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20 Bluewater Cruising Sailboats Under $100,000

January 5, 2021 by Travis Turgeon 2 Comments

Choosing the right bluewater yacht for your needs requires a ton of research. With so many designs and features available, it can be overwhelming trying to narrow down your options. The process gets even more complicated when you begin to consider the personal opinions of other sailors. 

So how do you know where to start? Every person’s definition of comfortability will vary when it comes to onboard living. What suits a family of four won’t necessarily suit a couple or a single-handed sailor. Your budget, style, and needs are all unique to you and your situation, so it’s essential to know just what to look for when buying a new or used vessel . 

To start you off in the right direction, we put together a list of our top choices for bluewater cruising yachts under $100,000.

Allied Princess 36

Built as a long-keel ketch or cutter, the Allied Princess 36 was in production from 1972 to 1982. Around 140 vessels were manufactured in total, so you can occasionally find them on the used market. 

While these cruisers’ design and construction are considered sufficient, the excessive use of fiberglass makes the design a bit bland. Although they may not have the most appealing design, these bluewater yachts certainly tick a lot of boxes.

With the full-keel measuring just four-foot six inches, it’s a design that holds steady on its course without pointing as high as a fin-keel design. 

Overall, the Allied Princess 36 is a wonderful option for bluewater sailing.

Prices range between $30,000 and $60,000.

Cabo Rico 38

The Cabo Rico 38 is at the top of its class, constructed with a long-keel cutter rig design that gives it outstanding bluewater capabilities for its price point. The vessel was produced in two models – Pilothouse, and Trunk Cabin – although the Pilothouse design is less common.

Cabo Rico i s consistently successful with it s 38 models, and t hey remain one of the most prominent cruising boats on the water.

Internally, this boat has various features required for a bluewater cruiser: Large water and fuel tanks, a solid design with balsa wood cores for thermal and noise insulation, and an overall seaworthy design.

While this boat wasn’t m eant to win races, it is a fantastic choice for a crui sing vessel.

Prices range between $30,000 and $80,000.

Celestial 48

The Celestial 48 is the largest boat on our list and is commonly sought after by the cruising fraternity. The problem is, these vessels are scarce on the used market. 

The Celestial 48 is a ketch rig with a shoal-draft, fin-keel design, and a center-cockpit configuration that is comfortable and ideal for bluewater sailing. One of our favorite features is the six-foot, two-inch headroom in the cabin, along with high-capacity water and fuel tanks.

The Celestial 48 was built in China by the Xiamen boatyard, although it’s no longer in production.

If you can find one, the Celestial 48 will make an excellent bluewater cruiser.

Prices start near our $100,000 mark.

The Corbin 39 is manufactured in two designs, aft or center cockpit. Designed and built in Canada by Robert Dufour and Marius Corbin, the 39 is now (sadly) out of production. This cruiser remains a favorite of many and is still commonly searched for on the used market.

One thing to note is that most of the boats were sold as unfinished kits, leaving owners to complete the interiors themselves. For this reason, the standard of interior design finish will vary, so it’s worth checking and comparing with other vessels carefully.

When found, the Corbin 39’s present a very reasonable price tag, but a full survey is essential.

Prices range between $40,000 and $60,000.

The Freedom 36 is one of the smaller yachts on our list, but it has an exciting design that attracts cruisers. The wide beam and long waterline design allow for a much larger interior than most other boats of similar length. As a cruiser, space is a top priority, so this cruiser should be on your list of considerations.

A unique feature of this Freedom yacht is the stayless carbon fiber mast. It looks a little odd for most, with no forestay or backstay and a mast that flexes alarmingly in the wind. It’s a proven design, though, and gives clean lines just like an aircraft wing.

The Freedom 36 is certainly an exciting cruiser to keep an eye on.

Prices range between $40,000 and $80,000.

Gulfstar 44

Known as a capable cruiser or live-aboard boat, the Gulfstar 44 is a spacious yacht that can take you around the world.

Designed with a fin-keel and skeg-rudder, the Gulfstar is comfortable and well built.

Internally, you’ll find a large galley, king-size aft cabin, and spacious fore cabin, with ample room in the saloon. Earlier Gulfstar vessels suffered from inconsistent build quality, but from around 1976 onwards, the company made huge improvements.

For a spacious bluewater sailboat with excellent heavy-weather handling characteristics, the Gulfstar 44 is a great choice.

Prices start around $60,000.

Hans Christian 38

If you’re considering cruising the world in a bluewater yacht, then the Hans Christian 38-T should be added to your shortlist of candidates. 

With a full-length keel design and laden with solid teak, this boat weighs in at 12.5 tons, making it a heavy displacement vessel that you can rely on to take you through some of the harshest conditions.

Manufactured in Taiwan, these cruisers can be a chore to acquire. One of the most common downfalls of the Hans 38-T is electrical problems, so be sure to get the wiring checked out by a professional. 

Outside of electrical issues, this boat is a proven winner in the cruising world. 

Prices start around $70,000 but expect to pay well over $100,000 for the more admirable models.

Hinckley Bermuda 40

The Hinckley Bermuda 40 was in production for over 30 years, from 1959 until 1991, but only 203 boats were manufactured in total. Many Bermuda 40s were used as racing vessels throughout their production, winning the Northern Ocean Racing Trophy in 1964. 

The design also gained many admirers in the cruising world thanks to the long keel and centerboard, which allows the boat to maneuver through shallow waters. The Hinckley Bermuda 40 is hard to beat for versatility, combining classic looks with the shallow draught and generous interior space.

Early models from the 60s and 70s start around $80,000, but later models land well above our $100,000 threshold.

Island Packet 35

Although only in production for six years, 178 Island Packet 35s made their way onto the market. These vessels have become justifiably popular with coastal cruisers and bluewater sailors alike.

These cruisers are available in two designs; long-keel or long-keel with centerboard – both of which come with cutter rigging. 

The design is conservative and built for comfort rather than speed. Inside space is very generous, with a 12-foot beam, a v-berth cabin in the forepeak, and a double cabin on the aft port side.

Island Packet 35’s appear on the used market regularly, so locating one shouldn’t be too much of a hassle.

Prices start at around $65,000.

The Niagara 35 is a popular cruiser available in two exciting models, each one coming with a fantastic interior design. 

The original model features a center galley and marine toilet that separates the fore and aft areas. The saloon is completely closed off, making it useful during extended passage journeys.

The later model has a double-berth forward, separated from the saloon by the head and shower. Both models include a spacious cockpit design. Through its 12 years of production, 260 Niagara 35’s went on the market – so you can regularly find them for sale.

Early models start around $30,000, with later models coming in closer to $70,000.

Only 32 of the Robert Perry-designed Nordic 40s went through production, making them exclusive and difficult to find. If you do manage to get your hands on one, however, you won’t be disappointed.

The fin-keel and skeg-mounted rudder design allow for up to six people to stay comfortably, including extra storage space for luggage and provisions. 

The Perry design is recognized for the quality of its fittings, including rod-rigging and full hull insulation on early models. After 1987, they cut back on a few design features, but it’s still a quality boat. 

If you can manage to find a Nordic 40, it will make an excellent investment.

While it may be rare to find one below our $100,000 mark, it is possible.

Passport 40

Built in Taiwan, the Passport 40 is another excellent design by Robert Perry. Sporting a fin-keel and a skeg-mounted rudder, the design is known for its well-balanced performance. 

Originally supplied with a sloop-rig, the majority have an inner stay, fitted to allow a double headsail. This cutter-style rig makes the Passport 40 even more suitable for ocean crossings.

The interiors are well designed – as you’d expect from a Robert Perry – and make for comfortable living during long passages.

Peterson 44

The Peterson 44 was designed and built as a performance cruiser, combining sufficient speed and sea-kindly handling. 

A low center-cockpit, 10,000 pounds of lead ballast, and a long fin keel allow this vessel to take turbulent conditions in stride without sacrificing the crew’s comfort. 

Internally, there is plenty of space in the well-designed cabin. For long passages, there’s a 132-gallon water tank and a 117-gallon fuel tank.

Finding a Peterson 44 may be your only problem. They manufactured about 200 boats, but owners rarely like to part with them – adding to their intrigue and value.

Prices for these yachts vary widely. Expect to pick up an older model between $50,000 and $75,000.

Prout Snowgoose 37

As the only catamaran on our list, the Prout Snowgoose 37 is a proven boat for circumnavigation on the bluewater trail. 

A standout feature of the early Snowgoose models is its narrow beam, which allows them to navigate canals easily. These boats are popular in Europe and are common on the journey between Spain and France on the Mediterranian. Additionally, the Prout Snowgoose 37 can fit into a single-hull marina, reducing berthing costs when compared to most other catamarans. 

If you have never considered a catamaran in the past, the Prout Snowgoose 37 may change your mind.

