Hunter 40 •

Last year, when Hunter filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy and was subsequently purchased by Marlow Acquisitions, LLC, it was hard to see what direction the new company would be headed. The big question within the industry was will this be a Hunter of the past or will the new owner, who builds cruising trawlers in China, take the company in a different direction? With that in mind, I arrived to test sail the new Hunter 40 in Annapolis, Maryland, and came away with a positive understanding of what Marlow-Hunter, LLC, has on the horizon.

Having sailed quite a few brand new Hunters over the years—ranging from the 36 to the 50 and most recently the newest Hunter 39—I thought I knew what to expect before meeting up with Steve Pettengill to give the newly minted Hunter 40 a test drive. I was wrong.

Walking up to the boat, I could clearly tell this wasn’t a Hunter of old, as a host of new features caught my eye before stepping aboard: hard chines, razor sharp cabin windows, a hard Targa top, a fold-down swim platform and a beautiful blue hull with contrasting tan decks. This boat looked like a Hunter, but with a whole new attitude. Clearly, the fresh look is not only a celebration of Hunter’s 40th year of boat building, but a sign of the direction the new company is headed.

Steve and I chatted about the design and evolution of the 40 as we motored our way through anchored boats and out of Back Creek. From our conversation, I got a sense that Hunter and their designers, chiefly Glenn Henderson, are making a concerted effort to breathe new life into their products. To achieve that goal, they are taking what they’ve learned in 40 years of boat building and design and incorporating recent industry trends to make a cruising boat that is fun to sail, easy to use and forgiving at sea, without breaking the bank.

SAILING TRIALS
Once we cleared the channel, Steve passed me the helm and I took us up into a stiff northeasterly breeze to roll out the main. The control lines, led from the deck-stepped Selden mast and in-mast furling mainsail, run neatly back to the cockpit, which allowed Steve to make quick work of rolling out the vertically battened Doyle mainsail. When the loose-foot was trimmed tight, I fell off the wind to get the main drawing and shut down the 40 horsepower Yanmar diesel. We then rolled out the 110-percent jib and, as Steve trimmed for a close-hauled course, the 40 gently healed and accelerated.

With the wind at a steady 18 knots and gusting to 25, I wanted to see how this blue beauty handled going to weather and positioned myself to leeward at the starboard helm for a clear view of the tell tales. This was one of the first test sails on the boat, so Steve spent time tweaking leech lines on both sails before settling into one of the stern seats to enjoy the ride.

I rarely expect in-mast furling mainsails to perform well in the wind range we had, so I was surprised as we clipped upwind at an easy 7 knots at 45 degrees off the wind. The boat pushed hard, yet forgivingly, to weather and I could tell the hard-chines gave the 40 a little more stability than her predecessors.

We decided to throw in a couple tacks and as the bow moved through the wind it was easy for the two of us to get the jib trimmed in a timely manner. The cockpit of the 40 is similar to Hunters of recent past, sporting a stainless steel arch with a redundant mainsheet, which gives crew the ability to trim from the helm or at an electric winch to starboard of the companionway. The jib sheets are led aft to well-placed winches near the helms and halyard and control lines are conveniently located within arms reach under the dodger, all making for seamless line handling.

Like all newer Hunters, the 40 has a B&R rig with swept-back spreaders that eliminates the need for a backstay and allows for a high-roach, full battened mainsail if the buyer opts to go with a standard main. In the breeze we had, I felt that any extra mainsail area would have given us just a tad too much weather helm, but a single reef would have kept the rail out of the water.

After tacking upwind, I wanted to fall off onto a reach and Steve obliged by trimming the sails as needed. On a beam reach, we effortlessly hit the boat’s hull speed of 8 knots and I hooted-and-hollered as we got close to 9. When broad reaching, the 40 had a nice feel to it and we settled in before putting the boat through a few jibes. Once again, sail handling was smooth and I enjoyed how the arch configuration kept the mainsheet and boom well above the heads of the crew, especially in the moderate to heavy wind.

Though it may have been the last thing we wanted to do given the breeze, we reached towards Back Creek to test the new Spade anchor hanging on the bow roller. After rolling the sails up just as easily as they came out, we turned into the wind, stopped the boat and dropped the anchor over the bow. As the wind blew us down, we rolled out the anchor and chain, which made a quick and abrupt grab that snapped the bow back up into the wind. We don’t often anchor on test sails and I was happy with both the Spade anchor and Lewmar windlass in releasing and retrieving our ground tackle.

When the hook was firmly set, we tested out the fold down transom, which is a first for Hunter. The platform size is generous and Hunter has creatively designed a ladder that is swimmer friendly and stows away smartly. The platform itself was easy to deploy and retrieve and is a perfect height to swim from or to load and unload from a dinghy.

I was still at the helm as we entered Back Creek and I wanted to see what the boat could do under power. With the 40 horse power Yanmar and saildrive, I powered up and we quickly hit 7 knots of boat speed. After whipping by anchored boats at a good clip, I slowed down to see how well the boat would back-and-fill in a tight space without a bow thruster. Much to the chagrin of the occupants on nearby anchored boats, I spun the 40 around like a ballerina in nearly her own length, then zigged-and-zagged in reverse to get a feel for her handling.

Overall the Hunter 40 was a spirited sailing boat on all points and my pre-conceived notions from other Hunters were proven wrong as the hard chine provided more stability than her D/L ratio of 183 suggests. With an SA/D of 20.38 she is a relatively sporty boat that sails fast and would probably do just as well in light air as in the breeze we had. Under power the 40 operated with ease and I would have felt comfortable backing into a narrow slip or making a hairpin turn in a tight fairway.

LIVING ABOARD
The style shift for Hunter continued below decks as what I thought would be a standard interior from their previous models gave way to a living space that clearly got a joinery upgrade. The first thing that caught my eye when I stepped down the companionway was the hardwood cabin sole. Gone were the shiny laminate floors that had a nice appearance, but turned into an ice skating rink when wet—which I experienced first-hand a few years back during a particularly rough delivery. The new hardwood sole was impressive as I lifted it to poke around the bilge, not only was it more stout and better fitting, but it looked much cleaner as well.

The Hunter 40 comes in two cabin configurations, a standard two-cabin layout with a v-berth and large aft cabin, or a three-cabin version with a v-berth and two aft cabins. The boat I sailed was the two-cabin version and from first inspection it would be hard to choose between them, as they are both roomy with plenty of storage and good access to heads and showers. Aft cabins are typically not blessed with an abundance of headroom above the bunk, but the 40’s aft cabin had a good bit more than I expected. Hanging lockers to port and starboard, plus storage bins on either side of the island queen berth make for enough space to house gear and clothing for a long weekend or a month. Direct access to the head and shower on the port side give the cabin a functional walk-through style and the easy engine access from this cabin will appease any discerning engineer.

From the companionway, an L-shaped galley is set to starboard and the navigation table is to port. Corian countertops give the galley a nice aesthetic touch and separate refrigerator and freezer units offer plenty of room for food and drinks. Above the counter is Hunter’s unique storage cabinet that is fitted with a small fan and LED light that acts as a dryer and dish storage rack. Forward of the galley is a U-shaped dinette to starboard with a table that drops down to make an extra bunk and a settee to port with storage cabinets above. Large windows and hatches make for good lighting and ventilation and handholds on both sides allow you to move forward and aft with ease while underway.

Just like the aft cabin, the forward cabin is another comfortable living space. With a large centerline bunk, hanging lockers and cabinets for storage, a bench seat and direct access to a head and shower, you couldn’t ask for anything more in a guest cabin.

BWS’ THOUGHTS
After sailing this boat, I got a clear sense that while the Hunter 40 is similar to its recent relatives, there is clearly a change going on in the way the company is designing and building boats. With this new model, Hunter has borrowed some popular features from their previous designs—the overhead arch and B&R rig to name two–and added a handful of new features—the cabin sole, hard chines, hard top and fold down transom—to give the boat a fresh and appealing look. I envision the Hunter 40 as an excellent coastal cruising boat for a family or a couple, and like with most Hunters in this size range, the 40 is clean, easy to use and comes in at a price point that will make any potential buyer happy.

Hunter 40
LOA 40’0”
LWL 36’3”
Beam 13’2”
Draft 5’2” (shoal)
Draft 6’8” (deep)
Displ. 19,700 bs
Mast height 61’9”
Sail area 1,006 sq. ft.
Fuel 50 gals.
Water 90 gals.
Holding 40 gals.
Engine 40-hp diesel

Marlow-Hunter Sailboats
Route 441, Post Office Box 1030
Alachua, Florida USA 32616
www.marlow-hunter.com

2011 BOAT SHOW PREVIEW • BAVARIA CRUISER 32 •

The 32 has an in-mast furling mainsail and a small roller furling jib. The jib is only 108 percent of the fore-triangle and sheets inside the shrouds. With tight sheeting angles, the boat sails to windward like a dream and tacks inside 80 degrees. Off the wind, the 32 is very easily driven and offers excellent speeds when broad reaching.

