Team Malolo, sailed and pedaled by Canadian skipper Duncan Gladman and crewmembers Paul Gibson, Becky Kelly and Matthew Macatee, has won the eighth running of the Race to Alaska (R2AK). 

The Race to Alaska is a demanding engineless event that requires physical endurance, saltwater know-how, and the “bulldog tenacity that it takes to win a ‘no motors, no support’ adventure race” covering 750 cold-water miles from Port Townsend, Washington, to Ketchikan, Alaska. The first-place prize is $10K. Second place literally wins a set of actual steak knives.

Teams embarked on Stage 1, affectionately known as “The Proving Ground,” from Port Townsend on June 8 at 5:00 AM. From that point, they have 36 hours to cross the Strait of Juan de Fuca and make it to Victoria, BC. 

High noon on June 12 marked the start of Stage 2, “To the Bitter End,” the 710-mile odyssey from Victoria to Alaska. The winners, Team Malolo, is the first all-Canadian crew to bring home the grand prize. The effort marked the team vessel’s third attempt to win R2AK on their custom-built Cochrane trimaran, Dragon.

“It [was] unfinished business for me and for Paul, so I would say that is the most compelling reason for the two of us [to return for a third attempt],” said Captain Duncan Gladman. “For Becky and Matt, they love adventures and are super competitive. They have listened to both Paul and I and the numerous R2AK stories, so it’s natural that they both said we have to go even though I said never again after 2022.”

Gladman took the second-place steak knives on the same boat as Team Pear Shaped Racing in 2019. Gladman and Gibson dropped out of the 2022 race as a DNF (Did Not Finish) due to serious damage from a log-strike at high speed.

“We’ve said a lot about Team Malolo and their vessel Dragon hitting logs in years past,” said race boss Jesse Wiegel. “And logs were the story of their previous two attempts, but Duncan and crew have broken the curse.”

Gladman, Gibson, Kelly and Macatee will celebrate the win at the Alaska Fish House in Ketchikan, where they will receive the $10K prize in the form of cash—as tradition dictates—nailed to a piece of firewood. At the time of Team Malolo’s finish, the nearest competitors were just over 90 miles from Ketchikan.Twenty-nine of the 32 teams that set out from Victoria are still on the course along the Inside Passage. You can follow the remaining teams’ progress on a 24-hour tracker at R2AK.com.

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The Sailing Museum and National Sailing Hall of Fame has revealed the names of 12

individuals who will be inducted into its Hall of Fame fellowship this year. This diverse list features Jan C. O’Malley, a three-time US Sailing Yachtswoman of the Year, two-time Adams Cup winner, and the first ever winner of the IYRU Women’s World Sailing Championship; Peter Melvin, a multiple-class world and national champion, as well as an innovative yacht designer; and Charles Ulmer, a national champion and race winner throughout the 1970s and 80s and proponent of the sport of sailing through the many organizations through which he has been affiliated.

The National Sailing Hall of Fame induction committee met numerous times since the nomination process to whittle down the original list to the slate of finalists. According to the committee, while the future inductees’ biographies differ, they are all accomplished and dedicated to the sport and its community. Ten fall into its modern category, while another two represent historic classification. 

Honored for technical accomplishment and contribution are brothers Eric Hall and Ben Hall, the late Gary Mull, one of the most prolific and successful U.S. sailboat designers working in the latter half of the 20th century, and the late Carl Alberg, whose 56 designs resulted in more than 10,000 boats. 

Others to be inducted in the modern classification in the sailing category are Kevin Burnham, an Olympic and Goodwill Games medalist in sailing; Conn Findlay, a consummate crew member for America’s Cup competitor Courageous and Maxi Ocean Racer Windward Passage, and one of the few competitors to medal in two distinct sports (Rowing and Sailing); and Richard Tillman, the 1965 Sailor of the Year who held National, North American and World titles in the Snipe, Finn, Laser, Sunfish and Windsurfing classes.

Franklin Wood, who founded the Annapolis Sailing School and established the Annapolis Sailboat Show, rounds out the modern classification in the contributor category. Allegra Mertz, one of the two women to be inducted with O’Malley, was elected through the historic classification, along with Alberg.

“The Class of 2024 has left an indelible mark on sailing,” co-chair Gary Jobson said. Their achievements inspire us to explore, innovate and honor the sport. From Olympic champions to boat designers, they remind us that sailing is more than a pastime; it’s a legacy of courage and possibility. Trailblazers like Allegra Mertz, whose skill, determination and love of racing continues to inspire fellow sailors and set a high standard for excellence. Innovators such as Ben and Eric Hall, whose cutting-edge materials and championship-winning rigs have pushed innovation. These inductees are a formidable group. We look forward to celebrating their accomplishments on October 5 at the 2024 Hall of Fame Induction ceremony, hosted by the Chicago Yacht Club.”

“What an honor to welcome these remarkable individuals into The Sailing Museum and National Sailing Hall of Fame,” said Executive Director Ashley Householder. “We take seriously the responsibility of preserving the legacy of our inductees for the countless ways in which each has contributed to the sport of sailing. Please join us as we embark on telling their exceptional stories.”

Each year, the induction committee of the National Sailing Hall of Fame reviews nominations and compiles a slate of those to be inducted into its hallowed fellowship of extraordinary achievement and service. Inductions have been taking place since 2011, when the Hall was in Annapolis. The Sailing Museum and National Sailing Hall of Fame has since moved to Newport, the sailing capital of the country. The number of legends in the Hall will be 135 total with this year’s class.