Prices start near $45,000, with later models reaching over $100,000.

The Shannon 38 comes in two styles, with either an aft cockpit or pilothouse. Shannon Yachts are known for their build quality and attention to detail, and the 38 is no exception. The boat is available as either a ketch or cutter rig, but it’s renowned for its performance at sea in both forms.

Only 100 were built, with the final boat launched in 1988. If you can find one on the used market, it will make a competent bluewater cruiser.

Prices start at $40,000 for older models, with newer models inching closer to our $100,000 mark.

Only 80 of the Tartan 41s were manufactured, although they produced a similar Tartan 43 with the same molds. It is a fin keel design, with a skeg-mounted rudder and sloop-rigging. In its day, it was considered a fast cruiser, but now they’re mostly made for comfort.

If you’re looking at a Tartan 41, check out the keel dimensions. The keel was undersized on earlier models, which caused heavy-weather steering issues. The boatyard redesigned the later models, and some retrofitting has been done on the originals.

Prices start around $45,000 and reach upwards of $70,000.

No list of bluewater sailboats would be complete without the Tayana 37. It’s a beautiful boat designed by Robert Perry that comes in three variants; cutter, ketch, and pilothouse. 

Built to compete against the popular Westsail 32, the 37 became a good seller – with almost 600 launched to date. Today, they are manufactured in limited numbers, as the traditional teak-heavy design is now less popular.

If you can find a good Tayana 37, cruising the oceans will be a pleasure in this sturdy and robust vessel.

Early models cost around $45,000, with newer or retrofitted models topping $75,000.

Another boat designed by Robert Perry, the Valiant 40 is one of the most sought-after bluewater cruisers on the used market. By the end of production, two manufacturers were able to put out around 200 boats, so it’s certainly possible to get your hands on one.

With a fin keel, reasonably heavy displacement, and solid build, open ocean cruising is made comfortable in the Valiant 40.

The Valiant’s trademark is the canoe stern, something Perry has carried over into many of his designs. The boat’s performance sets it apart from the more traditional heavy-cruisers, and it still has many admirers.

Expect to pay upwards of $45,000 for an early Valiant, but well-maintained vessels will command much higher prices.

Wauquiez Pretorien 35

When the weather gets rough, most people prefer bigger, heavier cruisers. Small boats generally don’t perform as well in harsh conditions, but the Pretorien 35 is an exception.

Built to IOR specifications, it’s a short, wide-beam design, with a ballast in the keel that makes up half of the displacement. It may be disappointing in light winds, but as the breeze picks up, the Pretorien comes alive.

Wauquiez built boats are known for their quality finish, so you shouldn’t hold any doubts when buying a used Pretorien.

Prices start around $39,000.

Westsail 32

At just 32 feet, the Westsail might be a surprising inclusion on our list. However, the design has proven itself many times over and remains popular with many cruisers.

With a long keel, transom-mounted rudder, and heavy displacement, these are seaworthy yachts.

The flipside to this is that the performance can be underwhelming. The Westsails are known for being slow, safe boats that will get you wherever you need to go – making them perfect for leisurely cruising. 

Over 800 vessels entered the market between 1971 and 1981, so there should be plenty available if you look hard enough. The other point to remember is that they sold them as owner-completion kits, so the internal fitments, in particular, will vary in quality.

With so many available, the prices remain reasonable – with an early Westsail 32 fetching around $29,000 and well-maintained older models coming in closer to $50,000.

Remember: When buying a bluewater cruising yacht for less than $100,000, compromise is inevitable. 

If you’re looking for a seaworthy, heavy-displacement design, you’ll have to compromise on the boat’s age. Choosing a modern, light design will allow you more for your money.

The best advice for buying a boat is to be truly honest with yourself by defining your needs and separating them from your desires. 

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Reader Interactions

November 15, 2021 at 6:30 pm

You guys didn’t mention Cape dory or pacific seacraft. How long have you been sailing?

February 18, 2022 at 1:37 pm

Very nicely done. There will always be people who disagree with your list but they reserve the right to comment without creating any value which is what you provided. Thanks for putting this together.

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The perfect bluewater sailboat

By Elaine Bunting

What makes the ideal yacht for ocean adventures and long distance voyaging elaine bunting investigates..

If your dream is to sail across oceans or even around the world, what is the right yacht? What type and size should you look for? And what equipment is going to add most to your safety and enjoyment of life on board?

The answers to these questions will define your experience and are going to vary depending on your budget, how long you intend to be away, and with whom you’ll be sailing. There are however some common denominators you’ll need to think about to sail safely and comfortably.

First, the fundamentals of a true bluewater yacht: its design and sea-keeping attributes. A good bluewater sailboat is capable of making long passages in comfort and will look after you in whatever conditions you encounter.

Oyster Yachts are renowned for their adventuring credentials; the yachts are well-found, luxurious and solidly built. About 95 have already circumnavigated the world and with another 25 participating in the Oyster World Rally 2022-23 soon Oysters will have logged over 100 successful circumnavigations. Starting with the fundamentals, they have hulls with integrated keels, are certified for strength and safety, and have keel-stepped masts. They are designed with self-sufficiency in mind and have generous accommodation and tankage for long ranges. Equipment is over-specified, from rig and steering gear to winches and windlasses, and there is easy access to systems and machinery.

Discover the perfect yacht for ocean adventures, highlighting key design features and insights from experienced sailors. Learn how to embark on an incredible long-distance voyage.

• Learn about the essential features and characteristics of a bluewater cruiser.
• Explore the design elements that contribute to comfort and safety during extended passages.
• Find out why Oyster Yachts are renowned for their adventuring credentials.
• Understand the significance of size when choosing a yacht for long-term cruising.
• Get insights into the equipment, systems, and communication tools crucial for a successful voyage.
• Learn about the importance of after-sales support and preparation for long-distance cruising.
• Uncover the wisdom and encouragement from experienced bluewater sailors to embrace the adventure of a lifetime.

The evolution of every design in the last 24 years is linked by a common thread: Humphreys Yacht Design. Renowned yacht designer Rob Humphreys is at the helm, working closely for the last 15 years with son Tom, a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects.

The primary job of a bluewater yacht, says Humphreys, is to be capable of being sailed by a shorthanded crew. It has to be easily handled, comfortable at sea on long passages yet capable of a reliable turn of speed that will make the miles slip by without great effort.

“The motion of the boat is important. Performance is important, too, but less so – comfort is more telling,” Humphreys explains. He favours a hull shape with “shallower rocker forward and a deeper mid-section to distribute the volume, which creates that softer ride.”

Moderate displacement yachts such as Oysters are born passagemakers.  The hull form is not only capable of producing reliable daily mileages on passage in comfort, without stressing crew or yacht, but can accommodate generous fuel and water tanks and bluewater critical items such as generator, large battery bank, washing machine and air conditioning. It also provides excellent internal stowage for stores and spares and ample locker space externally in sail locker and lazarettes.

“Control and manageability and the steering qualities are also important so there is less burden on autopilot systems. And the other side of it is that a yacht should have good load carrying abilities for stores and spares.”

The latest generation hull shapes, with plumb stems and beam carried right aft, not only look purposeful, they create a larger interior and can sail faster and more efficiently. A long waterline and greater hull volume means more accommodation in the bow area, but most particularly aft. That wider shape also benefits a yacht in pure sailing terms.

“Increased power aft helps with free stability,” Humphreys explains. “Stability is generated through hull form and is not so much dependent on the mechanical stability of the lead [on the keel]. So, in that respect, these boats are a little bit more powerful, a benefit all round, but particularly when sailing upwind and close reaching.”

Wide hull shapes are also suited to twin rudders, which in turn, says Humphreys, “gives fingertip control and makes a boat easy to steer.”

These evolutions can be traced back to race yacht design, as can the plumb bow. “That is another aspect of hull form that has translated well,” says Humphreys. “More vertical bows give you more waterline length, and that is always working for you. It gives you a better chance of sustained daily mileages, of reliable speed rather than exceptional speed.”

These latest designs also have increased freeboard, which means it is possible for yachts to have a flush foredeck for aesthetic and practical reasons, yet also really good headroom below. For Oyster Yachts it has allowed large vertical ‘seascape’ windows that let in light and connect cabins with the world and the views outside.

Other features that distinguish the true bluewater cruiser are a safe, protected and well-sheltered cockpit and helm stations, with sail controls led back; a good galley that is easy to use and secure at sea; a practical and comfortable navigation area; and clear and uncluttered sidedecks and foredeck.

The centre cockpit design that is a hallmark of Oyster Yachts is comfortable for long-distance cruise and “provides protection while sailing and entertaining in port, and is great in terms of overall visibility,” affirms owner Stephen Gratton. Stephen and his wife, Debbie, sailed around the world in their Oyster 53, Amelie, then returned through the Panama Canal to Canada and Alaska, sailed back across the Pacific to French Polynesia and are currently in Seattle.

