Morris M52 • A graceful Sparkman & Stephens design, the new M52 is a sailing craft of which dreams are made.

In an age when so many cruising boats are evolving toward hulls with large interior volumes, long waterlines and short rigs suitable for the Intracoastal Waterway, the new Morris M52 looks like a throwback to another simpler, more gilded age. With her long, sweeping sheer-line, graceful overhangs fore and aft, and low, squared-off cabin with a classic butterfly hatch, the 52 evokes the beautiful classics from the days of Herreshoff, Alden, Rhodes and Burgess. Even among all of the amazing sailing yachts that were in Newport, RI last summer when we sailed the new 52, the boat stands out as a true thoroughbred.

We joined the 52 at the Newport Shipyard and were happy, in this instance, to remove shoes before climbing aboard—not something I generally like to do. But the immaculate teak decks, the shining stainless stanchions, hardware and winches, and the varnished teak toe rail and trim together announced that this was a proper yacht that we did not want to scuff.

We fired up the engine and were pleasantly surprised at how quiet it was in the cockpit; the splash of the exhaust was louder than the engine itself. We dropped lines and motored carefully from the crowded marina into Narragansett Bay. The 52 has a high aspect spade rudder and a bulbed cruising fin keel. Under power it steers effortlessly and when we had to back the boat into her slip at the end of the day, it steered in reverse without griping or sideways prop walk.

The 52 is rigged with an 80-foot tall carbon spar, an in-boom roller furling mainsail and a self-tacking fractional jib. All of the running rigging leads belowdecks via conduits and aft to the control stations, i.e. huge electric winches and line clutches on either side of the helm. This keeps the decks free of clutter and enables one person at the helm to manage all aspects of sail trim with the push of a button or two.

In-boom furling mainsails can be tricky to furl and unfurl without getting overrides on the boom’s mandrel since the boom itself has to be set up when furling at an 89.5 degree angle to the mast. The 52, however, was equipped with the new Holmatro boom vang, which has a preset adjustment that positions the boom exactly with the press of a button. The main unfurled and hoisted and later rolled up without any snags or overrides. This detail says a lot about how the 52 has been set up for simple but precise sail handling.

The 52 was equipped with beautiful sails and the rig itself was tall by modern standards, so we had a lot of mainsail to control. We rolled out the jib on its Harken electric furler and trimmed for close-hauled sailing out of the mouth of the bay. The first sensation when she puts her shoulder down and accelerates is the sense of raw power in the rig; then you notice how close you are sailing to the wind. Being long and narrow and with tight sheeting angles, the 52 claws to windward like a 12 meter, and once in the groove she stays balanced and straight as an arrow. In light airs, she is a rocketship to windward.

We tacked out to sea for a while and then flopped over and broad-reached our way homeward, jibing from reaching angle to reaching angle as we went. With the small self-tacking jib, you can’t run dead downwind efficiently, so tacking downwind is the way to go. Off the wind, the 52 slipped along gracefully and had a remarkably good turn of speed.

Like her little M-Yacht sisters, the 52 is a fun and fast boat to sail. With all lines led aft to the helm, it is easy for one person to manage trim, and with the rig set up for multiple sail adjustments it is easy to perfect sail shape to the breezes and angles you find when coastal sailing.

MORRIS STYLE
Below decks, the 52 offers a simple, elegant interior finished in the finest Maine-built fashion. With only 14 feet of beam to work with, the saloon feels narrow by modern standards, but has everything you need for comfortable living aboard and fine entertaining.

The master stateroom forward has a queen-size berth built on the centerline, a full height hanging locker, and plenty of storage space for clothes, shoes and linens. The master head compartment is well laid out with a separate shower stall.

The saloon has a U-shaped dinette to port and a bench settee to starboard with the chart table at its after end. The galley is compact but has ample counter space for preparing meals and washing up, and easy access to the fridge and storage compartments.

The 52 comes standard with a guest cabin aft and to port, with a day head just forward of it. The version we sailed had this good-size cabin plus a single pilot berth built into starboard aft of the galley so there was room aboard to sleep five comfortably.

With raised panels on the bulkheads and doors and the antique white and varnished cherry joinery, the 52 has a classic look that has endured aboard American yachts for generations and will no doubt endure for generations to come. Not opulent, but certainly very elegant, the 52 has the feel of a family heirloom.

BWS THOUGHTS
We have sailed and reviewed a lot of boats over the years and always enjoy the opportunity to sail a new Morris. Like his father Tom, Cuyler Morris understands that there will always be a market for craft that are built with passion to a very high standard. Throughout the boat, every detail has been thought through and then crafted by hand to be highly functional and amazingly attractive. Whether you are staring at your own reflection in the deep varnish of the saloon table or trimming the mainsail to the nth degree with well-positioned winches, clutches and buttons, you know that sailing an M52 is a very special and unique experience.

Morris M-52
LOA 52’11”
LWL 38’02”
Beam 14’00”
Draft, standard 6’8”
Draft, shoal 5’8”
Displacement 34,064 lbs
Ballast 11,391 lbs
Ballast, shoal 11,947 lbs
Sail area 1,414 sq ft
Air draft 80’
Water 100 gals
Fuel 80 gals
Holding 40 gals

2012 BOAT SHOW PREVIEW: MONOHULLS •

While the design trends over the past few years have been dominated by the new crop of angular and voluminous cruisers from Europe, it is interesting to note that several quite traditional looking designs—large and small—are appearing from U.S. builders. The boats will surely stir up the American fondness for sweeping sheers and traditional transoms.

Among the more modern boats, the sugar-scoop transom long favored by cruisers seems to be fading away, being replaced by fold-down transoms that offer huge areas for sunning, swimming and tending the dinghy. And when folded up, the new look provides the designs with a pleasing, purposeful look.

This year, we continue to see innovation from designers, whether in the form of twin rudders, drop keels or cockpit arches. The state of sailboat design remains vibrant and intriguing. Here are 28 new boats to dream about owning and sailing into the sunset.

BAVARIA
Bavaria USA has spent the last 12 months launching a new company in North America. Their first office opened in Annapolis, MD, and their second is opening this fall in Mystic, CT. Bavaria USA sells their Farr-designed, German-built cruising boats factory direct, so you can order your new boat exactly as you want it and have it delivered in about eight weeks.

Last year, Bavaria launched their new Cruiser line. They put the 32, 36, 40 and 45 into a charter fleet in Annapolis and sold direct to customers. This year, they are bringing in a new Cruiser 50 and the classy Vision 46.

The 50, similar to the rest of the Cruiser line, is a roomy, easy-to-sail performance cruiser that will appeal to families who need a lot of space or couples who will be living aboard for long periods. BWS sailed the twin-wheel, twin-rudder 50 last year in Turkey and found it to be a remarkably good sailboat that is close-winded and slippery off the wind.

The new Vision 46, which debuted in Annapolis in July and will be shown at the Newport and Annapolis shows, is a raised deck saloon design with a sweet curved cabin house, a huge cockpit, a fine sailing hull, and a truly innovative approach to living and entertaining aboard. See our full review on page 70. www.bavariayachts.com

BENETEAU
Over the last three years, as the sailing market has been in a deep recession, Beneteau has taken the opportunity to reinvent the Oceanis line of cruising boats and to introduce a completely new line of cruisers under the Sense brand.

