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BOTY

X-Yachts Xp 38

Boat of the Year Nominee Photos by Walter Cooper Travel around Europe, and X-Yachts are a staple of all the major handicap races. There’s no denying that X-Yachts make fast, great sailing boats, and the Xp 38 continues the tradition, only better. Their updated crossovers now have robust carbon keel grids (instead of metal), and the hull shape of the Xp 38, said Greg Stewart, was very stiff, quick, and easily driven. From off the boat, it’s racy looking, with a low-profile cabin top, angu

Tofinou 8m

Boat of the Year Nominee Photos by Walter Cooper Imported from France, the Tofinou 8M, was a looker at the dock, thanks to the sharpness of its metallic paint and teak deck, but on the water, the judges quickly dismissed it because excessive friction in every control line, and a combative helm took the fun out of sailing it. “The thing was a workout,” said Tom Rich, explaining that the practice of hiding ropes by leading them under deck from the mast to the jammer banks in the cockpit i

Tartan Fantail

Boat of the Year Nominee Photos by Walter Cooper After inspecting the Tartan Fantail at the dock, and being impressed with its construction quality, the judges had high expectations. And when winds kicked into the high-teens, just in time for its test sail, they were especially eager to see what this radical-looking daysailer could do. As is often the case, however, strong winds quickly reveal a boat’s weakest points. “The rudder had a ton of helm,” said judge Greg Stewart, “and most of

Sparkman & Stephens 30

Best Daysailer Photos by Walter Cooper The ultimate daysailing experience is different for everyone. For some of us, it might just be an afternoon spin around the bay, or a twilight sail with the family or significant other. For the BOTY judges, however, the ultimate daysailing experience should include the ability to just keep going—to let a day turn into two or more. The Sparkman & Stephens 30 is just the boat for that. Olin Stephens never drew a bad boat, and this remake of his 1930s

SeaRail 19

Boat of the Year Nominee Photos by Walter Cooper The SeaRail 19 is a pint-sized trimaran imported from Vietnam, built by a former Corsair Trimaran employee with imput from noted multihull designer Nigel Irens. The test boat was delivered straight from U.S. Customs, so its U.S. distributor, Bob Gleason, a multihull veteran, was on the water sorting it out before its test time. As we approached Gleason, he looked concerned and suggested the boat not be tested. “The [leeward] float is reall

RS Venture

Best Recreational Dinghy Photos by Walter Cooper Pile in the kids, or the adults, because there’s plenty of room in the versatile little RS Venture, which is ideal for sailing programs and families alike. With this 16-footer, RS Sailboats, of the United Kingdom, offers a $14,000 dinghy with excellent performance and handling, and construction quality that will live up to the demands of club-sailing programs (especially if you add the optional bumpers). RS’s experienced team of sailors a

Ker 40 by McConaghy Boats

Best Handicap Racer Photos by Walter Cooper The Ker 40 was designed strictly for IRC racing in overseas fleets (1.188), and in order to reduce the higher cost of a custom IRC build, McConaghy Boats offers the boat as a semi-custom option. The hull and deck are essentially fixed dimensions, but the interior and deck layout can be customized to suit the owner’s racing agenda, including options for wheel versus tiller, and winch pedestal or not. The judges sailed Catapult, built for East

Rondar K1

Boat of the Year Nominee Photos by Walter Cooper Rondar president Paul Young told our Boat of the Year judges that nearly 100 of these 15-foot singlehanded keelboats have been sold in England, with the typical buyer being middle-aged and preferring to “not end up in the drink every time they go sailing.” That’s a pretty specific ask for a narrow and lightweight (286-pound) dinghy, one that’s accomplished with a 137-pound bulb attached to a lifting keel. To keep it interesting, they desig

J/70: 2013 Boat of the Year

Photos by Walter Cooper Given the immedate success of the J/70, with hundreds of boats sold before the first was built, it was a foregone conclusion that the J/70 would end up among the judges’ favorites. With their latest sensation J/Boats has its first ramp-launchable sportboat and a polished set of class rules in place before the first big regatta (Quantum Key West) in January. The judges all agreed it delivered the excitement of a small sportboat, and the stiffness and handling of a big

Harbor 30

Boat of the Year Nominee Photos by Walter Cooper The Harbor 30, from California’s W.D. Schock, turned out to be a bit of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The model our judges sailed was somewhat of a “de-tuned” version, sans optional asymmetric spinnaker and other features one might add for beer can racing. It wasn’t quite finished at the factory, either, said the dealer, because it had to be rushed to the U.S. Sailboat Show, and the judges picked up on a few interior finish details that migh

Dufour 36 Performance

Best Crossover Photos by Walter Cooper For an owner seeking a sharp-looking raceboat to take off on for the weekend, the Dufour 36 Performance, selected as the Boat of the Year’s Best Crossover, has everything to make that a reality: The cockpit is set up for racing, and even with an aluminum rig package, the boat was lively and quick. The interior, and even some of the more subtle cruising details, are so well thought out that you quickly forget you’re sailing a dual-purpose boat. Ther

C&C 101

Boat of the Year Nominee Photos by Walter Cooper The C&C 101 is billed as a return to C&C’s racing roots, and for this they tapped young in-house designer Tom McNeill. Teased by dying winds and a shortened test sail, the judges sailed the boat on two separate days so as to give it a fair test. Short-tacking up the shoreline of the Naval Academy, the boat accelerated quickly out of the tacks, and was responsive on the helm to subtle course changes, characteristics the judges liked. The b

