The search for the ideal family cruiser can be a complicated business at the best of times, especially if you’re looking for a new yacht less than 30ft long. Gone are the days when Jaguar 27s, Maxi 84s and Mirage 28s were widely used by charter companies and private buyers alike. These days, sailors hunting for smaller cruisers have little choice but to
Many conflicting factors are needed to achieve that most elusive of goals – the best compromise between seagoing performance in a full range of weather conditions and maximum living space when in port. I say ‘in port’ because maximum accommodation space when at sea is less relevant. If you are not in the cockpit and sailing, you could be down below cooking (as securely as possible), eating (spilling as little as possible), in the heads (as brie y as possible), navigating (as accurately as possible) or sleeping (as comfortably as possible). The size of the areas used for these tasks is often seen as insignificant compared to how effectively each task can be performed.
Then there’s the small matter of weight. New boats with heavier displacements for their size are rarely seen at boat shows these days for one simple reason: they cost more to build. But that doesn’t mean they are 'out of date. Far from it, because the cruising sailor-whether she or he is looking for massive or moderate amounts of accommodation below-will find a heavier displacement boat with a lower centre of gravity more forgiving and less twitchy to sail than a lighter boat with a voluminous interior.
Waterline length grows
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة August 2023 من Practical Boat Owner.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة August 2023 من Practical Boat Owner.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
A sailor's guide to UK sharks and fish
Genevieve Leaper looks at some of the shark species around the British and Irish coasts and how to spot these fish from your boat
Multihull anchoring
Brush up on your multihull sailing skills before heading off on a holiday charter with Gavin Le Sueur's guide to anchoring
A revolution in fabrics
Marine fabrics are using natural fibres, less harmful chemicals and longer-lasting colours. Jake Kavanagh looks at the cut of the cloth
Shoestring voyage of adventure
Richard King and Serafin Colmenares Jr. look back at the remarkable Pacific voyage of Florentino Das in his 24ft home-built boat
A fine day out with a visitor
Six hours afloat and a guided tour to vindicate a fictional sailing heroine's navigational skills
Boats for Baltic cruising
Duncan Kent picks the best sub-40ft sail and power boats for crossing the North Sea and exploring a Baltic summer
Boatyard life
The tide of the year Is rising. Time for work
Weather or not to go sailing
Ignore the apps: it's much safer to swear by the weather wisdom of a local oracle
The angelic East Coast pocket cruiser
It is 100 years since the first Deben Cherub was launched. Julia Jones looks back at the history of this 21ft river racing class
Best anchor types for varied cruising
Rupert Holmes on choosing the best anchor for your boat, your style of cruising, how you’ll use it and your budget