With the Oceanis 45 and 41, the company developed the theme of sleek-hulled, low-cabin styling on hulls that have added beam and a slight chine aft to increase cockpit volume. The addition of a cockpit arch for mounting the mainsheet out of the cockpit adds to the distinct look and functionality of the new designs. This fall, Beneteau will introduce to the U.S. market the new Oceanis 48, which extends the brand and emphasizes modern styling and commodious living aboard. The 48’s cockpit has twin wheels and a centerline table with folding leaves and a pod on the aft end for the chartplotter. The stern folds down to make a wide swim platform. The new 48’s interior is a study in understated elegance. The boat comes standard with a mahogany-colored finish on the Alpi wood surfaces, offset by expanses of white overhead panels and light-colored fabrics. The aft cabin, aft galley configuration will make the 48 a fine sea boat.

The new Sense 55 follows on the heels of the Sense 50 and 43. The boat has a definite “wow” factor, as it is a true indoor-outdoor cruiser that offers many of the benefits of a cruising catamaran combined with the convenience, elegance and practicality of a monohull. Like its little sisters, the 55 redefines the living spaces into the outdoor “patio,” the living room-like saloon and the private sleeping quarters forward. The living spaces flow together smoothly, and huge windows and opening ports enhance ventilation, brightness below and communication between crew. The new boat has highly lacquered cabinet surfaces, finely finished built-in furniture, and a clean and elegant look on deck and below. See our full review in the August 2012 edition of BWS. www.beneteauusa.com

CATALINA
Catalina Yachts, once the largest sailboat builder in North America, if not the world, has seen its horizons narrowed during the recession. Nevertheless, over the last three years Gerry Douglas and Frank Butler have come up with four new boats that have set a new design trend for the company and given Catalina owners a reason to buy a new boat. It all started with the 445, which was an immediate success. The boat had a sleeker cabin top than previous models, a finely fitted out interior, and a sensible rig with roller furling on both the headsail and mainsail.

The 445 was followed by the 385 and the 355, and then last winter the company introduced the nifty little Catalina 315. The 31-footer was a hit right from the start as it filled a need for a capable small cruising boat at a reasonable price. We sailed the 315 in Florida last winter and came away thoroughly impressed with the boat’s sailing qualities, fine turn of speed and big-boat feel under a press of sail. Even better, we were stunned by the amount of living space—it felt like a 35-footer below deck. A great little cruiser, the Catalina 315 is a fine starter boat or a really fun cruiser for an experienced couple. See our review in the July 2012 issue of BWS. www.catalinayachts.com

COM-PAC
Com-Pac Yachts began building small cruisers and daysailers in 1974 and has led the way in building trailerable pocket cruisers for real people for almost 40 years. Their range includes beamy little cat boats, sleek daysailers and innovative cruisers to 35 feet.

This year the company launched the new Com-Pac 23 Pilothouse. The boat is 23 feet overall, but has been designed and fitted out to be a capable cruiser with three full-size berths, an enclosed head and an inboard diesel.

The 23 has a tabernacle mast that can be lowered easily. The boat’s beam is small enough to allow it to be trailered on any road. There are two helming stations—one in the cockpit and one in the pilothouse, both with engine controls. The saloon has a small dinette, galley, and plenty of storage for a week or two of cruising. The water tanks hold 20 gallons. The V-berth forward is surprisingly large, and two hanging lockers and cabinets have been provided for clothing.

With a 12 hp diesel to get you home when the wind dies and a true shallow draft for coastal gunkholing, the new Com-Pac 23 Pilothouse is the epitome of the perfect little pocket cruiser. www.com-pacyachts.com

DUFOUR
French builder Dufour has been building stylish modern cruising boats and racer-cruisers for almost 40 years under various owners and management teams. Now part of the Bavaria and Grand Soleil group, Dufour is redefining its position in the marketplace with two lines. Grand Large-branded designs are modern cruising boats with an emphasis on elegance, comfort and sailing convenience—even though the boats BWS has sailed are very fast, too. The Dufour 405 and 445 are two of the GL line, from 33 to 50 feet, that you will see at the fall shows. BWS sailed the 405 last year and found it to be a lot of fun and a very capable cruising boat. See the review in the September 2011 issue. And we sailed the 445 in Annapolis recently and will be running the review in an upcoming issue. The Performance line has been created to offer skippers a real shot at the silver whether racing around the buoys or in longer point-to-point races. The new 36P will make its debut at the fall boats shows in Newport and Annapolis and will no doubt turn a few heads. The hull is optimized for good sailing qualities with a high aspect rudder and a deep T-bulb keel. The tall rig gives it plenty of horsepower in light or heavy air, and the sailing or racing layout makes it easy for a crew to manage sheets and halyards. The cockpit lockers are removable to make sheet trimming easier. Down below, the boat is more “cruise” than “race” and has the finely finished feel that discerning owners—whether they’re cruisers or racers—prefer. Dufour has always stood for innovation, quality and fine sailing, and the new 36P fits that legend well. www.dufour-yachts.com

HAKE SEAWARD 46
Nick Hake at Hake Yachts has been building innovative retracting keel cruising boats for 30 years and has earned a reputation for coming up with original and practical solutions in the design and construction of shoal draft cruisers. The Seaward 26 and 32—the current models in his fleet—have proven to be both excellent thin-water cruising boats and fine sailboats. Late last year, Hake introduced a new flagship to the line. The Seaward 46RK is the retracting keel concept on steroids. The new boat is one of the most innovative designs to join the cruising fleet in many years. The boat has a retracting keel that offers seven-and-a-half feet of draft for upwind sailing and two-and-a-half feet when poking around the shallows or even running downwind. The two rudders are also retractable, so you can beach the boat without worry. The mast is deck-stepped in a tabernacle so it can be lowered easily and quickly if you need to get under a fixed bridge or haul out in a yard with overhead power lines. Hull number one was equipped with twin 54 hp auxiliary engines for reliability and speed. Down below, the chart table/pilot’s station is at the foot of the companionway and from there you have good visibility to both sides and forward. The accommodation plan has been set up for a cruising couple who have the occasional visit from friends and family. The boat holds 180 gallons each of water and fuel, so you have a wide cruising range. A perfect choice for the west coast of Florida, the Bahamas, the Chesapeake Bay and many other shoal cruising grounds, the new Seaward 46RK is a truly interesting and unique cruising boat. www.seawardyachts.com

HANSE
German builder Hanse Yachts has been pushing the design envelope as hard and far as any builder in the last few years. Their boats are designed to be both ultra-modern cruisers and commodious homes afloat. And, they are also set up to be easy to sail and very swift through the water. BWS reviewed the new Hanse 495 in the June 2012 edition and concluded that the boat and the company are on the leading edge of the sailing market. This fall, Hanse USA will bring three new boats to the shows that will certainly turn heads. The Hanse 385, 415 and 445 are all cut from the same modernist fabric. With self-tacking jibs and large, slab-reefed mainsails, the boats can be handled by one person. The cockpits are huge, with centerline tables that will seat up to eight for al fresco meals. Down below the styling is simple, elegant Euro-modern with an emphasis on lightness, open spaces and pleasing sightlines. Hanse specializes in building boats that are configured just how each owner wants them to be. On their website, you can select the model you are interested in and open the Hanse Configurator to view all of the cabin, color, rig and equipment options. If you press “send,” the choices you select will be sent to a dealer near you who will respond shortly with a price quote. Not only are the boats thoroughly modern, but the way you buy them is modern, too. www.hanseyachts.com

