“Will I bring Rambler 88 back next year? It’s too soon to be sure, but it’s certainly a possibilty.” The words of owner George David moments after crossing the finish…
Yachts & Gear
Tested: Pip Hare tries out five of the latest weather routeing packages
Every discerning sailor will carry out some sort of weather routeing before going out on the water. The extent to which we are able to predict weather patterns and assess…
Oceanis Yachts 62 – first of a new luxury range from Beneteau
Note the title ‘Oceanis Yachts’ 62. I missed it at first, assuming this was a new flagship for Beneteau’s traditional Oceanis range. But no, this 62-footer represents the first of…
Video of how a wooden Spirit Yachts is built – the new 47CR cruiser in construction
[Above: The masterpiece of workmanship within Spirit Yacht’s 100ft superyacht Gaia – pic by Anthony Morris] The CR stands for ‘Cruising Range’ – a new line that takes Spirit Yachts’ renowned…
Discovery 48 – a smaller version of the impressive bluewater Discovery 55
It was the Discovery 55 that launched Discovery Yachts 15 years ago. The Marchwood-based yard specialises in bluewater cruisers for couples and, although this 55 was considered a large yacht…
Garcia Exploration 52 – a larger version of Jimmy Cornell’s latest yacht
Jimmy Cornell is a prolific cruising author, who founded multiple cruising rallies, including the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC). He has sailed over 200,000nm on his three previous bluewater yachts.…
Atlantic gear test – Pip Hare tests kit on a 5,400nm crossing
Varta High Optics 3C Flashlight – 9/10 Used: every night of the race for sail trim, sail changes, rig checks and problem solving. This handheld torch allowed me to pick…
Eight Cube, or the Flying Frog, this eccentric new Mini Transat boat has foils
French yacht designer and Mini sailor David Raison has a lot to answer for. His 21ft Magnum scow, designed to the Mini class rule, was one of the most significant…
Best 5 new yachts named winners of the European Yacht of the Year 2015/2016
Now in its 12th year, the European Yacht of the Year is judged by journalists from 11 different magazines from 11 different European nations. Each jury member tested every yacht from…
HH Catamarans – a new range of performance cruisers from China
HH Catamarans is a name you may not have heard of (yet), but behind this new brand is one of the largest-scale investments and boldest thinking in some years. The…
Tested: AIS MOB devices – help your crew to save your life if you should go overboard
In a safety briefing for the double-handed Transat Jacques Vabre race, a French search and rescue pilot told us just how hard it is for a spotter plane to see…
Raymarine Quantum unveiled – a lightweight solid-state radar with class-leading range and efficiency
Chirp technology is used increasingly by marine manufacturers in echosounders to increase target resolution when fishfinding. The same benefits are applied to marine radar with the launch of the Raymarine…
M32 catamaran – a high-speed cat for the World Match Racing Tour
America’s Cup foiling cats look spectacular and turn plenty of heads, but the rate at which the demands of the new technology have been accelerating is leaving many of us…
J/11s – specially designed for short-handed sailing
This year’s double-handed class trophy for the Rolex Fastnet Race went to Kelvin Rawlings and Stuart Childerley aboard the J/105 Jester. Neither had raced short-handed before this season, yet both…
Take a tour of supermaxi Comanche, a yacht so beamy she’s called ‘the aircraft carrier’
“The design office were told specifically by me that if this boat wasn’t the worst rated boat in history they have failed,” Dr Jim Clark said about his new raceboat.…
Top ways to use your tablet or iPad on board your boat
As iPads and other tablets become a part of the arsenal of electronics on board, their versatility, from slave displays and back-up navigation to streaming movies and storing photos, makes…
Corsair Pulse 600 – a light, fun, easy to rig, sporty multihull
For those seeking some sporty multihull action at an affordable price, this contemporary 20-footer, the Corsair Pulse 600, is designed to be light and fun, easy to rig and speedy to…
Look no hands! – Assisted Sail Trim from Jeanneau and Harken for driverless sailing?
Is the new Assisted Sail Trim (AST) program from Jeanneau and Harken sailing’s equivalent to Google’s driverless car? In essence, the system means all sail handling can be controlled from…
Truly a classic – the 127ft Atalante from André Hoek is a head-turner
It was a certain kind of look. It happened as we sailed back towards Antibes over azure waters, carried along under a cutter rig in idyllic afternoon conditions. We pointed…
Wallycento number four, a minimalist Mark Mills designed rocket ship, is sold and under construction
Wow! Judging by these first three renderings, this latest wallycento will be the ultimate and most current dual-purpose superyacht afloat when she launches in 2017. wallycento #4 combines Mark Mills’…