This year, the Induction will be held at the Chicago Yacht Club Oct. 4-5. For ticket information, follow the Hall of Fame website.

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For anyone in the market for a high-quality, pedigree sailing yacht, the 1983 Little Harbor 44 Redstart is a great example of the handsome Hood-designed Little Harbor 44 series that provides exceptional performance, sea-kindliness and shoal draft of only 5 feet with centerboard up. Built to high standards throughout, she can be easily short-handed thanks to her electric winches and furling mainsail. She also features the desirable two-stateroom/two-head layout for privacy and versatility. 

Redstart has had only two owners and has benefited from only summertime use with inside winter storage every year since new, with many recent upgrades including hull and mast paint, sails, electronics and more. The boat sleeps four in two staterooms, plus three in the main salon. The interior is beautifully crafted with satin-finished solid teak trim, paneled cabin doors, and louvered or lattice-front locker fronts throughout. Cabin soles are varnished, laid teak and holly, with removable overhead panels bordered by laminated deck beams. Numerous opening port lights, deck hatches, cowl vents and a hull window provide very nice light and ventilation throughout. According to the listing broker, interior fabrics were tastefully redone several years ago and show like new, including memory foam mattresses for all berths.

The forward cabin has a large V-berth which converts to a double with a filler piece. There are numerous lockers, two bureaus with drawers and two hanging lockers. A large hatch, two opening port lights and a Dorade vent provide great ventilation. Further aft to starboard is a head with a private entrance that includes a sink with vanity, shower, teak grate and ample storage.  

The main salon features a full U-shaped settee to starboard, with a centerline settee that hinges up for easy engine access. An up/down teak dining table allows expansion of the settee to a double berth. A unique feature not found in any other LH 44’s is a large hull portlight (re-bedded 2024) which provides more light and visibility. To port is a settee, with a nav station forward and a pilot berth outboard.

The galley is aft to starboard, adjacent to the companionway. Features include a Grunert refrigerator and freezer with hold over plates, a Force 10 3-burner stove with oven and broiler, twin stainless-steel sinks, hot and cold pressure water, manual salt and fresh water, and galleyware.

The double guest cabin, aft and to port, has twin berths that can convert to a large double with a small filler piece. There is a double hanging locker, and numerous drawers and lockers. The aft head can be accessed privately from the cabin or from the main salon and includes a sink with vanity, shower and teak grate. 

The electronics and navigation equipment have been updated. The current array is as follows: 

• Garmin 4210 GPS/plotters with 10” screen at nav station and 8” screen at helm (2012)
• Garmin radar (2016) 
• Garmin sailing instruments with (4) repeaters in cockpit and (1) at helm (2016) 
• Garmin 200 VHF with wireless hand-held (2014) 
• Garmin AIS (2014) 
• Garmin Sat weather (2014) 
• Globalstar Sat phone (2016) 
• Raymarine ST 7002 autopilot 
• Stereo with speakers in salon and cockpit (2016) 
• Clock and barometer 

Redstart has a hand-laminated fiberglass hull and deck with Airex core sandwich construction, plus solid glass laminate in the area of centerline, engine bed, rudder post and thru-hull fittings. Internal lead ballast is encapsulated in the molded keel. Includes a NACA foil-shaped centerboard and balanced spade rudder. The centerboard configuration offers a minimum draft of 5’ with centerboard up and 10’2” with centerboard down. The topsides are Awlgrip custom blue with gold cove and double white boot stripes (all new, 2017), and red bottom (new, 2020). The bottom was soda-blasted with a new epoxy barrier coating in 2013. The decks are white with light gray non-skid (2013).

Asking: $219,000 (6/14/2024)
Where is Luma located? The yacht is currently lying in Marblehead, MA. 
Take the next step: Call or text the listing agent, Ted Hood , (401) 965-2727, Wellington Yacht Partners.

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It was a stunning, sensational, even quintessential December morning off Jost Van Dyke in the always alluring British Virgin Islands. Back home in New England, I’d just learned, the season’s first nasty nor’easter had kicked in—a preview of winter’s coming attractions. But there I was in shorts, and barefoot, warm and happy. I had a hot cup of coffee in my hand, and someone was thoughtfully streaming one of my favorite recording artists, Tom Petty, whose “A Higher Place” was the perfect soundtrack on the inviting forward trampoline of the Moorings catamaran. 

A good 15 to 25 knots of staunch, easterly trade winds—the so-called Christmas trades—were in full voice. With my hair whipping in the breeze, it occurred to me that it was an absolutely stellar day to reef down, strap up, and go for a cracking-good sail.  

But there would be no sailing for me on this day, or on any of the ensuing ones during our quick charter trip through the BVI. No, the twin-hulled vessel on which I was perched was­—gasp!— a Moorings 464PC power cat. 

Suddenly, I came to the sobering realization that, at least ­temporarily, I was likely in the midst of abandoning my very roots and selling my sailing soul. And I was having a decidedly difficult time coming to terms with it.

I’ve always fancied myself an all-around waterman. I got my scuba diving card decades ago, and I really enjoy open-ocean swimming. My current personal armada includes three kayaks, two surfboards, a good rowboat, and two sailboats: a daysailing Pearson Ensign and a full-fledged Pearson 365 cruising boat. Note what isn’t there, and never has been: a powerboat. Alas, I’ve spent my entire career advocating for and endorsing the sanctity of sail. 

