Can one new performance design appeal to many tastes? Toby Hodges explores the ideas and multifarious options offered on the new Grand Soleil 48P
Boat tests
Kraken 66 test: Could this be the ultimate ocean cruising yacht?
What would you want in an ultimate ocean cruising yacht? Here’s Kraken’s answer
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 490 test: A boat that demands to be noticed
Pip Hare tests the first Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 490, the eighth generation of its hugely popular cruising range
Bente 39 boat test: The German yacht that dares to be different
Bente certainly isn’t following the crowd with its new 39, but does maverick style translate into usability?
Jeanneau Sun Fast 3300 review: The pocket rocket inspired by foiling IMOCAs
Jeanneau’s latest Sun Fast is a whole bundle of fun, as Pip Hare discovered on a full test of the 3300 off La Trinite
JPK 1030 test: The intuitive French flier that’s easy for couples to control
Pip Hare feels right at home on the JPK 1030 – a quick, no-nonsense boat that’s ideal for short-handers
CNB 66 yacht test: Intoxicating cruiser is a cut above the mainstream
Congratulations. You’ve finally received that hefty bonus. Or perhaps you cashed in your pension, married wisely, or are a successful gambler or racketeer. However you came across the funds, you…
Saffier SE37 Lounge test: A veritable supercar of the seas
Looking for a pair of trainers for fashion, road and cross-country running? They don’t exist. Or a bilge keeler that will take to the ground, sleep eight and go to…
Swan 65 test: The triumphant return of a true sailing icon
If it hadn’t been for the original Swan 65, Nautor’s Swan might never have become the famous name it is today. Sayula II’s victory in the first ever Whitbread Round…
Ice 60 review: The chic Italian yacht that offers more than just style
Styles come and go. To stand the test of time you need something else, something more than aesthetics, something that stays with you after that initial heady rush begins to…
Arcona 435 review: Swedish star offers something for everyone
After the Arcona 435 sailed off with the Performance Cruiser category win at this year’s European Yacht of the Year we thought we should look at her in more detail.…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Hanse 548 review: The push-button 50-footer that can be sailed by a couple
Imagine putting a cruising couple from the late 1990s into a time capsule and fast-forwarding them to the present. Then tell them about the Hanse 548 – a stylish, modern…
X-Yachts X4-9 test: Danish yard strikes a tough balance with hybrid design
The X49 is squarely aimed at the no-compromise sailor who wants it all. It combines a comfortable, stylish interior, with clean, beautiful lines on deck and can even be raced…
Finot-Conq FC3 53 test: Can this offshore cruiser deliver the best of both worlds?
If the electric green hull and striking looks of Nica don’t grab your attention, then its on-paper description certainly will. This Finot-Conq FC3 53 is a carbon-hulled, water-ballasted, swing keel…
Baltic 67 review: Finnish superyacht yard goes back to its roots with no-compromise cruiser
Were money no object and you wanted the ultimate yacht for long-term cruising, what would you choose? How large could you go without needing a paid crew? What do you…