Down below, the 32 is huge for a boat of this size. The master cabin has a large double berth tucked aft under the cockpit and a smaller double cabin forward for kids or guests. The benches in the saloon can double as berths, too. The galley is aft at the foot of the companionway ladder with the aft-facing chart table next to it. The L-shaped dinette will seat four for dinner.

A great starter cruiser for a young family or a perfect downsize for an older couple who want to simplify their sailing life, the Bavaria Cruiser 32 offers great sailing qualities and a lot of living space below.

Specifications: LOA 32’9”; LWL 29’0”; Beam 11’3”; Draft 4’11”; Displ. 11,464 lbs.; Sail area 549 sq. ft. For more information, call 855-222-1120 or visit www.bavariayachts.com.

BAVARIA CRUISER 36 • Like its little sister, the Bavaria Cruiser 36 feels much larger than its length might imply. In fact, this boat feels bigger when stepped aboard, when it is hit by a puff of wind, and when you go below into the cabin.

The 36 has the same style rig as the 32, with an in-mast furling mainsail and a small jib that sheets inside the shrouds. Because the headsail is small, the boat is easy for a couple to tack and the sail can often be trimmed without having to grind the sheet winch.

The cockpit has long bench seats and the backs are ergonomically shaped to give lumbar support for comfort. Like all of the Bavaria Cruiser fleet, the 36’s transom folds down to create a large platform aft for sunning, swimming, donning SCUBA gear or climbing into the dinghy.

The 36 comes in either a two-cabin, one-head layout or a three-cabin, one-head plan. The first will probably appeal to couples who sail with friends, while the latter will be a good layout for a family. The boat has only one head, but the compartment is large and has a partition that converts it into a shower.

The interesting thing about the new Bavaria line is that owners have a lot of options when they spec out their new boats. You can choose from three different wood styles, floor patterns and numerous fabrics and colors. Bavaria has the capacity to build 3,000 boats a year, but they build each to its owner’s own personal requirements.

The Cruiser 36 will make a great family cruising boat that is small enough to be affordable but large enough to really be a floating home away from home.

Specifications: LOA 37’1”; LWL 32’5”; Beam 12’0”; Draft 5’4”; Displ. 15,432 lbs.; Sail area 742 sq. ft. For more information, call 855-222-1120 or visit www.bavariayachts.com.

The BAVARIA CRUISER 40 takes the company’s theme of large interiors in boats that sail very well and really puts it to great use. The 40 comes with only one accommodation plan—a three-cabin, two-head layout that emphasizes comfort.

The 40’s rig is proportionally slightly taller and larger than that of the 36 and thus the boat has a bit more sail power. This boat will sail at 8 knots in 12 knots of wind, so you get the idea.

The cockpit is large and laid out for easy sailing and outdoor living. With twin wheels, you always have a good view forward while steering or maneuvering around a marina. Plus, twin wheels open the aft end of the cockpit so you have direct access to the huge aft platform that is formed when the transom is folded down.

The interior has the galley along the port side of the saloon with a dinette that seats six to starboard. There is a good-sized chart table aft of the dinette. With almost seven feet of headroom throughout the interior and plenty of overhead hatches and ports in the cabin sides and hull sides, the interior is flooded with natural light and extremely well-ventilated.

The 40 will be plenty of boat for many couples or families since the sleeping cabins are so large, the heads so roomy, and the dinette and cockpit table well-designed for meals in all weather. Plus, the 40 sails very well indeed.

Specifications: LOA 4’6”; LWL 35’3”; Beam 13’0”; Draft 5’5”; Displacement 19,135 lbs.; Sail area 883 sq. ft. For more information, call 855-222-1120 or visit www.bavariayachts.com.

Bavaria builds three larger Cruisers—the 45, 50 and 55—but of these, only the CRUISER 45 will be in the U.S. this year.

The 45 is a big boat for a 45-footer. In fact the transom and after sections of the hull are so wide that Farr Yacht Designs equipped the boat with twin rudders to go with the twin wheels in the cockpit. This configuration means that one rudder is always in the water and fully functioning even when the boat is heeled over and clawing to windward. Twin rudders also make the 45 sail as if it were on rails, with fingertip control at all times.

The 45 has the same simple and efficient rig as the smaller boats, which drives it well even in light breezes. The cockpit is huge and has a drop-leaf table that will seat eight adults for a meal. The chartplotter can be installed neatly on the after end of the table, so it can be seen from both helms. The transom on the 45 has an electric motor to raise and lower it so you don’t throw out your back hoisting it into place. The platform is large enough for several people to sunbathe.

Down below, the 45 can be arranged with either a three-cabin, three-head plan or a four-cabin, three-head layout. The galley runs along the saloon’s port side and offers an acre of counter space. To starboard, the dinette wraps around a handsome dining table that will also accommodate eight for dinner. The chart table just aft of the dinette faces aft and has a nifty folding seatback that is part of the dinette.

The 45 will be a good family cruiser or will fit very nicely into a charter fleet. The cabins are large and comfortable, the living spaces huge and airy, and the eating arrangements great for crowds. The Cruiser 45 is a true liveaboard yacht.

Specifications: LOA 46’10”; LWL 41’8”; Beam 14’3”; Draft 5’8”; Displ. 27,777 lbs.; Sail area 1,151 sq. ft. For more information, call 855-222-1120 or visit www.bavariayachts.com.

BENETEAU OCEANIS 41 & 45 • This fall, Beneteau will unveil two new Oceanis models that carry on the Oceanis cruising traditions while incorporating some truly innovative design features to make the boats easier to sail and more comfortable to live aboard. The most notable feature in the new design is the high cockpit arch that anchors the main sheet and provides a rigid frame for a dodger and other cockpit enclosures. Both boats are truly set up for indoor-outdoor living, so the cockpits are huge and access up and down the companionway ladder is excellent.

The cockpits have twin wheels and an innovative folding transom system that fully encloses the cockpit when underway, then folds down electrically to form a swim platform when at anchor. Designed by Finot-Conq, the 41 and 45 have thoroughly modern rigs with the mast set fairly far aft and the headsail reduced to a slightly overlapping jib that sheets inboard of the side stays, which in turn have been moved outboard to the gunnel. With tight sheeting angles, the boats promise to be handy and close-winded while being easy to tack and jibe. For off-the-wind sailing, a reacher or asymmetrical chute will really add fun and power.

The Oceanis 41 has three accommodation plans to choose from. The two-cabin, one-head version offers a good quarter cabin aft and a large V-berth forward; this plan has a huge sail locker and storage area under the port cockpit seat. The three-cabin, one-head plan uses the sail locker space for a second aft cabin. The three-cabin, two-head version tucks a second head into the forward cabin, which replaces the small desk or vanity found in the other accommodation plans. In all three layouts, the after head has a separate shower stall. The saloon remains the same in all three versions, with the L-shaped galley aft to port and the dinette forward to starboard.

The Oceanis 45 is also offered with three optional accommodation plans. The two-cabin, two-head version has the same large storage area aft as seen in the 41. The three-cabin, two-head plan replaces the storage area aft with a second aft cabin. And, the three-cabin, three-head design equips each of the three cabins with its own en suite head; in this version, the shower stall in the aft head has been replaced with an expanded dinette storage compartment. Both of the new boats are being built in Beneteau’s plant in Marion, South Carolina, so they are truly American boats.

The new designs will be fast, weatherly and very comfortable to live aboard. And they offer the great value that Beneteau is known for worldwide.

Oceanis 41 specifications: LOA 41’9”; LWL 38’1”; Beam 13’9”; Draft 6’9”; Displ. 18,386 lbs. Oceanis 45 specifications: LOA 45’5”; LWL 42’10”; Beam 14’9”; Draft 7’1”; Displ. 21,054 lbs.

For more information, call 843-629-5309 or visit www.beneteauusa.com.

HAKE SEAWARD 46 • An innovative design from Hake Yachts in Florida, the new Seaward 46 is a shoal draft cruiser that is capable of extended offshore sailing. With a ballasted retractable keel and retractable rudders, the 46 can cruise in less than three feet of water. Yet, with the keel and rudders fully deployed, the boat will draw over seven feet and will be a stiff and stable platform for blue water sailing.

The big sister to the Seaward 32 and 26, both of which are shoal draft cruisers with retractable keels, the 46 is a raised deck saloon design with a large aft cockpit. The boat can be configured with either a single 75-horsepower diesel or twin 54-horsepower engines. And there is a “fishing” option that fits a fighting chair and rod holders at the stern.

The 46 has a fairly narrow 13-foot beam and a small but handy rig with a 100 percent self-tacking jib, so it should be easily driven even in light airs. The 46 has been in the works for a while and has already stirred up a lot of interest since there are not many retracting keel cruisers on the market, with the exception of Southerly Yachts in England. Look for the boat at the Annapolis Sailboat Show in October. Specifications were not available at press time.

For more information, call 727-287-3200 or visit www.seawardyachts.com.

HALLBERG-RASSY 372 • The new German Frers-designed Hallberg Rassy 372 is another cruiser under 40-feet that will appeal to couples and young families. The 372 replaces the popular HR 37.

