Sailboat Reviews

This Sparkman & Stephens classic, built for a dozen years in fiberglass (and built to take it), has kept its value and a fervent following.

Hunter's newest midsize offering combines performance and the company's historic attention to comfort. It's faster on paper than comparable boats, and priced to sell.

The Catalina 250 is one of a group of relatively lightweight, shallow-draft trailerable cruising boats that appeared in the mid-1990s, utilizing water ballast to provide stability. These boats notably the C-250, the Hunter 26, and the MacGregor 26 all are of very modern design, are relatively inexpensive, and feature workmanship and materials of generally serviceable but by no means superior quality. Their sailing qualities and accommodation plans make them suitable for daysailing and casual overnighting, rather than for serious cruising.

The S2 9.2 is not a fast boat by contemporary standards. In most areas, the 9.2 carries a PHRF rating of 180 seconds per mile (six seconds slower for the shoal-keel), which is six seconds per mile slower than a Pearson 30 and 12 to 15 seconds slower than the popular Catalina 30 with a tall rig. In contrast, the 9.2's racing-oriented sister, the S2 9.1, a 30-footer, rates 50 seconds per mile faster.

Small, expensive, and proven salty enough to cross oceans, this hip-pocket cruiser is best suited to couples who want a getaway vehicle that's easy to sail and laid out correctly down below.

As my son and I eased my 30-ft. sloop up to the dock at our winter yard in Mamaroneck, NY, a gentleman came racing...

When Walker Bay 8 and 10 dinghies were still in production, they were unabashedly placed, by both manufacturer and ship's store, as items to...

Beneteau First 36.7 - She's quite nimble. She goes faster and points higher in light air than standard production cruising boats her size. As a racer she'll be competitive in a onedesign or handicap environment.

The Hunter 27 is the smallest boat in the Hunter line, which runs up to 43' in length. The Hunter 27 is a popular boat with first-time sailboat buyers, and with small-boat sailors purchasing their first auxiliary cruising boat. Since the boat was introduced in 1975, thousands have been built. Judging from the response of Hunter owners we've talked to, all Hunters, including the 27, are purchased for one reason: price. The Hunter 27 is just about the cheapest diesel-powered 27' cruising boat money can buy.

Mirage Yachts Limited was a Canadian boat builder located in Quebec. The first production boat was a Mirage 24 introduced in 1972, their first...