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10 Best Sailboat Brands (And Why)

10 Best Sailboat Brands | Life of Sailing

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

December 20, 2023

‍ There's no denying that sailors are certainly a passionate bunch. We’re so passionate about our boats that we always try going for the best sailboats. To make it a lot easier for you, here are the best sailboat brands.

Owning a sailboat is an indulgence that many of us only dream about but very few ever have the privilege of sailing the seas in what they can actually call their own.

While there's nothing wrong with renting a sailboat, the honor of owning one is certain what many sailors dream of.

With a perfectly crafted sailboat as company, gliding through the water, waves, and wind brings some sort of unmatched comfort and peace.

Add this to the fact that sailing takes you far away from the daily hustles and bustles that we've become accustomed to in our daily lives and you'll see why the life of sailing is very appealing to the masses.

But without a proper sailboat, all this fun and the good life of sailing are thrown out of the window.

Contrary to the widespread opinion, owning a sailboat isn't beyond anyone's reach. It's something that we can all achieve. But before getting into that, it's important to know some of the best sailboat brands.

The best sailboat brands will make your life as a sailor a lot easier and more fun. The best sailboat brands have, for decades if not centuries, mastered the art of woodworking. They've dedicated their skills and immense amount of their time to designing and manufacturing nothing but the best quality of sailboats in the industry.

So if you've been looking for the best sailboat brands from all over the world, you've come to the right place. We'll discuss the best of the best, something that will give you a perfect getaway from your normal life.

Table of contents

‍ Must-Have Features for Your Sailboat

Before highlighting the best sailboat brands, it would be appropriate to jog your mind a little with some of the features that must be available in your sailboat.

Choosing a sailboat can sometimes be a matter of compromises. In other words, it's sometimes sensible to accept that a sailboat cannot have all the features that you desire.

As such, it's all about going with a sailboat that has the features that matter to you most.

For this reason, let's look at the most basic features that can make the difference in both safety and comfort while improving your sailing experience.

A Safe and Comfortable Sailing Cockpit

You'll most definitely be spending a huge amount of time in the cockpit. Whether you're keeping watch, trimming sails , helming, or just enjoying the scenery, there's no better place to do all these than from the cockpit. That being said, a good cockpit should have the following.

Have a good depth for safety reasons and adequate drainage
Should give you a quick and easy access to jammers, cleats, and other important parts of the winch system
Should have a seat or seats that are about 35 cm high, 50 to 55 cm wide to provide ideal support
The seats should be adjustable to offer maximum comfort and allow you to change your position

GPS Chartplotter

Use a GPS Chartplotter once and your sailing will never be the same without it. It not only allows you to map a course but is also a great way of ensuring that your sailboat exactly follows that course. It also gives you constant updates on ocean conditions, weather conditions , and potential hazards such as deadly currents and sandbars.

A GPS Chartplotter is also an important safety device that can help you in some very critical situations while out there on the water.

For instance, it has a man-overboard button that is essentially meant to allow you to receive coordinates of the exact location should someone fall off your boat.

Electric Winch System

This is an amazing addition to any sailboat. It allows you to sheet a jib even in high and strong winds with a simple press of a button. It also gives you the chance of trimming a mainsail easily while still carry out other essential tasks in the sailboat.

An electric winch system can be of great importance, especially if you're short on crew. This is because it can free up some crew members to carry other important tasks. In other words, it can make duties that would otherwise require more crew members a lot easier.

More importantly, an electric winch system can maintain safety even in the roughest of conditions, thereby preventing you and your crew from getting injured. In essence, an electric winch system will make your sailing a lot safer, less stressful, and more enjoyable.

Reverse Osmosis Watermaker

This is a very valuable accessory, especially if you're going on long sea voyages. You can spend days on end without drinking clean and safe water.

As the name suggests, you can use this accessory to turn seawater into purified drinking water. It uses the reverse osmosis method that's essential not only in removing bacteria and parasites from the water but also in turning the water into purified and safe drinking water.

Even though this device is pricey, it's a great way to mitigate the over-reliance on huge water tanks. All you have to do is to ensure that it's properly maintained and you'll have an endless streak of safe drinking water no matter where you are.

Wide and Clutter-free Deck

While the deck is often an overlooked feature of a sailboat, it can be the difference between a great sailing experience and a stressful one. In essence, the deck of a sailboat should be wide enough and clutter-free.

This is significant as it can enable you to quickly access different parts of your sailboat with hindrance or getting tangled. As you can see, this is particularly important in improving safety and reducing stress.

With that in mind, make sure that the deck is organized in such a way that you can have easy access to sails, masts, and winches.

You should, therefore, avoid sailboats with decks that are designed in such a way that you have to climb on top of the cabin just to access these features. Needless to say, this can be quite unstable and very dangerous especially when conditions are rough.

The Best Sailboat Brands and Why

1. hallberg-rassy.

Hallberg-Rassy is a Swedish yacht maker that's very well-known in the blue water cruising circles for making some of the highest quality and sturdiest sailboats. For many sailors, this is the number one sailboat brand as it offers absolute comfort, utmost safety, and good and easy handling.

This brand is not only synonymous with sturdy construction but you won't worry getting soaking wet while out there on the water. This is because it has a well-protected deck and cockpit, finished with nice woodwork, and has a powerful engine with a big tankage just to ensure that you can go on long voyages.

When designing its sailboats, this brand has made it a norm to add some features that stand out from the rest. For instance, the bowsprit is an integral feature that makes sailing a Hallberg-Rassy quite easy and much enjoyable. This is because it grants easy access to and from the deck. Its electric anchor winches facilitate smooth maneuvering. Even more, its large steering wheels makes it much easier to control the boat even in the roughest of conditions. In essence, this brand has features that provide good control and an extra sense of safety.

Although this brand has evolved over the years, you'll easily recognize it even from a distance. And why is this? A Hallberg-Rassy never goes out of style. This is a unique sailboat brand that has always stayed true to its principles and concept. No matter which part of the world you go, Hallberg-Rassy will remain the undisputed king of blue water cruising.

2. Nautor's Swan

For over 50 years, Nautor's Swan has endlessly raised the sailing levels by designing and manufacturing new sailboat models that not only push the boundaries but also meet that many requirements and demands of sailors across the world. Thanks to its wide range of seaworthy, timeless, elegant, and highly-performing sailboats, the Nautor's Swan remains one of the best if not the best sailboat makers in the world.

Based in Jakobstad, Finland, this brand has severally set the industry standard with its speedy and sleek models such as the Swan 48, Swan 65, Swan 98, Swan 78, and Swan 120. These models have one thing in common: they never compromise on safety. As a brand that puts safety first, it ensures that its models are made of foam-cored glass fiber and reinforced both with carbon-fiber and epoxy. In essence, Nautor's Swan is widely revered for its unmatched seafaring and safety records.

Additionally, Nautor's Swan models are incredibly responsive. You can easily tell this just by the feel of the wheel. This brand has models that will gracefully slice through the biggest of waves with ease. That's not all; the interior of these models that are very comfortable even when the going gets tough. This is, without a doubt, a brand that strives to create self-contained worlds with each model.

3. Beneteau

This is perhaps the most selling sailboat brand in the world. For over a century now, this brand has based its models in a combination of simplicity and performance. This is a brand that will serve you just right across all latitudes and in all circumstances. Whether you prefer the Oceanis Yacht 62 or the Figaro Beneteau 3, this brand will never let you down on all fronts.

This brand revolves around a simple concept of creating a link around the world. From the deck space to its design and light, this brand does everything possible not just to uniformly transform life at sea but also to open doors to new horizons in a very luxurious yet practical way. Its models are designed with clear deck plans, stable hulls, simplified maneuvering and interior materials and equipment that can be easily personalized.