HR has built more than 8,000 cruising boats over the years, so it is well established as one of the world’s cruising yacht leaders. The new 372 is slightly longer, beamier and more streamlined below the water than the 37. The rig is more than a meter taller, and the sail plan has been configured to fly a large mainsail and a small headsail that will be easy to tack and trim. A self-tacking jib option is available. The three-spreader rig can be fine-tuned with the standard backstay adjuster, and the chainplates for the shrouds are far inboard, allowing tight sheeting angles and keeping side decks uncluttered.

The 372 has a clean deck layout. The furling drum for the genoa is mounted below decks, as is the anchor windlass at the bow. Down below, the 372 offers classic HR quality with a U-shaped, seagoing galley, bench settees and storage for gear, groceries and spares. The chart table is across from the galley, while the head and shower are behind it. The forward cabin sports a large double berth, a vanity, hanging and storage lockers, and bookshelves. The after cabin has a huge double berth and additional storage.

The 372 was voted European Boat of the Year in 2010. The new design is a fine example of the great work HR does and just how much you can fit into a sleek and speedy 37-foot hull.

The HR 372 will make a great voyaging boat for a couple who like to sail fast and want to bring their comforts with them to sea.

Specifications: LOA 33’6”; LWL 29’5”; Beam 11’6”; Draft (deep) 5’6”; Displ. 12,400 lbs.; Sail area 625 sq. ft. For more information, contact Eastland Yachts in Essex, CT (860-767-8224), Free State Yachts in Deal, Maryland (410-867-9022), Swiftsure Yachts in Seattle, Washington (206-378-1110), or visit www.hallberg-rassy.com

HANSE 495 • This year, Hanse will introduce several new models, among them the stylish and innovative 495. A powerful modern cruising sloop, the 495 has a Judel-Vrolijk hull with a nearly plumb bow and squared-off transom. The hull’s sheer is fairly straight, so the boat’s profile makes it look purposeful and fast. Think of that long waterline.

On deck, the broad beam and low cabin house make the boat feel spacious. The cockpit is open aft, so the floor flows between the twin wheel back to the transom. The decks are uncluttered, and because the jib is a self-tacker on its own track, the chainplates and shrouds were moved outboard to allow unimpaired passages along the side decks. With teak decks and recessed hatches, a 495 will have a Wally Boat modern Euro look.

Down below, the 495 offers a large owner’s cabin forward with a centerline double berth and plenty of storage space. The head and shower are in separate compartments port and starboard. In the standard layout, twin quarter cabins aft have good headroom and plenty of lockers. Ventilation is via open deck hatches and ports that open into the cockpit. The aft cabins are served by a single head to port that has a nice big shower stall. The standard saloon plan has the galley along the port side and the large U-shaped dinette to starboard with a bench amidships to seat two more guests. The chart table is just aft of the dinette and close to the companionway. The styling evokes modern European furniture, with contrasting light and dark woods, sharp angles and expanses of open floor.

Hanse offers so many ways to customize your new boat that no two 495s will ever be the same. Fun to sail, comfortable down below, and a truly modern statement in cruising, the Hanse 495 will appeal to those who want the latest thinking and the ability to customize the look of their boat to a great extent.

Specifications: LOA 50’6”; LWL 44’5”; Beam 15’7”; Draft 6’9”; Displ. 30,900 lbs.; Sail area 1,390 sq. ft. For more information, call 978-903-0380 or visit usa.hanseyachts.com or www.hanseyachts.com.

MOODY 45AC • Hanse Yachts in Germany bought the Moody brand several years ago and came out at once with a truly innovative deck saloon or pilothouse model that turned a lot of heads. Since then, the company has gone back to designer Bill Dixon for a more traditional aft cockpit luxury cruising boat to fit the Moody brand.

The Aft Cockpit 45 is a modern sloop with a tall fractional rig and a sweet, traditional-looking hull with balanced ends and a springy sheer. The full battened mainsail is standard, but in-boom furling could be added without degrading sailing performance. The jib is self-tacking and runs to a track athwart the forward cabintop, making upwind sailing a snap. The 45’s cockpit has twin wheels, a folding transom and a lovely varnished table with folding leaves. A low windshield wraps around the companionway, keeping spray out of the cockpit and providing a good base for a canvas dodger.

Down below, the furniture is finished in varnished mahogany around accents of white panels and trim, so the whole effect is of traditional Bristol Fashion neatly modernized. Raised panel doors and drawers, some with wicker inserts to enhance ventilation, add a classic touch. The seagoing galley is at the foot of the companionway to starboard, while the head and shower are to port. Aft, the 45 AC has twin quarter cabins while the master cabin is forward with its own en suite head and shower. The dinette amidships is huge, and across from it are two easy chairs on either side of a small table that doubles as the nav station.

Hanse has made a serious effort to offer Moody as a truly upscale brand that will appeal to sailors who want a well designed, fine sailing yacht that is finished to the highest degree. Specifications: LOA 45’0”; LWL 40’1”; Beam 13’8”; Drat 7’3”; Displ. 26,895 lbs. Sail area 1,205 sq. ft. For more information, call 978-903-0380 or visit www.hanseyachts.com.

ISLAND PACKET 360 • Island Packet Yachts has been building seaworthy cruising boats for 30 years, and you will find them in the world’s best cruising grounds. With designer Bob Johnson’s Full Foil Keel, moderate sail area-to-displacement ratios, cutter rigs and self-tacking Hoyt Jib Boom Staysails, the line has a well earned reputation for easy motion in a seaway and high average speeds over the long haul. On IPY designs, you arrive at the end of the passage more rested than when you began.

This year, the company is adding to its line a 36-footer that is an evolution of the handsome and sweet sailing Estero.

The 360 is a salty and capable cruiser with a nice springy sheer, a short bowsprit that houses the anchors as well as the roller furling headsail, and a fairly low profile cabin that fits the hull neatly.

The cockpit has been designed for comfort and safety, so it is not overly large and will drain quickly if ever a wave came aboard at sea. All sailing sheets, halyards and control lines run aft, so you never have to leave the cockpit to add or reduce working sail.

The accommodation plan below offers a large double cabin aft with a neat V-style berth that allows you to swing your legs easily to the floor when getting up. This is a pleasant quarter cabin with ample ventilation, a hanging locker and plenty of space for clothes. The forward cabin has a traditional V-berth, hanging and storage lockers, and a private door to the large head. The saloon has the huge galley aft to starboard and an aft-facing chart table. The L-shaped dinette to port will seat four at the fold-down saloon table. Across to starboard, two swiveling easy chairs will make lounging, reading and watching TV just as comfortable as at home.

A great mid-size cruiser, the new IP 360 is a go-anywhere blue water yacht that will look after her crew as a proper yacht should.

Specifications: LOA 36’5”; LWL 31’6”; Beam 12’4”; Draft 4’0”; Displ. 19,300 lbs.; Sail area 831 sq. ft. For more information, call 888-724-5479 or visit www.ipy.com

HUNTER e33 • Hunter has long been a leader in offering sailors a wide range of boats, from sailing dinghies to 50-foot ocean cruisers. But the company may be best known for its mid-size cruisers, which offer expansive living spaces in boats that are easy to sail and handle.

The new e33 fits right into that mid-size segment and introduces an attractive new look for the Florida-based builder. With a sleek deck design and large cabin windows, the boat looks modern and fast. The hull has a wider transom than the earlier 33-footer and the bow has been given a narrower entry. The cockpit is large and comfortable for a boat of this size and has a neat fold-down transom that becomes a large swim platform. Hunter uses unique B&R rigs, with sharply swept back spreaders and no backstay. The main is quite large, while the headsail is small enough to be easy to tack. This rig is simple for a couple or even a singlehander to manage.

Over the last decade, Hunter has steadily refined their interior arrangements and the fit and finish of the joinery down below. The e33 has a large athwartships double berth in the after cabin that is tucked in under the cockpit and side deck on the starboard side. The forward cabin has a V-berth and plenty of storage for clothes, linens and towels. The galley has Corian counters, a large fridge and a two-burner stove with an oven below. The dinette to port will seat four easily. To starboard, the bench settee with be a good berth, or the middle section of the bench can be converted quickly to form a chart table. All of the boat’s instruments are accessible from the starboard settee.

A handsome addition to the Hunter line of sailboats, the new e33 offers a lot of accommodations in a cruising boat that will be easy to sail and comfortable for extended cruises.

Specifications: LOA 33’6”; LWL 29’5”; Beam 11’6”; Draft 4’6”/5’6”; Displ. 12,400 lbs.; Sail area 625 sq. ft. For more information, visit www.huntermarine.com.

JEANNEAU 379 • The success of the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 409 that was introduced at last year’s Annapolis show, with its hard chine aft, fold-down stern platform and simple but powerful sloop rig, primed the market for more Jeanneaus of the same style. So this year, Jeanneau is launching the Sun Odyssey 379 and Sun Odyssey 439.

The 379 has a modern hull style with a nearly plumb bow, a squared-off transom and a low slung coach roof. The sloop rig has been set up for ease of handling and good performance. The mainsail is a slab reefed full batten main with lazy jacks. The mainsheets run aft on both sides of the coach roof to the cockpit winches, so the helmsman can trim while steering. The cockpit has been laid out for efficient sail trim. With twin wheels, access to the fold-down swim platform is excellent.

