There’s a boating truism that says, ‘if it looks right, it is right.’ Take a look at a lovely old J Class yacht, sleek canoes, delicate skiffs, elegant Norwegian færings…
boats
Best 30ft German boats from three brands that have rapidly risen to prominence
Having left university with a degree in modern languages, I followed the example of many of my contemporaries. I went to work in the City. Those who stuck to the…
Freeman 22 used boat report: Comfortable motor cruiser with an interesting engine
Motor boats have never really appealed to me, simply because I can’t fix them when they go wrong, which inevitably they will. The idea of being stuck out at sea…
Best 30ft French boats: Our pick of the best options for cruising sailors
Sailors who look around 21st century boat shows won’t come across a single big volume British yacht builder. The occasional Oyster, Rustler, Swallow Baycruiser or Cornish Crabber is about all…
Sloop vs cutter – which is best? From the PBO archives
At Victoria Marine they produce some very fine boats, well designed, and well built. Beyond that they also follow a policy of allowing each customer the maximum possible freedom of…
Corribee Mk2 used boat review: Robert Tucker design has stood the test of time
I found my Robert Tucker-designed Corribee Mk2 at Tarquin’s Boat Yard in Emsworth which is now known as Emsworth Marina. She was out of the water sporting a very eye-catching…
Best 30 foot boats: Seaworthy British cruisers available for under £30k
You might think £30,000 sounds like a lot of money for a ‘starter boat’. But tracking down a comfortable and seaworthy yacht that’s 30 foot long, less than around 40…
Silhouette 17 used boat review: This pocket cruiser can be a real bargain
Robert Tucker designed many pocket cruisers that were built mainly in the 1950s to 1970s. I have owned three of his designs and my absolute favourites are the little Silhouette…
RS Pulse 63 test drive review: Could this electric RIB change the world?
When RS Sailing, the world’s largest manufacturer of sailing dinghies, announced a few years ago that it would be building a planing electric RIB called the RS Pulse, some ‘expressions…
Best Scandinavian boats: Our pick of the best models around 30ft
Any sailor looking for a solid and seaworthy boat around the 30ft size is likely to put some of the best Scandinavian boats on their shortlist. Leading manufacturers such as…
Best cruising boats under 30 feet: Is this the ideal size for a yacht?
Cruising boats of around 30ft can often become a ‘boat for life’. Having graduated from dinghies to small cruisers, many sailors decide that something around 30ft will give them enough…
What is a lugger? And why they make great trailer-sailers – answered!
Compulsive boat owner Clive Marsh explains why little luggers make perfect trailer-sailers
Fairey Swordsman 30: A crowd-pleasing jet boat with James Bond connections
Willie Bewes, retired director of Transworld Yachts, had a successful career selling large numbers of Swedish Hallberg-Rassy cruising yachts to the British market. But despite this commercial success his boating…
Freestanding masts: Why more cruisers should go wireless
You see a yacht with a mast, or masts held up with no rigging and think: ‘What’s going on? Why does it not fall over? This must be wrong –…
Parker 660 Pilothouse review: Impressive performer is surprisingly versatile
Before the introduction of its range of sports fishing boats and fast cruisers in the early 2000s, Parker Poland had been one of the leading suppliers of RIBs since the…
Best Hallberg-Rassy sailboats: The evolution of a Swedish sailing icon
Hallberg-Rassy has been in the same family ownership since Christoph Rassy bought Harry Hallberg’s boatbuilding business in 1972 and formed Hallberg-Rassy. And 49 years later it’s still going strong and…
Cal 40: The 1960s US classic that deserves restoration
The traditional styling of this boat, with its counter stern and raked bow, might lead onlookers to assume it’s a typical heavy long keeler from the early 1960s. However, it’s…
Catalina 27 cruising sailboat: Refusing to follow fashion
Part of Catalina’s long-lasting success is based on a refusal to follow passing fashions. Instead models have a very long production life and are constantly refined to improve finish and…
C&C 27: A roomy cruising boat that is ahead of its time
Shortly after the Viking 28 was launched C&C became established as boatbuilders in their own right and went on to produce a huge range of successful racing and cruising designs.…
Half a million Sunfish dinghies sold: What is the secret to its success?
Today Britain is the world’s largest producer of sailing dinghies, but the story was different 50 to 60 years ago, when many countries produced huge numbers of small boats as…