Today’s cruising monohulls tend to have full forward sections and rather bluff bows that markedly increase interior volumes forward. But how do these new hull shapes handle stronger winds? We had the opportunity to test the Dufour 48 in a gusty west-north-westerly of 15 to 26 knots during a blustery interlude between mid-summer heatwaves. It was a perfect chance to find out the answer to that question in testing conditions for any single-rudder monohull that offers a huge amount of accommodation for its length.

Close reaching with full sail at a 70° true wind angle we made an impressive 9.4 knots maximum speed in the gusts. The single rudder felt well loaded at this stage, but with no signs of losing grip.

After bearing away to a true wind angle of 110°, our speed hovered consistently between 8.5 and 9 knots with the boat feeling very comfortable, whether steering by hand or using the autopilot, and we were racking up the miles surprisingly quickly.

The additional beam in the Dufour 48’s forward sections boosts an already high level of form stability, which clearly helps resist excess heel, even in powerful gusts.

On the other hand, the sail plan of our test boat – a big mainsail paired with a small and very high aspect ratio self-tacking jib that depowers towards the head as soon as the sheet is cracked – would have quickly revealed the flaws of many older single rudder designs.

When I first sailed a twin rudder yacht back in the 1990s the level of control it offered, and the feel in the helm, was simply astounding.

I’ve since sailed more than 20,000 miles on dozens of different twin-rudder designs, from 20ft to more than 100ft, including transatlantic and beyond 60° north latitude, and have never been disappointed. However, much has changed in naval architecture over the past 30 years and today good single-rudder designs have far more grip than their forebears.

Felci’s modern, full design provides plenty of power and volume, while the single rudder proved capable and responsive in breeze. Photos: Jean-Marie Liot

Key factors behind this dramatic improvement in handling include moving the rudder further forward under the boat, where it’s clear of turbulence near the transom. It also helps that today’s designs tend to have proportionately more draught and a low centre of gravity bulb keel that improves stability. This also allows a deeper and more efficient rudder blade to be specified, without undue risk of the rudder grounding before the keel.

Today’s hull shapes also have massively high form stability once the chines start to dig in. Maximum heel angles are lower and even big gusts have less effect, which translates directly to reduced steering loads.

In addition, the Dufour 48’s full bow sections provide some balance for the broad transom and, when heeled, the boat tends to track in more of a straight line than older designs that paired a wide stern with a narrow bows. When well-heeled, these boats tend to dig the bows in, while the transom, along with the rudder, lifts out of the water. So the Dufour 48 is fundamentally different to wide stern, single-rudder designs of the 1980s and 1990s.

By the time we turned upwind the breeze was down to 16-19 knots, yet we consistently made 7.5 knots boat speed at a touch over 50° to the true wind. This was with the standard Dacron sails and the mainsail trimmed with a lot of twist to depower. With the higher specification laminate sails that come with the Performance pack, and the first reef in the main, we would have undoubtedly pointed a few degrees higher.

As we bore away onto a broad reach to return to La Rochelle, the breeze had dropped to 15 knots, yet we maintained 7 knots boat speed at 130° TWA. Bearing away further caused this figure to drop quickly and we had neither a Code 0 nor a spinnaker on board to check performance at deeper wind angles.

In any case, the breeze built again to 20-22 knots and we accelerated to 7.5–8.5 knots, even when sailing rather deeper at a 145° true wind angle. And when we luffed up to 125-130° TWA our speed jumped to 9 knots.

Beamy aft sections equate to significant space, particularly with the wide swim platform down. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot

Choices on deck

Our test boat was the low-spec easy version, with all lines, including sheets, handled at the companionway.

So it’s impossible to trimming sails from the helm, though in reality when short-handed sailing the pilot is likely to be steering almost all the time and it can be convenient to be able to carry out all key sail handling activities from the shelter of the sprayhood.

The top of the sprayhood would benefit from a window so that the mainsail can be seen easily when hoisting, reefing and trimming.

The ocean version has sail controls on the coamings just forward of the helm stations, where a pair of additional winches are located each side.

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£566,000.00

This model also adds a german mainsheet system, a larger jib sheeted via adjustable tracks on the edge of the coachroof, plus deck fittings to fly an asymmetric spinnaker and code 0.

The performance pack builds on this, adding a longer boom with bigger mainsail and a larger 108% headsail, plus up-rated deck gear including an adjustable backstay and cockpit-mounted mainsheet.

There’s an impressive amount of stowage on deck, including lockers each side of a central lazarette that has ample space for a deflated dinghy, fenders and plenty of other watersport toys. Equally, there are good rope bins ahead of the helm stations and at the companionway. There’s also a sail locker forward, with space for a couple of reaching/downwind sails, plus several additional fenders.

A particularly adaptable layout includes the choice of galley positions. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot

Big volume

In addition to increased form stability and better balance when heeled, the hull shape creates a lot more interior volume than earlier designs and the Dufour 48 has the feel of a particularly large 48-footer, both on deck and inside.

As well as increased space within the owner’s cabin, the extra beam forward allows the head of the generously proportioned peninsula berth to be moved forward, thereby creating more length for the remainder of the accommodation.

Two fundamentally different saloon and galley layouts are offered for the 48, and there’s an option of three, four or five cabins, along with two, three or four heads.

The test boat was the so-called long galley version, with a large and well-equipped linear galley to port, plus a very long saloon with a large dining table offset to starboard.

The Increased space is felt in the owner cabin. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot

Alternatively, owners can opt for a galley forward arrangement that spans the full width of the boat just aft of the main bulkhead, plus a short settee on the port side and smaller dining area to starboard.

Dufour says sales to date have been split roughly 50/50 between the two options, with experienced sailors from windier parts of the world, including the uk and france, tending to prefer the full-width forward galley, while those from italy and new england are more likely to choose the linear galley.

The concept of flexibility also extends to the two areas immediately ahead of each of the quarter cabins. Both can be fitted out as heads/shower compartments, with the larger one to port having a separate shower stall. Alternatively, the starboard area can become a small office space, with plenty of stowage, and the port one a pullman cabin with two single beds.

Aft cabins are impressively spacious, partly thanks to the high cockpit sole, though natural ventilation is poor as the only opening ports are to the cockpit well, and in the aft coachroof bulkhead. By contrast, the owner’s cabin forward has excellent natural ventilation thanks to opening hatches above the head of the bed on both sides.

A tall, manageable sailplan: large main and high-aspect self-tacker. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot

This area can also be fitted out as two separate en suite cabins for the charter market.

Dufour has ensured key systems are easy to service marine engine and the electric panels particularly deserve mention for their logical layout and ease of getting to the wiring behind. These are also set up to facilitate neat retrofitting of additional equipment.

As with all models now in the Dufour and Fountaine Pajot ranges, the ODSea+ hybrid propulsion rudder system is available as an option. Owners can also specify a hardtop with solar power over the cockpit area.

This wasn’t fitted to the test boat, but assuming there’s appropriate provision to see the mainsail, the idea is appealing for a pure cruiser, adding excellent shelter and a big advantage in terms of autonomy with ample electrical power.

Dufour 48 specifications

LOA: 15.29m 50ft 2in
Hull length: 14.32m 46ft 1in
LWL: 12.23m 43ft 1in
Beam: 4.85m 15ft 1in
Draught (standard keel): 2.35m 8ft 0in
Draught (shoal keel): 1.75m 5ft 11in
Displacement: 13,900kg 30,644lb
Ballast: 3,850kg 8,487lb
Mainsail: 64m2 688ft2
Genoa: 53m2 570ft2
Fuel: 250lt
Water: 530lt
Price as tested: €522,000 including teak deck, electronics, adventure pack and office/heads option
Contact: dufour-yachts.com

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Vaan is an emerging Dutch brand creating a new generation of markedly different catamarans. Travel 20 miles from the historic city centre of Rotterdam, on through Europe’s largest commercial port, and you’ll reach the peaceful little town of Hellevoetsluis where Vaan is based. Founded in 2018 by Igor Kluin and Nienke Van Klooster, the company is located on the banks of the Haringvliet, an inland basin separated from the North Sea by a lock.

The site offers ideal enclosed waters for testing, but above all a space for long-term development – Vaan has already reserved a large part of the technical area of the marina, and a brand-new building is ready to accommodate up to three boats under construction at the same time. Moored at the pontoon, the Vaan R5 looks just as striking as it did in the computer-generated images that caught our attention.

Although the freeboard is high (2.12m/7ft 11in), it’s the smooth design with very few rough edges that makes the biggest impression. As raw aluminium is unforgiving of any flaws, we were pleasantly surprised by the fluidity of the hull’s lines, with no visible deformations.

Better still, the material used incorporates up to 70% recycled aluminium – made from things like window frames, number plates and road signs. Once crushed and sorted, they’re combined with 30% pure aluminium alloy and 0.5% additives, such as argon, to achieve the required marine quality standard 5083. In terms of CO2 emissions, the figures are significant, as its production emits only 2kg of CO2 per kilo of aluminium, seven times less than conventional material, according to Kluin.

To optimise weight, the thickness varies depending on the area: the hulls are 7mm thick, the areas around the keel are 10mm and the deck is 6mm thick. The structural frames are very tight, as can be seen in the very large sail lockers, located in the two bows, and the mast foot lockers, which are also generously sized. A big benefit this rigid construction brings is that Vaan catamarans can have single-piece glass deckhouse windows, offering almost unobstructed surround views. Here, on the 49ft R5, they’re double-glazed, while the older 42ft R4 has a single layer of glass.

Premium fast cruising. The R5 has high freeboard, but coachroof and boom are kept low, maximising sail area. Photo: Vaan Yachts

Sailing Smarter

Ecology is one of the three strategic priorities behind the creation of Vaan catamarans. Their life cycle assessment has been studied in detail, right up to their final recycling. But in addition to their highly distinctive style, the third major criterion that influences all designers’ choices is performance under sail.

For Kluin, who started sailing at the age of three, a yacht must perform well, whatever the wind conditions. This is non-negotiable. So, while Vaan means ‘wind vane’ in Dutch, it is also an expression that could be translated as ‘go where the wind blows’.

Anyone surprised that aluminium is associated with performance may be forgetting its excellent weight-to-rigidity ratio. Until the rise of composites, particularly carbon, it was used for a long time in ocean racing. Among the most famous examples are Flyer, winner of the second Whitbread Round the World Race in 1977/78, and the 12-Metre JI boats built for the America’s Cup, which were made of aluminium until 1987. During the same period, French sailors Eric Tabarly (Paul Ricard), Olivier de Kersauzon (Kriter) and Marc Pajot (Elf Aquitaine, winner of the 1982 Route du Rhum) made it the core material of their offshore racing multihulls.

The very beamy cockpit can be covered with a partial fabric bimini or full hard top. Photo: Vaan Yachts

However, before checking whether the 125m2 of upwind sail area is enough to help this 18-tonne craft sparkle under sail, we leave the port… in silence. As on the first three Vaan catamarans already built, this second R5 is powered solely by electricity. Energy storage is provided by a bank of LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries).

Admittedly, they have a slightly lower energy density (-14%) than conventional lithium-ion batteries, but on a 15m catamaran this is not much of a problem. In addition to their slightly lower cost, they offer greater longevity as they can withstand many more complete charge-discharge cycles. The figure of 5,000 cycles (instead of 1,000) before falling to 80% of their initial capacity is mentioned. They also present much less risk of fire.

Finally, a key element in Vaan Yachts’ strategy, is that they’re less polluting and can be stored for long periods. According to the manufacturer, with 60kW of batteries on board, fixed here in the central crossbeam, the Vaan R5 can motor for four to five hours, depending on conditions, at a cruising speed of between five and six knots.

For a catamaran which promises performance under sail, even in light winds, this should cover nearly 90% of engine use. On a performance catamaran, engine use is mostly limited to entering and leaving port, or when anchoring and raising the anchor. Beyond that, if all green energy sources are exhausted and the wind has died, a 15kW backup generator is installed on board.

Visibility to both bows is maintained thanks to the huge glass windows. Photo: Vaan Yachts

This is the right power for engines that will require 7.5kW each to bring the R5 up to cruising speed. The generator can be seen as a safety feature, but also as a means of extending the boat’s range, allowing it to sail under engine power for around four days. The pod engines installed during our test were prototypes and will be replaced by production models for delivery to the end customer.

For reasons of confidentiality we can’t go into detail about the installation, but from what we’ve seen it looks very promising. To improve hydrodynamics, the pods will retract into the hulls when the boat is under sail. And for better manoeuvrability in ports, the pods are also steerable – we weren’t able to test these two features during our trip as they were still in the testing phase.

Quiet Departure

The cruising speed under engine (5.6 knots) was confirmed as soon as we left the harbour. Hoisting the mainsail is done with the touch of a finger from the helm, thanks to the impressive Furlerboom. I’d never been very convinced by furling booms on multihulls of this size, but the efficiency of this surprised me. The composite casing is wide around the furling profile, leaving plenty of room for the sail.

Wide, clear side decks. Photo: Vaan Yachts

The sail, designed by Quantum, is very well cut, and the flexible luff connecting it to the mast, a critical point on this type of system, is particularly well adjusted in its lower section. To maximise the sail area and lower the centre of gravity, the gooseneck has been lowered as much as possible and the boom skims the deckhouse.

The self-tacking jib Solent unfurls just as easily, and we begin our journey north-west. In these sheltered waters the sea is calm and with 0.83m of clearance under the bridgedeck, there is little chance of any waves slapping beneath. The wind during our trial is irregular, and many obstacles (buoys, shipping traffic, banks, etc), present frequent reasons to tack.

These are all opportunities to see that the Vaan R5 is competent at this exercise. It barely slows down while tacking and offers a close-hauled angle near to the holy grail of 90°. On a reach and then downwind, without a headsail larger than the Solent, we cannot say for sure whether the R5 would meet or exceed the 10 knots given on the polar curves calculated by Dykstra, but the responsiveness of this multihull to the slightest breath of wind makes me optimistic.

Plenty of deck stowage on the R5. Photo: Vaan Yachts

Upwind and downwind, steering is a pleasure because visibility is always ideal – whether looking to the sails, the bow in front of the helmsman, or even the opposite bow (thanks to the large glass surfaces of the deckhouse). The steering system supplied by Jefa is really precise. It offers no play, to the point that the wheel may feel a little stiff in light winds, but the advantage is that it allows you to maintain control without any effort when the breeze picks up.

Vaan promotes luxury living with a minimalist, architectural style. Photo: Vaan Yachts

Bold Interior Design

As the afternoon draws to a close and the outside temperature drops significantly on the North Sea coast, we take the opportunity to explore the interior. Once the large sliding glass door is closed, the atmosphere immediately becomes warmer. The fittings, described as minimalist by Kluin, take the concept of simplicity even further than the competition in this sector.

There’s something reminiscent of Apple or Tesla minimalism about the interior. So, you’ll either love it or hate it, but no-one will be indifferent, that’s for sure. Apart from a few minor details – the absence of fiddles on the kitchen worktop and the highly symbolic folding chart table – I really liked it.

Photo: Vaan Yachts

Neat and distinguished at the same time, the main saloon and living area deserve much praise. The view to the outside is perfect, whether from the galley with its ample stowage space, or from the saloon, which is tastefully positioned facing forward. All the materials are high quality, with the occasional welcome touch of originality, such as the graphite grey felt covering the mast step. An example of detail is to be found in the bench armrest, which successfully marries shapes and materials, including metal, wood and fabric.

The hull steps are undoubtedly designed to Northern European standards and seem a little steep for my 1.73m height. However, the 2.09m headroom once in the hulls really helps contribute to the impression of space. The aft berth is integrated into the structure, providing rigidity without adding weight, as is the case on performance composite multihulls. On the port side, a huge dressing room occupies the central part of the hull, leading to an equally impressive washroom.

‘Living areas are tasteful, neat and distinguished’. Photo: Vaan Yachts

On the starboard side, the forward cabin has two bunk beds, as requested by the owner. A shared bathroom is located in the passageway on the inner side of the hull. There are 600lt tanks integrated under the floors of each hull: one for water, one for diesel for the generator. The Vaan is thermally and acoustically insulated with cork, a material which serves both the ecological and lightweight ambitions of the brand.

The interior temperature is regulated by a reversible air conditioning system that operates on the principle of a heat pump, which is very energy efficient. Its coefficient of performance (CoP) of six means that for every kW of electricity consumed, it produces 6kWh of thermal energy (heat or cold). Kluin assures us that even in the Mediterranean in summer, the interior can be cooled using only the 1,800W of solar panels installed on the deckhouse.

Vaan R5 specifications

LOA: 14.95m 49ft 3in
Beam: 7.94m 26ft 3in
Displacement: 18,000kg 39,683lb
Sail area (upwind): 125m² 1,345ft²
Sail area (downwind): 250m² 2,690ft²
Mainsail: 82m² 883ft²
Self-tacking jib: 45m² 484ft²
Gennaker: 172m² 1,851ft²
Code 0: 120m² 1,292 ft²
Engine: 2×7.5kW electric pods
Battery bank: 60kW
Generator: 15kW
Fuel tank: 600lt 132gal
Water tank: 600lt 132gal
Price: ex VAT €1,496,750 (test boat) €1,900,000

If you enjoyed this….

Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.

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The post Vaan R5 review: The 50ft electric multihull pushing sustainable sailing appeared first on Yachting World.

For years, I scuba dived and taught diving all over the world with my trusty Suunto Mosquito dive computer and apart from a battery change, it never let me down, until it did when it sank into the deep when the watch clasp and lanyard it was attached to both failed at the same time (it does happen!). So I was eager to try the new waterproof Garmin Descent MK3i which is not only a dive computer but also a smart watch too, with a huge array of lifestyle activity and healthy wellbeing customisable settings to suit individual needs.

There are so many options that the setup took a while for me, with a bit of headscratching and referring to the manual along the way, but that is to be expected with any new tech. A quick setup guide which comes with the watch could be a useful future addition.

The digital compass allows you to navigate with ease

I downloaded the Garmin Dive app to my Android smartphone, and, after connecting the watch via Bluetooth, found this a great feature for logging my dives. The watch is not too bulky on the wrist and is comfortable to wear, even over a thickish wetsuit, and it is easy enough to attach a lanyard as backup in case the strap fails.

When performing a safety stop, the time is highlighted in green, making it easy to monitor

I tested the watch while diving in the Red Sea in Egypt with two friends. Firstly, this watch has everything you could possibly need as a recreational scuba diver – gas mix setting (nitrox and trimix) so you can set the mix you are diving with to get the right no decompression time, 3-AXIS compass, LED flashlight, which includes a strobe, which is useful for an emergency or attracting attention on the surface, as well as GPS to mark your entry and exit points and dive planner (no decompression limit and gas deco).

The numbers can be made bigger, so you can easily read your depth, no decompression time etc, and the sapphire crystal AMOLED screen is bright, crisp and clear underwater. The dive function button is more prominent than the rest of the watch buttons, so it is easy to locate.

The Garmin Descent T2 transceiver syncs to the Mk3i. It is screwed into the top of the regulator, allowing you to monitor your tank pressure. If you dive buddy has a T2, you can also sync to monitor their air too

It is compatible with the Garmin Descent T2, a transceiver which can be screwed into the top of your regulator and transmits tank pressure, air time etc. This is a great feature for instructors or those guiding. You can also pair with your dive buddy (if they also have a Garmin Descent) and even send each other short pre-formatted messages (again, very useful if you were guiding, instructing or diving with someone inexperienced).

Underwater, the touchscreen was responsive, although as I was diving in warm water, I didn’t test it with gloves on. A veriometer is built into the watch, and this worked well when I had to chase after my buddy a short distance when she began ascending too quickly during a safety stop. The ascent alarm has a decent pitch and level, although I would prefer it to be a bit louder. You can also set it to vibrate rather than an audible alarm (although the watch would need skin contact for this to work effectively).

The battery life really is incredible, and I didn’t need to charge it at all during the five days I was in Egypt. The only annoying feature was that if I wore the watch when jumping into the sea or pool, it could sometimes record this as a mini dive. This has been rectified since my test, and a new auto dive snooze feature has been introduced to prevent this from happening.

Check out our full guide to the very best waterproof Garmin watches.

The post Garmin Descent MK3i Review: Is this the ultimate dive computer and smartwatch hybrid? appeared first on Yachting World.

When you consider how you got into sailing and how the next generation might do so, it prompts some searching questions. Is sailing dying as a sport and a pastime? Does our increasingly time-precious world demand a rethink, some sailing saviours, and if so, in what form?

Think back to the emergence of snowboarding. Skiing looked endangered. The glory days of Klammer and Maier’s downhill racing were being elbowed out by a young baggy-pants-wearing brigade. Then something glorious happened – carving skis were invented.

These hourglass-shaped planks seemingly changed the game overnight. What the rad folk were doing on boards, whether in powder or parks, could now be done on skis. It got cool again and hasn’t looked back since.

Perhaps sailing needs its own carving moment. Is this it? The world’s largest yacht manufacturer thinks so, with the launch of this exciting new model.

Relatively narrow beam (under 3m), low wetted surface, and weight kept to just over three tonnes means the F30 rises onto the water easily and is sporty in breeze. Photo: Uroš Kekuš Klev

The plane phenomenon

Why plough through the water if you can glide over it? Whether by power or sail, if you could free yourself of your own wake to go faster with less noise and wash, you would, wouldn’t you? That feeling of lightness and speed is addictive.

Yet how many planing yachts have you sailed? The answer is likely very few. In terms of the offerings from production yards over the last two decades, I can count them on one hand.

They need certain physics on their side, the right hull shape combined with sufficiently light construction. The Pogo 30 was a groundbreaker in that respect, and in some ways, what we’re seeing here is replicating that concept, 10 years later, with an updated and skinnier hull shape.

The Beneteau First 30 takes Sam Manuard’s brilliance and adds Seascape’s proven lightweight construction methods (keeping it to three tonnes), building on the First 36 they created two years ago.

Direct tiller steering and long, smooth streaks rather than wake, means grins of joy for Toby. Photo: Uroš Kekuš Klev

It also benefits from Beneteau’s industrial scaling and resultant pricing. And, crucially, it makes the sailing bit easy.

Just look at it: an unassuming white boat, modern without being overtly broad or racy. It’s a cruising yacht after all, with a two-cabin interior, a saloon, galley, heads, hot water, cockpit benches, a swim platform etc – so it’s easy to picture yourself spending time aboard.

However, the vast majority of cruising yachts, while pleasant to sail, rarely offer the excitement of a sportsboat. To get that, you generally need to pay big sums for exotic composite construction (and then put very little inside them).

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£277,098.00

Beneteau’s new planing First 30: A step change for the French giant

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But, and this is an enormous ‘but’, cruising doesn’t have to feel like you’re driving your house around.

That’s where Seascape comes in. This Slovenian brand, formed by two Mini Transat sailors, Andraž Mihelin and Kristian Hajnšek in 2009, quickly proved itself with its Manuard-designed sportsboats, again built for fast, fun planing sailing rather than racing.

Beneteau saw Seascape’s growing appeal and bought the company in 2018. This F30 was developed by that Seascape team, is built in Slovenia, and Mihelin now heads up the First range.

So you can see the direction the First marque is headed. An ‘affordable’ price was a core objective, with the initial €100,000 tag below most other new cruising boats today (that’s for the bare boat with engine, rig, electrics, plumbing, galley and upholstery).

A club racer or weekender pack adds sails and electronics for €16,000. The Oceanis 30.1 starts at this price, but few other production yards still offer a yacht at this size. Crucially, Beneteau met and stuck to that €100,000 price tag.

Fullish bow for dry planing and some forward cabin space. Photo: Uroš Kekuš Klev

All talk no trousers?

Ever since this new First 30 was announced I’d been itching to sail it, yet worried it wouldn’t live up to the ‘effortless joy of planing cruising for everyone’ hype. After the first hulls rapidly sold, we finally arranged a test around the weather forecast, in July in Denmark, with Per Cederberg, the Danish dealer for Seascape/First.

And while it’s not a flawless yacht, I can now say after sailing it over two days in a range of winds, that the F30 lives up to and in some ways surpasses those ambitious promotional promises.

The sailing is not about white-knuckle pace. Just the simple joy of planing, with ‘simple’ being the operative word. It’s genuinely easy to entice the yacht onto rather than through the water.

Perhaps the most pleasurable revelation during our trials was just how readily this was achieved, even in moderate winds. Despite a truly memorable sleigh ride in 20+ knots for a long spell, averaging 13-14 knots, the F30 really showed its prowess in the more marginal planing conditions.

The F30 keeps the cockpit, controls and sails simple for the helm and crew to enjoy planing speeds. Photo: Uroš Kekuš Klev

Perhaps it hooked me because I could imagine myself sailing this with friends and family enjoying this playful speed. Crucially, to achieve this elevated state of planing, we didn’t have to drain the last drops of fuel and water out, nor did I have to go on a strict pre-sail diet or cut my toothbrush in half.

We just stepped on the boat (which hadn’t been used in a month), pottered out of the marina, hoisted sails, and the F30 did the rest.

During the two days, we saw its full potential (apart from surfing). In terms of figures, this equates to 6-6.5 knots upwind, 8-9-plus knots two-sail reaching and 8-13-plus knots spinnaker reaching. In sensation, however, it brings so much more.

Okay, so it wasn’t all ‘plane’ sailing. After all, some uphill work is inevitable if you want to enjoy going down. But we found beating on the F30 can be quite enjoyable too.

Granted, we only had some moderate chop rather than proper waves, but it’s no scow slammer. It’s a fun little yacht to tiller-steer, super light and direct. That it consistently tacks quickly through 80-85º means you can get places upwind.

Easily trimmable for upwind ease and fun, as long as you control heel angle well too. Photo: Vid Slapnicar

In the lighter breezes of 8-10 knots it’ll maintain speeds in the early 6 knots range at 45º to the true wind. Once into double figures, it’s easy to hold 6.3-6.5 knots.

But this brings us to arguably its biggest downside – the angle at which you have to live with sailing upwind. Yes, monohulls heel, especially powerfully-rigged small monohulls.

But aboard the comparatively narrow F30, this really can be steep when close-hauled, despite its relatively high ballast ratio (35%) and deep, standard keel.

Well heeled

Sturdy moulded foot supports either side of the tiller provide crucial bracing, and this soon results in a workout as your leg muscles are constantly braced, while you’re pressed up hard against the guardrails to stay secure.