Below decks, the 379 comes in a two- or three-cabin version, both with a large head and separate shower stall. In the two-cabin version, the port quarter becomes a huge sail and storage locker and a small wet locker adjoins the head. In the three-cabin version, the port quarter becomes a sleeping cabin and the head is moved forward. The L-shaped galley is useful, and the dinette forward seats six with the drop leaf raised.

Specifications: LOA 37’0”; Beam 12’0”; Draft 5’0”; Displ. 14,740 lbs.; Sail area 753 sq. ft.

The new JEANNEAU 439 has a larger, beamier Philippe Briand hull that will translate into greater cabin volume and stability. The bow sections have a bit more hollow for a narrow entry, which will improve the boat’s motion and windward ability.

Like its little sisters, the 439 is all about good sailing aboard a comfortable boat.
Twin wheels give the helmsman great visibility forward and open the cockpit to the large swim platform.

Down below, the 439 makes use of the extra beam to offer an unusual four-cabin, two-head layout with two double quarter cabins, a V-berth cabin forward, and an upper and lower cabin forward of the main bulkhead. In the three-cabin, two-head version, the forward cabin gets a large centerline double berth and a large vanity or desk. The saloon has the seagoing galley aft and to starboard, where it is convenient to the cockpit and large dinette.

The fit and finish of the 379 and 438 is bright and airy, and multiple hatches and ports provide natural light and excellent ventilation.

Specifications: LOA 44’0”; Beam 14’0”; Draft 7’0”; Displ. 21,736 lbs.; Sail area 1,004 sq. ft.

The 44 DECK SALOON (DS) Sun Odysseys are all about elegance, style and comfort. From the swim platform aft to the bow rollers forward, the 44DS embodies the latest in Euro styling. The Philippe Briand designed hull is similar to the 439, but there the similarity ends.

The deck saloon cabintop has a kind of Audi TT curve that flows for the full length of the cockpit and cabintop to the foredeck. The huge side windows are tinted black and set off by dark gray moldings that run along the edge of the cabin. The halyards, sheets and control lines from the mast run in conduits on the cabintop, and the two-ended mainsheet runs under the deck to winches aft by the twin wheels.

The 44DS has a huge aft cabin, with a queen-size double berth under the cockpit and bridgedecks. For added headroom, cockpit soles have been raised and a wide bridgedeck added. The cockpit has a large table with drop leaves and a built-in chart plotter. Down below, the furniture is more angular and the cabinets are lower with an “interior designer” feel, which is not surprising since the styling was done by Franck Darnet. The use of bright white and contrasting black counter and tabletops sets off the wood veneers, cabinets and bulkheads, and the sharp stainless steel latches and fittings are a statement in elegance.

Aside from the full width after stateroom, the 44DS has two guest cabins forward and a second head. One of the cabins has a V-berth, while the others have an upper and lower single berth. The saloon is a trendy modern living space with a large galley, U-shaped dinette and bench settee.

The 44DS will make a fine cruising boat for a couple or family who wants their leisure time to be as elegant and modern as can be.

Specifications: LOA 44’0”; Beam 14’0”; Draft 7’0”; Displ. 21,450 gals.; Sail area 835 sq. ft. For more information, call 410-280-9400 or visit www.jeanneau.com.

The new OYSTER 625, which has been nominated for 2012 Boat of the Year in Europe, is a Rob Humphries design that dramatically upgrades the already popular previous boats in the Oyster line, the 61 and 62.

A center cockpit desk saloon design, the 625 has a modern sheer line capped by the new style of wraparound deck saloon windows that Oyster has used so successfully in recent models. The standard rig will have an in-mast furling mainsail and a cutter rig forward. This gives you a lot of trim choices and allows you to shorten sail in rising weather without leaving the cockpit. A Solent headsail rig and in-boom mainsail furling are options.

Down below, the 625 offers a true master stateroom aft with a queen-size double and plenty of storage and comfortable amenities. An owner and spouse will really feel at home here. Forward, two guest cabins are shown in the standard accommodation plan—a Pullman double cabin to starboard and an upper and lower cabin to port. The forepeak has been reserved for a single crewmember, with access to one of the en suite heads that adjoin the forward cabins. The saloon is spacious and will be full of light. The dinette is huge and will seat eight. The galley is in the passageway aft to port and will be an excellent seagoing galley. The chart table at the base of the companionway is a proper navigation command central where you can mount all of your radios, sat phone, chartplotters and radar. Plus, the table is large enough to spread out an old paper chart.

The new Oyster 625 is a handsome, high quality ocean sailing yacht that will keep you safe at sea, get you home quickly, and provide you with elegance and comfort along the way.

Specifications: LOA 63’7”; LWL 56’7”; Beam 17’10”; Draft 9’2”; Displ. 73,854 lbs.; Sail area 2,538 sq. ft. For more information, call 401-846-7400 or visit www.oystermarine.com.

The SABRE 456 was launched late last year and has drawn a lot of attention from both Sabre owners and would-be Sabre owners.

The Jim Taylor design is an upgrade of the Sabre 452 that was introduced several years ago with a new keel, new rig and modernized interior.

On deck, the 456 has a large, secure cockpit with high seatbacks and a single large destroyer wheel. The main sheet runs to the traveler forward of the dodger so the cockpit is not cluttered. The chainplates for the shrouds are well inboard for close sheeting angles on the genoa and to make going forward easier.

Down below, the forward cabin offers a large centerline double berth and a large en suite head with a separate shower stall. The guest cabin aft has a large double berth and plenty of storage space. The 456’s galley is one of the largest and best laid out in any boat of this size. Since you tend to live in the kitchen, the saloon has the feel of a large, homey country kitchen. The drawer-style pull-out fridge is an innovation that we feel sure will catch on in other designs. Sabre has revamped their interior joinery style with a slightly Japanese flair to the doors and cabinets, making great use of the spaces available and adding light to the cabins. Because the 456 is built to order, Sabre can really work with an owner to customize the boat to his or her needs.

A fine offshore quality boat built in “Maine style,” the 456 will carry you across oceans or the bay swiftly and comfortably.

Specifications: LOA 45’6”; LWL 38’4”; Beam 14’1”; Draft 5’6”; Displ. 27,150 lbs.; Sail area 1,043 sq. ft. For more information, call 207-655-3831 or visit www.sabreyachts.com.

The new Tim Jackett-designed TARTAN 4000, which was introduced last winter, embodies a lot of the new thinking that has gone into the boats and the company since it was purchased by Steve Malbasa last year. The new company is all about delighting customers with great boats and great service.

The 4000 really speaks to that mission. The cockpit is large and secure, with twin wheels for easy access to the fold-down stern platform. The seats are contoured for optimum comfort around the stowable cockpit table or when sailing hard. Tartan used their patented Cruise Control Rig, which uses a fully battened mainsail with a double headsail rig that deploys an inner upwind jib and a larger reacher on the outer roller. The CCR offers the best in both upwind and downwind sailing without forcing you to fly a spinnaker or even leave the cockpit.

Tartan is unique in the market by offering carbon spars, booms and rudders as standard equipment. Equally unique are the epoxy-infused hull and decks that are tougher, lighter and virtually impervious to osmosis. Down below, the cherry interior has a large centerline double berth and en suite head in the forward cabin. The sofa-style saloon with a fold-down table will be comfortable for up to eight. The galley offers lots of counter space, a large fridge and double stainless steel sinks. Across from the galley, the chart table is a traditional nav station where the skipper or navigator will be in command of all of the ship’s systems.

A fine new entry to the 40-foot cruising fleet, the new Tartan 4000 will be a great couple’s boat and is built to be a family heirloom, albeit one that you could sail across the ocean.

Specifications: LOA 40’ 8”; LWL 36’4”; Beam 13’0”; Draft 7’6”; Displ. 20,104 lbs.; Sail area 893 sq. ft. For more information, call 440-357-7777 or visit www.tartanyachts.com.

A semi-custom design that was spawned last year and launched late last spring, the new TARTAN 4700 expands upon themes introduced in the 4400 a few years ago.

On deck, the cockpit is huge and deep and will be very secure at sea. With twin wheels and a folding transom, the living space will feel vast while at anchor and with the platform lowered.

At sea, all buttoned up, you won’t mind running down the face of ocean rollers. The 4700 has Tartan’s Cruise Control Rig, so it is easy and efficient to sail upwind or off the wind and actually sails higher and faster than the 4400. The extra three feet add to the boat’s balance and waterline length, which translates into better performance all around.

Down below, a lot of attention has been given to making the boat a comfortable family home with good communal and private spaces. The large aft cabin is tucked under the cockpit, and the bridgedeck has been raised to provide full headroom across the cabin. The large aft head is next to it to starboard.

The 4700, like the 4400, has a raised dinette that offers good views through the deck saloon windows. And the chart table is raised as well, so you can easily stand watches inside the cabin with great visibility forward and to both sides. The engine room is beneath the raised saloon floor, where you have great access to the engineering systems. Forward, there is a large master cabin with an attached head and a third cabin with upper and lower bunks, which will appeal to children and their friends.

