One of the advantages of reaching a certain age is that you know what you want and aren’t afraid to ask for it. The owner of this Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 490, having owned a slightly smaller Jeanneau for more than 20 years, knew he’d come back for more when it came time to upgrade.

Frans ordered the 12m yacht two years ago, but due to a few hiccups along the way it wasn’t until November last year that his new baby arrived here in New Zealand. After a bit of Wednesday night racing and a spot of cruising last summer, he is now back out on the water again and starting to race her. In keeping with the X-Yacht naming tradition, she is named eXpatria – also a nod to Frans’ Dutch origins.

Sometimes you just need to go for a sail. It is not a recognised cognitive therapy with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists but it should be and every time you do it you wonder why you don’t do it more often.

It used to be that cruising in a yacht – compared to a launch – meant making compromises in terms of space. But the Bavaria C50 luxury cruiser turns that idea on its head, with more room down below than a small apartment.