Back in the mid-2000s the niche market for aluminium centreboarders was disrupted by the arrival of a new upstart, Allures Yachting. Until then, the undisputed market leader was French company…
Boat tests
Discovery 50 review: This British bluewater catamaran could win over monohull purists
Many of us who dream of long-term cruising want to do it in comfort, preferably in a quality build from a respected brand. With monohulls, we’d be spoilt for choice…
Hallberg-Rassy 40C review: Is this really the Swedish yard’s best boat yet?
“This is the best sailing boat we’ve ever built,” enthuses Magnus Rassy about the new Hallberg-Rassy 40C. The company CEO is bound to be biased, but that’s a big claim…
Fountaine Pajot Elba 45 review: This could be the yard’s most popular catamaran yet
Such was the hype surrounding this yacht that Fountaine Pajot had sold over 100 Elba 45 hulls before the first one even emerged from the mould. The customer response persuaded…
Italia 11.98 review: This Alfa Romeo of the seas strikes a fine balance
I’m a soft touch for a well-balanced boat with a light feel and the ability to change gear easily. Be it it a cruiser or racer, performance and handling are,…
Tofinou 9.7 review: This Peugeot-designed daysailer is a thing of great beauty
There are some too-rare boats that turn every head, and everything about them attracts your attention. The new Tofinou 9.7 is, without question, one of these. You can assume a…
Dehler 30 yacht test: This one-design racer has a real double appeal
Talk to those who have switched to short-handed offshore racing and you’ll be hard pressed to find many who want to go back to a weather rail stacked with crew.…
Beneteau First 53 review: This French cruiser backs up its bold first impressions
There is big talk and bold talk, but often it is no talk that speaks loudest when it comes to a new launch. As I walked down the quay towards…
Amel 60 review: This modern cruiser is a true benchmark for quality
I’m guessing that rival manufacturers of bluewater cruisers know when their prospective clients have been to Amel. They realise when their prospects come to them to discuss the detail, and…
Y Yachts’ Y7 review: This powerful carbon cruiser is guaranteed to excite
What is your idea of simple sailing? To a wooden yacht enthusiast it may be the pleasure of hand hoisting and trimming sails via block and tackle alone, where an…
ClubSwan 36 review: This one-design foiler from Nautor really shakes things up
It’s easy to be seduced by modern high performance, especially downwind. As the wake flattens out astern and the foils start to sing, the helm takes on a more direct…
Oyster 565 yacht test: This bluewater cruiser marks the rebirth of a legend
For the sake of this iconic British brand, the new Oyster 565 can’t just be good, it has to be exceptional. Nothing less will do. When the Oyster 825 Polina…
Rustler 57 review: This traditional British cruiser was built to rule the waves
Rustler’s stunning new flagship, the Rustler 57 may cause you to re-evaluate what comfort is all about when cruising
Kraken 50 yacht test: This bluewater beast was built to cruise
Some of the most inspirational ranges of production yacht have come into being because a man started by building the boat he wanted for himself; one he could find nowhere…
Advanced Yachts A80: Lightweight luxury cruiser can sail in the lightest breeze
A multitude of shiny new yachts drifted across the Bay of Cannes, like a painting of a seascape reflected in the mid-morning calm. It was early September, the day after…
Contest 85CS: This Dutch superyacht is a seriously efficient sailing machine
Cruising the world in a large, fast, comfortable yacht is everyone’s dream. Even if your finances allow the dream to become a reality, however, you’re still faced with the practicalities…
Kiboko Tres: This 105ft carbon superyacht delivers the full sailing experience
Repeatable designs are where the safe money is being spent in sailing superyachts today. While some custom yards are still attracting one-off orders, in recent years it has been designs…
Garcia Exploration 52 test: The sailing equivalent of a 4×4 off-roader
If you were to take your partner or family to some of the world’s most remote waters, exploring the oceans from the tropics to the polar regions, which yachts would…
JPK 45 boat test: A performance cruiser that provides memorable enjoyment
This quirky French cruiser has the soul of a race yacht and is full of innovations. Toby Hodges sails the JPK 45
Grand Soleil 48P boat test: A yacht you’ll feel privileged to helm
Can one new performance design appeal to many tastes? Toby Hodges explores the ideas and multifarious options offered on the new Grand Soleil 48P