Or you can stick your head out below the top guardwire, akin to driving with your head out of the sunroof. If they are tall enough crew brace against the leeward bench, if not, the optional cockpit table could prove useful.

Tha Saloon provides plenty of space. Photo: Branko Ceak

The test boat had the traveller and German sheeting set up (instead of the simple standard A-frame), but a solution for leading sheets aft for short-handing would be beneficial.

Tail bags for the companionway winches that don’t clog up the cockpit bench seating area would also keep things tidier.

Once the breeze rises into double figures, the boat is fully powered up, and you need to adjust to this. While pinching feels natural, it’s not the answer as you’ll just keep heeling and go sideways.

Depowering the sails helps reduce some heel, and the simple, effective rig assists here. The Z-spars mast bends nicely thanks to a well-purchased backstay on a clamcleat.

With Cunningham, outhaul and sheet also cranked on, you can invert the mainsail, hence we didn’t need to reef in the stronger breeze. Easing the sheets can also improve heel and pace, a worthy trade-off for a few degrees of pointing.

The genoa sheets are rigged through floating thimbles inboard to coachroof winches, but Cederberg rigged up a simple Dyneema purchase from the shroud base to make an outboard lead, which worked well in the stronger wind.

If you go afloat for the sheer enjoyment of sailing you would, of course, have cracked sheets by now, but it’s nice to know that if you do need to get from A-B, and B is upwind, you can get there efficiently and enjoyably.

Both saloon and galley provide the essentials for comfortable cruising. Photo: Branko Ceak

Lighting it up

Next comes the real fun. Early predictions said the First 30 would be able to plane in 13-14 knots true wind. As marketing predictions are typically optimistic, I was certain we’d need more puff, but as I was to discover, you can plane in those wind strengths, easily, and without even hoisting a fancy sail.

But when you do unleash some extra firepower, you get to feel the boat light up properly. The F30 is spellbinding. Picture those clips of Fast 40s and TPs, sending it downwind, whitewater spewing down the decks as a full crew stack the windward pushpit, except here there were two of us aboard, dry in T-shirts and shorts, relaxed and chatting away.

It’s by far the easiest monohull yacht planing I’ve experienced. The test boat didn’t have an autopilot fitted, so it can get busy when flying a kite (with no sock or furler).

The deep, aft-slung twin rudders keep her tracking true, but going through gybes and drops demands some concentration. In the Force 5 conditions of our first session, we never stopped planing under fractional kite, making 10.5-13.5 knots.

It was thrilling sailing at 140-150º to the true wind, accompanied by the tell-tale high-pitched hum when it really lights up (over 13 knots). In fact, it makes it easy enough to get cocky and I managed to spin the F30 out, broaching a couple of times while focusing on filming rather than helming.

Good sized double berth in the forward cabin and a large hatch provides natural light – but stowage is scant. Photo: Branko Ceak

It was our second session in lighter breeze under masthead spinnaker which proved to be one of my most enjoyable afternoons sailing. Despite the wind only averaging 10-13 knots true, we were again treated to almost non-stop planing at 8-10+ knots (the wake separates at around 8.4 knots).

Hoist, set and forget, and just sail to the luff of the kite, as we reached and gybed between wind farms and islands or shoals. Speeds matter little when you’re planing in flat water.

It’s just such a pleasant feeling, especially with such little effort. I wanted to keep going. And surely to leave you wanting more is what sailing needs right now.

What’s the catch?

Once the show’s over, you can fire up the engine, power through a rain squall as we did, drop an anchor, swim from the platform, take an inflatable out of the deep cockpit locker, attach shorepower, have a shower, cook a meal – simply enjoy the normal cruising amenities.

So, no, there are few drawbacks to that performance. A little less cockpit comfort perhaps, smaller tanks, fewer gizmos, less refrigeration space, but there are still comforts enough.

You could ask about IRC ratings but that’s missing the point. If you want a handicap racer, there are plenty of Js, Xs and JPKs out there. Beneteau knows the big market is cruising and that the key to this new category of planing cruisers is keeping them simple for average sailors to sail.

Full length rail is a useful hanging space for wet gear in the heads. Photo: Branko Ceak

How have they managed to build a planing yacht to this price? Using a fully cored and vacuum-infused hull and deck helps keep it light, a glassfibre composite keel grid for the cast iron T-keel loads adds stiffness, while a conventional hull liner with slots for standard plywood bulkheads helps make it quick and cost-effective to produce.

Pure Design also helped the yard strip weight, especially with GRP excesses. The F30 provides relatively comfortable space in two cabins, a large heads, workable galley, and long, comfortable saloon, while designer Lorenzo Argento has softened it with smooth cork flooring, a timber table and trim.

Standing headroom (1.81m) at the foot of the companionway, where the sole is the bilge, is paramount to comfort. It’s also a relatively minimalist fitout, with clever solutions to keep weight down.

Deck or hull lining is used sparingly; the rest is simply painted GRP. Some parts where lining meets bare hull may look a little ordinary, but in general, this wipe-clean finish approach works, reserving the comfort for where it counts, such as the thick ply saloon berths and smart indirect lighting.

The saloon benches are long enough to sleep on (2m), with backrests that fold outboard to add width, while the table is sturdy and large enough to seat six comfortably. Where the forward cabin provides a good-sized double berth with a large hatch above, the aft cabin feels more constricted.

The inboard side of the double mattress has very little headroom below the cockpit and therefore may better suit a single adult or kids.

‘When you unleash some extra firepower the boat lights up’ Pgoto: Vid Slapnicar

The only option for proper stowage in the cabins is in the form of small removable textile lockers, but these come at an extra cost. Also optional for the cabins are ultra-thin and lightweight magnetic doors, as used for the heads – a clever, minimal solution for some privacy.

The heads compartment features a long rail above a deep well, ideal for hanging wet weather kit and lifejackets.

The galley is simple, practical and spacious, with a two-burner hob, a sink, double bin, drawers and a fold-down board to extend the work surface. The standing desk-style chart table also extends this space and includes an ice box or optional fridge.

Companionway steps lift 90º to access engine essentials such as oil, impeller, belt etc, but with no other access panels, changing the gearbox oil and oil filter could prove frustrating.

The generous cockpit locker, where the water separation filter is housed meanwhile, is the yacht’s garage, with enough space to swallow an inflatable dinghy and a sail. Aft panels in here and the port aft cabin allow constricted access to the steering gear each side, so those fitting an autopilot will want to make sure it’s within reach.

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The post Beneteau First 30 review: The affordable planing cruiser that’s fun and fast appeared first on Yachting World.

Best Waterproof Sailing Jacket for Women?

Henri-Lloyd hasn’t simply resized a men’s jacket and called it a women’s fit. This is a true women’s sailing jacket with proper shaping and structure where it matters. The zip-up jacket option I chose is easy to get on and off, especially when hopping between boats. The salopette offers excellent stretch, and I didn’t have any issues with leg length, even with my longer-than-average pins.
The shoulder adjustment works well and feels snug without being tight. It’s designed to move with you, whether you’re racing, helming, crouching on deck, or transferring kit on a rib.

Specifications and features
Available in smock or zip-up jacket style
Detachable hood
Breathable, 3-layer waterproof fabric
Fully taped seams
Designed for inshore and coastal sailing
Women’s-specific fit XS-2XL (Also available in Mens fit S-3XL)
Lightweight and packable
Optional salopette knee pads for high-impact sailing

How It Performs On the Water
In practice, this kit ticks all the boxes for day sailing, coaching, regatta racing, and inshore cruising. The jacket is breathable and moves naturally with your body, especially useful when you’re clambering around cockpits or ducking under booms. It also looks smart enough to wear during press events or public engagements on the water. It also works brilliantly in an open powerboat or rib, I can move about the console and the salopette works well on the jockey seat.
The hood system deserves special mention, instead of rolling into the collar, it detaches completely. That’s a big plus if you’re working on a rib or coaching, where high collars get in the way of safety gear or comms.

Is It Warm Enough?
This is not your deep-ocean, fleece-lined offshore jacket. It’s lightweight, non-insulated, and designed for active, warm-season use. Think of this more like a high-performance waterproof shell, add layers underneath if you’re sailing into colder conditions.

Who This Sailing Jacket Is For
Women sailing sport boats and keelboats
Regatta and inshore racers
Rib drivers and support crew
Coastal cruisers who want lightweight technical gear
Youths and small-stature sailors who struggle with men’s sizing

Final Thoughts: A Great Technical Sailing Jacket for Women
If you’re looking for a high-performance waterproof sailing jacket and salopette set designed for women, the Henri-Lloyd Dynamic is one of the most comfortable and flexible kits I’ve tested this season. It’s a confident, modern release from a brand with heritage, and a great fit for sailors who need performance without bulk.

Buy them now from Henri Lloyd

Also available for men…

The post Henri-Lloyd Dynamic Waterproof Jacket & Salopette for Women – Full Test and Review appeared first on Yachting World.

Tuesday 12 May 2025 in Skaerbaek, Denmark, was a special day, a defining moment in my sailing career. I’m normally deliberately objective when testing, but I admit to really falling for this quirky winged beast – in that fresh phase, infatuated sort of way.

I fully accept a rapid cruising trimaran won’t suit everyone, and I’ll list the reasons why. But, after two exceptional days spent aboard, I also feel confident in highlighting the many reasons why this is the most successful new yacht this year – with 28 ordered before this first one launched!

Dragonfly has been building trimarans near Kolding since 1967 and remains a Quorning family-run yard. Its new 36 marries modern design and engineering ingenuity, including buoyant, wave-piercing bows and all-composite folding mechanisms for the floats. Chiefly, as we were to discover, it’s a super-light cruiser with serious gas.

‘It’s a superlight cruiser with serious gas’. Photo: Richard Langdon

Within boat lengths of the small fishing village and marina of Skaerbaek, where Dragonflys are towed down the hill and launched, we hoisted (a lot of) main and code sail, bore off onto a reach and took off. Life became instantly smooth and quiet as we lifted straight onto the plane.

Helming from right aft, within the curved embrace of the cushioned pushpit, Dragonlet and I had no slow, awkward dates getting to know each other, rather an absolute and instant engaging connection.

Article continues below…

In the 12-15 knot puffy breeze, we gybed around the fjords under Code 0 as if aboard a dinghy. Our speeds averaged in the low teens, shooting up to 15-17 knots in the puffs (at 55° apparent). It offers non-stop planing on most angles, particularly when sailing anywhere slightly off the breeze in 12-plus knots. So much so that you really notice it when you’re (rarely) not, because it seems comparatively noisy as the wake catches up with the hull.

Steering is easy, direct, engaging and enjoyable. It offers a proper sportsboat feel on a 36ft cruising yacht. I couldn’t help thinking that if you put any performance monohull enthusiast onto the helm during that first sailing session, they’d sign up for one there and then. It’s that good.

The 36 sails even faster than it looks – both off the wind and beating. Photo: Richard Langdon

Afterburners ignited

With the large blue asymmetric hoisted, the Dragonfly 36 comfortably maintained a long-legged average stride in the low teens, before the log would shoot up to match the 17-20 knot gusts. That acceleration is intoxicating, but it’s also combined with arguably an even more impressive quality: stability. During bear aways, I’d expect the leeward bow to bury, but instead the forward volume in those floats performs wonders, simply converting it to yet more easy speed.

How? This is the first Dragonfly with an inverted bow on the main hull. Together with the wave-piercing bows on the outriggers, this provides formidable buoyancy forward. These asymmetric-shaped floats, which have their widest sections at the waterline, are also 70cm further forward than the main hull to increase directional stability and help you push it downwind. The result is the 36 just lets you throw it around without complaint.

Blast reaching spikes the adrenaline while tacking through the Danish fjord’s shallows is addictive. Photo: Richard Langdon

With your foot to the floor, a 30ft stream of whitewater hoses away from the transoms, as if a jet boat. Our top speed was clocked at 20.5 knots – on flat water in similar wind! Dragonfly’s CEO and mastermind, Jens Quorning, says they measure performance not by the speedo, but by the size of your grin when sailing. My dial was firmly in the red.

We carried that spinnaker down through a tight fjord, with a stunning tree-lined backdrop, gybing back and forth yards from the shoreline. Dragonflys are designed to sail short-handed and, on the 36, the two powered winches each side are within reach of the helm. So although we didn’t need four aboard, and it made the cockpit feel a little cramped in the corners at times, it helped get the most out of the boat (despite their thousands of hours of Dragonfly trials, the Quornings and long-term UK agent, Al Wood, still thrive on sailing these yachts).

Inverted bows provide telling stability. Photo: Richard Langdon

Making wind

Another joy of a performance trimaran is that it can provide similar sensations to those of a monohull sailing upwind. In the Dragonfly’s case, you get plenty of reward from a single carbon rudder blade, so with the windward hull airborne and minimal wetted surface, flat water beating is fun.

Little active trimming is necessary and you can still steer with a drink in hand. The 36 felt particularly well balanced close-hauled on starboard tack, when I could leave the wheel and it kept tracking true, but it needed a light guiding hand on port. Dragonfly believe this may be a centreplate alignment issue, which it is trying to resolve.

The mid freeboard chine from the bow deflects spray and preserves some forward cabin volume over the narrow waterline beam. Photo: Richard Langdon

During our second day we saw how the 36 performed in the lighter breeze. Again it showed pace, particularly when pointing, clocking 8.5 knots at 40° to a true wind averaging 7-13 knots. These are performance monohull figures, helped by the narrow hulls, centreboard, inboard genoa tracks and rotating carbon mast. We also matched up against Jens’ son Peter, who solo sailed an all-carbon 40 Performance, and it was interesting to see very little difference in pace. Both boats easily exceeded the true breeze under Code 0s (8.5 knots in 7 true at 45°A).

The 36 is a wind generator, a craft that will match or outpace true windspeeds, all the way from 5 knots to nearly 20. Polars show it topping out at around 24 knots – in flat water. Granted, you don’t get to see what it’s like in waves or even surf in these confined waters, but you get to feel the 36 react to every lift, while executing plenty of manoeuvres.

A tasteful if conservative finish with space used intelligently. The saloon has long benches, with the portside converting to a berth, while the forward cabin is reached through a thick bulkhead, with a sliding panel for privacy. Photo: Richard Langdon

In fact, it was as we short-tacked our way up another fjord into the setting sun on our first evening, when it all sank in for me. I had the cockpit to myself, the heated foam-decked helm seats warming my glutes – a delightfully novel way to counteract the first chill of the evening air – and I couldn’t help but marvel at the sheer pleasure this yacht provides. We were to moor up at the formidable converted sanatorium near Kolding that night (see page 75), a unique spot, yet still I didn’t want to tear myself from the helm.

This was perhaps the most enjoyable sail trial I’ve done in over two decades – an incredible day.

Once the Dragonfly is at rest you begin to appreciate it’s not simply a fairground ride, but a complex marriage of design and composite engineering.

Aft cabin has wide berth but lacks stowage. Photo: Richard Langdon

Engineering evolution

Much of this revolves around the Swing Wing system, employed as we approached the jetty. Floats that fold into the hull provide the convenience of monohull berthing, using a system which has principally remained the same since Jens and his father Borge developed it in the late 1980s. Operated using the winches and without leaving the cockpit, a continuous line system pulls the floats in or out while tensioning or stowing the trampolines. The operation took us approximately one minute.

However, when you consider the complexity involved, both in the loads it places on the hull connections and how to support the mast, you realise it’s anything but simple. Despite having a beam join designed for 25 tonnes of compression, this 36 marks the first time Dragonfly has used composite here as opposed to stainless steel connections. “It was a 10-year dream to do this but we didn’t have the courage!” Quorning explains, with the result saving time, weight and cost.

As the outriggers fold forwards, they lift the main hull and increase overall length, with beam reducing from 8.12m to just 3.7m. You also have to consider the rig – using a deck-stepped rotating mast on floats that fold demands creativity. The yard has used tall carbon masts as standard since the early 1990s, which have incredibly strong and light round profiles designed to suit this Swing Wing system. The running backstay-style split supports can be tensioned with floats folded or extended.

The joys of shoal draught. Photo: Richard Langdon

The test boat was set up with two deep reefs using 3:1 thimble purchases on the mainsail leech, which crank the sail down and aft via the winch to maintain sail shape without anyone needing to leave the cockpit. Dragonfly ensures its models can be sailed solo, proving so by winning events such as the Silver Rudder Race around Denmark. All running rigging is led cleanly underdeck to the powered Andersen winches in reach of the helm.

A boom vang on a block and tackle is used on either side/tack instead of a traveller, doubling as a preventer and helping to free up cockpit space. The test boat sported Elvstrom’s new Xylo sailcloth, a performance filament carbon tape for enhanced shape, while for offwind sailing, many owners chose a Code sail as it can be left hoisted. Dragonflys can sail wing on wing with this and the main, tacking it to the windward float and using a barber that runs from midships to the bow.

The snub bowsprit houses the Code furler, is sturdy enough to use as a step for bows-to mooring and keeps the anchor chain clear of the reverse stem.

The Dragonfly 36 has a reasonable-sized workable galley. Photo: Richard Langdon

Beach parking

Another feature Dragonfly has employed for decades is the use of a lifting centreboard on the central hull to prevent leeway. The 80kg foam sandwich board flips up in the case of grounding, via a spring-loaded camcleat by the winches (yes, we ‘tested’ it). This was another feature which took years to design and refine, particularly the panel closure beneath the hull.

The rudder also kicks-up and has a similar safety fuse cleat. Shaped in hollow prepreg by carbon maestro Marstrom for an ultra-light feel, its unusual curved profile is designed to prevent cavitation at high speeds.
The sail drive is mounted right aft, between the dual helms, to allow for beaching – not ideal for weight management, but it also keeps noise and heat out of the interior and preserves maximum interior space.

Accommodation

You’ve had the sailing thrills to dream about, and have now found that isolated beach for the night. Can the 36 offer enough for ‘comfortable’ cruising too?

Yes… as long as you appreciate the compromises real speed necessitates. And that doesn’t mean stark minimalism, indeed the 36 has a warm interior lined with hand-built joinery (elm veneers as we had, or lighter ash). However there’s no getting around the fact this is compact living for a premium-priced 36-footer.

The 36’s new composite folding mechanisms. Photo: Richard Langdon

There are no layout options, as the centreboard trunk and bulkheads are immovable. Instead, owners can only play with the colours and upholstery – but do get 2m headroom and space to sleep six. The saloon has long benches, lots of natural light, ventilation and stowage.

It’s also an adaptable area, with a small standing desk and switch panel, and the port settee doubling as a kid’s den or passage berth. The table leaves fold up or down to allow six to eight to sit while providing clear access forward.

The aft cabin extends under the cockpit, providing enough seated headroom height to make it feel spacious and comfortable, though stowage is an issue. There are outboard lockers each side, but you won’t be hanging blazers and cocktail dresses in here.

Indeed, the double locker opposite the heads is the only hanging space and even that’s only half-height. The heads is compact – a small, practical wet heads area where you’d sit on the toilet to shower. Meanwhile having to climb through a ring fame to access the forward cabin obviously won’t suit all, but you do get a comfortable 2m x 1.6m berth once in.

Vinylester and divinycell with carbon reinforcement is used for these main bulkheads, while closed-cell foam cored construction ensures Dragonflys are unsinkable. Meanwhile, four stainless steel deck eyes enables the Dragonfly to be easily craned out of the water anywhere.

Dragonfly 36 specifications

LOA sailing: 11.55m / 37ft 11in
LOA folded: 13.43m / 44ft 1in
LWL: 10.90m / 35ft 9in
Beam sailing: 8.12m / 26ft 8in
Beam folded: 3.70m / 12ft 2in
Draught: 2.00m-0.67m / 6ft 7in-2ft 2in
Disp (lightship): 4,500kg / 9,921lb
Berths: 6
Engine: 30hp 21kW saildrive
Water: 220lt 48gal
Fuel: 70lt 15gal
Sail area/disp ratio: 32.8
Disp/LWL ratio: 97
Price: (ex VAT) Touring from €554,000; Performance from €582,000; test boat €809,445.

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Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.

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The post Dragonfly 36 review: Probably the most fun boat ever! appeared first on Yachting World.

Continued development and refinement are key drivers behind the ever-increasing popularity of cruising catamarans. The scale of the rate of change in these boats was brought home to me when I stepped on board a Fountaine Pajot Bahia 46 built in 2004.

These were very desirable and well-regarded designs in their day, yet the extent to which internal volumes and the blending of indoor and outdoor living spaces have advanced over the intervening two decades on the best of today’s models is nothing short of astounding.

Today’s designs are a lot heavier than the older model and have proportionately smaller sail areas. Yet sailing performance remains remarkably good for vessels that offer so much accommodation, and newer models therefore still have potential to cover significant distances in respectable times.

The Fountaine Pajot 41. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot/Fountaine Pajot

Solid and smooth

I was lucky to sail both of the new Fountaine Pajot models in a blustery 15-25 knots of onshore breeze, with occasional stronger gusts, in a brief interlude between heatwaves. With one reef in the mainsail, both boats felt very solid. Even upwind on the smaller boat there was no slamming of waves under the bridgedeck, though the sea state hadn’t had time to build to its full extent.

Upwind we sailed quite wide angles, often with a 55°-60° true wind angle, which produced respectable speeds. The smaller Fountaine Pajot 41 consistently made a shade over 7 knots in these conditions, while the Fountaine Pajot 44 was around half a knot faster on average. Unsurprisingly, both boats lose speed very quickly if you try to pinch closer to the wind.

These designs are both relatively heavy, but despite the strong gusts both had a reassuringly solid feel. Even upwind we could likely have carried full sail and that was certainly true once we bore away onto a reach. However, neither boat accelerates quickly in gusts and realistically shaking the reef out would have made very little difference to the average speed in these conditions.

The hydraulic steering is lightweight but inevitably doesn’t have as much feel as boats with a more direct linkage. This wasn’t a problem upwind or reaching, but made it more difficult to maintain a straight course with a building quartering sea.

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The best new yachts at the 2025 International Multihull Show

The International Multihull Show in La Grande Motte has become a must-visit event for anyone interested in the latest cruising…

Best catamaran and multihull: The very best yachts on two and three hulls

There are many categories in the European Yacht of the Year awards, from the best luxury yachts and performance yachts to the best yachts for families and evet…

The semi-raised helm stations feel very secure on both tacks, with the main differences between the boats being that the Fountaine Pajot 41 has a double helm seat, while the Fountaine Pajot 44 has a triple seat behind the wheel. In both cases, visibility from the helm is largely good, though on starboard tack there’s a sizable blind spot behind the headsail.

This is common on multihulls with a raised helm station and is by no means unique to these two boats, but you have to move much further to see around the sail than you would on a monohull.

Sail handling is carried out in a separate area just forward, ahead of the helm station and on the same raised level. There’s space for two people to work and it’s well organised, with good rope bins. The arrangement works well both for when there are several people available to handle the boat and for a lone watch keeper with the pilot steering the boat.

Sailing at pace with dry bows. The Fountaine Pajot 41 still packs in a lot of accommodation, both on the bridgedeck and in each hull. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot/Fountaine Pajot

On both yachts the first mainsail reef is single line, making it a simple operation to shorten sail, while reefs two and three need a Cunningham line to be passed through the luff cringle, which involves going up to the mast base. The argument is this simplifies handling overall by reducing the amount of rope that needs to be handled, as the purchase systems within single-line reefing set-ups makes the pennants for each one very long, with the effect magnified for deeper reefs.

Mainsail shape control is generally good, even though there is no vang, thanks to the wide traveller mounted on the aft end of the hard top. However, the high aspect jibs on both boats tend to twist off considerably when sheets are eased and there’s no obvious provision for outboard sheet leads. That probably doesn’t matter much in lighter airs when a Code 0 or asymmetric spinnaker is likely to be used when reaching, but it does mean that perfect sail trim can’t readily be achieved when reaching in the wind strengths I experienced during my test.

Nevertheless, the Fountaine Pajot’s boat speed topped out at 10.2 knots for the Fountaine Pajot 44 when reaching in a 27-knot puff, while maintaining averages of almost 9.5 knots with 20 knots of true wind 10° aft of the beam. Bearing away further to a true wind angle of 130° resulted in a drop of boat speed of only half a knot in these conditions, even though the apparent wind was down to less than 15 knots.

Rupert Holmes on the helm of the 41. Sail handling is carried out in a separate area forward, with room for two people to work. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot/Fountaine Pajot

Impressively, the averages when reaching for the Fountaine Pajot 41 were not much slower, with 8.9 to 9.2 knots recorded fairly consistently. And some of the speed differential can be explained by the Fountaine Pajot 44 having the upgrade from standard Dacron sails to an Ocean spec Hydranet fabric. This option is chosen by roughly 25% of owners and makes a tangible difference.

Sadly, I wasn’t able to try either boat in lighter airs. With its sub-10 tonne displacement and longer waterline, the Bahia 46 might on paper be expected to be faster in those conditions, but Code 0s that massively boost speed on a wide range of wind angles, from almost close hauled to broad reaching, weren’t routinely fitted to cruising boats a couple of decades ago and they make a huge difference to light airs speeds, even on a heavier boat.

While the Fountaine Pajot 44 is undeniably faster than the Fountaine Pajot 41, in cruising terms the difference between the two is modest, translating to maybe six or seven miles per 24 hours when on passage, although it’s worth remembering that the larger boat will tend to have a more comfortable motion at sea.

For those planning extensive and adventurous voyaging, a more important factor may be that the stability of a cruising catamaran increases exponentially, with the fourth power of the length of the boat. Despite the relatively small difference in overall length, the larger model can therefore be expected to offer as much as one-third greater resistance to capsize.

The FP 44 has a more comprehensive semi flybridge area with lots of seating and four sunbeds. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot/Fountaine Pajot

Flybridge differences

A cursory look around on deck won’t reveal many differences between the two models. Indeed, there are only two key visual clues, the most obvious being the semi-flybridge. The Fountaine Pajot 41 is the smallest ever Fountaine Pajot to have a semi-flybridge and only has a double sunbed, albeit with backrests that can be arranged to make sitting up comfortable.

By contrast, the Fountaine Pajot 44 has a much larger semi-flybridge than the Fountaine Pajot 41 with extensive seating as well as two sunbeds, making this an additional socialising area that could be useful, for instance, if sailing with teenagers and friends.

