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2014 October 1

A blend of speed and comfort still stacks up on one of the first performance cruisers

When Tony Castro designed the Jeanneau Sunshine 38 in the early 1980s, many other naval architects had not yet caught up with the notion that sailors might want a comfortable cruising yacht that was a
2014 September 16

Beneteau’s new 38-footer gives buyers options to customize a boat that comes with sparkling performance and stylish design

There was a time when only the largest production boats were customizable. But why should only owners of big boats get what they really want in an affordable production boat? Beneteau recognized owners’ desires to have the boat they want, without much compromise, regardless of its size, and in doing so have managed to create a 38-foot boat that sails and feels like a much bigger boat.
2014 September 1

Cruiser-racer

Now for the dessert. This new Jim Taylor design is a good example of my idea of “classic proportions,” but I’m limited by my jingoistic North American taste in yachts, and I’m not sure there is much I can do about that.
2014 September 1

Cruiser

Philippe Briand and Andrew Winch designed this new Jeanneau. I suspect the interior is by Winch and the rest by Briand. Jeanneau Design is also listed, and I would guess it did much of the deck styling. The brochure says it was designed with “classic proportions,” but to my eye this design is thoroughly modern and very much in the dominant style of European yachts today. Do I like it? Sure I do; it’s sleek and sexy looking, but it’s not my definition of “classic.”
2014 September 1

Racer-cruiser

The new Xc 35 from X-Yachts is the smallest in the company’s line of cruising boats. The design work is by Niels Jeppesen, and he is a favorite designer of mine. My take is that the 35 is a hot rod-style family cruising boat. I like everything about it from the shapely stem profile to the traditional rake of the transom. This is a good-looking boat.
2014 September 1
Appearances can be deceiving. From a distance the Arbor 26 looks like a modern, fast weekender with a nine-tenths fractional rig and the profile of an Open 60, but a closer look shows its inner beauty: The Arbor 26 has a finely crafted wood hull.
2014 September 1

This classy bluewater racer-cruiser is worth waiting for

The Alden 44 was designed in 1977 and has been turning heads ever since. This capable offshore racer-cruiser has made countless passages and won its fair share of hardware on the race course in its da
2014 August 1

The Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 349 packs a big-boat punch with innovative features, a spacious interior and easy-to-sail speed

The latest addition to Jeanneau’s venerable Sun Odyssey line is a prime example of why buying a new boat in today’s market makes good sense. The new 349 is brimming with innovative design features that enhance sailing performance while emphasizing user friendliness on deck and shamelessly exploiting creature comforts below. From twin rudders and wheels, to an efficient mainsheet bridle system, to an easily driven and highly stable hull form, to a bright and versatile interior plan, Marc Lombard and the Jeanneau design team have created a small cruiser that feels like a big boat. In fact, the only small thing about the 349 is the surprisingly attractive price.

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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