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

Najad 570 •

The island of Orust off Sweden’s west coast has long been home to some of the world’s best boat builders, so it is no surprise that in addition to Najad the region hosts such famous brands as Hallberg-Rassy, Malö, Farr, Regina af Vindö, Sweden Yachts and others. Each builder has its own way of building, yet all of them share a common dedication to the craft of boat building and to the highest possible quality in their products.

So when Najad Yachts launched into the project to create and build a new flagship for their line of superior cruising boats, it was with an eye to creating something truly special.

At the heart of the new boat would be the concept that the boat could be as individual as each owner wanted to make it. Aside from the basic structures of the hull, engine compartment, tanks, major bulkheads and deck, an owner was free to create an interior plan that met his specific needs—within reason. The flagship was to be a truly semi-custom yacht.

For the design, Najad turned once again to German naval architects Judel/Vrolijk and Company who had drawn all of the modern Najads and were known for their fast, sweet sailing yachts. The boat the J/V team came up with is a powerful, center-cockpit 57-foot cruising sloop with a bulb-fin keel, spade rudder and a tall rig.

With the exception of the 355 and 440 AC, all Najads are center cockpit designs. With the 570, a raised deck saloon was added to open up the saloon and allow tons of natural light to fill the cabin. Because the cockpit is quite wide, the new 570 has two wheels and steering stations, which provide the helmsman with the best possible visibility looking forward. Both wheels have large binnacles where you can mount instrument repeaters. The forward end of the cockpit is protected by an attractive curved windscreen onto which a dodger can be attached to give the crew full protection from the weather.

A beautiful varnished teak table is mounted in the cockpit with folding leaves. When the leaves are up, you will be able to seat six comfortably for a meal. The table has four drink holders and a top loading locker built in. The table has been given a sturdy stainless steel base, which will make it strong enough to support a person’s weight when sailing at an angle of heel.

The 570’s deck layout is very clean and attractive. Teak decks are standard and the design and detailing of the planking gives you an immediate look at the craftsmanship and artistry that goes into each boat. Aft, the stern deck is wide and a good place for lounging in the sun. Large lockers in the stern sections will accommodate all docking lines, fenders and all the spare parts you need to carry aboard a cruising boat. The swim platform aft has teak decking and is large enough to really be used for swimming, showering and boarding the dinghy.

The side decks are wide and since the shrouds are fairly far inboard you can walk fore and aft easily. The foredeck and forward coach roof are wide and open. There is plenty of room here to stow a large dinghy when sailing offshore. Or, if you are flying a spinnaker, you will have plenty of space for hoisting the pole and getting the sail set up prior to hoisting. The stem fitting has a large anchor roller that will accommodate any of the common hooking type anchors; the windlass and controls are neatly hidden away in the anchor
locker.

All of the Najads are sweet sailing boats that have a very good turn of speed and are quite close winded. The 570 will be no exception and, with the wide transom and the deep bulb keel, will be able to carry a lot of sail as the wind increases, which translates into high average speeds.

The 570 has a three-spreader Selden rig with slab reefing standard on the main but the option to upgrade to a Selden hydraulic in-mast furling system or a carbon fiber mast. The boat is designed to be sailed with the 110-percent working jib so you don’t have to do a lot of winch grinding when you tack. For off the wind sailing, an asymmetrical chute in a snuffer will add a lot of power. Note that the mainsheet runs to a traveler just aft of the cockpit where it will be readily accessible to the helmsman.

The deck layout and rig are set up for real sailing. Those who will be crossing oceans will appreciate the simple, robustness of the rig while those who will be entering regattas or point to point races will appreciate just how fast and nimble this big cruising sloop can be.

Living in style
As noted above, the 570 is a semi-custom cruising boat so the published interior plans are more a guide to what is possible rather than the only possibilities. Entering through the companionway you descend four steps into the raised deck saloon where you will have the large dinette and the lounging areas. The dinette can be set up so the table is lowered into coffee table position when not being used for dining.

To starboard the chart table is merged with the starboard settee, and it doubles as a comfortable place to sit. Above the chart table an angled module has been built to house a computer screen, chart plotter, radar and other instruments. A communications locker has been built in outboard where you can mount a satphone, SSB radio and the VHF radio. The main electrical panel is also built into the nav station.

The 570 has two passageways aft from the saloon with the engine room amidships between them. With the doors into the aft cabin open, the boat seems very large and open and airy.

The galley is in the port passageway where you will find an acre of Corian counter space, twin sinks nearly on the centerline, massive refrigeration boxes and all the storage space you will need to stow supplies and galley gear.

The starboard passageway contains either a master head and shower room or a separate crew’s cabin with its own small head and vanity. If you will be having a crew member living aboard, this cabin will be quite comfortable
for him or her.

The after cabin can be configured a number of different ways. Najad shows it either with a large centerline queen-size berth in one great cabin or it can be divided in half and split into two double cabins.

The forward cabin will be the master suite with the large queen-size berth forward, a small lounging area to port and a large head and shower to starboard. This is a huge cabin, even for a 57-foot boat, and will be an excellent home away from home for those who live aboard and are out exploring the world. Or, instead of a lounging area, you can have a bunk bed cabin to port.

The 570 is finished in light African mahogany with Jatoba wood accents and Jatoba plank flooring. The detailing throughout the 570 is superb. All furniture has a trim modern look and a pleasant rubbed effect finish. The whole ambience of the interior is of warm colors and open spaces.

With large, comfortable cabins, a lot of storage for personal gear and living supplies, with large tanks and a huge battery bank, the 570 will be a stylish and elegant floating home that can carry you safely across oceans.

The Najad fleet
With the 570 sailing ahead as the flagship, Najad also builds great cruising boats in smaller sizes. The 355 is an aft cockpit cruiser that is a perfect size for coastal sailing and weekending with the family. The boat may be compact
but it is a proper cruising boat that has all of the quality and amenities you would expect from a Najad.

The Najad 380 is a center cockpit design that is a true offshore boat in a small package. The 380 has an excellent after cabin, good size saloon and comfortable forward guest cabin. It sails extremely well and several of these
boats have crossed the North Atlantic.

Next up is the 405, a fast modern-hulled center cockpit design with a large owner’s cabin aft.

The 440 comes in two versions, the center cockpit layout and the aft cockpit design. The 440 is a big sister to the 405 and offers more space, more storage, larger tanks and more boat speed. For a cruising family, the 440 is large enough and capable enough to carry them around the world.

The new Najad 505 has many of the qualities that are being built into the new 570 and is a boat that really raises the bar on Najad design, styling and quality. A center cockpit design, the 505 offers the elegance and sophistication that many cruisers desire. Plus, it offers cruising accommodations that are as well thought out, well detailed and handsomely
finished as any boat being built today.

Najad is steeped in the traditions of boat building on Orust. Here generations of craftsmen have honed their craft as they strive to perfect the art of boatbuilding. As companies like Najad introduce new and exciting designs,
they still rely on those traditions to get each boat just right.