“We have been in some extreme conditions, but even when things go wrong we know that Amelie can look after us. The comfort is great. Even in a gale, when you go below it all goes quiet. You feel like you are on a well-made boat and we like the solidity of design and thoughtfulness.”

Other attributes that mark out a capable, go-anywhere bluewater boat include a galley that is safe, secure and easy to work in. The linear galley that is a feature of Oyster yachts is designed to be a seamanlike and usable space at sea, with abundant fridge and freezer capacity, and plentiful space for food stowage.

Similarly, a secure navigation area and chart table that is comfortable, safe and inviting to use at sea is also essential, as is a powerful, reliable propulsion system, large battery banks and multiple means of power generation. 

Shade and ventilation are very important for sailing in the Tropics. Oyster Yachts is the only builder to offer front saloon windows that open out to allow cooling air to circulate through the boat, and one of the few builders that still fits dorade vents for forced ventilation.

Every element is solidly built and made to last for hundreds of thousands of miles of sailing in all conditions. Above all, it the solidity of the design and strength of build that owners point to when describing what they most cherish about their yachts. 

“One of the things that is very important is to be able to trust your boat under all circumstances and be well prepared for bad weather,” comments Leo Nagtegaal, another round-the-world skipper, and owner of Oyster 625 Bubbles. “Your boat is actually one of the safest places to be.

What size yacht is best?

While small yachts can, and do, cross oceans, a moderate displacement, higher volume yacht has all the advantages for long-term cruising. A sweet spot for ocean cruisers lies between 45ft and 65ft. Yachts in this range can accommodate the comforts, stores and spares a crew of family and friends needs whilst also making quick passage times.

Larger yachts, fitted with hydraulic furling and electric winches, can still be sailed by a short-handed family crew, though beyond 65ft loads increase with size, maintenance demands grow too and it may require the help of professional crew.

When Leo Nagtegaal sold his business, he and his wife, Karin, bought an Oyster 56, Duchess. In 2013 they set off to realise Leo’s lifelong dream of sailing around the world.

The Nagtegaals loved the sailing life and people so much that, in 2014, they traded up to an Oyster 625. “We thought that as we’d be pretty much living aboard nine months of the year for the next five, six or seven years, we’d like just a little more space,” says Leo.

In his opinion, 45ft is the minimum size for long-term ocean voyaging: “Size is very personal,” he admits. “I have friends who went around Cape Horn in a 33ft wooden boat and did well, so they will disagree when I say that a bluewater yacht should be at least 45ft. It really depends on how the boat is equipped.”

Paul and Trish Ducker also sailed on the Oyster World Rally 2013-14 as far as New Zealand. They have ordered a new Oyster 565 and hope to take part in the 2024-25 rally. Their cruising is mainly done double-handed. “We don’t want anyone else living on board; we like the privacy and freedom,” Paul explains.

“For us, at the time about 54ft is as large as we wanted to go. Up to 60ft would be fine, but as you get older you are not so fit and strong and it tends to affect things like taking down sails and jumping around the boat coming into a marina.” On their new Oyster, they will have a bow and stern thruster to make close quarters manoeuvring easier, and headsails they can pole out for stress-free downwind passages.

Stephen and Debbie Gratton have owned six different yachts. Before buying their Oyster 53 Amelie in 2008, they owned a Contessa 32, which Stephen raced across the Atlantic in the single-handed OSTAR race. To enjoy cruising as a way of life, however, they knew they needed to change from their pretty but cramped design to a much bigger, more solidly built, heavier displacement yacht.

“Originally we thought anything over 40ft was OK for ocean passages and we thought about having a boat built for sailing round the world,” says Stephen. “But it was not going to be able to provide many creature comforts for my wife and me and we started realising that you get more comfort when a boat is over 50ft,” says Stephen.

Gratton emphasises the benefits of a bigger yacht size beyond merely space inside. “You have better ability to take the waves — the hull shape and distance between waves can all make a difference. Hull design is so important.”

Stephen Haines took delivery of his new Oyster 565, Panthalassa, in 2019. He has been planning a circumnavigation “for many, many years”. Unusually, Panthalassa represents a downsizing for Haines. He previously owned a 40m Huisman which he sailed with his young family all over the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Bahamas and US east coast. On the Huisman, Haines had had professional crew, but for his round the world voyage he wants to skipper and run the boat himself. “Having crew on board changes the dynamics and it is not the same,” he says. “When you are employing people it takes quite a long time to make your boat a home as there a lot of people around. It can be hard work.”

Haines says the 565 is “the perfect size for me” and says: “I wouldn’t swap with a bigger boat. In terms of build quality an Oyster is right up there, strong with a good reputation. My Huisman was a one-off, but the more 565s they build, the happier I am. It is easier to get spares and it adds to the residual value.

“I bought the boat to go across oceans and for me it is about the motion of the boat. Panthalassa sits on the water like a much, much bigger boat and in a big sea I have been impressed with her seakeeping.”

what equipment do you need?

From sails to power management and electronics, a multitude of choices shape the ideal bluewater cruiser. The sail inventory, for example, is part of personalising your boat and will depend on how many crew you have and how you like to sail.

The majority of ocean crossings on a tradewinds circumnavigation are on reaching and running angles. A suitable downwind set up can be as simple as the mainsail and a poled-out genoa, or it could be twin headsails set to run day after day. Or you might want to add more power and speed with an asymmetric spinnaker on a furler, or a specialised spinnaker such as the Parasailor.

Ideally, you would have multiple off-wind sail options (including for regattas if you plan to race) and upwind sails that can easily be reefed. In-mast furling, automated systems and electric winches take all the hard work out of reducing sail.

The latest Oysters and other modern cruising designs feature bowsprits that allow an additional light wind Code Sail to be set on a furler so you can keep sailing instead of turning on the engine. But whatever you add to the inventory, the important thing is to have sails that you want to use and don’t find daunting.

High on the list of essentials is a robust windlass that can handle as large an anchor as possible, ground tackle of up to 100 or 120m for anchoring in deep bays, and a second kedge anchor. The CQR type is ever popular, though many Oyster owners opt for a Rocna or upgrade to the stainless steel Ultra anchor, says Durham.

Power management is one the biggest and most critical issues boat owners face. “Questions about power come up all the time. Power management is key, and trying to use as little as possible,” says Mark Durham. Most Oyster owners opt for a generator, but are increasingly looking at diversifying power sources with solar and hydro power also charging high capacity lithium ion batteries.

“It is about trying to use as many different methods of power generation as you can, for example wind generators, hydrogenerators or solar panels,” says Durham. Alternative energy sources not only reduce emissions and the consumption of fossil fuels, they also allow longer periods of silent running and extend generator service intervals.

“We are doing a fantastic project at the moment on Oyster 725 hull number 1, putting solar panels on the hard top so [the owner] will not have to use his generator as often,” says Mark Durham. “He has got 12 lithium-ion batteries giving 2400Ah. Previously he was using his generator in the morning and evening to charge batteries and make water, now all systems can be run off batteries that are charged by the solar panels, and the generator is run rarely.

Now, with 24v watermakers we can run them off the batteries, which can be charged by solar power.”

“This is a really interesting part of the planning and many owners are enjoying the process of using less diesel.”

Power upgrades are always a worthwhile element of a refit. Stephen Gratton says that fitting a new 5kW inverter and 400 A/h of lithium ion batteries to his Oyster 53 is “the biggest change we have made in the 13 years we have had our boat. I would say that the ability to have big gaps between charging and the silence when cooking is one of the best things.”

Leo Nagtegaal also upgraded the inverter on his Oyster 625, Bubbles, to a 5kW unit and has solar panels on his hard-top bimini. “That provides two-thirds of my power needs. I can run more equipment, for example the washing machine and other appliances, so that was a big improvement,” he says.

A watermaker is a prized item on bluewater cruisers of all sizes, giving crews independence from shore. A reliable, well-specc'ed autopilot that has a fast speed of response downwind, with back-up spares, is essential. Bow thrusters and even stern thrusters are increasingly popular, especially for couples who sail two-up frequently.

Communications is critical for almost all long-term cruisers. Satellite comms and on board Wi-Fi networks not only make it simple to keep in touch with home, friends and work but to get detailed real-time weather data and forecasts, and even repair advice and downloads. SSB radio, dated technology though it undoubtedly is, also remains popular with crews who live aboard for lengthy periods – this is still a good way to connect with the cruising community and the camaraderie and help it offers.

“We use Iridium for weather data and emergencies, but for us SSB is something we enjoy using,” says Stephen Gratton. “We came up from French Polynesia to the Pacific North West this year and were part of a [radio] net and we had our last discussion the night before we arrived in the Juan De Fuca Strait, 4,000 miles away. It really felt like people there were thinking about you.”

