Not everyone knows that a "naiad" is a water nymph. Nor might all sailors know that Najad is a Swedish builder of top-shelf cruising boats. After sailing the recently-introduced Najad 380 in a pluperfect, 12-knot sou'wester off Jamestown, RI, we came away convinced that "Najad" is a name worth knowing.

Located on the island of Orust on the west coast of Sweden, the Najad boatyard anchors the small town of Henan—a quiet cove "with shipbuilding traditions that date back to the Vikings." Founded by Berndt Arvidson in 1971, and dedicated to "advanced design leading to innovation based on tradition," this company has launched some 1,800 boats since its beginnings. Grown now…