21ST CENTURY TWINS

RM'S DISTINCTIVE NEW FLAGSHIP OFFERS AN ENTICING COMBINATION OF GOOD SAILING QUALITIES, SPACIOUS ACCOMMODATION AND TWIN KEELS AS STANDARD

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I’ve admired the innovative range of fast yet comfortable cruisers from RM Yachts for many years – their combination of spacious, attractive and brightly lit interiors, planing performance and well planned deck layouts is particularly appealing. And their plywood epoxy hull construction offers a stiff alternative to the norm. But despite having sailed some 250 different yachts in my time, I haven’t had an opportunity to sail an RM until recently. When I did, it was the RM1380, the yard’s new flagship and its fourth-generation 45-footer.

This long anticipated model from the Marc Lombard Yacht Design Group is typical of the brand in many respects. It’s also one of the few yachts of this size offered with a complete range of keel options, including the efficient high aspect 1.95m draught twin keels fitted to our test boat, making this one of the largest ever twin keel production yachts.

Displacement is light by the standards of most cruising yachts of this size, at a shade under 10 tonnes, and is broadly comparable with performance cruisers such as the X46 and Beneteau First 44, rather than the ultra-lightweight Pogo 44. Yet this is not a staid design, even if it does adhere to a tried and tested formula. To promote easy surfing, and even full planing in the right conditions, the underside of the hull profile has relatively little fore and aft rocker. Reduced static waterline beam also improves light airs performance compared to earlier wide-bodied designs. I was eager to try it on the water.

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