A fine new model in the Tartan line, the 4700 is a liveaboard, offshore quality yacht that offers all of the attributes of Tartans—epoxy hull and deck, carbon rig, carbon rudder, Beavertail shoal draft keel—in an exciting new package. Look for BWS’s full review and the new boat’s specifications in the October issue.

For more information, call 440-357-7777 or visit www.tartanyachts.com.

2010 BOAT SHOW PREVIEW •

BENETEAU FIRST 30

Beneteau has never been shy about new design ideas, so it should be no surprise that they turned to Juan Kouyoumdjian, who designed many of the speedsters in the current maxi and Volvo fleets, for the lines of the new “evolutionary” First 30. To stir things up, Beneteau asked Michel Desjoyeaux, winner of the Vendee Globe, to consult. The result is the new First 30, which looks like the offspring of a Volvo 70 and an Open 60, shrunk to 30 feet. The new boat has a plumb bow, broad beam all the way aft and hard chines molded into the aft sections of the boat, similar to bigger race boats. Twin rudders are necessary because of the beam aft and will make the boat drive like she’s on rails when surfing downwind behind her big chute. The 30 has a T-bulb deep keel for stability and a huge fractional rig that sports a boom that reaches all the way to the transom, where the main traveler is mounted. In the tradition of Beneteau First series boats, the new 30 has accommodations that make it a true cruiser-racer. The layout below decks shows a small V-berth forward and a large double berth tucked under the cockpit on the port side. The galley is adequate for a 30-footer, while the chart table is large and roomy. Two bench settees run fore and aft on either side of a central table with folding leaves. The 30 can sleep six in a pinch and will be comfortable for a family in cruising mode. If you like innovation, fun, performance and the influence of the big offshore pros, you will love the new First 30.Specifications: LOA 30’; LWL 29’; Beam 10’6”; Draft 6’6”. For more information, visit www.beneteauusa.com

ELECTRIC ALERION 33

As we reported in the August issue of BWS, Pearson Composites recently launched a new Alerion 33 equipped with a Mastervolt electric power train and no internal combustion engine. The motive behind this innovative new Alerion was the desire of an owner to be able to slip in and out of his dock without making a sound or polluting the waters around him with exhaust. The Mastervolt propulsion system is built around the company’s new high-performance Lithium-ion batteries, which use the same technology as the long life batteries in laptop computers and soon in all electric automobiles. The batteries are 15 percent more efficient and 70 percent lighter than wet cell batteries. The Alerion is an excellent boat for the Mastervolt system because it is so easily driven. Powered by Mastervolt’s 7.5-kilowatt saildrive system, the 33 will have a range of 15 to 20 nautical miles on battery power alone. For sailors who normally daysail, this is plenty of margin for safety. Underway, the Alerion with the Mastervolt system has better acceleration and stopping power than a normal diesel engine because full torque is available the moment the engine is put into gear. The Alerion 33 is also a fine barebones coastal cruiser with a simple but pleasant interior and basic accommodations, including a V-berth forward, an enclosed head, an ice box and counter for a countertop cooker, bench settees and basic storage. If you are looking for a truly green machine that makes use of great design and the latest in electric propulsion, the Alerion 33 with the Mastervolt electric drive system is the way to go.Specifications: LOA 33’0”; LWL 26’4”; Beam 9’3”; Draft 5’0”; Displacement 8,700 lbs.; Ballast 3,300 lbs.; Sail area 609 sq. ft. For more information, visit www.alerionexp.com

BENETEAU FIRST 35

The new Beneteau 35 follows in the wake of the First 50. The modern design combines the high performance of First series boats with the accommodations sailors expect in a dual-purpose racer-cruiser. The First 35 has a moderately light displacement hull with a nearly plumb bow, T-bulb keel, long waterline, full sections aft for power and a deep, high aspect balanced spade rudder. The tall fractional rig sports plenty of sail area for performance in light breezes. The cockpit has been laid out for racing crew manning the sheets and control lines but will also be comfortable for a cruising family. The huge wheel fits into a well in the cockpit floor so the helmsman can sit on the coaming to windward or leeward for better visibility steering upwind. The aft end of the cockpit is open and doubles as a swimming platform. Down below, living spaces are bright and airy, with two private cabins. The master cabin has a huge double berth aft under the cockpit. The guest cabin has a V-berth forward. The head is aft to starboard behind the neat chart table. The efficient galley has a two-burner stove, single sink on the centerline and icebox. The bench settees will make good sea berths; you will be able to seat six around the main table. The design of the new 35 is a real advancement from the well-proven 36.7 that has been the leader in this size range for a decade. The boat will be a lot of fun to sail, is built tough enough for offshore events and will make a comfortable, if spirited, cruiser.Specifications: LOA 35’7”; LWL 30’7”; Beam 11’11”; Draft 7’3” (std.) or 5’11” (shoal) Displ. 12,125 lbs; Ballast 3,681 lbs. (std.); Sail area 446 sq. ft. For more information, visit www.beneteauusa.com

CATALINA 355

The new 355 is the successful Catalina 455’s little sister. The new design from Gerry Douglas and the Catalina team has a modest beam, a fairly low freeboard and a nice tall rig. With a moderate displacement hull, a cruising fin keel and a well-balanced spade rudder, the boat promises to be easily driven under sail, close winded, easy to handle, with easy motion in a seaway. The new boat’s deep and secure cockpit has a single wheel, built-in table with folding leaves and an insulated icebox, and a folding seat aft for access to the stern platform. All control lines for the sails are led aft to line stoppers and winches on the cabin top so you can raise and reef the mainsail or roll up the jib from the cockpit. Down below, the forward cabin has a centerline double berth that will be easy to get in and out of and easy to make. The guest cabin is aft under the cockpit and has a large double berth positioned athwartships. The head is at the foot of the companionway ladder where it is convenient to both sleeping cabins and will work well as a wet locker for foul weather gear. The galley is huge and laid out for truly preparing meals either at anchor or underway. The dinette will seat the full crew. The new 355 has many well thought out details that come from the decades of building and sailing experience behind Catalina. A capable mid-size cruiser at a reasonable price, the 355 will no doubt become one of the company’s most popular and successful new boats to come along in a while. At press time, the 355’s specifications had not been published by the builder. For more information, visit www.catalinayachts.com

DUFOUR 40e

The new Dufour 40e is a trendsetting modern racer-cruiser that combines advanced design and engineering with luxurious but sensible cruising interior spaces. The hull has a modern look with a transom stern that folds down to make a large aft platform, a straight sheer, low cabin profile and a nearly plumb bow. Under the water the high aspect rudder and keel will give the boat a lot of lift while reducing wetted surface. The tall fractional rig has a large mainsail to drive the boat and smaller overlapping headsails for sailing fast upwind. The main traveler is aft on the cockpit sole just forward of the twin wheel and the double-ended mainsheet leads aft along the side decks to winches near the helmsman on either side of the cockpit. The rest of the mainsail control lines lead aft from the mast to winches and line stoppers on either side of the companionway hatch. On deck adjustable genoa cars facilitate accurate sail trim while the below decks roller furling drum on the genoa allows for deck-sweeping racing sails. Although the 40e is destined for regattas, the interior was conceived to house the crew in comfort and luxury. The boat can come with two or three sleeping cabins, with the master stateroom forward or aft under the cockpit. The L-shaped galley has plenty of counter and storage space with the convertible dinette forward of it. The head, chart table and bench settee fill the starboard side of the saloon. A handsome, elegant modern racer-cruiser, the Dufour 40e promises to give new meaning to the idea of performance in a dual purpose boat since she does both so well.Specifications: LOA 40;6”; LWL 35’4”; Beam 12’9”; Draft 6’6”; Displ. 17,525 lbs.; Sail area 947 sq. ft. For more information, visit www.dufour-yachts.com

RIVOLTA 43

Rivolta Yachts builds interesting motorboats with a distinctly Italian flare. Last year, father and son Piero and Renzo Rivolta embarked on a quest to built a sailboat that combines classic yacht style with a modern underbody and rig. They turned to Maine-based designers Stephens, Waring & White and the result was the stylish Rivolta 43 Vintage. Key to the new design was the desire for good sailing performance and shoal draft. The designers came up with an innovative solution by specifying twin rudders aft and a lifting T-bulb keel. The draft can be adjusted from six feet when sailing in deep water to three feet, six inches in the shallows. The fractional rig that drives the new 43 has a high, square-topped mainsail, a self-tacking jib-staysail, a roller furling reacher and the ability to fly an asymmetrical spinnaker from the small bowsprit. With the exception of the spinnaker, all sails can be handled from the cockpit. The 43 was designed to be cruised by a couple with occasional guests. The forward cabin has a nice centerline double berth and direct head access. The guest cabin lies aft and to port. The lifting keel is housed neatly inside the saloon table for easy access to the lifting gear. With bench seats on both sides, the table seats five. The galley is simple and near the companionway, which helps keep it ventilated. One of the most distinctive touches is the large lounging area on the after deck, which is similar to the sunning platforms on many Mediterranean speedboats. As a weekender or a boat for longer cruises, the new Rivolta 43 Vintage offers a compelling combination of classic good looks, sailing performance and shoal draft.Specifications: LOA 43’0”; LWL 34’0”; Beam 12’6”; Draft 3’6”/6’0”; Displ. 15,900 lbs.; Sail area 927 sq. ft. For more information, visit www.rivolta.com