Whether you're looking for a racing sailboat or something that's designed to explore and enjoy the world in the company of friends and family, Beneteau is a true combination of sensations and simplicity. This is a brand that brings to the seas fun, simplicity, smartness, toughness, safety, intuitiveness, as well as dazzling reinvention.

4. Amel Yachts

Based on the ethos of designing and manufacturing comfortable, robust, and easy-to-handle boats, this French brand has, for over five decades, offered sailors and other sailing enthusiasts the perfect opportunity to explore the seas with the utmost quality, comfort, and more importantly, safety.

Using 100% French know-how, this brand has brought to the sailing world some of the best boats such as the Santorini, the Mango, the Super Maramu, and the Maramu. We would be doing this brand total injustice if we said that they're distinctive. Truth be told, there's nothing comparable to an Amel model. Well Amel was and still is, the ultimate standard by which other sailboat models are measured.

From items such as electric winches and furling, to generators, Watermaker , and washing machine down to the simplest of items such as towels. Spare filters, bathrobes, deck brush, and a boat safe, the Amel is in reality with what the real life of a sailor is and should be.

Although some may say that Amel still has room for improvement in terms of specifications and personalization, it cannot be denied that the Amel is a serious brand that designs and manufactures complete boats. With this brand, you'll be guaranteed of a higher degree of reliability, safety, and an edge of fun while out there on the water.

5. Hinckley Yachts

Based in Maine, United States, Hinckley Yachts is a brand that has been building robust, luxury, and safe sailboats for more than 90 years now. In its sailboat class, you'll find several sailboats that have classic shapes, inner strength, dramatic lines, and features that are absolutely essential in dealing with the challenges of the North Atlantic.

This brand has been successful in integrating impeccable craftsmanship with new technologies to ensure that their models always stand out while articulating advanced sailing practices, timeless aesthetic, robust construction, and the utmost safety. Whether you choose the Bermuda 50, the Sou'wester 53 or any model for that matter, you'll never be short of advanced performance based on the best design and technology.

In terms of features, this brand provides sailboat models with modern performance hulls. These hulls are constructed with inner layers of carbon, outer layers of Kevlar, and are aligned with computer-designed load paths. Every feature is designed without compromising comfort.

To this end, this brand offers you a perfect combination of both fun and sail. This brand offers more than just sailing. Instead, it offers a unique sailing experience that's combined with the pure joys of sailing in the blue waters with an ease of ownership and maneuverability.

6. Oyster Yachts

If you've been looking for luxury more than anything else, Oyster Yachts provides you with numerous solutions. This British brand is widely known for manufacturing a wide range of luxury cruising sailing yachts. Its sailboats are among the finest in the world and are immensely capable of taking you to some of the far-flung places in the world without having to worry about high winds and hellish waves.

Whether you choose the iconic Oyster 565 or the immense Oyster 595 you never fall short of experiencing the new world like never before. These are models that will enable you to own your adventure, choose your destination, set your courses, pick your anchorage, and stay safe at all times. If you want to hold the wheel and pull the sail while feeling the tang of salt spray on your face, Oyster Yachts is the way to go.

This is, unquestionably, a brand that's meant for you if you want to explore the seas in comfort, luxury and utmost safety. From craftsmanship, sailboat design, to hull, deck, and keel configurations, everything is designed to allow you to circumnavigate the world in comfort, elegance, and style.

7. Tartan Yachts

Based in Fairport Harbor, Ohio, there's arguably no better to begin your sailing adventures than with a sailboat designed and manufactured by Tartan Yachts. With several award-winning designs and construction, this brand is widely known for providing easy handling, great performance, and an ultimately stable platform.

This brand always strives to deliver a unique and the best possible experience to every sailor. As a brand, Tartan fully understands that every sailor has his/her unique sailing needs. As such every component of their models is designed with engineering levels that guarantee optimum performance, excellent on-deck visibility, and luxurious interior.

From the Tartan 5300, the Tartan 4300, the Tartan 345 to the New 365 and the Fantail, this brand makes it a priority to ensure that its models are among the strongest, lightest, and more importantly, the safest in the sailing industry. In essence, this brand can be ideal if you appreciate performance. It has rewarding sailing features both in narrow water lines and wider passages. Add this to its easy handling and you'll have a top-notch performer in virtually every condition.

8. Catalina Yachts

As one of the most popular boat manufacturers in the world, this American brand is widely revered for building the sturdiest boats that can hold up perfectly well in real-world conditions. These are generally family-oriented boats that are intelligently designed to ensure that your entire family can have fun out there on the water.

Some of the models include the cruiser series such as the Catalina 315, the Catalina 385, the Catalina 425 while the sport series include the Catalina 12.5 Expo, the Catalina 16.5, and the Catalina 14.2 Expo. As the current winner of the "Boat of the Year" Cruising World, you'll rarely go wrong with a Catalina model.

It offers a wide range of sailboat sizes that suits your lifestyle. This brand makes it a priority to ensure that all their models are not only safe but offer the best ownership and sailing experience. If anything, this brand is widely known to have one of the most excellent resale values in the sailing industry.

9. Island Packet Yachts

From the IP 525, the IP 439 to the IP 379, the Island Packet Yachts is a brand that encourages its customers not to keep the world waiting. This brand is meant for sailors who want to explore the world in utmost comfort and safety.

The first thing you'll notice in an IP sailboat is its large aft deck. This is not only perfect for sunbathing but can also serve you well if you want an impromptu dinner with friends and family while out there on the water. The living space is also large enough to carry most of your belongings, which is an added advantage especially if you've been planning to spend longer periods in the seas.

With modern evolution and refinement, as well as proven features, this brand is known to offer sailors maximum comfort, luxury, and safety. You'll have better access to the cockpit, have enough space, and are excellently designed to provide superior seafaring and the best features to enable you to spend extended periods when cruising.

10. Sparkman & Stephens

For more than 90 years, Sparkman & Stephens has been at the forefront of the belief that sailboat excellence goes beyond hull lines and deck plans. Instead, this brand believes in excellent naval architecture, innovation, sophistication, and beauty. This is a brand that has laid the foundation of sailboat as a sport not just in America but all over the world.

These models have graced the world for decades and bring immense pleasure to their owners in terms of innovation, performance, and excellence. Though rooted in tradition, the brand has pushed sophistication, technology, and sailing experience to a whole new level. You'll be a proud owner of the Sparkman & Stephens model.

There you have it; these are the best sailboat brands in the world. Although there are several other sailboat brands to choose from, the-above described brands stand shoulder above others in terms of quality, safety, performances and luxury.

Hopefully, you're at a much better place when it comes to choosing a sailboat that suits your lifestyle, needs, and budget .

Happy sailing!

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I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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13 Most Famous Sailboats

For generations, sailboats have been a vital form of transportation and a source of entertainment. Several sailboats have gained notoriety because to their historical significance, outstanding speed and performance, or association with famous persons or events.

There are several renowned sailboats that have made an indelible effect on history and popular culture, ranging from the legendary ships that took explorers over the seas to the high-performance yachts that compete in prestigious races.

This article will look at 13 renowned sailboats, from historic ships to modern racing yachts.

Famous Sailboats

1. america’s cup yachts.

America’s Cup sailboats are high-performance sailboats that compete in the America’s Cup, a renowned yacht race that has been held since 1851. Teams from all around the world compete for the prized trophy, which is named after the first winning boat, America.

The America’s Cup boats have grown over time to become some of the most advanced sailboats in the world. Foiling monohulls are the most recent iterations of the boats, which use innovative technology to raise the boat out of the water and reduce drag, allowing for higher speed and performance.

2. Endeavour

Endeavour is a notable sailboat that was built in 1934 after Sir T.O.M. Sopwith commissioned it. The yacht was designed by naval architect Charles E. Nicholson and built in Gosport, England by Camper and Nicholsons.