For getting ashore, and as a transport workhorse when at anchor, everyone needs a sturdy tender and reliable outboard that can easily be brought aboard and stowed away. Solid floor inflatables or small RIBs are the best choice, stored securely on davits, or mounted on the foredeck.

Making your yacht a home from home

On an extended voyage, your yacht is your home, a place to entertain guests and enjoy visits from friends and family. Comforts are important and, unsurprisingly, all the cruisers we spoke to advised having as many of them as possible.

Paul and Trish Ducker have lived aboard their Oyster 54, Babe, almost full-time since she was launched in 2011. For their new boat, an Oyster 565 currently in build, they are going for “all the mod cons”.

While accepting that high equipment levels may bring increased demands in terms of maintenance, Paul says: “It is our home, so we want everything, from air-con to a water maker to a washing machine."

“I would say,” he adds, “everything generally on Oysters is useful even if is not essential.” At the top of the Duckers’ priority list are a large capacity fridge and freezer; sufficient power to run a washing machine; air conditioning from time to time; an electric cooker; and entertainment equipment.

Stephen and Debbie Gratton also mention an electric hob and cooker. "It really works for us. Food is a very important part of our enjoyment at sea and entertainment with friends. The change to lithium batteries was a game changer for us as we can use any of these appliances with just the inverter.”

Andy Armshaw is one of Oyster Yacht’s most experienced project managers, helping owners make the right choices for comfortable cruising. “Good galley set-ups are important,” he agrees. “Most people now go for a Quooker boiling water tap so there is no need to put a kettle on or a pan on the stove. More people are definitely looking at fitting an induction hob and there is a move away from gas, not only from the safety point of view but getting a refill in different places.”

Owners want “really well-appointed heads, and generally want what they have at home, such as fixed head rain showers. They also expect their boat to be comfortable, and we offer a choice of soft furnishings, fabrics and timbers. Also sprung mattresses, because one of the most valuable things on board is rest.”

Good lee cloths are needed for sea berths and are worth fitting in the saloon as well as in cabins. “Sometimes people in forward cabins will migrate aft at sea,” observes Armshaw.

A bimini that can be kept up on passage will keep crew shaded from the sun. A canvas sunshade for covering the cockpit and perhaps also the foredeck will extend your outdoor living area in the Tropics. The biminis and sprayhoods fitted to Oyster yachts are also extremely solid and to be kept up permanently while sailing.

When he was spec’ing his new Oyster 565 Panthalassa, Stephen Haines thought: “If I am going to be living on it and sailing round the world, quite honestly give me everything. I want the icemaker, nice mattresses, a washing machine, a tumble dryer. I got almost everything you can get. It’s nice to have everything – why not?

Like everyone we spoke to, Haines admits that maintenance comes with the territory. What makes the biggest difference to an owner is having excellent after sales support and advice at the end of a phone line.

“I have learned more about that in the last two years than in the rest of my life and now I’m living on the boat it has become daily life. But you only have to get Oyster Yachts on the phone, and they can talk me through it. I reckon it took nearly a full season to really get to this stage and really know my boat inside out and back to front.

“Now, I am very comfortable. I know my boat can cope with any conditions. If she could speak, I think Panthalassa would say ‘There’s nothing to worry about’.”

Get ready to go

How long does it take to prepare to cast the lines off and go cruising? Typically, owners getting ready to go off for an Atlantic crossing or further, take a season or two to prepare, though I have met many people who have successfully done it much quicker. A longer runway, however, allows you to spec your boat, trial it thoroughly, and get your life organised for leaving.

Some owners advocate a year of home waters cruising before going further afield. For example, Leo Nagtegaal had his Oyster 56 Duchess shipped to Singapore, where he was working, and sailed from there for several years until taking full retirement and joining the Oyster World Rally 2013-14. A period of shorter-range cruising allows the whole crew to gain the knowledge, training and skills needed, including essential maintenance know-how and medical and sea survival training – and to understand your boat inside out.

But however, you plan to break free, what really helps is a deadline: a date that you are going to set off, with a scene you can visualise to keep you motivated as you work through the preparations and demands of shore life. Most preparations are really just logistics, and you’re probably already pretty good at that. The bigger obstacle is often mustering the courage to leave.

Preparing a bluewater yacht and all that is needed to set free and go is a complex project, but you’ll have plenty of good help and advice along the way. I have yet to talk to anyone who has regretted it. When I ask bluewater sailors for their best advice, it usually boils down to a simple prescription: just go. Life is too short to put off your dreams.

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• Offshore Sailing School Contracts with Tartan Yachts to Built Colgate 26s

Steve Colgate, founder and Chairman of Offshore Sailing School, is pleased to announce that, after a long search for a new builder for the popular Colgate 26 keelboat, Tartan Yachts of Painesville, Ohio has been selected.

Known as “A Boat for All Reasons,” the Colgate 26 is designed by renowned naval architect Jim Taylor and Olympic and America’s Cup sailor Steve Colgate who mandated that it be fast, fun, safe and unsinkable with big boat characteristics that make it easy to transition to larger boats.

The Colgate 26 was awarded Boat of the Year in the Pocket Cruiser Division by Cruising World magazine the year it debuted. A great boat for round the buoy racing, the Colgate 26 is also popular for individual and family daysailing and is used for teaching sailing fundamentals and racing techniques at many sailing schools including Offshore Sailing School. The US Naval Academy has 42 Colgate 26s, which they call the Navy 26, in its fleet.

“Owners rave about how easy it is to care for this boat and how much fun it is to sail,” says Steve Colgate. “It’s unusual for a customer to tell a vendor his advertising is absolutely true,” wrote Joe Silverberg of Madison, Wisconsin. “The Colgate 26 is a joy to sail! It handles well in all wind and wave conditions, and all points of sail. It’s a comfortable, stable, easy to sail daysailer and a fast sophisticated racer,” Silverberg continued.

A new Colgate 26 built by Tartan Yachts can be delivered four months after order is placed, with an introductory ready-to-sail price of $87,500, including main, jib and spinnaker. There are also optional extras available including a new asymmetrical sail kit.

Offshore Sailing School, headquartered in Ft. Myers, FL, was founded in 1964 by Olympian, America’s Cup Sailor and National Sailing Hall of Fame Inductee, Steve Colgate. The school sells the Colgate 26 and provides a full range of sailing and boating instruction with US Sailing certification – from beginning sailing and cruising to racing, advanced cruising, and passage making – at six locations in Florida and the British Virgin Islands. For hi-res images and more information visit Colgate26.com and contact Steve Colgate at 239-218-0471, [email protected].

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Wally Just Launched Its First 110-Foot Sailing Yacht

The new wallywind110 hit the water on june 1, with the second hull to follow soon., rachel cormack.

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Founded by Italian entrepreneur Luca Bassani in 1994, Wally initially specialized in sailing boats but has since expanded into building high-tech motor yachts . The new wallywind110, which was fittingly launched on the yard’s 30th anniversary, honors that sailing legacy yet is thoroughly modern in design.

Measuring 100 feet from sheer bow to open stern, the newcomer features a sleek carbon hull, a low-profile coachroof, twin rudders, and a telescopic keel. Showcasing naval architecture German firm Judel/Vrolijk & Co, the first hull is finished in a bright metallic paint that changes color depending on the light.

Wally’s in-house design team worked with Italian firm Santa Maria Magnolfi to create an exterior and interior with a spacious feel. The team decided to relocate all the technical equipment to the stern in order to create a large, 860-square-foot cockpit comparable to that of a sailing superyacht of 197 feet or more. The interior layout includes multiple entertaining areas, an open-plan salon, a full-beam owner’s cabin, three guest cabins, an office, and accommodation for five crew.

The second wallywind110 is already under construction, with delivery expected soon.

Rachel Cormack is a digital editor at Robb Report. She cut her teeth writing for HuffPost, Concrete Playground, and several other online publications in Australia, before moving to New York at the…

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The best downwind sails: Options explained by over 200 experienced sailors

• Toby Hodges
• June 18, 2024

Which downwind sails are the right choice for you? and how do you take the stress out of sail handling on a tradewind passage? Toby Hodges quizzed more than 240 skippers in last year’s ARC to find out

Downwind sailing is any cruising sailor’s dream. The thought of days, or even weeks, of reliable following tradewind pushing you across an ocean with just a warm apparent breeze over the deck seems particularly far-fetched for those of us who have just suffered the wettest winter imaginable.

We all need a reliable downwind setup, whether coastal cruising or passagemaking. But those planning an Atlantic crossing or Pacific crossing will want to give this aspect particular attention, perhaps adding some tweaks or sail wardrobe investments to help ensure that dream adventure is as comfortable as possible for your crew and your yacht.

