Caribbean five times a year.
“We were looking for a bigger yacht for longer stays but which we can still sail with the two of us.” They plan to sail the boat themselves, but add that for “maintenance and preparations it is smart to have professionals who know our Contest 67CS.”
Dutch yard Contest commissioned Judel/Vrolijk for the first time to design its new 67CS. This is a size on the increase for owners who like to get places quickly and engage in the odd race, and may need crew to help manage the boat. We tested hull number one rigged with carbon spars and 3Di sails off Palma Mallorca on a sunny and wonderfully breezy day and produced this Contest 67CS video.
The move to designers Judel/Vrolijk is a bold statement by Contest Yachts. Just as a GTi badge on a car suggests increased performance, it’s fair to assume a yacht drawn by this firm will be no slouch. See for yourself…
Contest wanted to find a naval architect to establish the sort of long-term relationship it enjoyed with Georg Nissen, one that could produce continuity. Over the past ten years, Contest has pushed for more performance while trying to maintain its trademark quality and comfort. “Comfort and quality remain king,” Arjen Conijn says, “but wherever we can win performance without losing our core focus we will do it.”
Photo Jesus Renedo.
As you can see in the Contest 67CS video, her hull lines have been optimised for moderate displacement and performance. She has reasonably flat sections aft and a hint of a chine to the topsides for offwind stability, plus a sharp forefoot for upwind work. The 67CS also has a generous rig that offers many sail combinations.
Her low-profile coachroof is in keeping with the rest of Contest’s 42-72ft range. Wetzel Brown Partners have again handled styling in the interior– four layouts are offered, including the choice of forward or aft owner’s cabin.
Arjen Conijn, managing director of Contest, sees his company’s new 67-footer as a hybrid solution. “It is possible to sail just with the family or with a crew,” he declares. The difference is that her size provides the opportunity “to bring a crew aboard one day”.
Conijn feels the development of equipment such as thrusters and electric winches has made this size practical without crew. “Five years ago our 62 launched and proved it was manageable and now it will be with this [67],” he says. “Our 72 is the starting point for permanent crew.”
See the full boat test report in our February 2017 issue – out now.
With thanks to Jesus Renedo and Ugo Fonolla for the fantastic footage in the Contest 67CS video.
An extraordinary act of bravery and seamanship has resulted in Clipper 2015-16 Race crew member Gavin Reid being named as the boats.com 2016 YJA Yachtsman of the Year
Gavin Reid, 28, an amateur sailor who was born profoundly deaf, has beaten “his heroes”, Giles Scott, the Rio 2016 Gold Medalist, and Brian Thompson, Round the Island Race Record Holder, to be honoured as the boats.com 2016 YJA Yachtsman of the Year.
The 2015-16 Clipper Race Mission Performance crewmember Gavin Reid, a 28 year-old Scotsman who was born deaf, was surprised to receive the award during the Yachting Journalists Association (YJA) London prize-giving. The award is voted for by the 200+ YJA members public after Reid and his team went to the assistance of a non-racing yacht in distress with a crewmember trapped aloft, during the Clipper Race leg from Hobart to the Whitsunday Islands in mid January (See the video of the rescue here).
Mission Performance responded to a distress call from M3, a TP52 on a return delivery from the Sydney Hobart race in January 2016. It had a wrapped propeller, a damaged mainsail and a crewmember who had been stuck at the top of the mast for several hours.
The Clipper yacht was 11 miles away from M3 when it responded to the distress call, suspending racing at midnight to try and provide assistance. Conditions were deemed too rough for Mission Performance to pull alongside, combined with the discovery that the mainsail of M3 could not be lowered and that her crew were dragging two drogues to slow them down.
Gavin Reid, a supply chain coordinator who lives in Cambridge and had no previous sailing experience before signing up for the race, volunteered to transfer to the yacht. Once a throwing line successfully connected the two yachts, Reid jumped into the water during first light, carrying his hearing aid inside his drysuit for the swim across.
“That was what I was most nervous about actually,” he later told the Whitsunday Times, “whether my hearing aid would survive the journey, but thankfully it did.” Born deaf, Reid grew up in Scotland and played several international matches for Scotland’s deaf Rugby Union team.
During the rescue, he climbed the vessel’s mast and took two hours to help free M3’s stranded crewman. “When I got to the mast, the halyards were all wrapped around the mast at the top, so I tried to go up and help the guy untangle himself and bring himself down,” said Gavin Reid shortly after the rescue. “It was pretty bumpy and I think I was up there for about two hours. The guy was up there for about nine hours so I am glad he is down.”