Endeavour was a J Class yacht, which was a type of large sailboat used in the 1930s America’s Cup races. The J Class yachts were among the most opulent and elegant of their period, and Endeavour was no exception. The yacht was famous for its stylish lines, fast speed, and sumptuous cabin.

Endeavour was designed to participate in the 1934 America’s Cup, but was defeated by the American boat Rainbow. Despite its demise, Endeavour became one of the most famous and iconic sailboats of its era, racing in a variety of regattas and events during the 1930s.

Endeavour went into disrepair after WWII and was eventually abandoned. But, in the 1980s, Elizabeth Meyer and her husband refurbished the yacht and returned it to its former beauty.

The Endeavour Foundation now owns Endeavour, which is utilized for sailing charters and events, as well as racing in regattas and other sailing competitions.

3. Cutty Sark

The Cutty Sark is one of the most famous clipper ships in history. It was constructed in Scotland in 1869 and was primarily used to transport tea from China to England. It gets its name from Robert Burns’ poem “Tam o’ Shanter,” which features a mythological character.

The Cutty Sark was known for her speed and competitiveness, frequently racing other clipper ships across the ocean to transport cargo. It visited China eight times, and on one of them, it broke the record for the fastest journey from Shanghai to London, lasting only 107 days.

After its cargo-carrying days were through, the Cutty Sark was used as a training ship and, subsequently, as a museum ship. It is currently on exhibit in Greenwich, England, where visitors can inspect the ship’s decks, cabins, and cargo holds.

The Cutty Sark has become both a symbol of British maritime tradition and one of London’s most well-known tourist attractions.

4. HMS Bounty

The HMS Bounty was a British Royal Navy ship most remembered for the 1789 on-board mutiny. The Bounty was built in 1784 to transport Tahitian breadfruit to the West Indies as part of a British effort to cultivate a new crop for enslaved workers.

Conflicts between the crew and the ship’s commander, William Bligh, arose during the voyage to Tahiti, and in April 1789, a gang of mutineers led by Fletcher Christian seized control of the ship, leaving Bligh and many of his fervent supporters alone in a tiny boat.

After the mutiny, the Bounty continued to sail, with Christian and the mutineers eventually settling on Pitcairn Island in the South Pacific. To avoid detection, the ship was burned and sunk.

For many years, the fate of the mutineers and their successors on Pitcairn Island remained unknown, but academics were able to piece together the story of the mutiny and its aftermath in the twentieth century.

The narrative of the HMS Bounty and her mutiny has inspired countless books, films, and other works of popular culture, and the ship has become an iconic emblem of the dangers and perils of exploration and adventure.

5. Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria

Christopher Columbus utilized three legendary sailboats on his maiden voyage to the Americas in 1492: Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria. These were caravels, which were small, nimble sailing ships popular among European explorers during the Age of Discovery.

The Nina was the smallest of the three ships, with a length of roughly 50 feet. The Pinta was slightly longer, measuring around 70 feet, while the Santa Maria was the longest, measuring around 85 feet.

While these ships are well-known for their involvement in Columbus’ expedition, their exact specifications are unknown. Historians and archaeologists, on the other hand, have made educated judgments regarding their design and construction based on historical records and archaeological evidence.

Replicas of the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria can now be found in ports all over the world, and they are frequently employed as museum ships or for instructional purposes. These ships are significant in the history of exploration and the advancement of sailing technology.

6. Gypsy Moth IV

Gypsy Moth IV is a legendary sailboat that was sailed alone around the world by British sailor Sir Francis Chichester in 1966-67. Chichester became the first person to sail solo around the world, passing via the three capes of the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Leeuwin, and Cape Horn.

Gypsy Moth IV was a 54-foot ketch designed by John Illingworth and built by Camper and Nicholsons in Gosport, England in 1966. The yacht was named after Chichester’s original Gypsy Moth, a small dinghy he used to sail solo across the Atlantic in 1960.

Chichester encountered various problems during his round of the globe, including equipment failures, storms, and extended periods of isolation. He was able to finish the expedition in just over nine months, breaking the previous record for the fastest solo circumnavigation.

Gypsy Moth IV became an icon of sailing and adventure after the expedition, and it was used for other voyages and events throughout the years. The boat was restored extensively in 2004, and it is now housed in the National Maritime Museum in Cornwall, England.

Gypsy Moth IV is now a symbol of the bravery, determination, and adventurous spirit that lies at the core of sailing and exploration.

7. HMS Victory

HMS Victory is a well-known British ship built in 1765 that played an important role in naval history. The ship is best remembered for its role as the flagship of Admiral Horatio Nelson, a famed British naval leader, at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

The HMS Victory was a 104-gun first-rate line ship with a length of 69.3 meters and a weight of 3,500 tons. It carried roughly 800 warriors and was well armed with cannons.

The ship was essential in various naval wars during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, notably the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary Wars.

The British victory over the combined French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar was aided by the HMS Victory. Nelson famously led the British fleet from the deck of the HMS Victory, instilling courage and leadership in his men.

Despite this, Nelson was killed in the battle, and the ship was severely damaged, with over 100 crew members killed or injured.

The HMS Victory was repaired and returned to service following the fight, but it was eventually retired in 1812.

The ship is now kept as a museum at Portsmouth, UK, and is one of the most famous and well-known historic ships in the world. It is a memorial to the United Kingdom’s naval legacy, as well as a symbol of the country’s long and prosperous maritime history.

8. The Mayflower

In 1620, the Mayflower transported the first English Puritans, also known as the Pilgrims, from Plymouth, England to the continent of North America.

The Mayflower voyage and the passengers on board played a significant part in the early colonization and settlement of the Americas. The Pilgrims set off for the New World in pursuit of religious liberty and a better way of life.

The ship went out with the intention of mooring in northern Virginia, but due to terrible weather and navigational errors, it ended up in what is now the state of Massachusetts, in the location that is now home to the city of Plymouth.

The Pilgrims created the Plymouth Colony, the first successful and long-lasting English settlement in New England. Plymouth was in the southeastern part of Massachusetts.

The voyage of the Mayflower and the Pilgrims’ settlement of the New World are significant events in American history, and they are commemorated each year on Thanksgiving.

9. Jolly Roger

The Jolly Roger is a well-known pirate ship that is typically associated with the classic pirate ship image, complete with black sails and a skull-and-crossbones flag. While the Jolly Roger is a made-up character, it has become a symbol of piracy and adventure.

The Jolly Roger’s origins are unknown, however it is thought to have been employed by pirates in the 18th century to frighten their foes. A white skull on a black backdrop was frequently depicted on the flag, with crossed bones beneath it.

The Jolly Roger became a symbol of pirate life, with numerous stories and legends surrounding the flag and the ships that flew it. While pirate ships were generally small, quick vessels capable of navigating shallow seas and surprising their targets, the image of the Jolly Roger has come to represent the larger-than-life pirates of popular culture.

The Jolly Roger is still an iconic picture in the world of sailing and adventure today, and it is frequently used as a symbol of revolt and independence.

10. Bluenose

Bluenose is a well-known yacht that was built in Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1921. The boat was utilized for both fishing and racing, and it went on to become one of the most successful racing schooners of its time.

Bluenose was designed by Nova Scotia naval architect William Roué and built at the Smith and Rhuland shipyard in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. The boat was named from the moniker given to Nova Scotians, who were often referred to as “bluenosers” because to the blue noses caused by the cold Atlantic air.

Bluenose was mostly used for fishing, although it also participated in a number of sailing races during its lifespan. The boat was noted for its speed and performance, and it was a multiple winner of the International Fishermen’s Trophy for schooner racing.

