Sitting at the flybridge helm station aboard the new Leopard 40 power cat, taking in the view of Biscayne Bay and the Miami skyline, was an excellent way to spend a sunny February morning. It was the day after the 2023 Miami International Boat Show, where the latest model from South African builder Robertson and Caine had made its world debut. I was thoroughly enjoying my allotted time at the helm.

Did I mention that I was a thousand or so miles from the snow and ice back home in New England? Or that the three-person helm seat was far comfier than a similar-size chairlift on any ski hill? Or that the table, surrounded by an L-shaped couch directly behind me—never mind the adjacent chaise abutting a counter with grill, sink and fridge—promised nothing but fun times for both skipper and crew?

With another nine hulls already in the works, and more to come by year’s end when production is fully ramped up, the boat will soon be available for charter vacations with The Moorings. At first, it will be in the British Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, Croatia and Greece, and eventually, it will join the company’s bases worldwide.

Off the Florida coast, we monitored miles per gallon at 500 rpm increments. In slow motion (1,000 rpm), the twin 370 hp Yanmar diesels sipped fuel at an estimated rate of 4.8 miles to the gallon. The boat’s sweet spot—3,000 rpm, where we cranked along at 17 knots—came at a cost of 0.8 miles per gallon. Any more or less, and efficiency dropped, according to onboard gauges. Top speed was a little better than 22 knots.

At cruising speed, the boat’s hydraulic steering felt nimble and responsive as I cranked the wheel into a turn. Conditions were fairly calm, but crossing our own wake, the 40 PC plowed on through the chop without missing a beat.

At low speed, the 40 PC turned easily when I adjusted the twin fly-by-wire throttles and shifted between forward and reverse. The sailor in me wondered if the builder really needed to include a bow thruster in the port bow, though the feature had made getting out of the tight slip at the marina a simple enough maneuver. For extra-tight quarters with a shorthanded crew, cameras can ­monitor the stern and bow, and deliver the imagery to either of the twin Raymarine displays at the ­upstairs helm station.

The 40 PC joins a lineup that includes the Leopard 46 PC (also sold as the Moorings 464) and Robertson and Caine’s flagship on the power side, the Leopard 53 PC. 

A word of explanation here: Robertson and Caine enjoys a somewhat unusual relationship with Travelopia, which owns The Moorings and Sunsail, and oversees the Leopard sales team. All of Robertson and Caine’s sailing catamarans go into the charter companies’ fleets or are sold to private owners as Leopard Catamarans. Robertson and Caine’s power models are branded as Leopards or Moorings models, depending on how an owner plans to use the boat. All of Robertson and Caine’s current models—power and sail—are developed by the in-house design team, along with Alex Simonis of naval architecture firm Simonis and Voogd, and Franck Bauguil, vice president of yacht ownership and product development at Travelopia. Bauguil also manages sales of all three brands.

At present, he says, approximately half of Robertson and Caine’s sailboats are sold for charter, and half are for private use. The same is expected to be true for the 40 PC. Robertson and Caine plans to build 20 of the boats this year and increase the number to 31 next year. A well-equipped model, delivered from South Africa to the United States ready to go, comes in at under $1.2 million. 

The three current power models comprise the fourth generation of power vessels from Robertson and Caine in terms of design. Previous generations shared some furniture modules with boats from the sail side, but Bauguil says that this new line started with a blank sheet of paper. The result is increased volume for interior accommodations without disturbing performance.

The boat in Miami was powered by optional twin 370 hp Yanmar diesels. Charter models are fitted out with 350 hp Yanmars, and 250 hp Yanmars are also available. Tankage is cruiser-friendly, with 370 gallons of fuel and 170 gallons of water.

Aboard the 40 PC, the owner’s stateroom occupies the starboard hull. It has a queen berth aft and a head ­compartment forward with a shower in the forepeak. Amidships are a desk and ­television, hanging lockers, and a fair amount of stowage.

The port hull includes guest staterooms fore and aft, each with a queen berth, and a shared head between them.

It’s bright and airy in the salon, thanks to windows that offer a near 360-degree view, a sliding door that opens to the cockpit, and another door forward that leads to the foredeck, where a couple of cushioned sun beds await. The cockpit is shaded by the flybridge, with a cushioned seat across the transom, and a dining table.

The salon itself is well-laid-­out, with an indoor helm station tucked into the forward starboard corner. To port, an L-shaped couch surrounds a coffee table (a dining table is optional); opposite is an upholstered chair. The galley is adjacent to the cockpit, with a full-size, home-style fridge to starboard and an L-shaped counter to port that includes an induction stove top, a convection microwave oven, a sink, and a dishwasher.

On deck, a solid stainless-­steel rail around the boat provides secure handholds for moving about underway.

Inside and out, the lines of the 40 PC are sharp and stylish. Bauguil says early orders indicate that the boat is appealing not only to multihull sailors who want to make a jump into power, but also to powerboaters looking for the efficiency gained by two hulls. As for charterers, I can state it pure and simple: Put me on a 40 PC somewhere warm and sunny for a week, and I’ll guarantee a good time.  

Leopard 40 Power Cat Specifications

The post Boat Review: Leopard 40 Power Cat appeared first on Cruising World.

Let’s just say I was feeling on top of the world. It was a ­lazy Saturday afternoon ­early this past September on the Solent—the historical straight off the south coast of England that lies between ­mainland United Kingdom and the Isle of Wight—and I felt right at home, styling at the helm of the new Oyster 595, freshly launched from the company’s shipyard in Wroxham.

The gleaming yacht—a word I do not freely bandy about, but this glamorous steed was far beyond your basic “sailboat”—cleaved through the light chop effortlessly, gliding upwind at 8 knots in precisely the same amount of breeze. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed many a lucky trick at many a lovely wheel, moments I’d wished could be frozen in time, and this was yet another one. This Oyster is a vessel that should, can and will taste ­far-reaching ­waters all over the globe, and do so with power and panache.

And frankly, it damn well should.

We’ll get this over with straightaway. For all its magnificence—and that’s the surefire correct adjective for this Rob Humphreys-designed stunner—the 595 will set back its well-heeled owners more than $3 million, which means, I might know how to drive one, but I surely will never own one. But the Oyster 595, perhaps more to the point, has a lot to say not only about contemporary, state-of-the-art, high-end production boatbuilding—and boat buying—but also the broader seascape as the marine industry slowly emerges from what is hopefully the worst of the pandemic.

RELATED: Oyster 745 Review

Consider this: Our lovely test sail was conducted on Hull No. 1 of the 595, for which 16 units have already been sold…sight unseen! (­Never mind sails unfurled.) Down the road from Southampton, in the seaside ­village of Hythe, an entirely new ­factory is being tricked out to build the next Oyster up in the line, the 495; no fewer than 10 orders have been placed for that boat, and the very first one is still under construction! Order books are now full a couple of years down the road, and this is by no means a success story that Oyster alone is enjoying. From ­Southampton, I made my way across the English ­Channel to France for this year’s edition of the Cannes Yachting ­Festival, and the story was repeated time and time again from nearly all the world’s top builders (Swan, Contest, Grand Soleil, HH Catamarans, etc.). ­Order books for seemingly all the major players are full now through 2023 (at the very least), many for ­models that do not yet exist beyond design renderings and brochures.