Gavin Reid became experienced in mast work during the Clipper Race and used the one remaining staysail halyard to hoist himself two thirds of the way up the swinging mast, then climbed the rest of the way hand-over-hand to reach the crewman, untangle the lines, and help to lower him down safely.
Fellow Mission Performance crewmember Katherine Law reported: “There were limited halyards on board as the crewmember had been thrown around the entire rigging, jamming all halyards including his own. He [Reid] was sent up on the staysail halyard, which only went up to the top two thirds of the mast. As I said before, Gavin is good at working out solutions to problems!”
Gavin Reid receives the Henri Lloyd Seamanship award at the Clipper Race Finish in London last summer
“I’ve been hearing impaired since I was born so it’s been a challenge all of my life,” says Reid. “I’ve had to deal with it in all aspects of my life whether that’s in work or playing sport and I thought the Clipper Race was a way of giving myself an even bigger challenge.”
After receiving the award Reid said “To be here with so many amazing names and people who have achieved so much is quite daunting…I’m sure Giles Scott is thinking ‘how did I not win it?’ But it was a real honour to beat someone with such amazing credentials.”
Gavin Reid’s bravery has already been recognised with the Henri Lloyd Seamanship award at the Clipper Race Finish in London last summer, the RORC (Royal Ocean Racing Club) Outstanding Seamanship Award and he was also recognised at the 2016 Australian Sailing Awards.
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, a former winner of the YJA Yachtsman of the Year award, said: “The Clipper Race is highly competitive but faced with any situation where a fellow sailor on another boat was in serious trouble the crew of Mission Performance, who are fully trained with a safety first mentality, upheld the tradition of the sea that you do not hesitate to go to the assistance of another sailor in distress, setting an excellent example of seamanship which is a crucial attribute for all good ocean racing sailors.
New yacht design has taken a giant leap in average length. Toby Hodges reports on the boom in big boats
Oyster 625
Looking along the row of new yachts berthed stern-to at Cannes Boat Show in September, it seems impossible that just a few years ago a yard might hold up its 55-footer as the flagship of its fleet. In 2016, it’s the new yachts between 55ft and 80ft from the production yards that really stand out. So what has changed? Why the sudden surge in new large yachts and is it really possible to sail them without professional crew?
The 60ft plus market represents only around 120 yachts worldwide per year, but according to Oyster CEO David Tydeman, there is a need for variety. “Where Beneteau likes the fact that we series-build €5m boats, we like the fact that Beneteau does €1m series builds,” he says. “It brings people into the industry.”
Customers range from those wanting short-term sailing holidays and second home use, to those exercising long held dreams to sail offshore in the utmost comfort. It’s a wide range of people being targeted by a wide range of brands and from the list of boats yet to be launched, it’s evident that the majority of builders have bet against this size segment being a passing fad.
Who is building new yachts over 60ft?
The volume production yards have been growing their flagship models, mostly launched in the last year or two, to fulfil demand in the 55-65ft sector. This is perhaps indicative of an increasing number of impulsive buyers on today’s new yacht market; those who don’t want to wait for a couple of years for their yacht are going to be more attracted to the volume-built boats.
Models over 65ft are typically still the domain of luxury bluewater cruising brands, such as Oyster and Contest; prestige brands, such as CNB and Euphoria; or performance semi-custom designs from the likes of Swan, Solaris, Mylius and Advanced Yachts. Highlights include X-Yachts’s 65ft X6 (see X6 on test), the Grand Soleil 58 Performance; Mylius’ striking new 76; the Turkish Euphoria 68 (see Euphoria 68 on test) and the luxurious new Contest 67CS (see video review here), not to mention the new Oysters 675 and 745.
Contest 67CS: The owner of this first 67CS started sailing in Norway in September 2009, aged 40. Since then he has owned two yachts, completed an ARC crossing and sailed with his wife in the Caribbean five times a year. “We were looking for a bigger yacht for longer stays but which we can still sail with the two of us.” They plan to sail the boat themselves, but add that for “maintenance and preparations it is smart to have professionals who know our Contest 67CS.”
At the 60ft plus size range, yards have to be flexible to be competitive. Prospective buyers expect their yachts to be semi-customised; rather than simply ticking options boxes, they want the yard to listen to their individual choices, styles and needs.
Volume producers will offer a lengthy list of layouts, fabrics and finishes, while the high-end builders will typically offer major hull variations, including different transom designs, rig options, and appendage types, with interior layouts only really constrained by watertight bulkheads. Those braving the first of a new model line may get extra privileges in this respect.
