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2020 November 1

Catana OC

This elegant cruising catamaran has speed and sailability

By Robert H. Perry
The French catamaran builder Catana started building cruising cats 20 years ago, and at that time, cruising cats were far from mainstream. If you went to the Annapolis boat show back then you might se
2020 October 1

Sea Hawk FC 37

When a designer takes on a crowd as a client, the result is an offshore cruiser that pleases the masses

By Robert H. Perry
I was cruising through Facebook one morning and I saw a post that referenced a “Robert Perry Yacht Design Fan Club.” I thought it must be a joke, so I did a search. I found a very well-compos
2020 September 1

Beneteau Oceanis 40.1

This new cruiser has a large array of options sure to please every sailor

By Robert H. Perry
Here’s a new Beneteau Oceanis model that ticks all the boxes. About the only thing I can see that’s not offered is a hard dodger and that would be hard to work in with this deck plan. The thing th
2020 September 1

Excess 11

The fresh thinking behind this cruising cat results in a good looking speedster

By Robert H. Perry
This new catamaran was designed by VPLP with an interior design from Patrick Le Quement. Like almost all cruising cats the profile is a bit brutal and this is a function of pulling all the beam—21 f
2020 August 1

Melges 15

This new daysailer has performance for all ages

By Robert H. Perry
If my buddy calls and invited me for a sail aboard his new daysailer I think I have a pretty good idea what to expect and how to prepare for the day. I’d bring some bottled water, sunscreen, a sandw
2020 August 1

Café Racer

With elan and speed, this luxury daysailer will turn heads

By Robert H. Perry
We have two high-performance daysailers to review this month. Both boats are promoted as daysailers, which begs the question: “Exactly what is a daysailer?” Is it a boat you sail during the day? A
2020 June 1

Pelagic 77

This expedition schooner has the right stuff for high-latitude sailing

By Robert H. Perry
Every month I pester my editor Greta, “Find me something interesting. Find me something I can sink my teeth into.” Well, this month she has outdone herself. Thanks Greta. I think the most fun for
2020 May 1

Isla Aid 95

This stylish ketch is designed for work and play

By Robert H. Perry
I get some unusual design commissions but this is the first time another yacht designer has asked me to design a boat for him. Rob Leighton­—I call him Capt. Rob—is an accomplished yacht des
2020 May 1

DH 550

With speed and comfort, this catamaran can be build built by a home builder

By Robert H. Perry
Here’s an unusual catamaran project from my old friend Dudley Dix. It’s unusual because the client was Phil Harvey, builder of the Gunboat cats in South Africa, Dudley’s previous home. Dudley an
2020 April 1

Paine 15

A designer found the perfect client in creating a comfortable, powerful daysailer

By Robert H. Perry
Ithink it was about eight years ago when I heard that Chuck Paine had retired. I was incredulous. How do you walk away from your life? I called Chuck and found him a bit bitter due to the complication
2020 April 1

Tilikum

This junk-rigged barge-styled cruiser oozes classic charm

By Robert H. Perry
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

Dufour 530

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

By Robert H. Perry
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

Acrona 345

This handsome design packs all you need for family cruising

By Robert H. Perry
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

Wylie 60

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

By Robert H. Perry
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

Catalina 545

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

By Robert H. Perry
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

Hylas 60

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

By Robert H. Perry
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

Oyster 565

This passagemaker is packed with style and comfort for cruising

By Robert H. Perry
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

Tartan 245

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

By Robert H. Perry
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

Eagle Class 53

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

By Robert H. Perry
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

Pegasus 50

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

By Robert H. Perry
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
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Perry on Design

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