The new sailboats you'll want to try out
Reviews and test drives

The new sailboats you'll want to try out

World and European premieres in autumn 2020
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Despite the coronavirus pandemic, new boat models continue to appear on the market. And sailing boats are no exception. The main autumn boat shows are announcing one after another a cancellation, and it is not yet clear when the new boats will be visible live. But no one is stopping to look for a couple or three of boards to hunt for when the mass events will return to our lives.

Deissailers: Franck Roy Solenn 27 and Eryd 32.

These are classic boats for rest on the water in the coastal zone for one or two days. They both appeared as chimeras - the result of crossing of previous models of their shipyards. «Parents» of Eryd 32 were Eryd 30 (one of the best Italian boats 2000-2015 by Yachti'n Italy Export Museum) and Eryd Open with its innovative approach to ergonomics and cockpit layout. Prototypes for Solenn 27 were Solenn 23, from which the hull was obtained, and Solenn 32, which gave the superstructure to the cabin.

The difference in length between the boats is only 1.3 meters: Eryd 32 has a hull of 9.5 meters and Solenn 27 has a length of 8.2 meters. The width of the boat is almost the same: 2.8 meters and 2.5 meters respectively. Such dimensions allow transporting them on a trailer.

Facilities on board both boats at a minimum: small forward cabin with double bed, sofas, lockers for storage. On board the Solenn 27, however, there is still room for a sink and a small tile on which to heat up food. But in the Eryd 32, the cockpit benches can be brought into the cabin and transformed into a table. Solenn 27 has no Day cabin at all, but in the Weekend version it is smaller than in the Cabin version.

The key difference between models in their sailing equipment. While the Solenn 27 has a modest mainsail and jib with a total area of 26 square meters, the Eryd 32 has twice the sailing area. Completing the wardrobe of Solenn 27 is an asymmetric spinnaker with an area of 44 square meters. Eryd 32 has a 90 sqm gennaker instead. Also Eryd 32 is distinguished by the absence of an achterstag and a removable bowsprit. Solenn 27 is definitely suitable for single passages.

Cruisers: Bavaria C38, Solaris 40, Beneteau Oceanis Yacht 54, Jeanneau 60, Contest 59,

These 5 ocean cruisers can be divided into 2 groups: small Bavaria and Solaris (11.38 and 12.36 meters long) and large Beneteau, Jeanneau and Contest (17.12-18.28-18.52 meters long respectively). The width of the hulls in the first group is about 4 metres and in the second group about 5 metres. The sail area (grotto and genoa) of these models varies from 80 square metres in Bavaria to 187 square metres in Contest.

On the lower deck of all these models there are 3 double living cabins each. 8 to 16 guests in total can be accommodated on board depending on the model and sailing area.

The bright exception in terms of habitability is only Jeanneau. Future owners of this sailboat can choose from a wide range of layouts, which include 2 to 6 bedrooms.

Also 2, not 3 cabins can be on Solaris. 4 instead of 3 can be on the Contest (due to the location of the engine room below the saloon and not on the same level with it).

The size of the cabins relative to the overall dimensions of the boat is the strongest emphasised by Bavaria. Double beds in the aft cabins are 1.5 meters wide. The foredeck in the owner's stateroom extends for 1.73 metres.

Solaris 40 is a relatively compact yacht, especially when compared to its neighbors. However, she is capable of surprisingly spacious cockpit space unseen for a yacht less than 30 meters long. The aisle width between the handwheels is a record 1.5 metres. Also the creators of the model note the convenient location of the control station, thanks to which the sorcerers of the forward sails are clearly visible, despite the visor above the cockpit.

At the same time, the Oceanis 54, next to the Solaris, is the opposite of a «large cruiser» but is suitable for small crew exits. The layout of the cockpit is optimised compared to previous shipyard models.

Salon on Oceanis 54 is raised. The ceiling height in this area is known to reach 2 metres. Due to the glazing, the room is well lit with natural light.

Contest 59 CS, both inside and out, is the younger sister of the 26-meter model Contest 85CS. The main difference, apart from the size, is the new design of the superstructure with panoramic glazing. Like Beneteau, the sailboat is suitable for travel by small crew.

Maxi Yacht: Swan 98

The hull length of this sailboat exceeds 29.5 meters. The maximum width of the hull is almost 7 meters. This boat can serve as a racing car as well as a luxury residence for relaxation. To make the Swan 98 a regatta prize challenger, simply order a separate set of sails and install a 2 times longer bowsprit.

Depending on how the owner plans to use his sailboat, the use of the bow and cockpit areas will also vary. The free spaces provided by the layout can be both spacious sun loungers for guests to enjoy the sun, and safe and comfortable points for rigging and sailing.

Depending on the owner's wishes, his personal cabin can be either fore or aft. In both cases there is an additional entrance to the lower deck from the handwheels.

A total of 6 double cabins in different configurations await guests and crew below deck. The rest of the space is occupied by a spacious galley and crew cabin with separate areas of lounge and dining area.

Catamarans: Fountaine Pajot Samana 59, O Yachts Class 6 and Lagoon Sixty 5.

Samana 59 and Class 6 are similar in size. The Samana 59 wins by half a metre in width (9.46 metres vs 9.05 metres) and the Class 6 wins by one metre in length (19.12 metres vs 18.21 metres). But the owners will use the boats in completely different ways. The Samana 59 is a 100% cruising catamaran with 4-6 double cabins on the lower deck and the largest 30m flybridge in its class. The Class 6 4 stateroom, which is the middle between a classic catamaran and a racing trimaran, is designed not only for charter but also for regattas.

The Class 6 mast is moved to the stern. This, on the one hand, increases the living space in front of it by 30% and, more importantly, makes it easier to drive a catamaran even with a small crew. In addition, this arrangement means an increase in the area of the front sails (although also a reduction in the mainsail area). In the racing version, the Class 6 Grotto has an area of 143 square meters, while the Genoa Grotto has an area of 123 square meters. Samana 59 has 116 and 88 square metres of sails respectively.

The speed of the Class 6 can also be won at a relatively low displacement of just 14.4 tons. With similar dimensions, the Samana 59 has 11.1 tonnes more displacement. This is an impressive difference, even though the Class 6 does not boast a flybridge.

The concept of a catamaran from Lagoon is similar to what we see at Fountaine Pajot: spacious flybridge, main deck salon, living quarters on the lower deck. However, the Sixty 5 is more than twice as big. The catamaran is 20.55 meters long and 10 meters wide. The total area of the mainsail and genoa is 268 square meters.

Depending on the layout, there are 4 to 6 cabins on the lower deck. Even in the open ocean, this catamaran can accommodate up to 14 people. In the coastal area, the number of guests can be increased to 24, and if the route runs through inland waters, this figure reaches 40.

The flybridge can accommodate not only sun beds and sofas, but also a full dining table and bar.

The galley, depending on the owner's wishes, can either be adjacent to the relaxation area in the superstructure on the main deck, or be moved to the lower deck, to the left hull.

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