Najad 570
LOA 57’6”
LWL 54’4”
Beam 16’7”
Draft (deep) 8’9”
Draft (shoal) 6’11”
Displacement 52,000 lbs.
Ballast 16,400 lbs.
Sail area 1600 sq. ft.
Water 220gals
Fuel 220 gals
Najad Yachts
Henan, Sweden
46-(0)304-692-300
www.najad.com
Scandinavian Yachts
Newport, RI, USA
401-846-8404
www.scandyacht.com

Najad 440 AC •

A three-day fall delivery along the East Coast can dish up just about everything and anything from calms to gales, and that’s just what we knew we had to look for as we motored north up Chesapeake Bay after the Annapolis sailboat show. We were aboard the new Najad 44 AC (aft cockpit) with owner Bruce Glassick and Alan Baines of Scandinavian Yachts and bound for Newport, R.I. The 350-mile trip was to be a fairly direct route up the Chesapeake to the C & D canal, down Delaware Bay and then north on a straight shot south of Long Island to Newport.

For the first 36 hours, we were under power completely with the 75-horsepower Volvo pushing us along at an easy 7 to 8 knots at 3,000 rpm. The 440 AC is comfortable under power, quiet and smooth, with zero vibration in the sail drive unit or standard folding propeller—an important feature considering the number of hours cruisers generally spend under power or motorsailing.

Najad 440 Pedestal Detail

While we motored down the Delaware Bay in flat calm, avoiding commercial traffic and the occasional fisherman, the breeze was forecast to build from the north-northeast to around 20 knots. This would make the 200 miles from Cape May, N.J., to Newport a beat to windward, with true wind steadily building until the following day when forecasts called for it to slowly shift to the south. If the predictions held, we were in for a dirty night at sea.

As the wind built off Atlantic City, we cracked off to 80 degrees with main and genoa fully out and providing some lift as we continued to motorsail. The well dimensioned hull and deep center of gravity provided by a delta shaped bulb on a fin keel (this 440 has the deepest keel option at 2.4 meters) gives the 440 smooth motion to weather and greater stability off the breeze. The deep well balanced spade rudder gives the helm a light touch and made finding the groove easy.

Weather did not cooperate for most this delivery and the wind continued to build to over 20 knots out of the north. Despite conditions, the 440 AC as a moderate displacement cruiser (28,000 lbs.), and with a long waterline of 39 feet 7 inches comfortably handled herself, cutting through the four-foot chop with little hobbyhorse motion. The 440 felt incredibly solid in these conditions and when not on watch, you could sit below with little disturbance from the weather on deck.

With the wind coming directly from where we wanted to go and showing little signs of abating or shifting around to the south, we continued to motor as we tacked up the New Jersey coastline. Alternating between one and two reefs in the mainsail and with 25 percent of the genoa rolled up, we were able to point well, averaging approximately 80 degrees off the breeze and making 7 knots most of the way. After more than 24 hours of this the wind eventually died down and became increasingly shifty. We made the decision to roll in the genoa and power forward with the main strapped in for stability.

We motored into Newport the following morning with the sense that we had tested our own levels of patience more than the capabilities of the 440. But we were dry and warm—testament to intelligent cockpit layout and symmetry of design and comfort provided by Najad, and with some additional provisions the 440 could have kept going indefinitely.

The Design
The design philosophy of the Najad 440 AC centers on balance. It seeks to be a comfortable and relatively fast offshore and coastal cruising boat that will provide owners a kind of functional elegance that you don’t really grow out of.

The AC version of the 440, as are all new Najad models, was developed by the design firm of Judel/Vrolijk and Co, a firm noted for designing performance yachts. Najad has incorporated this performance pedigree into the 440 while maintaining the Najad traditions of comfort and stability. The result is a yacht with an open and appealing interior, a functional and comfortable layout (our 440 made use of the alternate layout with twin berths in the forward V and port aft and a single berth aft starboard), modern hull, big yet protected cockpit and intelligent deck plan.

The hull is a composite/sandwich of vacuum-sealed Divinycell between two layers of glass fiber. Formed in a female mold, and reinforced at points where equipment is attached, the hull is strongest at its center. It provides longitudinal and torsional strength, and the design incorporates a V shape at the bow and U shape aft, maximizing waterline and stability. The keel (which has optional ranges from six-foot, two inches to seven-foot, 10 inches) is a short and narrow fin with a delta shaped bulb.
The standard rigging option on the 440 AC is a Selden tri spreader aluminum mast with Furlex furlers, for both the in-mast furling mainsail and genoa furler. Our 440 utilized the lighter, stronger and more expensive carbon fiber rig option provided by Nordic Mast, which increases the boat’s overall stability. At 67 feet above the water, the standard rig height is too high for the Intracoastal Waterway; however, this is probably not a major concern for most 440 owners.

All lines run cleanly aft to the cockpit, making singlehanded trimming easier and safer. And the main traveler sits just forward of the signature Najad windscreen (which increases the overall size of the attached fabric dodger and creates a more comfortable and protected place to sit when at sea) leaving the cockpit uncluttered. Our 440 had optional electric winches, with two primaries and two smaller self-tailing winches, which again contribute to ease of sailing when singlehanded. The genoa cars sit on a track and can be moved by a pulley system from the cockpit.

The standard 75-horsepower D2-75S Volvo Penta engine sits in a compartment below the companionway, making it easy to reach and work on. And because the engineering focus was on a sail drive and folding propeller that should be run at fairly low rpm, it is also remarkably quiet. Generators and batteries come in several different optional packages.

Najad 440 Saloon The layout below—which comes in several options—is a testament to Najad’s experience in building offshore capable boats. As the boat feels solid in its performance through the water, so does the feel of the interior construction, complimented by use of mahogany and jatoba woods and an open feel, giving you the sense that the 440 is bigger than she really is. Designers and builders who know and understand a boat’s motion offshore incorporate ideas like auto shut drawers, sliding doors in the galley and a top-loading fridge/freezer with separated compartments. Najad boats are above all else extremely functional and well thought out. That they are sleek and aesthetically chic is an added bonus. And it is guaranteed that the interior layout of the 440 AC (however you choose it) will have an intelligently designed nav station and galley, a spacious saloon, heads with ample room and designer faucets, and berths that are as comfortable—and sensible—at sea as at anchor. Throw in the Corian countertops, wood contrasts, stainless steel fixtures and high quality fabrics and you have the interior of a Najad.

BWS Thoughts
Najad has been building offshore cruising boats on the island of Orust in Sweden since 1971. The addition of the 440 AC, their biggest aft cockpit design, brings a sleek and sporty new member to their lineup. It is geared toward those who want to be competitive in events but also comfortable and safe when cruising.

