Even if Vaan’s debut boat had not been the only catamaran moored to the ancient brickwork of the canal at Hellevoetsluis, there would have been no mistaking this fascinating boat.…
Boats
First look: GT325
Nearly 10 years after GT Yachts launched the GT35, the company has re-emerged with a brand-new boat: the GT325. The original GT35 was designed by Stephen Jones and built by…
First look: Oceanis Yacht 60
Beneteau’s latest flagship is intended as a sturdy and stylish bluewater vessel with a very high standard of interior finish. It’s also a result of a Lorenzo Argento and Roberto…
First look: Jeanneau 65
The new Jeanneau 65 represents a significant makeover of the already successful Jeanneau 64. As with the Jeanneau 60 this is intended as a boat that can be configured in many…
Pilot Classic 47 review – timeless elegance
Pride of ownership is a tricky quality to quantify. To many yacht owners looks will play second fiddle to pragmatics – practicality, space and affordability all rank higher (hence the…
First look: X-Yachts X49E – Danish yard’s first electric yacht
X-Yachts has launched its first yacht with electric propulsion, a 49-footer for long distance cruising, the X49E. The Danish yard worked closely with the owner, who wants to use his…
First look: Zen50 – innovative wingsail rig
How far is it possible to push the concept of this kind of yacht? Maltese firm Zero Emission Nautic has gone further than most with its Zen50, thanks to the…
First look: Arsouin 40 hybrid
The Arsouin 40 hybrid is a lifting keel monohull, which is the first in a range of yachts that has also been conceived from the outset for electric propulsion. A…
First look: Seaquest 46SQ
Light displacement greatly reduces the amount of power needed to drive a vessel – an important factor in an electric yacht. This is one of the reasons Mike Eaton, who…
First look: Viator 54DS – electric powered explorer
Electric propulsion makes a great deal of sense for explorer yachts that have to be self-sufficient for long periods. Energy reserves can be replenished through regeneration when there’s enough wind…
Nautitech 44 Open review: space and performance?
It’s been more than six years since the Nautitech yard in Rochefort launched an entirely new design, but this Nautitech 44 Open marks the company’s return to the forefront of…
Ovni 370 review – go-anywhere shoal draught cruising
With its distinctive range of bare aluminium lift-keel cruisers, Alubat’s Ovni brand has been synonymous with bluewater cruising since the 1970s. After a barren period it came out with a…
Solaris 40 review: appealing mix of style and performance
Helming your own yacht – or watching friends and family do so – ought to be one of the biggest pleasures of owning a boat. Along with promoting a clean,…
Jeanneau Yachts 60 review: different yachts in one
It’s not long since 60ft yachts were the preserve of custom or semi-custom yards that could go to great lengths to provide a small number of discerning clients with the…
Boat test: X-56 The Xtra mile
Large cruising yachts are enormously appealing, but it’s imperative that they’re easy to tame in deteriorating weather. Yet if this is achieved through making the boat underpowered it will be…
Swan 58 tested: best of both worlds?
No other yard has been as consistently successful in producing iconic models as Nautor – historically Swans are invariably the very best yachts of their era and subsequently become design…
Hallberg-Rassy 50 tested: ultimate refinement
The Hallberg-Rassy 50, the latest from the renowned Swedish marque is a near masterpiece. German Frers has once again sprinkled his fairy dust over the design, conjuring up a modern…
JPK 39FC review: new sporty 40 cruiser
I have long held that bluewater cruising yachts, especially those under 40ft, have much to gain from the way today’s smaller short-handed offshore raceboats are designed and set up and…
Jeanneau SO410 review: lift keel opens up options
If you sail in tidal harbours or shallow waters, your choice of midsize new production yachts is more limited than you may realise. While most manufacturers offer a shallow draught…
Lagoon 55 review: new iteration remains quintessential cat
The number 55 holds a special place in the history of Lagoon – it was its inaugural model, launched back in 1987. The 2021 version of the Lagoon 55, still…