Debuting in late 2017, Hanse’s handsome 548 quickly became a hit in our waters. Three are now owned by New Zealanders – and it’s not hard to see why the yacht resonates with discerning cruisers.
The Italian Solaris 47 is intended to meet both sides of the performance-cruiser equation – and reward the discerning sailor.
Multihulls offer a heady blend of cruising and chilling. To taste this happy mix you should explore Fountaine Pajot’s new Lucia 40, the latest addition to Auckland’s Ownaship fleet.
The summer of 2019 has been uncharacteristically lacking in wind – great for cruising, not so great for sailing. But our day on the new Dufour 520 Grand Large (GL) provided us with more than enough breeze to put this beamy cruiser through her paces.
Sometimes the stars align – the weather, the time, the opportunity – they all finally coalesce into place. And there I was, fingers on the composite wheel gently guiding the yacht upwind at 6.2 knots in a warm 10–12 knot NE wind.
Small trimarans are ideal boats for coastal waters thanks to their shallow draught, large deck space and performance, so the Dragonfly 25 should feel right at home in New Zealand.
Cruising catamarans can end up being a compromise, with sailing performance and convenience traded off against interior volume. Bavaria’s Nautitech Open 40 puts paid to that, being both pleasurable to sail and roomy enough to really stretch out.
Like her bigger sister (the Soana 47, reviewed in our June 2018 issue), Fountaine Pajot’s new 12.5m Astrea 42 is a spacious, cleverly-designed catamaran with loads of features tailored to comfortable living and fun cruising.
Sailing is a breeze aboard Beneteau’s new Oceanis 51.1, thanks to some smart systems.
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