Even the Fountaine Pajot 41 is a big boat in many respects, with surprisingly large aft cabins and decent-sized forward cabins with peninsula beds. Arguably, the biggest downside in this respect is that the internal seating area is rather small, though the big aft cockpit area can be enclosed by canvas in inclement weather.

A drawback of four-cabin boats is also limited stowage space, but that’s not an issue for the three-cabin option that has considerable stowage in the owner’s suite.

Worktops are made of recycled material that is easy to repair if damaged. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot/Fountaine Pajot

Many of these points also apply to the 44, though this is by no means simply a scaled-up 41. In particular, the larger model has more space in the middle of the hulls. As a result both cabins in the starboard hull are en suite, with separate shower stalls. By contrast, the Fountaine Pajot 41 has a choice of compact en suites, or larger shared facilities with a separate entrance from the corridor in the starboard hull.

The port hull of the 41 can be fitted out in two different ways – either as a mirror image of the two-cabin arrangement in the starboard hull, or as an owner’s suite. This has the sleeping area aft, a capacious heads area forward, plus a desk/dressing table amidships and a huge amount of stowage. A further option for the Fountaine Pajot 44 is to have a flexible forward workshop/storage area that could also be fitted out as a large dressing room if required.

Guest cabin stowage is not particularly generous on either boat, but there’s a massive amount of stowage space in the master hull of both boats. Equally, on-deck stowage is excellent, particularly if the optional skipper/children’s cabins right forward are not specified.

For those wanting to spend longer periods on board, the 41 has an option for a 3kg capacity washer-dryer in the owner’s hull, whereas the 44 has space for a full-size 7kg load unit with access from the corridor in the starboard hull.

Island unit improves circulation and allows more people to prepare food etc in the galley. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot/Fountaine Pajot

The internal saloon can be ordered with a low coffee table or a larger raised dining table that allows for indoor eating. Both boats have an opening window in the front of the coachroof that improves natural ventilation and allows direct communication with the foredeck lounging area. The saloon also has a central overhead panel allowing you to view the sail trim, but doesn’t have so much overhead glazing that solar gain is excessive on either boat.

A much larger opening between the saloon and aft cockpit allows for a new galley format that includes a central island unit instead of L-shaped worktops. This works well, and gives better circulation of people, while also allowing more hands to easily work in the galley. Both boats share this layout, though the Fountaine Pajot 44 has a little more space and significantly improved refrigeration. There’s also good stowage for dry goods in several large under-floor compartments and below the saloon seats.On the downside, there’s no dedicated indoor navigation/watch-keeping station.

Both test boats have internal saloons with a low coffee table, but a dining table can be fitted. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot/Fountaine Pajot

The woodwork looked good on my test boats, but there are veneered capping pieces and sharp corners that may not withstand repeated knocks and bumps without damage. The interior of lockers also have a more domestic feel to them, rather than a traditional boatbuilding approach using higher-quality materials.

Worktops are made of recycled material sourced from the interiors of end-of-life fridges and freezers. They can be recycled back into new worktops and are easy to repair if damaged as the material can be worked like wood. Scratches can therefore be sanded out and the surface polished to restore an as-new appearance.

The master cabin of the FP 41. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot/Fountaine Pajot

Hybrid future

All models are available with conventional diesel engines and generators. However, the Fountaine Pajot group, which includes Dufour, is at the forefront of transitioning to hybrid technologies and has sold around 100 hybrid boats over the past two and a half years. This represents 15% of sales, a proportion that’s steadily climbing as more owners become satisfied that concepts and systems are well-proven.

The aft cabins of both boats are impressively spacious, with generously-sized angled peninsula beds. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot/Fountaine Pajot

The Fountaine Pajot 44 I sailed was fitted with the ODSea+ Smart Electric hybrid propulsion. This encompasses propulsion, hydrogeneration, large solar arrays totalling around 2kW and huge battery banks that can also be used for domestic systems such as refrigeration and even air-conditioning.

It was developed in conjunction with fellow La Rochelle-based company Alternative Energies, which has been supplying systems to small ferries and work boats for 30 years and is now part of the Fountaine Pajot group.

Each hull has a 25kW pod drive motor, with a high voltage supply meaning that water cooling is not required – it’s a simple installation that requires little maintenance. The boat is also fitted with a soundproofed 24kW diesel generator that’s sized to allow for motoring at 8 knots in flat water, yet still puts an impressive 8kW into the battery bank. In addition, the hydrogenating facility under sail proved effective – at eight knots of boat speed we were charging at around 1.5kW on each engine.

Optional storage/workshop area aboard the FP 44 . Photo: Jean-Marie Liot/Fountaine Pajot

Overall, it’s an impressive system that increases comfort, flexibility and autonomy, while reducing maintenance. In addition, a key benefit of electric propulsion is the large amount of torque that’s almost instantly available and therefore makes manoeuvring in tight corners easier.

Fountaine Pajot 41 specifications

LOA: 12.1m 39ft 8in
Beam: 6.92m 22ft 8in
Displacement: 12,700kg 28,000lb
Draught: 1.34m 4ft 5in
Mainsail: 65m2 700ft2
Genoa: 35m2 377ft2
Fresh water: 600lt 123gal
Fuel: 700lt 154gal
Prices ex VAT base: €404,000; approx as tested €545,000

Fountaine Pajot 44 specifications

LOA: 13.26m 43ft 5in
Beam: 7.44m 24ft 5in
Displacement: 15,200kg 33,510lb
Draught: 1.57m 4ft 6in
Mainsail: 75.5m2 812ft2
Headsail: 45m2 484ft2
Fresh water: 600lt 123gal
Fuel: 700lt 154gal
Prices ex VAT base: From €499,000; approx as tested €850,000

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Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.

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The post Double catamaran review: Fountaine Pajot 41 and Fountaine Pajot 44 tested appeared first on Yachting World.

The afternoon sunlight had that sharp clarity of spring in the Baltic; warm and golden, but with cold shadows in which the world felt suspended, undecided at winter’s retreat. Silently, we drifted in the Saare 47 out past the church spire, the lighthouse on the harbour mole, and the deserted basket-chairs on the white sand beach.

The mirror flat water began to ruffle into the softest of carpets across which to glide, as the breeze tumbled over the town before steadying itself further out. With the wind gusting from 5 to 17 knots, and shifting several compass points at a time, our wake was that of a drunkard, though my eyes were glued to the telltales.

I was in Eckernförde, where Germany teeters on the edge of Scandinavia, to sail this new Saare 47, the luxury flagship of the small-volume boatbuilder. If you’ve not heard of Saare Yachts, that’s because they only build half a dozen or so boats a year. The brand, though relatively young, grew out of a yard where 250 Finngulfs were built on the Estonian island of Saaremaa, where a centuries-old boatbuilding heritage pre-dates the Soviet era isolation.

Many other well-known yacht marques have their hulls moulded on the same island, close to the University of Tallinn’s faculty of naval architecture. In 2016, the yard was bought by Saare’s German dealers, who now work hand in hand with their Estonian colleagues, with the aim of creating a small but steady stream of beautiful boats, built well, by a long-term sustainable business to designs that evolve slowly without chasing fashions.

The Saare feels solid, planted in the water, and able to respond to the wind in a way that most performance cruisers would aspire to, let alone a bluewater boat. Photo: Paul Wyeth

Today’s Saare 47 is a serious, long-distance bluewater cruising yacht, capable of taking on the world’s oceans. Light, flukey airs might not be the conditions you’d want to test a boat’s heavy weather capability for mid-ocean storms, but they can tell you a lot about a hull.

Despite her stunning joinery, a full owner’s suite in the stern, and even a washing machine, this boat is comparatively light at 13-tonnes – a good two tonnes lighter than some of her immediate competitors. Her relatively slender and well-balanced lines, reminiscent of her smaller sisters, hide modern construction, helping create a slippery and easily driven hull.

Below the water she is relatively deep and evenly rounded with minimal wetted surface area and a shape that makes for a capable sea boat. Augmented by a ballast ratio of 40% with five tonnes of lead at the bottom of a 2.2m keel, she promises to be stiff and weatherly.

Theo enjoys the view from the ‘gin-and-tonic’ seats. Photo: Paul Wyeth

Smooth sailing

After we set the asymmetric to clear the shoreline, the Saare 47 responded eagerly in the faintest puffs, and notably kept her way on through the lulls. As the true wind reached a heady 5 knots, boat speed matched the breeze, creeping up to 6 knots upwind thanks to apparent wind. Later, in 10-12 knots true, 7 knots upwind was easily achievable with 15 knots across the deck at 32° apparent wind angle. Off the wind, we sat a consistent 7.5 knots, nudging occasionally over 8 knots, while the boat gave the impression she had plenty more to give.

This then is an easily driven hull, and a stiff boat that won’t gripe. The only wobble I managed to induce, unfairly, was with the 200m2 kite up, designed for 130° wind angle, when a 17-knot gust caught us on a beam reach. The boat rounded up just enough to make the spinnaker flog before regaining grip and calmly bearing away back under the sail.

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In control

On the helm, she is a beautifully balanced boat, and remains so when heeled, with just the right amount of balance in the rudder to provide both effortless control and rewarding feedback.

The Saare 47 we were sailing had a single-point mainsheet aft of the helm on a 2:1 purchase taken to a Harken winch; the 48V electrical system throughout this boat ensures the winches have plenty of torque and spin up quickly and, thanks to the minimal voltage drop of the system, also means longer cable runs and thinner cables can be used. A traveller aft of the helm is an option I would go for, to allow for centring the boom upwind, though with decent pointing angles anyway, you could argue this boat doesn’t need one.

In light airs, the boat was eager to get up to speed. Photo: Paul Wyeth

While a slab reefed main is standard, most Saare owners opt for in-mast furling for ease, speed and neatness, and the EPEX laminate fully battened main from Elvstrom gave a very good shape and control. This was coupled with a 105% overlapping genoa – there would be space for another 10-15% overlap outside the inner shrouds if you regularly sail in light airs, though for most purposes the Code 0 we had on board would be more than sufficient for most points of sail.

The jib is set on a below-deck manual furler, with the line taken aft to the electric halyard winch, a setup the builders find more robust and useful than an electric furler. Sheets are led aft to primary winches on plinths outboard of the wide coamings, via towable cars on long tracks. The distance of the winches outboard keeps them away from inadvertent handling, but means it’s a bit of a stretch for easing leeward sheets when heeled, or for manually winching.

A wide bowsprit offers inboard and outboard attachments for offwind sails, as well as a convenient ladder and stepping off point for bows-first boarding.

You’ll want plenty of anchor chain for proper cruising; 60m of 10mm stainless steel chain barely touched the sides of the large locker. This is also home to the secondary shore power connection point, which means you don’t have trail a cable all over your lovely decks if the pontoon power is forward of the boat. The other cable is under a hinged step in the transom. Here you reach the electric slide-out bathing platform, which is fully watertight and driven on Harken linear drives.

Deep well below the grating takes rope and stops water going down the comfortably low threshold. Photo: Paul Wyeth

The only nit-picking complaints are that the winch plinths, which double as steps for the high cockpit coamings, are too far aft to use while holding onto the sprayhood. I would want steps further forward – and on a semi-custom boat like this, that isn’t a problem as they can be added at the moulding stage.

I would also welcome some stowage for cups, bottles and binoculars on the forward side of the wheel binnacle.

The cockpit itself is deep and exceptionally well protected thanks to the large, single-piece windscreen and sprayhood. You can opt for a hard-top doghouse or targa arch, under which the halyard winches shelter, with lines led to a rope bin. The companionway threshhold has been kept low to minimise the barriers between on deck and below, with water diverted by the recess below the cockpit sole grating, which doubles as a rope bin.

On deck, the boat’s appearance is elegant. Freeboard has been kept low, and the coachroof taken slightly higher, achieving both a deep, well protected cockpit and pleasant lines, while down below the coachroof windows are at eye level when standing, giving the impression of being aboard a deck saloon.

Our boat was fitted with a 75hp saildrive and three-bladed folding Flexofold prop. A 110hp saildrive is an option, as is a shaft drive.

esponsive helm from rod-linked steering and a single wheel. A larger wheel is an option if you like sitting atop the coamings. Photo: Paul Wyeth

It’s worth noting this is fitted with two alternators: the standard 12V 115A Volvo alternator and an additional Bamar 48V alternator that can chuck out 3.6kW at max load. This saps a little bit of speed underway, but means you can run the engine in neutral and put load on it for more efficient charging as you would a generator. Even so, cruising at 2,300rpm gives 7 knots, and a top speed of 8 knots at 2,700rpm.

The Saare 47 is also a responsive boat to manoeuvre. With the propeller close to the single rudder, it turns inside one and a half boat lengths, aided at close quarters by optional retractable bow- and stern-thrusters. These brushless Sleipner motors allow for proportional thrust and the function to hold you alongside while you sort your lines out if sailing the boat single-handed.

Despite the feeling of space, there are no vast tracts of open space to fall across when heeled, and handholds abound. Photo: Paul Wyeth

Sleeping easy

It isn’t always easy reviewing a boat which can be adapted to an owner’s wishes as much as Saare yachts can. I’m not asking for your pity – I did, after all, have two sunny days on a £1m-plus yacht in the Baltic. But if something isn’t to your fancy, it can be changed to how you like it. This is no set-in-stone production boat.

To that end, the accommodation in particular has a set of standard options for layout, but then it can be refined to tastes. As a centre cockpit boat, there’s no negotiating a large owner’s cabin aft and a large forward cabin, both with ensuite heads and shower compartments. In the saloon then, you have a table and L-shaped seating, with extra stools and a folding chair around it forward to port.

Induction hob and electric oven are at the galley’s heart. Photo: Paul Wyeth

However, everything else is open to discussion, including a straight settee or double armchairs to starboard, while the galley can be down to port and aft into the walk through, or as on our boat, as a C-shaped unit to starboard. If you want a pantry wall, with additional cupboards, dishwasher, microwave etc, that can all be built in, or you could give some space over to a utility/technical room, stealing some aft heads area.

If you put the galley to port, the generous forward-facing chart table can move elsewhere and the space to starboard can become a third cabin with bunk beds, or an office space complete with desk and book shelves, either enclosed or open. Our boat also had a fold-out flatscreen TV, serving both the chart table for work and navigation, and the saloon for entertainment.

There is an embarrassment of choice when it comes to finishing details. The test boat had waterproof and unscratchable wood-effect vinyl flooring, though varnished real wood, or even carpet, is an option. Upholstery choices are unlimited, though 18 colours and fabrics are standard offerings. Joinerwork is limited to either light European oak or Khaya mahogany.

You can have a large forward facing chart table to port, as here, or the galley could go here instead. Photo: Paul Wyeth

Stowage is plentiful. In our layout at least this entails full-length overhead lockers, a drinks cabinet between the armchairs, and an array of lockers in the passageway to the aft cabin, and below all of the bunks and settees. The galley itself has a top-opening fridge, a front-opening fridge, and a top-opening freezer. Outboard is a single sink (I’d opt for a 1.5 sink for drying washed items), and a two-hob GN Espace induction oven.

The fact that this boat is nearly a metre narrower than her competitors has no noticeable impact on the feeling of space down below, thanks to some clever construction and design. The hull-linings, for example, have been kept as thin as possible so as not to waste space, which is noticeable in details like the wooden panelling hiding the chainplates.

On the test boat the laminated wooden armchairs had carbon fibre layers in the sculpted laminate. Photo: Paul Wyeth

The bow sections on this boat are by modern standards fine and narrow, so in the forward cabin the bunk takes the full width rather than being an island bed. However, the generous sail locker at the bow pushes it aft sufficiently to give you a wide headboard, while the aft end is a massive 230cm wide. Meanwhile, 204cm of headroom creates a real sense of space. The deep mattresses from Fleximar don’t come cheap, but I’ve rarely slept so comfortably. Reading lights at both ends of the bed let you decide which way round you want to sleep.

The aft cabin is the real selling point of the yacht. A fully rectangular king-sized berth lies amidships with a similarly luxurious mattress. Stowage is plentiful with multiple upright lockers, plus drawers, cubby holes, a changing seat, vanity table, and even space for a safe. A large heads with separate shower is to starboard, where the washing machine sits in its own locker.

There’s space for a sofa, ample stowage and a large heads round the corner on starboard side. A little more headroom after the aft end of the berth would have been nice. Photo: Paul Wyeth

My only criticism is that because the berth is high enough to accommodate the bathing platform and stern thruster, there isn’t full sitting headroom at the aft, head end of the berth, from where I’d want to enjoy the view in the mornings.

The science bit

The real heart of a true bluewater boat is the technical setup. Access to the Saare 47’s engine space is via double-opening doors in the aft cabin, with all filters easily accessible. That said, the cooling water strainer was at the forward end, so you couldn’t check if it is clear without removing the basket.

Electrical systems are handled in a separate locker under the companionway, forward of the engine compartment. In here are all the chargers, inverters and management systems required to handle the 12V, 24V and 48V systems running on this boat (all from Victron), thanks to that 48V Bamar alternator and the 14.5kWh lithium battery bank this serves. These enable powerful winches, thrusters and windlasses, without the need for additional battery banks or a separate generator.

Few forward berths are this large or this comfortable. Photo: Paul Wyeth

The real boon of all this electric power is the ability to to switch to induction cooking and do away with gas entirely, ending the hastle of changing bottles and regulators aboard, not to mention the safety risks associated with gas and carbon monoxide.

Cooking a meal takes just over 1kWh, so you can cook for a week without needing to charge up, and your kettle will boil in no time, with the added benefit that you can run 240V systems whenever you need.

Throughout the boat, much thought has been given to accessing services, and making it easy to service everything without deconstructing the boat.

Where choices have been made about fixtures and fittings, the better quality one has always been chosen.

The forward heads is generously sized. Photo: Paul Wyeth

The fridges for example, are seawater cooled, using seacock heat exchanger skin fittings, thus minimising the number of holes in the hull.

Finally, construction is done properly. The Finnish cast lead keel is bolted into the deep keel stub, which ensures precise keel alignment and a deep bilge sump. A metre either side of the keel and around the rudder the hull is solid laminate, and above that is Divinycell foam core.

Everything on board is vacuum-infused using Vinylester resin, saving over half a tonne compared to hand lay-up. The keel matrix is fully laminated into the hull and extends throughout the hull – Saare didn’t want a steel frame, which had the potential to corrode. All bulkheads are structural and laminated in. Non-structural joinery is honeycomb cored with solid wood veneers to keep weight down.

On the helm she is a beautifully balanced boat. Photo: Paul Wyeth

Saare 47 specifications

LOA: 14.28m / 46ft 10in
LWL: 12.55m / 41ft 2in
Beam: 4.20m / 13ft 9in
Draught: 2.20m / 7ft 3in (2.00m / 6ft 7in)
Displacement: 13,000kg / 28,660lb
Ballast (lead): 5,050kg / 11,133lb
Sail area: 110m2 / 1,184ft2
SA/disp ratio: 20.2
Bal/disp ratio: 39%
Disp/length ratio: 183.5
Engine: 75hp
Water: 503lt / 111gal (+ optional 300lt / 66gal)
Fuel: 392lt / 86gal (+ optional 300lt / 66gal)
Designer: Karl-Johan Stråhlmann
Price as tested: £1m – £1.1m inc VAT
Builder: Saare Yachts

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Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.

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Having raced tens of thousands of miles on 33-36ft yachts optimised for IRC racing, I’ve long been frustrated by the perception that only relatively heavy designs can be competitive offshore. As a result, we’ve been sailing boats that, though capable of surfing fast in certain conditions, are nowhere near as exciting as they could be.

Historically, the trade off has been that planing boats of this size are slow in light airs and rarely sail upwind at speeds that match their rating.

However, two years ago Didier Gaudoux’s 35ft one-off Sam Manuard/Bernard Nivelt-designed Lann Ael 3 convincingly won both races, totalling 500 miles, of the IRC double-handed European championships. In doing so he proved it’s possible to design a lighter planing boat that can sail to its rating across a wide range of conditions.

Two French yards, Pogo Structures and JPK, have since developed versions of this concept into a production offering. It’s a major change of course for Breton yard Pogo, which until now has focused on Mini 650s and Class 40s, or its very fast cruising yachts that pay zero regard to any design considerations to optimise them for a rating system.

These are the first production-built competitive planing boats of a size that’s very popular with double-handed and solo sailors, yet also suitable for racing fully crewed.

I was able to test the Pogo RC in perfect marginal planing conditions, a couple of weeks before its first race. So, how does it perform, and what are the chances of it being able to sail to the Pogo ‘works’ boat’s relatively high rating of 1.064?

A radically different hull shape to the norm for offshore raceboats of this size promises exciting sailing while retaining a competitive rating. Photo: Jakez Le Gall

Heeled

We set off upwind in 13-16 knots of true wind. With full mainsail and J2 headsail the helm was finger-light and very responsive, with exactly the feel you’d expect of a light displacement boat. Yet it was easy to coax over the small but steep waves in the Anse de Benodet.

Equally, it proved easy to keep the boat in the groove at a consistent 25° apparent wind angle, equating to 45° to the true wind in these conditions. Boat speed was impressively quick, varying between 6.8 to 7.4 knots, depending on the wave pattern.

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Even with 200lt of water ballast, heel angles were relatively high at 28-29°, figures that are not dissimilar to those of scow bow Class 40s. Contrary to the expectations of many, these are incredibly quick upwind, compared to older Class 40 designs, providing they’re sailed well heeled.

The water ballast is an option aimed at those intending to race short-handed. There are 200lt tanks each side, plus a further 200lt centrally aft. Extra large diameter pipe is used for the plumbing, which makes filling and transferring impressively quick. Transferring in readiness for a tack, for example, takes less than 30 seconds, making short tacking a reasonably feasible operation.

We quickly left the stern wave behind after hoisting the 120m2 A2 spinnaker in 12-19 knots of true wind at a slightly hot TWA of 130-135° (and the apparent wind on the beam). Speeds were consistently in the 10-12 knot bracket, with frequent accelerations to 12.5 knots or more in the stronger puffs, all while retaining rock-steady control. Impressively, even in the biggest lulls, boat speed rarely dropped below 9 knots.

deck layout and kick up rudders set the boat apart. Photo: Jakez Le Gall

Design intricacies

The sail plan was developed with Fred Duthil of Incidence Sails, who this season is racing the boat with Tanguy Bouroullec, son of Pogo’s founder Christian, including a double-handed entry in the Rolex Fastnet Race. Duthil has made many small modifications for the works boat I tested that will be incorporated into subsequent yachts where the owners choose Incidence sails. However, the owner of hull No2 has chosen North, while the following one will have a suit from Doyle.

The test boat’s Code 0 is cut and sized to be as fast as possible at true wind angles of 55-60°. Reaching with both this and the J2 set in 15-17 knots of breeze, at a 40° apparent wind angle (70° TWA), we consistently achieved boat speeds of 8.5 to 11 knots. We were therefore effectively planing at times, even with the wind so far forward.

Left: wetted surface area reduces dramatically as heel increases. Photo: Jakez Le Gall

It’s important to recognise the hull shape of this boat has little in common with Pogo’s cruising yachts, which are created without any need for rating considerations. Designing a planing boat is not simply about minimising weight, or increasing sail area – the underwater shape of the hull is also critical. Pogo’s cruisers all have a very flat underwater profile. By contrast, the RC is a fundamentally different shape, with more rocker amidships and forward, though retaining the very flat run aft.

Waterline beam is surprisingly narrow, while the full bow sections have what the French call a spatula bow, with a long-ish overhang forward of the static waterline, plus a long smooth run aft. Unusually for today’s designs, waterline length is 20% shorter than the hull length.

Wetted surface area is therefore dramatically reduced, boosting performance in winds below 10 knots, with the compromise being that the RC will need a bit more power to start planing than Pogo’s cruising models. It also tends to sail with more heel when close-hauled than the cruisers, further reducing wetted surface area.

Upwind the boat is beautifully balanced and surprisingly fast. Photo: Jakez Le Gall

Doing things differently

Deck layouts and hardware are very thoroughly thought through, with systems and controls that fall easily to hand and work smoothly, without unnecessary friction.

A boat prepared to this level when it leaves the factory represents a huge advantage for owners who otherwise need to invest a tangible amount of time to refine the setup to a level at which they can be competitive.

Pogo has not been afraid to do things differently with the RC, which has eight winches on board, including those for backstays and the mainsheet. Constrictors were chosen instead of conventional clutches for three reasons. Firstly, they’re much kinder on the ropes, virtually eliminating wear caused by the clutch, they are also easily released even under full load, and save weight.

Pogo’s in-house team spent a lot of time with the deck plug in the yard at a pre-production stage, progressively optimising the deck layout and ergonomics. The outcomes of this process include increasing the width of the cockpit side decks.

Centre console houses tankage and saloon table. Forepeak has sea toilet and a large double berth. Photo: Jakez Le Gall

Other neat ideas include kick-up rudders in the style of those for Class 40s and IMOCA 60s, but which are still rarely seen in IRC fleets. This system is neatly executed, with the backstay winch used to tension the downhaul line of the rudders. In addition, Code sails and nylon spinnakers are sheeted from the top of very substantial pushpits, giving greater flexibility for sheet leads. The first four boats are equipped with high-end pilots from Madintech, with B&G displays, while the fifth will have a complete set of NKE electronics.

Functionality at sea

The open plan interior is more comfortable than non-IRC raceboats of similar size, including the Beneteau Figaro 3 and Jeanneau Sun Fast 30, but the emphasis is firmly on functionality at sea and the arrangement is more basic than those of the other Sun Fast models and typical JPKs. Bright white surfaces give a fresh and airy feel, while the inside of the hull forms most of the cabin sole, giving greater headroom than might be expected.

A central console that dominates the middle of the interior houses a large 24in computer monitor. Each side of this are seats with a dual purpose, allowing you to take a quick nap without taking off foul weather gear, or sit to windward and swing the monitor round while working on navigation, weather and routing.

The monitor articulates, allowing the nav computer to be used from either side. Photo: Jakez Le Gall

Immediately aft of these seats is a basic galley and further aft a pair of quarter berths. These have pipe-cot bunks above them, allowing crew members to sleep well outboard, optimising weight distribution. Just inboard there’s also easily accessed sail stowage.