DUFOUR 405 GRAND LARGE

Dufour’s Grand Large series has a huge following in Europe and worldwide because the boats are great floating homes while maintaining a high standard of sailing performance. The 405 Grand Large is the cruising sister ship to the 40e Performance. With a similar moderate displacement hull, dual wheels in the cockpit, and transom stern with folding swim platform, the boats look similar. But while the 40e has been set up for racing crews and line handling efficiency, the 405 is a cruising boat first. The mainsheet traveler is on the cabin top instead of in the cockpit, where it is out of the way, and the cockpit has a handsome table with drop leaves that will feed six friends. A double-ended mainsheet can be adjusted from both helm stations. In-mast or in-boom mainsail furling can be had as an option. Down below the 405 has a large master cabin forward and one or two guest cabins aft. In the three-cabin version, the galley is positioned Med style along the starboard side of the saloon. In the two-cabin version, the galley is an L-shaped space aft to starboard. The dinette to port will seat six comfortably and will double as a good sea berth on passage. The fit and finish of the 405 give the boat a warmth and elegance that underscore the boat’s overall quality. Plus, the use of white overheads and plenty of hatches adds to the brightness and airiness below. The 405 was voted European Boat of the Year by European yachting journalists—an award it deserves for its fine combination of cruising comfort, sailing performance and quality build.Specifications: LOA 39’11”; LWL 36’8”; Beam 13’4”; Draft 6’6”; Displ. 19,800 lbs.; Sail Area 861 sq. ft. For more information, visit www.dufour-yachts.com

HANSE 445

Introduced in Europe in early 2010, the Hanse 445 is another dramatic design step for the company that helped redefine “modern” in hull styling and interior décor. The 445 was conceived in modernist mode, with a high-sided hull that has large in-hull windows, a plumb bow, wide-open transom and a low truncated cabin top defined by a wraparound black-tinted window. Below the water, the Judel Vrolijk-designed hull has a minimum of wetted surface, a T-bulb keel and a large spade rudder. On deck, halyards and control lines from the mast run under-deck conduits aft to banks of line stoppers near the helmsman and not on the cabin top. Forward, the roller furling drum is hidden beneath the deck. The blade headsail is self-tacking and the sheet runs to a sliding track forward of the mast, then aft to the cockpit. The new Hanses sail quickly and are easy for a couple to handle. With the addition of a downwind sail, the boat will be a rocket on all points of sail. Down below, the interior is modern with open sight lines fore and aft, natural light, expanses of white laminate accented by wood doors, drawer fronts and moldings, and angular furniture. Hanse has a neat system for personalizing interiors on their website called the “Configurator.” The basic boat has a large walk-around double in the forward cabin, twin cabins aft, a large head forward and another head aft to port. The saloon has the galley aft to starboard with the dinette just forward of it and an L-shaped settee across to port. The new 445 is not your grandfather’s cruiser; it is a bold stab at the future and all the more interesting for that reason.Specifications: LOA 43’11”; LWL 40’4”; Beam14’4”; Draft 7’4”; Displ. 24,293; Sail area 1,180 sq. ft. For more information, visit www.hanseyachts.com

DUFOUR 45e

The new Dufour 45e Performance is the big sister to the 40e, and the two boats share many similarities. But at 45 feet, the 45e has enough space on deck and in the interior to make it seem much roomier. It’s amazing what five feet will do. On deck, the 45e is set up for efficient racing with the main traveler aft in the cockpit and the sheets led to winches that are easy to work during long tacking legs. But, in the cockpit, you will also find a handsome table with folding leaves and storage. The 45e has a massive triple spreader rig that hoists a big mainsail and an overlapping fractional genoa. No doubt the boat will be a fine light air performer with real legs when reefed down and charging in a fresh blow. Down below, the boat has a triple cabin layout with a large master cabin forward and twin double cabins aft. The berth in the forward cabin is on the centerline so you can board from either side. The forward cabin has its own head with a second head aft. If you need extra sleeping space, an upper-lower berth cabin can be squeezed in next to the master cabin forward. In the saloon, the L-shaped galley and dinette are to port while the bench settee, nav table and aft head lie to starboard. The layout is simple, sensible and makes good use of the 45’s considerable interior volume. A true oceangoing performance cruiser, the Dufour 45e will be a contender wherever she sails and will provide her owners and crew with above-average accommodations along the way.Specifications: LOA 45’9”; LWL 39’10”; Beam 14’10”; Draft 6’5”; Displ. 22,966; Sail area 1,217 sq. ft. For more information, visit www.dufour-yachts.com

SABRE 456

This fall, Sabre Yachts will introduce the new 456. The 45-foot sloop, which started life a decade ago as the 452—a highly regarded cruiser-racer with modern classic lines and distinctive “Maine quality”—joins the company’s other modern classic cruisers, the 426 and 486. BWS reviewed the 452 after a 400-mile sea trial and came away thoroughly impressed. The reinvented 456 has a new keel, new rig and modernized interior. On deck, the 456 has a large, secure cockpit with high seatbacks so you feel protected from the elements. The mainsheet runs through a traveler on the cabin top so the cockpit remains uncluttered. Side decks are wide and shrouds are positioned well inboard, so going to the foredeck is not an obstacle course. Down below, the forward cabin offers a large centerline double berth instead of the traditional V-berths and the forward head has the addition of a shower stall. The guest cabin aft has a large double berth and plenty of dressing room. Engine access is through panels in the after cabin and under the companionway stairs. The 452’s galley was one of the best in this size range and Sabre has improved on it by adding a nifty drawer-style fridge that can be opened on any tack and will never disgorge its contents in a seaway. The chart table has been downsized to reflect the fact that modern navigators are more likely to be pushing buttons than plotting courses on paper charts. The dinette and bench settee will seat a crowd for meals and double as good sea berths. The new 456 is a great size for a cruising couple and will be a capable coastal cruiser and a fine and speedy offshore passagemaker. We’re glad to see her back in the cruising fleet.Specifications: LOA 45’6”; LWL 38’4”; Beam 14’1”; Draft 5’6”; Displ. 27.150 lbs.; Sail area 1,043 sq. ft. For more information, visit www.sabreyachts.com

BENETEAU OCEANIS 50

Last winter we got the chance to take the then-brand-new Beneteau Oceanis 50 for a test sail off Miami in a spanking good northerly breeze and found the new design to be stiff, weatherly, easy to handle in a breeze and fast. (See the BWS review in the April 2010 issue.) The first thing you notice about the 50 is the cockpit arch that anchors the mainsheet and provides a rigid and permanent spot for a dodger. This keeps the cockpit clear of spaghetti sheets but does eliminate a traveler, so you have to use the vang to tighten the leech. Forward, the chain plates are nicely inboard and the side decks are clear and you get good tight sheeting angles for upwind sailing. The cockpit is huge and comfortable with twin wheels, a large table and the chartplotter mounted on a pivoting pod on the table’s aft end. There were seven of us aboard during our sail and we all fit into the cockpit with room to spare. The interior was designed by Nauta Designs and has a definite Euro look with clean white bulkheads and mahogany-colored Alpi furniture. There are three private sleeping cabins: two aft and the master cabin forward with a centerline double berth. The L-shaped galley is huge and has plenty of locker space. The chart table to starboard doubles as a desk or game table where two people can sit facing each other. The dinette to port seats six comfortably. A trendsetting modern cruising boat, the new 50 is equipped with all LED lighting as standard equipment. Innovation, quality and value are the hallmarks of this handsome addition to the Oceanis line.Specifications: LOA 49’6”; LWL 43’8”; Beam 14’9”; Draft 5’9”; Displ. 28,660. For more information, visit www.beneteauusa.com

HUNTER 50

The Hunter 50, which follows on the heels of the successful Hunter 49 and center cockpit 50, is an aft cockpit fractionally rigged sloop designed for couples and families who want a boat that is easy to handle and roomy enough for comfortable living. Hunter has long been an innovator in the realm of making sailing as simple and efficient as possible. The B&R rigs used on the 50 and other cruisers have a large in-mast furling mainsail combined with a small, easily tacked jib also on roller furling. The mainsheet runs to a traveler on top of the cockpit arch, where it is readily at hand but not underfoot; the traveler control lines are on the arch as well. The 50 can be set up with a cutter stay and a staysail so you have additional sail area when the wind goes light or you can roll up the genoa and deeply reef the main for blustery conditions. The interior volume of the 50 is remarkable. The saloon makes full use of the boat’s nearly 15 feet of beam and six-and-a-half feet of head room. The dinette will handily seat six. The galley offers modern conveniences, plenty of counter space and ample storage for supplies and necessities. The forward cabin sports a large centerline double berth and a head worthy of the name bathroom. The two guest cabins aft have large double berths and plenty of storage and hanging space. Over the past decade, Hunter has made great strides in fit and finish. They use top-of-the-line hardware, hatches, and rigging and have developed cherry interiors that rival any production boat on the market. For those looking for a production-built cruising boat that offers huge bang for the buck, the new Hunter 50 should be on the short list.Specifications: LOA 49’11”; LWL 43’10”; Beam 14’9”; Draft 5’6”; Displ. 32,813 lbs.; Sail area 1,277 sq. ft. For more information, visit www.huntermarine.com

