‘Once, we were going around Portland Bill in a blow and we hit a wave – the boat stopped and I carried on going. I flew 4ft through the air…
Yacht reviews
X-Yachts Xc47 review: A whole new concept
Rarely do boatbuilders start with a genuinely blank sheet of paper. The time and capital required to develop an all new boat make it a serious commitment, and the stakes…
MG Spring 25 used boat review: Does this TV star from the 80s still perform today?
Most of us can admit to having recently trawled through yacht ads on the internet. If my own experience is anything to go by, we do this out of interest…
Saare 41.2 review: ‘One of the best cruisers you will ever sail’
You could be forgiven for not having heard of Saare Yachts. After all, they only build half a dozen or so yachts a year, in just three sizes – 38ft,…
Broadblue 346 review: A cat with nine lives (well two actually)
Sometimes, if you stick around for long enough, you will see things that appear and then disappear before reappearing some years later. It happens in all areas of life, including…
Swan 38 used boat review: A stunning reputation for a reason
The Swan 38 os the sort of boat that has such a reputation you can feel almost daunted by the prospect of sailing one, let alone writing about it. If…
Corsair 880 review: Fantastic, sporty, trailable trimaran
Some boat tests are more memorable than others. Sometimes it’s the boat, sometimes the weather and sometimes a combination of the two. When I tested the Corsair 880, it was…
Beneteau First 27.7 used boat review: Fast, fun, and still very capable
Now and again you come across a boat that occupies a very particular niche in the market. The Beneteau First 27.7 is undoubtedly such a boat. It’s hard to think…
Parker 275 used boat review: A small but lively performer
There’s no doubt about it, testing second-hand boats is a fun job. You get to meet all kinds of people and sail all kinds of boats which you normally might…
Beneteau First 44 review: Docile herbivore of a boat, or a meat-hungry carnivore?
Disney princesses may not be the first thing that come to mind when sailing in mid December, but as we stepped aboard, the boat’s stereo was belting out Elsa from…