Well, all that said, a guy has to make a buck. I’d been hired to host a pair of Moorings videos for the company’s two new power cats, the 464 and the 403PC. So, this was a press junket of sorts, giving me an opportunity to become familiar with the boats. It doesn’t mean I wasn’t a little unsettled by the experience. Then again, I was in the BVI. It was time to buck up, old boy, and get on with it. 

Virgin Gorda is a pretty good place to do just that. After we dropped the mooring in Jost and made our way up the windswept, whitecapped Sir Francis Drake Channel, I had my first revelation regarding my current situation: No, we weren’t sailing. But neither were any of the sailboats darting hither and yon, all of which were proceeding under power, just like us. It was too darn breezy. 

We tied up at the Bitter End Yacht Club, and it was truly great to see the iconic island destination slowly coming back to life after getting flattened a few years back by Hurricane Irma. The highlight of our overnight stay was the next morning’s sweaty hike up the hill behind the resort, followed by a refreshing dip and a couple of eye-opening bloody marys at the convenient bar right alongside the beach. My trepidation about my situation was slowly beginning to wane. As it did on the next leg of our journey. 

Thanks to a tip from a local, we exited Virgin Gorda through an extremely narrow, very shallow cut between Anguilla Point and Mosquito Island, something we never would’ve gotten away with on a keelboat. Advantage, power cat. From there, we were bound for one of my favorite islands in all of the Caribbean: low-lying Anegada, the outlying isle encircled by coral reefs some 10 miles north of Virgin Gorda. I’d not visited the place in my previous pair of trips to the BVI simply because of a time crunch. You really need to invest three days for an Anegada visit—a day over, a day there and a day back—which is often a bridge too far when trying to cram all sorts of activities into a weeklong sailboat charter.

You know where I’m going with this. The power catamaran solved this dilemma posthaste. With the throttles down at 3,100 rpm, we flew to Anegada at a tidy 16-plus knots. Once there, our photographer proclaimed that he was enjoying our steed for a reason that never would’ve occurred to me: It’s much easier to catch a drone without a mast.

Our quick trip over meant we had plenty of time to do all the things one wishes to do in Anegada. Rent a car. Hit Loblolly Beach for a snorkel and lunch. Search for the pink flamingos. Patronize a couple of beach bars. Your basic perfect day. 

Back on the boat, hanging off the mooring lines after yet another wonderful swim, I could glance back with a view through the twin hulls to catch the sunset framed between them. Pretty cool. And once darkness settled in, the underwater lights off our transom proved to be a tarpon magnet. We sipped our drinks with the super-cool water-world show just a few tantalizing feet away. We’d basically brought our own aquarium with us. 

With our abbreviated trip coming to its conclusion, we had one more stop, at the Bight on Norman Island. Ironically, by this time, the breeze had temporarily frittered away, and guess what? In these calm conditions, the sailboats still weren’t sailing. 

The harbor was chock-full of vacationing mariners, but thanks to our big twin diesels, we were there in time to pick up one of the last moorings. I’m not always the sharpest tool in the shed, but I was beginning to see the advantages of this power-cat situation. If anyone ever asked my advice about a BVI charter for a first-timer, here’s what I’d say: If you’re a sailor, unequivocally, you must book a good sailboat for your adventure. There’s too much nautical history and lore not to sample the archipelago’s joys and challenges as the first explorers did, under glorious sail. But if you’re on your second or third or fourth visit? Hmm. Those power cats are pretty convenient.

Still, I was seriously conflicted about writing a magazine story espousing the benefits of power cruising. Our photographer was sympathetic and said, “You could title it ‘Low Sodium: The Retractions of a Salty Man.’” Even for me, that sounded pretty pretentious. Then he broke it down into something simpler to understand: “Look, man, you were afloat.”

And that struck a chord. His simple statement has really been the common denominator of my entire existence. I’ve always been an equal-opportunity lover of the water, whatever the conveyance, from my own eclectic fleet to a bloody pool toy. Whatever gets you out there, gets you out there. There’s no wrong way to do it. 

And that was that. I had reached the happy and consolable conclusion that I hadn’t really been power-cat cruising, not at all. No, mon, as they say in the islands. I’d been floating.

Herb McCormick is a CW editor-at-large.

Power-Cat Ownership The Moorings’ Way

As of this writing, The Moorings has a pair of power catamarans available in its yacht-management program at Tortola. Both were built in South Africa by Robertson & Caine, which also produces the Leopard line of sail and power cats. The Moorings 403PC is powered by a pair of 320 hp Yanmar diesels and has a cruising speed of 15 knots. The Moorings 464 is also powered with a pair of twin Yanmars and is laid out in a four-head, four-stateroom configuration.

Franck Bauguil, Moorings’ vice president of yacht ownership and product development, says that it’s a great program for mariners who charter multiple times each year. “If you’re going to go only once a year, or every other year, just charter a boat, don’t buy it,” he says. However, if you go three or four times a year, on trips that can cost up to $25,000 apiece, the Moorings package is well worth considering.

“The program has been around for a long time,” he says. “So it’s well-known among sailors, but not as much with powerboaters. Our fleet of boats is all privately owned, but we take care of operations and management. You buy the boat, you own it and name it; it’s very much a regular purchase. But with that purchase comes a management agreement where we maintain the boat on behalf of the owner and charter it to a third party when they’re not using it.”