BENETEAU SENSE 50

This fall Beneteau will roll out a new line of cruising boats under the Sense brand name. The first boat, the Sense 50, is bound to cause a real stir. The Sense 40 will soon follow. Beneteau’s idea was to build a boat that was more comfortable, harmonious and modern in all aspects than anything else on the market. The result is a new type of hull with a narrow bow, broad beam and distinct chines molded into the after sections of the hull. This configuration gives the boat a lot of initial stability so it will not tend to heel much beyond 10 degrees or so. The boat has been conceived with three separate living areas—the patio, the living room and the sleeping quarters. The patio comprises all of the aft outdoor spaces in the cockpit and the afterdeck, where there are twin steering wheels—each with a nice double seat—a dinette and a comfortable bench seat. The cockpit arch carries the mainsheet and anchors the spray dodger. Down only three steps from the cockpit, you enter the living room, which has a large, wraparound couch and an adjustable surface that converts from coffee table to dining area. A desk is built into the couch arrangement and the galley takes up the starboard side of the cabin. With windows all around, this is indoor-outdoor living at its best. The sleeping quarters lie forward with two heads, a small private office and two large double cabins. The office can be converted to a double cabin, too. The new Sense 50 might be the offspring of an Open 60 mated with a modern cruising catamaran and is one of the most interesting new monohulls to come along in a generation.Specifications: LOA 49’2”; Beam 15’11”; Draft 6’10”/5’6” (shoal); Displ. 31,195 lbs.; Sail area 1,313 sq. ft. For more information, visit www.beneteau.com

JEANNEAU 53

The new 53 footer from Jeanneau follows in the wake, first, of the amazing Jeanneau 54 that has been one of the most popular cruising boats in this size range for the last six years, and second, the new Jeanneau 57 that was launched to rave reviews last year. That’s a lot of tradition to live up to, but the new 53 does so with aplomb. The new look of the larger Jeanneaus includes a sharper, nearly plumb bow, fairly high topsides, a low slung, raised saloon and a handsome transom with a swim platform. Under the water, she sports a bulbed fin keel and a large spade rudder. The cockpit is huge, with twin wheels and a handsome teak table that will seat six for meals. The simple fractional sloop rig comes with a large, slab-reefed mainsail and a smaller, roller furling, overlapping jib. Down below, the layout shows options for three or four sleeping cabins. You can have a large master forward and twin guest cabins aft, or you can reverse it and have the large master suite aft and twin guest cabins forward. Or, you can have twin cabins both fore and aft. In each variation, the cabins all have en suite heads. The saloon has the large galley to port with a wraparound counter and the dinette to starboard. The nav station is large enough to double as an office desk and communications center. The success of the Jeanneau 54 augers well for the future of the new 53 since the company has learned a lot about what really works in a production boat of this size and how to make it the best possible value for owners.Specifications: LOA 52’8”; LWL 45’9”; Beam 15’7”; Draft 7’5”; Displ. 32,926 lbs.; Sail area 1,300 sq. ft. For more information, visit www.jeanneau.com

NAJAD 570

The flagship of the Najad fleet, the new 570 is a center cockpit, raised saloon luxury yacht with a tall, powerful sloop rig. Designed by Judel/Vrolijk, the Swedish-built boat has a modern, moderate-displacement hull with a bulbed fin keel and a high aspect spade rudder. The in-mast furling mainsail and genoa can be operated from the cockpit with electric winches so the boat, despite its size and power, can be sailed safely by an experienced couple. All of the Najads are sweet sailing boats and the 570 is no exception. The 570’s decks are clean and open and will be very safe at sea. The cockpit has twin wheels for enhanced visibility and mobility, long bench seats with ergonomically comfortable backs and a handsome teak table with drop-down leaves. Down below, the 570 is truly a luxury yacht in the finest Scandinavian tradition with finely finished hardwoods and light-colored fabrics and trim. The dinette with wraparound sofa seats to port and the large nav station is to starboard. The galley is in the passageway that leads to the after cabin; it will be an excellent place to cook at sea or in port. The forward cabin will be the master suite with a large walkaround double berth and private head. The 570 carries with it all of the heritage of Najad yachts and the long yacht building traditions of Orust Island, where Hallberg-Rassy and Malo yachts are also built. For luxury and pure blue water capability, the Najad 570 is a fleet leader.Specifications: LOA 57’6”; LWL 54’4”; Beam 16’7”; Draft 6’11”; Displ. 52,000 lbs.; Sail area 1,600 sq. ft. For more information, visit www.najad.com

OYSTER 575

The latest Oyster from the board of Rob Humphries, the 575 further extends the builder’s role as a leader in luxury yacht design and construction for blue water sailors. The 575 has a powerful hull with a narrow entry, long water line and full sections aft. Under the water she has either a cruising fin keel or the newly optional keel centerboard configuration and a robust balanced spade rudder. The deck layout is the recognizable center cockpit, raised deck saloon style that Oyster has made so popular. The afterdeck is enormous because of the broad transom and houses large and deep lazarette lockers. Forward, the decks are uncluttered and fitted with well-placed handholds. The tall cutter rig provides a lot of power and the ability to shorten sail extensively from the cockpit. The 575 is a semi-custom boat, so owners may alter the accommodation plan to a certain extent. In the standard layout, the master suite is aft and has a double berth, extensive storage and hanging spaces, a desk-vanity and an en suite head with a shower stall. The galley is in the port passageway aft from the saloon and a small crew’s cabin lies off the starboard passageway aft. Two guest cabins are all the way forward where they share a head. The saloon has a conventional chart table and curved settee along the starboard side and a huge dinette to port. The interior décor has the feel of a true luxury yacht where no expense has been spared. Oysters have a well-earned reputation for being premier sea boats and enduring yachts.Specifications: LOA 57’6”; LWL 51’6”; Beam 16’5”; Draft 8’10”; Displ. 61,728 lbs.; Sail area 2,091 sq. ft. For more information, visit www.oystermarine.com

BENETEAU OCEANIS 58

Beneteau’s flagship, the new Oceanis 58, is a completely new style of Beneteau that incorporates many ideas from custom super yachts while never losing sight of the essential qualities that make Beneteaus so distinctive. From the large after deck swimming platform to the expansive cockpit with its beautiful teak table to the distinctive cockpit arch for the mainsheet, the designers have brought a host of innovative ideas to the new design. The simple sloop rig, with in-mast furling for the main and roller furling for the genoa is simple, robust and easy for a couple to handle. The deck layout shows wide side decks and good working spaces forward when setting a spinnaker or anchoring. Down below, the interior of the 58 is truly special. With design input from Nauta Design, Beneteau has created a totally modern, Euro-style interior with white bulkheads, white overhead liners and handsome mahogany-colored Alpi wood furniture. The owner’s version has the master cabin forward with a double berth, extensive storage room and an en suite head. The guest cabins are aft on either side of the companionway, each with its own head. The dinette dominates the saloon since it has a huge table and a wraparound seating arrangement that will accommodate eight or more adults. The nav table is just aft and the huge galley is across from it to port. The volume of the interior is amazing and you will find sailing with six or more people entirely comfortable and possible. The Beneteau 58 is a luxury production yacht that delivers sailing ease and fun during the day and stylish and roomy accommodations as the sun sets. Plus, the boat is a great value.Specifications: LOA 57’9”; LWL 49’3”; Beam 16’4”; Draft 6’11”; Displ. 47,399 lbs.; Sail area 1,791 sq. ft. For more information, visit www.beneteauusa.com

BWS takes a look at the fleet of cruising monohulls drawing less than five feet

Pacific Seacraft 37

Blue water tends to be deep water and that is what lies between the land masses we live on and the islands or continents we want to visit. But, at home and in the new landfalls that make the cruising life so wonderful, the water often gets very thin. So the compromise all cruisers have to face is whether to sail with a deep draft and avoid thin water cruising or sail with a shallow draft and live with the slightly poorer windward sailing ability of shoal draft designs.

Many of America’s best cruising grounds have fairly thin water running through them. In the Northeast, the popular sailing regions around Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard are all shallow and riddled with sand banks. Many of the boats designed for the region, and Long Island Sound as well, have always been centerboarders, whether they were drawn by Herreshoff, Ted Hood or Olin Stephens.

And shallow cruising waters extend right down the U.S. East Coast through Delaware and Chesapeake Bays, through the Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds and all the length of the Intracoastal Waterway right to the Florida Keys.

The Gulf Coast from Key West all the way to Corpus Christi, Texas, is sandy and shallow with narrow harbor entrances and extensive sandy shoals. Once you get to the West Coast, deep water runs right up to the coast in most areas. But head deep into San Francisco Bay or up the Sacramento River delta and the water thins out rapidly.

Once we leave North America it doesn’t necessarily get any deeper. The Bahamas are notoriously shallow, and if you want to get off the beaten track amongst the islands you need a true shoal draft cruiser. The water throughout the Caribbean is generally deep but there are lots of great anchorages around islands like Anguilla, Anegada and Barbuda where a shallow draft boat will get you close to the beach and out of the wind or swell.