And this at least ­partially explains the dearth of new ­offerings from the perennial leading midsize, midlevel, full-on production yards as well, like Hanse and Beneteau. Who has time for innovative R&D when it’s taking all hands on deck to fulfill the long list of vessels already committed to?

What in the name of L. Francis Herreshoff is going on? The answer is both simple and complicated. Of the many ­surprises unleashed by the pandemic, surely one of the least predictable was many folks’ discovery (or rediscovery) of sailing. Yacht brokers reveled in one of their best years ­ever in 2020, to the point that the used-boat market has been ravished. But the pent-up demand has not abated, and now the new-boat market is on fire as well. It’s anybody’s guess how long this will last, but for the builders in the midst of this frenzy—such as ­Oyster—there’s no time to ponder it anyway. Their biggest problem —again, almost universal—is finding the armies of skilled labor necessary to produce what’s already been signed and sealed but not delivered.

Yet, I digress. Back to that remarkable Oyster.

Many of the boats rolling off the line these days are destined for one of the next two Oyster World Rallies; the 2022-2023 edition, capped at 30 boats, is sold out, and there’s no real question that the following one, in 2024-2025, will be as well. Value-added propositions are not unique to Oyster—Swan is also a seasoned master at organizing owner events—but they speak to the level of customer service and care that you also purchase with the boat. Why just build them when you can launch them on a fabulous jaunt around the planet with like-minded souls? ­Oyster reps speak of their ­customers as “family” and then back it up. The company is also in the midst of launching a proprietary system called Guardian Angel that monitors their yachts’ systems remotely, wherever they are, and also provides the ability to seek long-distance assistance or advice at the push of a touchscreen button. How much would you be willing to pay for such peace of mind?

The 595 is a striking yacht, with that signature cat’s-eye coachroof; a razor-sharp ­sheerline; an expansive ­cockpit and foredeck; maximized waterline with plumb bow; and all of it balanced by those twin helms at one end and an integral, smart sprit/ground-tackle arrangement at the other. It all looks powerful, and is. There are two keel options: a standard foil, which was on the boat I sailed, or a centerboard (of the 16 ­ordered so far, just three are ­going out the door with the latter). The transom is a work of art unto itself, with a sensational boarding platform that is basically a back porch, and even a retractable, telescoping passerelle when swanning about the Med. I do go back and forth on hull windows, often depending on whether I’m on or off a boat at the time. To my eye, the half-dozen vertical windows to each side do detract from the yacht’s grandeur, but I sure do ­appreciate all the natural light and tasty views when I’m nestled aboard. OK, we’ll keep them.

Space will limit me from ­going on and on, which I’d ­otherwise be very happy to do. But the big things are kind of obvious on the 595 (the massive sail plan, for instance, tamed by a hydraulic vang and ­furlers, electric winches and an in-mast furling mainsail with ­excellent vertical battens). Which makes the (relatively not-so) little things stand out more. Even under power, the boat is one of the quietest I’ve ever experienced; the engine-room insulation is astounding, and when gliding upwind under sail, nary a creak or groan is to be heard. Raise the floorboards and gaze upon as well-executed a plumbing and manifold arrangement as you’ll ever see, all serviced by just a pair of massive raw-­water intake valves to port and ­starboard. This is maintenance access to die for.

There are, of course, multiple interior layouts and floor plans possible, with furniture and cabinetry exquisitely rendered in your choice of ­cherry, maple and oak (big oak guy here…for me, light is right). Check out the Oyster website and prepare to linger a while.

Back at the helm, enjoying myself immensely, I was tempted when passing all the other boats (and we were always passing them) to offer them that little Queen Elizabeth half-wave thingy that she does so well. I couldn’t help it. Steering the Oyster 595 made me feel royal.

Herb McCormick is CW’s ­executive editor.

Specifications Oyster 595

Sea Trial

The post Onboard the Divine 595, the World is Your Oyster appeared first on Cruising World.

Excess catamaran 15. Excess world and explore perfectly designed catamarans inspired by racing for cruising pleasure.

Right up front, let me say three things about the new Excess 15, which I got to sail with my Boat of the Year colleagues this past fall in ocean waters off Fort Lauderdale, Florida: It’s a big, roomy cruising cat that’s super easy to handle and really fun to sail. OK, make it four things: We all liked the boat. A lot.

Excess Catamarans is a new brand, just two years old, launched by French builder Group Beneteau, and designed to reach a segment of the multihull market where it saw an opening: namely monohull sailors who appreciate the actual sailing aspect of cruising but who are open to the creature comforts a multihull has to offer.

Hey, that’s me!

I do the majority of my sailing on a single hull. I appreciate the thrill when the rail occasionally dips into the water. I like the feedback that I get from the wheel, the water rushing past, a little spray in my face from time to time. But then again, some of my favorite adventures have taken place on two hulls. Lounging on the tramp in a pretty anchorage, power reaching from island to island, plenty of room to take family and friends along, private cabins and multiple spaces to gather—what’s not to like about those aspects of a cruising cat?

I found that the Excess 15 borrowed liberally from both worlds. It is spacious, can be loaded up with options, and everybody aboard is going to want to take a turn at the wheel. Trust me on this; the 15 is downright sporty to drive, especially with the code zero unrolled.

The boat’s standard configuration is a square-top main and self-tending jib, but Excess also offers what it calls its Pulse package, with a 3-foot-taller mast, bowsprit and code zero set on a continuous-line furler. We got to sail this power-­packed solent-rig version, and it’s the one I’d consider if I were writing a check.

Upwind, the self-tending jib makes the boat simple to singlehand. In 10 to 12 knots of wind, the speedo hovered in the high 7-knot range, and tacking required only a turn of the wheel and adjustment of the Harken electric traveler. When we bore off onto a reach, we lost a knot or so of speed, but conditions were perfect to furl the jib and deploy the big reacher. Immediately, the speedo jumped to 10 and change, and off we went.

I found that the locations of the twin wheels—aft and outboard on either transom—were also a value add. I’ve sailed aboard cats with the helm on a flybridge or raised seat adjacent to the aft bulkhead, and I’ve felt disconnected from the water, and sometimes the rest of the crew if they’ve wandered off to some other corner of the boat. On the Excess, the interaction with others on board seemed more monohull-like, with everyone in the cockpit and within earshot.

RELATED: Beneteau Oceanis Yacht 54 Boat Review

Said cockpit features an ­inviting dining table to port surrounded by an L-shaped couch, a large lounge opposite, and a padded bench seat across the transom between fold-down helm seats. Overhead, the center of the Bimini slides open to let the sunlight pour in, and provides an excellent view of the mainsail while underway. On the boat we sailed, cockpit gatherings were further encouraged by adding a sink, fridge and ice maker to the amenities.

