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2020 April 1

This junk-rigged barge-styled cruiser oozes classic charm

If you were walking the docks last weekend you probably didn’t notice the three old codgers sitting on the bench at the end of the pier. No reason you should except for the fact that the three of th
2020 March 6

With customizable options galore, this cruiser will be comfortable for a crowd

The newest boat in the Dufour line is the 530 designed by Felci Yacht Design. When I review a new boat I look for some defining feature that sets it apart from the competition. In this case we have a
2020 March 1

This handsome design packs all you need for family cruising

This is the newest boat from the Arcona yard in Gustavsberg, Sweden. I think it is the perfect size for family cruising. Nothing is overwhelming. Space is tight but you can get everything you need in
2020 February 1

Blending out-of-the-box thinking with custom elements, this daysailer is a super speedster

I’ve known Tom Wylie for a long time. I once owned a boat he designed, a Wylie Wabbit—24 feet of thrills and spills. Tom has always been an original thinker. When just about every designer was doi
2020 February 1

This large family cruiser has all the bells and whistles for Catalina fans

I received a very nice design package from Gerry Douglas, head designer at Catalina Yachts. I think I may have reviewed more Catalina models than any other manufacturer in the many years I have b
2020 January 1

The beautifully designed cruiser can go the distance for a couple or a crowd

Now let’s look at what German Frers does with a very similar design challenge. Sitting side by side at the dock the two boats would be nearly identical except for some subtle styling differences. LO
2020 January 1

This passagemaker is packed with style and comfort for cruising

This month we are going to look at two large cruising boats: the Hylas 60 and the Oyster 565. They share a target market and a general  approach to styling and hull shape. The numbers are so clos
2019 November 1

This daysailer fills the niche for simple sailing and offers a stable platform for learning to sail

Ilike this quote from the promotional material that came with this Tim Jackett-designed Tartan 245. “Although there may be no such thing as the perfect daysailer, that’s not our decision to make,
2019 November 1

With America’s Cup trickledown technology, this daysailing-buoy racing catamaran can fly

There are lots of ways we can enjoy sailing. I think there is a boat for just about everybody. My neighbor bought a John Welsford Scamp this summer. It’s a 12-foot pram with a lug rig. This is his f
2019 October 1

A cleverly designed offshore cruiser that has an interior layout for all kinds of sailing

The Pegasus 50 is built in Slovenia and designed by Marine Designs. This is not a new yard. It has produced many yachts and has recently started to build in carbon fiber. I can’t find any mention in
2019 October 1

A sleek design that marries the best of both cruising and racing

Here’s a new 40-footer from our friends at X-Yachts in Denmark. The design is from the in-house X-Yachts Design Team. Given the X-Yachts tradition of fast boats, I think it’s safe to assume this w
2019 September 1

Combining performance with a luxe interior, this performance cruiser is ready for the open sea

Here’s a new boat for Beneteau’s First series. The hull design is by Biscontini Yacht Design and the layout and deck design is by Lorenzo Argento.  Like the Mark Mills 68, the design target i
2019 September 1

This powerful racer has an interior that is comfy enough for cruising

For my money, some of the most exciting designs being produced today come from the office of my old friend Mark Mills working in County Wicklow, Ireland.  Mark produces high-performance racing y
2019 August 1

This offshore cruising design is a kit for the home builder

We can talk about this boat later. First I want to talk about Bruce Roberts. There are several ways you can be a yacht designer, Bruce chose his own way. Born in Victoria, Australia, Bruce opened his
2019 August 1

This modern offshore cruiser has serious sea legs

The new Hallberg-Rassy models designed by German Frers are always fun to review. I get a wry smile when I look at the new designs considering what HRs looked like 45 years ago when my Valiant 40 was i
2019 June 1

his sexy-looking center-cockpit cruiser is built to last

When you first look at the profiles of the new Gunfleet 43 and the Allures 40.9 you might peg them as very similar boats. The profiles look very similar and LODs are within a foot. But they are really
2019 June 1

Built in aluminum, this centerboarder is ready for thin-water cruising

This month we have two very similarly sized and styled European production boats and one very unusual training dinghy to review. The Allures 40.9 is a Berret-Racoupeau design. It’s a handsome boat i
2019 May 1

Trailerability is the key to this motorsailer

Here is a trailerable pocket cruiser that is built in Ventura, California, and designed by Heraldo Ruesch. It’s a lot of boat in 23 feet and has been designed to perform both under sail and with a l
2019 May 1

This new folding racer- cruiser is primed to take over the title of most popular trimaran from its predecessor

Without a doubt, the Corsair F27 has been the most popular trimaran design of all time. It’s in the Sailboat Hall of Fame. But the Corsair group thought it was time to replace that model and has com
2019 May 1

This sexy offshore racer-cruiser has plenty of power for racing combined with simple cruising comfort

The latest sportboat from the J/Boats crew is this J/99 designed by Alan Johnstone. It follows on the tremendous success of the J/121 and J/112E models. It’s a hot rod but it has comfortable accommo

Perry on Design

  • This folding trimaran for fun cruising offers plenty of options

  • The redesign of a popular 50-foot cruiser offers better performance and more comfort

  • Retro style but modern performance are the trademarks of this new cruiser

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