Bluenose was sold to a Caribbean rum-runner after many years of service and was eventually wrecked off the coast of Haiti in 1946. The boat’s legacy, however, continues on, and it is an important emblem of Nova Scotia’s maritime tradition.

The Oland Brewery in Halifax, Nova Scotia, created a copy of Bluenose in 1963, and it has been utilized for numerous occasions and promotions since since. The Bluenose II is now a prominent tourist attraction in Nova Scotia, and it is regarded as one of Canada’s most famous and cherished sailboats.

11. HMS Beagle

The HMS Beagle was a British Royal Navy ship most known for its role in Charles Darwin’s voyage to the Galapagos Islands from 1831 to 1836. The Beagle was a 90-foot-long and 24-foot-wide two-masted brig.

Darwin was a young naturalist at the time, and his voyage on the Beagle allowed him to collect a tremendous amount of data and specimens that led to the formation of his theory of evolution.

Throughout its journey, the Beagle also conducted shoreline surveys throughout South America, including Brazil, Argentina, and Chile.

The Beagle’s trip was not without incident, with the ship becoming aground on several occasions and suffering hazardous weather conditions.

Notwithstanding these challenges, Darwin’s voyage was a success, and his observations and discoveries revolutionized scientific understanding of the natural world.

After her return to England, the Beagle was used for a variety of purposes, including as a coastguard vessel and a customs ship. It was eventually sold and demolished in 1870.

The HMS Beagle is known today for its role in one of history’s most important scientific expeditions.

A replica of the ship has been built in the English town of Woolwich, and additional monuments and museums dedicated to Darwin and his work can be found all over the world, most notably the Darwin Centre at the Natural History Museum in London.

12. Shackleton’s Endurance

Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance is a legendary sailboat that he utilized on his 1914-16 Antarctic expedition. The ship became engulfed in ice and eventually sank, but the crew survived and returned to civilization.

Endurance was built in Sandefjord, Norway in 1914 by the Norwegian shipyard Framnaes. The ship was built to be durable and powerful enough to resist the terrible Antarctic conditions, and it was called after the Shackleton family’s slogan, “Through Endurance We Conquer.”

Endurance became caught in ice in the Weddell Sea during the mission, and the crew was forced to abandon ship after many months. The crew then lived on the ice for several months before going out in lifeboats to reach Elephant Island, an isolated island in the South Shetland Islands.

Shackleton and a small group of crew members set out in a lifeboat from Elephant Island to South Georgia Island, where they hoped to find relief. The crew was eventually rescued after a perilous trek across the Southern Ocean to South Georgia Island.

Notwithstanding the loss of Endurance, Shackleton’s mission is regarded as one of the most incredible feats of endurance and survival in exploration history.

Over the years, the narrative of the Endurance and its crew has inspired many sailors and adventurers, and it has become an iconic symbol of the spirit of exploration and adventure.

13. Bounty II

Bounty II was a replica of the HMS Bounty, a British naval vessel famed for its 1789 mutiny against its captain, William Bligh, headed by Fletcher Christian.

The replica was built in 1960 for the movie “Mutiny on the Bounty,” which starred Marlon Brando as Fletcher Christian and Trevor Howard as Captain Bligh.

MGM Studios in California developed Bounty II, which was supposed to look like the original HMS Bounty. The boat measured 120 feet long and was outfitted as a three-masted square-rigged ship. Bounty II was used for many events and promotions after the film was completed, including sailing in the Tall Ships Race.

Bounty II was purchased in 1985 by a consortium of investors who intended to utilize it as a floating museum and tourist attraction. The boat was modified and used for a variety of competitions and sail training programs.

Bounty II was caught in Hurricane Sandy off the coast of North Carolina in 2012 and sank, killing two crew members. The ship’s sinking was a tragic incident, but it served as a reminder of the risks of sailing and the significance of water safety and readiness.

Yachting World

Digital Edition

The Yachting World hall of fame: 50 yachts that changed the way we sail

Helen Fretter
May 13, 2020

We asked historians, round the world race winners and legendary sailors to name the yachts that changed the sport for good. In no particular order, these are the 50 yachts that shifted how we sail...

Built: 1977 Design: Bill Lee

Weight saving is the holy grail of yacht design today, but it wasn’t until the late ’70s that the first Ultra Light Displacement designs, or ULDBs, were launched.

Among them was Bill Lee’s 67ft Merlin, at 12.5 tonnes and just 12ft wide. Merlin smashed the 1977 Transpac course record, setting a time which stood for 20 years.

Officials, concerned that ULDBs were not robust enough for ocean racing, changed the Transpac rule in an attempt to limit it to slower IOR designs.

Merlin was heavily modified, but still managed to win the ‘Barn Door’ trophy for the fastest crossing twice more. The record was finally broken by the sled Pyewacket , also designed by Lee, two decades on.

12. Monitor

Built: 1955 Design: Gordon Baker

Legendary offshore sailor Loick Peyron nominates this futuristic design from the ’50s: “I think Gordon Baker’s Monitor is the one, which in the 1950s did a lot for the present and future of sailing.”

The 26ft Monitor is quite unlike anything else, made of glued mahogany with hollow, stainless steel hydrofoils which look more like windmill vanes than yacht foils – unsurprisingly, as that is what Baker Manufacturing had previously focused on. The early hydrofoiling yacht was reported to have a top speed of around 30 knots, using battened cotton sails.

13. Infiniti 46

Built: 2015 Design: Hugh Welbourn/Gordon Kay

The DSS-enabled Infiniti 46 is the first yacht to be designed around the twin retractable foil system (rather than have them retrofitted) to increase lift, reducing drag and heeling angle.

Since 2016 she’s been campaigned hard, winning class in the Middle Sea Race and RORC Transatlantic Race.

14. Vestas Sail Rocket II

Built: 2011 Design: Malcolm Barnsley

For two decades speed sailing was dominated by the race to top the 50-knot barrier. Yellow Pages Endeavour got to 46.52 knots over 500m in 1993, then ten years later windsurfers and kitesurfers upped the ante, finally pushing over 50 knots in 2008.

Macquarie Innovation became the first sailing vessel to nudge over 50 knots in 2009. Then in 2014 Paul Larsen on Vestas SailRocket II knocked all previous attempts out of the park with an incredible 65.45 knots in Namibia. Nobody has even got remotely close since.

15. Maltese Falcon

Built: 2006 Design: Dykstra/Perini Navi

At the time the most grandiose yacht ever to be built, the 289ft Maltese Falcon was a technical triumph. Her three-masted ‘Dynarig’ system was created by Perini Navi at the behest of technology investor Tom Perkins , and is a modern day development of a 1960s concept created by Wilhelm Prølss.

Her gold and granite styling is not to everyone’s tastes, but the 2,400sq m sail area saw Maltese Falcon sail across the Atlantic in ten days. The systems proved so successful she was spotted sailing off her mooring in some venues – quite a feat for a 1,200-tonne vessel .

16. Speedboat

Built: 2008 Design: Juan Kouyoumdjian

Launched as Speedboat in 2008, this 100-footer was initially designed with the express intention of setting records, specifically the transatlantic record. Following on from Juan K’s successful Volvo 70 designs, she was exceptionally wide at the transom with a deep canting keel and water ballast, but record successes were few and far between.

Re-optimised for IRC as Rambler 100 she had some race victories before losing her keel and capsizing in the 2011 Rolex Fastnet Race , with five crew swept away from the boat.

17-pen-duick-iv-50-boats-that-changed-the-way-we-sail

All were rescued safely, but the incident intensified the focus on reliability in canting keel designs.

When owner George David commissioned the replacement Rambler 88 , his new yacht includes fibreoptic patches on the keel fin and load sensors on the pin, with data continuously fed to the navigation station

17. Pen Duick IV

Built: 1968 Design: André Allègre

“Built by Eric Tabarly, this was the first large ocean-racing multihull, which led the trend towards large multihulls in ocean races,” Robin Knox-Johnston nominates Pen Duick IV.