Mylius 76: In many ways, Mylius’s yachts are a total contrast to the large, luxury cruising yachts of northern European yards. The all-carbon builds are super-minimalist throughout; modern turbo-charged Italian head-turners for smoking across the Med in style and enjoying the odd regatta. Pictured right is the flush-deck version. The deck saloon model (far right interiors) is novel and niche – a fascinating combination of space, speed and style.
High volume production
Of the volume yards, Hanse arguably led the way with its 630e back in 2006, 70 of which were built. Equally impressive is that the German yard then went on to sell 175 of its 575 in the last four years. This year Hanse launched the 675, its largest volume production yacht to date.
Hanse consistently wows with its loft-style interiors – more like a luxury apartment in fact on this, its largest model yet, the new 675.
Groupe Beneteau brands all now have yachts in the 60ft plus size range. The Bordeaux 60 caused a stir when it launched in 2008 – hull number 46 is in build – bringing trappings of superyacht glamour to the production market. The follow-up CNB 76 made a striking debut at Cannes in 2013. This contemporary Briand design uses an innovative construction method to reduce build time and cost. Seventeen of the €2m 76s have now sold, leading CNB to commission designs for a new smaller sister, the 66 (see page 33). To give some indication as to the demand at this size, CNB has already sold eight of the smaller yachts despite only releasing initial designs in September, and has also just announced it will take on 100 more workers to meet demand.
CNB 76: The 76 is a powerful yet elegant yacht with a well-camouflaged deck saloon, proper crew accommodation and a practical tender garage. A modular build scheme allows CNB to construct the entire interior of the 76 outside of the hull, dramatically reducing build time (to six months) and cost. The win-win result is superyacht styling and engineering, yet with a serial production price starting at €2m.
Unlike CNB, which is originally a builder of large custom yachts, the other volume production yards and Groupe Beneteau brands are upsizing. Superyacht designers Philippe Briand and Andrew Winch collaborated to produce one of the most successful of these – the Jeanneau 64 launched in 2014. It marries the worlds of big boat design, luxury and comfort with production boat pricing – its base price was kept below €1m – offering 10ft more yacht than an equivalent-priced semi-custom model.
Sister brand Beneteau has now followed suit with its Oceanis Yachts 62 this year. This is the first of a new luxury range from 53-73ft for which Beneteau went to a motorboat designer to find new styling solutions. The result is a bold look and a host of new comfort solutions throughout. Also, the goal with the pricing was even more ambitious than Jeanneau – its €650,000 base price shows how competitive pricing has become, even at this size level.
Oceanis Yachts 62: Beneteau is arguably the most innovative production yacht brand. Here it’s taken ideas and styling from its motorboat side to create this first of an entirely new line. The 62 brings a commendable feeling of luxury both on deck and below, plus has a proper tender launching solution for a Williams Jet Rib. The crunch part? Its base price starts at just €650,000.
Dufour will have a new 63ft flagship as of January, which, like the Oceanis Yachts, is the first of a new premium-end ‘Exclusive’ range.
All of which leaves Bavaria as the last big volume yard without a 60-footer. This is mainly down to its in-line production method, which has, to date, limited the maximum length of yacht it can build. However this summer Bavaria changed the set-up of one of its production lines to address this limitation, so we can presume that it’s only a question of time before the largest sailing Bavaria model yet is announced.
The practicalities
Large yachts are getting ever easier to handle. Push-button electrics and hydraulics that allow loads to be managed reliably have created new possibilities for managing sizable yachts short-handed. Thrusters – both bow and stern – are the norm at this size and can alleviate concerns with mooring, while advances in deck-gear technology have made sail-handling much easier.
As in the car industry, space has become king. Added length in yachts can bring increased comfort, elegance and speed, but there are downsides. With extra volume and weight comes a linear increase in the size and cost of each bit of deck gear and rigging needed to bear the extra loads.
Sailing a push-button power-assisted yacht might be a one-person affair, but managing and maintaining it is a different prospect altogether. Large yachts increase the crew’s dependence on powered systems and machinery, from gensets, watermakers, air con and thrusters to the hydraulics needed to operate winches, sail systems, garage doors etc. Keeping such a yacht shipshape is likely to involve a great deal of time afloat servicing machinery, or regular shore periods and pit stops. The less mechanically minded owners will probably need to employ a skipper or paid hand for this purpose.
Solaris: Once a custom yacht builder, Solaris has become a serial manufacturer of premium performance cruisers. Its range now spans from 37-72ft, with an Acebal-designed 55 and 68 in the pipeline.
Need for crew?
