Jeanneau Yachts has been in operation for over 50 years, and they’ve been building models in their popular Sun Odyssey line for over two decades. Like all production boatbuilders, and especially the older, long-­established ones, they refresh yachts in various size ranges at fairly regular intervals in time to reflect changes in taste and technology, and to keep attracting new buyers. Over the years, Jeanneau has built at least seven or eight iterations of their 40-foot offering, so it’s only fair to ask, how different can each successive version be?

The answer, stated emphatically with their new Sun Odyssey 410, is that an evolved, inspired design can be incredibly unique and atypical of everything that preceded it.

The 410 is the third in a trio of new models — the 440 and the 490 are the others — in what the company is calling its Walk-Around series, with easy access from the cockpit to the coach roof via a sloping, outboard side deck that bridges the two. It’s an ingenious arrangement that we’ve fully endorsed, naming the 490 our 2019 Import Boat of the Year and the 410 the year’s Best Midsize Cruiser Over 38 Feet. However, the 410 is the first to be designed by Marc Lombard, with assistance from Jean-Marc Platon (the other pair is from the board of Philippe Briand).

Lombard was clearly obliged to incorporate the side-deck arrangement, but otherwise was free to put his own stamp on the yacht.

Aesthetically, and also from a performance perspective, the most obvious departure from its sister-ships is the 410’s wave-piercing bow that rakes aft from the waterline ever so subtly and even clears the drink by a few inches at its leading edge. The idea is to reduce drag, and coupled with a hard chine that runs nearly the length of the yacht, to promote stability and speed. Lombard wants you to sail fast but not at the cost of excessive heeling. Yes, sailing is meant to be quick and spirited, but it’s not supposed to terrify your family or friends. We can relate.

The 410, which has a base price of $275,000, boasts a no-nonsense profile. The integrated bowsprit looks sporty and is also functional, housing the ground tackle and serving as the tack point for a code-­zero furler or an asymmetric kite. The gooseneck for the boom, part of the high-aspect rig, is lower than you’d expect in the style of the shorthanded Open 60 race boats where Lombard made his name. Three hull windows to each side break up the relatively tall expanse of the hull’s topsides and even the proportions with the low-slung coach roof — as well as providing cool visuals from down below. A boarding station and swim platform is integrated into the drop-down transom when in the lowered position. While there’s nothing traditional about its mien, I find it quite interesting and fetching.

Down below, there’s been a concerted effort to keep the weight low and centered, with regards to tankage, manifolds, storage and so forth; they’re not kidding about the stability thing. You can order a boat with two or three cabins, or opt for a large technical room aft to port like the layout on our test boat, which I felt was a strong feature. The generous galley to port is just aft of a central daybed that is basically the signature element of the saloon, and another one I liked. Counting the long settee opposite, it’s nice that there’s room for a couple to have their own comfy space to stretch out with a good book when the hook’s down.

We tested the boat on a windy Chesapeake Bay afternoon, with northerly winds gusting into the low 20s, and the retractable bow thruster was very useful leaving the tight slip. A performance package with taller rig, better sails, a folding prop and so on is available, but we sailed the standard package and it was just fine. Upwind, with a reefed main and a couple turns on the furling jib, we managed just under 7 knots hard on the breeze and just over that number when we cracked off on a reach. There are twin wheels and dual rudders, and the steering could not have been sweeter. You just wanted to drive and drive some more.

So, yes, thumbs-up on the 410. For Jeanneau, this Sun Odyssey suggests there is something new under their sun.

Herb McCormick is CW’s executive editor.

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There are two clear schools of thought when it comes to getting from here to there. For some, it’s all about the journey, preferably made on a seakindly vessel that can stoutly shoulder its way through anything Mother Nature might toss in the way. The happy and rested crew measures progress not by miles per day, but by number of books read, videos watched and sunsets savored.

And then there are the crews that want to get there. Fast. Among the many choices they have is a whole line of good-looking, contemporary performance cruisers from the Danish builder X-Yachts.

Last fall, the company brought a pair of new offerings to the U.S. Sailboat show in Annapolis, Maryland — their flagship rocket-yacht, the Xp 55, and a smaller but equally impressive sistership, the X49 — where they made quite an elegant splash tied up along the outermost row of docks. In fact, the X49 had a most impressive stateside arrival, as it was ultimately named our Best Full-Size Cruiser for 2019 in our annual Boat of the Year contest. More about that boat in a moment.

But first, let’s take a close look at the Xp 55, which was first launched in 2013; in 2017, the boat’s exterior was restyled and a new interior was introduced. It was the updated model that made its debut in North America.

OK, right up front, let me admit to having a thing for X-Yachts. Across the ranges, including the “Xc” series of straight-on cruising boats and this “Xp” line of high-performance racer/cruisers, the workmanship and building materials are top notch, the various designs are both eye-catching and quite practical. There are good sea berths for the crew underway. Counters have fiddles. Handholds abound. Hardware is well-placed. Sail control lines are led so that trimmers or the singlehanded skipper can reach them.

Like its siblings, the Xp 55 is the product of X-Yachts’ in-house design team under the direction of Niels Jeppesen. The hull is foam cored and vacuum-infused using epoxy resin, with carbon-fiber reinforcements in high-load areas. For the Xp line, the builder has replaced a steel grid system with a similarly strong but lighter carbon-fiber and epoxy structure to absorb rig and engine loads.