ISLAND PACKET
A new cruising boat from Island Packet is coming this fall, but at press time IPY’s owner, Bob Johnson, and VP of marketing, Bill Bolin, had their lips tightly sealed. The secret boat is in build, but we won’t know what it is until the fall. All we can say at this point is that IPY is going to bring their loyal fans a cruising boat that is new and a little different. Stay tuned. www.ipy.com

JEANNEAU
Jeanneau, a division of Group Beneteau, has been on a roll the last few years, and according to those who know these things, the company has gained significantly in market share in the U.S. The reasons for this success are many, but at the most basic level it is because the company consistently provides good cruising boats at fair value. They compete primarily with their sister company, Beneteau, and we have heard that the rivalry is spirited. The current Sun Odyssey models that have been so popular in the U.S. all have something to do with the number nine. We are not sure what this means, but the launch of the SO 409 was followed by the 439, the 379 and the 509. And next winter we will see the launch of the 469. The boats in the “9 Line” all have powerful hulls with a slight chine aft and sleek decks with many windows and hatches. The cockpits are large and well laid out for sailing as well as entertaining at the dock. Down below, you will find the styling to be somewhat traditional and the color schemes pleasantly evocative of teak and holly. BWS sailed the 509 in Florida not long ago and found it to be a fine ocean sailing yacht that embodies the Jeanneau philosophy of delivering quality and value in a package that is both comfortable to live aboard and fun to sail. Look for our review of the SO 509 in the upcoming October issue of BWS. Also new this fall is the Sun Odyssey 41 DS. A deck saloon design, the 41 has a raised deck and large cat’s-eye windows on both sides. The hull has a chine that runs almost all the way forward from the stern, which enhances interior volume, and a hint of added stability. Down below the 41DS offers a huge owner’s stateroom aft, a large guest cabin forward, and a roomy and sociable saloon with a large galley. The new 41DS packs a lot of cruising accommodations and style in a 41-foot hull. www.jeanneau.com

MOODY
Several years ago, the Moody brand was bought by Hanse in Germany and relaunched as a luxury yacht brand with an innovative 45-foot raised pilothouse cruising boat. Following that, the brand was supplemented with a more traditional-looking sloop design that evokes a North Sea or Scandinavian style. The Moody 41 will be on display at the fall boats shows. The boat has a traditional transom, which folds to make a swim platform, and a fairly plumb bow. The cockpit has twin wheel, a centerline table and a partial windshield as in a Hallberg Rassy or Najad. Down below, the 41 is fitted out in classic Bristol fashion with white bulkheads and highly varnished mahogany cabinets, drawers and details. It all looks very elegant, comfortable and delightfully traditional. The Moody 41 will make a fine world cruiser for a couple who wants modern design with a traditional touch. www.moodyboats.com

MORRIS
The new Morris 52 is the latest and largest M Yacht in the Morris line of classic-looking daysailers, weekenders and cruisers. The 52 has a sweeping sheer, long overhangs, a low-slung cabin and a large, deep cockpit. Her beam is modest by modern standards and her rig large enough to be really impressive. The sail plan offers a huge mainsail and a self-tacking jib. Unique among modern designs, the 52 has no bow or stern pulpit, so her lines look uncluttered and sweet. Down below the 52 has a bright interior that evokes centuries of classic sailboats and the sea. A standard layout would offer a large double cabin aft and a master suite forward with a comfortable saloon and small galley in between. The bulkheads and doors are raised panel joinery that is either painted white or varnished with the typical Morris deep shine. BWS sailed the 52 last summer, so look for the review in the October issue. www.morrisyachts.com

TARTAN and C&C
This fall at the big boat shows, you are bound to find a good collection of Tartans and C&Cs on display. Tartan now builds their classic American-style cruisers in sizes from 34 to 53 feet, and each is created with an epoxy hull, carbon spars and Cruise Control headsail rig. Under new ownership, Tartan and C&C seem to be finding a new lease on business life and have been able to introduce two all-new designs to their fleet this year. The Tartan Fantail 26 is a nifty little daysailer or weekender that has traditional lines above the water with a counter stern, pleasant sheer, fairly plumb bow and a short bowsprit. Below the water, the boat has a spade rudder and a high aspect bulbed fin keel. The rig will be self-tacking and in downwind conditions you can fly an asymmetrical chute from the sprit. The Fantail will have a small auxiliary engine and accommodations for a couple overnighting in simple style. The Fantail 26 was conceived to be available as a daysailer, a club sailboat and a weekender. www.tartanyachts.com The first new boat from Tartan and C&C not designed by Tim Jackett in many years, the new C&C 101 was drawn by Tom McNeill, who works as an in house designer at the company. A flashy little sprit boat, the 101 has a thoroughly modern and powerful hull with nearly 11 feet of beam and a six-foot, six-inch keel. The boat will be able to carry a lot of sail. No doubt the 101 will be a winner on the racecourse. Down below, the boat will have the simple but refined accommodations one expects from a C&C. For those looking for a true racer-cruiser in the small end of the fleet, the new C&C 101 will fit the bill. www.c-cyachts.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

The M series of Sparkman & Stephens designed sloops that Morris Yachts has been building for the past five years has proven to be a truly successful marriage of classic style, modern yacht characteristics and very high end, Maine-built style. So it is no surprise that the original 36 and the 42 have been delivered to dozens of owners worldwide.

Last winter Morris introduced the M29, which packs all the qualities of the 36 into a smaller package, and now this fall they are introducing their new M52.

Every now and then in the sailing market a boat comes along that seems to define the age. In the Seventies, that might have been the Valiant 40. In the first decade of this new millennium perhaps the Jeanneau 54 and Hylas 54 best expressed the needs of Baby Boom cruisers.

Although it is hard to tell today, the new M52 from Morris may be the boat that eventually we look back on that says the most about how we live and sail today, or at least dream about sailing. Like her smaller sisters, the M52 has a long sweeping sheer, elegant overhangs and a towering sloop rig. The look of the new boat evokes early 12 Meters and Six Meters, many of which were drawn by S&S’s founder Olin Stephens.

But the old Meter boats needed a crew of 10 to sail effectively. Not so the new 52, which can be cruised and sailed easily by two and even singled handed by an experienced sailor. The 52 has a tall, powerful fractional rig with a roller furling, self-tacking jib and a large high roach main that furls into a Leisure Furl boom.

To simplify sail handling and sheet trim, and to make the decks as uncluttered as possible, all halyards, control lines and sheets for the working sails are led beneath the deck to the cockpit where they emerge through sheet stoppers on the pods on both sides of the cockpit. Two electric winches handle all plain sailing tasks.

The 52 is rigged to fly a big asymmetrical spinnaker tacked down at the bow and sheeted through snatch blocks on the quarters and then trimmed with two electric winches mounted next to the helmsman’s seat. Although it is a big sail, if you control the chute with a spinnaker snuffer you will find that two people will be able to fly it easily and frequently. This is a good thing because the small self-tacking jib will not offer a lot of sail area downwind and will need fairly high jibing angles to give you any boost. Those who want an intermediary sail between the jib and the chute may want to look into having a loose-luff, furling Code Zero built for broad reaching and running in sportier breezes.

