FIRST TEST SAARE 41.2

Top-quality boat building with designs refined over years makes this Estonian-built yacht one of the best cruisers you will ever sail, according to Theo Stocker

- Theo Stocker

You could be forgiven for not having heard of Saare Yachts. After all, they only build half a dozen or so yachts a year, in just three sizes – 38ft, 41ft and 47ft – but for anyone who has ever thought, 'They don't build boats like they used to,' then this boat test is for you.

These boats are built properly. Far from being stolidly heavy, however, Saare use some of latest construction techniques including vacuum infusion throughout and honeycomb-cored joinery to keep weight down, whilst still hand-built by craftsman who learned their trade from the centuries-old boat-building tradition on the Estonian island of Saaremaa, where a surprising number of other brands have their boats built and the University of Tallinn has its naval architecture facility.

As the Estonian republic emerged from the Soviet Union in 1991, some enterprising locals, in conjunction with Swedish investment, took over a large shed and established a boatyard before taking on the construction of Finngulf yachts in 1997, eventually completing over 220 Finngulf yachts from 28ft to 46ft, all designed by Karl-Johan Stråhlmann.