The 440 AC looks to find balance in style, speed and comfort—not always an easy mix. But Najad succeeds here because it offers a boat that can be scaled up or down depending upon your needs and budget. And when you do opt for the additions, you are only adding on to what as “standard” is already an exceptional blue water boat. With a range of options, from three different interior layouts to carbon versus aluminum rigging, and a host of entertainment and navigational upgrades in between, 440 AC owners can be as stylish, sedate and swift as they like.
Najad 440 Galley

Najad 44AC

LOA 44’0″
LWL 39′ 8″
Beam 13′ 3″
Draft 6’2″/7’10″
Sail Area 900 sq. ft.
Ballast 9,600 lbs
Displacement 28,000 lbs.
Water 125 gals
Fuel 100 gals
Holding 30 gals

Scandinavian Yachts
40 Mary St.
Newport, RI 02840
401-846-7349
E-mail: sales@scandyacht.com
www.scandyacht.com

Najad 44AC •

A Judel/Vrolijk design, the 44AC has a modern cruising hull with cruising fin keel and ballast bulb and a deep, high-aspect spade ruder. Although a dedicated cruising boat, the 44AC sails extremely well and is capable of making very fast daily runs and offshore passages.

Najad has gone high tech with the new boat by incorporating a long list of useful features including a complete Mastervolt electrical system, hydraulic furling systems on the Selden spars, hydraulic vang and backstay adjustments and, in partnership with Raymarine, a stylish and well equipped nav station suite.

The new boat has twin quarter cabins aft, with a large head and shower stall just forward to starboard. The forward cabin features a large double V-berth and has its own head.

The saloon has an L-shaped galley with the single sink on the centerline so it drains on both tacks. The dinette to port will seat four comfortably and will also be a good sea berth. Across from the dinette are two built-in armchairs with the chart table and nav suite in between.

Finished in matte varnished mahogany, the interior is quite traditional, but the flush cabinets and stainless steel latches and hardware give it a modern and elegant look.

A true world cruising boat that will also acquit itself well in races and rallies, the new Najad 44AC is a boat that redefines the notion of performance cruising.

Specifications: LOA 44’0”; LWL 39’ 8”; Beam 13’ 3”; Draft 6’10”; Displacement 28,000 lbs.; Sail Area 1,039 sq. ft.

For more information log on to www.najad.com.

Najad 440 AC •

The 440 has two configurations – aft cockpit (AC) and center cockpit (CC). The aft cockpit design will be on display in the U.S. this year.

Najad is known for building moderately conservative cruising boats that sail extremely well. While not purpose built for competition, Najads regularly acquit themselves well in the cruising divisions of regattas around the world. In the open ocean, the boats really thrive and can knock off fast, safe passages that leave their crews more rested than when they set off.

The 440 AC has a sleek modern look but just enough teak and tradition to make any old salt happy. The sloop rig is supplied by Seldén, and the roller furling on the headsail is by Furlex.

Control lines and halyards run aft to the cockpit so a lone watch-stander can trim and reduce sail without climbing onto the foredeck. The cockpit is large and comfortable with seat backs that fit a person’s back nicely.

Down below, the 440 has the master cabin forward and two quarter cabins aft. Two heads are standard, and the forward head has a separate shower stall. Six adults can cruise comfortably and with an unusual amount of privacy for a boat of this size.

The saloon has an L-shaped seagoing galley to port, a large C- shaped dinette just forward and a large navigator’s station and chart table to starboard. The interior is finished with a light African mahogany that gives the space a pleasant “yacht” feel. Joinery is exceptional as is the varnish finish.

A modern cruising boat with all the amenities a couple or family could ask for, the 440 AC is also a fine sailing sloop that will make good passages and can win a regatta when called upon

Najad 380

At 37 feet, nine inches, the deck of the 380 is laid out to be managed easily by a couple with the characteristic fixed windshield protecting the cockpit and companionway. Below, the 380 is able to maintain the same accommodations as larger vessels in the Najad line by forfeiting a forward head and some storage space. The standard layout comes with a double and single berth sharing the aft cabin, two berths forward in addition to the settees that can serve as sea berths.

The 380 comes standard with a six-foot, four-inch draft, but has a shallow draft option that saves a foot. The sloop rig carries 810 square feet of cruising canvas on a deck-stepped spar for a Sail Area/Displacement of 16.3 and a Displacement/Length of 257, appropriately conservative for this ocean-crosser.

Najad 440 Passagemaker

We have long had a partiality for cruising boats with LOAs in the mid-40s and water-lines in the high 30s. Boats of this sizeare large enough to offer a couple and their guests a comfortable floating home but not so large that the sails and gear are too heavy for one person to handle nor are the forces on the standing and running rigging so great that you need extra crew or electric winches to manage the boat.

While we favor simplicity in a boat over complexity, many cruising folk today are eager to bring the comforts of home with them, and why not? Gensets, air conditioning, watermakers, microwaves, washing machines and elaborate home entertainment systems are now more the rule than the exception. Long gone, for most cruisers, is the notion that life on a boat is supposed to be rustic. Boatbuilders respond to their clients or they go out of business, so many of today’s best modern cruising boats not only are excellent sailing machines, they are also as comfortable and spacious as a one-bedroom pied-à-terre.

But getting the balance right between a cruising boat’s sailing and passagemaking capabilities and its accommodations—particularly in boats under 50 feet—is a knotty problem, one that is all too often skewed toward the latter instead of the former.

The new Najad 440, hull number one of which will be launched this summer, addresses these issues and judging from the specifications and drawings—BWS has not yet sailed the 440—the new Judel/Vrolijk design appears to have arrived at a very pleasing and practical resolution of the performance-accommodation compromise.

THE CONCEPT
Najad Yachts, which is based on the same island close to Gothenburg, Sweden, as Hallberg-Rassy and Malö Yachts, has a long tradition of building high quality center-cockpit cruising boats that are capable of excelling in the challenging conditions of the North and Baltic seas as well as in the more benign winds of the tropics. It is not surprising that every year the entry list for the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers has on it several if not many Najads. For Europeans, Najad has a well-earned reputation for building boats that stand up to the rigors of ocean sailing. But they also are known as sweet sailing boats. Two years ago a young couple sailing a Najad 373 crossed the Atlantic in the ARC and then went on to win the cruising division at Antigua Sailing Week with a pickup crew.

Najad builds cruisers from 33 to 51 feet and all, except the 33-footer, are center-cockpit designs. The new 440 was conceived to fill a “hole” in the company’s line between the 400 and the 460. The task of designing the hull went to the European design firm Judel/Vrolijk, which is based in Germany. Although not well known in North America for their cruising designs, the team has proven to be outstanding at designing high-end racing machines (including America’s Cup winner Alinghi) while at the same time pioneering designs in the luxury cruising boat scene. The firm has been working with Najad for several years and has been instrumental in helping Najad achieve that delicate balance between sailing performance and cruising comfort.

The brief for the 440 called for a boat that was a “comfortable, long-legged performance cruiser.” On deck the boat had to have a comfortable and secure cockpit from which most on-deck tasks can be undertaken. The hull had to incorporate the latest thinking in sailing performance on all points of sail while
being voluminous enough to contain a comfortable three-cabin layout and all the equipment and systems that modern cruisers tend to put on their boats. Tankage, engine size and storage had to be ample enough to allow the 440 to be relatively self-sufficient for weeks or months at a time.

Down below, the new 440 would have a large and airy main cabin with a dinette to port and the galley in the passageway to the aft cabin. The forward and after cabins needed to have ample headroom, large and long berths and plenty of locker space for a couple living aboard for extended periods.