Notes CW‘s Boat of the Year judge Tim Murphy, “They’re really making efforts to get the weight out of this boat.” The result is a very sporty displacement-to-length ratio of 143. Meanwhile, the builder opted for a cast-iron foil with a lead bulb down deep where pounds benefit rather than hinder ­performance. Three keels are available: deep (10-foot-6-inch), standard (9-foot-4-inch) and shallow (8-foot-2-inch).

The Xp55 comes with a couple of rig options, both with standard rod rigging. An aluminum mast and boom are also standard, but the boat we saw in Annapolis sported a carbon-fiber spar and boom with in-boom furling. Those, along with a few other options, brought the sticker price of the boat to $1.4 ­million, up from a base price of about $870,000. Among the add-ons were teak side decks and cabin top; a carbon-fiber bowsprit and anchor roller; North 3Di racing sails; bow and stern thrusters and B&G electronics. With stays anchored on the sheer line, the wide deck and low-profile coach roof were easy to navigate noted BOTY judge Alvah Simon. He cited positive safety features, including the design of the companionway, easily handled weatherboard and a bridge deck height of 7 inches to prevent down flooding. Visibility from the twin wheels was good, he thought, though the seats at either wheel were somewhat low.

Under way, the cockpit forward of the twin helms was open and roomy for lounging guests or a working crew. At ­anchor, a teak table that’s stored in the cockpit sole could be raised for entertaining. A pair of adequately sized Harken Performance winches were located well within reach of either helm. The skipper could also quickly adjust jib-sheet leads using the line-­controlled cars on the fairlead tracks mounted inboard by the cabin sides. At the bow, a belowdecks Harken furler kept the pointy end clutter free; its drum could be easily reached by opening the hatch of the deep chain locker.

Down below, the accommodations were quite spacious. Rich teak furniture and a teak-and-holly sole — both standard — glowed in the natural light that poured in through overhead hatches, ports in the cabin top and windows in the hull. A Nordic oak and walnut sole interior is also available.

The boat we visited had the standard layout: twin aft cabins and an en suite owners’ cabin with an island queen berth far forward, behind a watertight bulkhead. To port, amidships in the saloon, a U-shaped couch outboard and an upholstered bench on the centerline surrounded a large folding teak table; a long settee (and good sea berth) was opposite. At the foot of the companionway, a large and well-equipped L-shaped galley was to port. To starboard sat a sizable head and stall shower, with a full-size nav station just forward of it.

The 55 comes with a large dinghy locker across the stern, closed off by an electrically operated swim platform. Because of the location of the garage, the double-ended mainsheet is anchored to a single block just forward of the helms. Under sail in 12 knot breeze and with little chop, the boat seemed a bit tender when hard on the wind, and there was a fair amount of weather helm that couldn’t be easily reduced by adjusting a traveler. Also, a new set of racing sails had just been bent on and a sailmaker was aboard and still playing with tuning. Still, the boat showed its get-up-and-go. Closehauled, the speed over the ground was 8.1 knots; cracked off to a reach (and with the strain on the wheel lessened considerably) the speedo jumped to 8.6 knots, a joyous thing.

For the sailor who enjoys immediate rewards for pulling on this and easing off that, the Xp55 delivers in spades. And fast sailing is fun sailing, no?

Mark Pillsbury is CW’s editor.

X-Yachts Xp 55 specifications

X-Yachts
860-536-7776
x-yachtsusa.com

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Amid the design stampede to bring every conceivable comfort of home aboard, I found the new Hanse 418 to be refreshingly straightforward in both looks and performance. Below, accommodations are comfortable. On deck, things are orderly. And under sail? Well, I’ll let Boat of the Year judge Alvah Simon address that one. “The helm was — I have one word here — sweet,” he told his colleagues during their ­post-sea-trial deliberations.

The Judel/Vrolijk-designed 418 is built at the Hanse yard in Greifswald, Germany, and replaces the 415 in the middle of the brand’s nine-boat range. It shares the same slippery hull as its predecessor, but sports an updated interior and completely new deck layout that includes twin wheels, fold-up helm seats, a stout centerline drop-leaf table in the cockpit and modest bulwarks, upon which the lifeline stanchions sit.

As Boat of the Year judge Tim Murphy pointed out in his description of the boat, the Hanse “look” favors relatively high freeboard and a low-profile coach roof. Besides good looks, that design decision translates directly into excellent visibility from either wheel when sitting or standing, and decks that are easy to move about on once one has stepped over the somewhat wide cockpit coamings.

Out on the water, Hanse keeps things simple. All sail-control lines are led aft from the mast under removable seahoods to a bank of clutches and a Lewmar winch just forward of each wheel. Line bins adjacent to the wheels keep the cockpit clutter free. Upwind, the self-tending jib makes tacking a turn-the-wheel endeavor; off the breeze, the double-ended mainsheet ensures control of the full-batten main is close at hand to either wheel. The boat we sailed had a second set of winches mounted forward on the cockpit coamings for handling a downwind sail, definitely an option I’d choose to spice things up when reaching or running.

RELATED: 2019 Boat of the Year Nominees

We didn’t have a lot of wind the day we took the 418 for a test sail on Chesapeake Bay last fall after the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Maryland. Still, in 5 or so knots of breeze, the GPS speed over the ground was a steady 4 knots closehauled and cracked off a bit. And driving the boat was divine, with the single rudder and Jefa steering providing plenty of feedback.