“For example, it encouraged us to ask Rod Macalpine Downie to design the 70-foot catamaran British Oxygen in 1973.”

Pen Duick IV took victory in the 1972 OSTAR with Alain Colas, who went on to sail her solo around the world – the first solo multihull circumnavigation.

18. Class 40

Built: 2005 Design: Various

The Class 40s have provided a first step into ocean racing for many skippers. Less than a year after the class was formed, 25 lined up for the 2006 Route du Rhum .

Pro navigator Campbell Field explains: “ It would be easy to nominate ‘Swiss Army knife’ foilers, or the super high tech IMOCAs. However, the Class 40s are complete in many ways. Affordable, bulletproof, ultra high performance, safe, and sexy [they can be sailed] one, two or four-up. They are simple, dynamic, rewarding, and guaranteed to thrill.

“A shortfall is their inshore capabilities, however what other class of yacht brings accessibility to top level ocean racing to a broad audience? They outstrip the performance of many much larger yachts offshore .”

Photo: Jacques Vapillon

19. Pierre 1er

Built: 1989 Design: Van Peteghem & Lauriot Prévost

Beautiful and radical, the golden Pierre 1er was the first ORMA 60 and won the 1990 Route du Rhum with Florence Arthaud.

Vincent Lauriot Prévost recalls: “I think in ocean racing the first big change was to fly the hull with a trimaran as if with a catamaran.” Pierre 1er was swiftly followed by Primagaz , the first big tri to sail on one float.

america-50-boats-that-changed-the-way-we-sail

20. America

Built: 1851 Design: James Rich Steers & George Steers

The yacht which famously won around the Isle of Wight one August day some 169 years ago, America was also radical. Marc van Peteghem comments: “The schooner America brought something new. She was the first really wide beamed racing yacht to win against really narrow boats. It was a first really big step.”

1. Introduction

SAIL UNIVERSE CHOICE. 7 of the Most Beautiful Sailboats of all Time

A very interesting Instagram profile, @sailor_sea_world ( follow him! ), choose every week some of the most beautiful sailboats of all time. Thanks to his help, we picked 7 of this boats for you!

“Fisher & Paykel” Maxi yacht

The legendary 83ft “Fisher & Paykel” Maxi yacht, 2nd in the 89/90 Whitbread Round-the-World Race and entry in the 2011 Volvo Ocean Legends Race in Alicante. One of the biggest racing yachts ever built for round-the-world racing and the last of its generation of giants still to be sailing worldwide. The boat was originally built for the Whitbread Round-the-World Race of 1990/91 and was named after its main sponsor, the NZ home appliances manufacturer “Fisher&Paykel”. Was designed by Bruce Farr and built by Martin Marine in New Zealand and a total of approx. 3 Milion Dollars were spent on state-of-the-art space industry materials and the latest technologies in order to create a masterpiece of yacht racing under the direction of its captain Grant Dalton (nowadays director of the NZ America’s Cup Team). Great super boat and sailor

Pelagic Australis

Pelagic Australis is the particular sloop ice class in aluminum of 74ft. It has a displacement of 48 tons, it results very strongly. Its sail area reaches 264 sqm upwind and 414 sqm… its lifting-keel adjustable allow a régi labile drift from 1.20m to 3.90m if it’s necessary.

Kriter Brut de Brut

Kriter Brut de Brut, 23.50 meters trimaran skippered by Sylvie Vanek and Beatrice Maupas in 1983 for the Transat in double Lorient-Bermuda-Lorient. The French Philippe Monnet with this boat in 1986 establishes a new record of the solo world tour on a multihull in 129 days 19 days and 17 minutes.

Pen Duick VI

This is the boat of the most famous sailor, Eric Tabarly. Pen Duick VI is a 22.25 mt ketch built in 1973 for the Whitbread Round the World Race . In 1976 she won the transatlantic regatta in solitary from Plymouth to Newport.

Top view of beautiful anthem. The particular ketch built in 1998 is a 70 feet sailboat. With is extraordinary 1000 sq ft of sail it can be reached a speed of 25 knots in strong wind. The mainmast is 70 ft and the mizzenmast is 50 ft, it allows you to put 5 sails at the same time.

Why did we select Reliance among the most beautiful sailboats of all time? Simple… Reliance, the boat that defended America’s Cup in 1903, is the most extreme boat ever sailed in the cup: 27.4 m long at the float and 43.5m out of all measured by the bompress tip at the end of the boom was 60 m. Born by the genius of what is considered to be the greatest inventor of modern sail, Nathaniel Herreshoff when he has slammed the topside turned into a floating line making it much more powerful.

Spirit Of Portopiccolo

Spirit Of Portopiccolo a 26m sail yacht was built in 2003 by McConaghy boats. Design is the work of Reichel-Pugh. Previously named Morning Glory. This amazing sail yacht in carbon hull e canting keel has an enviable trophy list: Winner of the 2017 Barcolana di Trieste, Winner of the 2007 Maxi Worlds, Racing Division Winner of the 2006 Middle Sea Race 1st to Finish and New Course Record in the 2005 Transpac Race 1st to Finish and New Course Record in the 2004 Newport to Bermuda Race! Fast boat for racing sailor, Great!

STAY TUNED FOR MORE!

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40 Best Sailboats

By Cruising World Editors
Updated: April 18, 2019

Sailors are certainly passionate about their boats, and if you doubt that bold statement, try posting an article dubbed “ 40 Best Sailboats ” and see what happens.

Barely had the list gone live, when one reader responded, “Where do I begin? So many glaring omissions!” Like scores of others, he listed a number of sailboats and brands that we were too stupid to think of, but unlike some, he did sign off on a somewhat upbeat note: “If it weren’t for the presence of the Bermuda 40 in Cruising World’s list, I wouldn’t even have bothered to vote.”

By vote, he means that he, like hundreds of other readers, took the time to click through to an accompanying page where we asked you to help us reshuffle our alphabetical listing of noteworthy production sailboats so that we could rank them instead by popularity. So we ask you to keep in mind that this list of the best sailboats was created by our readers.

The quest to building this list all began with such a simple question, one that’s probably been posed at one time or another in any bar where sailors meet to raise a glass or two: If you had to pick, what’re the best sailboats ever built?

In no time, a dozen or more from a variety of sailboat manufacturers were on the table and the debate was on. And so, having fun with it, we decided to put the same question to a handful of CW ‘s friends: writers and sailors and designers and builders whose opinions we value. Their favorites poured in and soon an inkling of a list began to take shape. To corral things a bit and avoid going all the way back to Joshua Slocum and his venerable Spray —Hell, to Noah and his infamous Ark —we decided to focus our concentration on production monohull sailboats, which literally opened up the sport to anyone who wanted to get out on the water. And since CW is on the verge or turning 40, we decided that would be a nice round number at which to draw the line and usher in our coming ruby anniversary.

If you enjoy scrolling through this list, which includes all types of sailboats, then perhaps you would also be interested in browsing our list of the Best Cruising Sailboats . Check it out and, of course, feel free to add your favorite boat, too. Here at Cruising World , we like nothing better than talking about boats, and it turns out, so do you.