Up until 2011, when Hallberg-Rassy brought out its HR64, a yacht that was designed specifically for two people to sail and manage, I would have said that 57ft was the transition point from owner-operated yacht to crewed yacht. But yachts have continued to grow since then.
Skip Novak, who runs two expedition yachts – one 54ft and the other 74ft – says: “We can do things with [the 54ft] Pelagic that we wouldn’t dare do with Pelagic Australis. Pelagic is ‘man-handleable’, while the big boat at 74ft and 55 tonnes displacement is not. The systems on the smaller boat are by nature simpler, and the cruises usually are more trouble-free technically.”
Most new yachts over the 55ft mark have the option for a crew cabin of some sort. The big question is, are you happy sharing your yacht with paid hands? For temporary quarters, during a short charter for example, the forepeak-style box that is self-contained away from the rest of the accommodation may be all that is required in terms of accommodation. But for any owners seeking a longer-term crew – and wishing to retain reliable crew for any period of time – a more comfortable arrangement within the interior, like the use of a Pullman cabin, is necessary.
The current Oyster range spans the crossover between owner-operated yachts and crewed yachts, which helps to illustrate where the actual dividing line between the two might lie. For example, none of the 20 Oyster 625 owners uses a skipper full-time, although three of the 20 use skippers for when the boat is in charter mode. The new 675, which has been developed as a larger version of the 625, is also designed to be a yacht that can be owner-run. The new 745 on the other hand, which also launched this September, is designed to be run with two professional crew.
I sailed with Tim and Sybilla Beebe six years ago on a passage test of an Oyster 575 from Palma to Spain. They have since run an Oyster 68, a 72 and Tim is currently skippering Eddie Jordan’s Oyster 885, Lush. We discussed at what size level an owner should be thinking about employing a full-time crew.
“Firstly it’s dependent on experience,” says Beebe. “Can the owner sail the boat safely and do they want the responsibility? I agree that after 60ft, the time spent on upkeep starts to outweigh the enjoyment of it… unless you are living on it full-time.
“There are companies that will look after a 60ft boat and have it ready for owners when they arrive,” Beebe continued. “The amount of time needs to flexible. You can allot time for cleaning – inside and out – but maintenance must be flexible. There are always surprises.”
So where might a potential new owner be caught out? “The basic maintenance to keep the boat running is not too bad on a 60-footer but it’s the little bits that might get overlooked, which can quickly add up. You have to stay on top of everything. Winch maintenance, for example, might surprise the average new owner: to properly service all the winches takes a good deal of time – and is a once-a-season job.”
What advice would Beebe give owners of 60-70-footers looking to employ and keep a good crew? “Maintaining good relations is key. You all have to get on in a small space. From my experience, forward planning is nice to have, plus adequate time with guests off the boat for maintenance. Of course the occasional day off doesn’t go amiss either.”
Case study: Oyster 745 for bluewater cruising with family and friends
Henrik Nyman has sailed all his life on a variety of different sized boats, including owning and chartering various yachts and is now upgrading from an Oyster 625 to a 745 for bluewater cruising with friends and family. Why move to a yacht that needs crew? “Size alone is not a factor. For me, quality, engineering and function were my drivers… I thought 60ft was the maximum I could handle without crew, but in fact I feel that the 745 should be no trouble mainly due to very well thought-out functions and engineering. Handling is one part, but also you want crew for comfort, to go to the supermarket, some meals, formalities etc… I can sail basically alone but I want a good deckhand, mainly for safety purposes and for maintenance as well. “My biggest concern is that the equipment installed does not meet the same quality as the yacht itself. My experience from the 625 is that the majority if not all warranty issues are caused by third party installations.”
Case study: Discovery 67 – trading up for extra space
Simon Phillips is a highly experienced cruising and racing sailor, who has gradually scaled up in size from a Sonata, a Sadler 29, a Hanse 47e and a Discovery 55. He bought his 67ft Sapphire 2 of London this June and his main reason for trading up was to gain space. “Sapphire is 40 per cent larger inside which makes a big difference if you’re planning to spend 18 to 24 months on board. My wife and I are actively planning for the World ARC.” Phillips hasn’t used a professional crew before, but has employed delivery companies to do short deliveries due to time pressures. He normally sails with friends and contacts. “Sapphire is much more technical than the Discovery 55. Her size requires more planning and thought on where you can go etc. While it is possible to sail the yacht single-handed you really need one crew on the helm and three on lines to come alongside in any sort of windy and tidal conditions.”
Showcase boats: New and upcoming launches in the 60ft plus category
Vismara 62: Vismara is a custom carbon yacht builder that has now introduced some semi-custom series. The V62 is based on the success of the Mark Mills designed racer-cruiser SuperNikka. A mould was taken from her hull and adapted to make it more cruiser friendly.