Hanse lays up its hulls and decks with an exterior coating of gelcoat, followed by a layer of vinylester resin to prevent blistering. From there, a balsa core is surrounded by fiberglass and infused with polyester resin. The hull and deck are bonded with adhesive and through-bolted at each stanchion. A cast-iron keel is available as an L-shaped 6-foot-10-inch foil or a 5-foot-9-inch shallow-draft configuration.

Down below, there are a host of choices to be made in terms of layout, gear, and fit and finish. The boat we visited had light-colored French oak woodwork and dark counters and upholstery, but there are several other wood styles and accent colors available. Three large ports in each side of the hull let in loads of light, and multiple overhead hatches kept the air moving throughout.

The 418’s considerable beam is carried forward into the owner’s cabin, making a king-size island berth possible, along with either a pair of hanging lockers or a locker to port, and a head and shower to starboard. In the saloon, a large U-shaped couch and drop-leaf table are to starboard; opposite is a settee with a rear-facing nav station at its aft end, against the head and shower compartment’s forward wall.

The owner has the option of having an aft cabin to port, and to starboard, either a second sleeping cabin or a storage/work area. If the latter is chosen, the L-shaped galley has more counter space, and it’s the layout I’d choose for sailing and living aboard as a couple.

The Annapolis boat had a sticker price of $285,000. That included the standard 40-hp Volvo engine and saildrive, teak decks, electronics, electric winches, and Fast Cruising Dacron sails from Elvstrøm. Forego a few toys to save some bucks or splurge for a 57-hp engine, a second head and some of the other comfort packages Hanse offers — either way, you’ll leave the dock with a boat that’s easy to handle and a hoot to sail. Any way you cut it, that’s a pretty good deal.

Mark Pillsbury is CW’s editor.

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The Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 319 had me at hello. Well, more accurately, it won me over soon after we’d hoisted sail last October off Annapolis, Maryland, during our Boat of the Year sea trials in a gusty 15- to 20-knot northerly on Chesapeake Bay. With a couple of reefs in the mainsail and a turn or two on the 85 percent self-tacking furling jib, the 32-footer put on a peppy display of get-up-and-go, easily knocking off a solid 6 knots hard on the wind. The 319 has a single wheel (a Lewmar number that folds inward when dockside to open up the cockpit) but twin rudders, and the helm was buttery smooth yet totally precise. What a joy it is to drive an extremely capable, compact little sloop in a fresh breeze.

Created by Jeanneau’s in-house design team and built in Poland at a new facility for the company, the 319 is a model of simplicity. That said, there are options galore, and you can really trick the boat out to your own liking depending on where and how you sail. For example, our test boat was equipped with an in-mast furling main, a swing keel and the aforementioned blade headsail. But you can also get one with a traditional stack-pack main, a fixed keel, an overlapping 110 percent jib and a dedicated, fixed ­bowsprit off which can be flown code-zero-style reaching sails. That’s a lot of choices!

RELATED: Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 410: Best Midsize Cruiser Over 38 Feet

“In recent years, we’ve watched a lot of production and semicustom builders go up and up in size,” said BOTY judge Tim Murphy. “I think they’ve been addressing the rising age and wealth of the sailors who buy their boats. One of the goals of this boat was to bring younger sailors into the market. But the Jeanneau representatives said they were surprised to find that there were also other longtime ­sailors, older sailors, downsizing to this boat. And I think that makes perfect sense.”

Down below, there is only one layout available, but it’s a fine, time-tested one (although the interior space will be slightly altered and opened up if you go with the fixed keel instead of the swing version, the trunk of which is ­incorporated into the central dining table). There are two double cabins in the opposite ends of the boat, with a particularly roomy berth aft to starboard. Given the size of the boat, an impressively large head is opposite, to port. A good-size galley and a real navigation desk are flanked to either side of the companionway, and just forward of those features is a pair of long settees with the folding dining table ­sandwiched between them.

It’s funny, you step aboard a lot of boats a good 10 feet longer and are hard-pressed to find a decent sea berth on any of them, but on the 319, there are three good ones (make that four if you don’t mind sleeping in the bow). And while you probably don’t want to take six folks on a cruise of any duration on the boat, you certainly can.

The team at Jeanneau is having a very good year, having earned multiple prizes in the 2019 BOTY contest (see “Hail to the Chiefs,” January/February 2019). Of their three new models, the 319 — the only one not honored — sort of slid under the radar. But perhaps that was an oversight. This is a neat little yacht, clearly envisioned and ­assembled by sailors who love sailing and kicking around on boats. It’s hard to lavish any more praise than that.

Herb McCormick is CW’s executive editor.

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Dufour Yachts introduced its new 360 Grand Large model to CW‘s Boat of the Year team last fall as a coastal cruiser intended for a couple or perhaps a small family. With that in mind, judge Alvah Simon found numerous clever elements to praise within the boat’s 35-foot-2-inch hull — a relatively modest LOA compared to the many 40-, 50- and 60-footers on display at the U.S. Sailboat show in Annapolis, Maryland.

Simon, who’s sailed around the world and then some in his own 36-footer, appreciates practicality afloat and found the boat’s two-sleeping-cabin layout much to his liking, especially since it wasn’t readily apparent which was intended for those paying the bills. “You didn’t have this owner’s cabin and then a little cubbyhole with a bunch of places to hit your head,” he noted.