40. Moore 24

39. Pearson Vanguard

38. Dufour Arpege 30

37. Alerion Express 28

36. Mason 43/44

35. Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 43DS

34. Nor’Sea 27

33. Freedom 40

32. Beneteau Sense 50

31. Nonsuch 30

30. Swan 44

29. C&C Landfall 38

28. Gulfstar 50

27. Sabre 36

26. Pearson Triton

25. Islander 36

24. Gozzard 36

23. Bristol 40

22. Tartan 34

21. Morgan Out Island 41

20. Hylas 49

19. Contessa 26

18. Whitby 42

17. Columbia 50

16. Morris 36

15. Hunter 356

13. Beneteau 423

12. Westsail 32

10. Alberg 30

9. Island Packet 38

8. Passport 40

7. Tayana 37

6. Peterson 44

5. Pacific Seacraft 37

4. Hallberg-Rassy 42

3. Catalina 30

2. Hinckley Bermuda 40

1. Valiant 40

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The Top 10 Famous Classic Ships in History

18th may 2023 by samantha wilson.

“The more you know of your History, the more liberated you are.” – Maya Angelou.

Every ship that travels, has a story to tell. More the people on it, more are the stories and many more are the lessons we learn from their experiences. Because that’s what history does: it informs us about all the victories and failures of the past, so that we live a wiser life. Most of the beautiful crafts ever built over hundreds of years are historic and it lets us enjoy, investigate and study their brilliant past. Each failure was a stepping stone to success for the next craft and each one is a classic in its own way. If classic cars are worth gazing, classic ships are astounding and amazing. The feeling is like an obsession that cannot be put in words and one cannot erase its image from their memory. The timeless vessels are very attractive, beautiful and in a few cases still functional and hold the mysteries of ages. They are the accumulation of maritime secrets and old-world workmanship.

Here in this article, we present you the top 10 famous ships of all time. There are many out there, but these ten names out of the many stand out with its own uniqueness.

Santa Maria

Hms victory, uss constitution, flying cloud, rms lusitania, rms titanic, uss arizona, battleship bismarck.

Photo credit: Wikipeda

Launch year: 1460

Builder: Juan de la Cosa

Length: 24 m

“You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore”, said the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus who sailed in a tiny, slow paced, hideous Spanish ship named Santa Maria from Spain to the “New World” in 1492. The vessel earned a permanent place in the history of ships and in the same year on Christmas Day, it ran aground. But not all was lost, another famous ship named La Navidad was built with its salvaged wood.

Photo credit: Encyclopedia Britanica

Launch year: 1607

Builder: Christopher Jones

Length: 33 m

The ones who trust the magic of ‘beginnings’ are the ones who have the courage to put a full stop to their suffering. And that was how the Pilgrims set out to start afresh in the New World, wishing for a better life. The cultural icon in the history of the United States - Mayflower, carried the English Separatists and Puritans (Pilgrims), from Plymouth, a port on the southern coast of England to the other side of Atlantic - Massachusetts, their “New World.” This journey made the Mayflower an icon of European colonization. The Mayflower crew spent the winter with the pilgrims, living on the ship, and sailed back to England on April 5, 1621 and arrived on May 6, 1621.

Photo credit: Wikipedia

Launch year: 1765

Builder: Chatham Dockyard

Length: 57 m

The HMS Victory is regarded as one of the greatest wooden warships ever built, to serve both the French and Spanish fleets in the last decades of the eighteenth century, and is still commissioned by the Royal Navy. She is best known for her role as Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805 where it’s flags gave Nelson’s famous signal “England expects that every man will do his duty.” After the end of Napoleonic War, it was restored heavily by the British government in 1922 and began serving as a museum ship in Portsmouth, England.

Launch year: 1797

Builder: Edmund Hartt’s shipyard, Boston

Length: 93 m

It was the longest serving battleship in the US Navy and world’s oldest commissioned naval vessel - United States Constitution was named by George Washington, the first president himself after the United States Constitution. The main duties of the USS Constitution were to protect American merchant ships against French fleets and to fight Barbary pirates.

She gained the biggest fame during the war against Great Britain in 1812 when she managed to capture several merchant ships and defeated five British warships. The fame and the nickname earned after defeating HMS Guerriere, ‘Old Ironsides’, helped her from not being scrapped after the war. The “Old Ironsides” serves as a museum ship in Boston, Massachusetts.

Launch year: 1820

Builder: Woolwich Naval Dockyard

Length: 28 m

Charles Darwin says, “It’s not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one that is most responsive to change”. And so, he set out on a voyage in HMS Beagle, the British naval vessel, to South America and around the world (1831–36) that lead to the beliefs we hold today along with religious theories. He gained fame by publishing his diary journal, best known as- ‘The Voyage of the Beagle’, and his discoveries played an important role in the origination of his scientific theories on evolution and natural selection.

Launch year: 1851

Builder: Donald McKay of East Boston, Massachusetts

Length: 69 m

Never wait for a perfect moment, take the moment and make it perfect. That’s what Eleanor Creesy, wife of Josiah Perkins Creesy did on Flying Cloud that set the world sailing record for the fastest passage between New York and San Francisco in 89 days and 8 hours. She was the ship's navigator, a position never heard of for a woman in the mid-19th century. The ship held this record for over 100 years, from 1854 to 1989.

Launch year: 1906

Builder: John Brown & Co‎, ‎Clydebank‎, Scotland

Length: 240 m

At the start of the World War I, the United States remained an immobile presence, but the destruction of Lusitania gave way to the American entry into the war, changing the future of the world history. The Lusitania, owned by the Cunard Line, was built to compete for the highly lucrative transatlantic passenger trade. Although luxurious, the Lusitania was noted more for its speed. It won the Blue Riband for the fastest Atlantic crossing, averaging nearly 24 knots.

Launch year: 1911

Builder: Harland and Wolff shipyard for the British Shipping Company White Star Line

Length: 269 m

The unsinkable that became unforgettable. The RMS Titanic was the product of powerful strife among competitors in the first half of the 20th century. It sank in the early hours of April 15, 1912, off the coast of Newfoundland in the North Atlantic after sideswiping an iceberg during its maiden voyage. Of the 2,240 passengers and crew on board, more than 1,500 lost their lives in the disaster. It ranked among the most sophisticated and luxurious ships of that time with one of the most devastating maritime disasters in history. Designed to be the epitome of style, comfort, and luxury, the passengers aboard Titanic were some of the wealthiest people in the world. And over a thousand emigrants from Britain, Ireland and Scandinavia too, seeking a new life in North America. In 1985, the wreckage of the Titanic was located on the floor of the North Atlantic. After this tragic accident, more safety-improvement measures were established, like the number of lifeboats on board a ship should reflect the entire number of passengers.

Launch year: 1915

Builder: Brooklyn Navy Yard, New York

Length: 185 m

The USS Arizona battleship was one of the U.S. Navy’s most heavily armed vessels and the largest ship in navy’s fleet. Arizona’s return to its base at Pearl Harbor was on 12-06-1941, next morning, approximately at 7:55 am, Japan launched a surprise attack on the naval base. For nearly two hours, more than 350 Japanese aircraft dropped bombs on U.S. vessels. Around 8:10 am, Arizona was struck by a 1,760-pound projectile, it reportedly lifted the battleship out of the water. Even while sinking, the ship was struck by more bombs. While approximately 334 crew members survived the death toll on Arizona was 1,177. Arizona was among four battleships that sank during the attack. The attack unified the American public and on 12-08-1941, the United States declared war on Japan and effectively entered World War II. The ship could not be salvaged, but remains as a paradigm in Pearl Harbor as a war memorial, which is visited by millions of people from all over the world.

Launch year: 1939

Builder: Blohm & Voss shipyard, Hamburg

Length: 251 m

Battleship Bismarck, named after Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, was the first of two Bismarck-class battleships built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. It is considered as one of the largest battleships ever built by Germany whose design was finalised by Hitler’s Navy after they rose from the ruins of the First World War. It was almost the length of three football grounds put together with seven decks above the waterline and seven below it. The biggest Battleship Bismarck was set to fight the Second World War, aiming at taking control over the open waters along with the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen, raid Allied shipping from North America to Great Britain. Over nine tense days in the year 1941, after many attacks, Bismarck suffered sufficient damage from three hits that forced an end to the raiding mission. The dramatic battle crippled life swallowed the majestic Battleship Bismarck. In no time, the short and brave attempt by the German masterpiece created ripples within the British. In 1989, American oceanographer Robert Ballard located the wreck of the Bismarck.