While there’s certainly no one-fits-all answer, we can learn a lot from those who have done a crossing. Last year we used our annual ARC Gear Survey to focus on the topic of downwind sails and handling and have since analysed the responses to our detailed questionnaire, from over 240 skippers on the ARC and ARC+ rallies.

The reason why there’s no optimum solution for all is multifaceted. Sure, the shape of your hull and keel type can help narrow down options. Unless you have a sportier design, then sailing the downwind rhumbline should equate to least stress and gybes and therefore potential problems. Those with newer hull shapes may want to calculate their polars and work with sailmakers to evaluate which angles and sails best suit their hulls.

How about your rig – is it easy to use a pole? Is there a track to fit one… or two even? Can you square the boom or do you have swept-back spreaders? Do you sail short-handed or with plenty of crew to help pull strings and get poles down? The answers can lead to yet more considerations, including chafe points, how to avoid rolling, and how to easily depower or reef.

Does your mainsail help and does it fill the slot better when reefed? What’s your best setup for short-handed or at night? What are your backup systems (notably for torn sails or a broken halyard or pole)?

A lot can be answered in advance by considering such questions. The weather, however, cannot. We can only hope for reliable trades and the sort of downwind crossing conditions last year’s ARC crews gratefully experienced.

Photo: Tony Gratton/Niord/WCC

Weighing the options

Spinnakers can be ideal if you have the experience and crew to handle them, their numerous associated lines, and can get them down easily. Asymmetric spinnakers or gennakers can make this handling much easier, as they don’t require a pole. They were carried by over 40% of the fleet last year, making these the most popular offwind option in terms of numbers carried (an indication of a modern fleet), but they don’t suit true downwind sailing, meaning extra miles to sail.

Aero-style vented spinnakers, aka parasailers, can seem like the holy grail for many on a downwind crossing as they can be set from the bow or in front of the boat and are capable of reaching and running. However, these are among the costliest sail options/upgrades and there’s a range of different brands now which all claim the optimum design.

That said, perhaps the clearest message from 2023’s ARC skippers was the real love of – or wish for – a parasailer. Over 40 yachts carried one, yet so many more commented that they would have wanted one. This is perhaps a reflection of last year’s consistent tradewind conditions – “The parasailer was perfect for the conditions we had” said the skipper of German Catana 47 Aquila .

Other downwind sail setups include twin headsails, or the specialist Bluewater Runners and TradeWinds, versatile sails which share a single luff.

However, a poled-out genoa, where the headsail is typically flown wing-on-wing/goosewinged with the mainsail, is still considered the most reliable method for downwinding.

Carrying a range of options is ideal, but remember you also need the space to stow them!

Grand Soleil 46LC Flying into the sunset poled-out. Their twin headsails were “a dream”. Photo: Peter Blackadder/Flying/WCC

Pole-out – belt and braces

Around 60 yachts used a poled-out headsail, with over 40 of these skippers still rating it the most reliable method. It uses your heavier-grade white sails, the mainsail can be securely prevented, and both can be easily reefed.

Asante , a 2007-built Oyster 56, has a gennaker aboard but found: “Best setup when windy is two reefs in main, poled-out headsail – easy solution and fast going at 8-10 knots (we covered 205 miles in 24 hours)”. Serenity , a French HR40, said it “allows for a good wind angle in tradewinds and is easy to reef single-handedly if needed”, while German Bavaria 51 Mola adds this setup is “extremely resistant to squalls”.

A poled-out genoa worked best aboard the Moody 54 Dilema , albeit making for a ‘rolly’ experience: “Simple and effective. We used centred staysail as well to reduce roll.” UK-flagged Rustler 42 Carrik also remarked on the rolling but was otherwise in praise: “sailing goosewinged spared us the drama of the spinnaker when winds were 20-plus knots (which was most of the time) and allowed us to sail the rhumbline”.

The Swedish-flagged Hallberg-Rassy 48 MkII Sally was sailed double-handed so kept it straightforward with main and poled-out headsail, sailing wing-on-wing for two weeks. “Our simple sail approach worked well for us, fast enough and easy.”

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Also sailing double-handed was Fisk , a 2007 Oyster 46: “Our poled-out genoa (130%) proved to be a very useful all-round tool, goosewinging with the main when feasible.” They bought these sails new before the ARC but think a light wind sail could have been useful too.

Jeanneau Sunshine 38 Cloud Jumper points out that “goosewinging is less weight on the bow than twin headsails.” They sailed like this for 22 days. And 20-year-old Oyster 53 Jarina had another reason for the ease of this setup: “a foredeck crew with the combined age of 200! Poled-out headsail plus main and preventer equals ease of handling. Stable and controllable.”

Experimenting and enjoying the process should be encouraged. Ipanema developed a motto by doing this: “poled-out genoa if wind greater than 18 knots; gennaker if wind less than 20 knots”. Bestevaer 53ST Aegle thinks having a good solution for various apparent wind angles is key: “goosewing is very effective; a furling spinnaker makes life much easier”.

Twin headsails (one flown free) on Island Packet 380 Niord. Photo: Tor Johnson

Twins – twice as good?

Some bluewater yachts install their own systems as standard, including a pole or twin poles, knowing twin headsails are ideal for tradewind cruising. The Barters on their 20-year old Super Maramu Nunky hail the Amel twin headsail system as “superb: great downwind and they can be furled together in a moment”. Equally, Oyster 54 Ostara says: “the Dolphin twin headsails performed very well – very versatile and fast passagemaking in tradewinds”.

Other skippers might choose to fit or retrofit two forestays or twin luff grooves. “Twin headsails on the same furler worked really well,” is the verdict from Rival 36 Topaz Rival. They sailed like this for 17 days, including at night, so it didn’t affect their watch pattern.

Norwegian Sun Odyssey 44 Moyfrid used genoa and jib poled-out for 15 days, as it’s “easy to adjust, gave us flexibility and safety of handling quickly in squalls”. The same reasoning was given by Discovery 58 Aqualuna, who found twin headsails excellent for double-handing. “It meant we could do three hours on, three hours off”. The summary from Oyster 53 Distraction : “Twin headsails is easy but not fast, asymmetric is fast but not easy.”

The Blackadders’ Grand Soleil 46 Flying has twin headsails, a gennaker and a Code 0, “and trapped the edge of the tradewinds to use them all”. They found “our twin headsails/twin poles worked a dream – easy to fly single-handed and not too rolly.” They also found them easy to adjust and reef, and adaptable to different conditions including winds up to 35° off the quarter.

US-flagged Ovni 450 Reverie running west to the sunset under gennaker. Photo: Tony Martin/Reverie/WCC

Spinnakers – Going deep

Anyone in a hurry, racing or wanting some sport for an active crew would probably choose a spinnaker (or several, space and budget willing). While capable of harnessing those tradewinds most efficiently, a big free-flying sail can be tricky to gybe and get back on deck. A popular ARC solution is to fly a spinnaker during the day and poled-out headsail at night as the latter is easier to manage/reef without affecting the watch system.

Oyster 406 Penny Oyster : “We used the spinnaker during the day (weather permitting) which increased speed and was less rolly. Poled-out jib overnight felt very stable and safe. Easy to manage solo.” It was the same for Grand Soleil 50 Sidney II and 20-year old Sweden Yachts 42 Freedom , the latter promoting: “full main and spinnaker when 15 knots or less (sailed on a dead run for 90% of trip); main and genoa goosewinged if 15 knots or more”.

Symmetrical kites (and parasailers) are often a popular choice for catamarans as they can be set off each bow. Sailing double-handed on their Aussie flagged Outremer 51 Spirit , the McMasters bought a symmetric kite for the crossing to supplement their gennaker, flew it with the mainsail and considered it “easy gybing and conservative for double-handing”. Fellow Outremer Madeleine (a 45) carried Code, A-sails and a symmetric spinnaker and found a “half-reefed main and spinnaker stable and easy”.

Foredeck crew of Estonian Oyster 565 Larimar stow the furled gennaker while under TradeWind. Photo: Magnus Harjak/Larimar/WCC

Asymmetric/Gennaker – working the angles

Despite gennakers being the most popular offwind sail option carried (90 yachts), only around 20 skippers found this to be their most successful sailplan for the crossing, with many frustrated by not having a kite with enough belly to sail the deep downwind angles experienced last year. (While deeper cut asymmetrics are available, many, especially furling types, have a flatter shape and suit reaching more). Grand Soleil 46LC Mandalay reckons their inability to sail deep cost them two days.

Grand Soleil 50 Mr Twister found that flying their gennaker with a double reefed main “allowed for a more downwind course”. This was backed up by the Peckhams on their Hanse 455 Infinity of Yar : “Two reefs in the main allows wind over the top of mainsail so 165-170º TWA is possible”. At night they resorted to the boat’s standard white sails but as this involves a self-tacking jib, they’d want to fit a poled-out genoa or yankee if doing it again.