Instead, the V-berth had a roomy feel to it, with double doors that open wide, an opening hatch overhead and a forward-facing portlight where the cabin top curves down to meet the foredeck. Aft, to port, a second cabin also sported considerable headroom, a large hanging locker and a generously sized bunk suitable for a couple of adults or a handful of toddlers.

This arrangement let the builder locate a large head and shower opposite, with storage behind that can also be accessed from the cockpit above. A full-size nav station is to starboard, just forward of the companionway steps, with an L-shaped galley opposite, and there’s still room in the saloon for a large centerline drop-leaf table and two sea berth-length settees to either side. (There is also a three-cabin layout, but it shrinks the size of the nav station and moves it forward, cutting into the starboard settee, to accommodate the head.)

Simon also had words of praise for how the designer, Felci Yachts, and the Dufour team made the most of the boat’s plumb transom. Sailing, a long seat spans the stern and gives the helmsman multiple places to sit behind the twin wheels. At the dock or when anchored with the swim platform down, the starboard side of the seat folds up out of the way; the port side opens to reveal a sink, propane locker, stainless-steel grill and life-raft locker.

“They’re really starting to use this space wisely,” says Simon. “It’s not just big lazarettes for fenders anymore.”

Adding to the sense of space aft is the lack of a backstay, made possible by the 360’s swept-back twin spreaders and stays anchored to the sheer. The boat comes with a couple of options for headsails, either a self-tacking jib or, in the case of the boat we sailed, a 107-percent overlapping genoa, with fairleads that can be adjusted by lines led to the cockpit. An optional sprit is also available for flying off-wind sails. Halyards, vang and reef lines are brought aft to the cockpit under the coachroof, keeping the deck clutter free. A double-ended main sheet is led to the primary winches mounted just forward of the twin wheels, making single handing quite manageable.

The breeze was light on the day we took the 360 for a sail. In about 4 knots of wind, the GPS speed was just over 2 knots closehauled and about 2 1/2 knots on a reach.

The base price for the boat is $155,000. Our test boat had an upgraded 29 hp Volvo (an 18 hp engine comes standard), which, with a few other options, pushed the price tag to $197,000. If I were buying the boat, I’d definitely consider the bigger power plant. As it was, in calm conditions, it pushed us along at just 6 knots at cruising rpm (2,400) and 6.8 knots wide open.

“The steering under power and sail was really quite nice,” noted BOTY judge Tim Murphy, describing his time on the wheel. “She backed beautifully under power in both directions.” For a couple looking to do some sailing with friends or the kids, what more could you ask for?

Mark Pillsbury is CW’s editor.

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Sitting at the wheel and tweaking the sails of the new Leopard 50 on a breezy afternoon off the coast of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, last winter was pretty darned enjoyable. But then again, so was lounging around on the flybridge a few steps removed from the helm station, ­watching someone else do all the work.

In fact, strolling about the boat and taking in the expansive views from numerous vantage points, I quickly concluded there are any number of ways to enjoy the newest catamaran from Robertson and Caine. And that’s the whole idea, since the South African builder sells all of its boats into the Moorings and Sunsail charter fleets, and to private owners under the Leopard Catamaran brand. To be successful, a boat like the 50 has to have a little something for everyone, as they say.

Robertson and Caine first introduced the idea of a forward cockpit and watertight door in the front of the saloon with the Morrelli & Melvin-designed Leopard 44, which was named CW‘s Best Multihull and Import Boat of the Year in 2012. Alex Simonis and Simonis Voogd Yacht Design then took over at the drafting table, and the concept evolved over the course of three more models, including the award-winning Leopard 48, which the 50 replaces. It will be sold for charter as the Moorings 5000.

With each iteration, the melding of inside and outside space has increased, interior design has been refined and exterior styling has been sharpened. On the 50, the great outdoors literally pours into the saloon and sleeping cabins thanks to hull ports and overhead hatches and large windows around the house, and a flybridge option has been added to give sailors yet one more place to gather or get away from it all.

The 50 is also offered with a number of different layouts (more on those in a minute), and breaks the cabins-of-equal-size tradition when it comes to the charter market. The boat introduced at the Miami International Boat Show last winter was the four-cabin version — often the most popular for vacationers — but with a twist. Three couples get spacious en-suite accommodations, while one gets treated like true owners, with a master suite that takes up nearly two-thirds of the starboard hull and has its own companionway just inside the sliding door to the saloon. Forward, in that hull, the berth is athwartships, with a head and shower in the forepeak.

Other possibilities include a single cabin to port with storage or a workshop forward, or three en-suite cabins to starboard, bringing the total number of cabins to five. In any of the versions, crew accommodations are available far forward in the port hull.

Exterior options include either a large lifting swim/dinghy platform or traditional davits. The 50P (for performance) model features a raised helm station and overhead solid Bimini. The 50L (for lounge) sports a similar helm arrangement, but adds a flybridge with a U-shaped couch, table and tanning beds located atop the cockpit Bimini. It is reached via stairs from the starboard side deck. I measured head clearance under the boom at 6 feet 8 inches, which, in most cases, would be more than adequate to avoid accidents under way.

What is truly stunning about the 50 is the sense of openness, whether seated in the cockpit looking forward through the house, or in the saloon itself, where you’re surrounded by walls of glass and an overhead skylight that spans nearly the length of the room.

Designer Simonis said with each new model, the design brief calls for more visibility, which means fewer solid structural elements. To achieve that goal on the 50, both in the saloon and in the cabins below, carbon-infused ring frames were used in place of solid wood or composite bulkheads. Even the frame around the watertight forward door seemingly disappears in the design.