X-Yachts Xp 38

Boat of the Year Nominee Photos by Walter Cooper Travel around Europe, and X-Yachts are a staple of all the major handicap races. There’s no denying that X-Yachts make fast, great sailing boats, and the Xp 38 continues the tradition, only better. Their updated crossovers now have robust carbon keel grids (instead of metal), and the hull shape of the Xp 38, said Greg Stewart, was very stiff, quick, and easily driven. From off the boat, it’s racy looking, with a low-profile cabin top, angu

Tofinou 8m

Boat of the Year Nominee Photos by Walter Cooper Imported from France, the Tofinou 8M, was a looker at the dock, thanks to the sharpness of its metallic paint and teak deck, but on the water, the judges quickly dismissed it because excessive friction in every control line, and a combative helm took the fun out of sailing it. “The thing was a workout,” said Tom Rich, explaining that the practice of hiding ropes by leading them under deck from the mast to the jammer banks in the cockpit i

Tartan Fantail

Boat of the Year Nominee Photos by Walter Cooper After inspecting the Tartan Fantail at the dock, and being impressed with its construction quality, the judges had high expectations. And when winds kicked into the high-teens, just in time for its test sail, they were especially eager to see what this radical-looking daysailer could do. As is often the case, however, strong winds quickly reveal a boat’s weakest points. “The rudder had a ton of helm,” said judge Greg Stewart, “and most of

Sparkman & Stephens 30

Best Daysailer Photos by Walter Cooper The ultimate daysailing experience is different for everyone. For some of us, it might just be an afternoon spin around the bay, or a twilight sail with the family or significant other. For the BOTY judges, however, the ultimate daysailing experience should include the ability to just keep going—to let a day turn into two or more. The Sparkman & Stephens 30 is just the boat for that. Olin Stephens never drew a bad boat, and this remake of his 1930s

SeaRail 19

Boat of the Year Nominee Photos by Walter Cooper The SeaRail 19 is a pint-sized trimaran imported from Vietnam, built by a former Corsair Trimaran employee with imput from noted multihull designer Nigel Irens. The test boat was delivered straight from U.S. Customs, so its U.S. distributor, Bob Gleason, a multihull veteran, was on the water sorting it out before its test time. As we approached Gleason, he looked concerned and suggested the boat not be tested. “The [leeward] float is reall

RS Venture

Best Recreational Dinghy Photos by Walter Cooper Pile in the kids, or the adults, because there’s plenty of room in the versatile little RS Venture, which is ideal for sailing programs and families alike. With this 16-footer, RS Sailboats, of the United Kingdom, offers a $14,000 dinghy with excellent performance and handling, and construction quality that will live up to the demands of club-sailing programs (especially if you add the optional bumpers). RS’s experienced team of sailors a

Ker 40 by McConaghy Boats

Best Handicap Racer Photos by Walter Cooper The Ker 40 was designed strictly for IRC racing in overseas fleets (1.188), and in order to reduce the higher cost of a custom IRC build, McConaghy Boats offers the boat as a semi-custom option. The hull and deck are essentially fixed dimensions, but the interior and deck layout can be customized to suit the owner’s racing agenda, including options for wheel versus tiller, and winch pedestal or not. The judges sailed Catapult, built for East

Rondar K1

Boat of the Year Nominee Photos by Walter Cooper Rondar president Paul Young told our Boat of the Year judges that nearly 100 of these 15-foot singlehanded keelboats have been sold in England, with the typical buyer being middle-aged and preferring to “not end up in the drink every time they go sailing.” That’s a pretty specific ask for a narrow and lightweight (286-pound) dinghy, one that’s accomplished with a 137-pound bulb attached to a lifting keel. To keep it interesting, they desig

J/70: 2013 Boat of the Year

Photos by Walter Cooper Given the immedate success of the J/70, with hundreds of boats sold before the first was built, it was a foregone conclusion that the J/70 would end up among the judges’ favorites. With their latest sensation J/Boats has its first ramp-launchable sportboat and a polished set of class rules in place before the first big regatta (Quantum Key West) in January. The judges all agreed it delivered the excitement of a small sportboat, and the stiffness and handling of a big

Harbor 30

Boat of the Year Nominee Photos by Walter Cooper The Harbor 30, from California’s W.D. Schock, turned out to be a bit of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The model our judges sailed was somewhat of a “de-tuned” version, sans optional asymmetric spinnaker and other features one might add for beer can racing. It wasn’t quite finished at the factory, either, said the dealer, because it had to be rushed to the U.S. Sailboat Show, and the judges picked up on a few interior finish details that migh

Dufour 36 Performance

Best Crossover Photos by Walter Cooper For an owner seeking a sharp-looking raceboat to take off on for the weekend, the Dufour 36 Performance, selected as the Boat of the Year’s Best Crossover, has everything to make that a reality: The cockpit is set up for racing, and even with an aluminum rig package, the boat was lively and quick. The interior, and even some of the more subtle cruising details, are so well thought out that you quickly forget you’re sailing a dual-purpose boat. Ther

C&C 101

Boat of the Year Nominee Photos by Walter Cooper The C&C 101 is billed as a return to C&C’s racing roots, and for this they tapped young in-house designer Tom McNeill. Teased by dying winds and a shortened test sail, the judges sailed the boat on two separate days so as to give it a fair test. Short-tacking up the shoreline of the Naval Academy, the boat accelerated quickly out of the tacks, and was responsive on the helm to subtle course changes, characteristics the judges liked. The b

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