What would normally be the saloon area is rather short, with the ‘settees’ less than 6ft long and more likely to be used for sail stowage, though there is a central table with folding leaves. The forepeak houses both a large double berth and sea toilet, and can be closed off with a privacy curtain.

Pogo made considerable effort to keep weight down without resorting to exotic materials. All Pogo models are built with vacuum-infused mouldings, including the hull, deck, bulkheads and myriad of small parts. All structural elements are installed and glued in place before the hull is removed from the mould, ensuring it retains its designed shape.

Here’s also a quarter berth aft on each side. Photo: Jakez Le Gall

Pogo RC specifications

Hull length: 10.25m / 33ft 8in
LWL: 8.17m / 26ft 10in
Beam: 3.54m / 11ft 7in
Draught: 2.25m / 7ft 5in
Displacement: 3,268kg / 7,205lb
Ballast (bulb weight): 612kg / 1,350lb
Upwind sail area: 70m2 / 753ft2
Downwind sail area: 160m2 / 1,722ft2
Design: Sam Manuard and Bernard Nivelt
Prices: from €222,078 ex VAT.
Typical on the water price (inc NKE electronics and pilot, but ex sails): €258,170 ex VAT
Price as tested: €285,832 ex VAT
Builder: pogostructures.com

If you enjoyed this….

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You have to admire the ambition. A goal to create the fastest race boat in the world (on corrected time) is no small feat, and a particularly punchy thing to claim from the outset, 18 months before splashing the first boat. To then produce a yacht that looks this go-fast good with the Marvel-like heroic name to back it up… It’s brave, it’s brash, it’s bullish. Perhaps only a brand such as Wally could hope to pull it off.

Racing yacht designs are typically fickle things, their potential success often at the mercy of trends and rules. To ensure some longevity, they not only have to prove successful on the water, to give their owners enjoyment and a chance at silverware, but they also need some versatility. Swan, for example, achieves this with its ‘Club’ world of regatta circuits – and by insisting on fitted interiors for after-sales after life.

Wally is another big brand which thinks big. To put its vision in place and try to ensure the Rocket will do what it claims, it involved some heavyweight partners. With the TP52 as the long-proven benchmark in the inshore/coastal Grand Prix scene, Wally took the most successful designers and sailors from this circuit to develop a TP beater. Essentially, it sought a Botin to beat the Botins.

Combine this with founder Luca Bassani’s long-proven forward-thinking ability and the result is a red-hot, water-ballasted 50-footer with trim tab and ultra-efficient hydraulic controls.

Wally used the might of its parent company, the Ferretti Group, to construct these new one-design Rockets in a new top-tech carbon facility. It’s now using the first boat to launch as a prototype, to be wetted most stringently and to sail in the most high-profile regattas in its first season, before the next five on order launch.

Crew weight and water ballast optimise heel trim. Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

This first Rocket weighed-in at just over six tonnes light, which is nearly a tonne lighter than a TP52. However, should the stats still not deliver for some reason and it doesn’t prove to be first on handicap in regattas, there are a few other pivotal factors to this 51-footer which could ensure its prosperity.

Firstly, it’s a Wally so it looks rad. Secondly, the aim is for it to be a one-design class for fair owner-driver racing. And then there’s its potential ease of use (comparatively speaking). Bassani’s creations have always promoted ease of handling, and the same could be applied here.

On paper, it’s less expensive to run, as fewer crew are needed thanks to water ballast and hydraulically-operated systems. It’s also been designed with the potential to swap out the coffee grinders for electric winches. “Fast and easy was always Wally,” states Bassani.

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Pre launch checks

While we don’t often trial full-on race boats, we snapped up this chance. And obviously I crossed every appendage in the hope I might get the full orbital velocity experience. Indeed, during the days in Valencia preceding our spring visit, when the official photos you’re seeing were taken, the crew experienced prime conditions.

However, even Wally can’t choose the weather, and for our day, we were dealt light winds and flat seas. This did offer the chance for the various international media to each take a turn on the helm, both sailing upwind and down. It proved a delightful appetiser which, when you’re dealing with a Grand Prix yacht, is a rarity.

Valencia is the training base for the Django sailing team, who are using Wally’s prototype to develop it in racing conditions before they take the third hull.

“Wally has given us a huge opportunity to fine-tune this boat for the class,” explains Vasco Vascotto, the supremely experienced tactician helping to spearhead this class and sailing team, along with fellow TP52 specialist, the Argentine strategist Guillermo Parada.

Early trials (and initial races) for the Django sailing team have proven promising. Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

During our pre-sail briefing they explained that the boat launched with a trim tab on the keel, an appendage which helps negate leeway upwind and reaching, reducing rudder use and drag. They sailed with it for a few days in December before being met with the news on 1 January that the IRC class was doubling the penalty for trim tabs, so they had to take the painful decision to remove it, changing the keel out for the first few regattas this season.

And what a season: Django’s programme includes the Admiral’s Cup and Fastnet Race – surely the most demanding initiation to prove if it is competitive racing offshore? For IRC regattas, they’ll race with 15, “because you get given that crew number so you might as well take it,” explains Parada. For one-design they plan to race with around four fewer crew, a factor which helps Wally to claim it will be a fair bit cheaper to run than a TP.

Rocket fuel

Compared to a TP, the Rocket sports a bit less beam, and chamfers are used for windage reduction (not allowed on TPs). The designers also tried to reduce wetted surface area as much as possible. “But the biggest difference is the weight and being able to compensate this,” Parada explains.

Here he’s referring to the water ballast, with 600lt available on each side, split into two tanks fore and aft. Even with full tanks, that’s still 300kg or so lighter than a TP52, all of which makes the team confident the Rocket will be very competitive, especially downwind and reaching.

Fully stacked: the Rocket will race in offshore/IRC events with 15 crew but is designed to be controlled with electric hydraulics too, so human power and crew numbers can be reduced. Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

The tanks take around a minute to fill, seven seconds to transfer between tacks and 40 seconds to dump. I was soon impressed with how these can be used to play with the righting moment and how crew can actively ‘trim’
the ballast. Mastering this and heel angle will be critical.

In fact, our trial conditions were an ideal demonstration, as the wind fluctuated from just 4 knots into occasional double figures so we could witness the difference and the benefits of having no ballast in light airs, up to the full tanks to temper the heel angle upwind. It’s impressive. No crew need move, the trimmer monitors heel angle, decides to flood a tank in seconds, transfers this ballast or dumps it as you round the top mark.

Lift off

Despite a laden boat, nearly half of which was made up of clumsy media, the Rocket quickly shows some potential. While reaching with the J2 at 100° to the apparent wind (a more suitable Code 0 range), I note we’re already near matching its 9 knot polars in just 7 knots true wind speed. Pointing up, we clock 7.5 knots in a knot less at 35° to the true wind. “It’s promising,” Vascotto confirms with a twinkle in his eye.

The trimmer’s display reads three tonnes on the forestay, load shared with the structured luff. The trimmer explains how they trim the backstay before adjusting the jib Cunningham. At this point, we have enough power on to induce 16-18° heel and it’s time to add some water ballast. The Rocket stabilises in attitude and continues to accelerate. It’s a raw, unforgivingly stiff motion.

During my stint on the wheel, we maintain 8.5 knots boat speed upwind in 9.7 knots at 42° to the true wind. It’s so reactive, with instant response and super direct communication to that single blade. The mainsheet trimmer speaks to backstay trim, and I appreciate how you then really feel the latter on the helm.

At the end of the day (excuse the cliche), the Rocket is a Wally, and thus, even for a stripped-out racer, oozes style. Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

While this is translated through a nice amount of pressure on the wheel, it’s also a lot to process, a sensory overload, with constant comms and trimming. I simply focus on keeping it to the best angles and numbers the mainsheet trimmer is calling, yet I’m surprised how much I need to actively steer in these light conditions.

The kite is hoisted and we’re immediately into double figures. This is a training spinnaker, an A2 normally used for bigger breezes and only manually dropped rather than using the super quick string-drop system. Nevertheless, we can match the 10-11 knots true wind at 140° true, accompanied by a cheerful humming sound as the Rocket planes, so easily, and with so little wake. This is one wonderfully slippery hull.

“I’m very, very happy,” grins Luca Bassani, after his first stint on the helm. “The amount of feel really impressed me – you can feel when the backstay is added and the difference the water ballast makes to trim.”

Flight control

The deck layout and control systems are next-level in their ergonomics and ability to adapt to short(er)-handed use. Below the cockpit side decks are mounted neat panels in ideal strategic positions for trimmers to have remote push-button hydraulic controls for various functions. Sheets can obviously be cross-led to optimise crew weight, while multiple winches and functions can be selected to be powered by the coffee grinder. This is linked to a rotary machine below deck, a similar system to TPs, which allows you to use it to pump hydraulic oil pressure.

The WallyRocket boasts more sail area/disp than a TP52 for less wetted surface. Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

Vascotto says they’ve tried to ensure the Rocket is as dry a boat as possible below decks. He points out how the transverse jib tracks are mounted above rather than through the deck, and that after five days of 20+ knot conditions, just three spongefuls of saltwater found its way inside.

And it is a bare carbon shell inside. I struggle to imagine what it would be like to sail a classic offshore race aboard this. Whether trying to rest in dark pipe cots within this black can, or hiking from the unforgiving deck with its sandpaper-like non-slip, it’s brutal. There are no creature comforts, and any extra weight tolerances were used up on the graphics (Parada’s answer as to why there’s none of the nice foam decking many race boats use these days: “weight – it would have added 3-4kg!”).

Touch down

As we motor back to port I try to gauge the assessments from the pros. “Downwind, it’s a rocket for sure, while today confirmed its light wind ability too,” notes Vascotto.

“It’s simple and fast,” Bassani concludes. “Even in very light airs you move, then in 15-18 knots you’re planing without even a gennaker. So if the boat is successful racing, then we will strongly push for the electric mode – as 15 aboard feels crowded.

“I’m imagining the short-handed ability when the coffee grinders are swapped out for electric power… owners will be able to daysail it with three crew,” he muses. At the same time you can sense Bassani’s frustration with the ratings authorities, and not just for the trim tab penalty.

Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

“The rules are penalising electric winches, which are slower than coffee grinders – it’s crazy!” he reasons, because if you reduce crew, you reduce complexity and cost. Vascotto confirms that for one-design racing they’re looking at reducing crew to 11.

When asked if the world needs another 50ft race boat, he says they “learned a lot from past classes and what we could improve. So although difficult to beat this dimension, at the same time we can make something new.” Vascotto explains how they’re trying to promote value, with comparatively cheap running costs, and by ensuring the Rocket is fast in all conditions and ratings.

“As an example, this is watertight, whereas the TP isn’t. The TP doesn’t have a reef, this does. So whether IRC, in class or coastal, the Rocket can do it.”

This summer should prove the ultimate testing ground. And let’s not forget the Italian fuel which could really ignite this rocketship: the Wally factor.

Wallyrocket 51 specifications

LOA: 15.50m / 50ft 10in
LWL: 15.00m / 49ft 3in
Beam: 4.30m / 14ft 1in
Draught: 3.50m / 11ft 6in
Disp (light): 6,250kg / 13,779lb
Water ballast: 640lt / 1,411lb (each side)
Sail area (upwind): 160m2 / 1,722ft2
Sail area (downwind): 360m2 / 3,875ft2
Design: Botin Partners/Wally/Santa Maria Magnolfi
Builder: wally.com

If you enjoyed this….

Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.

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Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

The post Wallyrocket 51 review: Is this the world’s fastest new raceboat (on handicap)? appeared first on Yachting World.

Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones didn’t want a new boat, yet today not only has he a shiny new state of the art 100-footer, but a machine described by some as the most advanced Maxi to be launched in more than a decade. And at the new boat’s first competitive outing on the first day of racing at this year’s PalmaVela regatta Magic Carpet-e won the first two races.

To say that her build happened by accident would be an exaggeration, yet the genesis of what has turned out to be such an advanced and promising new Maxi didn’t start with a set of clear objectives and well-defined goals.

Having been built pretty much in secret by Persico Marine in Italy and pre-launched discretely last autumn, (before being taken back into the shed to be completed for a re-launch this spring), the new Carpet is in flight and the details of this new design are now being revealed.

On the face of it, while she may look like a sleeker, leaner version of others in her class, the basic data has her standing out from the off.

Here the displacement is the headline figure. At 37 tonnes she’s a staggering 10 tonnes lighter than the previous Magic Carpet, a Wally Cento Maxi that herself was never considered to be overweight.

The new Carpet also sets an impressive amount of sail on a rig that looks more IMOCA 60 than Maxi, while below the waterline she sports what must surely be the most sophisticated appendage package of any current Maxi.

The flush deck and minimalist appearance of a cockpit that has just six winches, belies the advanced technology and sophistication which lies below. Photo: Francesco Ferri

And then there’s her power plant. While she does have a comparatively small and potentially removable generator for delivery trips, this is the first fully electric racing Maxi to be launched, armed with technology that has its roots in high end motorsport and that could prove to be a catalyst for development across broad areas of sailing, both for racing and cruising.

In simple terms, she has the equivalent of three Golf GTIs below deck delivering a stream of silent power that is available at the touch of a button for the crew on deck.

The bottom line is that right from the start, and despite just a cursory look at her headline features, Magic Carpet-e is far more than just another new race boat. Which begs one simple question to start: how did Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones end up with such an advanced new boat when he didn’t want one?

Photo: Francesco Ferri

Taking the next step

Having raced and cruised Magic Carpet Cubed, as she was nicknamed, for 12 years, the rhythm of his boat ownership suggested that it might be time for an upgrade. The trouble was, that as a hands-on owner who’d always enjoyed the process of developing a new boat as much as the racing and cruising, he couldn’t really see where to go next.

“You hesitate before you start any new build of this size – it’s a long and expensive process,” he explained. “Over the years as we moved from Magic Carpet one to two and three, we’ve always had new objectives in mind. Not long after launching Magic Carpet Cubed, I was already thinking of what the next step was going to be and while we kept improving and refining, I could see what we could do slightly better, but not much better.

“And then somebody introduced me to designer Guillaume Verdier who said he could do a boat like mine 10 tonnes lighter and that it would ‘go like a rocket.’

“I thought it was worth a try and so we started talking.”

As the chief architect behind some of the world’s fastest and most radical racing designs it was a given that Verdier’s ideas would be ‘out there’.

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“When Sir Lindsay gave me the first brief he told me to draw what I wanted within 100ft,” said the French designer. “So, my first design looked at foiling and while Sir Lindsay liked the idea of taking performance onto another level, he said there were some key objectives in addition to being competitive in the Maxi class, which meant that this was too extreme for him. Instead, he wanted to be able to sail with friends, plus the boat needed to be capable and comfortable for cruising short-handed.”

Living in St Tropez, Sir Lindsay’s racing and cruising has always been primarily in Europe. And with the Maxi racing scene both growing and focussing more on this area, a yacht concentrated on Mediterranean conditions ticked many of the boxes on the competitive front. This, in turn, led to a target optimum wind speed range of 8-12 knots. And from here the first key design objective was to be the fastest Maxi in these conditions.

“When the goal is to perform well in 8-12 knots of wind, the reality is that you have to be very good in 7-8 knots,” said Verdier. “To sail in light conditions, boats need to be able to perform in much lighter winds. At critical periods when you slow down through manoeuvres like tacks and gybes it’ll be hard to accelerate, especially if you have a lot of wetted surface area. So, the performance objectives are actually more demanding if you’re focussing on good performance in 8-12 knots of breeze. This was one of the factors that drove us towards the high aspect ratio rig.”

‘This is the first fully electric racing Maxi to be launched’. Photo: Francesco Ferri

The result is a sail plan that towers 46m above the waterline and sits well back in the boat. This achieves a long foot length (J measurement) for the biggest headsail, and provides scope for a range of furling headsail systems.

Stepping the mast on deck, rather than on the keel, meant the rig could not only create a large foretriangle, but also set it over the canard and just in front of the keel to achieve better balance.

Remarkable appendages

A large, efficient sail plan and a low wetted surface area provided by slender waterlines were important, as was generating high amounts of righting moment – which led to a canting keel that swings to 45° on either side.

But this is a canting keel with a big difference.

Getting into favourite harbours and anchorages, including Magic Carpet’s home in St Tropez, was essential, which meant a lifting keel was required. But the design team knew that lifting a fin and bulb keel to reduce draught from 7.1m to 4.6m vertically in the established way would result in a heavy structure and a vertical centre of gravity that would be higher than they’d like.

Canting keel and canard can be clearly seen here. Photo: Francesco Ferri

The solution was to reduce draught by raking the keel 60° aft like a dinghy centreboard, but where the keel bulb would remain parallel to the water as it was swung aft.

The engineering is not just fascinating in a system that can reduce its draught in just two minutes, but is a thing of beauty down below. So much so that the primary keel support structure, which has been milled out of two giant billets of titanium, has been not so much enclosed, but displayed in a wet box that looks more like a museum showcase complete with lights.

“It certainly was a big deal building this system,” explained project manager Ed Bell. “We had to pre-order the titanium billet before any work started on building the boat.”

Under sail, with the keel out to one side, and in contrast to IMOCAs and many other canting keel boats, Magic Carpet generates her hydrodynamic side force using a single canard mounted on the centreline. The reason is simple, one foil is lighter than two, but that’s the only part that is simple.

Like a museum display. Canting keel support also allows the fin and bulb to retract like a centreboard. Photo: Francesco Ferri

The foil is a symmetrical section, rotates to generate lateral lift and can be raised or lowered. What’s different is that this canard also cants to allow the foil to run as close to vertical as possible when the boat is heeled.

Like all canards and lifting surfaces, get the settings right and they can be powerful devices, get the settings wrong and it’s easy to put the handbrake on too. So, to have a foil that lifts, rotates and cants while generating the side force for a 37-tonne beast of a boat is an engineering challenge; it’s not that surprising that the team are rather coy when it comes to revealing how they actually achieve and control this.

But when it comes to their innovative twin rudder system they’re more open. Verdier was initially keen to have kick-up rudders to allow the windward one to be lifted to reduce drag, especially upwind, but this was not considered practical aboard a boat that will spend plenty of time moored stern-to. Instead, Magic Carpet-e has daggerboard-style rudders mounted in rotating barrels. When they lift they come through the cockpit sole.

Aside from the reduced drag of this configuration (which I’m led to believe was originally developed 30 years ago and patented by Kullmann Design as the VarioRudder), one of the key advantages is providing a robust and watertight arrangement when compared to a conventional rudder stock and bearing system.

Twin rudders operate in rotating cassettes where the blades can be raised and lowered hydraulically. Photo: Francesco Ferri

The real innovation

Meanwhile, in parallel to the development of this super slippery Maxi another idea became a central and highly innovative feature of the boat, that took Sir Lindsay and his team far deeper into a new world of Maxis than any of them had originally expected – electric power.

The system allows the boat to be raced all day, including leaving and returning to the dock, on electric power alone. This might not sound like a huge challenge, but when you’re talking about a 100-footer designed for round-the-cans racing, where hoists and drops happen faster than on a fully crewed 40-footer and the line speeds in the pit are up to 5m/second, that’s a lot of power!

Indeed, race aboard any of the current Maxis with their diesel generators that provide electric and hydraulic power for sail control areas and you are left in no doubt as to the power that is required to get them around the course. Take a windward mark rounding. As a typical modern Maxi bears away the engine revs increase in an instant as if someone has floored the throttle at the Santa Pod drag strip.

Given this is a race boat primarily, the main saloon and entire accommodation is striking. Photo: Francesco Ferri

Magic Carpet-e is different. While there’s a whining of hydraulic controls and whirring of winches, that’s it. But creating an all-electric boat, (or hybrid as they describe it), wasn’t the original goal.

“A few years before this project started, Ed Bell, (who has been involved in previous Magic Carpets) and I were driving and I’d spoken to someone on the phone who’d just seen an amazing electric motor which was tiny,” explained Magic Carpet skipper of 30 years, Danny Gallichan.

“We were chatting in the car about how good it could be if you could use them with the hydraulics and the thought stayed in both of our minds.

“Sir Lindsay is very interested in technology and has been involved in motorsport for many years and during the early development of this boat he encouraged us to take the idea further.”

This led the team to Williams Advanced Engineering, now Fortescue, who helped analyse what was needed in terms of power, energy use, and duration while also calculating how much such a system would weigh.

“We started by looking back at how many hoists, drops, tacks and gybes we’d done during various regattas over a number of years,” said Bell. “We looked at how long we had motored the boat for, along with other power demands.

“We also worked closely with hydraulics experts Cariboni to assess how much power we needed to operate the hydraulic systems through some of the most extreme scenarios and the longest days on the water. We then delivered this information to Fortescue who calculated the power we’d need to go electric.

The navigation station sits on the centreline and incorporates a Hermes-designed seat. Photo: Francesco Ferri

“It was also crucially important the system was no heavier than a conventional diesel generator and preferably lighter. The results from Fortescue gave us the answer we needed to go ahead.”

When it came to creating the system, the team worked with electric motor specialists Helix to produce a battery that provides power for all the onboard systems from the winches, the propulsion system through to the air conditioning.

In short, Magic Carpet has three electric drives, two for the hydraulic system and one for propulsion.

“One of the key stages was opting for a direct drive in order to achieve the quietest operation,” said Helix’s chief innovation officer Andrew Cross. “Because these motors operate at relatively low rpm we needed a lot of torque – the hydraulic pump machines were each around 1,000Nm and the propulsion motor achieved almost 2,000Nm.

“The motors are driven by our ultra-lightweight, high-efficiency silicon-carbide inverters. Broadly speaking the motors are at similar power levels to those we supply to Formula E, but four to five times more torque. It’s like having three Golf GTIs on board.”

Not only are the oval apertures better structurally, they make for a lighter structure and look impressive. Photo: Francesco Ferri

On deck and underway

So, you’d think you would hear at least one of these GTIs when you left the dock. Instead, our departure from the quay in St Tropez was so quiet that we were halfway along the entrance to the harbour before I realised we had left. This is a Maxi that ghosts along.

The second surprise came when the mainsail was raised in under one minute.

But even this was tame compared to her performance under sail. On a glassy looking sea, where the 7 knots of breeze at the top of the mast had barely made its way down to the surface, we were trucking along at 10.3 knots upwind.

As conditions built to 8-12 knots of breeze we were slicing along at 12 knots upwind and up to 17 on a reach.

The owner’s cabin forward. Photo: Francesco Ferri

On the helm she felt completely neutral. Like many modern high-performance boats, to get into the groove you need to know the targets. But even then, just as you think you’re getting the hang of it, a change of canard angle sends the bow careering off in either direction. Even in modest conditions it’s clear how powerful this foil is.

Also impressive is the speed with which Magic Carpet can turn corners. With furling headsails on units that are recessed into the deck to allow a proper end plate effect on the headsails, big manoeuvres easily match those aboard boats half her size.

This is made all the more impressive when you consider that she has just six winches. Even her most up-to-date competitors in the Maxi scene with their hydraulic ram trim systems have eight.

“A pair of winches weighs around 120kg,” said Bell. “So, in collaboration with Cariboni and Rigging Projects we have developed a system where the running backstays can be operated mainly by hydraulic rams, dispensing with the need for dedicated runner winches.”

That’s a bold call aboard a boat with a deck-stepped mast that relies on its fore and aft support from the runners. But among the long list of advanced technology aboard this boat there is one area that is easier to admire, her looks below decks.

One of two guest cabins. Photo: Francesco Ferri

Cruising comforts

Cruising has always been an important part of Sir Lindsay’s season and while some Maxis claim to have been designed to allow their owner and friends to go cruising, the result is often a spartan affair.

Not so on Magic Carpet. This design was configured to be sailed short-handed, in comfort and style for the owner and guests.

“The big challenge was that we had a weight budget of just two tonnes for the entire accommodation,” said designer Axel de Beaufort. “We worked really hard to keep the weight down and used some of the natural features of the boat to accentuate the unique feel below decks.”

One example is how the wood veneer is attached directly to the inside face of the hull, emphasising the tumblehome in the topsides. Another is the use of oval cutouts in the bulkheads. These are not only structurally more efficient by reducing the stress-raising corners of square openings, but look rocket retro stylish too.

Be it tumblehome or the position of the mast, some details are more IMOCA than maxi. Photo: Francesco Ferri

The custom woven fabric used for the headliners and the cube-like lockers is another area where the team worked hard to combine looks with light weight in an interior that can be easily reconfigured for racing.

And then there’s the Hermes navigation station.

This may be a race boat most of the time but Magic Carpet-e oozes style below decks.

And that’s what makes this new Maxi stand out. The combination of innovation above and below the waterline, along with groundbreaking technology in her power system aboard a sleek looking beast of a boat is what has led several industry experts to claim that Magic Carpet-e is currently the most advanced Maxi out there.

All she has to do now is to prove it.

The high aspect ratio sail plan is optimised for Mediterranean conditions. Photo: Francesco Ferri

Final thoughts

To describe Magic Carpet-e as an impressive proof of concept does little justice to an eye-wateringly expensive 100ft Maxi. But the reality is that for all of her stunning looks, the detail and innovation that has gone into her design, construction and sail handling systems to name but a few of the key areas, the electric side of this boat could well become the aspect that has the most influence.

There are plenty of meaningful projects looking to become greener propositions, but the reality is that neither the sailing industry nor the majority of owners have deep enough pockets to invest in research on this scale.

The ability to deliver sufficient power and recharge overnight from the dock is surely a step forward that will provide lessons that will filter down.

The Magic Carpet-e project didn’t set out to be a green affair but found its way there during a quest to improve performance. It’s not often that development works like that but when it does it can be highly effective.

In the meantime, the real test will be on the race course where the Maxi scene is getting more competitive by the season. She made a very promising start with two bullets in PalmaVela until damage to her standing rigging in a pre-start incident on the second forced her to sit out the rest of the event. If she proves as quick as some suggest, there’s nothing quite as motivating as a fast, high-profile boat when it comes to inspiring a design revolution.

Magic Carpet-e specifications

LOA: 30.48m / 100ft
Beam: 7.20m / 23ft 7in
Draught: 7.10m-4.60m / 3ft 2in-15ft 1in
Keel cant: 45° from vertical
Displacement: 37 tonnes
Mast height: 46m above waterline
Design: Guillaume Verdier
Builder: Persico Marine
Launched: 2024

If you enjoyed this….

Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

The post Magic Carpet-e review: Sailing the first fully electric racing Maxi to be launched appeared first on Yachting World.

Anyone who has visited La Rochelle over the past 25 years will have seen the electric ferries with huge solar arrays that transport locals and visitors alike between the town centre and the giant Port des Minimes marina on the opposite shore.

These systems were created by local company Alternative Energies, which has expanded over the years and has now fitted its equipment to almost 100 mostly commercial vessels that have collectively notched up a million hours of operation. The firm is now part of the Fountaine-Pajot/Dufour group and a joint offshoot named JOOOL has developed a fully integrated, turnkey hybrid system aimed at a wide range of 35-65ft monohulls and multihulls.

It encompasses all aspects of the management, storage and production of energy on board, covering both propulsion and domestic systems, including refrigeration, cooking and, where fitted, air conditioning. It can also supply the power for electric tender motors, eliminating the need to carry different fuels.

JOOOL Hybrid energy and propulsion system overview

• What is it? Complete turn-key hybrid system for cruising yachts, encompassing propulsion, high capacity batteries and multiple charging sources, including range-extending generators
• Who’s it for? Those seeking a yacht with quiet, efficient operation and a huge battery bank powering on board appliances and creature comforts, combined with long-range autonomy

JOOOL’s turnkey hybrid power and propulsion system is aimed at 35-65ft yachts

Power generation

As with the solar-powered ferries, a key aspect is that it’s possible to generate significant amounts of power on board via large solar arrays, plus hydrogeneration when sailing. This is significant as it reduces dependency on diesel generators for powering the considerable domestic loads of today’s yachts. These multiple charge sources also represent built-in redundancy – if one element fails it’s still possible to keep the batteries topped up.

A further advantage is that the electric propulsion is far quieter than a diesel engine, with less vibration, and can be used for an ultra-efficient extra push when motor-sailing.

A soundproofed diesel generator offers back-up for domestic power, for instance when at anchor in cloudy weather for several days, and extends motoring range. There’s also a powerful shorepower charger system for use in port.

Solar panel-covered lounge deck of a new Fountaine Pajot 41 catamaran

Integrated system

At the heart of the system is what JOOOL calls its OneBox. This compact energy management and conversion unit integrates all energy sources and outputs, including solar, wind, hydrogeneration, gensets, and shore power.

Although the JOOOL Hybrid system has only just been formally announced, the advent of the Smart Electric version of the Fountaine-Pajot Aura 51 in 2022 marked an important milestone. I also sailed a Dufour 470 from this period fitted with a pre-production system. A stand-out aspect is that massively heavy-duty and cumbersome wiring isn’t needed, nor is a complex water cooling system for the motor.

The key to this lies in the relatively high DC voltages used, which exponentially reduce the electrical current needed to drive the motor. Reliability and safety are of course key requirements for such systems. JOOOL can point to the long and successful track record Alternative Energies has in commercial passenger vessels.

JOOOL will operate as a separate business, supplying hybrid propulsion and energy systems to boatbuilders around the world. Leopard is an early client, and exhibited its new 46ft catamaran with twin 25kW POD motors, a 54kWh battery bank and32kW diesel generator at this year’s International Multihull Show in La Grande Motte.

If you enjoyed this….

Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.

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The post JOOOL Hybrid energy and propulsion system appeared first on Yachting World.

When it’s on, it’s on. There’s no delaying showtime. Exactly 20 hours after leaving my UK home, while still hopelessly trying to rub the jetlag out of my eyes like an overtired infant, we were docking out of Cape Town and I was handed the keys to this souped-up super-cruiser. This was better than any caffeine hit.

The opportunity to sail a Southern Wind from its South African yard is one I’d craved for many years, but would a quick sea trial of the new award-winning SW108 during its commissioning phase, and before the yacht was even handed over to its owner, actually be possible?

More than that, how about a sail trial that allows you to move through the gears in response to the changing conditions, get fully powered up and steer this brand new yacht pedal to the floor at late teen speeds? Yes, in Cape Town, it seems it is!

The photos paint the scene well, but try also to picture being aboard. The feeling of helming this near 80-tonne beauty as it smoked along, planing offwind under the auspicious watch of Table Mountain, is formidable, and one I shan’t forget.

As someone who has spent his life in or on the water or plotting how to do so next, I have a heightened respect for any aqua-based activity around the ‘Cape of storms’. It’s wild. Indeed, later that evening, and for the following 48 hours of my visit, the wind swung offshore and really howled.

an iconic Cape Town backdrop to sail from, as Kiboko 4 slices to weather. Photo: Oriol Esteve/Photonautic

Watching the swell breaking off the trendy beachfront of Camps Bay, I witnessed with awe as the merciless Cape Doctor rifled down the mountainous backdrop, ripping through the wave crests, while tourists struggled to hold their phones still enough to get their Insta sunset shots.

Yes, when you’re on the Cape, you feel at the end of the world. And those building boats here face the many challenges that presents, topmost of which the craft launched from its shores need to be up to the significant task of taking on that wild weather. Southern Wind has built its reputation on that over 30 years, its roots burnished in its entirely appropriate brand name.

One look at the sporty lines, flush decks, and shallow cockpit lead you to presume the SW108, and indeed the modern Southern Wind style, is not so fitting for such gnarly prospects. Granted, the Italian styling and lack of shelter is designed more for light wind Mediterranean glory sailing than Cape bashing.

But, and it’s a big but, they are built to take on the weather typical of these parts, both during the commissioning and sea trial phases, and of course for their shakedown voyage which is typically thousands of miles to the Med. I can now say this with confidence, having done a full tour of the yard following the trial.

A prime feature of the SW108 is the large tender garage and bathing platform space. Kiboko 4 has a twin set of steps leading down to this. Photo: Oriol Esteve/Photonautic

Kiboko 4 is the second SW108 to launch, the second Kiboko I’ve trialled, and the fourth for this owner and skipper. It represents an evolution that really is in tune with that of the brand itself – larger, faster, smarter-built yachts on a semi-custom platform basis. Southern Wind is now building its largest model yet, in the SW123.

Tension mounts

Back to our trial, a big day for the yard too. We have the CEO, COO and technical manager aboard as well as the commissioning team, a select few wide-eyed media, and the pro crew. Their window to fine-tune is running out, with handover and worsening weather looming. When a stackpack fitting fails during the mainsail hoist, the intense pressure which comes at the culmination of a 20-month build becomes palpable.

With the main and genoa hoisted, we lean over onto a fetch and instantly match the early double-digit windspeeds off Cape Town’s waterfront.

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The power on tap from K4’s sail area is phenomenal. I note the readouts show six tonnes on the backstay and 12 tonnes of headstay load, the structured luff of the genoa helping absorb and distribute this load – all while Kiboko is still easing into her stride. But that’s in the comparative shelter. The commissioning team know what’s coming, they can see the swell wrapping around the point, the white caps offshore.

We switch down from genoa to staysail, a straightforward operation thanks to powered furlers, as the wind builds steadily through the mid-teens to the early 20s true. We’ve now got full heel on and K4’s averaging 10.5-11 knots at 31-33° to the apparent wind (50° True), slicing through the swell surging across our bow. And it points well too, thanks in part to the effective transverse jib tracks. These use hydraulic cylinders hidden under deck to control height and sheet lead angle.

From the rail or side decks you get a keen sense of heel angle, with 7.5m of midships beam presenting a long view downhill. Guests look for best places to sit or grip on. There are grab rails between and behind helms, but additional handholds would be prudent. At least the low cockpit makes for an easy cross during tacks.

Long timber coamings create a sleek look, provide a helmsman seat and integrates the coachroof. Photo: Oriol Esteve/Photonautic

Remembering our spirited sail on Kiboko 3 in Palma, I’m pleased to see the long sheet tail lockers reinstated here, which really help to keep the cockpit sole tidy under sail.

It’s a reminder this SW108 is designed to suit light wind power sailing.

“Two important design features of Kiboko 4 are generous sail area for the potential not only to effectively race in light winds but for the manoeuvrability and acceleration to excel in those conditions along with high stability,” Farr Yacht Design’s VP Jim Schmicker points out. Indeed, Southern Wind builds in carbon for that benefit of enjoyable sailing while others have to motor (the SW108 polars show 8.4 knots boat speed is achievable in just 6 knots wind).

Smiles and grins gradually replace any of that aforementioned crew tension as we ease into long-stride sailing. I’m stoked to be handed the helm, instantly appreciating what a powerful yet sporty twin rudder design this is, and what a considerable amount of sail area it has.

K4 is definitely happier now under staysail, more balanced and settled and less loaded. It’s also playful. The carbon hull, deck, and bulkheads produce a comparatively light and stiff build, which you really feel, while in K4’s case, a tall, high modulus mast, carbon rigging, and a deep lifting keel bolster performance. It’s reactive sailing.

A powerful performer with high aspect twin rudders for a sporty feel while maintaining control. Photo: Oriol Esteve/Photonautic

Although we have the crew and numbers aboard to trim from the winches, I also appreciate just how rewarding it is to play with sail settings from the helm. Having a single joystick control for captive mainsheet and traveller makes it so easy to depower the huge main.

Similarly, the hydraulic controls for Cunningham, vang, backstay and outhaul, are all on push buttons on both pedestals too.

The mainsheet is on a captive reel by the mast base, a ‘Harken Air captive’ which, like the Air winches, has hollowed-out sections to save weight.

Elsewhere, hardware including cleats, fairleads and stanchions is in titanium.

This is a mile-muncher, I note, as we continue to consistently clock double figures upwind. But once we free-off onto a reach Kiboko really locks into mid teen speeds with effortless ease.

And there it is, Table Mountain ahead, as we point our bows back towards Cape Town – what an iconic scene! The breeze is into the mid 20s now and we are really ripping along. Flocks of seabirds take flight from the windswept waves as K4’s bows thunder towards them.

Fine lines. Southern Winds may provide a pretty silhouette at anchor and perform in the light breeze, but are also known for sailing good distances and doing multiple ocean crossings. Photo: Oriol Esteve/Photonautic

We’re averaging over 15 knots in 23 at 55° to the apparent wind. My brain tries to process it all, the data readouts and numbers, the feelings and emotions. Then we nudge over 18 knots in 27-28 knots going across and slightly with a wave. Wow! This is pure power and glamour stuff.

It feels like a bit of a blur after that, like a come down from a high speed adrenaline ride, but I take a moment to digest it while motoring back into port. Sailing this boat in these conditions is a special experience, in particular one that shows this yard’s confidence in its product.

Split level main saloon, with eight person dining table to port and large sofa daybed opposite, with steps leading down to TV snug/lounge. Photo: Oriol Esteve/Photonautic

Pedigree breed

Kiboko 4 is the second SW108 following Gelliceaux, which won the St Barths Bucket in its maiden season last year. Chief differences are that the first hull includes a hybrid propulsion system, which resulted in a bit more weight and slightly higher mast, while K4 has a full-height lift keel from APM. This is housed in a carbon trunk, and reduces draught from 6.2m-4m. Kiboko is also trialling a novel alternative to teak on its deck, a heat-treated maple, sourced from sustainable forests.

You may well wonder why an owner would choose to upgrade from a SW105 – and you’ll be surprised to hear the main difference the SW108 offers: the tender garage! Overall, the slightly larger model offers more everywhere… more righting moment, loads, length, beam, weight etc.

And the geometry has changed with a refreshed coachroof design and beamier aft sections. Those aft lines play into this garage space gain, without reducing the crew area.
“Clients want bigger tenders,” confirms technical manager Yann Dabbadie, who took me through the boat. And it’s a significant step up, from the 4.35m on the SW105 to a 5.05m Williams Jet tender on the SW108.

Crew mess and area with navstation ideally placed at the foot of the crew companionway. Photo: Oriol Esteve/Photonautic

A clever carriage system has been developed for shipping this RIB, using tracks which slot it neatly into the garage.

A ‘magic transom’ also now forms a huge beach club, double the size of that on the SW105. Kiboko has grand, dual stairways down to this terrace, an example of Southern Wind’s semi-custom ‘Smart Custom’ approach, while the third hull is different again, with toy space aft, yet the tender in a foredeck well.

Aboard Kiboko (and most modern Southern Winds), this foredeck locker is shallower and makes for a useful staysail or Code sail locker. Then there’s the real sail locker, which is a superb, extra-deep space. It has a partitioned section to one side for stowing the Code 0, a roller by the hatch for hoisting it, and the jib Cunningham cylinder in here, upgraded to take 8-tonnes load. It also provides access to the submarine anchor further forward. This design helps to bring weight aft, away from the bowsprit, and can be monitored from an underwater camera.

I later saw this whole bow section in the yard and was impressed with the thorough construction approach, namely the angled laminated area around the forefoot, a crashbox, and this watertight box for the anchor (all before you get to the main forward watertight bulkhead).

Pale fabrics and lots of natural light in the modest owner’s suite forward. Photo: Oriol Esteve/Photonautic

Style tricks

Seen from the side, the SW108 is a sleek machine, where volume and glazing is disguised masterfully (a Nauta Design speciality).

A step down into the guest cockpit reduces the coachroof and coaming line by around 15cm, while the darker hull colour helps conceal huge hull windows. Indeed, when you first descend the main companionway you’re struck by the amount of natural light coming through these portlights and the long skylight above the saloon. Nauta’s Massimo Gino says Kiboko was specifically designed to encourage the most natural light. The incorporation of traditional-style deck prisms to bring natural light into the passageways below decks is another nice touch.

The design brings the numerous benefits of a raised saloon format without adding aesthetic bulk. So it provides the space and views, with the machinery space all contained below, and a natural division between owner and crew ends of the yacht.

Identical aft guest cabins with twin beds (can be doubles, triples, Pullmans etc too). Photo: Oriol Esteve/Photonautic

The crew area aft is an ideal layout for up to six crew in three cabins. It includes a large, light galley adjoining a mess, an ensuite captain’s cabin and large navstation at the foot of the direct access companionway.

Skipper Ramon, who has run all the previous Kibokos and spent a year on this build, wanted the most serviceable engine room possible, so removed everything that wasn’t loud or vibrating. The result is a low but beamy and well organised space. There’s also plenty of juice for the hydraulics available: with PTOs on the gensets and two DC powerpacks, almost 80kW’s worth at full power, all running efficiently at 48V.

“The owner’s brief called for a contemporary, functional, marine-inspired interior: fresh, warm, and welcoming,” Gino explains. “This is achieved through the use of bright light oak veneer paired with subtle touches of walnut.” It has a summer feel, with handwoven Mallorcan fabrics used for the upholstery. Yet beneath this joinery, and even the hand-made resin marble effect used in the guest bathrooms, are foam-cored panels.

The tricky part is being both light in build and durable for repeat builds. During the yard tour we saw how these honeycomb and foam panels need hard points within them to screw any fittings into. This is done at design stage, triggering a CNC file before the joiners start edging all the panels. It’s an impressive amount of forethought and results in a furniture construction booklet for every part, fiddle design, drawer etc.

The numerous deck and sunpad cushions really help enhance cockpit comfort and are kept in place using neat bolt-rope slides built into the coamings. Photo: Oriol Esteve/Photonautic

Elsewhere, the yard’s Smart Custom approach offers good layout flexibility, particularly around the forward accommodation spaces. K4 really is an evolutionary yacht, which shows Southern Wind’s custom philosophy perfectly.

At the heart of this is an ethos to build upon knowledge gained in a good way – and to not expose clients to unnecessary complication, as CCO Andrea Micheli puts it.

This owner’s fourth Kiboko is, he says, primarily a family yacht for Med summers, and he dreams of taking it to the Caribbean and Maine.

But whether it’s crossing oceans, racing in superyacht regattas, or island cruising the SW108 is a yacht that has been finely-tuned to offer the most to its owners. Fittingly, it just won ‘Sailing Yacht of the Year’ at the World Superyacht Awards.

Multiple furling headsails. There’s also a double padeye for a storm jib on a 2:1 halyard, and a padeye for the Code 0, – during deliveries multiple sails are left rigged and ready. Photo: Oriol Esteve/Photonautic

Southern Wind 108 specifications

LOA: 32.87m 107ft 10in
LWL: 29.78m 97ft 8in
Beam (max): 7.51m 24ft 8in
Draught: 4.0m-6.2m 13ft 1in-20ft 5in
Displacement (lightship): 76,000kg 167,550lb
Ballast: 26,700kg 26,700lb
Sail area (100% foretriangle): 586.6m2 6,314ft2
Engine: Cummins 305hp + 2x 19Kw generators
Water: 3,000lt 660gal
Fuel: 4,600lt 1,012gal
Design: Nauta and Farr Yacht Design

If you enjoyed this….

Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

The post Southern Wind 108 review: ‘The power on tap from the sail area is phenomenal’ appeared first on Yachting World.

ICOM IC-M94 VHF RADIO MARINE TRANSCEIVER WITH DSC & AIS RECEIVER

First ever handheld VHF with built in AIS

The Icom M94DE VHF Marine Radio is the flagship model from Icom and is chock-full of features – two of those key features are its DSC and AIS functions. It is the first handheld VHF radio to offer AIS functionality too so this is a rare beast indeed at the moment.

The VHF is buoyant and when it detects water, it automatically flashes the screen light on and off. As the unit floats naturally on its back, the screen is easy to see and the flashing mode is easily visible.

Due to the many functions the Icom M94DE comes loaded with, it’s not a radio for technophobes. This will take a while to familiarise yourself with and to learn to navigate the multiple menus with speed and intuitive ease. The Ais function was very easy to access though and switching between alternative screens was pretty quick and slick once we knew which way to navigate with the buttons.

The Icom M94DE VHF Marine Radio features a waterproof rating of IPX7 (1 meter for 30 mins) and it offers a battery life on standby of 16 hours (charging in 3 hours). Also of note is the sizeable screen, making it easier to read than some smaller offerings, even with more information displayed.

This powerful high functioning unit lends itself to being a main unit on an open sports boat or to those who frequently find themselves in high traffic areas with commercial vessels. It is certainly a cost effective way of adding such a useful function as AIS to your boat or taking it onboard another nont AIS equipped boat if you are a professional skipper or someone who hops around various boats on a daily or weekly basis.

We’d like to see the unit come with 12v charging cable though rather than having to buy this as an optional extra.

Specifications
• Battery life: 16 hours (on standby monitoring busy VTS channel)
• Waterproofing: IPX7
• Floating: Yes
• Weight: 367g
• DSC: Yes
• GPS: Yes
• AIS: yes

If you’re looking for more handheld VHF marine radios read more in our buyers guide: Best handheld VHF marine radio: 10 feature-rich options for your boat

If you want to know more about handheld VHF marine radios, I’ve written a handy guide to answer some of the most commonly asked questions: what to look for in the best handheld VHF marine radios

The post Icom M94DE VHF Marine Radio review appeared first on Yachting World.

I’ve been using the Spinlock Waterproof Bum Bag daily now for a few months, back and forth from the mooring, by dinghy, by RIB, rain or shine, and I’ve got to say, it’s firmly earned its place around my waist. Though, like most bits of gear, it’s not without its quirks.

Specifications
Waterproof Rating: IPX7
Material: Durable PU-coated fabric
Closure: Heavy-duty waterproof zip
Features: Internal mesh pocket, adjustable waist strap
Dimensions: Approx. 21 x 14 x 7 cm
Capacity: 2 litres / Just enough for phone, keys, snacks, and odds and ends

Let’s start with the good stuff: it’s absolutely waterproof. My phone, keys, and assorted small essentials have survived countless salty splashes, sideways rain without so much as a damp patch. That stiff waterproof zip is the real hero here, although it does feel like I’m trying to zip up a drysuit in a hurry every time I go for my keys or phone. 

The bag itself is robust as anything, clearly built to last, and frankly, that’s exactly what you want when you’re dragging yourself in and out of boats all day. But the material, while admirably tough, isn’t the softest. I do find myself wishing it were a bit more pliable. As it stands, it holds its shape rather too well, to the point that it traps air. And when I bend over to tie up or lean over to climb into my dinghy, it hisses like an offended cat as the air squeezes out. 

Inside, there’s a small mesh pocket that should be useful for keeping fiddly items separate. In practice, I’ve struggled to fit much into it. It feels a bit like someone ticked a box marked “organisation feature” without fully testing it with real-world hands or real-world kit.

Still, it wears well. The waist strap is comfy and the buckle is nice and chunky. I’ve never once worried about the safety of what’s inside. Though I have often worried I’ve forgotten to zip it closed. It’s peace of mind in a pouch, even if it puffs up like a blowfish now and then.

The Spinlock Waterproof Bum Bag isn’t here to win style points or fondle your phone with a soft inner lining. It’s here to keep your stuff dry, safe, and where you left it, no matter how bumpy the ride. It’s a solid bit of kit with a few quirks, but like most things that survive life afloat, you learn to work around them, and even appreciate them. Just be ready for the occasional prrrfffffttt of trapped air escaping like an awkward fart at the club bar.

Buy it now (USA)

The post Spinlock Explorer 2L Waterproof Bum Bag  appeared first on Yachting World.

The Spinlock Explorer 35L roll top dry bag and ruck sack

There’s a lot of choice when it comes to dry bags, but not many combine proper waterproofing with practical rucksack comfort. Spinlock are known for producing aesthetically pleasing, but equally really practical and functional gear. This rucksack came in directly from Spinlock for me to test. It didn’t quite arrive in time for our big group bag test but that doesn’t matter, we are always looking for new products on the market and any gear from Spinlock gets our attention as 9.9 times out of 10 it’s excellent kit.

Buy it now

Specifications:
Capacity: 35L
Material: Tough, non-PVC, waterproof fabric
Closure: Roll-top
Extras: Side stretch mesh pockets, padded shoulder straps & back, reinforced grab handle
Colour: Team blue (unofficially Unicef approved)

The Spinlock Explorer 35L roll-top dry bag gets it right. I handed this vivid blue bag over to Guy Waites, yes, that Guy Waites, now skippering the Unicef Clipper Race yacht, before he got his official blue team kit. So it’s a happy coincidence that the bag’s colour almost matches Unicef blue. Stylish or serendipitous? Either way, this bag has been seeing action ever since.

First Impressions
It’s light without feeling flimsy, thanks to a tough non-PVC construction that’s properly abrasion-resistant. The padded back panel and shoulder straps are comfortable even when fully loaded. The side stretch mesh pockets are far more generous than most; they swallowed a 1L bottle and a spare pair of gloves without complaint. But they’re still tight enough to hold a mobile phone.

Real-World Use
Guy’s been using this daily and it’s holding up nicely. The roll-top closure is reliable and easy to handle with cold or wet hands. And at 35 litres, it strikes a good balance for carrying everything from a set of spare clothes to a laptop and lunchbox. Guy carries

The back section has padding so any hard items inside the bag don’t dig into your back. The chest clips allow for a bit more support if the bag is fully loaded and you’re off for a longer walk.

The bag will withstand water ingress from all angles and is waterproof in the essence that it can sit in a puddle of water or get rained on and it won’t let water in. If you leave it rolled up and clipped closed on a very wet boat, or a bunk in amongst wet sails or wet weather clothes, the contents will remain dry. It’s ideal  for carrying a dry set of clothes to a boat that you want to get changed into later after a wild time on the water.

If you try to take this for a swim though and submerge it, it’s not designed to be totally water impermeable, like most bags of this design, that roll top stops most water in most, but not all, conditions from getting in. The welded construction means that there’s total waterproofing at the seams. The outer pocket is just a simple mesh though and isn’t designed in any way to be waterproof. The zip pocket has a water resistant design, but it’s completely waterproof, but it does a good job of keeping water out.

The material has a nice feel too. It’s not sticky feeling like some PVC made bags are. This one is made form NON PVC material, so it feels smoother and nicer to touch.

Both Guy and I found the outer bungee to be a bit useless for most purposes, but if you are hiking on land, you might want to stash a sweaty layer of clothing in there, or a light weight waterproof. I suppose, if I was doing the shopping over on the Isle of Scilly or Alderney for example and I’ve had to dinghy ashore with my lightweight lifejacket or Alto belt pack, that could be fastened into the bungee for easier hands free carrying.

overall, we really like this Spinlock Explorer 35l roll top dry bag.

I and my team of fellow sailors and journalists have tested a whole load of bags throughout our professional careers on the water. Here’s a load of other waterproof back packs and waterproof duffels for sailing we’ve tested along the way. There’s also roll top tube bags, so if you don’t want to go hiking but need something to stash in a bunk to keep your kit dry then we tested a load of the best roll top dry bags too.

The post Spinlock Explorer 35L Roll-Top Dry Bag Review – A serendipitous blue hue appeared first on Yachting World.

It was a drizzly day on our most recent sailing clothing test in Southhampton. In between shots and changing outfits, I slipped into the new Aqua Parka from Gill any chance I got.

As a change robe, it was by far the comfiest piece on the shoot and quickly became my go-to for warming up and staying dry.

Here’s why I recommend it.

The features: Wind and water-proof

True to its name, the Gill Aqua Parka has been engineered inside and out to handle water.

Outside, the shell’s stitch-free, welded seam construction wicks water right off, as well as making the coat smooth and easy to clean. This is a garment with no sharp edges, just comfort all the way through.

On the inside, the high loft thermal lining is designed to keep you warm even when thrown over wet clothing, and will draw sweat and moisture away from clammy skin. You really can throw it on over anything.

Gill Aqua Parka fit

The Aqua Parka feels like a cocoon. It’s roomy, warm, and impressively lightweight. I was as happy as a kid in the cosiest sleeping bag. It never feels as restrictive or as heavy as some kinds of heavy-duty waterproofs are want to, an impressive feat considering its loose fit.

This changing robe has been deliberately designed to be oversize to make changing underneath easier. Its cut is unrestrictive and offers great ease of movement when slipping out of wet layers or scrambling around. The sleeves are loose enough to pull your arms into, and a two-way zipper makes exposure to cold air minimal.

Some side internal-access pockets would also have been useful for the changing function, but you won’t miss them too much.

Both Yachting Monthly‘s editor, Theo and I are wearing size medium in the photos, to different effect. I actually liked having the extra room, though at my 5’5” I could have easily gone for something smaller.

Consider whether you’re looking for a blanket outer layer or whether you’ll want the option of directly changing in and out of wet gear when considering sizing.