In the saloon, glass windows all around and a large slider door aft offer a 360-degree look at the world, while also providing relatively good visibility forward from the helms. An L-shaped galley with sink, stove, oven and microwave is located in the aft port corner of the main cabin; opposite is a drawer-style fridge and freezer, with more counter space above them. A second large table and another L-shaped couch are forward.

The boat we sailed had a traditional three-cabin layout, with the owner’s quarters occupying the starboard hull; two en suite guest cabins filled the port hull, along with another freezer amidships. The boat can also be configured with four en suite berths, or with six cabins and six heads (two additional crew berths are available in the forepeaks), which should prove popular with the charter crowd.

The base price for the 15 is $737,000, but the boat we sailed, delivered to the US and loaded with options—including a bow thruster and FLIR cameras—is right around $950,000, reflecting the benefits and costs of living and sailing to excess.

Mark Pillsbury is CW’s editor.

The post Excess 15 Boat Review appeared first on Cruising World.

When Island Packet Yachts launched some 40 years ago, skippers in yacht clubs and bars from here to Oz still heatedly debated whether boats equipped with fin keels and spade rudders were safe to sail out of sight of land. And so, between the wrangling over newfangled foils—and design trends favoring plummeting displacement/length ratios—it’s no wonder that company founder and naval architect Bob Johnson struck a chord with his liveaboard cruising sailboats that featured stout ivory-colored hulls, patented Full Foil Keels, skeg-hung rudders, and manageable cutter rigs. In the decades since, in fact, it’s those very elements that, when combined, created the iconic “IP look” that’s still available and in demand today from the Largo, Florida, yard.

The company, though, is now owned and operated by former longtime West Coast IP dealers Leslie and Darrell Allen, who last fall introduced their second new model, the IP 439, which Cruising World’s Boat of the Year judges named Best Full-Size Cruiser for 2021. That award came just two years after their first new design, the IP 349, was named overall Boat of the Year for 2019.

Against competition that included boats built to much more modern and trendy designs, both these Island Packets stood out for their sailing performance. And it’s no accident that both sported so-called solent rigs that pair a self-tacking jib on an inner forestay with a 170 percent genoa on a second stay just forward of it. In moderate and heavier breeze, the self-tacker takes the work out of upwind sailing, and cracked off a bit, or in very light conditions, the big genny has all the horsepower needed to give the boat some get-up-and-go.

And off we went. Sailing on Tampa Bay in 5 to 8 knots of breeze this past October, the 439′s speedo hovered in the mid-6- to low-7-knot range—not bad for a boat with a displacement-to-length ratio of 259, by far the highest of all the boats we tested.

A choice of sail plans is just one of the options the Allens are willing to entertain now that they’re running the company. Their challenge: to keep what works but incorporate ideas from customers and even the team on the shop floor that will make the designs better and keep them evolving. For instance, at the request of customers, IP will now build boats with or without a Hoyt jib boom for the self-tacking jib. One customer asked for a safe, and now a lockbox is a standard option. They even have a couple of boats under construction with blue hulls and white decks rather than the trademark ivory!

But don’t get me wrong—compared with what’s out there, the 439 is still very traditional, some might even say conservative. It sports a sugar-scoop stern rather than a drop-down transom, a single wheel and rudder, hand-laid solid fiberglass hull, and lead ballast that’s encapsulated in the full keel and then covered with concrete and resin.

Gone, though, is the marine plywood used in interior construction. It drove the Allens crazy as dealers. Water would seep under sinks and counters and rot the underlayer, or customers would return from the tropics, where termites literally ate and destroyed the plywood used in structural areas. Instead, the yard now uses Coosa Board, a composite material that’s indestructible. The intent, Darrell says, is to use the best material they can find and look for improvements without straying too far from what’s made the brand successful.

The 439, for instance, uses the same Bob Johnson-designed hull as did the older 440 and 460 models. The interior, aforementioned sail plan and transom have all been revised, though, and all exterior wood has been eliminated to cut down on maintenance.

Down below, the nav station was sacrificed to free up space for a larger galley with room for a stove, an oven and a microwave; Corian counters with deep fiddles; and abundant fridge, freezer and storage space.

Aft of the galley, in place of a starboard cabin, there’s an interesting little utility room that on the boat we sailed included a vented washer and dryer, additional freezer, storage space, a 6 kW Northern Lights generator (complete with a little stool for working on it), and filters for the genset and 80 hp Yanmar diesel with shaft drive, located in the adjacent engine compartment.

The port aft cabin is cozy, with a double berth and hanging locker, and access to the guest head and shower. And the saloon is laid out similar to a small living room. To port, a pair of captain’s chairs flank a drop-down table. To starboard, there’s an L-shaped settee that can double as a sea berth, and a bulkhead-mounted table that folds down for dining and reveals a nifty cabinet with movable shelves and dividers that can be adjusted to accommodate various-size bottles and glasses.

The owners’ cabin is forward to starboard, with a diagonally oriented queen berth and his-and-her hanging lockers. In the head off to port, I thought the glass shower door with waves etched into it was a nice touch.

Base price for the 439 is $470,000 and change. But the boat we sailed was loaded with options and carried a price tag of $670,400. Among the bells and whistles: watermaker, four additional house batteries, three solar panels incorporated into the Bimini arch and davits, underwater lights, a four-blade Max Prop, 12-volt air conditioning in the forward cabin, bow thruster and absolutely stunning Quantum Fusion Membrane sails.

Oh, speaking of sails, the 439 also sports the new Synchronized Main Furling system from Seldén, which lets you set the main while standing at the helm with the touch of a button. (For more on the system, see “Smart Winch, Smart Furler,” page 46.)

This being Hull No. 1, there were a few things to tweak. Under sail, I found it a little tough to read the jib telltales, and a plastic cover over the control switches for the electric jib-furlers made it hard to reach them when furling the genoa to tack. But things like that are easy to fix. Over all, there was a tremendous amount to like about the 439, including the Allens’ willingness to, say, rearrange the saloon, add a nav station, or replace the utility room with a third cabin. The list goes on and on.

Unfortunately, our sail didn’t. The 439 is a big rangy boat that makes you want to live aboard, go sailing, entertain friends in warm places. We, the Boat of the Year team, couldn’t, of course. We needed to get back to work and give it a big award.

Island Packet 439 Specifications

LENGTH OVERALL: 45′9″ (13.94 m)

WATERLINE LENGTH: 38′1″ (11.61 m)

BEAM: 14′4″ (4.37 m)

DRAFT: 5′ (1.52 m)

SAIL AREA (100%): 1,131 sq. ft. (105.1 sq. m)

BALLAST: 12,000 lb. (5,443 kg)

DISPLACEMENT: 32,000 lb. (14,515 kg)

BALLAST/DISPLACEMENT: 0.38

DISPLACEMENT/LENGTH: 259

SAIL AREA/DISPLACEMENT: 18

WATER: 260 gal. (984 L)

FUEL: 160 gal. (606 L)

HOLDING: 55 gal. (208 L)

MAST HEIGHT: 62′5″ (19.03 m)

ENGINE: 80 hp Yanmar

DESIGNER: Bob Johnson/Island Packet Design Team

PRICE: $670,400

Sea Trial

WIND SPEED: 5 to 8 knots

SEA STATE: Calm

SAILING: Closehauled 3.7 knots/Reaching 7.2 knots

MOTORING: Cruise (2,000 rpm) 6.2 knots/Fast (2,600 rpm) 7.6 knots

The post Island Packet 439 Boat Review appeared first on Cruising World.