Lastly, the boat had to look great, in the best of modern design styles. While we have yet to see the first boat, the drawings provided by Judel/Vrolijk indicate that their team has crafted a sleek design that both fits well with the Najad family of cruising boats and advances the performance-cruising concept in a very attractive package.

THE NUMBERS
Najad has always built sensible boats and the new 440 is no exception. With its short overhangs fore and aft, long waterline and fair hull lines, the boat promises to be able to maintain high average speeds while sailed shorthanded.

With a displacement-length ratio of 267 the boat is no lightweight sled so it will have a pleasing motion in a seaway, particularly when beating into head seas. The 440’s nominal hull speed is 8.1 knots, yet the polars show that it will be able to power reach at up to 10 knots in the right conditions.

This ability to sail quickly and maintain high averages is due in part to the boat’s relatively narrow beam of 13 feet, three inches. This translates into a length-to-beam ratio of 2.8, which is lower than you will see on many modern production boats. A narrower hull also tends to be easier in running conditions since it can hold its line as waves pass under the stern better than beamier hulls with broader transoms.

The boat has been given a high aspect fin keel with a ballast bulb. The keel shape enhances windward performance while the bulb lowers the center of gravity. The 440 has a capsize screening number of 1.69, which is well skewed to the safe end of the spectrum and indicates that the boat will be stiff and weatherly. A 44-footer should feel stable and stand up to a good breeze—the 440 promises to do both with an almost ship-like motion.

But that is not to say that the 440 is going to be slow. The design incorporates a fairly narrow bow that will enable it to drive to windward without pounding and allows the boat to accelerate in puffs rather than simply heeling over under the wind pressure. The U-shaped aft sections of the hull carry well aft to the transom so the 440 will be able to fly a lot of sail on a reach, which translates into good speeds and a sense that the boat is running on rails. The sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 16.49 (100-percent foretriangle) is moderate and about right for a cruising boat destined to cross oceans. The foretriangle has been kept relatively small, and the boat is designed to sail with a 110- to 125-percent rolling genoa so it will be easy to tack upwind and has enough sail area to keep the boat moving nicely off the wind.

The 440 has a balanced spade rudder, a first for Najad, which traditionally has built semi-balanced skeg-hung rudders for their boats. The rudder appears large and deep so it will add to control both under power and around the docks and will actually add to the lift of the keel as the boat sails to windward. Off the wind, and under autopilot, the rudder will react surely and quickly so the stern will not be liable to radical shifts as it is lifted and corkscrewed by large following seas.

The numbers for the 440 are in all ways moderate, yet the shape of the hull, the new high-aspect keel and rudder and the moderate beam combine to describe a cruising boat that will indeed be long-legged. And for those who want to compete in cruising classes in regattas and offshore events, the 440 packs the potential of a truly competitive sea boat.

THE RIG
Cruisers used to believe that a ketch rig was the best choice for boats over 40 feet or so since the split rig divides the sails into smaller and more manageable packages and the “jib and jigger” combination works so well when sailing close hauled in a blow.

But the constant improvement of roller-furling gear, the invention of self-tailing winches and the refinement of slab reefing systems for the main have combined to make the tall sloop rig the best option. Not only is a sloop rig simpler and less expensive to buy and maintain, it is easier to handle in a wide range of conditions and will perform better on all points of sail.

The rig specifications for the 440 show a tall, triple-spreader mast, stepped on the keel, with single upper shrouds, intermediate diagonals and a mechanically controlled backstay adjuster. The spreaders are shown swept slightly aft, which eliminates fore and aft lower shrouds and allows both the cap shroud and the single lower shroud to be secured at a single chainplate.

The rig design shows running backstays, which we take to be a belt-and-suspenders addition to keep the mast from pumping in its midsection when the boat is moving quickly through bumpy water.

Not shown in the drawings is a staysail stay which would, in theory, lead to the top spreader and be supported by the running backstays. Since the foretriangle and working headsails have been kept small, a staysail may not be needed. Yet it would be comforting to have an inboard stay from which to fly a storm jib, and we would carefully look into adding a demountable staysail if we were going to be spending a lot of time cruising in the higher latitudes where the wind tends to blow hard and inevitably from forward of the beam.

One of the benefits of a center-cockpit design is the location of the mainsheet and traveler. Leading from the end of the boom, where it has the most leverage and strength, the mainsheet tackle falls straight down to the traveler on the after cabin’s coachroof where is it handy to the helmsman’s seat.

Being able to dump the traveler in a puff or trim the main sheet without having to leave the wheel is a real benefit and the safest way to handle the big sail. For couples who often will be sailing solo while their mate naps below, this arrangement really simplifies matters; also it eliminates mainsheet spaghetti on the cockpit floor.

The standard mainsail will be radially-cut with two reef points. There will be owners who will opt for in-mast or in-boom furling systems, adding to both the rig’s cost and com-plexity. Yet a roller-furling mainsail can add to sailing pleasure, will be a boon for shorthanded sailing and is one more tool that keeps us off the foredeck when the weather is bad.

The 440 does not come with an electric halyard winch in the specifications, yet in a boat of this size and value, the additional cost does not seem out of line. Whether you are hoisting the mainsail, lifting a dinghy out of the water, hauling a heavy crewmember to the masthead or warping the boat into a dock against a crosswind, a powerful electric winch will pay for itself just about every day.

ACCOMODATIONS
At boat shows most of us tend to climb on boats that interest us, and after a quick scan around the deck from the cockpit we head below to check out the interior. The living space, obviously, is of primary importance when we are considering a boat that may become our floating home, even though it is the design of the hull and rig that will see us safely on our travels.

The 440’s interior features large fore and aft cabins, each with its own head, and the saloon. The galley lies in the passageway aft and the chart table, as shown in the accommodation plan, sits at the base of the companionway ladder and to starboard.

To fit the sleeping cabins and heads into the hull, the designers have pushed the interior well forward and aft, which opens up living space at the expense of large storage compartments for deck gear, sails and dinghy accessories.

The main sail locker is under the starboard cockpit seat, while the two stern lazarettes will be home to fenders, docking lines, spare running and standing rigging and sundry items such as the power cords, fender boards and so forth.
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The sail locker will be divided in half so space remains available beneath the floor for a watermaker, genset, inverter and all the other add-ons that are so popular with cruisers.

The forward cabin sports a V-berth with storage beneath. This might be where an owner would hide away spare anchor rodes and bulky, light items such as the sail repair kit and life jackets. The plan shows plenty of shelf space for books, large lockers and a hanging locker. Certainly, guests will be comfortable here for weeks at a time.

The forward head has a separate shower stall, which is a feature many of us like since it keeps shower water contained. The space is also a good place to store fresh fruit and veggies when provisioning for a long ocean passage since it is well ventilated and easily cleaned.

The saloon has an L-shaped dinette to port with a small bookshelf and two large lockers outboard. The plan shows two armchairs on the starboard side with lockers behind. Those who want a second good sea berth in the saloon can opt for a long settee that can also have plenty of storage space beneath it.