The Gill Aqua Parka has a generous hood and deep, easy-access hand-warmer pockets. Internal compartments give you the option of keeping items dry, safe, and accessible even when you don’t want to unzip the whole garment. Adjustable sleeves and a high-neck closure help keep the cold air from creeping in.

Gill Aqua Parka looks

I particularly loved the versatile, understated sage colour of the outer shell. It’s technical kit that won’t look out of place even when you’re in between adventures. It also comes in a teal/navy combo and a sharp charcoal with a bright red accent zipper.

Gill Aqua Parka Specifications

• Sizes: XS – L
• Material: 100% polyester shell and lining
• Features: waterproof, windproof, high loft thermal lining, storm-safe zipper

The post The Gill Aqua Parka: this cozy, well-cut changing robe will keep you warm on any adventure appeared first on Yachting World.

Conjure an image of a contemporary performance monohull, and it’ll likely be a Swan, Grand Soleil, X-Yacht or something similar (the original Solaris 50 from 2015 springs to my mind). These all hail from pedigree yards, which specialise in cruising or cruiser-racer yachts. And their latest iterations are polished reworkings of that well-established theme and layout, often with a liberal sprinkling of Italian cosmetics.

However, 2025 brings a hot new face, a brash-looking design that could steal the show – and did just that at its Düsseldorf premiere in January. This yacht is from a daysailer specialist that wants to bring some of its easy short-handed methodology to this luxury fast cruising arena.

We put this theory to the test sailing the new Saffier SL46 from Saffier’s home town of Ijmuiden to examine how virtually all operations are – or can be – controlled solo from the helm. Saffier has integrated many clever ideas to enable this mix of elegant comfort and ease (including a surprise favourite feature, which I’ll come to later). It’s also clear the yard wanted to bring its premium build quality to the fore.

Such a venture sparks questions about moving into a much larger and more competitive sphere when it has established a niche and cornered the worldwide market in daysailers. And why this shape, weight and (formidable) price?  Thankfully, we had the day to find out the answers! To be given the time, resources, sail inventory and even sublime sailing conditions to really appreciate and get under the vinylester skin of such a yacht is rare.

‘Sailing the Saffier is simply an index finger workout’. Photo: Sander van der Borch

You’ve been Tangoed

The Saffier SL46 is clearly a statement yacht. You only topcoat a new yacht in Awl Grip metallic orange if you want it to stand out. It’s in your face, deliberately anti-white. Even approaching it in a Dutch marina in March, I instantly envisaged it turning heads with envy and appreciation in many a luxe Med port. And the first few Saffier SL46s ordered are all ‘Med’ versions, which means an open transom cockpit with sliding helm seats that convert to sunloungers. A more conservative ‘North European’ option is offered with closed transom and dinghy garage.

I quickly came to appreciate how well the Saffier SL46 is geared up to make it manageable, principally by using systems found more on larger yachts. These facilitate short-handed performance sailing, as well as docking and setting sails in the most fuss-free manner. Yes, it has a tonne (literally) of costly equipment to help it achieve that, but the majority of these are reliable systems.

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The owner of this first example to launch chose numerous optional extras too. Bow and stern thrusters may seem overkill on a 46ft single-rudder yacht until, as we discovered, you need to dock between tight piles or finger berths with a 20-knot cross wind.

Similarly, an in-boom furler is a more typical choice on big yachts, yet the optional Mainfurl simplifies mainsail handling, and meant we repeatedly sailed out of the harbour while most crews would still be unzipping a stackpack and fighting a flapping sail.

In practice, then, sailing the Saffier SL46 is simply an index finger workout. Main halyard up, brrrr, while furler unwinds, brrrr. Mainsheet trim, brrrr. Jib furler unwind, brrrr, jib sheet trimmed-on, brrrr. And in almost as much time as it’s taken to read that, we’re on the wind. Any power consumption concerns are allayed by 600Ah of lithium battery power (another €25,000 extra), together with a grunty diesel engine for recharging when away from the dock for longer periods.

The result is that we are straight into action. In the 15 knots of puffy breeze inside the breakwater, we’re up to 8.5 knots almost instantly, then reaching off out to sea at over 9 knots, with a dual sheet ease, brrrr. I’m sailing with Saffier founder Dennis Hennevanger, who demonstrates how easy it is to sail solo: unleashing, trimming then furling and gybing the Code 0, while I observe and film. The optional powered Code furler on the end of the carbon sprit helps makes this an impressively speedy procedure.

Push-button, short-handed perfomance sailing. Photo: Sander van der Borch

This ease with which you can get out of harbour and sailing solo is something Dennis clearly champions: “I haven’t seen that in this length – it’s a totally different way of thinking… It’s really an XXXL daysailer which you can go on for three weeks!”

A captive mainsheet is another big-boat system, but one Saffier considered crucial enough to persuade Harken to design a smaller version to its existing range. Again, it’s a €20,000 option, but the result provides instant trim control of the large mainsail from either wheel and keeps the deck layout neat. However, caution is required around that single point sheet zone, especially when there is any slack in the sheet during a tack or gybe.

Some may question if only having two winches is impractical, but Saffier has offered Harken reversible winches on its range for years and believes in the tech. While an additional cost, they provide instant trim from either pedestal and safe easing of loaded sheets and make for an intuitive system.

With that, I give the remote buttons a nudge as we climb up into the puffy offshore breeze, then another little tickle of trim and we’re averaging 7-7.5 knots upwind at 25° in the Force 4 gusting 5.

There’s plenty of comfort for others in the huge cockpit. Sliding seating works really well, providing luxurious chaise-style seats. Photo: Sander van der Borch

Plane sailing

We then enjoy much of the rest of the morning under Code 0, with speeds between 9 knots and the early 10s while reaching, at an average of 80-90° to the true wind. The helm feels solid, with generous weather helm. You can feel this is a 12-tonne loaded boat – it doesn’t want to let loose and rip, it’s more steady, purposeful.

During some lovely long kite runs that afternoon with the large orange A2 gennaker, we consistently clock double figures in 18–21 knots breeze (wind may be over-reading a little). Saffier says the 46 can plane with over 18 knots true wind, and I note the hull releases once we hit over 10.8 knots of boat speed during a couple of the stronger gusts. However, it feels a little heavy to me, considering its shape and style – it’s stable and powerful but arguably lacks that sportiness I have enjoyed in many of Saffier’s daysailers.

Good form stability from the beamy hull despite the heavier shoal keel. Photo: Sander van der Borch

Hennevanger thinks the shoal keel makes a big difference. The 2.7m race cast iron option has a T-bulb that is nearly a tonne lighter, so should boost performance. Dennis, a former pro windsurfer and competitive racing sailor, and his brother Dean, who heads up design and engineering, inherently know how to make craft move fast, so it will be interesting to see if they add some spice to future builds.

The Saffier SL46’s keel is fixed to a galvanised steel grid, which absorbs the rig loads, a technique inspired by X-Yachts. Step below decks while under sail and it’s impressively quiet, with no noise or movement from furniture or bulkheads.

For those not on the helm, the prime spot is lazing in the leeward quarter, feet outstretched. The sliding helm seats, which link up to the aft quarter seats, work particularly well, providing proper chaise-style seats when aft. A crucial quality of the Saffier’s design is the amount of lounging deck space, particularly aft where max beam is carried (4.5m).

When we ship an additional crewmember aboard for spinnaker handling, he helps demonstrate the cockpit comfort too. The aft-facing section of the benches each side of the companionway is deep enough to give good protection from the wind, particularly if the optional windscreen is taken.

Saloon is designed for two to four in real comfort. When additional guests are aboard table extensions link to the sofa berth. Photo: Saffier Yachts

The generous cockpit (in size and comfort) includes a large fixed table on the aft end of which a huge MFD display makes it easy to see the plotter or sailing numbers from either pedestal.

The deck layout is conceived meticulously to keep it workable and tidy, down to Saffier’s trademark cupholders in the mouldings. The aft end of the benches contain tailing lockers, the cushions hinged for easy access, while deep quarter lockers include organisers to attach your dock lines or fenders to, keeping them ready to use rather than tangled in the bilges.

When you’re averaging 10 knots under kite, and all aboard are relaxed and comfortable, you quickly find yourself a long way offshore. This makes for an extended final beat home, a heeled-on-rails experience which proves this is a yacht that can be as rewarding to sail uphill. Average speeds remain steady at 7-7.5 knots, but the Saffier SL46 feels more in a groove now and lighter with the main eased more. It’s premium performance cruising.

Comfort and space is generous including the saloon with small desk on the sofa side and galley for multiple nights aboard. Photo: Saffier Yachts

A class above

The interior 0of the Saffier SL46 is all elegance, featuring light oak veneers, and white and cream upholstery contrasting with black detailing. It’s plush.

From the thick-ply mattresses and cushions, quality lighting with indirect and progressive control, to the robustly engineered latches and soft-closing mechanisms, it’s a top drawer fitout.

For a yacht with so much deck space, the Saffier is also comparatively roomy, with plenty of (Dutch-friendly) headroom right up to the forward berth and wide, tall doorways. The double aft cabins offer enough space and stowage for a few days aboard, while the third cabin can be swapped for a utility space.

Luxury styling. The forward cabin has a high berth but is comfortable with good stowage for longer stays aboard. Photo: Saffier Yachts

The heads compartment is light and airy with the toilet at a practical angle and there’s a separate shower compartment. The forward cabin, meanwhile, is really smart, including leather-topped sculpted out sections each side to help you gently ascend the high peninsula berth. Deep drawers below the berth, plus a tall hanging locker provide ample stowage.

An aft-facing desk/vanity area works well here, helping open out this master cabin rather than squeezing in a second toilet (an option). Instead, a washbasin area allows ablutions without needing to leave the cabin, though it has the same silly, shallow sink as the aft heads.

The saloon is spacious and comfortable, featuring a large table with extensions housed in dedicated stowage spaces aft. A small desk adjoins the aft end of the sofa berth, with MFD sunk into a raised panel. Equally, the galley is of a good size, including the stowage and usable refrigeration space.

More practical solutions include the machinery tunnel between the aft cabins. Saffier wanted to ensure parts that may need servicing are accessible, so this has a hatch above for engineer access and headroom, while the bright engine room has easily accessible filters.

The one or two double cabins aft are smart but with less stowage. Note the hatch above in this starboard side for easy access to systems. Photo: Saffier Yachts

Some improvements could perhaps be made, such as the 90° veneer joins and fiddles for the table and work surfaces, however finish quality is, in general, superb.

So what’s my surprise favourite feature? An integrated vacuum cleaner! Simply plug the extendable hose into the dedicated socket and it reaches all parts of the interior. Now that’s real luxury!

Family affair

It is no coincidence that this first Saffier SL46 is proudly orange. It flies the flag for Dutch quality. And it shows how far the yard has come, how much it has grown, in scale, quality and confidence (consider the design inside and out is all done in-house).

This family-run yard scaled up from building fishing boats in the early 1990s. After outgrowing its original Ijmuiden facility it bought a neighbouring one (9,000m2), where its 80 staff now builds 150-160 yachts a year. This also provides the simple answer as to why move up to such a larger size yacht – because it now can.

Sink and vanity option in the master cabin. Photo: Saffier Yachts

I visited the yard while the 46 was in mock-up stage in 2023, and again before our March sail, which gives me the conviction to say that Saffier is a leading example of how to build production yachts in 2025. Its yard is as efficient as any I’ve seen to ensure a top product.

A million euro boat

When we previewed the Saffier SL46 a year ago (June 2024), it was listed as starting at €580,000, which was already notably more than other performance yachts of this size in that issue.

The 2025 starting price of €950,000 for the Saffier SL46 is therefore a formidable increase. Hennevanger explains he wanted to offer a ready-to-sail luxury yacht that avoids excessive costly options. The standard spec includes Estec decks, Epex laminate sails, a carbon bowsprit, rod rigging, B&G instruments, electric toilet etc.

However, it’s still a (vacuum-infused) GRP boat, and the test boat has around €300,000 of extras. Those considering spending such sums on a 45-footer will need to do their comparative research, and consider if it’s worth more than, say, an Xc47 – or nearly three Pogo 44s.

Saffier SL46 specifications

LOA: 13.75m / 45ft 1in
LWL: 12.54m / 41ft 2in
Beam (Max): 4.45m / 14ft 7in
Draught: 2.20 or 2.70m / 7ft 3in or 8ft 10in
Displacement (lightship): 10,900kg / 24,030lb
Ballast: 3,200kg / 7,055lb
Sail area (100% foretriangle): 124.9m2 / 1,344ft2
Berths: 6
Engine: 57hp Yanmar saildrive
Water: 400lt / 88gal
Fuel: 220lt / 48gal
Sail area/disp ratio: 25.8
Disp/LWL ratio: 154
Price as tested: Approx €1.3m
Builder: saffieryachts.com

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The post Saffier SL46 review: A true turn-key performance yacht appeared first on Yachting World.

Some gear quietly and without fanfare becomes part of your daily kit. You stop thinking about it, because it just… works. That’s exactly what happened with my orange RUX Waterproof adventure travel bag. It’s been on every dinghy trip, every RIB ride, and every wet, salty, wind-blown transfer from shore to boat. And it still looks brand new.

Specifications
Volume: 25L
Material: TPU-coated, RF-welded 840D Nylon
Closure: Roll-top with strong side clips
Strap: Adjustable shoulder sling
Dimensions: 28 x 19 x 44 cm
Weight: Approx. 600g
Volume: 25L+
​Empty weight: 19.4oz / 550g
Dimensions (W x L x H): 14.2 x 9.1 x 14.2 inches / 36 x 23 x 36 cm

A tote bag?

Rux were keen for me to try it, I wasn’t sure. I mean, it’s just a bag right? Like, ya know, a tote bag but with a roll top. I have a lot of bags.

The Rux waterproof adventure travel bag arrived in blaze orange. Unmissable. Dang it. Orange is one of my favourite colours. We started off on the good foot then. As I looked at the bag to see what’s it’s made or and the quality of construction, it’s apparent that the roll top feature has been nicely thought through, because that roll top part tucks neatly and imperceptibly into the bag like it’s not even there. It looks like a liner. But pull it up and out and ta-da, you’ve got a neat roll top system.

It was the simplicity of this waterproof bag that really won me over, not just the colour. No flappy pockets. No fiddly zips. Just a beautifully made, tough-as-nails, roll-top dry bag that’s utterly brilliant. It quickly became my dump stuff and go bag. It has sat in the soaking wet tender, with waves breaking and spraying all over us. The contents have remained dry. (though you do have to be careful unrolling the top if you’ve taken some goffers and it’s drenched, as you’ll need to avoid accidentally allowing water into the bag if you aren’t careful to keep that skirt part upturned.)

It’s big enough for a change of clothes, my laptop, food shopping, and a few tools and sometimes I carry an Ecoflow portable lithium power bank in it, though I can’t fit much else in it when I’ve got that loaded up.  The shoulder strap makes it easy to sling across your back if you’re climbing from the dock to boat or shlepping it a bit of a distance from carpark to dinghy park, though I don’t use it all that much and it tends to just swing around and end up under the bag out of the way. The welded seams and roll-top closure have never let in a drop, even when it’s been sat in a puddle in the bottom of my dinghy or bouncing through spray at speed in the RIB.

Still looking great after a year

What really surprised me is how good it still looks. I’ve had it over a year, chucked in the back of my work van or camper van, dumped on the floor of my rib, sat on by my small dog daily as it gives her a better viewing position in the big rib, it’s been dragged across pontoons, and the material hasn’t faded or worn through. The structured design means it’s easier to pack and unpack than a floppier dry bag, and it doesn’t collapse into itself when empty. Right now it’s loaded up with some overnight clothes, some energy drinks and pastries my partner thoughtfully packed me away with to visit my parents. But tomorrow it will have my light weight foul weather gear in it, some deck shoes and a bunch of safety gear as I head off to skipper a boat at the weekend. The following week, it will be back to rub duties and carrying my laptop, plus a bunch of tools for my project boat in Southampton.

Final Thoughts

If you want a waterproof bag that shrugs off weather, salt, and rough handling—and does it in style—the RUX Waterproof Bag is as good as it gets. It’s not left my side in over a year, and frankly, I’d be lost without it.

It’s the bag I didn’t know I needed, and now I wouldn’t head to the boat or out in my camper van without it.

I’ve gathered a bunch of other waterproof bags with rolls tops in my best of roll top waterproof bag buyers guide if you’re looking for something else. Or our guide to the best waterproof backpack if you’re looking for something a bit more portable.

The post RUX Waterproof Adventure Bag Review, The Kit Bag That Never Leaves My Side appeared first on Yachting World.

Sena Nautitalk Crew Headset – Clear Comms, No Fuss, No Shouting

I can’t shout into the wind, I lose my voice really quickly and trying to communicate on larger boats becomes really tricky for me. I tried out an Expand mesh Sena headset on a larger boat crossing the Atlantic and went from a sceptic to a fan-girl in an instant. It was a case of not knowing what you don’t know… until you try it.

When I saw at a the METS trade Show in November 2024 that Sena were launching a new, near ear headset, I was one of the first to put my name down to test it out. The Sena Nautitalk Crew intercom arrived in February of 2025 and it’s been on test ever since.

Specifications

Weight: 20 grams
Water Resistance: IPX5-rated, suitable for marine conditions
Mounting Options: Easily attaches to caps or water sports helmets; a neck holder is available as an accessory
AI-based noise reduction for clear communication
Mesh Intercom 3.0 technology (Supports both Mesh 3.0 and 2.0 for backward compatibility)
Open Mesh Intercom with 9 channels and virtually unlimited participants
Bluetooth 5.2 for over-the-air updates and device pairing

Sena Nautitalk Crew First Look – Small, Smart, and Hat-Friendly

The first surprise? It clips to your hat. No faffing with over-ear clamps or trying to wedge a slippery ear piece in or over my small ear. It’s designed to perch just near your ear—not on it, not in it, and that’s a big advantage I think.

The near-ear speaker design means I can still hear ambient sound—the change of engine note, the noises from a winch under tension and the crack of the spinnaker finally setting just right, or when I’m coastal rowing, I can hear the wild life around me.

Testing – From Rowing to Rigging

Sena Nautitalk Crew Intercom

I tested the Sena Nautitalk Crew across a range of on-water activities:

• Coastal rowing, I handed these to my coastal rowing instructor. He struggles with in ear or over ear headsets so he was keen to give them a go. They work well between instructor and student on the water. They also work really well between two instructors coordinating efforts out of earshot of students. I’d like to try out a few more of the head sets within a larger group of rowers on the water having a bit of a day out.
• Yacht docking, shorthanded with two people, one on lines the other on helm. It’s really useful being able to calmly relay info between each other. If I’ve got to go around again because I cocked up the approach, its much less embarrassing to be able to say this quietly in the ear of my mate than having to shout out that I made a mess of it. Equally, it’s lovely having the reassurance that the line is made off on the dock or that we are just 1 meter away, half a meter, and so on, just neatly and calmly docking, like a pro.
• Climbing the mast, I need no encouragement to go up a mast, so it was inevitable I’d be taking this up the big stick with me. I don’t generally like to wear a hat going up a mast, they get in the way. But for this job I didn’t really have a choice. I’d like to see a band made available, something like the one we find on a head torch, the exposure head torch band is especially comfortable and sturdy.  Anyway, comms were simple and clear. much easier to talk hands free with a lightweight non-vhf unit. 

Sena Nautitalk Crew Flip Mic

The flip-down mic design is one of those elegant solutions that makes you wonder why everyone else hasn’t been doing it for years. Need to speak? Flip the boom down. Want to stop transmitting? Flip it up. No buttons to fumble with, no muting drama. You just move it and it obeys, with a calm vice informing you that “mike off” or “mike on”. And it stays in place. Even with a decent breeze and plenty of head movement, the mic arm didn’t budge or flap about.

Sena Nautitalk Crew Battery, Fit & Comfort

Battery life easily got me through a full day of use, including a fair bit of chat during coastal rowing and on-and-off use during yacht docking manoeuvres. Sena claims around 8 hours of talk time, and I’d say that’s fairly accurate. Charging is USB-C and moderately quick.

It’s light enough that I forgot I had it clipped on. I did struggle a bit with my sunglasses and couldn’t quite work out the best way to balance the two without feeling that the intercom was standing away from my ear more than I’d like.  But I might find a better way with a little more practice. 

Sena Nautitalk Crew Range & Reliability

It uses Bluetooth Mesh for multi-user crew communication. Sena’s tech seems solid; it didn’t drop out once during our tests. No fiddly pairing, just switch on, press the middle button, get the green flash and audible confirmation that we’re all connected up and away we go, it takes about 2 seconds.

The range is no issue when you’re on deck talking bow to stern, or up a mast talking to someone below on deck or in the cockpit. When we were rowing, we were up to quarter of a mile away and audio was still clear.

Why I Love It

• No shouting across cockpits or down the mast
• Near-ear audio = safe, comfortable, and awareness-friendly
• Flip mic = intuitive control, even with gloves
• Works with hats and helmets

A Couple of Niggles

• If you’re not wearing a hat, the clip system gets fiddly—a headband would be useful
• Not waterproof, just weather resistant—fine for spray and rain, but don’t take it for an unintentional dip 

If you are interested in other intercoms I have looked at, then there’s a couple more options in my buyers guide to the best marine intercoms. For a Sena expand mesh model, I reviewed that too if you want something a little larger.

The post Sena Nautitalk Crew intercom headset review: ‘Once you’ve used it, you wonder how you’ve managed without it!’ appeared first on Yachting World.

Nikon 7×50 Global Compass Binoculars – A Sailor’s Perspective

When I first picked up the Nikon 7x50CF WP Global Compass binoculars, I was curious. I’ve used many of the best waterproof binoculars in my life. Some promise more than others and some rely on their name to carry them. Nikon is known for good quality optics in photogaphy. So I would expect nothing less than decent optics in these binoculars. But I had no other expectation of them. I was pleasantly surprised how good they are though. 

Specifications

• Weight: 1,130g – manageable, but you’ll feel it after a long scan
• Dimensions: 193 x 202 x 81mm – not exactly compact, but not huge
• Extras: Floating strap, soft case, lens caps that stay attached 

Nikon 7×50 Global Compass Binoculars: First Impressions

As I rummaged about on a friends boat and discovered a pair of Nikon 7×50 Global Compass Binoculars in a locker/bin by the chart table, I immediately dragged them out of their case for a look. They feel solid. Not heavy for the size (a smidge over a kilo), but reassuringly robust.

The rubber armouring gives a confident, non-slip grip. I wasn’t in a position to try them in hard core weather as we have had unseasonably lovely weather recently. They have a floating strap. I get that these are useful for some people but personally I don’t get on with them. I’d swap that out for a more comfortable one if these were my own. 

Optical Performance

The 7x magnification and 50mm objective lenses offer excellent light gathering. I use binoculars  quite a lot at night or low light for pilotage and being able to pick up the most amount of lights is pretty important.

The BAK4 prisms and multi-coated optics produce crisp images and minimal distortion at the edges. Even in low light, they perform reliably without the haziness or double vision I’ve experienced with cheaper alternatives.

The field of view is generous, plenty wide enough to scan a busy mooring field or track a vessel crossing our path without feeling like I’m peering down a tunnel.

The Compass

Let’s talk about the Nikon 7×50 Global Compass Binoculars’ globally balanced compass. It’s the major marketing point for this pair of binoculars that marks it out as something a bit “other”.

Illuminated, steady, and readable, that’s the least I would expect and that’s exactly what we get. The sighting line and scale allow for fairly accurate bearings (and yes, I did compare it to the ship’s compass). For anyone sailing across latitudes, the global balance is a win, it won’t throw a tantrum south of Gibraltar like some North-only models. Though, when was the last time you heard of a North-only compass?

I’m not sure how much of a selling point the global compass really is. Surely all high end binoculars with a compass are sporting a global compass these days? So much so that nobody really talks about such things any more. I don’t know if the global compass is just marketing guff. 

One other minor gripe: the compass illumination is powered by tiny button batteries, and while it’s bright enough, I’d prefer something rechargeable, or at least more accessible to change at sea.

Waterproof & Fog Proof

They’re waterproof to 1 meter for 5 minutes and nitrogen-filled to prevent fogging. They’ve handled being jammed under a wet sprayhood and clonked about being dragged from the hidy hole to be used then thrown back in the storage bin repeatedly.

Focus

The central focus wheel is smooth and precise. I usually prefer individual eyepiece focus for set-and-forget, but this system is responsive and quick to adjust when sharing binoculars between crew. The eye relief is also generous, I wear glasses occasionally, and I could still get the full field of view without faffing about.

If the Nikon 7×50 Global Compass Binoculars aren’t your bag, then maybe some of the other binoculars I’ve tested might be what you’re looking for, have a look at my buying guide to the best marine binoculars

The post Nikon 7X50 Ocean Pro Global Compass Binoculars – A Sailor’s Perspective appeared first on Yachting World.

Replacing a very successful model is a huge challenge for any boatbuilder. Is it best to take a conservative approach, opting for a similar design to the original with only incremental updates and improvements? Or should they take a much more radical line, introducing innovative features that turn long established thinking on its head?

The new Lagoon 43 has a very different hull shape to its predecessor, with much broader forward sections above the waterline. Key motivations for this were to create a charter version with four equal double cabins, all with large peninsula beds, and to move the berth in the owner’s suite to the front of the boat in three-cabin layouts, without compromising the size of the bed.

This moves it as far away as possible from noise in the cockpit, from the engines, and from busy town quays when moored stern to, as well as improving natural ventilation while sleeping. The new boat also has many smaller improvements which represents a big upgrade on the original.

But how do the changes in hull shape affect handling and performance? As with other Lagoons, I found the boat surprisingly responsive even in light winds, when it could be reliably tacked on the mainsail alone. Of course a catamaran of this size weighing a whopping 13.9 tonnes (it’s 1,800kg heavier than the Lagoon 42) will never have the direct feel of a performance yacht, yet it’s responsive to the helm and easy to point the boat where you want it.

The forward sections of each hull are much wider above the waterline, opening up options for better accommodation. Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

Steady sailing

Closehauled under full sail in 18-19 knots of true wind we consistently made around 7.5 knots at a true wind angle, while tacking through around 100°, although as the wind eased upwind speed fell quickly. Nevertheless, bearing away to 100° true wind angle and unfurling the Code 0 had us accelerating back to 7-7.5 knots in 12-15 knots of breeze, reducing to 6.2 knots as the true wind dropped to little more than 8 knots.