The 52’s cockpit has seven-foot-long benches and a large, varnished table with drop leaves in between. A low profile dodger has been spec’d that looks proportionate to the cabin top and will provide good cover when sailing in cool or wet conditions. The first 52 built has the optional teak decks, which seem to make the whole boat look just right. It is interesting to note that the 52, like her smaller sisters, does not have lifelines, a bow pulpit or a stern rail.

Unlike modern cruising boats that have long waterlines and beams that carry well aft to provide volume to the interior spaces, the M52 has only a 38-foot waterline and her beam max’s out at only 14 feet and tapers significantly at bow and stern. The upshot is that the 52 has a relatively small interior that evokes the compact but stylish interiors of boats of yore.

The cabin has full headroom throughout, despite the low-slung coachroof. The companionway leads from the cockpit to the saloon with the aft double cabin and head to port and the U-shaped galley to starboard. The galley is fully equipped for cruising with Corian counter tops, a three-burner propane stove, twin stainless steel sinks, refrigeration and plenty of storage for dishes, cutlery and kitchen supplies. There are two large pot lockers under the fridge and stove so you can even carry a big pot for boiling up Maine lobster.

The saloon arrangement has the U-shaped dinette to starboard where four will be able to eat comfortably while to port there is a long bench settee that will make an excellent sea berth for overnight runs. The chart table faces aft at the aft end of the settee and has a mounting pod for instruments and a lifting table top for stowing paper charts.

The large forward cabin has a double berth on the centerline and plenty of storage and hanging space. The forward head has a large separate shower stall.

The finish style of the M52, like her sisterships, has evolved from classic Herreshoff interiors with off-white bulkheads, white tongue and groove ceilings overhead and all cherry drawer fronts, doors, tabletops and trim. The main bulkhead is a raised panel design, which underscores the attention to detail and tradition Morris’s craftsmen adhere to with every boat. The look is elegant, simple and classic. Plus, with all of the white surfaces, the interior spaces are cheerful and bright. The joinery and varnish work, as you would expect from Morris, is flawless.

The M series boats were originally conceived as weekenders or daysailers. But the new M52 has much longer legs than that and would make a fine long term cruising boat for a couple who want to go in inimitable style aboard a boat that is designed to remain in a family for generations.

Morris M52
LOA                 52’11”
LWL                 38’02”
Beam         14’0”
Draft (std.)        6’8”
Draft (shoal)      5’8”
Displ.         34,064
Ballast         11,391
Sail Area       1,414 sq. ft.
Bridge Clear      80’
Water         100 gals.
Fuel                 80 gals.
Waste         40 gals.
Design         Sparkman & Stephens

Morris 48 •

A sailboat really tells you what it is all about when you are under sail and you gradually start to round up from a broad reach and trim steadily through a beam reach and a close reach until you are sailing close to the wind with the main and genoa trimmed and the telltales streaming
evenly aft.

How does the boat feel going through this simple maneuver? Like a barge that leaves you wishing for an engine? Or like a skittish mare that has the crew hanging on for dear life as the rail disappears beneath the water?

A true performance cruising boat will do something special: as you power it up, as you engage the sails, the rudder and the keel with all of their hydro and aerodynamic potential, the boat will have you saying aloud simply
“Yes.”

Everything you need to know about the boat’s sailing and cruising characteristics lies in the harmony between sail power and hull design. As the boat rounds up and puts its shoulder down, you feel that balance as the boat slides into the groove where it will virtually steer itself upwind.

The first time you take a new Morris 48 out for a sail trial, you will find yourself repeatedly muttering “Yes.” The boat’s sailing characteristics are superb and its manners, as you handle the wheel and sheets through tacks and jibes, are refined. Everything about the 48’s sailing qualities tells you that this is a boat with a long and distinguished sailing
pedigree.

But that is certainly not the first set of qualities that catch your eye when you climb aboard a new Morris 48. Standing on deck you are bound to notice a steady glint from the bright surfaces—the stainless steel of the dorade vents, stemhead fitting and deck cleats, the brightness of the highly painted spars, the ice-deep glisten of the varnish on the toe rails and cockpit coamings. You know you are looking at tradition that has been married to the most modern looking hull and deck layout anywhere around. And like the sailing qualities, the glints and glistens have you nodding in acknowledgement and muttering “Yes.”

The design
Designed by Chuck Paine, the Morris 48 was conceived to be a fast and capable offshore cruising boat for owners who want to explore the earth’s four corners and compete successfully in offshore point-to-point races such as the Newport to Bermuda Race. In 2008, two Morris 48s are set to sail away on round the world cruises.

The hull shape was optimized for all out speed under the IMS and PHRF rules yet in Morris and Paine style, the boat has been given the hull form, keel shape and displacement necessary to make it sea kindly and safe at sea. The 48, like the Morris 45, is part of Morris Yacht’s “next generation” cruising boats that bring a lot of modern design thinking and state of the art construction techniques into play to create premium yachts that offer premium performance.

The 48’s hull is built for extreme durability, stiffness and moderate weight. The compromise of strength to weight lies in the engineering and materials. The hull laminate is laid up using unidirectional E-glass with Kevlar reinforcements over a Core-cell high density closed cell foam core and infused with Hydrex® vinylester resin. What that means in English is that the structure of the hull has an impervious outer skin to prevent the ingress of water, a light but extremely strong glassfiber structural grid, a panel-core that makes the structure incredibly stiff but light, and a resin infusion that optimizes the ratio of resin to structural glass fiber. The net result is a hull strong enough to go to the Arctic, durable enough to last a lifetime and light enough to be competitive.

The keel is an efficient foil shape with a ballast bulb. This enhances stability and improves windward performance. Owners will be reassured by the boat’s 145-degree limit of vanishing stability, a calculation that indicates how far the boat will heel before capsize—145 is very good.

Sailing far and sailing fast are the 48’s main objectives but the rig has also been designed to make the boat easy to sail as well. The triple-spreader mast has swept-back spreaders and a wide chain-plate base so the mast is light but very well supported and the passageway up and down the side decks is unimpeded.

By increasing the mainsail’s size and reducing the headsail to a 105-percent genoa, Morris has almost eliminated the need for a lot of winch grinding every time you tack. In moderate breezes, you will be able to tack and trim without breaking a sweat. That makes sailing more fun, which in turn means you will sail more often and will reserve the engine for docking or anchoring.

Serious sailors will equip their boats with storm sails and downwind sails and hardware for reaching and running. And those heading offshore for extended passages may want to add a demountable staysail stay and staysail. Tricked out with sails, the Morris 48 will be a lot of fun for the whole family to sail, race and take offshore.

The floating home
Because the Morris 48 is intended to sail offshore, like her Morris sisterships, the interior plan has not been laid out for huge dockside cocktail parties but instead for a crew that will be spending many days at sea between parties. The difference lies in the size of the open spaces, the placement of furniture and handholds, the shape of the galley and access to lockers, storage and machinery. In a good sea boat, you will always be able to hold on or brace a hip or knee while moving about or working below. And, you will always feel secure in your bunk. The 48 provides this seagoing comfort and security in every cabin.

The raised deck saloon design allows Morris to offer two interior plans, one with the galley up and the dinette down forward and the other vice versa with the dinette under the raised coach roof. Both will serve owners’ needs.

The galley up version may be the more conventional layout since it keeps the galley and the chart table near the companionway. This keeps them convenient to the cockpit, where cruisers spend most of their time in fair weather. And with the dinette down a step going forward, the saloon becomes a conventional space with a table to port and the bench settee and pilot berth to starboard.