Handling an A-sail and whether to use a furler or snuffer, also needs due consideration. Najad 490 Adastrina cautions that a “top-down furler with its torsion rope is difficult to stow due to bulk”, while Oyster 47 Aequitas also warns: “Don’t sail too deep as the snuffer jams.”

Code 0s have transformed cruising for many production yachts, particularly those which typically day sail in light winds and want an easily furled fetching or reaching option. However, they are not deemed so useful for tradewind passages as they lack the deeper shape for downwind conditions. “Code 0 was excellent, but could not run deeper than 155°,” confirms new Canadian-flagged X46 Imi Makani .

An exception was perhaps the Oyster 745 Mexican Wave : “We loved both our Elvstrom Code 0, which we flew 10 days and nights, and our Bluewater Runner which was great in light wind. Both on hydraulic furlers – easy.”

Birds-eye view of the deep bellied Bluewater Runner on Hanse 505 Mojito. Photo: David Anning/Mojito/WCC

Specialist sails – Bluewater Runner & TradeWinds

Elvstrom’s Bluewater Runner (BWR) and North Sails’ TradeWind (TW) were purposefully designed for downwind events such as the ARC. They take some of the twin headsail concept, but use lighter fabric and modern furling technology for a versatile multi-use sail.

The twin headsails are joined at the luff and can be flown together on the leeward side to act as a light wind genoa/Code sail equivalent, or peeled apart when running to be flown wing-on-wing, independent of the fixed forestay and headsail. And in principle, they can be easily furled from the cockpit.

Hallberg Rassy 40 Northern Light purchased a BWR for the crossing, used it for 16 days during daylight hours, and found it “very effective when running dead downwind.” The Hanse 505 Mojito agrees: “Worked really well, easy to handle, and doubles up as a Code 0. It gave the best downwind performance and can be managed from the cockpit.” That said, they consider their BWR “too powerful for the rig even in 20 knots of wind – we snapped one halyard and broke the bobstay and bowsprit padeye.”

HR57 Saltair advises it needs lots of halyard tension, while Lagoon 410 Newbee agrees that less than 20 knots wind suits the BWR – they resorted to a triple-reefed main and genoa when things got livelier.

Pinnacle before chafe issues with its TradeWind sail. Photo: Stephanie Stevens/Pinnacle/WCC

North Sails’ latest offerings are popular on modern luxury cruisers. Rock Lobster IV is a new Oyster 565 with a wardrobe of North Sails including a TradeWind and a Helix structural luff gennaker. “Helix is very easy (little point using the G2); TradeWind is great in moderate wind, and poled-out yankee gives good flexibility”. They wisely “adapted sails to crew ability”.

Fellow Oyster Ri-Ra , a 675, also with a new North suit, had “lots of difficulties with TradeWind sails,” however, and blamed a poor setup and “inadequate halyard casting”. Meanwhile Mastegot, a new Oyster 595, found their poled-out jib and main more successful than the TW, and if doing again they’d instead consider twin headsails, “because they can be reefed”.

But there were words of praise from Amel 60 Mrs G who found their TradeWind most reliable with a reefed main, and the Swedish Passad 38 Lulu : “very good lift and speed, much better than wing-on-wing”.

Parasailor – fast, stable and no rolling,” says Contest 50CS Athena. PHoto: Philip Mrosk/Athena/WCC

Parasailers – the vented kite

For want of a generic term ‘parasailers’ are specialist cruising spinnakers with a pressure relief valve. This vented part diffuses gusts while the paraglider-style wing creates lift and provides support to the sail (they don’t require a pole, but can be used with one).

It’s a forgiving, versatile option that can be used for running and reaching, but it’s an expensive investment and one that pays to learn how to handle properly. They work well without needing a mainsail set and are increasingly popular with multihull owners.

How they work and the different types available – Istec’s Parasail and Parasailor, Wingaker and Oxley – is another whole article.

Lagoon 450F Marlove was one of 44 parasailer users last ARC, flying theirs for 13 days and nights: “made our life easy, perfect sail to cross the Atlantic”. Another Lagoon, Rockhopper of London , agreed, calling it a ‘hoist and forget’ sail: “no trimming – the sail coped well with wind shifts”. And Ovni 385 Contigo reports: “Parasail is amazing up to 20 knots and easy to snuff if the wind got too high.”

The Harpers on their two-year-old Jeanneau Yachts 51 Blue Pepper spent a season using their parasailer to prepare: “We practiced all the configurations we used several times as a crew before we got to the Canaries – it paid off. The Parasailor was excellent, stable, including in gusts, and very easy to manage. Twin headsails also worked well and were surprisingly powerful, but Parasailor is faster, easier, with less wear and tear on running rigging.”

Fountaine Pajot Saba 50 Lady Roslyn exhibits all 190m2 of her bright red P16 model Wingaker. Photo: Wingaker

Those with parasailers seemed happier to keep them up at night. The skipper of Lagoon Cosi mentioned how he would sleep in the cockpit for this. However, several others added caution about getting a parasailer down – the wing element can makes snuffing tricky, confirmed by the double-handed crew on Broadblue Rapier 550 Blue Wonder . Hence others promote snuffing parasailers early, including Galatea Of Aune , who tore theirs in a squall.

Of the 44 international skippers who shipped parasailers it’s hard to know exactly which types they had as many just list them as ‘parasailer’, but there were clearly some staunch supporters of both Oxley and Wingaker types. “Oxley is amazing! Very stable, very flexible in terms of wind strengths (gusts and wind direction),” reckon the Dutch crew on their Garcia Exploration 60 Fiore .

The Swiss crew on Moody 54DS Nautilia were equally impressed: “We used it up to gusts until about 24 knots – gives calm downwind sailing with good speed.” The Bösch’s on Jeanneau 51 Wolkenschlosschen said their Levante “worked really well,” using it 90% of the time, adding “take Oxley down below 20 knots TWS and use it in gennaker mode”.

Aussie-flagged Fountaine Pajot 40 Cat’s Pajamas flew their 130m2 Oxley for 16 days and, other than advising to get it down early for squalls, the only thing they’d change is to get a larger version.

Oxley offers the Levante (for up to 20 knots) and the flatter Bora with an inflatable double-layer wing for higher winds, seas and gust damping.

More Oxley fans on the Garcia Exploration 60 Fiore. Photo: Harmen-Jan Geerts/Fiore

“The new Bora was excellent,” reports Oyster 55 Valent, although they still found it difficult to snuff once the wind was over 14 knots.

The main difference the Wingaker has over other parasailers is that it is a single construction including the vent and wing, which it claims produces a more stable performance and is easier to handle and crucially to snuff. The feedback for it was equally praiseworthy, particularly from catamaran owners.

The new Seawind 1600 cat Pure Joy thought it just that: “Wingaker very easy to handle and gybe as well as sail completely downwind.” The American crew on FP Aura 51 Darla J left a strong testament: “2,142 miles without taking the Wingaker down”. And the Kiwi FP Elba 45 Aratui simply stated: “Take a Wingaker” after flying theirs for 90% of the voyage including at night.

More multihull solutions

Multihulls offer great platforms for experimenting with downwind setups. While it’s easy to picture a cat flying along on a flat reach under screecher or A-sail, running downwind brings questions on how best to fill the slots in different wind strengths. Indeed the Canadians on their new Nautitech 44 Open June asked for “more detail on catamaran downwind strategy in the ARC’s downwind seminar”. They found “full main and gennaker faster than Oxley but poor below 150° TWA – Oxley backs wind behind main”. They wished for a better solution for between 18-24 knots wind.

The family dream? Letting the parasailer do the work on June, a Canadian Nautitech 44 Open. Photo: Peter Hunt/June/WCC

Portuguese FP Tanna 47 Portlish found a good combination between gennaker (with furler) and parasailer. “Gennaker was used for 110°-160° AWA and also during the night, parasailer for 160°-180°.” However, they advised it’s not easy without a pole: “We would add a spinnaker pole to be able to use a poled-out genoa for downwind sailing in above 25 knots of wind.”

The 53ft bluewater catamaran Lost Abbey favoured goosewinging either their spinnaker, asymmetrical or screecher with the genoa, but still would have liked a parasailer. Norwegian RCC Majestic 530 Tempus seconded this: “If money were no object I’d buy a parasailer.” Instead, they mostly used “the asymmetric spinnaker on either bow plus one to two reefs in main”.

FP Lucia 40 Wanderlust used a Code 0 and asymmetric the most: “both behaved well downwind and sometimes we flew both side-by-side”. They caution: “big mainsails and booms are a pain downwind!” While the new Excess 15 Vida Loca adds: “as the rig required the mainsail to be flown with the gennaker, our sailing angles in decent wind were 160° AWA”.