In Europe, most of the coastal waters are deep with the exception of Holland and Germany. In the Med, you will find mostly deep water but again there are hundreds of great anchorages throughout the sea where less draft will really be to your benefit. And, if you want to use the European canal systems to cruise from the North Sea to the Med, shallow draft is a must.

Variations on the Theme

Designing a boat that combines shoal draft with reasonable or even good sailing performance is one of the challenges that yacht designers have been wrestling with for hundreds of years.

There are seven basic solutions to the shoal draft compromise and of these each offers different sailing characteristics. Multihulls are all shoal draft cruisers; some have small keels and some have daggerboards. But all of them draw less than five feet.

Bilge keelers are all shoal-draft boats with less than five feet of draft. But, none are available from builders in the United States, and the design style, once very popular in England and tidal regions of France, Holland and the North Sea have gone somewhat out of favor. That leaves us with five modern styles to consider.

Full shoal-draft keels

The classic shoal draft keel design was the full-length keel with a cutaway forefoot and an attached rudder. The long keel was easy to build in a wood plank-and-frame method, was strong, could withstand a grounding safely and could be dried out on its own bottom for painting or repairs. Although not the best for close winded sailing, the full keel design excels at reaching and running by offering an easy motion and good directional stability.

Today, Island Packet and Pacific Seacraft lead the fleet of full keel boat builders with very successful and capable ranges of boats.

Island Packet Estero

Island Packets are designed by founder Bob Johnson who spent 30 years perfecting what is now called the Full Foil Keel design. The full-length keel distributes the internal ballast in a full-length, foil-shaped keel that adds stability, directional stability, and improves the keel’s lift when sailing to windward. It is worth noting that all of Island Packet’s current models have less than five feet of draft, including the new 460, which is 46 feet overall. If there is one builder in North America who has fully embraced the virtues of shoal draft sailing it is Island Packet.

Pacific Seacraft designs have wine-glass sections that lower the boat’s center of gravity and make them stiff and weatherly. The 31, 34 and 37 all draw less than five feet. The full keel designs are traditional by modern standards yet have proven to be forgiving and capable at sea. Because the hull and keel are all one piece, Pacific Seacraft hulls have enormous integral strength so if the hull lands hard on an immovable object, like a rock ledge or coral reef, the keel will distribute the loads throughout the hull. World cruisers have long believed that shoal draft full keel designs like the Pacific Seacrafts and Island Packets are most suitable for any and all conditions.

Fixed Wing keels

Modern shoal draft fin keels began to evolve in the 1980s, particularly after Australia won the America’s Cup in 1983 with a revolutionary wing-keel design. Most if not all production builders of cruising boats offer shoal draft versions of their models with modern cruising fins with either wings or bulbs.

The principle is to gain the most lift possible with a NACA foil shaped keel that has as much weight concentrated in the wings or bulb as possible to lower the center of gravity. The wings or bulbs also provide an end-plate effect, which channels water flow evenly across the keel instead of allowing it to fall off at the bottom as it does on a standard fin keel.

In the early days of wing keels, builders worried that the wings might act as suction cups when the boats were run hard aground on mud banks. A lot of grounding tests were run with these early designs with positive results.

Catalina 37S

Catalina has made a significant commitment to shoal-draft, fin-keel designs and has five models over 35 feet that draw less than five feet. The keels that designer Gerry Douglas works with have swept back shapes with elliptical trailing edges and large aft fins. This shape provides a large amount of foil surface for lift and a low center of gravity. Catalina uses all-lead keels, so the density of the material enhances the designs’ innate stability.

Both Beneteau and Hunter have cruising designs between 33 and 37 feet that have drafts less than five feet. Beneteau uses a bulb designed with an aft swept foil keel. The bulb trails aft of the keel where it won’t collect seaweed or crab pot lines and where it will place the bulk of the casting’s weight directly below the boat’s center of gravity. The shoal-draft version of the new Beneteau 37 draws only four feet, seven inches but is still able to fly plenty of sail and has been noted as a fast, close winded cruiser.

Hunter 36

Hunter has developed its own brand of wing keel design for their shoal draft models that combines the efficiencies of NACA foils with the low center of gravity and end-plate effect of a wing keel. The Hunter 36 draws four feet, 11 inches while the smaller Hunter 33 draws only four feet, six inches. The Hunters come standard with roller furling mainsails and jibs, which are easy on the crew. The keel shapes and the depth of the centers of gravity both aid the boats upwind and provide an easy stable ride.

Sabre Yachts in Maine offers wing keels as an option to the deep performance keels they provide as standard equipment. The Sabre 386 has a shoal draft of only four feet, 10 inches. Designed by Jim Taylor, the shoal keels are advanced cruising fins with hydrodynamic wings that add stability and lift. Sabre builds classic high quality cruiser-racers that have proven to be both winners on the race course and excellent cruising boats. With the shoal draft option, the 386 can take her crew anywhere.

ComPac 35

ComPac Yachts in Florida has been building shoal draft small cruisers for years. Not long ago the builders introduced the new ComPac 35, which was designed as a couple’s cruiser with a shoal draft Scheel keel that is both offshore ready but capable of cruising thin water, too. The Scheel keel has a swept back bulb that lowers the center of gravity and creates minimum drag as water flows over the foil. Built on the west coast of Florida where cruising depths are often under five feet, the ComPac 35 is right in its element.

Hanse 350

Hanse from Germany has two boats in their cruising line that draw under five feet, the 320 and 350, and true to the company’s mission the keel design and configuration are tilted toward modern shapes and performance characteristics. The shoal keels are modified cruising fins with fairly deep chords and aft sweeping ballast bulbs. This design allows Hanse to enhance ballast-to-displacement ratios and performance upwind.

The fixed shoal keel solution to the designer’s problem of draft version performance is the simplest and least expensive to build. And, in the long run should require the least maintenance.

Keel-Centerboard Designs

When you think of classic New England builders, most of us think of names like Hinckley, Morris, Sabre, Tartan (actually Midwest), Bristol and Little Harbor. Because these builders and the designers behind them were creating boats for sailors who cruised and raced in New England in the summer and then headed south to Florida, the Bahamas, Bermuda and Caribbean in the winter, the boats had to have shallow drafts but they also had to perform well upwind and they had to be offshore capable.

Tartan 4100

Certainly over the years there have been issues with centerboards. They can bang annoyingly as the boat rolls. They can be lodged either up or down. And, they can actually fall out of the boat if a pin fails. But, these days, the problems once associated with centerboards have largely been subdued with innovative technology.

The only production builder offering modern keel-centerboard designs in 2009 is Tartan Yachts, which has three models, the 3400, 3700 and 4100, all of which draw less than five feet with their boards up. Tim Jackett designs the Tartans and has created a line of cruisers that carries on the classic Tartan traditions of quality, performance and comfort.

There are other keel-centerboard designs out there that can be had on a custom or semi-custom basis from builders like Shannon Yachts in Rhode Island.

Swing Keels

The option to add ballast to the centerboard gives a designer and builder the chance to create a truly shoal draft boat that will also sail upwind with the alacrity of a modern fin keeler.

In essence the swing keel is a cast foil keel that hinges inside the hull. When retracted the trailing edge of the keel fits into a slot in the bottom of the hull and the leading edge is parallel with the bottom of the boat. In the retracted position, and with the rudder(s) kicked up, a design of this type will sit nicely when dried out.

With the keel down, the foil is in place to provide lift as you sail to windward and the ballast in the keel is low where it adds stability.

The only production builder who offers cruising boats over 35 feet with swing keels is Southerly in England. The southerly line ranges from 35 to 57 feet and with the keels retracted all of the boats draw less than three feet—even the new Southerly 57RS (raised saloon).

Southerly 38

Southerly has been building swing keel boats for 20 years and has perfected the science of deploying and swinging heavy moveable ballast that is also a sailing foil.

Retracting keels

Retracting keels have become popular on mega yachts that need the depth of a deep keel for performance but need shallow drafts to enter normal ports. And, we have seen occasional custom cruisers equipped with retracting keels, since the principal is so attractive.

A retracting keel does just as you would imagine, it retracts into the boat when you want to sail in shoal-draft mode and is then lowered when you want the lift and stability of a full fin keel in deep water.

Because the keel is a ballast keel, the unit is heavy and requires a mechanism to raise and lower it in a controlled way. Muscle power can work on boats of up to 40 feet or so, but above that a powered winch is required, all of which adds complexity to the boat.

Hake 35

The only production builder in North America to offer a cruising boat with a retracting keel is Hake Yachts in Florida. The Hake 32 RK is a compact but capable cruising boat that can sail or power in as little as 20 inches of water but, with the keel lowered will draw a healthy six feet, six inches.

The 32RK was designed specifically for Southern Florida and Bahamian waters and has proven to be an excellent cruising solution that will work just about anywhere the water is thin.

Thin water cruising can be the most fun way to explore new islands and cruising grounds. So, if you have plans to venture over the horizon be sure to check the depths in the places you want to visit before you decide on the right boat to sail there.

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