Like clockwork, each fall for the past decade or so, Dufour Yachts has arrived in Annapolis, Maryland, with a new sailboat (or sometimes two) that somehow looks remarkably just like its predecessor—only different.

One year, the builder introduced the galley-forward concept, which puts the stove, sink, fridges, and counterspace adjacent to the mast and bulkhead, leaving the widest part of the boat open for entertainment and lounging. Another year, large ports in the cabin top over the forward galley were added to let light pour into the interior. One fall, they made a splash with an outdoor galley built into the transom, where a propane grill and sink can be put to good use by a cook standing on the fold-down swim platform while still being part of the party. These features not only were incorporated in subsequent models, some are now being copied by other builders as well.

But then came fall 2020, which was notably different from other years in so many ways, not the least of which was the cancellation of the US Sailboat Show—the coming-out party, if you will, for new models introduced to the North American market. But still, Dufour, now under the direction of the Fountaine Pajot Group, sailed into town with yet another new Grand Large—the 530—that continues the evolution of the company’s nine-boat range.

The lineup’s DNA is not by happenstance. For more than 15 years, Dufour has relied solely on Umberto Felci of Felci Yacht Design and the team back at the Dufour yard in France.

As well as a resemblance among models, this long-term collaboration has had one more benefit: The Dufours all sail like proverbial witches, thanks to Felci’s very slippery hulls and sail plans to make them scoot.

The 530 bears the same plumb bow and stern as its siblings, an easily recognizable low-profile cabin house, ample beam carried all the way aft, and a single rudder—the latter almost in defiance of the twin foils that are quite the rage these days. Below, the boat’s galley is forward with large ports overhead which, along with multiple hatches in the owner’s cabin forward, plus three long ports in either side of the hull, let in tons of daylight and provide lovely views of the great outdoors. And yes, this Dufour has—as do all—the trademark wine cellar beneath the saloon sole, and a lift-up cover over a crumb tray in the galley to make sweeping up easier.

Still, the 530 is, indeed, different, primarily due to a few new features introduced in the cockpit. So let’s start there. First and foremost is the simple solution they’ve found to solve the age-old sailboat conundrum: how best to move from the cockpit to the deck, a challenge compounded by the contortions needed to dodge Bimini and dodger frames while stepping up and over coamings. Just forward of the 530′s twin wheels, designers have placed a step between the helms and the cockpit seats. As noted: simple. Up one step and you’re on deck. And the risers do double duty as line-storage bins with lift-up lids, right below the cockpit winches. Designers then further refined this solution by adding a split Bimini so crew doesn’t need to duck or dodge when going forward.

With a little more than 16 feet of beam, there’s a fair amount of space between the helms, a portion of the transom that on most boats goes unused. On catamarans, this space is often put to good use with a bench, where one can sit and enjoy the ride. And it is here that designers added a large sun bed, and they did it in a way that still allows an easy passage from wheel to wheel when underway. I liked it.

The remainder of the cockpit is fairly straight-forward, with a large, fixed drop-leaf table between the seats, allowing for plenty of room to either side when moving forward to the companionway.

Wide side decks make it easy to move about the topsides. Forward of the mast, the cabin top tapers quickly to a broad foredeck that would be a pleasant place to stretch out and enjoy the breeze at anchor. There’s also a large sail locker that provides access to both the thruster below and the big anchor locker (which can also be fit out as a skipper’s cabin). The bow sprit does double duty as a place to stow the anchor and tack down off-wind sails.

Speaking of sails, when purchasing a 530, there are decisions to make, starting with rigging and sail-handling hardware. The Easy version comes with a self-tacking jib, and all lines are led to clutches and a winch at each helm, leaving the cabin top by the companionway free of clutter.

The Ocean package adds a winch to either side of the companionway, and that’s where halyards, vang, and reef and furling lines are led.

Both of these versions include a traveler that spans the cabin top forward of the companionway; the rigs can be configured with either conventional or in-mast furling mains, and either a self-tacking or slightly overlapped genoa, the latter with fairleads that can be adjusted from the cockpit.

A Performance version for regatta-prone skippers is also available. Rather than midboom sheeting, the mainsheet is anchored to the cockpit floor just ahead of the helms; there are six winches to handle main, genoa and downwind-sail control lines; backstay and vang are hydraulic; and the mast and boom are lengthened to provide roughly 215 more square feet of sail area.

The 530 we sailed during Boat of the Year sea trials this past fall was set up with an in-mast furling main and genoa. Personally, I’d have gone for the conventional main with a boom pouch, but still, we had a great time out on the water. In 10 to 12 knots of breeze, we skipped along at just under 8 knots closehauled, and hit a solid 8 peeling off to a beam reach. In one near-20-knot puff, I saw 9.3 on the speedo—not too shabby for a roomy cruiser.

Below, the galley forward allows ample room for a large dining table to port, with seating for eight or more thanks to a centerline bench. There’s a settee opposite with an aft-facing nav station at its end.

Counters in the galley are Corian, including a backsplash to protect the bulkhead. There’s plenty of storage and fridge and freezer space, and lots of room for a cook and helper to prepare meals.

An owner’s cabin is forward, with room to either side of the queen-size berth. In the configuration we saw, the head and shower compartments were separated.

There are multiple layouts available, depending on how many crew you like to sail (or charter) with. The basic layout is three cabins, three heads. On the boat we sailed, the starboard head was replaced by a fourth cabin with bunks. Up to six cabins are possible.

The price of the Dufour we sailed—delivered, commissioned and ready to go—was $550,000. For that you get a lot of options from which to choose, and remember, a witch to sail.

Mark Pillsbury is CW’s editor.