As with any boat purchase, owners can lay down the cash or go the finance route. For the latter, what’s the cost? The numbers as of this past fall showed that most owners put down 20 to 25 percent of the cost of the yacht, which, in the case of The Moorings’ 403PC, was about $1 million, with a down payment just shy of $200,000. At 8.25 percent interest on a 20-year loan, the monthly payment of about $6,700 was offset by the guaranteed income of just under $7,500 per month. Management contracts generally run five or six years, after which the owner can keep the boat, trade it in, or have The Moorings’ brokerage operation place it for sale.

For personal usage, owners receive 84 points per year, with the cost of trips equating to two points per day. Of those 84 points, 42 can be used to reserve trips in advance, and 42 can be employed on short notice. Generally, this breaks down to four to six weeks per year of in-season trips, or up to 12 weeks per year of cruising in the off-season. —HM

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According to Kurt Jerman, head of West Coast Multihulls, the questions come hard and fast at a boat show anytime a ­lifelong monohuller is ­considering a move to the multihull side. 

• Is multihull cruising really all that different from the monohull experience? 
• In what ways? 
• What are the key differences between catamarans and trimarans? 
• Could a multihull flip over? Then what? 

With the great debate between monohulls and multihulls having drawn on for decades, we sat down with Jerman to get some honest ­answers to questions he ­typically fields from the “cat curious” crowd.    

CW: You often hear about the comfort factor of the multihull platform. What’s the root of that appeal?  

KJ: The most noticeable thing about sailing a catamaran or trimaran versus a traditional monohull is the lack of heeling. Even when powered up, a cat or tri will rarely heel more than 5 to 10 degrees before it’s time to reef. Gone are the days of bracing yourself in the cockpit and living your life underway at 20 or more degrees of angle. In my opinion, it’s a much more relaxing and convenient way to sail. No question about that. There are a few exceptions when it comes to the newer breed of large performance cruising cats (which can heel 10-plus degrees), but these are still fairly fresh to the cruising market.  

What can multihull owners expect in terms of speed and sailing performance?

Cruising catamarans will typically be 25 percent to 30 percent faster than a cruising monohull of the same length. You basically reach near-­racing monohull speeds, but with all the creature comforts that come with a cat. Trimarans are an entirely different deal because they trend more toward the performance end of the spectrum, and can regularly double the sailing speed of monohulls on nearly any point of sail.

Keep in mind that catamarans and trimarans are, however, much more sensitive to loading. Performance will suffer more on a cat that is loaded for cruising than on a comparable monohull. Keeping the boat light can be difficult, but it is critical if fast passages are your goal. Reefing also becomes more important. 

Sailing catamarans and, to a lesser extent, trimarans too, require vigilance when it comes to reefing. Because they don’t heel much, almost all additional wind force is converted to load on the rig. That’s where the speed comes from. But since the pressure on the sails quadruples as the windspeed doubles, crews must keep an eye on the weather and make sure to reef in good time to keep the boat safe and sailing flat. In fact, a properly reefed cat or tri will sail faster too, in freshening breezes. All manufacturers supply written guidelines denoting apparent-wind speeds that require additional reefing.  

What about safety? And are multihulls really unsinkable, or is that a myth? 

There are many aspects to safety where catamarans and trimarans shine. Often overlooked is the safety margin introduced with level sailing. It is much easier to keep crew aboard in rough weather when the boat stays level and is pitching less. Also, large cockpit spaces keep crew better protected and situated well away from the lifelines. 

The speed of a multihull is another safety factor. With decent weather information, it’s relatively easy to sail around severe weather systems before they can bear down on you. Should something go horribly awry and the boat gets flipped—which is highly rare and requires extreme circumstances—the lack of ballast and additional positive flotation means that nearly every catamaran and trimaran produced in the past few decades will remain on the surface of the water, right side up or not, until a rescue can be made. Nearly all cruising cats and tris have a substantial amount of reserve buoyancy, in the form of closed-cell foam, stashed in the nooks and crannies of the boat. Because of this, most of these boats could literally be cut into pieces, and all of those pieces would still float. 

How do multihulls handle under power and in close quarters?  

Cruising catamarans and trimarans, with their easily driven hull forms and light weight, enjoy excellent fuel efficiency when compared with monohulls, and track very straight. Cats almost always have twin engines, set many feet apart, which allows for tremendous control in tight situations. In fact, the boat can be spun in place or crabbed sideways without any way on. Try that on a monohull. 

Prop walk is minimal or nonexistent as well, and the redundancy of a second engine is appreciated should a mechanical issue arise ­underway. Nearly all trimarans have just one engine, so the differences there are slight.  

How much gain can boaters expect in usable living space?  

Typically, a catamaran will have the volume below equivalent to a monohull 10-plus feet larger. When combined with added cockpit space, possibly a flybridge, and more than doubling the deck space, it becomes a whole different ballgame. It’s important to note that you not only gain a tremendous amount of space, but nearly all of that space is very livable and comfortable as well, whether at anchor or underway. 

However, trimarans don’t show an increase in interior volume, and in fact tend to be smaller below than monohulls of the same size. This is mitigated some by the additional stowage in the amas and added net space, but the narrower, performance-oriented main hull tends to be less than palatial. 

How can multihulls get away with such shallow drafts? 

Because a multihull’s stability comes from the beam and extra hulls—form stability—there is no need for ballast or a substantial keel. This reduces overall weight and, importantly, draft as well. It is common for a 40-plus-foot cruising cat to have a draft less than 4 feet, allowing sailors to explore shallow areas where monohullers fear to tread. Belize, the Bahamas, the Great Barrier Reef? No problem. Gunkholing around Mexico and the Chesapeake is easier too. 