The aft end of the saloon opens wide, with sliding doors. In the cockpit, there’s a large table and U-shaped couch to port, and a cushioned settee opposite beneath the helm station.

A second forward-facing dining area is just inside the saloon to port. The table folds and can be lowered for cocktails, or it can open wide to accommodate a dinner crowd. A navigation desk is forward to port, just ahead of the companionway leading to the cabins below. Stainless handrails by the stairs have a clean look, and the dark nonskid steps have stainless nosing, which makes them quite visible.

The galley takes up much of the starboard side of the bridgedeck. A U-shaped ­counter and sink, with refrigeration under, look out onto the forward cockpit, cushioned lounging area and trampolines between the hulls. Just aft of the forward starboard companionway sits a second counter area with stove and oven, and two more drawers of ­refrigeration/freezer space.

A boat fit out like hull number one, which we sailed following the Miami show, sells for right around $1 million; the base price of the 50, delivered to the East Coast of the U.S., is $850,000 (the Moorings charter version, at $899,000, comes fully equipped for rental).

The Leopard in Miami sported a square-top main (a conventional mainsail is also offered) and an overlapping genoa. Combined, they provided plenty of power to push us through choppy offshore seas. On a beam reach in 15 or so knots of wind, the GPS showed us loping along at a steady 9 knots; 10.4 knots in one puff was my personal best for the day. Off the wind, I’d expect most owners would take advantage of the sprit option and fly a code zero or some other downwind sail.

Sailhandling was made simple by having all control lines led to three beefy winches close at hand to the wheel — something that will be appreciated by charterers and cruising couples alike. Still, there was ample room for a second crew to stand by and lend a hand.

In Leopard mode, the new 50 would be a comfortable home, capable of ticking off a good day’s run. As the Moorings 5000, well, let the parties begin.

Mark Pillsbury is CW’s editor.

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If Goldilocks were in the market for a cruising catamaran, I’d advise her to check out the new Seawind 1260. At 41 feet length overall, it’s big enough for a couple with kids or occasional friends aboard, small enough to be easily handled and maintained by a shorthanded crew — and it can sail, which to my mind makes it “just right,” as the storybook gal is known to say.

On a boisterous morning last winter after the Miami International Boat Show, I jumped aboard for a short sea trial on Biscayne Bay, just before the boat was due to cross the Gulf Stream to winter over in the Bahamas. In the protected waters of the bay, a northeast wind gusted to 20 and higher and sent the Seawind surging ahead with every puff. These were fine conditions for a test sail, but a lousy prospect for crossing the stream, although I learned later that the boat fared just fine.

With the full main ­hoisted and the self-tacking jib ­unfurled, we had no trouble pushing the speedo past 8 knots closehauled while the breeze was up. Later, with the wind down to about 14 knots, the speedo still hovered at a little better than 8 on a broad reach back toward the barn. Better than the speed, though, was the feel of the wheel as the boat sliced through the water. Sports car were the words that came to mind as I jotted down notes so I’d recall the feedback that came from the helm.

Seawind builds its catamarans in Vietnam, along with Corsair trimarans, a brand it also owns. The Seawind range includes the 38-foot 1160, the 1190 Sport (a 39-footer) and the 1600, a Reichel/Pugh-designed 52-footer that is its flagship.

The 1260, outfitted as the boat we sailed was, carries a price tag of $525,000, delivered to the United States with optional 39 hp Yanmar diesels (29 hp is standard). The boat shares many of the same attributes as its smaller siblings, notably a trifold hinged saloon door that lifts and is stored on the underside of the ­Bimini for true indoor/outdoor ­living; twin wheels affixed to the main bulkhead to either side of the door, just behind electric windows that lower to further open up the interior; large glass ports at the front of the saloon that open to provide excellent ventilation throughout the boat; and a galley-down design (more on that in a moment), which is somewhat of a rarity on cats these days.

Nearly all the structural parts of the 1260 are foam cored. Hulls are infused with vinylester-modified epoxy resin. Elsewhere, polyester resin is used in the deck, Bimini (made in a two-sided mold so both sides are finished), bulkheads, and interior cabin and furniture modules. Compared to earlier models, Seawind has removed as much wood as possible, and now it tabs in items such as shelving in hull lockers to increase the overall stiffness of the boat.

A hallmark of earlier ­Seawinds was a large stainless barbecue grill integrated into the railing and seat across the back of the cockpit. That has been replaced on the 1260 by a couch across the transom. On its port side, a grill has been located in a covered locker; to starboard, there’s a sink in a similar space.

At either helm, windows have been installed overhead in the Bimini, which is particularly appreciated when hoisting sail to avoid snarling the main’s full battens in the lazy jacks. Underway, the person steering can sit and be protected from wind, rain and sun while still having a 360-degree view, or can perch atop the hull with one hand on the wheel and enjoy the breeze and a clear view of the telltales.

Indoors, a U-shaped couch wraps around the front of the saloon and surrounds a transformerlike table that’s mounted on a gas shock so it can be easily raised for dining, lowered and turned sideways for entertaining, or dropped farther still to make a large berth.

The sides of the saloon slope outward, so the space above the hulls is open amidships. This benefits the galley, located in the center of the starboard hull. The cook has room to work but remains a member of the party; food can easily be passed up, or after-meal clutter down. The standard galley comes with a stand-up fridge and 180-liter top-loading ­freezer on the inboard composite counter, and a double sink and stove-top outboard (an oven is optional). Standing at the sink, the view out of the large port in the hull is spectacular.