But the galley down version also has a lot of advantages. With the dinette and chart table under the raised deck, you can sit there and have a full view of the harbor around you. And, with the galley down and forward, it lies right over the boat’s center of gravity where motion at sea will be the least.

Large deck saloon windows may be of concern to those sailing offshore since they present a large, flat area to waves breaking on deck. To enhance the coach roof design and improve the strength of the large windows, Morris has the big side windows cast with a crease at about mid height. This looks great
and improves the stiffness of the glass panel by 86 percent.

The owner’s cabin lies forward where you will find a queen-size centerline bunk, plenty of storage space, two small seats and an en suite head. The guest cabin aft has a double berth and plenty of drawer and locker space.
This cabin will be a great sleeping position when at sea. The other great sea berths will be the settee and pilot berths forward.

The glisten and glimmer that caught your eye as soon as you stepped on deck was only a preview of the finish work throughout the Morris 48’s interior. While owners may select from a range of interior finishes, the standard today is all cherry, which is a light, attractive wood with enough grain
to look interesting.

The Morris standard is what has become known as Bristol or Herreshoff styling below decks. The bulkheads are white and other large vertical surfaces may be white, while all built-in furniture is varnished wood. The Herreshoffs would have used mahogany or oak. But, today, with a wide range of woods available,
owners can select the density and grain pattern that suits them. Owners who want a slightly different approach may opt to have the bulkheads covered with cherry veneer to match the furniture.

The craftsmanship that goes into a new Morris 48 adheres to the best Maine traditions. Drawers are solid cherry boxes with cherry faces. Door frames are solid cherry with arched tops and mitered corners. Doors are solid cherry designs with flat panels. All the hardware through the boats is high quality stainless steel with positive latches on all doors and lockers.

How Morris achieves the varnish finish throughout the boat is something of a trade secret. There are very few shops in the world that can create this flawless, deep look to the coating. Suffice it to say that sitting at the dinette table under the raised saloon, you can look down into the table’s surface as if looking into a clear pool through a crystal clear sheet of ice.

The Morris 48 sets a very high standard among cruising boats for its sailing qualities, advanced engineering and construction and for the builder’s attention to detail. It also sets a very high standard by offering wandering sailors and offshore racers a floating home that is a very practical, very beautiful work of art.

A sailor’s company
It is no accident that Tom Morris, the company’s founder, ended up on Mount Desert Island in Maine building custom and semicustom cruising boats. He and his family before him, who were Philadelphia natives, had been sailing in Maine during the summer for many years and Tom had grown up sailing and racing the well known A boats that were popular in this area in the last century.

In 1972, Tom launched his first Chuck Paine design and over the next 35 years he and his son Cuyler Morris, an Olympic sailor who joined the company in 1996, have built the business into America’s premier builder of custom and semi-custom sailing yachts from 34 to 62 feet. Morris Yachts also operates two service yards, in Bass Harbor and Northeast Harbor. And the good news for yachtsmen who are looking for uncompromised service and workmanship is
that they welcome all boats, sail and power, Morris and non-Morris built boats.

Cruising boats, called the Ocean Series, have always been the company’s staple and they now offer designs to fit just about any cruising couple’s needs.

Several years ago, they launched the new M Series line of luxury daysailers and weekend cruisers. Designed by Sparkman & Stephens, the M36, 42 and new 52 are classic yachts with long overhangs, sweeping lines and large cockpits. Their fractional rigs are self tacking and can be managed by a single person. Accommodations are simple but elegant. For sweet sailing and pleasant cruising (since the 42 and 52 have comfortable, convenient accommodations below deck) with family and friends, the new M Series boats are terrific.

The Morris tradition of boat building once fit in nicely with the old traditions from the New England coast. And the Maine coast still produces many of the finest yachts built anywhere in the country or the world.

With the evolution of the “next generation” of cruising boats, like the 48, in the Ocean Series, and with the development of the popular M Series, Morris Yachts has pushed the art and craft of boat building steadily into the future by capturing in their boats the best Maine traditions and the latest in high tech design and construction techniques.

At the helm of the Morris 48 or any of the company’s range of Ocean Series or M Series boats, you can feel the quality and the pedigree of the craft beneath you, a sensation that always spawns an emphatic “Yes.”
LOA 48’9”
LWL 42’10”
Beam 13’10”
Draft 6’6”
Displacement 32,000 lbs.
Ballast 10,700 lbs.
Sail area 1,018 sq. ft.
Water 175 gals.
Fuel 90 gals.
Morris Yachts
Bass Harbor, Maine
Ph: 207-244-5509
www.morrisyachts.com

Morris 454 •

Morris 454
Writers and editors will all agree that the worst opening line for any story, bar none, is “It was a dark and stormy night”… Well, critics be damned, that’s just what it was. We had left Annapolis aboard the new Morris 454 Next Boat (that’s it’s name) in a mild evening breeze and ran up Chesapeake Bay at a pleasant 5 knots for a few hours. Designed by Chuck Paine, the 454 is a moderately light displacement racer/cruiser with a tall rig that really likes light airs and can get up and going when most cruisers would be motoring. We were on our way to Newport, R.I., 350 miles away and this seemed an auspicious beginning.
Sailing aboard was Cuyler Morris, President of Morris Yachts and an Olympic quality sailor, Tripp Estabrook, a noted Newport sailor, and myself. It was a capable and harmonious crew so the trip held the promise of good company as well as good sailing.

We ran out of wind near the entrance to the C&D canal that leads from the Chesapeake into the top of Delaware Bay, so we were motorsailing when the thunderheads began to roll in from the west and the lightning started to crash all around us. Soon the rain arrived followed by the wind, so life in the cockpit was wet and watch keeping something of a challenge as we navigated down the ship channel. The squalls, which were riding on the leading edge of a cold front, passed early in the morning leaving us with a remarkable dawn that combined a murky, pink sunrise with a sky filled with thunderheads in which lightning illuminated the cloud canyons with bursts of brilliance—the silver linings, if you like. We came through the night damp but pleased with the boat’s performance.

As the front passed the wind came around to the northeast, our course, and built to 20 knots or so. We reefed the main, rolled up some jib and slogged into it for a few hours. The 454 has extremely good manners in blustery conditions and rising waves. The boat didn’t leap and slam through the waves like a pure lightweight racer, but surged comfortably and surely as the elliptical bow sections of the hull landed softly on each passing wave. Sailing 45 degrees off the wind in 20 knots with gusts to 30, the 454 held a comfortable 8 knots. And when we cracked off for Atlantic City, N.J., where we intended to hole up for 24 hours, the boat accelerated to 10 knots and fairly skipped through the waves.

The next afternoon we set off again for Newport with the wind in the north and northwest and still piping above 20 knots. Reaching at about 80 degrees from the true wind and playing the main traveler in the puffs, we had the 454 averaging 9 knots. By the afternoon of the next day, after a rollicking reach across the New York Bight and around Montauk, we sailed into Newport. We made the last 200 miles in just under 22 hours. That’s fast sailing in a 45 footer. Moreover, we arrived well fed and rested, which is a good way to measure the sea-keeping qualities of an offshore boat.