SEA TRIAL

WIND SPEED: 10 to 12 knots

SEA STATE: 1- to 2-foot waves

SAILING: Closehauled 7.9 knots; Reaching 8.0 knots

MOTORING: Cruise (1,900 rpm) 5.9 knots; Fast (2,600 rpm) 7.4 knots

SPECIFICATIONS

LENGTH OVERALL: 53′6″ (16.31 m)

WATERLINE LENGTH: 50′10″ (15.49 m)

BEAM: 16′4″ (4.98 m)

DRAFT: 7′6″ (2.29 m)

SAIL AREA (100%): 1,518 sq. ft. (141 sq. m)

BALLAST: 13,361 lb. (4,700 kg)

DISPLACEMENT: 35,706 lb. (16,196 kg)

BALLAST/DISPLACEMENT: 0.29

DISPLACEMENT/LENGTH: 121

SAIL AREA/DISPLACEMENT: 22.4

WATER: 195 gal. (738 L)

FUEL: 116 gal. (439 L)

HOLDING: 26.4 gal. (100 L)

MAST HEIGHT: 75′2″ (22.9 m)

ENGINE: 75 hp Volvo, Saildrive

DESIGNER: Felci Yacht Design/Dufour Design Team

PRICE: $550,000

For more information, visit: dufour-yachts.com

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The executives, design team, and craftsmen at the sailing division of Groupe Beneteau have made some interesting, innovative, and even surprising decisions ever since a regime change took place in the marine conglomerate’s upper-management ranks a couple of years back. This was clear from last year’s launching of Beneteau’s First Yacht 53, a sleek and powerful performance cruiser with the contemporary lines evident in the latest offerings from the top European naval architects. Now the company is continuing its ongoing design evolution with its latest dedicated cruising boat, the Oceanis Yacht 54. We tested the boat this past fall on a gorgeous day on Chesapeake Bay with a Beneteau team that couldn’t have been more excited about its potential, and deservedly so. It’s a rangy, clever, impressive yacht.

Over the years, when testing Beneteaus, we’ve become accustomed to reviewing the work of the crème de la crème of the leading practitioners of French naval architecture. So one of the first surprises with this new 54-footer is its design collaboration between a pair of Italians: architect Roberto Biscontini, a veteran of several high-profile America’s Cup campaigns who created the hull, and Lorenzo Argento, the stylist behind many high-end Wally Yachts, who designed the interior layout and accouterments. The Oceanis Yacht 54 actually borrows the basic hull platform from the earlier First Yacht 53, but make no mistake about it: This is a completely new and fresh vessel.

In profile, the Oceanis Yacht 54 is a handsome, purposeful-looking craft. The plumb bow and equally vertical transom maximize the long waterline. A nifty fixed bowsprit is home to the ground tackle and serves as a potential launching pad for reaching sails. There’s a trio of horizontal windows in the hull to port and starboard that look smart and provide natural light and cool ocean views to the interior. The low coach roof slopes forward and transitions to a flush deck forward of the mast. The main feature that links it to the range of Oceanis sisterships is the cockpit arch over the companionway, which anchors the double-ended mainsheet and, on the boat we tested, is the structural centerpiece of a superb Bimini aft and an excellent dodger forward. We’re talking serious shade here.

The cockpit itself is pretty astounding and is a focal point of the design. In 2021, we’re seeing a trend to separate the helm and working sailhandling stations from a dedicated social area free of winches and sheets, aimed purely at comfort. This Oceanis Yacht 54 does this as well or better than anybody. A Beneteau rep referred to this, alternatively, as a “terrace by the sea” and a “rethinking of the center-cockpit” layout. OK, I’ll buy that. There certainly is a lovely, natural, unimpeded flow in the open aisle from the companionway aft, through a passageway between the twin wheels, to the drop-down transom with teak decking that serves as both a boarding/swim platform, and the door opening to a dinghy garage capable of housing an 8-foot-2-inch RIB. The designers clearly feel this big back porch will be the spot where the crew congregates and spends a lot of time, both underway and at anchor, and there’s no question that it’s a very inviting space.

Interestingly, there are no hull chines on the boat, a feature Beneteau introduced with its innovative Sense line that has become ubiquitous on contemporary production cruising boats. The chines were billed as something that would promote stability under sail, but they also expanded interior volume and made for roomier accommodations. Then again, with a 16-foot-5-inch beam, the interior of this yacht is already plenty voluminous.

When it comes to accessing the deck from the cockpit, the Oceanis Yacht 54 has borrowed an idea from its Groupe Beneteau stablemates at Jeanneau, with a slight alteration. Moving forward is a simple matter of stepping outboard from behind the helms and onto an ample side deck, protected by a big bulwark, that gradually rises and transitions into a couple of steps that guide you onto the foredeck. True center-cockpit designs are notorious for the sometimes-difficult gymnastics it requires to step out of them. This is a very elegant solution. Scattered about the teak decks are a quartet of sun pads for spreading out when the hook is down.

There are many, many options to consider on this vessel. For example, take the three different auxiliaries: an 80 hp diesel in a saildrive configuration; a 110 hp engine with a traditional shaft; or Beneteau’s proprietary Dock & Go docking system, a 360-degree rotating pod coupled with a retractable bow thruster that permits the driver to spin the boat in the tightest of spaces. Two rigs are offered: a standard in-mast furling spar measuring just under 79 feet, or a performance stick with a full-batten main and a towering air draft of 85 feet. Likewise, the cast-iron keels, with affixed bulbs, are available in a standard deep version (8 feet, 2 inches) or an optional shoal-draft (6 feet, 7 inches) package.

The boat comes with a full suite of B&G instrumentation, which is as good as it gets, and a standard, proprietary “Ship Control” feature that allows you to monitor and control all the boat’s systems, autopilot, tankage, and so on via a monitor, a tablet, or an app. We’re talking thoroughly modern here. The fiberglass construction is straightforward and employs a balsa core from the deck rail to the keel, as well as an aluminum subfloor that provides structural rigidity to the yacht.

The accommodations and furniture below are clean, contemporary and striking; the Wally influence is clearly very much in play. The standard wood employed is walnut Alpi, which I found hard to beat. There are two floor plans, both of which have a generous saloon and a large owner’s cabin with an en suite head forward and twin, double staterooms aft; a choice of two or three heads are the difference between them (the third head tightens up the galley, to port, opposite the navigation station to starboard). The three-head layout also provides for a tight captain’s quarters in the bow, a space that is otherwise reserved for a giant step-down locker for sails, fenders and such.

We sea-trialed the boat in fairly perfect fall Chesapeake conditions: bright sunshine, blue skies and a sweet, ideal southwesterly of 15 knots or so. And I can state unequivocally that the Oceanis Yacht 54 is simply a blast to sail. The helms are equipped with comfortable seats. All running rigging is led below the deck to winch stations within arm’s length of the wheels that provide ready access to sail trim; this is a boat laid out well for shorthanded maneuvering (the Harken AST system, which stands for “assisted sail trim,” is optional). Upwind, the easily tacked 107 percent genoa further facilitated the easy operation, but the real fun began when we cracked off and unrolled the powerful code zero headsail and cleaved through the small chop effortlessly. The boat was fitted with an impressive suit of excellent sails from French sailmaker Incidence.

With the Oceanis Yacht 54, Beneteau has tacked off on a slightly different but very smooth direction. It’s clearly evident in this distinctive design.