In a world full of trends, remain a classic – Keep sailing. Rightboat has 100’s of beautiful classic boats and yachts listed for sale. Explore a rich and historic look back at some of the most beautiful craft ever built over hundreds of years. Start your Boats for Sale search today...

Written By: Samantha Wilson

Samantha Wilson has spent her entire life on and around boats, from tiny sailing dinghies all the way up to superyachts. She writes for many boating and yachting publications, top charter agencies, and some of the largest travel businesses in the industry, combining her knowledge and passion of boating, travel and writing to create topical, useful and engaging content.

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Top 14 Sailboat Brands for Epic Sea Adventures Unveiled

Imagine slicing through sapphire waters on your dream sailboat. But which to choose? Let's unfurl the sails on the world's top 14 brands that even the pros swear by. Anchors aweigh to discovery!

It really doesn’t matter if you are an accomplished sailor with a Master’s License or a novice who wants to charter a boat for a week on the water in the Caribbean. What does matter is that you want to find the boat that fulfills your dreams from a manufacturer you can trust. Finding that “just right” fit between boat and crew can lead to some magic experiences and remarkable memories.

Our goal is to give you some insight into what the many boat brands have to offer. We will look at quality, construction, features, and customer service.

Hopefully, this will give you some insight into finding the sailboat of your dreams.

Wally Boats has to be at the top of our list as the best overall manufacturer of sailboats. In the sailing world, Wally is synonymous with quality and luxury. Unfortunately, that kind of reputation also comes with a hefty price. Wally Boats will typically also head up the list of the most expensive sailboats in the world.

You won’t find many Wally boats at your local lake marina or the typical coastal municipal marina. We are in a different class of boat here altogether. Wally produces 100-foot-long super yachts, each of which is custom designed.

If you can find one, purchasing a used Wally sailboat is a safe way to go. You will usually get a high-performance racing/cruising yacht that will outperform most other boats in this class day in and day out.

What Do You Get with a Wally?

Exquisite Design and Visual Appeal - Let’s face the facts. These are boats that look as good as they perform.
Above Average Performance - Wally boats took the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in 2019, 2018, and 2017.
Highest Quality Build You Can Buy – At this level, you get what you expect regarding the quality of materials and construction.
Innovative Design and Engineering – Wally boats incorporate the latest developments in construction techniques, materials, and engineering.

2. Hallberg-Rassy

Ask cruising sailors their choice of sailboat manufacturers, and many will answer with Hallberg-Rassy. This Swedish yacht builder has built a reputation among cruising sailors for producing boats that are almost in a class by themselves. These are boats that are built to be sailed and provide sailors with the utmost in safety, comfort, and handling.

Hallberg-Rassy is a master at integrating form and function to produce blue water boats that perform as well as they look. Most savvy sailors will recognize a Hallberg-Rassy design almost instantly.

Hallberg-Rassy isn’t one of those static companies that finds a popular design and sticks with it year after year. This company studies its designs and listens to its owners to continually improve their designs. A used Hallberg-Rassy is a good bet if you want to move up to a world-class cruising boat.

What Do You Get with a Hallberg Rassy Designed Boat?

Integrated Bow Sprint – No tacked-on afterthought here. The bowsprit forms an integral part of the Hallberg-Rassy designs to make handling and sailing these boats a joy.
High-Quality Electric Winches – Electric winches are standard items and ease the effort of sailing these boats in even the toughest conditions.
A Cockpit Designed for Blue Water Sailing – A safe and dry place from which to steer your boat makes for a much more enjoyable experience when the weather gets rough.
Powerful Engines with Ample Fuel Storage – You can be confident that you have the power to maneuver your boat safely under power.

3. Catalina

If your budget is more modest, but you still want high quality and a feature-rich design, Catalina boats are a good place to start looking. Catalina takes a more practical approach to boat design and building, creating sailboats that meet the needs for practicality, sailability, and price to create sturdy boats that can take you anywhere in the world safely and economically.

Catalina is a manufacturer that is recognizable from weekend inland water sailors to experienced blue water live aboard families. Cataline has been on the scene for many years and remains a mover and shaker in the sailboat industry.

One of the big attractions of Catalina as a boat manufacturer is its across-the-board market appeal. This company has something for everyone, from small, easy-to-manage daysailers to 50-foot blue water cruisers.

What Do You Get with Catalina Sailboats?

Customer Service – Catalina has been in business for a long time and has a reputation as one of the most customer-responsive sailboat manufacturers in the business.
Consistency and Quality – Catalina owners frequently point out the consistency of Catalina’s designs and the quality of their manufacturing as reasons to buy one of these boats.
Financial and Economic Choices – Catalina sailboats offer customers one of the best values on the market in terms of the purchase price and long-term operating costs.
Handling and Performance – Catalina owners rave about how their sailboats perform with easy handling in both light seas and heavy weather.

4. Bavaria Yachts

If you are shopping in Europe for an economically priced blue water sailboat, Bavaria Yachts is a company that you will learn quickly. Sailors in the United States know the name, Catalina. In Europe, Bavaria Yachts have the same sort of recognition and reputation.

The reputation of German manufacturing and engineering shows itself in the Bavaria Yachts operation. Leading-edge technology in manufacturing and production helps Bavaria Yachts keep costs as low as possible while producing very high-quality products.

Bavaria Yachts is focused on its customer base and has a good understanding of who purchases its boats and how those boats are used. These boats are designed to be easy to sail, comfortable to be aboard and to provide service without the constant need for expensive repairs and maintenance.

What Do You Get with a Bavaria Yacht?

Comfort and Liveability – No matter if you are day sailing or cruising the world, Bavaria Yachts’ designs excel in comfort and onboard amenities that make them great for long-term cruising.
Reliability – Owners point to the quality of the construction of these boats and the reliability they enjoy, which keeps them sailing without constant visits to the boatyard for maintenance and upkeep.
Smaller May Be Better – Bavaria Yachts has a large following among smaller to midsized boat owners, and the company pays particular attention to designing boats that offer more to this class of owners.
Overall Value and Economy – Many owners choose their first Bavaria Yacht because of the perceived value of these boats.

5. Beneteau

Catalina may be a bit better known than Beneteau, but Beneteau may lead the way in the actual number of sailboats sold around the world. This is one of the top-selling sailboat brands of all time. Beneteau has been building boats for well over a century, and their knowledge shows in the quality of their designs and construction. From its blue water boats like the Oceanis 62 to its tiny First 14.

Beneteau prides itself on filling the needs of every class of sailor, from the racing dinghy to the blue water cruiser. Simplicity is a keyword when describing Beneteau boats.

There is no skimping on quality or on the essential equipment needed to be safe and secure. There are also no unneeded extras to cause you unwanted hassles or maintenance issues.

Being a French company, you would expect style to be a primary focus of the design of Beneteau boats, and you won’t be wrong. With an eye to clean lines and family cruising comfort, Beneteau produces a line of sailboats that catch the eye without straining the pocketbook.

What Do You Get with a Beneteau Boat?

Unique and Comfortable Interior Layouts – Your crew or family will feel pampered when onboard a Beneteau boat.
Easy Docking System – Beneteau’s 360-degree docking system allows you to maneuver your boat with a joystick to make tight marina spaces a breeze to navigate.
A Finer Hull for a Better Ride – Even the most seasoned sailors comment on how well Beneteau boats move through the water and minimize pitching and rolling.
Clear Deck Plans – Beneteau understands that most sailboats are intended for pleasure which makes deck space a premium factor, especially among sailing families who express their love for the clean deck lines of their boats.