Nautitech 46 Open Pinnacle found their most effective sailplan to be: “TradeWind with third reef, next asymmetric with third reef – downwind sails need less mainsail in the less wind,” they warn after they had problems with their snuffer twisting. The sail lashing at the head of the TradeWind also chafed through, tearing the sail as it came down. Which leads us to other sail handling problems…

Sewing sail repairs on the Contest 50CS Athena. Photo: Philip Mrosk/Athena/WCC

Problems & repairs

Having your ideal sailplan is one thing, but what do you do when that breaks? The majority of ARC skippers experienced failures with sails and their handling, mostly with tears they needed to repair, and the overriding advice is to carry plenty of tape and patches, a sewing machine if possible, an extensive sewing kit if not.

“With a good sail repair kit a sail can always be repaired,” the crew on Penny Oyster advise. Grand Soleil 46LC Mandalay suffered a torn clew and luff in their headsail and a torn batten pocket in the main, but report all were “hand stitched or taped and held OK”. After the A-sail “ripped from leech to luff” on the new Oyster 595 JaZoFi, the crew stitched and taped the 12.5m tear, “but only had a 25m roll of 50mm tape”. Frustratingly, the repair only lasted an hour.

Chafe to sheets and halyards is the other biggest issue on long downwind passages. “We had chafing on pole ends caused by metal eyes on sheets,” Jeanneau Sunshine 38 Cloud Jumper warns. “We failed to use plastic balls to prevent damage until too late.”

There were also a large number of halyard failures last year, including two spinnaker halyards and the genoa halyard on the Alloy Yachts Irelanda alone.

Amel 60 Mrs G and Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 44 Moyfrid both snapped gennaker halyards: “the halyard fell down inside the mast – unable to retrieve it while underway,” Moyfrid bemoans. “Carry spare halyards to replace any that chafe or break,” is Hermione III’s advice.

Final thoughts

Having compiled this survey for over 15 years, it’s clear to see that ARC yachts are getting newer and larger and their owners are increasingly happy to spend that bit extra to get the best out of their yachts or find their ideal sailplan.

Today’s easily set and handled Code sails and asymmetrics offer a completely transformative experience during most of the test sails I do on these new boats. But for a tradewind passage I’d choose a specialist downwind sail, budget and space willing, and/or make sure I had a pole and headsail large enough to goosewing effectively.

Know your sails’ limits (in wind and waves) and what you would default to over certain strengths, remembering that tradewinds can be strong for days and nights at a time.

Then get comfortable with your downwind setup so all crew can safely manage and ideally reef it short-handed, identify chafe points in advance, and have a backup plan including spares and repairs.

Your dream crossing should be just that, so take the stress out in advance if you can – and enjoy the ride!

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Cooking on a yacht: Top tips from blue water sailors

A good yacht chef can make or break a blue water passage. Rod Heikell provides a few tips for cooking on a yacht to make sure a long cruise doesn’t leave a bad taste in the mouth…

The days are long gone, if they ever really existed, when sailing folk opened a tin of something for dinner or like Tilman, cooked up a pot of gumbo or burgoo which was added to for weeks until it got too mouldy to eat. Most cruising people eat very well and spend a lot of time thinking about and preparing food. Over the years I’ve been putting together boat recipes and listening to lots of other cruisers who like good food and bit by bit this book ‘just growed’. 

 I am not a gourmet cook. I don’t even think I am a great cook. What I like is food and that naturally leads to an interest in cooking good food and once you start there is no holding back. We eat well in harbour and on passage without resorting to ready-meals or frozen made-up meals. There are a lot of tasty meals, often quite simple, that you can put together on passage when things are a bit bumpy and you don’t want to have a long list of ingredients strewn  around the galley.

Conversely there are also more complicated recipes you can cook up in harbour or in calm weather at sea. On passage from the Marquesas to the Tuamotus in the Pacific the ocean lived up to its moniker and we were becalmed on a flat sea. We adjusted the passage plan to arrive a day later at the coral pass and put together a feast while drifting around in the middle of the ocean. And of course, a bit of sauvignon blanc in wine glasses – it was that calm.

Whatever sort of boat you are on from the humble to something that has a jacuzzi on the back where you can sip champagne, there is still the whole business of sourcing ingredients and cooking on board.

Converting skills from the home kitchen to the boat galley is not always easy and  a bit of confidence in substituting ingredients and exploring new culinary areas can make all the difference between a happy ship and mutiny. In Antigua I was cooking minted Moroccan beef and could I find mint anywhere: NO.

And then a light bulb lit up in my head and I thought I have mint sauce on board and it worked so well it’s what I use even when I can get mint. A well-stocked condiment cupboard is essential.

I always cook a big meal before we set off. It just needs to be warmed up, some pasta or rice cooked to go with it and you have a meal ready to go in a dog-bowl for dinner. Usually there is enough for a couple of nights and then after a few days stomachs have settled down and we are ready for something else.

One solution often touted for passage-makers is that you trot along to the local supermarket and order a pallet of ready-made meals. It’s an odd one when you really have a lot of time on your hands on passage and feel you need to resort to a TV-dinner of goo masquerading as meat in a floury sauce of soya thickener. In any case you just can’t buy them in many places in the world.

There is a lot of pre-passage prepping you can do to make life easier in the galley. If you have a freezer then make up some meals or the base for meals. A Bolognese type sauce (ragu) that can be used as the base for a pasta sauce, lasagne, chilli con carne or a stewy thing. A chicken stew that can be made into a fruity curry, a Thai curry or a Mediterranean chicken stew. You can add fresh ingredients you have on board to the base dish that will lift it out of the realms of a frozen meal.

There are a lot of alternatives to some ingredients so you can get a dish that has texture and taste along the lines of the original recipe. Chopped basil, coriander or parsley can often be substituted for one or other. Plain yoghurt can be used instead of cream. Sun dried tomatoes instead of fresh in a salad. After a while this improvisation becomes second nature on board a boat where the ingredient list is confined.

On Skylax we don’t run the freezer as a freezer, more of a cold store, so we don’t do frozen base meals. After the pre-cooked passage meal has gone we just make things up depending on say whether the frozen chicken has defrosted or the fresh mushrooms need using. And there is always the chance of landing a fish which usually provides meals for a few days.

Most cruising yachts are crewed by a couple which makes cooking pretty straightforward. Larger crews on yachts require a bit more planning and here cooking base meals that go in the freezer are more important.

It’s also important to plan out meals that will keep the crew happy and to find out if there are any likes and dislikes. I’ve had crew that didn’t eat raw tomatoes but would eat them cooked, crew who couldn’t stand pasta, and vegetarians including a friend who decided he would be a lapsed vegetarian on passage and thereafter always inquired on the quantities of bacon, salami, chorizo and other meaty things being shipped, just to make sure there would be enough.

Cooking on board is a celebration for your fellow shipmates helping you on passage and a celebration of food. On board Skylax everyone has to cook on passage and the cook never washes up. I don’t care whether someone cooks a simple omelette (well not too simple) or a gastronomic orgy of the senses, as long as they cook. And after all what better to do than devote some of that long graveyard watch to dreaming up a dinner to titillate the senses.

Cooking on a yacht: Galley gear and hacks

Water  

On ocean crossings you often see boats loading up with stacks of bottled water. You don’t need it as most water in the world is fit to drink and in any case you are going to encounter it anyway unless you never eat ashore or have a quiet drink in a beach bar. All the glasses, plates, cutlery will have been washed in local water.

The salad will have been washed in local water and the ice in your drink likewise is from local water. If you have a watermaker on board you will have ample supplies and even if you don’t careful water management will eke out the water in your tanks. Skylax sailed around the world without a watermaker and only once encountered local water that was saline – in Neiafu in Tonga.

On board use something like a Brita water jug for drinking water. You don’t need to filter the water you wash up in or shower with. A Brita won’t remove nasties but will make chlorinated water palatable.

Refrigeration  

Few boats don’t have a fridge these days and many have freezers. The question of whether to run a freezer or not is a difficult one. I’m not really advocating that you don’t have a freezer, but you do need to realise that it can hold you prisoner on board. Whether you run if from a generator or the main engine for the compressor or to charge batteries, you will have to do that twice a day morning and evening and consequently you need to be on the boat or plugged in somewhere.

I sailed Tetranora , a 31 foot old fashioned boat to SE Asia and back without a fridge. If you take care over your fresh provisions it is surprising how long they will last. And the awe with which you taste your first cold beer on arrival you will remember for the rest of your life.

After an arduous trip across the Indian Ocean we arrived at the Taj Malabar Hotel in Cochin, I can still clearly see the bottle of ale the waiter brought, the condensed drops running down the outside of the green glass, still taste even now the cool amber liquid, still remember how Frank and I looked at this apparition from heaven with something approaching reverence.