Specifications

Length Overall: 56′2″ (17.2 m)

Waterline Length: 50′6″ (15.4 m)

Beam: 6′5″ (5.0 m)

Draft: 6′7″/8′2″ (1.85/2.49 m)

Sail Area (100%): 1,227 sq. ft. (114 sq. m)

Ballast: 9,918 lb. (4,498 kg)

Displacement: 36,586 lb. (16,595 kg)

Ballast/Displacement: 0.27

Displacement/Length: 127

Sail Area/Displacement: 17.8

Water: 190 gal. (720 L)

Fuel: 106 gal. (250 L)

Mast Height: 78′9″ (24 m)

Engine Specifications: 80 hp Diesel with Saildrive

Designer: Biscontini Yacht Design – Lorenzo Argento (Interior)

Price: $875,000

Sea Trial

Wind Speed: 14 to 15 knots

Sea State: Moderate

Sailing: Closehauled 8.3 knots – Reaching 7.5 knots

Motoring: Cruise (2,300 rpm) 8.4 knots – Fast (2,800 rpm) 8.9 knots

beneteau.com

Herb McCormick is CW’s executive editor.

The post Beneteau Oceanis Yacht 54 Boat Review appeared first on Cruising World.

When it came time to replace its ­popular Helia 44, Fountaine Pajot asked customers what they wanted in a midsize cruising ­catamaran, and then turned to naval ­architect Olivier Racoupeau and its ­in-house team to design it. The result is the Elba 45, a stylish-­looking cat with slightly inverted bows, a reverse sheer to its hulls, and a sporty coachroof and ­Bimini that does double duty as a ­flybridge lounge.

The Elba made its North American debut this past fall at the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Maryland, where our Boat of the Year judges and I first inspected its construction, layout and systems dockside, and then a few days later, took it sailing on a picture-perfect morning on Chesapeake Bay.

In breeze that wavered ­between 12 and 16 knots, the Elba turned in a respectable 6.4 knots close-hauled and a little better than 7 knots on a beam reach under genoa and flattop mainsail. We quickly found the Elba to be an easy boat to sail, which is just one of the reasons that at week’s end the judges awarded it the title of Best Charter Boat for 2020.

Like most of the company’s models, the Elba is available in an owner-preferred three-­cabin Maestro version and a four-cabin charter layout, which was the boat we sailed.

In the Maestro, the owner gets the entire port hull, with a queen berth aft, a desk/vanity and storage lockers amidships, and a spacious head area forward that includes a walk-in shower located outboard and separated by a sole-to-ceiling wall of glass. It’s a neat arrangement. The starboard hull is laid out with double guest cabins fore and aft, each with its own en suite head and separate shower. For charter, the starboard-hull layout is mirrored to port, so everyone’s accommodations are pretty much equal.

In either version, the saloon is the same, and a bright and roomy place to spend time. A large sliding door aft lets ­living space spill into the cockpit, where a dining table and ­ample relaxation stations are ­located. Indoors, visibility in all directions is excellent, thanks to oversize windows; the center one forward opens outward to let in the breeze. Seated on the aft-facing U-shaped couch (one side is actually more like a daybed, and it turns into a lounge chair with a tablet docking station adjacent), I liked the pair of skylights overhead that provide a clear view of the sails, and the low coffee table close by.

RELATED: Fountaine Pajot Elba 45: 2020 Boat of the Year Best Charter Boat

Missing from the layout is a traditional nav station—customers said they don’t use them. Instead, there’s ­additional galley and storage space, and the ability to hook up a laptop to a flat-screen ­display at the entrance to the saloon. Also missing was an ­interior dining table (it’s ­available as an option).

While flybridges are the rage in charter-boat design these days, for passagemaking they are not so practical because the helmsman is exposed to the elements and isolated from the crew down below; and design-wise, the boom has to be that much higher off the water. FP has found what I think is a practical solution by placing the helm station to starboard, halfway in between the lounging area atop the Bimini and the cockpit below.

The Elba also features what I’d call a split-helm arrangement, with a pass-through ­between the steering-wheel pedestal and the three winches mounted forward on the cabin top. Singlehanding, the skipper can engage the autopilot to free up both hands, or step around the wheel but still keep a hand on it while trimming sails. With crew, the sail trimmer gets their own workstation with ­plenty of elbowroom for maneuvering. Our judging team liked this arrangement. But they also thought a more robust traveler would benefit the boat.

Under power, a pair of 60 hp Volvo diesels with saildrives (50 hp is standard) pushed the Elba right along at about 8 knots at cruising rpm and better than 9 knots in get-there-quick mode. I’d guess with just a little more breeze, we’d have seen ­similar speeds under sail. As fit out, the boat we sailed had a sticker price of just over $800,000. BOTY judge Ed Sherman often notes that the noise levels while motoring are an indication of how well a boat is built, and hence its value. “This was one of the quieter boats that we’ve tested,” he said of the ­Elba’s reading of 72 dB with the throttles wide open—”which is pretty much excellent.”

Amen to that.

Mark Pillsbury is CW’s editor.

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A funny thing has happened in the world of production boatbuilding since the German company Hanse Yachts launched its first model, the relatively modest Hanse 291, in 1993. To put it mildly, Hanse has exploded and is now a certifiable behemoth, trailing only Group Beneteau in the ranks of the world’s largest sailboat builders (the firm’s holdings include the Moody and Dehler brands, and Privilège Catamarans as well). Pay a visit to the Hanse stands this fall at the big U.S. boat shows in Newport, Rhode Island, and Annapolis, Maryland, and see for yourself. The Hanse exhibit is a veritable boat show within the boat show.

This past fall, the builder unveiled three new models, the largest of which was the Hanse 548 (all three boats were part of the company’s 8-Series, an ongoing upgrade of almost the entire line). It’s a voluminous yacht that sails well, boasts ­gargantuan accommodations, and has a list of available options—with regard to interior layouts, keels, hull and furniture colors, fabrics, electronics, and on and on—that’s longer than a giraffe’s neck. You can trick out this boat to your very own liking.

That said, no matter what the degree of customization, the basic platform remains the same. And it’s quite the platform: With its maxed-out waterline, low-rider coach roof, extremely tall topsides and double headsails (the inner is a self-tacking number), and a half-dozen hull windows to each side, the 548 cuts a thoroughly contemporary figure. This is the basic template, more or less, that defines the modern sailboat aesthetic as interpreted by a whole host of European naval architects, including Judel/Vrolijk & Company, who were responsible for this design. Admittedly, not everyone is wild about straight-razor ­profiles that don’t exhibit a little rake or angle in the bow and transom. But I think they’re pretty cool.

The other visual (and practical) accoutrement in the yacht is the carbon-fiber T-top that extends over the cockpit—a solid Bimini with a canvas enclosure within it that can slide forward from its spot above the twin wheels for some sunshine and a good look at the main. It’s quite functional and extremely well-executed. (An additional hard dodger is also available.) So too is the “dinghy garage,” or tender bay, beneath the cockpit for stashing the inflatable; the associated, hydraulically controlled drop-down transom with a retractable ladder that raises to the deck is also useful for boarding the boat—not an easy task otherwise given its outsize dimensions (there’s another useful ladder in the lifeline gates for side boarding).