Design & Construction
The collaboration between Chuck Paine and Morris Yachts goes back to the beginnings of the company 30 years ago and has created a line of legendary cruising boats from the little Annie to the amazing 48-footer Reindeer.
Along the way, Morris and Paine have continually evolved their design and building process to stay ahead of the fleet of production boats. Morris only builds a few cruising boats a year and each one is a semi-custom work of art crafted from the most advanced cored epoxy or vinylester laminates, cored furniture-quality interior fittings and ultra-efficient aluminum or carbon-fiber rigs. The net results are offshore cruising boats in the finest tradition; boats that can cross oceans safely and comfortably, will win their classes in distance and point-to-point races and will, at the end of the day, be good investments.

Paine has a lovely design touch and has given the 454 a sleek hull that looks balanced and modern. The narrow entry at the bow and the long straight lines running aft give the hull a soft motion through the water and a nice turn of speed both up wind and power reaching. As an old time Maine builder might remark, the 454 has “no vices.”

The 454’s sail plan offers a lot of power in a rig that we discovered proves easy for a single watch stander to handle even in blustery conditions. The 106-percent jib—no genoa—sheets inside the side stays for close sheeting angles and easy trim.

On Next Boat the owner specified a sheeting arrangement derived from Volvo round the world racing boats that allows for extremely precise control of the jib’s foot and leech tension. This really helps when reaching and running with a small high aspect jib since you need to apply a lot of leech tension to keep the sail from twisting off at the top.
The mainsail is the rig’s real driver and is relatively huge for a racer/cruiser. With mid-boom sheeting, the traveler on the cabin top and the control lines running aft, you can power up and depower the big sail easily as the wind puffs. Plus, with this sheeting arrangement, the cockpit is free of mainsheet clutter.

Under the water the 454 sports a modified fin keel with a large aft-swept bulb. Draft has been limited to five feet, 10 inches to enable the boat to cruise the better cruising grounds when not racing or sailing offshore. The rudder is a high-aspect, balanced-spade design with a lot of surface area, which was much appreciated as we steered through the beam and quartering sea off New York; the helm always felt light to the touch and steered straight and sure.

The 454 is designed to be fast but it has not been built to the ultra-light standards of current grand-prix winners. Instead, the boat has been spec’d to rate well in PHRF and IMS events and built to a standard of strength and quality that ensure it will still be racing and winning in 30 years.

The hull and deck are high tech laminates in vinylester or epoxy with Corecell closed cell cores. The hull is built with continuous E-glass laminate layers in both the outer and inner skins and reinforced with layers of unidirectional fabrics. The deck is bonded to the hull with 3M 5200 and stainless steel bolts on eight-inch centers. Interior structural bulkheads are solid marine plywood panels that are tabbed with fiberglass to the hull and deck. Non-structural panels are lightweight LitePly panels.

Morris cruising boats are built to order on a semi-custom basis so owners may work with both Paine and Morris to come up with the right combination of materials to suit their needs and budgets. If you want to splurge on carbon and epoxy, Morris will do it for you. But, whichever way you go with a new hull, you can be assured that it will outlast you.

The Morris Touch
Over the years, Morris Yachts has built boats for some of America’s most experienced sailors who become part of the extended Morris family. In the process, these owners become collaborators with both Chuck Paine and Morris as their sailing experience continually adds ideas and data to the design and building process.

The 454 is a boat that began life as a custom 45 footer called Firefly which turned out to be a superb offshore racer and a capable and fun cruising boat. The semi-custom boats that are now being built are filled with great ideas and design features that are well proven over the years.

The sleek raised saloon, which fits the hull nicely, provides a lot of space below the floors for tanks and storage. The large windows provide a huge amount of light below decks as well as excellent visibility. On Next Boat, the dinette and chart table are under the raised saloon so you can sit with your coffee and have a lovely view of the world outside. A unique touch in these large windows are the bends or creases that shape the panes to the cabin and provide an extra degree of strength—in fact, they are 86 times stiffer than flat panes.

The galley is down a step forward from the dinette and has a large U-shaped design with the double sinks on the centerline, the stove outboard and the vast fridge and freezer forward. The Corian counters add elegance and make the galley easy to clean. Along the way to Newport we fixed several meals in windy and rolling conditions and found the galley to be truly a seagoing galley with fiddles in the right places, good hand holds and well thought out work spaces.

Across from the galley Next Boat had lower and upper berths, both of which are excellent sea berths. They are the right width to be sung when the weather cloths are in place and they are over the boat’s center of gravity where the boat’s motion is at its least.

The quarter cabin aft also makes a good sea berth with the added benefit of being able to close the door. It was amazing to slip off to that berth after going off watch, closing the door and settling down for a couple of hours sleep in almost complete silence even though it was honking on deck. Such is the benefit of a cored hull and deck.

While the layout on deck and down below has been designed with short handed sailing and offshore passages in mind, the details are what really set the 454 apart from the fleet.

On deck, teak toe rails, cockpit trim and cabin-top handrails are varnished in the Maine tradition to a deep and lustrous shine. Below decks, the cherry veneers and solid cherry doors and drawer fronts, have been selected for matching grains and color tones and then varnished until the surfaces are as smooth as mirrors—matte finish on the large panels and high gloss on the drawers, doors and cabinets.

Open a drawer and you will see the dovetail joints that hold it together. Open the electrical panel and you will be met with the most highly organized, color coded and labeled electrical system on the planet. Use the head or take a shower and you will find that everything you need or want is at the right arm’s length and that the spaces are designed to work both at sea and in port.

When you think about the details that go into a modern cruising boat—all of the equipment, systems, furniture, electronics—and taking that all offshore where the water is bumpy and the wind gusty, you have to think about creaks, leaks and rattling sounds as everything moves and shifts. Aboard the 454, as we sprinted across the New York Bight and surged from wave to wave, it was a marvel to go below and not hear a creak or a rattle and not find a door flopping open or a drawer disgorging it contents. The boat was tight, secure and set up for going to sea.

When you think of the Morris touch, it is easy to think of varnish. But in truth the Morris touch is the total absence of surprises when it gets a little rough out there.

BWS thoughts
The 454 is a true sailor’s boat. It sails well in a wide range of conditions. It is easy to handle around the docks and offshore. It has well thought out systems that will carry a family to first-in-class in a regatta or safely around the world. It is as handsome a cruising boat as you will find anywhere. And, it is a boat that can be customized for an owner’s needs and desires.

And, in 30 years a 454 built today will still be winning races, still be turning heads and still be an asset a family will be proud to own, especially on dark and stormy nights.

www.morrisyachts.com

Morris M42 •

During September’s Newport International Boat Show, we had the opportunity to go for an evening sail aboard the new Morris 42 Weekender on Narragansett Bay (R.I.). On board with us were Tom Morris, founder of Morris Yachts, and noted marine photographer Billy Black.

The new 42, which is the big sister to the successful M36 Weekender that was launched two years ago, has lovely traditional lines with long narrow overhangs. As we approached the boat on its mooring, the sleek gray hull, teak decks and tall fractional rig stood out among the moored fleet as a boat with superior pedigree.

The boat was not conceived by Morris Yachts nor designed by Sparkman & Stephens to be a long-haul, liveaboard cruiser. Instead, Morris wanted to offer its customers a true, sweet sailing weekender with enough space below for a couple to sail away for a few days or a week or two on their own. The emphasis was to be on beauty, simplicity and elegance in a boat that could be easily singlehanded.

The hull looks traditional. But below the water, the 42 has been given a thoroughly modern fin keel and a high-aspect spade rudder. Two keel depths are available, with the deep keel drawing six feet, 11 inches.

