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Sailboats 36-40ft

Common age-related issues to watch for during a pre-purchase survey include delamination in the balsa-cored decks and crazing around stanchion bases. The cockpit is deep and secure for offshore work, but the wheel pedestal’s position tight against the bridge deck can make viewing engine instruments difficult and complicates the installation of a modern chartplotter. Photo courtesy of YachtWorld.com

Alberg 37 Used Boat Review

Do you remember the August 1979 Fastnet Race when a worse-than-expected European windstorm wreaked havoc on the 303 yachts that started the biennial race?...

C&C Landfall 38 Used Boat Review

Unlike other C&Cs, whose interior and deck layouts are designed for racing as well as cruising, the Landfalls are geared toward cruising, with more comfort, a slightly higher degree of finish detail, and deck layout concessions to the cruising couple.

The $100K Cruiser Showdown: How the Catalina 380 Stacks Up

Are you in the market for a 35 to 40 foot sailboat under $100,000? Are you considering a Catalina 380? Have you seen a...
Bristol's mahogany interior provides a lighter, brighter alternative to traditional teak joinery. The built-up construction allowed multiple layout options during the 20-year production run. Courtesy of YachtWorld.com

Bristol 39/40 Used Boat Review

The Bristol 39 and Bristol 40 are basically the same boat, even though the specifications state that the Bristol 40 is nearly a foot longer than the Bristol 39. If you like traditional yachts, you'll find the Bristol 40 appealing. The boat has the long overhangs, lovely sheerline, low freeboard, narrow cabin trunk, undistorted hull shape, and narrow beam we associate with the beautiful yachts of the past. The trade-off for these traditional good looks is a boat with a small interior compared to today's 40-footers.
The main saloon offers 6-ft. 6-in. headroom with teak cabinetry, solid wood handrails, and settees that seat six around a 36-in. x 42-in. dining table. The low-maintenance Everwear laminate sole replaced traditional teak and holly. Courtesy of YachtWorld.com

Hunter 38 Used Boat Review

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 36.7's cockpit emphasizes racing functionality with its large stainless steel wheel and full-beam mainsheet traveler. The convertible cockpit seats can be shortened by 20 inches to create more working space for sail trimmers in racing mode. Courtesy of YachtWorld.com

Beneteau First 36.7 Used Boat Review

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 center cockpit layout places the helmsperson high above the waterline, offering excellent visibility during anchoring and maneuvering. The cockpit's compact size—seating only three in real comfort—reflects her offshore cruising priorities over entertaining. Courtesy of Yachtworld.com

Beneteau Oceanis 36 CC Used Boat Review

For people under 6 feet, the Oceanis 36CC offers more living space than any boat weve seen of compara- ble size. The accommodations are not only roomy but attractive, practical, and functional-either for cruising or for living aboard. She goes to weather better than most similar boats, but she falls short of being a good upwind performer. She reaches and runs with good quickness. In some ways, Beneteau can offer more product for less money than many of its competitors, especially in the area of finish and outfitting.
Warm varnished teak and solid wood doors create a space that feels substantial without being dark. The convertible furniture tries to solve the age-old problem of making one space do everything. Courtesy of Yachtworld.com

Catalina 375 Used Boat Review

The Catalina 375 replaces the very popular Catalina 36, which was launched in 1982. According to Catalina Yachts, better performance was at the top of the improvements list, and giving the 375 a longer waterline and greater sail area-displacement ratio than the C36 ensured success on that front. Clearly, the 375 has a greater potential for faster passages than its predecessor, but it is, for all intents and purposes, a family cruiser, with safety, and comfort taking precedence. A spacious interior, ample on-deck storage, and in-mast mainsail furling are a few of the features Catalina included in the C375 to meet owners lifestyle needs. On the water, the boat moved well in light to moderate breeze, but beating in gustier conditions revealed symptoms of the disease that plagues similar wide-bodied cruisers.
The Irwin 37's well-planned deck layout features a practical cockpit with easy access below and comfortable seating for four adults. Courtesy of YachtWorld.com

Irwin 37 Used Boat Review

From the outset the Irwin 37 was a roomy, appealing cruising boat that was once described as the Chevrolet Belair of the boat market. Her greatest appeal was to the sailor/owner who is not into tradition, sailing performance, elegance, construction details, or investment.

Seawind 1160 Used Boat Review

A big cat springs from small beginnings.

Small Boat, Big Keel Why This 27 Footer Works

What makes a small sailboat truly seaworthy? In this video, we take a deep dive into the Pacific Seacraft Orion 27, a rugged, long-keel...

Latest Sailboat Review

Island Packet Estero Used Boat Review

Florida-based Island Packet targets a relatively narrow niche, so the toughest competitors to its new boats are often older Island Packets. Introduced in 2010, the 36-foot, shoal-draft Estero is the company’s latest attempt to introduce a distinctive model that doesn’t stray too far from the company’s proven formula for success: moderate displacement, full-keel cruisers designed to be lived on, sailed far and in comfort, and endure the bumps, scrapes, and storms that cruising boats inevitably encounter. After sailing the Estero on Florida’s Sarasota Bay and inspecting its interior, construction, and systems, Practical Sailor testers noted that the shoal-water cruiser will appeal strongest to Island Packet fans who’ve been waiting for a shoal-draft, easy-to-sail boat that compares to the IP37 in terms of interior space. These strengths will be most apparent on intracoastal or riverine adventures like the Great Loop.