If you have some quick underwater maintenance to do, such as replacing prop-shaft seals, zincs or a through-hull, most cats can be dried out at low tide on a flat area of sand or solid ground, resting happily on their stubby little keels. You can also nose right up to that perfect beach if the weather allows. 

Trimarans typically have no keels at all, and instead rely on a centerboard to prevent leeway, making them perfect for beaching. Boom-tent camping, anyone?

What if it flips?  

While a scenario like this is theoretically possible and has happened in very rare, heavy-weather situations when any vessel would be in distress, it takes very high winds, too much sail (see reefing, above), and large breaking waves to flip a modern cruising cat or trimaran.

Multihull sailors might find it reassuring to know that their cat or tri will remain on the surface, as a big life raft and highly visible spotting target.

The post The Case for Multihulls appeared first on Cruising World.

Nautor Swan has launched the ClubSwan 28—the Finnish shipyard’s smallest-ever design. It’s a One Design racer from Juan Kouyoumdjian in Valencia, Spain, that’s intended to be sailed with four or five crew.

The builder’s relationship with Kouyoumdjian’s naval architecture firm goes back a number of years. His team also had a hand in creating ClubSwan 80, 125 and 36 beginning in 2020. Kouyoumdjian is known for high-performance sailing boats with other builders as well, with designs that have won the Volvo Ocean Race, Olympic gold medals and more.

Know-how from those boats is packed into this smaller offering from Nautor Swan. With a carbon mast and no backstay, the ClubSwan 28 is designed to perform in varied conditions, particularly medium and light winds. Nautor Swan says the boat has been tailored for sailors who want close, high-performance racing in a user-friendly package. The boat can be considered an entry-level racer, according to the builder.

The deck layout is all about safety and efficiency, with a clean cockpit, a full kite-retrieve system and a sliding hatch on the bow to enhance ease of operation during races.

A lifting keel makes the ClubSwan 28 easy to trailer.  Nautor Swan says the boat can be rigged within hours. Its sail plan—comprising a mainsail, jib, AP kite and reaching kite—is organized to allow for power and versatility on the water.

The rig has a single movement allowing adjustment through a straightforward hydraulic system. Mast bend and headstay tension are synchronized without the need for a backstay, thanks to the shroud configuration.

“Our goal was to create a vessel that prioritizes manageability and ease of sailing over pushing the boundaries of absolute performance,” Federico Michetti, head of sports activities and product manager, stated in a press release.

The ClubSwan 28 adds to an impressive legacy for Nautor Swan, which was founded in 1966 and has since built more than 2,350 yachts from 36 to 131 feet length overall. The company is based in Pietarsaari, Finland, with four hubs in the Mediterranean and 18 service points. Nautor Swan has four lines: ClubSwan Yachts, Swan Yachts, Swan Maxi Yachts and the motoryacht division, with Swan Shadow, Swan Overshadow and the recently announced Swan Arrow.

When will the ClubSwan 28 make its debut? In September at the Rolex Swan Cup. After that, in October, it will appear as part of the ClubSwan Invitational Sardinia Challenge.

Where to learn more: go to www.nautorswan.com.

The post Sailboat Preview: ClubSwan 28 by Nautor Swan appeared first on Cruising World.

Several months after visiting the Vision 444 at the Annapolis Boat Show with my colleagues on the Boat of the Year judging team, three things still stick out when I think about this South African-built entry that we named Best Cruising Catamaran Under 50 Feet.

First, unlike any other production ­catamaran that I can think of, the Vision has a full-size, forward-facing navigation desk to starboard, just inside the sliding glass door that separates the cockpit and salon. The desk is a few steps removed from the raised helm station in the cockpit, and about the same distance from the owner’s stateroom below it in the after portion of the starboard hull. In other words, it’s immediately accessible from both key locations. At the desk, the skipper is surrounded by instruments and electrical switches to control the boat’s systems, and there is a clear view forward for being inside to stand watch, work out waypoints or update the log.

Second is the workshop, which has a workbench, vice, shelves, and bins for tools and gear. It’s located in the forepeak of the starboard hull, forward of the owner’s head and shower. After seeing it, all I could think was, What cruising sailor wouldn’t want one of these?

And third: The Vision is a cat that can sail. Jubilee, Hull No. 8, was picked up at the Vision yard in Knysna by her owner, David Stein, in 2022. With a hired captain aboard to help him learn about the boat, he and his daughter set out on a shakedown cruise to Mozambique before returning to South Africa. From there, Jubilee set sail for Grenada, via Saint Helena, and averaged 7.6 knots during the crossing. By the time they arrived in the Caribbean, Stein was ready to take charge. His need for hired hands was over.

In Annapolis, with some 14,000 miles under the keels, Stein was still excited to talk about his boat, and after the show, he was more than eager to take us sailing. Out on Chesapeake Bay, I found it enlightening to watch him at work getting Jubilee underway, since one of the criteria we use when judging a sailboat is how well it measures up to its design brief. In the case of the Vision 444, the boat is intended to be an efficient, safe liveaboard boat for a cruising couple or otherwise shorthanded crew.  

To raise the main, Stein set the autopilot to head-to-wind, which freed his hands to attend to the halyard, reef lines and whatnot. For upwind sailing, the Vision has a self-tacking jib, which means coming about is as easy as turning the wheel. Stein says that in apparent wind of 16 knots or better, the boat can hold a course with an apparent-wind angle in the high 30s, which is respectfully close-winded for a roomy cat with short, fixed keels rather than daggerboards.

