A real mix of multihulls made this a diverse, tricky category to judge. It can often be the case that we are drawn to the one that gives the optimum…
Sailing to high latitudes: Everything you need to know before you set sail
Specialist high latitude yachts invariably have metal hulls and are very solidly built with large fuel tanks and internal steering positions. But that doesn’t mean that a well-insulated, properly prepared,…
How hybrid sailing yachts finally became a feasible option
Every sailor is familiar with the wet cough of the diesel engine, and the acrid smell of its exhaust. For some it’s the sign that an adventure is starting, for…
Grand Soleil 52LC test: Italian beauty offers stimulating sailing
The Grand Soleil 52 Long Cruise Sport (52LC) is wedged, stern-to, in between a grubby ketch and a motorboat. Its long decks are finished in graphite gelcoat, which absorbs the…
European Yacht of the Year 2019: Best luxury cruisers
Before the sea trials began, I would have put money on a Hallberg-Rassy or the Wauquiez winning an award. The fact that neither did is no criticism of those models,…
Dufour 56 Exclusive review: Smooth cruiser offers both style and substance
In some respects, Dufour yachts used to be a bit like the early Citroën cars: different, slightly quirky and created by people with firm beliefs and a clear passion for…
Maiden refit: How Tracy Edwards’ sailing legend was brought back to life
Few yachts, and fewer skippers, become truly famous – famous in the sense that the everyman on the street would recognise them by a single name. Maiden did though, as…
Borrow any boat: The yacht renting platforms shaking up the way we sail
Picture this: you’re on holiday and find yourself in a new area where, like most sailors, you are drawn to the water. Wouldn’t it be nice to get afloat for…
Wendy Tuck profile: The pioneering yachtswoman making her own luck
Wendy Tuck did not set out with ambitions of breaking new ground for female sailing when she signed up for her second Clipper Round the World Race. She hadn’t even…
European Yacht of the Year 2019: Best performance cruisers
Not only was performance cruisers a very close category from which to decide a winner, but also one that shows just how diverse and exciting the modern range of performance…
Amel 50 review: An indoor sailing experience to excite even hardened sailors
Amel has a long established following for yachts designed and built to match the needs of liveaboard and bluewater cruisers. It is reputed for its singular way of doing things…
Sailing with teenagers: Honest advice from cruising families
Sailing with teenagers. Did that thought prompt you to wince or shake your head? Conventional wisdom steers many long-term cruisers to sail home before kids start high school — or…
Best boat dehumidifier: Which is the right damp buster for your yacht?
In the colder months, thoughts invariably turn to damp: one of the constant enemies yacht all owners face. It seeps in everywhere, can find every bit of clothing and equipment…
J/99 review: All thrills, no frills on board this double-handed racing machine
We ghosted down the Hamble River under mainsail alone, the water slipping silently past our red hull in the grainy half-light of a winter morning. We’d hoisted the mainsail in…
European Yacht of the Year 2019: Best family cruisers
It was really positive to see a mix of mid-sized entries shortlisted for the family cruiser category, from the innovative new 25ft Swallow from Wales to the Beneteau Oceanis 46.1,…
Baltic 142: The superyacht bringing foiling technology into cruising
The Baltic 142 may not be using the hydrofoils popularised by the America’s Cup, but her 29ft 6in long (9m) horizontal sliding foil employs the same principle of lift to…
Wilhelmina: The Nigel Irens motor launch designed for sailors
It’s a beautiful autumn afternoon in Salcombe, and half a dozen of the local yawls are tacking up and down the estuary. A motorboat is anchored off Sunny Cove beach:…
Sailing to Svalbard: Arctic archipelago yields up its stark beauty
“Congratulations, captain.” Dave McKay, one of our regular crew aboard Isbjörn, had those words for me as we dropped anchor at 77°N in Spitsbergen. We’d made it to the high…
Wauquiez PS42 review: Interior finesse shines through on classy cruiser
A good brand exudes quality. Seeing a logo on a car or a yacht is a visual pat on the back from the manufacturer, a little thank you from them…
What can we learn from the 2018-19 Golden Globe Race?
The Golden Globe Race is a race like no other. It is a competition, an adventure, but also a celebration of an event that happened 50 years ago – the…