Sailboats 21-30ft

As with all of Lyle Hess designs, the Balboa 26 statistics reveal the underpinnings of a seaworthy coastal cruiser. The Balboa's 3,600-pound displacement includes 1,200 pounds of ballast, by no means a lead mine, but the B26's 8-foot beam was carried well aft, and its reasonably full sections contributed form stability and helped make the little sloop a seakindly performer. With 293 square feet of working sail area, the B26 is close in potential performance to the Excalibur 26, Cal 25, and Columbia 26, all vaunted designs of the same era.

The new Sport Sailer from Columbia Yachts is an avowed attempt to bridge the gap between performance cruisers and purpose-built racers.

By no means just a stretch version of Hake Yachts' 25-footer, this new craft features a retractable keel and sensible pricing options.

Trailerable and sporty, Hunter's new 21-footer is looking to garner market share.

Though a predecessor went by the Telstar name in the '80s, the T2 is brand new in every sense.

Produced in two decidedly different versions, this boat sold well behind the C&C name. The original MK I design was a good light-air boat, but was a handful in heavy air.

Bill Lee's first production boat set a standard for fast, lightweight keelboats that are easily sailed by a small crew.

A collaboration between Garry Hoyt on the marketing side and Gary Mull on the design, and built tough by Tillotson-Pearson, this boat, while not quick in light air, is a total cinch to sail.

A boat both of and ahead of its time, the Express 27 is one of the legendary combinations of Carl Schumacher design and Terry Alsberg construction—and proof that quality keeps its value.

A trailerable pocket cruiser introduced in 1984 by Hake Yachts, this pricy plumb-bowed sloop is made for exploring the shallows. It's laid out for a cruising couple or young family.