His go-to sail when singlehanding or on passage when varying conditions are expected is a code 55 (he carries a larger code 65 as well) that can be easily furled. Conditions for our sea trial were fairly light, around 12 knots, so after a couple of tacks, we quickly furled up the small jib and rolled out the smaller of the two reaching sails because that was the one already mounted on the continuous-line furler. Cracked off slightly to a close reach, we jogged along at 7 to 8 knots.

And of course, we encouraged Stein to set his asymmetric spinnaker, just to see how it would go. With that sail up, we managed to gain another knot or so.

Vision builds just the one model. Hulls, deck and furniture are all foam-cored and infused with vinylester resin. Furniture is tabbed and bonded in place, becoming part of the structure of the boat. 

Stein says that each hull so far is a little different, thanks to owner input and advances in technology. Hull No. 1, for instance, was built for a mobility-impaired owner, and doors were cut into the cockpit coamings to add accessibility from the dock or a tender. The idea proved useful and was incorporated into the design of subsequent models. 

Another neat feature on the Vision is having washboards that can be fitted across the stern of each hull to prevent following seas from washing aboard over the sugar-scoop transoms. A third washboard can be placed across the door to the salon.

All Visions come with a 24-volt lithium battery bank. On Jubilee, the bank is recharged by alternators of the same voltage mounted on two 40 hp Yanmar diesels, as well as by power from six 370-watt solar panels. Stein says that the boat’s original alternators were early models and installed just as 24-volt systems were becoming popular. They stopped working in December 2022, around the time he reached the Caribbean. It took three months to get replacements, but he and his guests had plenty of electricity without them, even with an electric induction cooktop (there is a propane stove too), espresso machine, countertop electric toaster ovens (Stein passed on a built-in oven in order to gain stowage), air conditioning, and a full suite of electronics. 

More-recent Visions are fitted out with 38-Nanni diesels (simple engines that are easy to work on) and eight solar panels, providing even more power, he says.

The interior layout of the Vision is straightforward enough, but even so, there are noteworthy elements. The owner has the starboard hull. Guests get the port hull, with an athwartships berth forward, and a head and shower in the forepeak. Another stateroom is aft, with a second head and shower. 

Amidships in both hulls, there are outboard lockers where wiring, hoses, through-hulls, and machinery are all neatly labeled and easy to reach. Engine access is well thought out too. On most cats, engine rooms are accessed through hatches in the cockpit sole, where they’re exposed to the elements. On the Vision, the aft berths in each hull lift up, and the engines are right there, with plenty of room to work on them without worrying about what’s happening outside. Adequate soundproofing keeps the staterooms ­relatively quiet underway when motoring.

Topsides, large cabin windows let in lots of light and provide good all-round visibility. The center two forward windows have hatches that open for ventilation. The L-shaped galley to port has deep double sinks and plenty of stowage. A dining table is forward to port, and can be lowered to make a berth that would be a handy place for off-watch crew to rest while on passage.

Gear throughout the boat was top-notch and included North Sails, B&G electronics, four electric Harken winches, a fridge, and two freezers.

During most of our Boat of the Year inspections, the judging team has to wonder how a boat will hold up with a few thousand miles under its keel, and how its systems and layout will work when owners find themselves out there on some dark, stormy evening. Not so with the Vision. Jubilee and Stein have been out there and done that, and both looked just fine. 

Mark Pillsbury is a CW editor-at-large and was a 2024 Boat of the Year judge.

One Sailor’s Jubilee

On my first visit to David Stein’s Vision 444 catamaran at the dock during the Annapolis Boat Show this past fall, I got a kick out of a graphic on the bow with the boat’s name, Jubilee. Below it was a circle around the whimsical drawing of a bear playing some sort of crooked horn. Later, when we were out on Chesapeake Bay and sailing the boat, we hoisted the spinnaker and hauled up the snuffer, and saw the same quirky image, this time in white on the black asymmetric chute.

I had to ask the owner, “What’s up with the bear?”

Turns out, it’s a pretty good story.

Stein hails from western New York, where he had an ­insurance brokerage firm. Before buying the Vision, he’d done most of his sailing on smaller race boats, but in 2008, he took his family on their first charter vacation, aboard a 38-foot Beneteau in the Grenadines. And with that, he was hooked.

“As soon as I got home from that trip, I started building a spreadsheet on how, when my son graduated from high school, I’d be able to do this,” he said. He put down a deposit on the Vision in 2020 and took delivery of Jubilee in July 2022 at the builder’s yard in Knysna, South Africa.

Stein is a self-confessed (Grateful) Deadhead, and one day, he was listening to one of his favorite songs, “Sugaree.” Jerry Garcia sings, “Shake it up now, Sugaree/I’ll meet you at the jubilee/And if that jubilee don’t come/Baby, I’ll meet you on the run.”

Stein said he always thought a jubilee was a party, but then when he did a little research, he discovered that the word has an older biblical meaning: a person’s jubilee year, when you turn 50 or 51. At that age, if for some reason you had to lease your family land because of financial difficulties, you got your property back, or if you’d sold yourself into indentured servitude, you got your freedom.

“You were supposed to spend the entirety of your jubilee year not working, and getting good with God and the universe,” Stein said. “Therefore, I’ve got a Grateful Dead bear trumpeting a kudu shofar, which you’re supposed to do apparently to signal to everybody that you’re starting your year. My jubilee year is apparently several years long, but who’s counting?”

Stein retold the story when I spoke with him by phone in April. He was sitting aboard Jubilee at the dock at the Antigua Yacht Club, where he was tied up to repair the seawater pump on his watermaker. 