The chart table, as shown, faces outboard and has a swivel seat beneath it. This also can be changed to a forward facing table and a built-in seat. Nav instruments and the central electrical panels will be mounted outboard of the chart table in hinged lockers that provide ready access to the boat’s vital nerve center.

The aft cabin has a large, centerline double berth with a seat to port and two large hanging lockers. The berth is split down the middle so it can be fitted with a lee cloth to hold you in place while underway.

The 440’s galley will be a good working space in port or at sea since there is plenty of counter space over the top-loading fridge and ample storage in the lockers outboard. The passageway is narrow enough so a sea cook won’t be thrown around in lumpy weather and will always be able to find a spot to hang on.

The galley sinks are well off center so they may not drain easily when the boat is heeled over hard on the starboard tack.

The interior features unstained satin-finished mahogany so the atmosphere below will be warm and cozy. With large ports and windows and an overhead hatch ventilation will be good, and plenty of light should find its way below.

The interior of the 440 will feel like home and will work well for a couple who likes their comforts, their privacy and the security of well designed spaces.

THE NAJAD OPEN HOUSE
The new Najad 440 will be launched this summer and will be on view at the Najad open house in Sweden in late August. Those who aspire to owning a 440 or any of the Najad line would do well to visit the factory and meet the builders. And for those who can afford the time, it makes sense to take delivery of a new Najad in Sweden so the shakedown cruise can begin and end at the factory. Not only can buyers save some money by taking delivery in Europe, but they can also enjoy beautiful cruising and any warranty work can be undertaken right where the boat was built.

Najad is represented in North America by Scandinavian Yachts in Newport, R.I., and through their agents Seacraft Yacht Sales of Seattle on the West Coast and Gunnar’s Yacht & Ship in the Great Lakes.

This winter Alan Baines of Scandinavian Yachts established Scandinavian Holdings Inc., based in Newport, and acquired a share of Najad, when the founder retired, and now represents the line as an owner of the factory. So when you speak with Scandinavian Yachts’ Alan Baines you are speaking to one of the owners. For more information contact Scandinavian Yachts at 401-846-8442.

LOA 44’3” (13.5 m.)
LWL 36’9” (11.2 m.)
Beam 13’3” (4.0 m.)
Draft 6’9” (2.1 m.)
Displacement 29,700 lbs. (13. 5 m. tons)
Sail area 994 sq. ft. (92 sq. m.)
Mast height 64’7” (19. 7 m.)
Water 156 gals. (600 l.)
Fuel 104 gals. (400 l.)
Displ./LOA 267
SA/Displ. 16.49
Length/beam 2.8
Capsize ratio 1.69
Hull speed 8.1 knots
Scandinavian Yachts
Newport, RI
401-846-8442
E-mail: sales@scandyacht.com

Najad 511 •

The new flagship of the Najad fleet, designed by Judel, Vrolijk & Co. and built by Najad in Sweden, is a trim 51-footer that has all the makings of a great liveaboard ocean-going home. While 50 feet used to be considered somewhat extravagant in the cruising fleet, today boats of this size are becoming ever more common. In fact, the difference in comfort, seakeeping and speed between a 40-footer and a 50-footer is really a quantum leap so cruisers who can afford to go larger are doing so.

Last summer BWS sailed the new Najad 373 (see our review in the August 2003 edition) and came away impressed by the quality of the design, the excellence of the construction and detail work and by the boat’s terrific sailing qualities.

The new 511, which stretches all the concepts in the 373 and the rest of the Najad line to new lengths, promises to live up to the potential of the smaller boats. A center-cockpit masthead sloop with plenty of sail area, the new boat has pleasing overhangs, bow and stern, a fairly flat sheer and a low, unobtrusive coach roof. While it is easier to make a boat look sleek at 50 feet than at 40, particularly a center-cockpit design, the 511 also picks up her air of performance from the open areas of deck space and her tall rig. This is obviously a boat designed and built to sail well.

Judel, Vrolijk & Co. have a wellearned reputation for designing racing boats that win around the buoysand offshore. Better known in Europe than in North America, the firm ranks with Bruce Farr and German Frers in the highest echelons of performance racing and cruising design.

BWS has not yet had a chance to sail the new 511, but, as noted, we have sailed her little sister (373) and found it to be surprisingly nimble and swift and a real joy to handle. That the 37-footer achieved 8 knots under working sail while broad reaching in 12 knots of sea breeze went a long way to cement our admiration for the boat and her designers.

The 511 gains all the benefits of a long waterline and a sleek hull. With a 43-foot, six-inch waterline, she will have plenty of legs on her and should be able to maintain high average speeds and great daily runs offshore.

Her non-dimensional numbers tell a lot about the 511’s performance characteristics. The sail area-to-displacement ratio, which measures the balance of sail power to hull weight and therefore resistance, is a handsome 18.6. When considering this ratio, numbers over 20 usually indicate a powered-up cruiser or a racing boat while numbers below 15 describe an under canvassed boat with a heavier than average displacement. The 511’s SA/D is higher than many cruising boats in her class and indicates that the designers and builder set out to emphasize performance in a wide range of conditions.

The displacement-to-length ratio gives us an indication of the boat’s relative displacement and therefore its ability to sail well in various conditions. The ratio also gives us a general benchmark for how comfortable a boat will be in a seaway. Quite a few years ago, respected cruising boat designer Ted Brewer wrote that he considered a D/L of 250 to be about right for a cruising boat since it described a boat that had a moderate displacement for a given length and thus would offer a good combination of comfort and speed. These days the average D/L among new cruising boats has fallen as boats have gotten lighter and constructiontechniques have improved. The 511’s D/L of 227 is now about average and is moderate in all ways. The boat has been designed to be comfortable first and fast second.

Note that the 511 can be had with either a seven-foot, 10-inch draft or a six-foot, eight-inch draft, neither of which are what would be considered “shoal” in the U.S. While drafts of this depth may make gunkholing in the Chesapeake Bay or the Bahamas slightly challenging, the deep fin keels do add both to the boats’ stability under a press of sail and its ability to sail effectively upwind.

When you run the new 511’s numbers through a performance prediction program you can see that the sum of all her design attributes translate into a cruising boat that really sails well. In breezes under 10 knots, when heavy displacement cruising boats will be motoring to maintain a decent speed, the 511 will be able to sail upwind at six knots or more and will broad reach at more than seven knots. When the wind picks up to 16 knots, the boat will beam reach at more than 8.5 knots and will sail close hauled at 45 degrees off the true wind at better than seven knots. And, when the breeze gets up to 20 knots, the boat will edge up toward 10 knots on a broad reach and will charge to windward at close to eight knots.

The sail plan drawn by Judel, Vrolijk & Co. shows a three spreader masthead sloop configuration. The spreaders of the Seldén mast are swept back slightly and the shrouds lead to chainplates that are positioned inboard to allow narrow sheeting angles. The backstay is fitted with a hydraulic pump so you can flatten the main as the wind increases. And, the boom is equipped with a mechanical
vang that allows you to control the boom while reefing and furling and adjust the leech trim while sailing.