Hallberg-Rassy 64: “Push button controls are the only way you could handle a boat of this size without a big crew and our owners absolutely don’t want that,” said Magnus Rassy at the time of our HR64 test. “A huge amount of care has gone into making a boat that will be easy to sail long-distance, to maintain and to continue to use when things stop working.”
Dufour 63 Exclusive: Due to launch at the Düsseldorf Boat Show in 2017, Dufour’s new flagship is a response to those from Beneteau, Jeanneau and Hanse and is the first of its new Exclusive range. The 63 is a yacht that maximises exterior comfort with a 5m long cockpit and exterior galley option alongside a tender garage.
CNB 66: The Bordeaux 60 and CNB 76 have both been true success stories. This 66 is very much the smaller sister to the 76 and looks set to replace the 60. “With the 66 the idea was to be able to sail without crew,” says CNB’s Thomas Gailly. “So we wanted it to be very simple, with no lift keel option or retracting anchor arm – easy to maintain and use.”
Baltic 67: Over the past few years, Baltic Yachts has launched some of the finest new carbon superyachts, but its recent announcement of a new serially produced model marks a return to the more moderate-sized fast cruisers it was known for in the past.
Advanced Yachts 62: Advanced Yachts uses some of the leading design firms to represent Italian luxury performance at its best, with models from 44-100ft. And this new A62 looks simply sensational.
There may be new styling and options galore but the 675 is still assuredly an Oyster. Toby hodges reports.
Photo Paul Wyeth.
When it comes to series-building large cruisers, Oyster Yachts is the undisputed world leader. The yard’s evergreen popularity lies with its bluewater cruisers up to 60ft (Boat test: Oyster 475 and 545) and, more recently, its unrivalled success with 80-footers. But two new launches, the 675 and the 745, herald a new modern look and era for Oyster: the hull shapes, drawn by Humphreys Yacht Design, are more powerful than their predecessors, beamier with greater form stability; they both sport twin rudders, flush foredecks and blade jibs and have more power in their rigs and keels. These two yachts (69ft and 75ft LOA respectively) are still bluewater cruisers but they have been given a very purposeful new image: the stretched coachroof window line marks the style of this new range; the signature wraparound window remains, but with a lower profile than we have seen on past models.
However, what really sets the 675 and 745 apart is the range of options available. This 675 is the first Oyster to offer a forward master cabin as a standard option and there is a wide variety of internal layouts available. Below the waterline, twin rudders reduce draught sufficiently to enable Oyster to offer a ‘super shoal’ centreboard version, while on deck a cutter rig can be specified in place of the single blade jib.
All models bigger than the 675 are now offered with conventional sloping transoms or extended vertical transoms as standard, while smaller models have been fitted with the extension on request. Other than create a very different look, the extended version doubles the size of the lazarette stowage and creates the option for a tender garage – another first for Oyster.
It is rare for an owner to know exactly what they want in a yacht of this size, so having all these options designed in is a way of helping the owner and the yard to create a personalised yacht. “We can’t change the main structural bulkheads but there is enough latitude within the design by Rob [Humphreys] to offer a variety of layouts,” Oyster’s CEO David Tydeman explained. “We can’t take it to extremes but we’re a hell of a lot more flexible than we used to be.”
Other than her sportier shape and style, first impressions of the 675 might not be that dissimilar to the 625 (as. Indeed it has a very similar four-cabin layout, albeit without needing the walk-through galley of the 625. But the 675 is £500,000 more expensive than the 625, which sounds like a lot for an extra 3ft of length. But you only need small gains in length to create significant extra volume.
In comparison to the 625 and the 655, the 675 has more volume in all three dimensions, with higher topsides, more beam and more volume in the bow. This creates sufficient space for a forward master cabin with en-suite heads, or a large guest cabin in the bow. Depending on the choices made forward, the aft cabin space can remain intact or be divided into two.
Oyster considers this new 675 to be about the limit in size an owner can still operate a yacht without crew, yet concedes that a temporary paid hand may still be advisable to keep the yacht suitably maintained. But the simultaneous launch of another new design, the 745, is for those who will sail with crew.
“Most of our big boat success has been through loyalty,” says Tydeman, referring to the 72ft-88ft bracket. It is interesting therefore that two thirds of Oyster owners in the 62ft-72ft bracket are new to the brand. The owners of the test boat Babiana are very capable ex-Swan 45 sailors, for example, who want to sail themselves and use an occasional paid hand – exactly the sort of use for which the boat is designed.