After Annapolis, his plan had been to sail south with the Salty Dog Rally, but instead, he took a left and headed for the Bahamas. He spent the holidays in the northern Eleuthera area with his wife and kids, and his parents came to sail with him in the Abacos.

From there, he headed south to St. Thomas. It was a five-day windward trip, but he and his crew endured the ordeal by catching four big tuna, four mahimahi and three marlin. They had so much fish, they had to pitch frozen pizza overboard to make room for it.

For passages, Stein brings friends aboard, and finds mates from the Vision owners group, which now numbers about 40 ­current and future owners. Around half have placed an order for a boat, and they’re eager to spend time aboard Jubilee while they wait for theirs.

After exploring the US and British Virgin Islands, Stein said, they had a perfect overnight sail to St. Maarten, where he caught the Heineken Regatta and the St. Barts Bucket regatta. 

Stein’s daughter will be joining him soon in Antigua to start the journey back north, where he plans to put the boat on the hard for the summer in Virginia. 

 “I feel like every day I’m doing stuff that’s physically and mentally engaging, so I haven’t gotten bored yet,” he said. “That absolutely hasn’t happened.”

The post Sailboat Review: Vision 444 appeared first on Cruising World.

Stories about being becalmed are legendary in literature of the sea. Wars have been lost because flotillas of warships were unable to advance.  

For modern-day sailors, a lack of wind is usually only frustrating. Schedules are ruined, the engine is used more than it should be, and morale sinks when sails flap. Recently, during a 37-mile passage on Chesapeake Bay, we were about halfway to our destination when the wind died—and then my electric motor came to a stop after 30 minutes. The only option was to keep sailing. The next six hours required patience, not only for me, but also for my two new-to-sailing crew, who feared the prospect of drifting at night.

Drawing on many years of racing in very light or nonexistent wind, I approached our situation methodically. The first step is to adjust your attitude and accept the fact that it is going to be slow-going. 

I set short-term milestones. For example, I asked one crew to set his stopwatch to see if we could reach a channel buoy in 30 minutes. Happily, we arrived at the targeted mark with two minutes to spare. Progress. I repeated the pattern by setting new goals, and everyone was happy as we made each target. 

In light wind, sails need to be adjusted by easing everything out to create more shape in the sail. I eased the outhaul a generous amount, let up the downhaul, and slacked the halyard a few inches. I adjusted the headsail halyard so that the luff had some slack. (It is OK to have wrinkles in the sails.) I also eased off the backstay to allow the headstay to sag about 6 inches. The idea is to create draft, or curvature, in the sails.  

To help keep the sails set properly, heel the boat over by asking the crew to sit on the leeward side. The sails keep their shape better when ­heeling to leeward. This ­strategy also helps to keep the crew sitting in the widest part of the boat. Pushing down either the bow or the stern slows the boat.  

A helpful test is to sail with an angle of heel that allows you to let go of the tiller or wheel. If the boat is balanced, it will sail itself. If the boat heels too far to leeward, then you will create windward helm where the boat wants to round up toward the wind. Conversely, if you heel to windward, the boat will create leeward helm and will bear away from the wind. If you hear water slatting under the transom, then your weight is likely too far aft. The goal is to keep crew weight centered to reduce the wetted surface of the hull, thereby reducing friction.

Steer as little as possible. Every time you move the rudder, you slow the boat. And sit in a comfortable position so that you can see the wind on the water and the approaching waves. I ask my crew to hold the boom in waves to keep the sail from flopping around. This helps maintain a boat’s momentum.  

If there are other boats in your vicinity, try to sail faster than they do. Experiment by changing course, adjusting your sails, or moving your crew to heel more. Make one adjustment at a time, to tell what works and what doesn’t. I find weight on the bow to be particularly slow. Small adjustments can make a big difference. 

When sailing to windward, sail a slightly low course to almost a close reach, to get the boat moving. Once you have some speed, you can sail a higher course. 

If you are sailing on a ­downwind course, reach up to create apparent wind in your sails. Once a boat starts moving, it creates its own (apparent) wind, and speed increases. 

To help build momentum and steer straight, head toward an object on land or an anchored vessel. References on land and a compass are useful tools. 

Stand up in your boat to study the wind patterns on the water. If you see a dark patch, this indicates more wind. You can feel the slightest zephyr on your neck or the back of your hand. Look around at other boats to see if any have some wind and are moving. Steer for a set of clouds—often, there is wind under a cloud. 

Avoid maneuvering when the boat is stopped. The best moment to tack or jibe is when the boat is sailing at full speed and you are in a relatively strong puff of wind. And turn the boat slowly. The faster you turn a boat, the slower it’ll go.  

Keep everyone comfortable, and try to protect the crew from the sun. Dehydration saps energy. Make sure everyone is drinking water, is wearing a hat and sunglasses, and has applied sunscreen. Periodically ask crew to switch jobs or positions. Ask each person to tell a story. I’m always amazed by the stories people share when they are on the water. One leads to the next, helping time to pass and spirits to improve.

During our sail to my dock in Annapolis, Maryland, we were able to make 16 miles in five hours. The final mile seemed to be the slowest. We tied up the boat just as the late-afternoon sun dipped the horizon.  

We all slept well that night. And I bought a new engine the following week.

The post When the Wind Goes Light appeared first on Cruising World.

Details are starting to come out about the Lagoon 43, which is scheduled to make its debut in September at the Cannes Yachting Festival.