There’s a guest cabin with a queen-size berth and head and shower compartment forward of the galley. Aft, there’s a smaller cabin with a double bunk. Access to the port engine is beneath it. If I were the owner, I’d seriously consider using this space as a workshop/catch-all area because I found storage overall to be at a bit of a premium.

The owners have the port hull to themselves. A large head and shower compartment are located aft, with access to the starboard engine through a door in the shower’s wall. An electrical panel and storage locker are amidships. Forward, there’s another great view through a hull port located at the foot of the athwartship queen bed.

With performance that’s usually expected only in the realm of cats with daggerboards, comfortable living accommodations and fine finishing touches like triple lifelines on deck, the 1260 is the result of a number of good compromises.

And, it can sail.

Mark Pillsbury is CW’s editor.

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Every 10 years or so, a new wrinkle in boat design or layout comes along that alters the way in which we perceive cruising boats. Way back when (OK, more than a decade ago), it was the not-so-subtle shift from full-keel yachts to those with fin blades and skeg-hung rudders. More recently, raised deck saloons changed the way we looked at interior ­spaces, opening up the main living area with wraparound windows, more light and headroom, and panoramic views. Then came chines, once the purview of metal boats but ­suddenly ubiquitous in fiberglass production craft, with claims of better ­performance (maybe) and voluminous accommodations (definitely). And let’s not forget the explosion of cruising catamarans, which are a separate discussion altogether.

Now, with the introduction of Jeanneau’s Sun Odyssey 440 and 490 — the first models launched in the eighth generation of the company’s Sun Odyssey line (time flies!) — we may be witnessing yet ­another shift in the evolution of mass-­produced cruisers. It’s too early to tell, of course, but this latest design wrinkle totally impressed our judging panel in last fall’s Boat of the Year contest, so much so that they unanimously dubbed the 440 the Most ­Innovative yacht for 2018 (see “A Most Unusual Year,” January 2018).

So what, exactly, is this ­revolutionary innovation? The deck layout and, especially, the cockpit configuration. Really? That’s it? Yes, and anyone who’s ever clambered over a coaming in a nasty seaway and felt the world had just become a very dangerous and unforgiving place will certainly understand this once they’ve experienced the ingenious arrangement both models share.

The biggest change is in the ­sloping side decks, which are basically outboard on- and off-ramps that lead from sole level in the cockpit directly up to the level of the coachroof. Then, with lower shrouds set inboard and upper shrouds placed outboard, the path to and from the foredeck is equally unimpaired.

But as they say, it’s the sum of the parts that make up the whole, and the cockpits on these sister ships have many other features. Let’s begin with the 440. The ­layout is asymmetric, meaning the central table is offset to port, allowing easy egress from the companionway through to the drop-down transom. The split backstays terminate inboard of the seats for the twin helms (usually they are outboard), which means the driver is not pinned against them when at the wheel but can sit comfortably with their back nestled into the stern rail. Flip-down coamings are another pleasant surprise; they can be positioned upright when sailing and then lowered to convert into comfortable daybeds once the hook is down and the refreshments served.

Down below, there are three accommodations plans from which to choose. For a big family, there’s a four-­cabin layout with twin double staterooms forward and aft. ­Alternatively, you can opt for a forward owners cabin with the twin doubles aft. Our test boat had the layout I’d prefer, with the forward stateroom, a generous double cabin aft to starboard and a ­dedicated utility room/workshop to port.

With all three layouts, the main saloon is remarkably open thanks to the rig placement for the deck-stepped mast, which is well forward. This means the compression post down below is ­also ­positioned forward. The compromise here is that it ­removes a bit of room from the owners cabin, but the trade-off, I think, is worth it (after all, the double berth is ­appropriately sized, and you don’t need the extra area if the space is primarily used for sleeping or lounging anyway). Plus, when the double doors for the cabin are opened, the entire floor plan is open as well.

The saloon in all three ­versions is identical, with a ­navigation station, straight-line galley and head to port, and a dining table with a U-shaped settee and a second head to starboard. A trio of windows in both sides of the hull bathe the interior in ­plenty of ­natural light.

As with the interior layout, there are also three rigs from which to choose: a standard rig with a full-battened mainsail, a performance rig with a taller mast and tricked-out sails, and a third option with an ­in-mast furling main. Our test boat during sea trials on ­Chesapeake Bay was equipped with the third choice. To be honest, the rather shapeless sails were less than impressive, but in a breeze that topped off at ­better than 20 knots, we ­managed speeds of over 8 knots, and as the wind softened into the 10-knot range, we still recorded a decent 5-plus knots of boat speed. The dual helms were light and totally responsive, and our overall opinion was that the 440 would be one hell of a boat to steer with ­either the standard or ­performance sail package. The last thing you want to do with a hull this fast and slippery is put a governor on it.

It will be interesting to see if other builders adopt or ­create something similar to ­Jeanneau’s innovative ­cockpit and deck layout — imitation, as the old saying goes, is the sincerest form of flattery — but there’s no question it’s a fresh, smart take on one of the most important features on any ­cruising sailboat. Whoever said there is nothing new under the sun hasn’t had a look at the Sun Odyssey 440.