The Oyster 675 showing her power. An extended counter stern can be specified for even more stowage and deck space.
Smooth running
Something happens when you leave port on a quality-built superyacht: you don’t really hear anything. If you are below decks you may not even notice you are moving. I had a similar experience on the 675. There was no big fanfare and no propulsion vibration.
Where we tested: The Solent
Wind: 5-13 knots over calm sea.
Model: hull no 1, Babiana, with conventional transom and owner’s cabin aft
Insulation, together with the peace it can bring, is especially important for a centre-cockpit boat, on which owners tend to live aboard for long periods. Observing the yachts in build helps you appreciate how Oyster achieves this effect. The plywood for example includes an insulation sandwich within the layers of ply, and every joint is sealed with glassfibre to make it airtight and boost sound insulation. The result is remarkably relaxing.
The seats are luxurious and the view over the coachroof is good but the steering position is quite far inboard.
It’s perhaps customary to see modern large Oysters sporting carbon rigs and fully battened sails, so it was slightly surprising to find a more cruising-friendly Spectra mainsail unfurl from Babiana’s alloy mast. But I was told that 90 per cent of 655s were fitted with an in-mast solution – a choice that is indicative of a hands-on owner who wants to cruise short-handed.
The test boat was only three-quarters commissioned, the rig stepped just in time for the yacht to make its world debut at Southampton Boat Show in September. Our trial was more of a snapshot on the day after the show closed. The boat then left directly for Ipswich, where the rig was due to be removed before she is transported this winter to the Düsseldorf Boat Show.
So she wasn’t exactly ‘tuned’, but during our initial fetch that turned into a beat down Southampton Water in 10 knots of breeze, I quickly learnt that she is more than capable of creating a good first impression. In 7 to 9 knots true we matched the breeze with sails slightly freed, and when the wind speed hit double figures I could feel more power as the boat heeled. “We’ve gone wider aft with more form stability than before,” Rob Humphreys commented, while also sailing her for the first time.
The sumptuous main saloon featuring three vertical forward-facing portlights. This image also shows the rather large gap between the table and the port bunk.
We tacked out through the main channel around the Brambles Bank, the blade jib making the 38-tonne yacht nimble enough to be thrown quickly through the tacks. The use of a blade rather than Oyster’s conventional overlapping headsail helps her point and also keeps the clew forward and well away from the guest cockpit. The jib is tacked to an electric Reckmann furler and there is a hydraulically tensioned removable inner stormstay fitted as standard.
The 675 felt nicely balanced. The twin spade rudders, bonded to composite rudder stocks, ensure a light feel on the wheel without losing that telltale nudge when they load up. However, once the breeze dropped back below 7 knots, or when we were sailing at a deeper angle, the helm became neutral.
When the wind does disappear, the 180hp Volvo engine driving a Bruntons four-blade folding prop proved efficient (7 knots at 1,500rpm) and there are vast fuel tanks (1,900lt) for long-distance cruising.
The helm position is a little high and inboard for my liking. To leeward, for instance, I found myself straining out to see the telltales and there is no comfortable position to perch out or stand over the high coaming. But there is a good, clear view forward over that lower-profile coachroof and the double helm seats each side provide a luxurious place from which to command a watch.
The optional vertical portlights in the aft master suite offer a fine view out.
The jib sheet lead is cleverly designed to run aft along the base of the long coachroof windows and up through a moulded scoop in the coamings directly to the primaries each side. The boom ends relatively far aft with a single point mainsheet led straight to an aft winch, negating the need for a traveller. The primary and runner/spinnaker winches are mounted aft of the helms, to keep the cockpit clear for guest use.
The cockpit forward of the twin binnacles is suitably resplendent – ideal for guests wishing to remain clear of the sailing systems. The beamy aft deck extends even further if a counter stern is chosen and the excellent quarter benches are large enough to seat three each side.
If you want to know which are the best new production yachts on the market at the moment, the European Yacht of the Year is the best place to start. Toby Hodges sailed the 25 nominees and gives his verdict on the five winners
The European Yacht of the Year is judged by journalists from 11 different magazines from 11 different European nations. Each jury member tested every yacht from the five different categories, over two separate weeks in two different locations.
After the decisions were finalised, the five category winners were announced this evening (January 21) at a prizegiving held during the opening night of the Dusseldorf Boatshow.