There’s nothing particularly fancy about the sandwich construction—it’s a “wet” layup of glass, vinylester and gelcoat surrounding an end-grain balsa core above the waterline, with carbon reinforcement in the chain-plate areas. A grid of solid fiberglass anchors the keel-stepped mast and the keel itself, of which there are three options: a deep T-shaped foil that draws better than 9 feet, and a pair of slightly shallower L-shaped foils in the 7- and 8-foot range, respectively. Soundown insulation in the flooring and cabins makes for a surprisingly quiet boat. There’s a substantial, sturdy composite bulwark that rims the deck, and a single rudder. The engine is a Yanmar 110 hp with a straight shaft (not a sail drive). C-Zone digital switching controls and monitors the electrical systems. Retractable thrusters fore and aft are helpful in gliding this handful of a boat in and out of tight places.

There are multiple interior plans from which to choose—including a pair of four-cabin versions with a set of double cabins and heads forward—but the standard, most popular layout, which was on our test boat, is a three-cabin model with a roomy owner’s suite in the bow (with a nice head and shower) and two ample double cabins aft (there’s also a small workroom to port that could also be specified as another head or a dedicated stateroom with bunkbeds). The main saloon is spacious and airy, and includes a straight-line galley aft to starboard, a navigation station to port, and lengthy settees, including an L-shaped one also to starboard that wraps around the dining table.

We test-sailed the boat on a day of rather fitful breezes that never reached even 10 knots, but it was plenty to get the 548 moving well. The two helms are independently connected to the rudder post, and feature big pedestals with two sets of controls for the engine, lights, thrusters, B&G instruments, autopilot, and so on (you hit a “select” button at whichever postion you’re driving from to take command). The cockpit is big, continuing the overall theme, with two dining tables split to each side, leaving a nice walk-through space in between. There’s a windscreen forward of the companionway, which has integral slats that disappear into a recess when not required.

The triple-spreader rig is tamed with a Seldén in-mast furler with an Elvstrom performance mainsail with vertical battens that was pretty and effective. The mainsheet is a German double-ended affair that leads aft to the helms. The smaller of the two headsails, as previously mentioned, is a self-tacking jib on its own track that makes tacking as simple as turning the wheel. The larger genoa, on the forward stay, is available for off-wind work. The versatile solent arrangement is really a sound solution for a cruising boat with a primary attribute of making miles in whatever the conditions.

And from what we saw, even in the light stuff, racking up miles won’t be an issue for the 548. In just about 7 knots of true wind hard on the breeze, the speedo touched 7 as well. It’s an easy boat to steer, with a balanced helm, and tracks beautifully. That low coach roof provides wonderful visibility forward. I jotted down a couple of notes as I jogged back and forth between wheels after tacks, one of which was in all caps: “FUN!”

And that’s precisely what sailboats are supposed to be, right? With the 548, and other recent launches, Hanse seems to have sorted that out. I guess it’s no wonder they’ve become a colossus.

Hanse 548 Specifications

Hanse Yachts
978-239-6568
hanseyachts.com

Sea Trial

WIND SPEED
7 to 9 knots
SEA STATE
Slight chop
SAILING
Closehauled 7.0 knots
Reaching 6.8 knots
MOTORING
Cruise (1,800 rpm) 6.9 knots
Fast (2,300 rpm) 8.3 knots

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French boatbuilder Henri Wauquiez cut quite the dashing figure. As a pilot in the French army in the mid-1950s, he earned a medal of valor for his reconnaissance flights over the mountains of Algeria, a ­country then torn by conflict. After his service, he began his boatbuilding career a decade later with a 30-footer called the Elizabethan. But he became famous and successful for his Centurion, Gladiateur and Prétorian models, all names from one of his favorite works of literature, perhaps not coincidentally, Jean Lartéguy’s Guerre d’Algérie (The War of Algeria). For several decades, he was a fixture at boat shows around the planet, trim and handsome, looking every bit the French war hero. Seriously, he was right out of central casting.

Alas, Wauquiez is no longer with us, but his name and legacy continues at the Wauquiez Shipyard, primarily with a series of pilot-saloon yachts, including the latest, the Wauquiez Pilot Saloon 42. It’s designed by ubiquitous naval architecture firm Berret-Racoupeau, perhaps the most prolific sailboat designers of this period. (The boat is imported and sold in the United States by Dream Yacht Charters.)

It seems odd to call a pilot-saloon yacht a rather “traditional” configuration—it wasn’t long ago at all that Oyster and Moody, and many copycats, made the raised deck such a popular option—but in these current days of beamy, voluminous rocket ships, the notion is almost quaint. And don’t get me wrong—the 42 certainly has modern features: a nearly max waterline, twin wheels and rudders, a drop-down transom with swim/boarding deck, and a hull chine that opens up the interior and carries the beam well aft. But it’s also a bit of a throwback.

It certainly is a solidly built one. The composite construction is resin-infused with a ­balsa core that extends the length and breadth of the hull, from the toe rail to the keel, with an outer coat of vinylester to prevent water intrusion. The bulkheads are laminated marine plywood that are tabbed in to provide a secondary bond to the hull. The nicely finished interior furniture is teak. There is a substantial bulwark on deck capped with more teak.

Once you descend the six steps from the cockpit into the saloon (and the term “pilot saloon” is a bit of a misnomer; there are no steering controls to pilot the boat from down below), there is a whole lot going on. The most immediate and striking feature is the dimmable glass (and yes, that’s real glass), an unusual sight in a sailboat, facilitated by sensors embedded in the electrically charged wraparound window. With its blue tint, it certainly provides atmosphere. Like, very cool.

The layout of our test boat included the owner’s stateroom aft (alternatively, you could opt for a pair of double cabins). The berth is roomy and comfortable, with easy side entry, and there’s immediate access to a large head to starboard. The central saloon, also to starboard, indeed has great views of the surroundings, with a large, U-shaped leather settee surrounding a big dining table. Opposite, to port, is an efficient, straight-line galley adjacent to the navigation station. Just forward of that dining table is a hideaway compartment to stash a flat-screen television; interestingly, this feature isn’t specified for boats going into the European markets, the (rather hilarious) implication being that those folks have better things to do with their time than we easily bored Americans. A second double stateroom is situated in the bow, with its own en suite head.

Unfortunately, during our Boat of the Year sea trials on Chesapeake Bay this past fall, we were completely skunked for breeze the day of our scheduled sail test. But judge Alvah Simon was still impressed by much of what he inspected.

“It had nice scuppers, they thought about drainage in the boat, in the cockpit and everywhere,” he said. “I loved the pushpit and the pulpits; there were three railings on each, really stout ones. The cleats were great. The layout of the foredeck was just beautiful. The jacklines were the best in the entire fleet, I hadn’t seen any pad eyes and jackline setups that were as good as these. So, you start to get the feeling that whoever is setting all this up, they’ve been to sea and they know what works.”

For working sail, the 42 employs a traditional mainsail and a 100 percent, non-­overlapping jib on a dedicated self-tacking track; there’s a fancy stainless-steel bow fitting with a sprit for tacking down a cruising kite or code-zero-type genoa. There’s no traveler; this is a cruising boat, friends.