Yoghurt  

Yoghurt can be used for all sorts of things on board. On cereal with a dribble of homey on top. As a dressing on something like a lettuce and avocado salad: just put a dollop of yoghurt on the top with a drizzle of sweet chilli sauce. Use it instead of cream in curries, ragu, chilli sausage pasta, in fact in most dishes where you need cream. On desserts. Finely chop a little onion and add to yoghurt with some mint sauce to make a really passable Tzatziki. And more.

With an Easy-Yo you get the wide-mouthed Thermos flask and the plastic screw-cap jar that fits inside. Easy-Yo make packets of dried milk powder with the yoghurt culture (good bacteria! including acidophilus) mixed in and you just mix this up with some cold water, boil a kettle of water and fill to the top of the baffle in the Thermos flask and stick it somewhere warm. It will make yoghurt overnight and then you just stick the screw-top jar in the fridge: voila, one litre of yoghurt.

You don’t need to keep using the Easy-Yo packets of dried milk and bacteria culture. Once you have one batch, just mix up dried milk powder and add a couple of tablespoons of the old culture. Keep some back-up packets in case your culture gets a bit old.

Keeping vegetables and fruit      

The trip to SE Asia and back on Tetranora without refrigeration galvanises the mind to find solutions to keeping vegetables and fruit on board when on passage. Always try to buy from a market where the veggies and fruit have not been refrigerated for transport.

Cabbage and root vegetables  

Wrap in several layers of newspaper, keep in a cool dark place and renew newspaper and any manky outer leaves every 2-3 days.

Potatoes, onions & garlic  

Keep loose in a cool dark place and sort every 3-4 days. Will keep up to 2 months.

Tomatoes  

Keep in the fridge though if outside keep separated in something like a cardboard egg-box.

Green peppers, celery, courgettes and green beans  

Best kept in the fridge as they normally shrivel up a bit if not – though they are still useable.

Bananas (& pineapples)  

Don’t be tempted to buy a whole stem of bananas or they will all ripen at the same time. Same applies to pineapples which ripen at the same time. Once you get bananas tie a line to them and dangle them in the sea for a bit and watch various creatures crawl out. Then wash in fresh water.

Oranges, lemons and limes  

Keep in a cool dry place and check through every 3-4 days. Limes can go sort of dry and hard on the outside but are still good.

Eggs  

I don’t know anyone who covers eggs in petroleum jelly or similar to keep them fresh. Eggs will keep OK without refrigeration if you use the egg-box method. In truth most people just keep eggs in the fridge.

Even if you are keeping them in the fridge it’s useful to get some plastic egg-boxes. Drill a small breather hole in the top of each egg bubble and the eggs will be a lot less likely to go mouldy if you keep them like this. Turn the egg boxes once every 3-4 days.

Tinned stuff    

Nobody varnishes tins these days and I’ve never taken the labels off and used a felt tip pen to write what a tin contains on it. As long as you don’t stow tins in the bilge there is no need to do anything. Some tins will have a use-by date on them, though I’m not too sure why. 

Aluminium cans of drinks can be kept in the bilge, though preferably a dry bilge as the aluminium will oxidise, though hopefully not before you have imbibed all that beer. Tins of some food items have been replaced by tetrapaks which makes stowage a lot easier and solves that eternal problem of a tin rolling around somewhere and keeping you awake at night. Things like chopped tomatoes, passata, tomato paste, coconut milk, beans and probably a few others can now be found in tetrapaks.

Tinned vegetables  

Tinned (or tetrapak) chopped tomatoes, passata and tomato paste are essential and apparently tinned tomatoes have as many anti-oxidants in them as fresh – if you are into all that anti-oxidant stuff. In addition we carry a reasonable supply of tinned peas, green beans, mushrooms, spinach, beans of all types including baked beans, lentils, some mixed vegetables, No-one would ever argue that tinned vegetables are better than fresh, but at times they can be a life-saver and in parts of the world you just cannot get some items that adds to the overall recipe. 

Tinned fish

Tinned tuna is always on board Skylax . Of course, if you catch a fresh tuna the difference between fresh and tinned is chalk and cheese time Tinned sardines are useful for sardines as are tinned anchovies in some dressings and in a salad Niçoise. Tinned fish like mackerel and others in tomato sauce are not to my taste.

Tinned meat  

Some boats carry tins of corned beef and spam. Personally, I’m not fond of the stuff and hardly ever use it.

Tinned fruit

We carry a modest selection of tinned fruit, really just some fruit salads, apples including apple sauce, pineapple and apricots. Most of it is for breakfasts with cereals and yoghurt when we have run out of fresh or cannot get fresh fruit.

Fresh poultry and meat  

In most parts of the world you can find frozen chicken. You can often get bags of frozen chicken bits, wings, thighs, and some unidentified bits, as well. On passage we normally take a frozen chicken or two on board, wrap it in several layers of newspaper and pop it in a plastic bag and then put it in the bottom of the fridge/freezer. In a fridge it will slowly defrost and will be ready to use in 5-6 days. In a freezer it will last for months.

Duck  

In places you can buy vacuum packed duck breast. Well worth it though it will only keep in the fridge for a few days.

Beef, lamb and pork

With the partial exception of pork in Muslim countries, you can find fresh or frozen meat in most parts of the world where there are a few shops and a bit of a population.

In The Tradewind Foodie there are expanded sections and more on all these topics plus an account of our experiences around the world with food, sections on the history of food in different areas, and a pile of recipes we cook on board.

So, keep everyone happy. Somehow food, even a simple meal, tastes so much better on board and at the end of a passage there is nothing quite like a few drinks in the cockpit and dinner with fellow travellers.

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New 23.5-metre Explorer Sailing Yacht Amundsen Launched

Last week, KM Yachtbuilders launched the 23.5-metre sailing yacht ‘Amundsen’, built at the shipyard in Makkum, Netherlands. Following in the footsteps of her sister ship, ‘ Vinson of Antarctica ‘, Amundsen is the second hull in this series .

The name ‘Amundsen’ is a tribute to the great Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen. Constructed with an aluminium hull and superstructure, she features naval architecture by Tony Castro (the supervisor is Peter Wilson of MCM Newport). Amundsen has a 6.2-meter beam accentuated by a distinctive red stripe near her waterline. Featuring two carbon masts meticulously designed to evenly distribute her sail area, complemented by manually operable sail systems such as winches and jib rollers. Inside, she offers a dedicated pilothouse and spacious sitting room with a galley.

She can accommodate up to eight guests comfortably. Distinguished from her sister ship, ‘ Vinson of Antarctica ‘, ‘Amundsen’ is an enhanced iteration with several modifications. Notably, her propulsion system sets her apart, boasting modern, eco-friendly engines aimed at minimizing environmental impact.

Additional enhancements include: ● Increased standing height in the pilothouse ● Removal of the centerboard from the fixed keel ● Integration of two Volvo engines instead of Yanmar engines ● Expanded engine room capacity

Team effort

This project represents the collective effort of an incredible team, united by a shared spirit of adventure and a dedication to innovation and sustainability.

Eeuwe Kooi, founder of KM Yachtbuilders: “ This project represents the collective effort of an incredible team, united by a shared spirit of adventure and a dedication to innovation and sustainability. ”

Both Skip Novak, the renowned ocean sailor and commercial director of Pelagic Expeditions, and owner Nicolás Ibáñez Scott, a Chilean entrepreneur and adventurer, were also present during the launch. Skip Novak explains the idea behind the second Pelagic 77 Amundsen: “ The decision to build a sister ship for the Vinson of Antarctica was based on the success of this design concept. This yields valuable projects that contribute to education for schools in Chile and Spain. These include a north-south crossing of the Atlantic Ocean to the southern hemisphere, where the Vinson now calls South America its home territory. “

Nicolás Ibáñez Scott adds the vision and values for Vinson of Antarctica and Amundsen: “ In an era where much of the world has been mapped and explored, Amundsen’s journeys remind us that the true essence of adventure lies not just in discovering new places but in the courage to dream, to dare, and to embark on journeys that test our limits and expand our horizons. ”

Team Pelagic 77 Amundsen

Shipyard: KM Yachtbuilders , Netherlands Representative: Skip Novak, Pelagic Yachts, United Kingdom Vinson of Antarctica Architect: Tony Castro Design , United Kingdom Supervisor: Peter Wilson, MCM Newport , USA

Amundsen Specifications

Length Overall (LoA): 23.50 m Waterline Length (LwL): 20.55 m Beam: 6.20 m Draft: 2.15 m Material: Aluminum Engines: 2x Volvo Mast: 2x Axxon, carbon Interior: Bamboo Capacity: 8 guests and 3 crew members

Mishi 88, The Bluewater Composite Carbon Superyacht from Turkey

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