The nominees and winners of each category for the European Yacht of the Year awards 2016/2017 are:
Luxury Cruiser
Other nominees: Bestevaer 45ST Pure, Garcia 52 Exploration, Italia 12.98, X4
Winner: Beneteau Oceanis Yachts 62
Here is an innovative new breed of sailing yacht that has succeeded in taking practical influences from the motorboat sector. Key features include the transom design with steps built into each side to easily access the garage and jet tender, flat decks to maximize sunbathing area, a 45º companionway, and proper privacy for the owner’s cabin.
The modern, original styling, including the use of leather, indirect lighting and carpeted cabins, feels luxurious – in a word, ‘executive’. A tender garage with a practical launching system for a 2.85m jet rib is a clever selling point. But it’s the introduction of an industrialised new build technique to make this size of yacht more affordable that demonstrates why Groupe Beneteau remain world leaders in their field.
Other nominees: Django 12.70, Ikone 7.50, Jeanneau 51, Sunbeam 22.1
Winner: RM 970
Once again the plywood specialists have produced a worthy winner, one that perfectly demonstrates why designer Marc Lombard is so crafty in this mid 30ft sector. The 970 packs it all in – genuinely exciting performance in a fun, voluminous, versatile and refreshing family-friendly cruiser.
I like the deck design, notably the textile solutions and winch layout. She’s enjoyable to drive, providing a sporty yet authoritative feel that has the ideal balance for a fast family cruiser.
Other nominees: Dehler 34, Grand Soleil 58, J/112E, Ofcet 32
Winner: Pogo 36
Pogo Pogo Pogo. The one we always get excited about. The contemporary new shape of the 36 helped cause more of a stir than any of its predecessors. And boy does it not disappoint. Gone are any past notions of these beamy designs being sticky in the light breeze. The Pogo will match any ‘traditional’ narrow hull shape upwind – then smoke it offwind.
A Pogo guarantees fast cruising fun – but the performance in light airs of the 36 was a pleasant surprise. The build quality throughout is also first class. Pogo have made a concerted effort to make their interiors more comfortable for cruising and it shows. For me it’s the most exciting monohull of 2016.
The boat that was always sailing. That an 8T, 48ft cruising cat could sail at all in the 3–4 knot zephyrs was impressive. That we subsequently sailed steadily at 11–13 knots in 12–15 knots wind and that she could hit the mid 20s when pushed, indicates the 4X has the legs to perform. But getting that balance between speed, controllability and safety right is key for a distance cruising machine – and the 4X achieves that handsomely. This boat is not about outright speed, more a smooth, fast enjoyable ride – easy, stable flight.
Outremer’s employment of Loïck Peyron in a godfather role is a clever way to ensure the ergonomics of the boat and the line handling is practically set up. The Outremer 4X is well-built to last, enjoyable to helm and the ideal size to go distance cruising at a good pace.
Other nominees: Bihan 650, Easy-To-Fly, Scow FR 18, Spirit 47CR
Winner: Seascape 24
Seascape continue to excel in the niche they created – fast monohulls inspired by Open class racing yachts, but mini yachts that are capable of providing the most manageable fun in an approachable size range.
The 24 embodies the best of Seascape’s previous 18ft and 27ft models – a versatile package that can be trailered, provide thrilling offwind blasts, and has berths for four below its protective coachroof. Seascapes are created by real sailors who put so much thought into their products – and it shows.
The 24 is both a spicy weekender and a swing-keel pocket family cruiser that is good value for money.
Toby Hodges had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sail the 1934-built J Class Endeavour. Join us onboard during sailing and have a look at the stunning interior in this video footage
She is often described as the most beautiful J Class ever built and one of the world’s most iconic yachts – so when we were invited to sail the J Class Endeavour in Portugal in December, it was a dream come true for Yachting World’s Toby Hodges.
Endeavour is currently for sale (see original blog and history here). Yacht brokers Edmiston created the opportunity to get us aboard for an unforgettable day, a chance to really show the pure class of this original J.
Not many people get to take the wheel of a J Class – so to be handed the helm for four hours of sailing in ideal conditions felt like a dream. We had 10-17 knots of wind, ideal strength for Endeavour and her 3DL cruising sails (although Js race with genoas now, the more manageable yankee and staysail are set when cruising).
It was, quite simply, as good as sailing gets.
In 1934 Endeavour began the closest challenge Britain has ever come to lifting the America’s Cup. 83 years later she should be crossing the Atlantic again, to race against more Js than ever at the America’s Cup J Class Regatta this June.
That decision lies with a potential new owner – a turnkey original J on the eve of the biggest year ever for this class presents a truly unique opportunity.
Following her comprehensive rebuild at Royal Huisman in the late eighties, and her award-winning refit at Yachting Developments in 2010, the J Class Endeavour is currently in mint condition – her John Munford cherry finished interior, a prize example of the elegant yet seaworthy interiors of J Class yachts.