There’s noticeable acceleration as the breeze builds, yet also a reassuringly solid feel in stronger gusts. Even though this boat has huge stability Lagoon includes a fuse in the mainsheet that will release around 1m of the line if the boat is at risk of becoming overpowered. It’s a simple idea, yet could be a game changer if caught by a severe and unexpected squall.

It’s important to recognise that this is a boat for which the design brief was to maximise accommodation volumes and it’s not one intended to sail at impressive double-digit speeds downwind and reaching in strong winds. Instead, the expectation is to shorten sail early to maintain speeds of around 8 knots, with only occasional faster surfs.

The single helm station is typical Lagoon and at eye level with those sitting on the flybridge or in contact with the aft cockpit area. Photo: Ben Scheurer/EYOTY

Nevertheless in early sea trials off Les Sables d’Olonne in 30 knots and 3m waves in March last year the test team reported being able to keep full sail set.

Waterline beam is the same as for the Lagoon 42, so wetted surface area at lower boat speeds in light airs is more or less unchanged compared to the old model. Unfortunately, in the flat water conditions of my test, it was not possible to get a sense of how much the extra buoyancy above the static waterline forward will impact the boat’s motion when upwind in an uncomfortable sea state.

Sail area has been increased compared to the 42, but not by enough to offset a big increase in displacement. In lighter airs the boat proved less inspiring and in 10-12 knots of breeze the best tacking angle we could manage was 110°, with boat speed of little more than a disappointing five knots. In these conditions speed increased and the boat felt more responsive on bearing away a little and deploying the Code 0, but the sheeting angles of our test boat weren’t configured to allow this sail to be used upwind.

Reversible rear-facing cockpit seats mean you can look forward into the saloon or aft out to sea. Note bulwark gates for easy boarding/disembarking. Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

Boat handling

The raised helm station is typical Lagoon, with all sail controls at your fingertips, other than sheets and furling lines for reaching sails or asymmetric spinnakers. Visibility is good except when close-hauled on starboard tack and when reaching with a spinnaker or Code 0.

In common with most that are sold to private owners, our test boat was fitted with optional electric winches and an electric Harken FlatWinder system for the mainsheet traveller, making for very easy push-button sail handling. The traveller is located at the aft end of the bridge deck, keeping the mainsheet well clear of crew and guests, providing they’re not standing up on the flybridge.

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The test boat also had the benefit of a square top mainsail, which is 13% larger than the standard sail. Overall sail area has also been increased compared to the Lagoon 42, though the new boat’s greater displacement represents 15% extra weight.

Raised helm positions can be less sociable than other options given the disconnect with the aft cockpit and saloon areas. However, there’s space for three or four people around the wide helm seat, while anyone sitting on the semi-flybridge – a feature not offered on the 42 – is almost at eye level with those at the helm station.

A solid bimini that can be fitted with side screens is provided over the helm station, but there’s no option for similar shelter above the flybridge seating as the boom is too low. The helm may therefore be a more lonely place in inclement weather, or a long night watch.

The opening between saloon and cockpit is greatly enlarged. Seating here is arranged very flexibly – it can be set up to accommodate up to a dozen people for dining, or with a smaller table and ample space for lounging and sun beds. Photo: Julien Gazeau

This is compounded by the lack of a dedicated navigation station at the front of the saloon, though if on watch in inclement weather it would be possible to sit on the forward end of the saloon seating, with a pilot remote and tablet for navigation. There’s a good view forward and to each side from here, but large blind spots on each quarter.

Spending time on a Lagoon has always been about far more than just the sailing – it’s about all aspects of enjoying life on the water and the new boat has been improved in many respects. In addition to the flybridge, for instance, there’s also better forward cockpit arrangement so there are now three separate socialising areas on board.

The wide bench right aft has a reversible backrest, so you can sit looking inwards towards the aft cockpit and saloon, or aft facing out over the water. It’s the first time this has been done on any Lagoon, but it’s a really neat idea and well executed. The same is true of the new gates in the aft topsides of each hull that make stepping off onto a pontoon much easier than usual from a catamaran and can be useful for safely transferring to a tender.

The wider bows enables the master cabin berth to be moved to the front of the boat, away from cockpit and engine noise. Photo: Julien Gazeau

Multi-role living space

The changes to the hull shape allows for impressive sleeping accommodation in the hulls, with much larger forecabins, yet still space for two heads compartments with separate shower stalls in each hull, although these have folding hand basins to save space.

There’s also a refreshingly different arrangement for the owner’s accommodation in three-cabin boats, with the bed forward. This layout for owner’s versions also features on the new Lagoon 38 that was announced at boot Düsseldorf in January.

More of the master cabin berth. Photo: Julien Gazeau

“We had this idea for years,” Lagoon’s Quentin Beraut told me, “but we couldn’t do it before having the appropriate hull shape – it required a lot of work with VPLP to get a workable design with the necessary volumes.”

Another important change is that the opening between the saloon and aft cockpit is much wider than on the Lagoon 42, with a three-section sliding door and carbon reinforcement to retain strength and stiffness around the aperture. This is transformational in creating a large single inside-outside space of around 15ft by 25-30ft. This also means it’s possible to have a big dining table that seats up to a dozen people – ideal for visits from extended family – while more intimate set ups are also possible if cruising as a couple.

The feeling of space in the saloon is enhanced through moving the mast further forward than on earlier designs. The compression post is just ahead of the galley sink, where it doesn’t get in the way of the layout and is visually unobtrusive.

Saloon is bright and spacious with good views forward and to each side. Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

Cooking and dining

A large and well-appointed galley has extensive worktop space, a four burner gas hob, 1.5 bowl sink and very extensive refrigeration, as well as plenty of stowage, including three big under floor compartments.

The saloon table can seat as many as seven people with the cockpit door closed in inclement weather, or when using air conditioning. Roughly 50% of smaller Lagoons leave the yard with aircon fitted, although the numbers vary hugely in different markets. In the USA, BVIs and Asia the figure is close to 100%, but is much lower in Europe, even among private owners based in the Mediterranean.

Another impressive aspect is the ease with which people can circulate around the boat. We had seven on board for my first sail and it still felt very spacious, with no major choke points. It’s an important factor, as it’s possible to sleep 13 people on four-cabin versions if you specify both skipper cabins in the bows and the optional additional Pullman bed in the port aft cabin.

Lagoon 43 excels as a platform for fun in the sun. Photo: Lagoon Catamarans

On the downside, the interior has a surprising amount of plasticky trim, where more solid wood capping might be expected on a boat of this value, as well as a lot of 90° edges, rather than rounded corners. Some of these were already showing signs of wear on our test boat.

Construction throughout is of balsa core, with VPLP responsible for structural engineering, a function that was previously carried out by Lagoon in-house. Our test boat was fitted with an experimental ‘silent running’ package consisting of lithium batteries and two alternators per engine, plus 400W of solar and two vertical axis wind generators on the mast. The idea is to enable seven hours of air conditioning to be used overnight at low to medium settings, without recourse to running a generator, as well as running refrigeration and other hotel loads overnight.

There is provision for an optional generator under one of the seats in the forward cockpit. There’s also lots of on deck stowage for watersports, toys, bikes and so on, especially if the optional skipper cabins are not specified in the front of each hull.

Incidentally, the 42 remains in build, but with only one fairly well equipped specification and a four-cabin layout, which streamlines the production process. This enables Lagoon it sell it for €500,000 ex VAT, representing a saving of around €100,000 compared to the on the water price of a Lagoon 43 with a typical specification for owners on this side of the Atlantic.

Lagoon 43 specifications

LOA: 13.85m 45ft 5in
Hull length: 12.82m 42ft 1in
Beam: 7.69m 25ft 3in
Draught: 1.31m 4ft 4in
Displacement: 13,900kg 30,848lb
Upwind sail area: 105m2 1,130ft2
Air draught: 19.94m 65ft 5in
Base price: €499,000 ex VAT

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SMRT by name, smart by nature – Class M peace of mind afloat

When you spend half your life jumping from a tender to a boat in pitch dark, in the middle of Southampton Water, surrounded by container ships and pilot boats… you start to think a bit differently about personal safety.

Specifications:

• Type: AIS MOB Beacon (Class M Certified)
• Activation: Water immersion auto-activation + manual button
• Battery: Long-life sealed lithium, 7+ years
• Connectivity: NFC-enabled for battery/status checks via smartphone app
• Antenna: Rubberised, rugged design
• Size/Weight: Slightly larger than some, but robust and compact enough for most lifejackets
• DSC Capability: Yes (individual and group call options)
• Strobe light: Integrated high-visibility LED
• Waterproof Rating: IP68 (up to 10m)

I’ve been sailing double-handed or solo for many years now. It’s how I work and how I live. Which means the person most likely to save my backside if I fall in is probably already up to their elbows in mainsheet and confusion. So for their sake, not just mine, I wear an AIS beacon every time I step aboard.

The SMRT ALERT MOB Beacon is the latest piece of safety kit that’s earned a permanent place in my daily lifejacket, a Baltic Epiq. It’s the first to be certified Class M under the new rules (you know, the ones that say only proper, tested beacons can use AIS channels from Jan 2025 in Europe). That’s a big deal — it’s no longer just a fancy add-on. It’s a standard.

What’s it like in the real world? Solid. Chunkier than others, yes, but far simpler to operate — it auto-activates on water contact, no fiddly switches, no guesswork. The rubberised aerial feels rugged, not like some of the whippy plastic nonsense I’ve tested before. It slips comfortably into my everyday lifejacket, the one I wear when I’m ferrying kit back and forth to the boat in the RIB or tender. Doesn’t move, doesn’t jab me in the ribs.

Now, my Spinlock deckvest lifejacket? Yeah, not quite enough room in there — but that’s what belt pouches are for.

And the NFC check feature is really nifty. I just hold my phone on it, outside my lifejacket and up pops the battery status — no need to dig around or unzip anything.

This beacon doesn’t make me invincible. But it gives me the best chance of being seen, especially when I’m invisible to the big boats — and that’s all I can ask from a bit of tech.

If you move around at night in shipping zones, work/sail double-handed, or just want your name to ping up on every chartplotter in a half-mile radius when you hit the water — this beacon’s for you.

If the SMRT alert beacon doesn’t work for you, there’s other options available as I’ve outlined in my best beacons guide

The post SMRT Alert AIS beacon – the beacon I wear every day appeared first on Yachting World.

Sumarpro Nova Women’s Sleeveless Eco Open Water Swimming Wetsuit

Best sleeveless performance swimming wetsuit

Specifications

• Yamamoto SCS neoprene
• Low modular tech
• Hypoallergenic materials
• Stable Trinity Support System
• Quick-release ankle panels
• Ergonomic-designed collar
• 2-year warranty

A sleeveless wetsuit or ‘longjane’ is a great option for front crawl swimmers. You get the warmth in your torso, lift in your legs and full movement in your shoulders.

Sumarpro designs its wetsuits with racing in mind. The Yamamoto neoprene feels super-soft. The neck is high to reduce chafe, although one tester found it a little tight. Sumarpro also uses something they call ‘Low Modulus Tech’ to help make your stroke more efficient and it felt really good to swim in.

We like the fit and cut of this wetsuit, and we love having our shoulders free. It doesn’t come in larger sizes, but with 5mm neoprene on the legs for extra buoyancy, it’s just as well – this wetsuit is best suited to lean triathletes who want a racing advantage.

Buy it now

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Wild Moose Caribou Tote Bag

Best weatherproof tote bag for wild swimming

Specifications

• Fully waterproof
• 40L capacity
• Made from recycled600D Oxford fabric with TPU lamination and heat-welded seams
• Roll-top
• Separate 5L, recycled, ripstop dry bag
• Splash-proof zip pocket on the front for small items
• Pop-out pockets to compartmentalise the interior for easy rummaging
• Thermally lined pocket
• Comfy shoulder strap with padding or grab handles
• Firm base

This fun tote bag is highly practical for outdoor swimming. It has loads of space for your kit, it’s waterproof – it even has an insulated pocket for your hot water bottle.

Keeping your warm clothes dry is one of the most important requirements of a kit bag. The Caribou is tough and waterproof, so you could stand it in a puddle, and the contents would stay dry. It also has a sealable roll top. It comes with a handy dry bag so you can keep your wet stuff separate inside.

We love the solid structure – there’s no chance of it falling over. And the bright colour means we can keep an eye on it from the water.

The bag is big enough for all your kit – even your changing robe. But, despite having interior compartments, we did find ourselves having to rummage for stuff at the bottom. That said, the aperture is big enough to make this easy.

You couldn’t carry a full tote for a long walk, but it is comfortable to carry. It’s a fantastic bag for cold water swimmers.

The post Wild Moose Caribou Tote Bag Review appeared first on Yachting World.

These Steiner Navigator Pro 7×50 binoculars have been used (maybe slightly abused) for the past eight years onboard my Dehler 36. I sail and race solo or double handed but take non-sailing friends and guests onboard throughout the year. These binoculars have been used for everything. I mean everything!

I’ve used the Steiner Navigator Pro 7×50 binoculars to line up a racing mark and a bearing to a finish mark on a longer race, they’ve been used for general pilotage too.

They’ve also been used by friends who want to learn to take multipoint fixes and plot them on a chart as practice for Day Skipper qualifications, and they’ve been used by friends and their children to spot local wildlife at anchor and trails up coastlines for exploration later on land. They are without doubt some of the best marine binoculars.

They were given to me as a gift and they truly are the gift that keeps on giving. Year after year.

Steiner Navigator Pro 7×50 Compass Binoculars review

The best binoculars for boating? We think so.

Note: This product was tested and purchased independently of any manufacturer influence. We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This helps to fund future, unbiased journalistic content.

The antiglare coating on the lenses appears to work pretty well, I’ve never struggled with any kind of sun spots or glare. As they are so bright they are still easy to use at night for identifying shipping and distant lights, again, without halos, reflections or visual artefacts.

They’re robust too, as I may have accidentally dropped them and knocked them about generally and they’re still as good as new. They might not look clean and box fresh in the pictures I’ve provided, but the optics are absolutely tip-top.

Profile image of Steiner Navigator Pro 7×50 compass binoculars

The lens caps are captive which means you’ll never lose them, but as a tradeoff you do have to deal with a couple of rubber flaps bouncing and clanging around in a strong breeze. For the type of abuse I have given them , it’s probably a good idea that they’re attached.

Rubber end caps in place

The individual eye adjustment is quick and easy and with just the right amount of friction that avoids them resetting themselves or turning by accident.

Easy to read compass, day and night

The Steiner Navigator Pro 7×50 binoculars come with a basic padded strap (although some sub-par metal rings on that strap went rusty within a couple of years) and a decent padded bag – although the zip on the bag has also gone fuzzy and needed a bit of persuasion to move recently.

Rusty metal strap fittings are easy to replace, though they went rusty fairly quickly.

The padded bag has a detachable shoulder strap which is really handy for securing them to a pole, as I do on my boat. I just wind the strap around the pole a few times then reattach it. The binoculars are then stowed safely within easy reach of the companionway.

Padded carry bag with detachable strap

Steiner have launched some new models of the Navigator (which we will be reviewing as soon as we can get hold of a pair), but these are still available to buy at the time of writing this review. In which case you may well pick up a bargain.

I highly recommend these as the best binoculars for boating, whether you’re a sailor, a motorboater or anyone out on the water. They’re available without a compass too.

Want to learn more about waterproof binoculars? Read our guide to the best boat binoculars on the market.

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Here at Yachting World, we’ve tested waterproof bags for all types of watersports needs over the years and usually we are looking at the same manufacturers, who have been producing the best waterproof backpacks for many, many years. So, I jumped at the chance to test out the new the 25L Roll Top Dry Backpack from newly launched brand GroundTruth.

This bag hits all of my waterproof backpack preferences, with soft comfy straps, padded back panels, roll-top drybag closure to keep things dry and is just the right size to fit everything I need for a day of paddleboarding without being unwieldy.

The backpack has even been created in collaboration with PADI (the Professional Association of Diving Instructors) so it’s waterproof levels (IP67 rating – essentially a very high level of water protection) can be trusted. That waterproofing level is particularly handy for those of us who feel the threat of our electronics getting wet while on the water hanging over us like the sword of Damocles.

I’d be lying if I told you these features made the GroundTruth Backpack unique in any particular way. There are hundreds of waterproof backpacks on the market that all offer these features. Indeed, my backpack of choice is the 30l Red Adventure Waterproof Backpack, which has all these features too. But two things really appealed to me when GroundTruth got in touch about the launch of this waterproof backpack:

The removable tote bag is a good feature

Sustainable waterproof backpack

As is always the case with manufacturers, there’s a great deal of marketing spiel to wade through about why this or that product is new and innovative, but in the case of GroundTruth, there is a reasonable amount of merit to their explainers.

The company have created their own zip type to try to reduce manufacturing emissions (the material is nattily called: GT-OCO-CO2 and has won awards). The zip material is almost irrelevant other than the fact that is shows what appear to be genuine efforts to create a product that is not harmful to the environment. They have created their own material to produce the backpack made using 100% recycled plastics recovered from the oceans, including post-consumer waste and ghost fishing nets.

From what I’ve seen of the company and their information this all appears to be a genuine effort and is over and above some of the green washing efforts you see from other manufacturers – though it has to be said the majority of brands are doing better now than even 5 years ago.

All that being said, I do have a minor – as yet not proven – concern. Longevity. I’ve only used this bag a handful of times and I’ve been really pleased with how well it carries weight and the waterproofing (and much of the rest of its performance).

However, there does need to be an element of buyer beware when talking about new companies. The backpack does feel sturdy and well-made but until I’ve used it for a couple of years I cant vouch for it’s longevity in the same way that I could for a product from an established manufacturer.

That’s not to say there will be any problems, but I could recommend a new Red product knowing what I know about their build quality in a way that I simply can’t here. I’ll keep using it and update this page with some longer term testing thoughts in time.

Inside the tote bag there are spaces for a laptop, canteen etc.

Tote bag inside in a waterproof bag

The GroundTruth has a neat little trick, an internal padded tote bag that can be removed and used separately. Although the tote is handy to pull out and use at the beach I think the benefits are slightly broader. Many roll top type backpacks suffer a certain floppyness when they are not full, but with the tote insert added the GroundTruth backpack feels really sturdy.

Of course there are waterproof backpacks out there that have padding allowing them to be sturdy, but that then makes them impossible to pack down into a small space and adds to the weight. Leave the tote portion at home and you’ve got a very big, very light waterproof backpack. Take it with you and you have a sturdy bag that can carry your laptop, canteen and other bits and bobs with plenty of protection.

It’s a really neat solution and does give the backpack something of a 2-in-1 vibe that is really appealing. Can I honestly see myself wandering around the beach with just the tote in hand? No. But for me, that’s rather beside the point.

As GroundTruth are fairly new to the waterproof backpack market, purchasing options are limited so you can currently really only buy the GroundTruth 25L Roll Top Dry Backpack direct fromGroundTruth, but i’m told they are working on their network of suppliers.

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Many new launches these days aim to be lighter, faster and more open. Not so the Moody DS48. From the moment you scale the boarding ladder (via steps which fold out from the solid guardrails to surmount her deep bulwarks), and set foot on the recessed side decks, this is a boat that you are most definitely in, rather than on.

High topsides, muscular bow sections and a formidable deck house make the Moody DS48 an imposing yacht, even from the pontoon. Set all 165m2 of canvas and with 21 tonnes of boat in full motion, it becomes even more formidable.

The Solent is normally an ideal test ground for sea trials; sheltered enough to play in, yet with strong tides and a decent fetch that can kick up a steep chop. But when it came to testing the new Moody DS48, designed for long-distance passagemaking, nothing less than a Channel crossing would do. I joined the boat at Lymington in the morning, and with our crew of five decided that dinner in Alderney would make for a fitting goal – so with a booking made for 2000hrs at the Braye Beach Hotel, we had some miles to make.

For the Moody DS48 the company has continued its long association with Bill Dixon, who has a reputation for drawing seaworthy, high volume hulls with a good turn of speed. DS stands for Deck Saloon, the first of the range being the DS45 launched in 2007, and followed by the Moody 41DS. The newest 48 is an evolution of the concept.

Simon Coles, senior designer at Dixon Yacht Design says, “We set out to draw a boat that maximised the inside-outside feeling of single-level living, while handling the extra displacement from all the kit people want with them on a world-cruising boat.” He also explains how the aft shape is designed to cope with the added displacement “without dragging the transom”, and that the relatively deep forefoot should prove sea-kindly.

Large hull with generous displacement moves through the gears easily using the self-tacking jib. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Stately progress

Slipping Lymington, we were soon in the grip of a strong ebb, whipping us out past the Needles with little more than 5 knots of true wind from the south-east, but thanks to the 150hp Yanmar, we were making more than 9 knots over the ground.

Once clear of the Isle of Wight, we had near 10 knots from the south east allowing us to shape a course straight for Alderney. All being well, the tide would slosh us west, then east, before plonking us just outside Braye spot-on slack water.

The high topsides include a full length soft chine. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

With a fetch ahead of us, the optional 87m2 overlapping genoa set beautifully, giving useful extra drive compared to the self-tacking jib, while being more versatile than a Code 0. As with most boats equipped with a self-tacking jib, the mast is positioned well forward, with a large mainsail. Our test boat had in-mast furling fitted, with full vertical battens in a cruising laminate main.

As the breeze built, boat speed climbed from 6 to 8 knots, touching 9.5 knots over the ground with a knot or so of tide helping us along. After making smooth and stately progress across an unusually flat English Channel, the clouds closed in and the first rain squall picked the wind up to 20 knots, drenching us in the process. We swapped from genoa to self-tacking jib and continued on an almost entirely even keel.

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While those handling sails got a bit wet, the extendable canopy afforded some shelter at the wheel, and complete shelter for any crew cowering in the cockpit. The other benefit of the large coachroof is that it offers enough space for the optional 800W of solar panels that our test boat was fitted with. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew kept a lookout from the warmth and shelter of the deck saloon.

Deep bulwarks and solid guardrails feel really secure. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Easy handling

Sail handling proved easy on the Moody DS48, with powered Lewmar 65 winches either side, and a second manual 55 winch (powered optional). Each wheel pedestal has duplicate switches for the mainsail furler, genoa furler, and two powered winches, so that sails can be furled, unfurled and sheeted without leaving the wheel. The winches sit atop the cockpit coamings, so can be handled from in the cockpit, or from standing on the side decks, though the overhanging canopy slightly obstructs working the winch when on the side deck.

The only task we actually picked up a winch handle for during the trip was to add backstay tension to the three-spreader fractional rig to deal with a bit of forestay sag when the jib was sheeted in hard.

The breeze was far from settled, requiring frequent adjustments to the sailplan to keep us powered up, and as we hit the east-going traffic, another squall reduced visibility to less than a mile while the wind crept up to 35 knots, giving us 42 knots over the deck.

Sail handling can be done from a protected position. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Two button-pushes left us with just a scrap of mainsail and two thirds of the jib deployed. As the chop built, this lacked a little power to keep us going, but the motion was comfortable and we were still making progress of 6 knots or so. It also gave us the chance to sample how well the boat handled moderate waves – nothing huge, though enough to send spray flying over the bow. Occasional steeper waves hit the bow with a thud, but the DS48 ploughed on unperturbed.

By the time we’d dodged some shipping, the wind was on the nose and Alderney was on the horizon. Not wanting a protracted beat, the jib was furled away and we motorsailed at 8 knots boat speed: the optional larger 150hp Yanmar engine consuming 7.5-8lt of diesel an hour at 2,100rpm.

Deep and well sheltered cockpit is on the same level as the saloon. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Overnight in Alderney

Arriving in Braye still in sunshine, we hailed the water taxi, though if we’d a tender in the garage (up to 2.8m), we could have swung it out on the integral davit arm. Dinner ashore was everything we had hoped, before I retired to the master cabin in the bow.

A large island berth of over 2m long and 1.87m wide sits on the centreline, offering views out of the hull windows. Standing, there’s palatial amounts of space to move around, yet without feeling too exposed at sea, and stowage has been fitted into every available space, with three wardrobes, and numerous smaller lockers and drawers. The en-suite has a separate shower compartment, more locker space and an electric-flush toilet.

Big all-round windows allow plenty of light. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

The starboard VIP twin cabin features two generous singles with its own large en-suite, hull window and ventilation hatch in the side deck. A double to port has access to the day heads and shower. This can alternatively be set up as a bunk cabin or utility space, with or without the third heads compartment, which otherwise becomes further stowage. A large double can also be created in the saloon by lowering the table and adding an infill cushion.

The following morning we awoke to a strong, gusty south-westerly that would be rubbing the tide up the wrong way for most of the crossing home. We set off with most of the genoa out and a partially reefed main in a solid Force 5, but before long we’d furled more of the genoa away and were broad reaching in 20-26 knots of wind at 7.5 to 9 knots through the water.

With the short, steep seas building to 2-3m with breaking crests, the autopilot was working hard, and once or twice let the boat round up when things got too much – time spent adjusting the settings would probably correct this.

Light spills into the saloon and same-level galley. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Having taken the steering in hand, it inevitably turned into a competition to see who could get the highest speed. Inspiration Marine’s Phil Dollin held the record of 12.3 knots for almost the whole crossing, pipped only in the closing miles by a lucky surge while I was at the helm, nudging 12.6 knots. In flatter water inside the Solent, a maximum speed of 9.3 knots, close reaching in 12 knots of breeze, is a truer reflection of the boat’s speed potential.

Rough weather test

The rough weather certainly gave us a good insight into what the boat is really like to helm and sail. The deep single rudder offered plenty of grip and in flat water would happily bear away with full sail pinned in hard. Only once, when a breaking wave caught its stern did the Moody DS48 round up, though not badly. It is, however, a more physical boat to helm in these conditions on a broad reach than a lighter boat might be. The plus side is that despite its substantial displacement, the boat is still fun to sail and the helm responsive enough to reward properly trimmed sails and to keep her in the groove upwind by feel.

The forward double cabin offers plenty of space. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

The conditions also demonstrated the true value of the deck saloon. The crew distributed themselves around the boat – the stern seats made a great place from which to helm or to view the action, though I’d have liked some armrests amidships to break up the wide stretch of flat seat. The deep cockpit felt brilliantly secure and offered seamless connection with the saloon and galley. Beside the full-height sliding door, a slide-down window meant a steady stream of food and hot drinks could be passed straight from the galley to those on deck. The only thing lacking was somewhere to hang dripping foulies and lifejackets when coming inside.

