Sailboats 31-35ft

In 1985, after nearly a decade of building the popular Sabre 34, Sabre Yachts significantly revamped the design. The resulting boat-beamier, roomier, faster, and more powerful than the original-is usually referred to as the Sabre 34 Mark II. The Mark II, like its predecessor, still hews the performance-cruising line that Sabre established with the introduction of its very first boat, the Sabre 28, in 1971. The Sabre 34 Mark II is not without quirks, but its many positives far outweigh its downsides.

Seawind Catamarans, Australias most successful sailboat builder, introduced its new Seawind 950 last year. The 31-foot cruising multihull can be delivered in two 40-foot containers and can be assembled by two people (with a forklift or crane) in less than two days, ready to sail on coastal passages. The $220,000 Seawind 950 was designed as an entry-level catamaran with a minimalist fit-out. The container concept allows the yacht to be delivered economically anywhere in the world with truck access.

The Hunter 33 is built in Alachua, Fla., using high-quality resins and laminates and conventional open molding hand-laminating processes.

To get an idea of whats on the market and see how the newer products fare against the simpler, tried and true furling systems, Practical Sailor rounded up 11 new headsail furlers suited for 30- to 35-foot sailboats. This, the first of a two-part report on the evaluation, focuses on the seven products that use a head-swivel design and range in cost from $950 to $3,200. (The report of integral systems will follow in an upcoming issue.) The following furlers were reviewed: Facnor LX 130, Harken MkIV and Cruising 1, Profurl LCI32, Schaefer 2100, Furlex 200S (Selden Mast), and US Spars (Z-Spar) Z-780.

A daysailer was once simple and small, an entry-level passport to the sport. In the new millennium, however, that has changed. Simplicity may still be a watchword, but the boats have grown into what could be called trophy boats. Hinckley Co.s latest daysail boat is 42 feet long. Morris Yachts is marketing a boat that stretches 53 feet as a daysailer. Ted Fontaine at Friendship Yachts already has built one that size. And these are only a few of the daysail boats with minimal accommodations, big cockpits, and over-size price tags that are filling up the fleet. In all, more than a dozen elegant daysailers have made it to market. This article compares an even dozen: the Alerion Express 28, 33, and 38 (Pearson Composites); e33 (e Sailing Yachts, Robbie Doyle and Jeremy Wurmfeld); the B-38 (Luca Brenta); Bruckmann 42 (Bruckmann Yachts); Crosscurrent 33 (Maxi Dolphin); the Friendship 40 (Ted Fontaine); Harbor 25 (W.D. Schock); Hinckley 42 (Hinckley Yachts), J-100 and J-124 (JBoats), Morris 36 (Morris Yachts), Sabre Spirit (Sabre Yachts), and the wallynano (Wally Yachts).

The trophy daysailer market is rife with branding, image, and various forms of snob appeal. The e33, however, makes its pitch on practical grounds. Reports from the field highlight the performance/comfort/control combination that makes the e33 a fun raceboat. You don't need a big crew, you can exercise your tactical talents to the max, and you give away nothing in boatspeed. Our time sailing the e33 convinced us that it is not only a legitimate performance sailboat, but that attaining that performance is sinfully easy. The e33 daysailers bonus points include a cockpit that takes up more than half the deck space and can hold five or six adults comfortably; cockpit-led control lines; carbon-fiber spars; and a hydraulic headstay control. Below, Spartan accommodations include berths for four, an enclosed head, and a built-in cooler. With the look of a classic and the innovative design of a modern daysailer, the e33 is e Sailing Yachts intelligent, inspired, comprehensive attempt to capture the fun of performance sailing.

Being one of the smallest cruising catamarans on the market brands the TomCat 9.7 (www.tomcatboats.com) “entry level,” but we find that term misleading and unfair. There’s much more to the joy of a sailing catamaran than speedo numbers. The 9.7 might not out-drag most of its rivals, but it can, we think, deliver more of what sailors are after when they turn off the auxiliary. And, in many respects, it makes shoal-water sailing safer and more relaxing. If you’re looking at a Maine Cat 30 or a Gemini 105Mc from Performance Cruising, the TomCat also deserves a look.

With a clear understanding of coastal weather conditions, inshore estuaries, and the cruiser-club racer mindset of potential buyers, Bill Shaw designed boats that met the needs of local sailors. The Pearson 32 was no exception: The 32-footer’s shoal draft stats also come with an efficient foil shape and external lead ballast, providing enough lift and lateral plane to enhance sailing ability both on and off the wind. Add to the mix a respectable sail area-displacement ratio, and it’s clear that this Pearson is more than an oversized pocket cruiser. Envisioned originally as both a club racer and a family cruiser, the boat lives up to expectations.

The Farr-designed 10R charts new waters for century-old Beneteau.

With just 30 inches of draft, this model simplifies the fine art of gunkhole cruising.