See the full story and picture showcase of the J Class Endeavour, together with our feature documenting the rise of the modern J Class fleet, in our 16-page special in the March 2017 issue, out now.
The leading design firm set up by Ed Dubois in 1977 has closed and gone into liquidation, with its assets being sold through auction.
Following the death of world-renowned British designer Ed Dubois last year, we are saddened to report that Dubois Naval Architects has closed and gone into liquidation. Its assets including the iconic company name, its drawings and designs are being sold through auctioneers Marriott & Co, with the auction ending as we went to press on the 28 February.
The two largest assets are the goodwill of the company, its name and intellectual property, and its works in progress – which principally involves the 58m sloop dubbed ‘The Beast’, currently in build at Royal Huisman and due to launch later this year.
Now named Ngoni, her initial nickname was a clever way to bring attention to the 58.15m/190ft project, a slender ocean-going fast cruiser, and one with a contemporary, progressive design. The aluminium hull and deck in build will have a carbon rig, rigging and rudder and a lifting keel. The trunk for the latter is milled from solid aluminium to support close to 100 tonnes of fin and lead bulb weight.
The purchaser of this particular lot would need to be a proficient naval architect capable of finalising the design, which includes overseeing the launch, seatrials and stability tests – and would therefore receive the final payment due from the owner of the project.
The goodwill assets contained in Lot 1 include the original Dubois designs and drawings, the potential for future royalty payments and the company’s domain name, websites, branding and marketing etc. Further lots for sale include the models of past Dubois designs, the office equipment and a RIB.
Ed Dubois lost his battle with cancer last March at the age of 63. Senior designer Peter Bolke, a member of the Dubois team for 24 years, became the managing director of the company Dubois founded in 1977.
Malcolm McKeon, who worked with Ed Dubois since the foundation of the company through to 2012, said: “I was very sorry to hear that Dubois Naval Architects has gone into liquidation. I have fond memories of my 30 years with the company, designing some of the most impressive superyachts on the water today. Although the company now ceases to trade the name shall certainly play an important part in our industry’s history.”
The crew of a 72ft bluewater cruiser document their remote travels sailing around the world in this breathtaking short video
Sailing around the world is arguably the ideal way to see the very best of our planet. This film helps distil some of that wonder into five minutes – and shows how it’s still possible to find some pretty special spots to yourself.
From stunning aerials and marine wildlife in its element to wakeboarding through ice-strewn Arctic waters, here is five minutes of jaw dropping ‘wish you were there’ footage. It’s cruising meets National Geographic.
Enrico Tettamanti and his wife Giulia Azzalli have spent over five years exploring the remote corners of the globe aboard their Solaris 72 Kamana. Sit back, open this up in full screen, turn the sound up and enjoy…
“Our videos are our simple way to show the beauty of our planet – one that is strongly connected to the human impact we have on it,” says Enrico.
Enrico Tettamanti built his own boat, a Finot-Cigale 16 called Kamana in 2000 and has sailed over 150,000 miles in the last two decades including the polar destinations of Antarctica, Greenland and Alaska.
He bought the Solaris 72 with an aim to go sailing around the world and some of its remotest locations. “I have a shareholder that contributes in our adventures,” Tettamanti explained. “He, his, wife and four children are ‘part of our family’ and join Kamana cruises as much as possible.”
This Doug Peterson designed Solaris 72 is built to sail from pole to equator, from high latitudes to the tropics. Having been aboard a couple of 72s I can confirm they really are wonderful, seaworthy bluewater cruisers – the engine room alone is a work of art.
Disko Bay – Greenland
Kamana has protected deckhouse and accommodation for up to eight guests. Her full time crew comprises Enrico, Giulia, their eight month old son Kai, and full time hand Tommy.
“After several years of sailing around the world and having people enjoying this adventure with us, we were able to create a strong group of friends that are now supporting us – people that have the same approach of our Kamana lifestyle.
“We feel very lucky and grateful to be able to witness the untouched wildlife by our expeditions,” Tettamanti continued. “Now, after five years, we are still more excited then ever, so the project is to keep going as much as we can.”
Kamana is currently in Mexico, sailing around Sea de Cortez until the end of April.
In May they will continue on to Hawaii and Dutch Harbour (Alaska) where they will attempt to pass through the Northwest Passage. The plan for 2018/2019 is then to continue from New York to Antarctica via the Azores, Cape Verde and Brazil.
“We are trying to share a positive message… about taking good care of the Earth – to preserve it.”
