Cruiser

Jeanneau Prestige 50

By Capt. Bill Pike | Posted April 2009

Having sea trialed a fair share of European boats with highly styled but outrageously impractical steering stations, I was a little surprised at the savvy design and comfort of the Prestige 50’s...

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Sunseeker Manhattan 70

By Capt. Grant Rafter | Posted April 2009

The border between a boat you’re comfortable handling yourself and one that requires a captain is a delicate one. The Manhattan 70 sits right on the cusp, filling a gap between the Manhattan 60 and...

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Sea Ray 540 Sundancer

By Capt. Grant Rafter Photos by Jim R... | Posted March 2009

n the bigger scheme of things, 2005 doesn’t seem like very long ago. But four years in the pleasure-boating industry brings lots of change: an influx of European styling, upgraded electronics, and...

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Rebirth of a Classic

By Jeffrey O'Neil | Posted February 2009

Photography by BertramSome say don’t mess with a classic, but the folks at Bertram beg to differ. The Miami-based builder of the new 540 convertible has reinvented the classic 54 it launched in 1981...

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Sessa C46

By Capt. Grant Rafter | Posted January 2009

Design and practicality are often at odds. A feature may look pretty but that doesn't mean it will serve its purpose. The design team at Sessa, headed by Christian Grande, worked hard not to fall...

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The Hidden Tradition

By Capt. Grant Rafter | Posted January 2009

Although the builder True North has only been around since 1999, its parent company, Pearson Composites, has a heritage that stretches back 48 years. (Sailing enthusiasts will recognize it as the...

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Mochi 23M Hybrid

By Capt. Richard Thiel | Posted December 2008

Of all the boats I've ever tested, only a few were really new. That's not surprising. Boatbuilders are, after all, a cautious lot, and for many reasons—mostly financial—they're often unwilling to...

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Lazzara 92

By | Posted December 2008

Dick Lazzara loves pods—pod drives that is. As I crank his new 92-foot LSX into a high-bank turn at 31 knots, he looks at me, extracts his cigar from his mouth, and announces, "This is the future. I...

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Viking Sport Cruisers V78

By Capt. Grant Rafter | Posted December 2008

The partnership of New Jersey-based Viking Yachts with England's Princess Yachts has produced yet another express cruiser on the drafting board. The project, which is meant to fill the gap between...

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Ease of Use

By | Posted December 2008

Megayachts Carver 44The first thing you'll notice when you examine the photo of the new 44 Sojourn is that she's tall: 16'7'' feet from the waterline to the top of her aluminum radar arch, to be...

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Island Packet PY 41

By Capt. Bill Pike | Posted November 2008

Marine propulsion is undergoing a paradigm shift these days, mostly due to fuel costs and the need to address the problem with improved efficiencies. Diesel-hybrid systems, fuel-cells, injector...

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tiara-3900-open

By Capt. Grant Rafter Photos by Fores... | Posted November 2008

The mold for the 3900 sat on the far side of the plant, a rust-colored shell wrapped in a scaffold, and in it was Hull No. 3 with its balsa core already enshrined in AME 6000 vinylester resin. A few...

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Sea Ray 350 Sundancer

By Capt. Richard Thiel | Posted October 2008

When I learned that I was going to test the newest Sea Ray Sundancer, the 350, I wasn’t exactly ecstatic. Nothing against the boat, mind you. Sundancers are fine craft. But they can be...

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Pershing 64

By Alan Harper | Posted September 2008

The fuel berth in Palma, Mallorca, seemed unusually popular considering the recent rocketing price of oil. Sailboats drifted about, patiently awaiting their turn. Three or four motoryachts circled...

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Marquis 70 Tri-Deck

By Capt. Richard Thiel Photos by Jim R... | Posted September 2008

I'm not sure exactly when it was—maybe the summer of 2002—but I do remember the conversation as clearly as if it had happened yesterday. Bob Van Grunsven, president of Carver Yachts, was...

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Grand Banks 65 Aleutian

By Capt. Bill Pike | Posted August 2008

Not your average boat test. Not by a long shot. Way back in 2001, off the coast of California, I'd sea trialed a raised-pilothouse motoryacht that would set a new course for Grand Banks. Called the...

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Uniesse 65 Motoryacht

By Capt. Patrick S... | Posted August 2008

The flags stood at attention. I directed my eyes toward the horizon and gazed at the "buffalo" (big swells) running across the Gulf Stream. It was about this time that I began to appreciate the...

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Maritimo C60 Sports Cabriolet

By Capt. Bill Pike | Posted August 2008

The only other time I can remember getting myself into something that sounded this stark-raving mad was a dozen years ago. I'd just finished wringing out a high-performance screamer, and the...

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Hatteras 72

By George L. Petrie | Posted August 2008

During a boat test, it's always a pleasure to speak with the owners and to hear about the yacht from their point of view. When those opportunities arise, one of my main goals is to understand why the...

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Ferretti 592

By Capt. Grant Rafter | Posted August 2008

Italy is renowned for setting the high-water mark in style. From the right slacks to the right hair to the right yacht, it's all got to be impeccable. It was in this atmosphere that I approached the...

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Viking Sport Cruisers 63 Motor Yacht

By Capt. Patrick S... | Posted July 2008

Robert Moss really likes boats. He enjoys them so much that he's owned nine new ones since 2004. I met Moss because he kindly let me test his most recent addition, a Viking Sport Cruisers 63 Motor...

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Azimut 58 Flying Bridge

By Capt. Grant Rafter | Posted July 2008

Italy has hundreds of little museums, most with something worth looking at behind their engraved doors. Sometimes the art is inspiring, sometimes just surprising, but usually adding up to something...

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Cranchi Zaffiro 36

By Capt. Grant Rafter | Posted July 2008

Zaffiro is Italian for sapphire, a gem known for its strength; sapphire ranks 9 out of 10 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness (diamond is a 10). The jewel's strength owes much to its density—...

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Apreamare Maestro 65

By Capt. Grant Rafter | Posted June 2008

Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe defined the minimalist art movement of the mid-1900's with the oft-quoted statement "Less is more." Both the quote and the movement have been reworked in numerous...

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Symbol 75

By Capt. Patrick S...photos by Ellio... | Posted June 2008

Sometimes a boat is built around the engines. At least that was the case with the Symbol 75 Flushdeck Motoryacht I recently tested out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida's Bahia Mar marina. A little more...

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