Najad specifies a slab-reefed, full-batten, tri-radial mainsail and a Seldén Furlex roller-furling system for the tri-radial working headsail. Other options are available. An inner forestay can be rigged, either as a traditional staysail or as a Solent stay, and either in-boom or in-mast mainsail furling systems can be integrated into the sail plan.

ACCOMMODATIONS
The general plan laid out for the 511 shows a spacious saloon amidships with the master stateroom aft and two smaller staterooms forward. The boat has two heads, each with a separate shower stall.

As you descend the companionway ladder, you note that there are good handholds on both sides and that the interior volume of the saloon is not so large that you would be hurled around in a seaway. The angled chart table to starboard has a large desktop with ample storage for daily charts and cruising guides beneath. The electrical panel, which is hinged for easy access to the wiring harness behind it, is easily accessible from the navigator’s seat, and there is plenty of cabinet space for mounting navigational electronics.

The seating arrangement in the saloon allows six crew to sit around the table, three on the L-shaped bench settee and three in portable folding chairs. When sailing, the chairs can be stowed away in the hanging locker next to the companionway. Across from the dinette are two built-in easy chairs with a Vshaped table between them. Because the 511 is a semi-custom boat, owners can modify the saloon to a certain extent to suit their needs. For example, an owner who will be spending a lot of time on passage may choose to exchange the easy chairs to starboard with a bench settee and a pilot berth to accommodate off-watch crew aft of the mast.

The galley lies in the passageway that leads to the master stateroom aft and offers sea cooks plenty of counter space, a lot of storage and secure places to brace a hip when working in a seaway. The engine room under the cockpit is accessible from the galley or from the large sail locker on the starboard side of the cockpit.

The master stateroom aft sports a large centerline double berth that has night tables on both sides and a seat to port where one can sit down to tie shoes. There are two large hanging lockers and plenty of cabinet space for clothes. The master head is large and bright and has its own separate shower stall. The whole cabin is well ventilated with four portholes and an overhead deck hatch.

In the standard plan, two double cabins have been fit in neatly forward of the main bulkhead. The forward head lies to starboard with a tidy upper and lower cabin to port. A V-berth cabin is all the way forward. Both cabins have enough cabinet and hanging locker space for crew to live aboard for a while and offer enough privacy so that those sailing together will not always be underfoot.

The interior of the 511 is large enough for a family of four or two couples to cruise together for long periods. Also, for those who want to sail with permanent crew, the V-cabin forward offers a separate space that will suit a crew’s needs.

One of the aspects of the 511 that marks it as a cruising boat is the amount of belowdecks storage for gear. Way aft, both stern quarters house sail lockers that will be home to roll-up dinghies, outboard motors, diving equipment and much more.

Amidships, the starboard cockpit locker is huge and adjacent to the engine room. This will be the space for the generator, watermaker and other add-on systems. And there will still be enough room for sail bags and a few spare water or fuel containers.

All the way forward, the bow sections have been divided into three watertight compartments, with the chain locker in the bow and two large storage lockers aft of it. This combination of lockers means that the boat has built-in collision compartments and space for downwind sails, spare headsails, docking lines and fenders and all of the spare rigging parts one usually carries when heading to sea.

CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING
The 511’s hull and deck are molded sandwich-cored construction with multiaxial fiberglass in ISO polyester resin. The gel coat is nonporous NGA resin that will inhibit
osmosis. To ensure that the hull remains dry, all areas below the waterline are coated with epoxy resin before receiving antifouling paint. The hull and deck will provide good heat and sound insulation while offering the stiffest panel structures at the least weight.

The semi-balanced rudder hangs on a strong skeg so it is protected from a collision and can be fitted with a second bearing to ensure that it swings easily and freely in all conditions and over the long haul. The rudder is fiberglass with a stainless steel post-and-web frame.

The keel mounts externally, where it will absorb a grounding without endangering the fiberglass hull. The keel-hull joint is as massively constructed as you will find, and the keel boats all are reinforced inside the hull by the massive grid frames built into the hull.

The 511’s interior structures are anchored on a complex grid of floors that distribute stress and eliminate any twisting in the hull. The frames become home to the bulkheads and to the water and fuel tanks so that all major components can be tabbed in place. All tanks are constructed of acid resistant stainless steel for long life and a low probability of fouling.

The builder specif ies a 100- horsepower four-cylinder Yanmar turbo diesel as the main auxiliary. This lives in the engine room beneath the center cockpit, where it is easy
to work on from both sides. The engine has a mechanical reverse drive and a 2.63 to 1 reduction gear that turns a three-bladed folding propeller. The stern gland is a water-cooled rubber bearing.

The engine room is well insulated and the engine itself is mounted on soft rubber mounts. Additionally, the engine is fitted with a soft shaft coupler that removes the vibration from misalignment. All told, the engine will run very quietly and will produce as little vibration as possible.

The boat’s 24-volt electrical system is built around a high-output engine- driven alternator and a 290 amphour
battery bank (580 at 12 volts). The system comes with a 12-volt converter for instruments and with a 110/240-volt AC battery charger for shore supply and both volt and ampere meters.

All house and instrument wiring runs in conduit where it can be fished and serviced, for the most part, without removing furniture. The whole electrical system is grounded to a full hull-bonding system and controlled via two high-grade main switches.

The 511 comes with a long list of standard equipment including two bilge pumps, three fire extinguishers, two propane gas bottles, Raymarine ST60 sailing instruments and much more.

BWS THOUGHTS
This is the second Najad BWS has reviewed in the past 12 months, so it is fair to say that these Swedish- built cruising boats have caught our attention. We have found the
boats to be extremely well built, comprehensively fitted out and equipped, and carefully prepared for the rigors
of the sea.

The interiors are comfortable and elegant but at the same time seamanlike and safe at sea. One could easily imagine living aboard the 511 for long periods.

Under sail, the 511 should follow in the footsteps of earlier Najad designs by Judel, Vrolijk & Co. by sailing well in a wide range of wind and sea conditions, by being nimble
around the docks and easy for a couple to handle.

For those considering a centercockpit cruiser in this size range, the Najad 511 should be on the short list.

LOA 50’4″ (15.5 m.)
LWL 43’6″ (13.4 m.)
Draft 7’10″/6’8″ (2.4/2.0 m.)
Beam 14’8″ (4.5 m.)
Air draft 72’8″ (22.2 m.)
Displ. 41,800 lbs. (19 tonnes)
Ballast 13,860 lbs. (6.3 tonnes)
Sail area 1,382 sq. ft. (128 sq. m.)
SA/D 18.6
D/L 227
Water 164 gals. (630 l.)
Fuel 160 gals. (615 l.)
Price $787,000 (U.S.)
Scandinavian Yachts, Inc.
40 Mary St.
Newport, RI 02840
Ph: 401-846-8442

Najad 373

This new 37-footer from Sweden offers elegant accommodations in a hull that has proven to be both swift and comfortable at sea

In the past decade the average size of new designs entering the cruising fleets around the world has continued to grow to the point that finding a new passagemaker under 40 feet has become something of a novelty. Yet cruising boats in the 37-foot range have long been considered ideal by many veterans because the boats are handy for one person or a couple to sail, require a minimum of upkeep and maintenance and tend to be less expensive to keep in top cruising trim.