The fractional rig evokes boats from another age yet the spars are all carbon fiber (from Hall Spars), which reduces weight aloft to improve stability and reduce pitching or rolling. The boat we sailed had a Leisurefurl in-boom mainsail-furling system with a fully-battened North mainsail.
The 100-percent jib has been rigged to be self-tacking with a traveler fitted across the forward end of the cabintop. The sail furls on a Schaefer roller-furling system that has the drum and control lines recessed neatly into the bow.

Like the M36, the 42’s decks are remarkably clean. In fact, the impression is that there is no running rigging aboard, no control line from the furler, no jibsheets, no mainsheet. But it is all an elegant illusion.

Morris has worked out an ingenious system to run all of the sheets and control lines beneath the deck and aft to the cockpit where they emerge from the cockpit coamings to two pods sporting line stoppers and electric winches on either side of the helmsman.

You raise and lower the main while seated in the cockpit; you trim the main with a push of a button and you trim the jib the same way and from both sides of the cockpit. The rope tails all coil away neatly into open lockers in the bottom of the pods so you never have a tangle of spaghetti on the cockpit floor. The 42 is definitely set up for easy and very civilized sailing.

The high gloss of deep and flawlessly varnished teak lets you know at once when you climb aboard that you are going sailing on a yacht, not just another production boat. As you would expect, the joinery on deck and below is exceptional, while being both simple and useful.
The cabin has ample headroom and is finished in the classic white and varnished mahogany style made famous by New England builders. The galley is small and useful; the head, to port of the companionway, is large enough to be comfortable and has a neat system to form a shower stall.

The saloon has two bench settees with a large table between. The V-berth forward is open to the saloon so the entire space is one cabin. The space is broken up visually with vertical cabinets forward of the settees and with ingenious use of lighting, which can be used to give emphasis to various sections of the cabin.

The cockpit will seat seven comfortably for sundowners; the saloon will seat six; and the V-berth will sleep two with ample shoulder and hip room. As a couple’s coastal cruiser, these numbers are just about right.

SAILING THE 42
The wind was light the afternoon we sailed the 42, eight or nine knots of sea breeze blowing up the bay. We motored away from the mooring field and raised the mainsail (while sitting down). We fell off the wind to avoid a passing ferry and then rolled out the jib. With the engine switched off, we trimmed for close-hauled sailing, felt the keel and rudder develop lift and the 42 heeled slightly as it accelerated to 5.5 knots.

The 100-percent jib, trimmed with the push of a button, has narrow sheeting angles so the boat tacks easily inside 85 degrees. Even better, she tacks with no more effort than simply throwing over the helm—no sheets to trim as the traveler changes tacks by itself.

Once out into the bay, we took a long tack seaward and noted with pleasure that we were crawling to windward of the other boats sailing close hauled nearby. We got the boat sailing well in the groove with about five degrees of weather helm, making six knots in the now roughly 10 knots of breeze, and then locked the wheel. The 42 just kept going on a course as true as an arrow without one touch of the wheel for the next 10 minutes. Balanced, poised and packing plenty of power is how we would describe the feel of the 42 going to windward.
We found that rig worked fine at about 130 degrees off the wind. Farther off and the jib lost its punch as it twisted off at the top. A large reacher is available from Morris as an option and would have been a lot of fun in the breeze we had that evening.

After jibing several times we finally ran out of wind and had to crank up the engine to get home before it got too dark. The sails were quickly rolled way, and we then put the throttle down hard to see what would happen. The 42 squatted a bit at max revs and trailed a big stern wave, but we got the speedo up to 7.5 knots and the steering was as light and sure as a sports car.

BWS THOUGHTS
The sea trial we gave the new Morris was essentially how the builders believe the boat will be most used—a few hours of pleasant sailing with friends on local waters. For that purpose the new 42 works wonderfully.

But the 42 can also be employed as a fine coastal cruising boat that has enough storage and tankage for a couple to be self-sufficient for a couple of weeks.

The 42 joins a growing fleet of large, elegant weekenders on the market and sets itself apart with its great sailing ability and inimitable Morris quality and style.

LOA 42’3”
LWL 30’0”
Beam 11’3”
Draft (standard) 5’6”
Displacement (shoal) 14,362 lbs.
Ballast 5,500 lbs.
Bridge Clearance 56’8″
Base Price $589,000

Morris Yachts
PO Box 395
110 Grandville Rd.
Bass Harbor, ME 04643
207-244-5509
www.morrisyachts.com

Morris M42 •

The M42 is for sailors who want elegance, simplicity and cruising comfort in a boat that evokes the past but makes the best use of modern design technology and boatbuilding skills and the latest in rig and sail handling expertise. To simplify sail handling, all halyards, control lines and the main and jib sheets are led below the side decks and emerge at winch pods on either side of the helmsman. The only sheets you will see on deck are for the downwind sails. The spars and spinnaker pole are carbon fiber and the jib is designed to be self-tacking.

While the M42 fits into the “daysailer” or “weekender” class of boats that have become popular in recent years, the new boat has real cruising accommodations below decks and full headroom in the main cabin. Those who want to venture off on a longer cruise aboard will find that the boat has all the storage, tankage and amenities they need. Still the M42 is not a floating condo; simplicity and elegance are the dominant themes.

Below there is a large, well-appointed galley, a useful chart table, settee berths port and starboard and a large centerline table with folding leaves. The forward cabin has a V-berth or can be fitted with a centerline double berth. Plenty of storage can be found beneath the berths and in the ample lockers throughout.

The cabin is finished in traditional Bristol fashion with white bulkheads and varnished mahogany trim. The galley and head have Corian counters. Hatches overhead are supplied with screens and shades.

Morris Yachts has been building semi-custom cruising boats to a very high standard since 1972. The new M42, of which five are already in the building process, promises to perpetuate that tradition and will be a pure pleasure for her owners both to sail and to look at as they row ashore

Morris 42 •

Based on the successful 1995 MY40, the new Chuck Paine–designed MY42 offers greater length on deck and on the waterline while maintaining the traditional Morris lines with counter transom and spoon bow. The Paine/Morris bulb keel provides a modest five-foot, three-inch draft, making most gunkholes within reach and giving you flexibility in a crowded anchorage. The engine, batteries, galley and nav station are kept on a plane athwartships to minimize pitching and enhance sailing performance. Unlike some of the modern cruisers that might be accused of suffering from middle-age spread with their max beam carried well into the aft section, the MY42 tapers to a trim transom. With a D/L of 235 and a SA/D of 16.9, the MY42 is a moderate-displacement cruiser that will sail well and attract envious looks in the occasional race

Morris 51

The Morris 51, designed by Chuck Paine, started life as the Apogee 50 from Able Marine. Several years ago, in a move to expand his boatbuilding and boatyard businesses, Tom Morris, founder of Morris Yachts, purchased the assets of Able Marine, its Maine facilities and the molds to the Able line of boats. In that acquisition were the molds for the Apogee 50, of which 10 were out sailing ably about the world. The original 50-foot sloop had proven to be a comfortable, fast cruiser for a couple or family and was one of the few semi-custom passagemakers in this size range available from an American builder.

With the Apogee 50 in the Morris family of boats, the new Morris 51 has become one of the finest and truest blue-water boats available on the market—Maine designed, Maine built and ready to sail anywhere.