Meet the Big Sister

Hot on the heels of launching the Sun Odyssey 440 last fall, Jeanneau this winter brought a big sister — a ­stunning 49-footer — to Miami’s ­International Boat Show for its North American debut.

Like the 440, which won ­accolades from our Boat of the Year judges following the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Maryland, the Sun Odyssey 490 features Jeanneau’s creative cockpit and topside design that includes ­uncluttered side decks that slope down to meet the cockpit sole. On the 440, the ­cockpit table is offset to ­provide a clear path from the transom to the companionway. On the 490, it’s the ­companionway that’s slightly offset to port to achieve the same end. On both boats, seat coamings fold out to create spacious spots for lounging. A double backstay, whose ends terminate inboard on the transom, leaves the corners of the cockpit open for the helmsman to work at either of the twin wheels, where winches are mounted nearby and inboard to facilitate trimming, and where there are clear sight lines to all instruments, including chart plotter and engine display.

Eventually, all these ­attributes will be duplicated as Jeanneau adds more new models to the eighth generation of its Sun Odyssey line. In the meantime, I’m willing to wager here and now that many of these ideas will be copied in some fashion or another by rival builders, because each and every one makes sailing either safer, easier or more fun.

But new ideas aboard the 490 aren’t limited to the great outdoors. Down below, the distinctive lines of the full-chined Philippe Briand hull translate into voluminous interior space that has been put to practical and attractive use by designer Jean-Marc Piaton. With a beam of nearly 15 feet, the saloon can’t help but look spacious — and it is, with three different areas in which to congregate. First, there’s the nav station to port at the foot of the companionway stairs. It has a properly sized desk for chart work, and cushioned seats fore and aft, so it doubles as a breakfast nook or place to sit and chat.

Also to port is Piaton’s take on the now popular ­galley-forward design. A Corian U-shaped counter gives the cook(s) lots of working space. When standing and facing outboard (with a view out to the sea), double sinks are to the left. A top-opening fridge and gimbaled three-burner stove and oven sit front and center. In the right corner, there’s space for a pop-up microwave, and beneath the counter that abuts the forward bulkhead, there’s room for an additional fridge or freezer. Drawers and storage areas with deep fiddles abound. The latter will keep gear from sliding about in a seaway, and they provide much-­appreciated handholds.

Opposite is the dining area. A generously sized table drops to make a berth for additional guests, and is ­surrounded by U-shaped seating and a ­centerline bench. Additional storage is outboard of the couches, helping to keep weight low and eliminating the need for overhead ­compartments that would restrict one’s view. Add in ports in the hull and cabin sides, and overhead hatches that let light pour in, and you get an interior that is bright and feels big but secure underway.

Space is put to good use in sleeping areas too. The ­aforementioned offset companionway is flanked on ­either side by doors to the two aft cabins, each fit out with a rectangular double bed and ­hanging locker. The location of the stairs also makes room for a large head and shower to starboard that’s shared. If ­desired, one of the cabins can be converted into a workshop or storage space. (There are ­also options for four cabins and four heads, or five cabins and three heads.)

It’s the owners cabin ­forward that benefits most from the space created by the chines. From the queen-size rectangular bed, one looks aft at a centerline bookshelf and flat-panel display screen. Outboard to either side are ­hanging lockers. To port, there’s a head and sink in their own compartment. To starboard, there’s another sink outboard, and tucked behind the bookshelf there’s a large shower stall on the centerline with an opening hatch overhead. The cabin actually feels like a small apartment.

It’s a small gripe, but ­jumping aboard the 490’s fold-up swim platform to go for a test sail after the show, the step up to the cockpit sole seemed rather tall. Apparently, I’m not the only one to notice; an intermediate folding foothold is going to be added to both the 490 and 440.

Getting underway and ­clearing the tight confines of the boat-show dock was not a problem, thanks to a retractable bow thruster. Once we were in open water, in-mast furling made setting the main an effortless task, as was unfurling and sheeting in the 106 percent genoa using the electric winches. Jeanneau long ago adopted double-ended ­German-style mainsheets led to line clutches near either wheel. I really like the setup because it gives you multiple ways to trim the sail, and either sheet is at your fingertips in case things have to happen fast.

While crewmates lounged around the cockpit table forward, I made full use of the working space at the helms to tack back and forth a few times singlehanded. The boat spun on a dime and accelerated nicely. “So responsive!” I jotted in my notes. With the breeze up and the boat heeled, the twin rudders proved their worth.

My one wish was that the 490 had been rigged with the standard full-batten main, lazy jacks and boom pouch. Still, in 16 knots of breeze, we trucked upwind with the GPS speed in the high 7s; in one puff, I read 8.7 knots. Off the breeze, on a reach (with the wind down to maybe 10 to 12 knots), we made 6 knots. I’d definitely take ­advantage of the boat’s bowsprit and order a downwind sail if I were a paying customer. For someone headed up and down the Intracoastal Waterway, there’s also an option for a bridge-friendly 63-foot mast.

You can get into a stripped-down version of the 490 for $354,400, ready to go and delivered to the East Coast. Load it up with perks such as air conditioning, ­electronics and a 7.5 kW Onan ­genset, as was the boat we sailed, and the price will be closer to $425,000. Either way, you’ll be buying into a whole new way of experiencing life afloat.

Herb McCormick is CW’s executive editor. Mark Pillsbury is CW’s editor.