The saloon – not really ‘below decks’ – remained light, warm and supremely comfortable, while offering all-round views to make watch-keeping in shelter entirely feasible. This, combined with the boat’s steady motion and low heeling angles, made a potentially gruelling Channel crossing into an exciting but entirely manageable day sail. The Moody DS48 is a boat that takes the brunt of the weather so you don’t have to.

The starboard VIP twin cabin features two generous singles. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Practical considerations

The layout on our test Moody DS48 had a dual-purpose table to port. From the aft seat, looking forwards, VHF radio, autopilot and throttle controls are immediately to hand, with space to wield a paper chart on the table. Serious passage-makers might be tempted to opt for the dedicated navigation station positioned forwards, close to the windscreen. This gives better all-round views while offering more space for chart stowage and for instruments, though you lose a possible sea berth and two seats for guests at dinner.

In either configuration, I’d have liked an additional pair of hatches at the forward corners of the coachroof to make it easier to look up at the sails, as well as aiding ventilation.

Below the cabin sole, the upgraded 150hp Yanmar fitted easily, alongside a generator, double fuel polishers, inverter, air conditioning and diesel heating.

Moving aft, the two cockpit lockers are cavernous, needing steps to get all the way down into them. These house the steering gear and autopilot – it’s an option to have two fitted for redundancy, one to each side. There’s also a washing machine, plus more than enough space for bikes, tools, and assorted toys. In the transom seat, you can either have a handy shallow locker, or a gas grill and fridge. Rope tails from the winches stow neatly in deep rope bins in the coaming, though some stowage for cups and binoculars was missing.

Moving through the gears easily under genoa. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Moody DS48 specifications

LOA: 15.42m 50ft 7in
Hull length: 14.65m 48ft 1in
LWL: 13.83m 45ft 4in
Beam: 4.85m 15ft 11in
Draught: 2.15m 7ft 1in (shoal 1.80m 5ft 11in)
Displacement: 21,160kg 46,650lb
Ballast: 6,175kg 13,614lb
Sail area (main + jib): 130.90m2 1,409ft2
Engine: Yanmar 110hp (150hp option)
Fuel tank: 570lt / 125gal
Water tank: 766lt / 168gal
Sail area/displacement ratio: 17.4
Displacement/LWL ratio: 187.5
Price as tested: £1,026,841
Builder: moody-yachts.com

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The post Moody DS48 review: Ambitious cruising plans? Look no further appeared first on Yachting World.

There are very few times I feel the need to video the scene from a day on the water simply to brag to my friends. But standing in the master cabin of the stealthy Wallywhy 200, watching the foiling AC75s Ineos Britannia and Emirates Team New Zealand streak past while warming up for America’s Cup battle, was a moment to savour – and one that had me reaching for my phone camera.

Why am I talking about the Why – it’s a motoryacht? Yes, the Wallywhy 200 is another revolutionary, achingly hip Wally. To experience that view from a master cabin – a sumptuously furnished one with near 360° surround vision – within the motoryacht’s snub-nosed plumb bow was mind-boggling. As was watching the day’s Cup matches over lunch from the covered flybridge. But after racing the experience was over: we just motored back to port. All of which helped me realise just how special its sailing yacht counterpart is.

The following day we watched the next round of match races from this first new Wallywind 110, Galma. While it may have lacked the auto stabilisation and positioning of the Wallywhy, comfort levels were similarly resplendent on deck – if not more so.

And despite the excitement of being so close to the live America’s Cup racing, it is the sailing experience afterwards which remains so much more memorable. Taking the wheel of this formidable 70-tonne pinup, when it’s heeled, loaded and scything upwind in double digits, was sublime.

This is more than simply a sail/power preference.

Both boats are the height of style in their respective fields, both are new Wally models of similar size (90ft and 110ft) which prove Wally is still a pioneer of carbon craft, and both days were exclusive experiences. But while the other support and spectator boats returned to dock after racing, we went sailing on Galma – an experience which even transcended achieving a lifetime dream of watching the America’s Cup from the water.

‘Galma prioritises the experience of being on the helm’. Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

Wally vision

The slogan of the cult Italian design brand is ‘20 years ahead’, which feels far fetched until you see an example: in Barcelona the 19-year-old 143ft Esense still looked contemporary as it stole the dockside limelight near the Kiwis’ base. Wally has prided itself on innovation over its three decades, notably with carbon fibre hulls with lifting keels, push-button short-handed sailing, and transoms offering a ‘terrace-on-the-sea’.

For me, it is that ability for one person to easily sail and trim such a large high-speed vessel which remains so impressive today. In the photos here, the white-haired Wally founder Luca Bassani is still doing it, at the helm by himself, a beacon of Italian cool.

As I was to discover in Barcelona, Galma prioritises that experience of being on the helm to an elevated level. But it also brings plenty more to the party (a glance at the cockpit will show you that it can literally host a party). Which brings us to why Bassani calls this the “best Wally ever delivered”. When you look back over 30 years of trendsetters such as Wallygator, WallyB, Tiketitan, Magic Carpet, the Wallynano, Esense – even the now much-imitated Wallytender – why is this the best?

Galma has the sailpower and performance to offer something truly special for those on the wheel. She has already clocked speeds in the early 20-knots with upwind sails. Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

“For the design and performance mix over 30 years of learning… this is the best compromise between cruising and performance.

“This has always been my goal with Wally,” Bassani continues. “To produce boats which are fast or fun for the owner but also comfortable for going cruising.”

Wallywind 110 first impressions

Galma is the first of Wally’s new semi-custom series of 110-150ft Wallywind performance cruisers, launched under its parent Ferretti brand. The metallic blue hull is a Judel/Vrolijk design moulded from carbon fibre composite. Initially on the renders I admit to not fully appreciating the look – is it special enough, the sceptic in me wondered? But then I saw it in the flesh, sailed it and my mind changed dramatically.

The high bulwarks, bare carbon and curved teak styling are all very Wally. But the reverse sheer aft is a striking feature which helps you to feel safe within the boat, all while reducing freeboard height. This muscly but low silhouette is important, the bulwarks helping to disguise a proper raised saloon coachroof and the cockpit depth, cloaking its size when seen from the side.

The drawback is it means there’s not enough headroom to offer a master cabin aft. However the layout is arguably the optimum for crew/owner separation at this size, and once this decision was made the conception of the vast cockpit could germinate properly.

‘At a glance the cockpit will show you that it can literally host a party’. Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

And this is the real game-changing aspect of the Wallywind: deck comfort. Galma offers 80m2 lounging space, including tables, sofas and sunpads with a flush level guest cockpit completely separated from the sailing systems.

Then there’s the sea terrace, another much-imitated feature that Wally pioneered, which is palatial here.

To transfer a guest while we were under sail, Galma’s Wallytender simply nosed up to the transom so that he could step off.

Bassani explains that the design of the wide, overhanging transom also helps bring speed gains. They realised this potential after lengthening the Wallycento Hamilton, which then became 0.5 knot quicker upwind, he says. So rather than building a new mould for the Wallywind 110, the mould for the previous Wally, the custom-built 101ft cruiser-racer Y3K, was extended with overhangs aft.

Shore power, mooring winches, deck wash etc are all hidden away under the wide bulwark coamings. Note the outboard facing sofas. Photos: Gilles Martin-Raget

Galma is potently rigged, with a 1.5m taller mast than Y3K. The owner wanted a high-performance package, opting for a telescopic keel and square-top mainsail (although Bassani feels the self-tacking jib is a little
under specced as it’s a furling model with soft battens).

Not just pretty

Not long after the Kiwis had gone 4-0 up in the Cup, and the support fleet had dispersed into port, Galma quickly changed from hosting to thrill mode. We were treated to ideal, flat water conditions, and from when the sails were hoisted, unfurled and trimmed to shipped again, we never seemed to drop below double figures.

“What we can call the cockpit on this boat is like a cockpit on a big motoryacht – 80m2 with no steps,” says Luca Bassani. Photos: Gilles Martin-Raget

It was a pure demonstration of big yacht performance. This powerful, beamy hull matched the 11-14 knot breeze on a fetch, comfortably in cruise mode with numerous guests aboard.

Bassani then invited me to helm first. Wow! This is a commanding machine fully powered up. Again we consistently matched the 12-13 knot wind strength sailing close hauled at 25° to the apparent. Once the sails are trimmed and balanced, it’s just two fingers on the wheel and feeling this slippery machine cutting to weather leaving no wake.

Bear away to a fetch and you really feel the power. The twin rudders give plenty of grip but at the helm you gain a reassuring degree of weatherhelm, while speeds rise into the early teens.

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The overriding impression is the ease and enjoyment of sailing such a big boat solo. For the helmsman to feel the carbon hull move through the water and be able to trim to each puff as if on a large daysailer is special. Again, it’s a Wally speciality.

The use of Magic Trim rams below deck to make trimming a push-button affair was another Wally first, which it introduced with hydraulic specialists Cariboni on the Wally 88 Tiketitan in 1998. Aboard Galma there’s a technical locker below the helm area to access these rams, as well as the two carbon quadrants.

While sitting out to weather demonstrating the windward helm position, Bassani points out that there’s 12 of us on board, yet we aren’t even using the guest cockpit. It’s at this point I notice something unusual.

Toby on the helm sailing off Barcelona

I’ve sailed many large yachts and the majority of performance-focussed ones in latter years have been very beamy with near flush decks. When they heel, they can look almost comical, as guests scramble for places to hold on and invariably end up resting against the windward side of the coachroof (if there is one) or sitting on the weather rail as if race crew. It’s hardly glamorous.

Not so here. The cockpit has high backrests and can seat plenty, but there are multiple other comfortable positions, particularly the seats which face outboard from the cockpit – I soon found myself wondering why these are not a standard feature on many larger yachts. Meanwhile the high bulwarks and wind-protected sea terrace provide more options to leeward.

There are a total of 52 cushions on deck, so to prevent the need to stow them at heel or risk losing any overboard, they are securely attached with pins into deck sockets. The majority of the cockpit can also be sun-shaded with a sprayhood and bimini. With plenty to hold onto and ample spaces to sit in comfort, it’s refreshingly at odds with many large performance yachts these days.

The impressive owner’s cabin. Photo: Toni Meneguzzo

I’ve sailed off Barcelona plenty of times but have never ticked off stretches of its coastline quite so effortlessly. Twin blade rudders help control the near 700m2 of upwind sail area, while Galma’s pointing ability is aided by its telescopic keel. As standard this would be a 4.5m fixed keel, where this can lower another 2.3m deeper.

Screens lift out of the bulwark to allow you to see the numbers clearly while on the helm. There are also repeaters on the rear side of the guest cockpit chairs, which I found handy with the sprayhood raised as that can hinder the view to the main mast base instruments.

Skipper Miguel ran the Frers designed Wally 94 before (the former Y3K), the owner’s second of three Wallys, and comments on just how different this Galma is. The tech space and engine room are so much better, he says. He admits to having been nervous of the increased loads – it’s a much, much bigger boat, but the accurate load cells and the reliability of the systems have brought peace of mind. Indeed he is now trying to convince his owner to race.

The benefit of using that full beam aft to prioritise deck space over accommodation is also felt in the vast garage below the aft deck. As is common for Wally clients, Galma’s owner uses an independently-operated Wallytender to flank the mothership, so this garage is more a of a well appointed lazarette. It houses a deflated 3.5m crew dinghy, and has space for all fenders, extra refrigeration, bimini storage and numerous toys, with a watertight bulkhead sealing it from the accommodation.

Light interior, with light oak and soft fabrics. Galma features a table for eight in its saloon, with deep sofas opposite and a well-stocked bar forward. Photo: Toni Meneguzzo

Privacy and quiet

With such a cockpit, the saloon becomes less relevant, yet plenty of that 7.6m beam is still felt in the raised saloon. Wally’s design team developed the deck and interior with the Santa Maria Magnolfi studio, bringing a feeling of style continuity.

The layout below decks is a tried and tested format for a performance superyacht of this size, with an owner’s cabin forward, and galley and crew area with its own access aft. It’s an arrangement that’s most practical for the crew, gives maximum segregation to the owners, who are kept away from noise especially when Med-mooring, and works particularly well here with the deck cockpit and layout already described.

Two or three guest cabins can be chosen. Galma has the latter, which sees a guest cabin forward of the saloon too, leaving a relatively modest en-suite master cabin. Otherwise, the semi-custom format of the Wallywind 110 offers the chance to extend that owner cabin, replacing the fourth cabin with extra en-suite space.

There is also a multipurpose area, which can be office or TV snug, or, in Galma’s case, a sumptuously stocked bar. It’s something more fitting of Barcelona’s famous Sips or Paradiso cocktail bars than a high-performance yacht, but when you commission a boat out of as much carbon as possible, I guess you get to choose a few displacement concessions.

One of three guest cabins. Photo: Toni Meneguzzo

In terms of finish, the light veneers, fabric and upholstery featured on the Wallywind 110 are modest and tasteful, neutral and natural, contrasting with more strident black carbon soles and detailing. These clear-coat soles may look slick, but were already showing numerous dents. The carbon door stops meanwhile – which operate hands-free by popping up when you press them with your toe – are genius!

The crew area works hard, with its long, narrow mess and practical U-shaped galley. Galma runs with four permanent crew, taking on an extra hand when guests are aboard. The separate crew companionway aft leads from the sailing systems straight to a chart table at its foot.

I also appreciated how the area has been well thought out for multipurpose use – the mess table can be used for ironing, while the navstation stool adjoins the mess when the extra crewmember is aboard. The large electrics panels opposite are well organised for accessing, monitoring and troubleshooting the 24V systems and fuses, and the bilges offer deep and plentiful dry goods stowage spaces.

A prime benefit of a raised saloon is the ability to house the majority of the machinery below, which then frees up accommodation space. The engine room is seated headroom only but enjoys near full beam. Here, a 425hp Cummins engine is flanked by 27kW gensets each side, both with PTOs (power take offs) to deliver power to the hotel loads or hydraulics. A 125lt hydraulic oil tank feeds the winches, keel, and Magic Trim systems. The engineer pointed out how they’ve deliberately doubled up on all the major systems for redundancy.

Galma is powerfully rigged with a Hall Spars mast, ECsix rigging and a North wardrobe that includes square-top main, storm jib, code 0 and A-sail. Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

Forward thinking

The second Wallywind 110 is due to launch this summer, while the Wallyrocket 51ft raceboat is already sailing. So what do the next 20 years ahead look like, I ask Bassani?

“The next thing is to apply the concept of this boat on different sizes,” by which he refers to the Wallywind’s deck layout and cockpit comfort which is comparable to a motoryacht.

I think back to when the first Wally yachts started to emerge in the glitzy Med harbours in the late 1990s. I was working on a superyacht, and had never seen anything like it. They literally redefined cool – quite literally, when you consider what was for English-speakers a dorky slang term.

To have also continually brought big new ideas to the superyacht world, while remaining at the forefront of style for three decades, is unique.

Sailing upwind on Galma in cruise mode with bimini up – still a thrill and easy to trim and enjoy with a small crew. Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

Galma may not be the fastest racer or most finely-built cruiser but, like many from the Wally stable, it offers a fiendishly enticing mix. Is the Wallywind 110 the best Wally ever? I’ll leave that for the man who has conceived them to call. But it certainly allows me to unashamedly keep calling Wally the coolest brand in our sport.

Wallywind 110 specifications

LOA: 33.40m / 109ft 7in
Beam: 7.60m / 24ft 11in
Draught (fixed keel): 4.50m / 14ft 9in
Displacement (light): 71,900kg / 158,511lb
Sail area: 635m2 / 6,385ft2
Design: Judel/Vrolijk, Wally, Santa Maria Magnolfi

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We’re sailing the Contest 63CS upwind on a glorious late autumn day in the Balearics, in supreme comfort and with minimal heel, yet maintaining 6.5-7.1 knots of boat speed in only 8 knots of true breeze. The helm has a lovely light, direct feel and I’m able to fine tune sail trim instantly from a comprehensive bank of controls for the electric and hydraulic sail handling systems on the wheel pedestals.

Yet this is not a lightweight and pared-down daysailer or weekend. It’s a high-end 32-tonne cruising yacht with spacious accommodation, refined aesthetics and the ability to go anywhere in the world in style.

I sailed the Contest 63CS over two days in a fairly wide range of conditions with windspeed ranging from as little as four knots through to gusts in the upper teens.

Contest 63CS performance in these light to moderate breezes proved astounding for a boat of this size and weight, though my test boat had the benefit of substantial upgrades over the standard specification. This includes a taller three-spreader carbon mast with textile standing rigging, furling V-boom, deeper 3.5m draught, North 3Di main and headsail, plus Helix Code 0 and A2 asymmetric spinnaker.

Performance underscores the potential of the design. Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

These upgrades greatly raise the cost of this yacht above the base price, and the deep draught certainly won’t suit every owner, but my notes repeatedly point to just how well this boat sails in this configuration.
We also spent a lot of time sailing with the Code 0 at a variety of wind angles and speeds.

While close reaching at 45-55° to the apparent wind we consistently sailed at the true wind speed in only 6-8 knots of breeze. When the true wind increased to 9 knots we accelerated to 9-9.5 knots, and topped 10 knots when it built to 14.

It’s not so long ago that many more traditional serious cruising designs would have barely been getting going in 8-10 knots of breeze, let alone pushing close to hull speed, so these are very impressive figures for such a comfortable yacht.

The performance of this tricked-up Contest is formidable, particularly under Code and A-sails. Photo: Sailing Energy

Power on tap

Of course, close reaching with a Code 0 in light airs has potential to generate a lot of apparent wind, which boosts speed in a virtuous circle as the faster you go the greater the apparent wind you generate. How quick is the Contest 63CS upwind under only main and jib? As the breeze built boat speed close-hauled increased to 8.1 knots in 12.5 knots true.

By this time we were well powered up – not surprising given the apparent wind speed was now approaching 20 knots – but this design is reassuringly easy to depower.

In particular, the powerful Reckmann hydraulic backstay, plus forestay load cell, fitted to the test boat makes for quick and effortless adjustment, as well as reliable and repeatable settings across different conditions.

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Alternatively, when steering by hand it’s easy to feather up a couple of degrees in gusts to depower and we had no problems close-hauled under full sail in 15 knots true. It still produced the same lovely feel on the helm with the pressure just starting to build as the heel angle increased.

The test boat was equipped with a 106% overlapping headsail, but a self-tacking sail, with a recessed track, is also offered. Similarly, there’s the option for permanent or removable inner forestays for a heavy weather jib. We had the latter, which makes for easy tacks when sailing with the larger headsail in lighter airs.

The 63CS Blue Vision is sporty for its size – you don’t want to relinquish the helm! Note: primary winch positions aren’t ideal for short-handing. Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

Control stations

A lot of thought, knowledge and experience has gone into the helm stations. These have generous rotating seats that adjust fore and aft, while big folding foot chocks make for a comfortable helming position sitting on the coaming when helming upwind, from where there’s an excellent view of the luff of the jib and spinnakers.

Big pedestals at both helm stations have plenty of space for MFDs and instrumentation, plus controls for the hydraulic furlers and other switch gear, as well as the retractable bow and stern thrusters. There’s also a ‘panic’ button that stops all the winches and hydraulics from operating, an important safety feature.

Rupert on the wheel with double helm seat which rotates to make use of aft deck. Photo: Ben Scheurer/EYOTY

Our best speed of the test was with the asymmetric spinnaker in 19 knots and at 120º to the true wind. We hit 10.6 knots, with the boat feeling powered up, but still with no worries about remaining in control. It’s very noticeable that, unlike the majority of cruising monohulls, the performance potential of this boat is such that you’re apparent wind sailing a lot of the time.

This boosts boat speed, but also brings the advantage that, if things unexpectedly become too exciting, bearing away will significantly reduce the apparent wind and thereby restore a sense of calm and order.

Sunken guest cockpit for up to eight. Photo: Ben Scheurer/EYOTY

Easy handling

The Contest 63CS deck layout is arranged for remarkably easy handling, with the electric winches and optional hydraulic furlers on our test boat taking almost all the effort out of sail handling. The only major exception for boats with overlapping headsails is the location of the primary winches.

These are outboard of the helm stations and within easy reach of the driver, but a second crewmember handling the sheets may need to do so from the lee side deck. This is of course not an issue for boats with the self-tacking jib option, which further simplifies sail handling, especially when short-handed.

The mainsheet is taken to a central pedestal and winch a little forward of the helm stations. Anyone working aft of this pedestal should therefore be clear of the mainsheet in manoeuvres. Other lines are taken aft to jammers and winches on the coamings abaft the helm stations.

Big coachroof windows and slim mullions maximise the amount of natural light finding its way into the saloon. Photo: Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

Our test Contest 63CS had no provision for stowing rope tails, although the large aft deck area is slightly lower than the side decks, so lines can be stowed flaked there.

The guest cockpit is ahead of the wheels and a couple of steps lower than the helm area, which gives it more shelter, while also improving forward visibility from the wheels. This area seats up to eight people on two L-shaped benches with a table each side and folding leaves to join them in the middle for dining.

A further aft cockpit area behind the helm stations has three neat folding wooden seats on the rails and rotating the helm seats to face aft makes this another sociable space. It’s a format that makes very effective use of all the space above the aft cabin and the boat feels unusually spacious on deck, even by the standards of monohulls of this size, with the only downside being the three different levels of cockpit sole.

Vented locker immediately next to the companionway steps is for foul-weather gear. Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

Refined finery

Five easy steps lead down from the forward cockpit area into a raised full-width saloon with lovely ambience and space. Interior design is by Wetzels Brown Partners of Amsterdam, which has worked with Contest for more than 10 years. Key priorities for this model were to maximise volume, natural light and ventilation, while the stunning cut wood rounded corners that first featured on the Contest 72CS a decade ago are also included.

The yard also refined production processes for the Contest 63CS and in doing so was able reduce the space between the hull sides and furniture that’s otherwise wasted. This frees up more interior volume, helping to create the feel of a very large 63-footer that belies this design’s excellent sailing qualities.

Big hull and coachroof windows, together with compact mullions, maximise natural light while also offering a much-improved view, whether you’re sitting or standing in the saloon. Contest has also worked hard to improve the indirect lighting throughout the interior.

Well appointed galley is in the passageway between saloon and owner’s cabin. Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

Natural ventilation in the saloon is primarily via two overhead hatches, though the test boat lacks an opening port in the forward-facing windows. Other neat touches that make a big difference to life on board include a ventilated locker for foul-weather gear next to the companionway.

An excellent large galley is aft to port in the passageway to the owner’s cabin. It’s impressively thought out with lots of worktop space, plenty of stowage and a GN Espace induction hob, electric oven and cooker hood, plus dishwasher, boiling water tap, coffee machine and a bar with wine fridge at the saloon end.

Two equal double cabins, one each side forward of the main bulkhead, both have big en suites. The port side bathroom has a door to a small skipper’s cabin or sail locker that also has direct access to the foredeck via steps. Cushions for the two berths here can be used for a foredeck sunbed when the cabin is not in use.

Large owner’s cabin aft with its increased light and views through larger hull portlights. Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

Natural light

The owner’s cabin aft is a large and very welcoming space lit by a pair of hull windows each side, representing a marked improvement on the single windows of previous Contest models. Both natural light and the feeling of space are enhanced by mirrors on the bulkhead immediately aft of the windows that reflect a lot of light back into the boat. In addition, Contest’s option for its unique central window in the bulkhead to the tender garage gives great views of scenic anchorages when the dinghy is afloat.

Stowage is neatly arranged, though on boats with a stern thruster owners might struggle for space on a long cruise as it takes up all the space under the bed. The excellent en suite, however, has plenty of stowage space as well as a separate shower stall and washer-dryer.

One of the two compact double cabins sited forward of the main bulkhead. Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

Prospective owners should find it reassuring that since 1972 every Contest yacht has left the yard with a Lloyd’s Register Hull Construction Certificate. This covers hull, keel, rudder and hull-to-deck connection and requires plans and structural engineering calculations to be scrutinised and approved before construction commences. Each boat is then inspected by Lloyds surveyors two or three times during the build.

Hull and decks are built of closed-cell foam sandwich with a multi-stage Vinylester infusion process, with strategic use of carbon, while bulkheads are also foam sandwich. The hull stays in the mould until after bulkheads and other stiffening is in place and is post-cured at temperatures above 60° for 24 hours.

An engineering space below the raised saloon houses batteries and tanks, which are positioned low down in the middle of the boat.

Owner’s cabin en suite with a separate shower stall. Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/EYOTY

In addition, a locker next to the companionway houses the twin parallel engine fuel filters. These are fitted with vacuum gauges that help diagnose fuel supply issues and valves that enable the spare filter to be instantly switched into use. This is such an important safety feature, especially if a fuel filter becomes blocked in confined waters, that it really ought to be standard on any boat.

Each wheel is independently connected to the rudder, so if one element of the system fails the boat can still be controlled from the other wheel. This arrangement also enables two independent pilot systems to
be permanently installed, facilitating an easy switch between primary and secondary pilots.

A decent dinghy is essential for long-term cruising. The generously sized tender garage will take a 3.4m (11ft 2in) boat that’s hauled in longitudinally with the aid of a winch and then rotated 90°. Equally, tankage is substantial, with more than 1,500lt of fuel and over 1,000lt of fresh water.

Large volume hull with 18ft beam and plenty of power when the breeze gets up. Photo: Sailing Energy

Contest 63CS specifications

LOA (including sprit): 20.54m / 67ft 5in
Hull length: 19.29m / 63ft 4in
LWL: 17.85m / 58ft 7in
Beam: 5.50m / 18ft 0in
Draught (standard keel): 2.90m / 9ft 6in
Displacement: 31,900kg / 70,327lb
Ballast (standard keel): 12,000kg / 26,456lb
Fuel: 1,560lt / 344gal
Water: 1,150lt / 253gal
Engine: 125kW / 168hp
Sail area/displacement ratio: 23.3
Disp/LWL ratio: 156
Price as tested: approx €3.5m
Builder: contestyachts.com

If you enjoyed this….

Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.

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The post Contest 63CS review: Superyacht-level finish appeared first on Yachting World.