So it was with a sense of curiosity that we stepped aboard the new Najad 373 at the docks in Newport, R.I., for an afternoon-long sail trial. In particular, we were interested in learning how the Swedish builder had carried off creating a center-cockpit layout in such a small hull.

This was not to be BWS’s usual offshore sail test of several hundred miles or more. Instead, we had opted for a good, long day cruise that at least would give us a sense of the boat’s sailing characteristics and show us how she behaves in mild and pleasant conditions. It also allowed us some time to poke around the interior while inspecting her accommodations, construction details and systems.

The spring afternoon was lovely, the breeze a steady 12 knots from the east. We motored away from the docks and rolled out the sails inside the harbor. BWS’s senior editor Greg Jones was positioned on the tip of Ft. Adams at the harbor mouth to take photos of the boat under sail, so we jilled around off the fort while he set up his equipment. This is only relevant because I was sailing the boat singlehanded while my shipmate, Najad’s East Coast dealer Alan Baines, conducted business on his cell phone. The 373 was surprisingly nimble and easy to sail in circles. Tacking and jibing singlehanded, I was able to get the boat to spin quickly, harden up sharply, and then fall off and jibe without breaking a sweat. The genoa winches sit next to the wheel and the mainsheet lies on the aft cabintop behind the helms-man’s seat, so all of the sheets are always within reach. From our recent experience aboard larger blue-water boats, such easy sail handling, nimble performance and pure sailing fun are rare. No doubt part of the reason lay in the boat’s moderate size and displacement; but the boat also has a modern fractional rig that is easy for any experienced sailor to handle alone.

With the photo session complete, we headed seaward for a long sail across Rhode Island Sound and back. The boat clipped along at seven knots upwind in 12 knots of true breeze. When we fell off on a close reach, with the apparent wind forward of the beam, the GPS and speedo concurred that we were sailing at a little over eight knots. When we turned for home and let her run freely on a broad reach, the wind had piped up to about 15 knots and we held the eights easily. There was hardly a sea running, but the two-foot chop that was building before the easterly, gave us a hint of how the hull would react in larger stuff. The Najad ran true with little tendency to round up while the large semi-balanced rudder held a firm grip on the water.

Around the docks the 373 handles like a smaller boat. It turns nearly within its own length, backs straight and is light enough for one person to handle onto and away from the pier.

After a day aboard, we knew we hand found a new offshore boat that was truly fun to sail and also a fine couple’s boat.

ONE COUPLE’S CRUISE
BWS did not have the opportunity to take the 373 offshore, but the boat was designed and built to handle blue water so we offer a synopsis of a cruise by the English couple Will Collins and Gaby Hancock who took their Najad 373 Galatea on a 15,000-mile Atlantic Circuit in 2001-2002.

Will and Gaby departed South-ampton, England, in 2001 and were immediately dished a true Bay of Biscay gale that baptized them and their new boat with 30-knot head-winds and steep seas. “Perhaps we were glad for this early test,” they wrote in Najad’s in-house magazine, “if we could handle this we could probably handle the worst we’d get.”

The couple cruised the Iberian Peninsula and then headed south to the Canary Islands to join the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers. After restocking the boat’s larder and enjoying the camaraderie of the ARC participants, the couple set off in yet another 30-knot breeze on the 3,100-mile transatlantic run to St. Lucia in the Caribbean. Of the trip they wrote, “Sailing virtually dead downwind and in conditions too strong for a spinnaker, the ‘barn doors’ (twin poled-out headsails) were set. One thing that struck us on board was how little time—not how much—we actually had. With 13 hours of darkness and the constant roll, everyday tasks kept us very busy.”

Galatea made the ocean crossing without a hitch. “After a little under 19 days (an average of 165-miles per day) and with a 40-knot tropical storm to chase us in, we were glad when St. Lucia loomed large on the horizon,” wrote Will and Gaby. “And, without breakages to the boat or us—and plenty of larger boats in our wake—we were happy to arrive.”

The couple cruised the Caribbean for the rest of the winter, venturing as far south as Venezuela, before heading north to Antigua for some fun and games at Antigua Sailing Week. Galatea is a dyed-in-the-wool cruising boat, but that didn’t stop Will and Gaby from entering her in the Class II cruising division.

With a crew of friends in from England, Will and Gaby tuned Galatea, and then took her out onto the race course where, to their pleasure and surprise, they took first in the regatta’s initial race. “Having your friends throw your home around a race course is a nerve wracking experience indeed,” they wrote. “But Galatea didn’t falter at any step along the way. Racing in all manner of conditions, the way she performed was superb. For the helmsman and crew, we were on a racing yacht through and through.”

By race week’s end, Galatea had won her class decisively and tied for first place overall in the cruising divisions. Not bad for a 37-foot center-cockpit cruiser.
The voyage home in the spring of 2002 led Will and Gaby to the U.S. East Coast and then across the North Atlantic at summer’s end to close the loop on the Atlantic Circuit. “The only problem with leaving the return trip so late are the hurricanes that quietly begin to bubble down south,” they wrote about the passage. “But fortunately, other than the lack of autopilot (2,200-miles of hand steering from Newport, R.I., to the Azores) and a detour to avoid tropical storm Arthur, the passage home was trouble free.
“We sailed back into Falmouth having logged 15,000 nautical miles and having had a fantastic time. The trip was everything we had hoped it would be, and Galatea was everything we had asked her to be—safe, comfortable and fast.”

Although published by Najad and obviously slanted to show the boat in a good light, Will and Gaby’s story in itself is testament to the sailing qualities of the 373 and to its suitability as a true ocean cruising yacht.

DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
The 373 was designed by Judel/Vrolijk & Co, a firm noted for its successful grand prix racing boats and maxis as well as a host of custom yachts. The design of the 373 departs from the Judel/Vrolijk norm, both because of its modest size and because the boat is a pure, center-cockpit cruiser. Yet the designer’s ability to draw sweet hull lines and fast underwater shapes is not lost on the 373. As noted above, the boat sails well in a wide range of conditions, is close winded and very steady on her feet.

Creating a center-cockpit configuration in a boat under 40 feet always runs the risk of ending up with a fairly boxy looking hull and deck house. Yet, Najad has many years of practice with this conundrum and has worked out a balance of hull and deck that works very well and looks sleek, salty and just right.

The bow and stern of the 373 balance each other well and lend a purposeful look to the design. With fairly high topsides—masked neatly by the wide red cove stripes—and a bit of flare in the forward sections, the 373 is a dry boat that will keep her crew comfortable in square head seas. The 12-foot beam has been carried quite far aft to accommodate the aft cabin; this shape offers added power off the wind so in reaching and running conditions the 373 excels. Note, however, that the beam is not carried all the way aft, so that the waterlines begin to converge under the transom. This slightly reduced buoyancy aft will help the boat sail straight and true in large following seas.

