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December 13, 2012Sparkman & Stephens 30: Best DaysailerThe simplistic and graceful Sparkman & Stephens 30 is perfect for casual sailing, beer can racing, and much more.
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December 13, 2012RS Venture: Best Recreational DinghyFor casual racing, club sailing, and messing about with the family, RS Sailboats delivers the goods with its Venture, a versatile and nimble dinghy for the sailing masses.
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December 11, 2012X-Yachts Xp 38Boat of the Year Nominee
Photos by Walter Cooper
Travel around Europe, and X-Yachts are a staple of all the major handicap races. There’s no denying that X-Yachts make fast, great sailing boats, and the Xp 38 continues the tradition, only better. Their updated crossovers now have robust carbon keel grids (instead of metal), and the hull shape of the Xp 38, said Greg Stewart, was very stiff, quick, and easily driven. From off the boat, it’s racy looking, with a low-profile cabin top, angular hull features, and flared topsides, Stewart added, so it will appeal to an owner looking for a more crossover-type aggressive design.
The judges noted the construction quality was very high, perhaps even the best of the entire BOTY fleet, and the interior is a purposeful three-cabin layout, with the head aft, on the starboard side. X Yachts owners tend to be racers first, so the cockpit is open, clean, and set up for efficient manuevers with twin steering pedestals located outboard to provide a good line of sight on the telltales.
Of the three crossovers in the competition, however, the Xp 38 came with a considerably higher price tag ($365K). “Build-wise, the thing is incredible,” said Chuck Allen. “We couldn’t find a single area of the boat with any flaws.” But under sail it was “so, so,” he added. “I think a carbon rig and a full race crew on the rail, would have made a big difference in how it felt.”
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December 11, 2012J/70: 2013 Boat of the YearPhotos by Walter Cooper
Given the immedate success of the J/70, with hundreds of boats sold before the first was built, it was a foregone conclusion that the J/70 would end up among the judges' favorites. With their latest sensation J/Boats has its first ramp-launchable sportboat and a polished set of class rules in place before the first big regatta (Quantum Key West) in January. The judges all agreed it delivered the excitement of a small sportboat, and the stiffness and handling of a bigger boat, which should appeal to a wide range of sailors.
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December 11, 2012Dufour 36 PerformanceBest Crossover
Photos by Walter Cooper
For an owner seeking a sharp-looking raceboat to take off on for the weekend, the Dufour 36 Performance, selected as the Boat of the Year's Best Crossover, has everything to make that a reality: The cockpit is set up for racing, and even with an aluminum rig package, the boat was lively and quick. The interior, and even some of the more subtle cruising details, are so well thought out that you quickly forget you're sailing a dual-purpose boat.
There were several strong candidates in the Crossover category, but the Dufour 36 had all the right traits: excellent build, great speed and handling, and a respectable price tag for the quality ($225K). Most definitely, the best value of the fleet, the judges agreed.
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December 11, 2012C&C 101Boat of the Year Nominee
Photos by Walter Cooper
The C&C 101 is billed as a return to C&C’s racing roots, and for this they tapped young in-house designer Tom McNeill. Teased by dying winds and a shortened test sail, the judges sailed the boat on two separate days so as to give it a fair test.
Short-tacking up the shoreline of the Naval Academy, the boat accelerated quickly out of the tacks, and was responsive on the helm to subtle course changes, characteristics the judges liked. The build quality and interior were positives as well, but there numerous issues of which the judges were critical, including the mainsheet system, which was difficult to trim, and the cockpit ergonomics, which while wide, and open, were not comfortable (the floor being too low, for example).
The judging panel from our sister publication, Cruising World, however, found no such issues and were most impressed with its entry-level pricing—$175K—bestowing the boat with their Domestic Boat of the Year award.
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December 10, 2012Audi Melges 20: Miami Winter SeriesPhotos from the first event of the Miami Winter Series, Dec. 7-9, 2012.
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November 13, 2012Extreme Family Voyaging, the Anasazi Girl WayFor James Burwick, Somira Sao, and their two young children, 200-mile days on the Open 40 Anasazi Girl are just part of the everyday routine.
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November 13, 2012Drama, Danger, and French PassionTwo skippers are forced to abandon their dreams of winning the Vendée Globe less than 48 hours after the start. Bruce Gain reflects on the drama of the race and the emotional cord it strikes with the French public.
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November 12, 2012Vendee Globe Start 2012Nineteen of the 20 skippers sailing the Vendée Globe solo race around the world started the 24,048-mile, three-month circumnavigation off Les Sables d’Olonne, France, on Nov. 10. Bertrand de Broc returned to port before the start to make a repair to a small puncture in his hull. Photos: Jean Marie Liot/DPPI/Vendee Globe
Click here to meet the skippers.
Click here to read more about the race.
Click here for Bruce Gain's blog on who will win the Vendee Globe.
