World’s coolest yachts

  • February 7, 2022

“This choice is made out respect for the boat (and crew),” says Rick Tomlinson. “There is nothing new in sailing, it’s all been done before by someone. Jolie Brise is…

  • February 4, 2022

I’d choose the MOD70 without too much doubt because the boat is so beautifully thought out. It is a great combination of speed, safety (even though four of them have…

  • February 3, 2022

“I’ve climbed a lot of mountains so choosing the coolest is a tough one, but it has to be the J Class Topaz. I love what we are able to…

  • January 31, 2022

“I’d been intrigued by solo or short-handed sailing since the early days of the BOC Challenge (Around Alone 5 Oceans) and was blown away by the wide beam Finot-Conq designs…

  • January 21, 2022

“I thought Hydroptère was the most incredible boat for a long time,” says Vendée Globe solo sailor Pip Hare of the groundbreaking 60ft (18m) foiler. “It was the first flying…

  • January 4, 2022

“In 1983, at 16 years old, I dreamed of building my own keelboat. An IOR Half Tonner was the top of my list, but I soon realised this was far…

  • November 3, 2021

“For me ‘Moby’, as Ellen MacArthur’s trimaran was known, is one of the coolest yachts,” says top yachting photographer, Thierry Martinez of Ellen’s B&Q Castorama. “In this photograph Ellen is…

  • October 5, 2021

“For my most influential boat, my mind drifted to the story of Swallows and Amazons, which gripped me as a child,” Nikki Henderson recalls. Arthur Ransome’s much-loved tale of children…

  • September 14, 2021

“With no hesitation, my choice for the world’s coolest yacht is Vestas Sailrocket 2,” says Pascal Conq. The designer behind two-times Vendée Globe winning IMOCA 60 PRB and the new…

  • September 9, 2021

Eamon Conneely commissioned the original Reichel Pugh-designed TP52 Patches in 2005 to race under IRC in the Admirals Cup and within the original class box rule on the International circuit,…

  • September 8, 2021

The Maxi 72 is the biggest boat where you feel you’re doing things properly, writes Mike Sanderson. These boats don’t have a canting keel or daggerboards but they are incredibly…

  • September 7, 2021

The coolest boat, for sure, is the Star, writes Enrico Chieffi. Clearly, on one side it’s for personal reasons, because I was World Champion, but it’s a 100-year-old design and…

  • September 6, 2021

Fast, shapely, elegant and still formidable on the race course, Mari-Cha III was and still is one of the world’s most impressive yachts, writes Yachting World’s ex-editor, Elaine Bunting. Created…

  • September 3, 2021

The round the world record breaking sailboat, MACIF was launched in 2016 for French solo sailor and Vendée Globe winner François Gabart. He set a solo round the world record…

  • September 2, 2021

“There are so many boats out there that have cool aspects and yet remain horribly compromised or are no longer relevant. After a ridiculous amount of consideration (and excluding our…

  • September 1, 2021

“Build me a beast. Don’t build me a sheep in wolf’s clothing. This has to be an edgy and innovative weapon, fast and furious.” This owner’s brief is well known…

  • August 31, 2021

“The Ultra 30s were the coolest boats, were way ahead of their time,” says Eddie Warden Owen, who skippered an Ultra 30 and also ran the circuit for several years.…

  • August 30, 2021

“Built in 1911 as a 19 Metre, Mariquita is one of the most beautiful yachts afloat, and I’ve had the privilege to be race navigator on board for most of…