Under the water, the 373 has a moderate cruising fin keel and a semi-balanced spade rudder that hangs on a small skeg. The boat draws six feet, three inches (unloaded) so those cruising in the Chesapeake and the Bahamas may opt for the five-foot, two-inch shoal draft version. The rudder has been drawn large enough to provide a solid bite on the water even when absorbing a serious puff or yawing under a large headsail. The 373 should never broach unless her crew is pushing the envelope recklessly.

With a displacement/length ratio of 249, the design falls in the middle of the cruising fleet. The ratio indicates what we discovered on the water, the boat is handy and quick but feels solid under foot and stands up well to the puffs.

The sail area/displacement ratio of 16.33 puts the boat at the conservative end of the spectrum for modern fin keel cruisers. But, because the hull is slippery and the fractional rig efficient and easy to handle, the 373 sails at high average speeds with little sweat on the crews’ brows. The calculations have been done for the full-batten radial cut mainsail that comes standard with the boat; owners who select the optional Seldén in-mast furling system will see the ratio decline slightly.

The hull and deck are formed with hand-laid sandwich construction, which provides both strength and stiffness in a hull that will be relatively lighter than a solid fiberglass hull. Additionally, a cored hull offers good sound and temperature insulation. Reinforcing stringers and athwartship floors, combined with bulkheads that are tabbed to the hull and deck, make the boat extremely stiff and solid. The keel bolts, chain plates and compression post for the deck-stepped mast tie into the glassed-in structural grid. The hull-deck joint has been assembled with a combination of adhesive between the flanges, interior fiberglass tabbing and stainless steel bolts—a belt-and-suspenders system that will keep the boat dry and prevent any flexing in tough conditions.

The boat’s basic systems have been engineered to the highest standards and all vital elements are accessible for regular maintenance. The standard 53-horsepower Yanmar auxiliary sits in an engine room box below the cockpit floor. Access is provided through large side panels and under the removable companion ladder. The 40-gallon diesel tank lies next to the engine at the bottom of the starboard cockpit locker, while the three water tanks (totaling 70 gallons) are positioned under the main saloon’s settees and in the centerline sump. Tanks are fabricated of stainless steel.

The 373 comes with 300 amp-hours of battery capacity for general house use and a 75-amp-hour starting battery for the engine. While adequate for coastal cruising, voyagers will need to beef up battery capacity to 600 amp-hours or so to maintain a comfortable power reserve and to preserve the battery bank’s condition—particularly if an owner chooses to add the optional electric sheet winches.

The hallmark of the Najad line of cruising boats and of the 373 BWS sailed has to be the builder’s attention to detail and commitment to providing the best in standard equipment.

ACCOMMODATIONS
The 373 comes in three similar variations of the basic center-cockpit, aft-cabin design. The differences lie in the configuration of the V-berths forward, the double berth aft and whether an owner selects a settee bench in the saloon or armchairs.

As you climb below, you are at once aware that Najad has managed to fit a lot of amenities into a small package. This is accomplished by offering six-feet, three-inches of headroom in the saloon and by pushing the furniture outboard as far as possible. The saloon is airy and bright with the woody feel of the African mahogany bulkheads and joinery.

The head is positioned on the starboard side of the companionway where it is accessible to both the aft and forward cabins. The head is large enough to double as a shower and near enough to the companionway to be a good wet locker. The head itself faces fore and aft—a unique installation—but BWS has used such heads and can attest that at sea this is the best arrangement since you are never precariously perched on the high side or slumped inconveniently on the low side of a tack.

The chart table is remarkably large for a boat of this size, with ample storage in the table and room to mount whatever electronics you need. The mounting panels above the chart table and the main electrical panel fold down neatly so an owner can access the guts of the wiring systems without the need for carpentry tools.

The galley is positioned in the passageway aft on the port side. With eight feet of counter space and ready access to large storage cabinets, galley duty will be a pleasure, particular in a seaway where the narrowness of the passage will help keep you in place. The only drawback to an in-line galley such as this is the inability to place the sinks close to the boat’s centerline where they can drain on both tacks. Positioned outboard to port, the sinks may cease draining when the boat is heeled hard over on the starboard tack. We counted 12 drawers and cabinets in the galley, not counting the large refrigerator, so cruisers will be able to load up on supplies and galley equipment, which then can be neatly stowed out of the way.

Moving aft through the galley, headroom drops to approximately five feet as you pass into the after cabin. Although this would take some getting used to for those choosing to live aboard, it is the compromise needed to fit an aft cabin in a sleek-looking 37-footer. Once in the aft cabin, you will find the berths huge and comfortable and the lockers large enough for a cruising wardrobe. Beneath the after berth lies the steering system and the autopilot, so access is excellent.

The forward cabin is tucked fairly far forward in the bow and thus at the boat’s narrowest point. Still, the V-berth is large enough for two friendly adults or two children. Like the saloon and aft cabin, the forward cabin is bright, homey and comfortable.

BWS THOUGHTS
After a day of sailing the new Najad 373, we were impressed by the boat for a number of reasons. It is rare today to find a true blue-water boat under 40 feet, so the 373’s size has a lot going for it. While the trend in cruising boats has been to ever-larger designs, a 37-footer makes a lot of sense for the right sailors. The gear is manageable by one person, tacking and jibing are rarely chores, painting the bottom during haul-outs won’t cost a fortune or take the better part of a week. For many reasons, in a cruising boat small is indeed beautiful.

But the boat also impressed us with its sailing ability. As noted at the top of this review, the 373 can easily be managed by one competent sailor and will sail at high average speeds in a wide range of wind and sea conditions. For those who love the sailing aspect of cruising and who enjoy leaving larger cruisers in their wake, the 373 will have an extra appeal.

Quality is a moving target but the Swedes continually get closer to it than many other boatbuilding nations. Whether you inspect the neat detail of a drawer assembly, open the main circuit boards to trace the wiring or poke around in the engine room, you will find at every turn that the Najad line of boats has been created to a consistently high standard. The 373 is a boat that will stand by you because the builders have gone the extra mile to make sure that everything works and is well enough designed and well enough built to go on working for a very long time.

For a couple seeking a boat for comfortable coastal cruising or to venture far and wide, the handsome Najad 37 will make an excellent floating home.

LOA 37’8” (11.30 m.)
LWL 32’0” (9.75 m.)
Beam 12’0” (3.65 m.)
Draft (standard) 6’3” (1.90 m.)
Draft (shoal) 5’2” (1.59 m.)
Displacement 18,260 lbs. (8,300 kg.)
Ballast 6,820 lbs. (3,100 kg.)
Sail Area 705 sq. ft. (65.5 sq. m.)
Water 70 gal. (280 l.)
Fuel 40 gal. (160 l.)
Auxiliary 53-horsepower Yanmar diesel
Mast height 54’11” (16.75 m.)
Sail Area/Displ. 16.33
Displ./Length 249
Ballast/Displ. 37.35%
Price 228,300 euros (~$267,000)

Scandinavian Yachts, Inc.
40 Mary St.
Newport, RI 02840
401-846-8442

Seacraft Yacht Sales, Inc.
927 N. Northlake Way
Seattle, WA 98103
206-547-2755