FIRST TIME LOVE

Boating newcomer Frances Marcellin takes the plunge with a family motorboat charter holiday on the Canal du Midi

COMITTI BREVA 35

Is there more to this eye-poppingly beautiful Italian sportscruiser than just good looks? We find out with a blustery test in the Solent

AXOPAR 22 SPYDER

It’s probably not how Axopar wanted to introduce its new baby but at a virtual launch from a train factory in Helsinki the world got the first glimpse of the 22 Spyder.

AQUAHOLIC

Nick Burnham: Oddly, there was something grimly satisfying about trundling up the river all alone in the pouring rain. I was the only boat out enjoying the experience however…

WELCOME TO THE CLUB

Tom Wiggin and his extensively refurbished Sunseeker Superhawk 50 join the Our Boats fleet

SET UP A RADAR

Mention radar and most people think fog. Technically, fog starts at visibility of less than 1,000m and significantly changes your responsibilities under the collision regulations, the most pertinent being that we all move from being either a stand-on or give-way vessel to ALL being give-way vessels.

PURPLE REIGN

THE IMAGE THAT ROCKED OUR BOAT THIS MONTH

IS-THAT-REAL-WOOD

With his teak decks in need of replacement, Mike Rothery decides to tackle the job himself

HYDROLIFT X-27 SUV

From stalwart of the sea to sporty SUV, pilothouse boats are encountering something of a revolution but the X-27 may be the most extreme example yet

DELIGHTFUL DOURO

Andrew Smyth and Corinne Julius fulfil a long held ambition to cruise Portugal’s Douro River in their Broom 42 CL

BUYING USED: FAIRLINE TARGA 48

INBUILD 2013-2019 PRICE RANGE £ 480, 000 - £800,000

ABSOLUTE NAVETTA 64

The latest addition to Absolute’s quirky Navetta family possesses all the qualities we admire in the range but with a notable trick up its sleeve

LOCKDOWN PRINCESS

Former sailors Cindy and Ariel Poler decided to buy a motorboat which they could use as a second home in San Francisco, so how come they ended up buying a Princess F50 in Italy?

RIVIERA RUN

Paul Adriaansens recounts last season’s dream cruise through Spain, France and Italy

LOST IN FRANCE

A water shortage threatens to knock Don and Marjorie Walker off course as they continue their voyage through Nancy and the upper Saône

FOLLOW A ROUTE ON YOUR PLOTTER

Having completed your plotter set-up (MBY Oct) and planned and entered your route (MBY Nov), now comes the part that all that preparation was for – actually running the route.

LOCK DOWN SLOW DOWN

Gilbert Park takes to the slow lane aboard his Jeanneau Merry Fisher during a West Country cruise

SLOW BOAT TO FINER [ WEATHER ]

Bavaria E40 owners Sander and Sophia Daniels cruise with their young family from the Netherlands to Mallorca v ia the infamous Bay of Biscay in search of better climes

NO-SLAM DUNK

Is it possible to build a fast boat that never slams? We test the first British-built Rafnar 850 RIB to find out

FAIREY GOD FATHER

Former professional sailor and windsurfer Stuart Sawyer took on his biggest challenge yet by restoring a Fairey Swordsman 40 back to mint condition

WINDY 37 SHAMAL

This all-new sports cruiser may have been designed by a superyacht supremo but it’s the familiar Windy traits that shine through

SEA OF A THOUSAND ISLANDS

Fairline owner Kivikari Freyberg spent a memorable six weeks exploring Finland’s Archipelago Sea and its 17,000 islands with his young family

SEALED FOR LIFE

A new type of ultra-tough ceramic coating claims to protect your boat against everything from salt and sunlight to bird poo and red wine. Hugo Andreae puts it to the test

GALEON 400 FLY

It’s the smallest model in the Galeon range to boast folding cockpit balconies but is there more to the 400 Fly than this performative party piece?

LOST IN FRANCE

Don and Marjorie Walker continue their journey through rural France by hitching a ride on the Arzviller Plane boat lift

Italian Vessels 28.5 Metre

Italian Vessels is a new venture founded by former captain and surveyor Mario Parigi who has enlisted the expertise of Tommaso Spadolini to design the shipyard’s first project, the 28.5-metre Wide Space.

A True Sense Of Freedom

This young couple sold their home to live aboard a Nordhavn 43. Now, they plan to cruise around the world

PRINCESS X80

The saloon extends a long way forward on the main deck

PRESTIGE 420FLY

The 420 Fly is more than a mid-life facelift of an existing model. With new engines and an improved interior layout, is the entry-level Prestige better than ever?

POWER GAME

Luxury and engine power both demand acres of space, but perfomance boats need to be slender. Can Pershing’s latest creation pull off the ultimate spatial compromise?