Running rigging is led below deck, not to the coach roof, but rather to coamings port and starboard, where they’re handled by a set of Andersen winches. There are steering pods for each helm, with Raymarine chart plotters on each, and controls for the autopilot and bow thruster on the starboard pod (the engine controls are at the base of this steering station as well). There’s a gargantuan locker beneath the cockpit that is accessed through a hatch between the wheels. A good-size cockpit table has double leaves; the cockpit cushions and cushioned backrests are excellent. There’s a generous Bimini overhead, which provides plenty of shade but makes it a bit tricky getting in and out of the cockpit. The companionway hatch slides right into the deck, which is a pretty nifty arrangement.

Our test boat was bound for service on the Chesapeake and for southbound forays down the Intracoastal Waterway, and was thus equipped with the shallower of two keel options, as well as a slightly shorter rig than the standard one for bridge clearance. For the very same reasons, it was powered by the larger of two available engines: an 80 hp Yanmar diesel (as opposed to the regular 57 hp auxiliary).

For running the ICW, it sounds like the perfect setup. Henri Wauquiez, I think, would approve. Yes, the Carolinas are a far cry from the stark shores of Algeria. But once his wars were over, he spent the better part of his days crafting boats that can cruise far and wide, which is his true, lasting legacy. The Pilot Saloon 42 carries it on.

Wauquiez Pilot Saloon 42 Specifications

Dream Yacht Sales
833-450-4211
dreamyachtsales.com

Sea Trial

WIND SPEED
Zero knots
SEA STATE
Flat
SAILING
Closehauled N/A
Reaching N/A
MOTORING
Cruise (2,400 rpm) 6.3 knots
Fast (2,700 rpm) 7.5 knots

The post Boat Review: Wauquiez Pilot Saloon 42 appeared first on Cruising World.

Once upon a time, Moody Yachts was a very English company building boats in Great Britain (for nearly 200 years) that exemplified what we’d expect from a longtime British boatyard. In other words, their vessels were stout and robust, quite seaworthy and somewhat conservative, with straightforward interior layouts and accouterments. They weren’t necessarily flashy, but they certainly got the job done. Those days are long over. Now, Moodys are built in ­Germany by Hanse Yachts, which took over the brand a decade ago and has become one of the world’s most prodigious, prolific and sophisticated production boatbuilders. And nowhere is this change more evident than with a model introduced to the United States last fall, the Moody DS54, the initials standing for “deck saloon.” Interestingly, the hull of the Moody, with modifications, is the same one employed in a pair of larger Hanse offerings, the 575 and the 588, and was designed by the German naval architecture office Judel/Vrolijk, which is best known for high-performance raceboats, including America’s Cup winners. The interior was then fashioned by veteran Moody designer Bill Dixon of Dixon Yacht Design, making the DS54 a collaboration, of sorts. Even so, this is definitely not your grandpa’s Moody.

That’s evident from the boat’s powerful lines, with a straight stem forward, a long waterline and commanding topsides, dotted with six windows in the hull to each side. The pilothouse is relatively low and sleek, with an eyebrow overhanging the forward window. Teak decks are standard; the foredeck is low and flush (there are fitted cushions that make a cozy daybed), and leads to a solent setup with twin Furlex furlers on the bow. The double-spreader Seldén rig incorporates a self-tending staysail. There’s a substantial bulwark topped by a stainless-steel handrail, both of which make wandering up the side decks a safe and comfortable experience. All in all, it’s a quite handsome and imposing profile.

One of the signature features of the design is the spacious cockpit with a pair of long settees sandwiching a large, foldable table, all of which can be closed off in inclement weather with an overhead retractable soft Sunbrella Bimini; it can also be rolled back when the sun shines. There are twin wheels, each fronted by a set of large pods with engine and (bow and stern) thruster controls, sailing instruments, chart plotters and so on. Large and comfortable helmsmen’s seats are situated all the way aft. All sailing controls and running rigging are led aft to port and starboard Lewmar winches just forward of the Jefa Steering pedestals. The transom folds down hydraulically to create a substantial swim/­boarding platform. To top it off, there’s even a nifty retractable passerelle for Med mooring.

The cockpit and the main saloon are each situated on the same level and accessed through sliding glass doors, much like on a catamaran. There are several different accommodations plans from which to choose, including either a galley up in the saloon or one down a set of five stairs, out of the way of the central living space (our test boat included the latter). Either way, there’s a generous U-shaped settee to port with an adjacent dining table, and a spacious navigation station to starboard with all the tools (including autopilot controls) necessary to make it a tidy indoor steering station. The owners suite is forward; a double cabin is aft. There’s also a guest cabin in the middle of the boat (or two cabins if you opt for the galley-­­up arrangement).

Construction is top-notch, with a fiberglass layup that employs isophthalic gelcoat and vinylester resin with a ­balsa-core sandwich above the waterline. The keel is iron and is available in a shoal or deep-draft configuration. A state-of-the-art CZone ­digital switching and monitoring system is the hub of the electrical system, instruments, gauges and so forth.

The DS54 impressed our Boat of the Year judging team. Said judge Ed Sherman: “This is part of that new genre of deck-saloon models where they’ve actually decided, ‘OK, we want people in the main saloon to be able to look out the windows and see the world around them versus looking through a skylight when you’re buried deep down in the bowels of the boat.’ That layout always annoyed me. It seemed totally illogical. But Moody has figured it out. It’s a nice all-round view up there.”

“I think it was the first of many times we heard the word lifestyle during our dockside inspections,” said judge Bill Bolin. “The company is very strong on the notion that this is a boat that caters to those who want to entertain on the boat, that are going to spend a lot of time in the cockpit, which they maximized. And with the deck saloon on the same level, you have a giant living space for playing, or entertaining, or whatever you want to do there. They did that very well.”

“There’s a good trend of opening up these side decks on new boats, and on the Moody, that was just exemplary,” said judge Tim Murphy. “Because it was a deck saloon, there was a rail inboard that was just beautiful, that took you up to the mast. You couldn’t ask for better, smoother handholds, with no edges. And then outboard you’ve got this true rail that goes all the way around the boat. There’s no other boat we’ve seen that has such secure side decks.”

Unfortunately, we tested the boat on a light-air day with the wind never touching more than 5 knots. Even so, the DS54’s performance was pretty stellar, making over 3 knots in little more breeze than that. I’d love to sail this boat in a bit of a blow. I’m generally not a fan of in-mast mainsails, but the one on the Moody, set on a Seldén spar, sported vertical battens and was a good-looking sail. I also like the solent rig, which is a very versatile option for long-range cruising, providing easily managed sails no matter the conditions, light or heavy.

All in all, for a boat with a price tag north of a million bucks, you’d certainly expect a first-class yacht that is a cut above your average cruiser. Moody has delivered on that promise, honoring an old name with a fresh new design that will take its owners far and wide in ample style.

Specifications

Moody DS54

Moody Yachts
978-239-6598
yachts.group/moody.gb

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