Du Toit Yacht Design has also been busy with Balance again recently, conceiving longer, faster new models. During this year and next the South African-built US brand will release the…
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Most of our life on land we spend hiding from ourselves. But at sea there is no escape – Nikki Henderson
Ahoy there, from halfway to the Caribbean! This is my third attempt at writing this column. The first go was interrupted by a squall. We underestimated its strength, surfed down…
Great Seamanship: Last Days of the Slocum Era
From childhood, Graham Cox had dreamed of the ocean. Growing up in Durban, he’d spent his time hanging out near what was then called the International Jetty, where far-ranging yachts…
Evo 60 first look: Luxury catamaran with a capital L
The Evo 60 is an eye-opening, performance-focused luxury cruising catamaran and a full South African project. Drawn by top multihull designer Anton Du Toit (Balance Yachts’ designer), who grew up…
Extraordinary boats: The Mini Globe Race Globe 5.80
“Go small, go cheap, go now,” famously said Lin and Larry Pardy, who sailed for decades aboard small engineless yachts they built themselves. For Don McIntyre, the restless mind behind…
Vision 484 first look: New catamaran in development for 2026 launch
This South African yard’s first model, the Vision 444, is a fast and lightweight catamaran set up for long-distance sailing that has won wide acclaim over the past five years.…
Why the Vendée Globe fleet is right to reject a full foiling rule
That tens of thousands of Vendée Globe fans were prepared to get up in the early hours of the morning and camp out on a sea wall in the middle…
Let’s Go Offroad… Sailing? Cruising the Gulf of Bothnia
The massive structure of Svartklubben lighthouse looms on the horizon. Standing on the small Swedish island of Singö, it guards the entrance to the Gulf of Bothnia. Passing it feels…
Buying a ‘Bulletproof’ Yacht: New and Used Adventure Boat Advice
Those planning to sail to inhospitable places tend to have a strong vision of what is needed from the craft that will take them there. In the case of Jean-François…
Freddie Carr: 20 years trying to win the America’s Cup
“For 23 years I have had the privilege to call myself an America’s Cup sailor, but today is the last day of that for me. The body says it’s time…
4 of the coolest new wooden yachts in 2025
It has now been many decades since wood was the most widely used material in yacht productions but timber is still a natural choice for some modern yacht designers and…
Jimmy Cornell: ‘Some of my most memorable sailing was due to unforseen detours’
When it comes to regrets, I have none. But on all my voyages the golden rule has been to know what NOT to do. I learned that valuable lesson on…
WOY26 first look: Open daysailer with sustainable design
One of the stand-out new yachts of recent years is the Thomas Tison-designed 48ft Elida, which combines high-tech timber construction with innovative laminates and local carbon reinforcement to create a…
J/40 review: Pinnacle of evolution
Stand-out designs are often the result of a succession of well-informed evolutions rather than a revolution that turns existing thinking on its head. The J/40 is born out of a…
What you need to know about shipping a yacht
When my partner Nick and I had our dream boat built in Asia, we knew that one day we’d face the dilemma of somehow transporting her to Europe. Cruising the…
Stephens Waring 39 first look: A classic-style yacht with comfortable features
This more classic and cruising-oriented design is intended as a blend of timeless design and contemporary innovation, with a gracefully balanced hull reminiscent of those of the mid-20th century. By…
Sam Goodchild finishes first Brit in Vendée Globe with impressive 9th
British solo skipper Sam Goodchild today finished the Vendée Globe in an impressive 9th place, and first Brit home in the solo around the world race. It was a hugely…
5 Expert Tips: Tidal planning and strategy
“We’re all tadpoles swimming in a stream,” says Tom Dolan of single-handed offshore racing. With so many human, technical and environmental factors feeding into overall performance on the race course,…
Ben Ainslie splits from America’s Cup backers INEOS – Ainslie ‘astounded’
In a surprise announcement, INEOS – who backed Sir Ben Ainslie’s America’s Cup Challenges for the 36th and 37th America’s Cup – has reported that it has split from Ainslie…
Ceccarelli 42 first look: A contemporary spirit of tradition yacht
Roberto and Luisa Lacorte are passionate sailors with enviable track records of yacht ownership, including Flying Nikka, the Mark Mills-designed Mini Maxi that uses similar foiling technology to the America’s…