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Most of the new sailboats I look at in a given year have me filling my notebook with lines’ worth of creature comforts, electronics packages and long lists of options, from air conditioning to windows that darken at the flick of a switch. So that’s why a pair of simple sailboats — each a throwback in its own way — sort of stood out from the crowd at last year’s U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Maryland.

At first glance, the new ­Stiletto-Xc and the Malbec 18 are very different beasts. Heck, the former has two 30-foot hulls built from exotic fibers and resins, and the latter is a monohull and about two-thirds the size.

But the boats share a “keep it simple” credo, and both are the products of builders who’ve reached to their pasts to enlighten the future.

Stiletto catamarans were built in Florida from 1976 to 1986, and attracted a cultlike following. Known for their rocket-ship looks, including tear-shaped companionway pods, they performed admirably as spirited daysailers or outright racers. They could be parked on a beach, and whole families could sleep topside, enjoying the night air after a day of thrills on the water.

In 2016, a group of Stiletto owners and devotees licensed the brand, secured a factory in Columbia, North Carolina, found financing and hired multihull designer Doug Schickler to freshen the concept. The ultimate goal is to build a foiling cat, the Xf, but in the interim, the Stiletto-Xc (“c” is for cruising) was developed, aimed to appeal to a wider audience.

The Xc is 30 feet long, built from Kevlar and Nomex honeycomb coring and epoxy ­resin. The boat is designed to be trailered and, like its predecessor, sailed off the beach, if desired. With 4-foot daggerboards raised, it floats in a foot or less of water. Accommodations below in the hulls are minimal: a mattress for sleeping in one, a simple galley and head opposite.

Hull number one was ­introduced in Annapolis, and was still a bit of a prototype — but what a hoot to sail. A traveler, which spans the width of the transom, provided ­excellent control of the mainsail. The jib is intended to be self-tacking, but was rigged with sheets and leads the day we went out. Just as on a beach cat, tacking — backwinding the jib to blow the bow around — took a little getting used to, but once mastered, it was off to the races. In maybe 10 knots of breeze, the speedo hovered in the low-7 range. As the wind petered out, we popped a chute and gained another half a knot as we headed for the barn.

A base boat costs just shy of $90,000; set up with a 9.9 hp Honda outboard and a few ­other options, the boat we sailed had a sticker price of $120,000.

The Malbec 18 is built by Ventura Sport Boats, whose owner, Ken Lange, has a boatbuilding resume that includes a number of pocket cruisers, including the popular West Wight Potter. The 18-­footer was designed by Heraldo ­Norbert Ruesch and first built in Argentina. Lange purchased the molds, made some modifications, and began ­manufacturing the boat as the Malbec in Oxnard, California.

His goal: Produce a boat that can sleep four, and sell it for less than $20,000. Adding a small outboard and trailer tacks another four grand onto the bill.

“I say hats off to the builder because I think the whole idea of getting a boat to market at that price is something that our industry as a whole is really lacking,” said Boat of the Year judge Ed Sherman.

There were three aboard when we took the boat for a sail in nearly calm conditions, which is too bad. Had we had a little more breeze to work with, or a lighter load, I suspect the ride might have been lively.

Below, there are indeed bunks for four in a cushioned 6-foot-long V-berth and on settees to either side. A small ­table can be mounted for meals, and there’s room for a simple camp stove, cooler and water jug. There’s even an option to add an electrical panel and battery for night sailing, if desired. Lange has spruced up the fiberglass interior with a blue-fleck coating; a large companionway hatch lets in ample light and provides headroom.

A 4-foot centerboard with 300 pounds of lead gives the boat a bit of stiffness when deployed; raise it up and you can float in 10 inches of water.

Many a sailing family has gotten its start on just such a vessel. To be able to do it for less than 20 grand and still enjoy that new-boat smell, well, that’s saying something.

The post The Malbec 18’s Affordable And The Stiletto Xc Is Spirited, What’s Not To Like? appeared first on Cruising World.

PT-11 Sport Tri

The design writ of the PT-11, the inaugural offering from the Rhode Island-based builder Performance Multihulls, is “a high-performance, 11-meter trimaran designed and built as a sport cruiser for a very discerning client.” Boat of the Year judge Ed Sherman concurs, saying, “This is a very special boat that’s built for a very special kind of sailor, one with deep pockets who’s kind of flying at the outer, leading edge.”

In other words, it’s a boat that looks fast standing still. And under sail? Look out.

Fashioned from carbon fiber, S-glass, and Nomex honeycomb, the PT-11’s laminate is strong yet light: In cutting-edge yacht design, weight is the enemy of speed. With a rotating carbon mast by Hall Spars and a Mastervolt electrical system utilizing a single lithium-ion battery bank, the high-tech theme is carried throughout. Yet the boat also has a basic but comfortable cruising layout.

But as Sherman pointed out after tearing across Chesapeake Bay on a powerful reach, it fulfills the need for speed. “It’s sensitive to what you do,” he said. “Sail trim. Helm angle. Weight placement. They’ll all make a difference in what you get out of the boat. But boy, once you start to get the hang of it, you’re going to love it. It’s a great ride.”

Specs
LOA 40′ 0″
LWL 36′ 0″
Beam 28′ 0″
Draft 4′ 0″/7′ 0″
Sail Area 670 sq. ft.
Displacement 6,300 lb.
Water 55 gal.
Fuel 16 gal.
Engine 21-hp. Nanni
Designer Walworth Designs
Price $630,000
Performance Multihulls
(401) 254-6911
www.performancemultihulls.com

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