Last September, BWS had the chance to spend an afternoon sailing the new Morris 51 off Newport, R.I. While the test sail was not our usual offshore passage, we did get a chance to put the new boat through its paces and to have a thorough look at how the boat was conceived, constructed and fitted out.

We joined the boat in Newport Harbor. As it approached the dock, the purposeful lines, businesslike cutter rig, clean deck and rigid dodger over the cockpit gave the 51 the appearance of a true sea boat. And, being painted “Stars & Stripes” blue—the same color as Dennis Conner’s America’s Cups boats—the 51 cut an elegant figure as she motored through the fleet of cruising boats anchored nearby.

We set the main and jib and headed south through the heads of Narragansett Bay. The day was clear and bright with a 10-knot breeze from the south—a perfect sailing day as we so often get in New England in September. With the high roach, full-batten main and 100-percent jib drawing nicely, the 51 settled into the groove and chewed her way to windward easily and comfortably. We were making seven knots through the water, heeling to about 10 degrees and tacking through an easy 85 degrees on the compass. Looking aft, it was impossible to discern any leeway in her track.

PLENTY OF POWER
Once we had cleared the heads, we slacked sheets to reach easily into Block Island Sound before jibing around and running comfortably back toward Newport. The 51 tacked smoothly and surely with the small jib requiring only a small effort to trim while the big main gave the
boat plenty of power to sail well and accelerate in the moderate breeze. Off the wind she tracked extremely well, and we could lock the helm for extended periods while she steered herself.

Designed by Chuck Paine, the 51 has the feel of a solid, comfortable cruiser underfoot and cuts through the water with ease on all points of sail. With a displacement of 34,000 pounds, she is relatively light and carries her 11,400 pounds of ballast low in the keel. The displacement/length ratio is 178, which puts the 51 in a category of moderately light cruisers. And with a ballast/displacement ratio of 34 percent the boat is balanced for an easy motion in a wide range of conditions.

Although the 51 has a 45-foot waterline and therefore a nominal hull speed of nine knots, she flies only 1,066 square feet of working sail area, so the rig will be easily handled by a couple and will, at the same time, provide the power to keep the boat moving well in light conditions, as we discovered during our test sail. The 51 has a sail area/displacement ratio of 16.25 (100 percent foretri-angle), which is right in the middle of the range for modern, performance cruising boats.

By modern standards, the 51 has quite a narrow beam—14 feet—which translates into a beam/length ratio of only 27 percent. Long legs and a slim hull form translate into a hull that will be easily driven, will maintain high average speeds and will have excellent directional stability in following seas.

For long distance cruising the 51’s comfortable motion, easily driven hull, smallish rig and great directional stability combine to make the boat a true pleasure to sail and a fine example of what a designer can do when he is not constrained by racing rules and the need to pack a huge interior into a small space.

During a sail trial we always note the way the stern wave behaves as it flows aft of the transom. Does it build and curl back onto the hull as the boat squats under a press of sail? Does it boil as the hull lines converge suddenly beneath the cockpit? Or does it flow straight and smooth along fair lines that ease the boat through the water? On every point of sail, the 51’s wake streamed aft flat and undisturbed, just what we believe it is meant to do.

Although Morris Yachts bills the 51, like the company’s other boats, as a semi-custom cruiser, the fact of the matter is that aside from the hull, deck, keel and rudder, the boat can be customized extensively to meet an owner’s sailing and cruising styles.

ENGAGING PROCESS
Owners of new Morris boats tend to be sailors who have already owned several boats in their lives and know a lot about what they need to make a boat meet their personal standards. The ability to work with the Morris team and designer Paine means that the creation of a new 51 is an engaging process that benefits from each party’s wide knowledge and experience.

The boat we sailed in Newport was built for a cruising couple who have many thousands of miles under their keels and specific needs for their next, long-haul cruise. Having already been through a boat owning phase that saw them equip previous boats with everything under the sun, they chose to keep their new 51 as simple and low maintenance as possible while still incorporating the systems they know they need, selected from a list of brands they are comfortable owning and repairing.

On deck, they chose to build a rigid dodger over the forward end of the cockpit under which a watch-keeper can manage the boat during night watches or in inclement weather in comfort as the autopilot steers and the on-deck radar/chart-plotter monitors the navigation. Visibility from under the dodger is excellent—both fore at sea level and upward at the sails—so a lone watchstander can keep an eye on the horizon and sail trim without stepping into the weather. Such a dodger may seem a small detail, but the security and protection it offers the crew can make the difference between a wearisome passage and a safe and comfortable one.

Belowdecks the owners’ set up the interior to be a comfortable home for two with room for one couple to join them. The master stateroom lies forward and has a large centerline double bunk and a huge private head. The guest and “sea” cabin lies aft at the foot of the companionway. The chart table is positioned aft as well, next to the companionway, where the person navigating or on the radio can converse with another on deck. Chart tables positioned near the companionway always run the risk of getting doused with rain or spray, but, in this instance, the hard dodger over the cockpit will keep it—and all the electronics—dry.

COMFORTABLE LIVING
The saloon has been laid out for comfortable and social living. Because the owners enjoy cooking and washing up together, the galley spans the width of the saloon with the stove, fridge and sinks to starboard and an open pantry area to port. A bench settee that will double as an excellent sea berth is positioned to port, with bookshelves and the TV built in behind it. To starboard, the dinette will seat five or six comfortably.

The bench in the dinette is long enough for a person to sleep stretched out, making another good sea berth. All told, this layout has three good sea berths, one of which (in the after cabin) can be left made up all the time.

The owners wanted the engine room to be as large and commodious as possible since they know they will be in there often, maintaining the engine, generator, watermaker and pumps. Entering through a watertight door next to the companionway, you find a sizeable tool room and spare parts storage area and then the engine room, which spans the width of the hull. Changing engine oil every 100 hours, replacing pump impellers, pickling the watermaker, topping up the battery fluids and all the routine engineering chores are made simpler by providing such open access to all the systems.

The fit and finish of the 51 is bright, airy and comfortable. The boat does not scream luxury at you but has the understated look of very finely built modern furniture. The overheads are white with varnished battens running athwartships. The main bulkheads are pale hand rubbed cherry veneer while the furniture has white panels trimmed with varnish strakes. The look is at once Bristol fashion in the old Herreshoff tradition and almost Bauhaus modern. In the end, the interior is simple, functional, light and very comfortable.

The Morris 51 has emerged from the original Apogee 50 as a proper cruising boat in every aspect. Often the creation of a new cruising design involves a number of compromises, particularly if the boat has to satisfy the realities of the production marketplace in which a variety of tastes and experience levels need to be accommodated. In the case of the 51, the hull, rig, interior and systems have been laid out with one uncompromising purpose in mind—to transport an experienced couple over the oceans swiftly, safely and in style. After spending the day sailing and looking through the boat, it is easy for us to report that the new Morris 51 fulfills this mission splendidly.

LOA 51’0”
LWL 45’0”
Beam 14’0”
Draft 6’6” (5’10” optional)
Displ. 34,000 lbs.
Ballast 11,400 lbs.
Sail Area 1,066 sq. ft.
Construction Vinylester/E-glass/Kevlar
SA/D 16.25
D/L 178
B/D 34%
B/L 27%
Base price $1,049,000

Morris Yachts
Grandville Rd.
P.O. Box 395
Bass Harbor,
ME 04653
Ph: 207-244-5509