This boat has naval architecture by VPLP Design, exteriors by Patrick le Quement, and interiors by Nauta Design. It’s a team that has produced a winning combination of elements on other models in the past.

The Lagoon 43 is the third-smallest model in Lagoon’s lineup, intended for cruising couples or young families. Owners can order the Lagoon 43 in a three- or four-stateroom version that’s outfitted with between six and 13 berths—and the staterooms are larger than on previous models, meaning there’s room for families to grow or to welcome friends on board.

In the three-stateroom version, the entire starboard hull is an owners’ suite. In the four-stateroom version, that hull is split into two en suite staterooms. Either way, the owners’ berth is forward, in a location that’s undisturbed by engine noise for a good night’s rest.

Another new element on this model is redesigned access via an extra aft entryway for each hull. The idea is to make it easier for people moving between the boat and the dock.

The dining space can seat 12 people, making dinner parties on the hook a comfortable experience with a great view of the surroundings.

What are the key specs on the Lagoon 43? Length overall is 45 feet, 6 inches; beam is 25 feet, 2 inches; and draft is 4 feet, 5 inches.

Where to learn more: head over to www.catamarans-lagoon.com.

The post Sailboat Preview: Lagoon 43 appeared first on Cruising World.

You may have heard the saying: Life is like ice cream. Eat it before it melts. 

My husband, Jeff, and I fully embrace this idea for living life to its fullest. We spend most of every year living aboard and cruising our Westsail 42, Outrider, based in San Carlos, Mexico. 

We’re also fans of actual ice cream, but that part of living the good life was elusive on Outrider until recently. Limited freezer capacity meant that, when cravings struck, we were forced to go ashore for a fix. Storing a half-gallon of ice cream on the boat was just not possible.

Not long ago, I was aboard Outrider doing chores when, weary and warm, I craved ice cream. I wasn’t in the mood to go ashore to get it, so instead, I decided to try making it. I knew it was doable; my mother always made her own without much fanfare. Unfortunately, I’d never learned how. All I could remember about her recipe was one ingredient: condensed milk. 

An online search for that ­ingredient netted several recipes. I chose the least-­complicated one. It looked quick and easy. Eventually, I did go ashore—to the supermarket for ingredients—and, back aboard Outrider, I ­dutifully followed the recipe.

“Pour whipping cream into a bowl and beat until it forms a peak,” it instructed. I have only a hand whisk on board. Thirty minutes of increasingly frenetic agitating later, the cream hadn’t whipped into anything resembling a peak. It was as flat as a prairie. Frustrated but determined, I followed the remaining instructions, fearing that this whole exercise was turning into an epic fail. 

With nothing to lose, I poured the mixture into a quart-size freezer container and made space in the freezer. Six hours later, it was ready. The recipe said to eat it within two weeks. Were they kidding? We polished off half of it that night. It was good.

Despite my love of ice cream, I knew I wouldn’t repeat that time-consuming drill every time we craved it, which was often. Fresh whipping cream as an ingredient was also a minus; it’s not a priority when it comes to fridge stowage, and its shelf life is short. 

Perusing local grocery store shelves, I spied an old favorite: Nestle Media Crema—canned table cream. I knew that it was a thick cream, so I decided to give it a try. I grabbed two cans, plus a bottle of vanilla extract and a can of sweetened condensed milk. 

Back on board, I ditched the whipping process and instead whisked the cream for two to three minutes, then added the condensed milk and vanilla extract, and whisked briefly again. I poured the mixture into my container, stuck it in the freezer, and crossed my fingers. 

Wondrously, this ice cream was far superior to the first batch. It was delicious and creamy, sweet and smooth. It was perfect. 

A few weeks later, we set sail before sunrise for a crossing of the Sea of Cortez, bound for Playa Santispac in Bahia Concepcion on the Baja peninsula. About 15 miles out, just as we encountered a line of shrimp boats dragging nets, alarms began sounding. The autopilot flashed a communications error, and the depth sounder stopped working. There was an odd ticking sound coming from somewhere. We swung back toward the marina to sort things out. 

To ease our disappointment, I whipped up a batch of ice cream while we sailed. Safely back in our slip, we relaxed and savored bowls of vanilla perfection, our troubles fading with every delicious spoonful. 

Homemade ice cream on board anytime, anywhere. If that isn’t living the good life, what is? Just remember to eat it before it melts.

Super-Easy Ice Cream (Yields: About 1 quart or 10 scoops)

• 2 7.6-oz. cans Nestle Table Cream*
• 1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• 1½ Tbsp. vanilla extract or other flavoring
• 1 cup strawberries, halved, or other berries (optional)
• Chocolate or other syrup for topping (optional)

* Also sold as Nestle Media Crema. Consistency of other brands may vary.

Pour canned cream into a large bowl. Whisk by hand for 2 to 3 minutes. Add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. Whisk another 2 minutes, or until smooth. 

Pour mixture into 1-quart freezer container, or divide among smaller containers, and cover with lids. Place in the freezer for at least 6 hours, or overnight. 

Top with syrup and fresh berries, if ­available and desired.

Cook’s Notes: For fruity ice cream, blend and strain 1 cup berries, then add to ice cream mix before freezing. Or cook berries on stovetop with 1 teaspoon water and ¼ cup sugar for roughly 15 minutes. Strain, cool, and ­drizzle on top of the mix to form swirls. 

Prep time: 20 minutes, plus freezing time
Difficulty: Easy
Can be made: At anchor or underway

The post Sailor & Galley: Ice Cream, Anytime appeared first on Cruising World.