6. Island Packet Yachts

I have always thought that Island Packet Yachts build some of the most beautiful cruising sailboats in the world. This company focuses on cruising, and its boat designs reflect the needs of cruising families. Safety, stability, and comfort are the three key ingredients that make Island Packet Yachts outstanding choices for cruising the world.

Anyone who has spent time on a sailboat knows space is at a premium. Island Packet Yachts have some of the most spacious interior designs on the market, which makes living aboard these boats much more pleasant. If you plan on spending much time aboard your sailboat, all the extra interior space you can claim become a luxury.

The focus on extended cruising requires an eye for safety and stability for your boat. Island Packet excels in these categories. The seafaring capabilities of Island Packet Yachts are well documented and one of the favorite features of these boats among owners. A boat that handles conditions well is easier and more comfortable to sail in the long run.

What Do You Get with an Island Packet Yacht?

Build and Material Qualities – Most Island Packet owners are quick to point out the quality of the construction and material used in their boats, which means fewer problems over the years.
Full Foil Keel and a Skeg-Hung Rudder - The
last place you want to have problems when on a cruise is below the waterline. Island Packet continues to include a traditional well-constructed full foil keel and the extra support of a skeg-hung rudder to ensure that below-waterline problems are kept to a minimum.
Sail Handling and Performance – Island Packet Yachts are not built for racing, but they outperform many comparable boats. The self-tacking jib and 170-percent genoa are favorites among cruising sailors when talking about sails and performance.
Security Onboard – Island Packet routinely includes a built-in lockbox in their boats to provide a secure place to store your valuables, documents, and other items when onboard.

7. Amel Yachts

If you are looking for innovation and technological sophistication on your sailboat, Amel Yachts should offer you exactly what you want. This company has been building some of the finest blue water cruising yachts in the world for 50+ years and has always had an eye on staying just ahead of the technology curve.

These are not production boatyard sailboats. Amel Yachts works closely with each customer to produce a boat this is uniquely tailored to the owner’s needs and specifications while ensuring the highest quality in the build and the best performance on the water.

In addition, you will probably need to go to France several times during the construction of your yacht, which might be seen as a bonus.

With an eye for tradition, Amel Yachts is always looking forward as well. Advanced engineering and materials have made Amel Yachts some of the most sought-after boats on the water. Such things as the use of carbon fiber in mast construction, flexible couplings on propellor drive shafts, and the latest in electronic controls and navigational equipment are standard issue items.

What Do You Get with an Amel Yacht?

Eye Catching Lines – Owners are understandably proud of their Amel Yachts and often mention how these boats look on the water.
Technologically Advanced Designs – Among the most popular and often spoken about features on Amel Yachts are the solar panels fitted to these boats.
Environmentally Sound Concepts – Sailors are usually much more attuned to the environment than their land-based counterparts. Amel Yachts’ use of environmentally friendly anti-fouling paints and the bonus of extra grey water holding tanks are popular among owners who understand the need to protect the water they love.
Comfortable on the Water Experiences – Most Amel owners comment on how well these boats ride due to the lower center of gravity that is a feature in most Amel Yacht designs.

8. Nautor’s Swan

On the flip side of the coin, if you want a fast and dependable sailboat that you can also cruise, a Nautor’s Swan should be on your top choice list. Based in Finland, this company has built a reputation for designing and building high-quality sailboats that match speed with stability and safety. Yes, you can go fast in comfort.

These boats are not only fast and comfortable, but they are also surprisingly responsive and easy to handle. Using foam=filled fiberglass construction coupled with space-age material like carbon fiber, Nautor’s Swan has an unmatched record for performance and safety. You can cruise leisurely with your family or put on your best crew and expect to compete successfully with almost any other boat.

You don’t have to sacrifice comfort to gain an advantage in speed and performance. Nautor’s Swan boats are designed for cruising comfort and performance results. The hull designs give stable safe rides through even the roughest water to give you a feeling of confidence with your sailboat.

What Do You Get with a Nautor’s Swan?

Production Boat or Custom Build Choices – Customers of Swan have two choices. You can buy a production model or visit their custom design shop to get a boat tailored to your exact needs. Most customers choose the middle ground and have one of the production designs customized to their tastes.
Elegance without Sacrifice – One of the most mentioned features of Nautor’s Swan sailboats are the teak decks featured on their designs which customers love for the elegance this feature yields to their boats.
Self-Launching Anchors and Electric Winches – Even the most die-hard competitive sailor is fond of the convenience features of Nautor’s Swan boats, such as the self-launching anchor systems and electric winched.

9. Pacific Seacraft

If it is traditional lines you want, take a look at the boats built by Pacific Seacraft. This North Carolina-based yacht builder produces some of the most elegant and eye-catching cruising yachts in the world. These boats are built for comfort and cruising, so don’t expect to win any speed prizes if you choose a Pacific Seacraft design.

On the other hand, if comfort and enjoyment are at the top of your list, you won’t find a better boat. Pacific Seacraft boats are probably a bit overbuilt, making them one of the heavier sailboats per foot on the market. This translates into less speed overall but a more stable and better-handling boat that tends to be less tender when sailing than higher-performance boats.

The stability of these boats is unmatched, and the design lends itself well to safe handling, even with a short-handed crew. This feature alone makes Pacific Seacraft yachts a favorite among live-aboard cruising families that routinely don’t have full crews onboard.

What Do You Get with a Pacific Seacraft Yacht?

Comfort and Confidence – Families that liveaboard to take extended cruises always mention the space, comfort, and convenience of Pacific Seacraft Yachts as one of the main advantages of these boats.
Solid Construction for Easy Maintenance – Anyone who does extended cruising knows the importance of regular maintenance. Owners of Pacific Seacraft extoll the solid construction of these boats that make ongoing maintenance chores less intimidating.
Unmatched Customer Service – Pacific Seacraft supports their boats and their customers with some of the best services in the world. Owners regularly report that Pacific Seacraft is easy to contact, quick to respond, and always helpful.
Spacious Below Deck Layouts – Live aboard families almost always speak about the creature comforts built into their Pacific Seacraft yacht and in particular, mention how spacious these boats seem below decks.

10. Tartan Yachts

Tartan Yachts has taken a slightly different approach to the concept of cruising with] its sailboat designs. Tartan has made building the strongest, lightest, and safest sailboats in the industry a priority in the business model. They have approached this priority with narrow designs at the water line but provide wider passages.

For those sailors who want comfort, safety, and above-average sailing performance, this makes a perfect combination. In addition, if you want to purchase a boat that holds its value with time better than many other models, you should investigate Tartan. By and large, used Tartans almost always go for a premium price among used sailboats.

You won’t be sacrificing comfort or dependability with a Tartan design. Tartan is well known among owners and enthusiasts as easy to live aboard boats that are simple to maintain, providing years of service. If you anticipate long cruises, a Tartan can be a solid choice.

What Do You Get with a Tartan Yacht?

A Reputation for Solid Construction – Many Tartan owners admit that Tartan’s reputation for building well-constructed boats that are safe and easy to sail was one of the biggest selling points.
Performance without Sacrificing Comfort – No one wants to be the last one to port when you are cruising with a group. Tartan designs put performance and comfort side by side.
Easy Sailing – Most Tartan owners feel like their Tartan Yacht is a forgiving and solid boat that provides an extra level of safety.
Value – You may not anticipate trading boats very often, but it is nice to know that Tartan boats seem to hold their value better than many other comparable sailboats from other manufacturers.

11. Oyster Sailboats

If I were to use automobiles as an analogy for sailboats, the Wally Yachts would be on par with Mercedes Benz, while Beneteau and Cataline would be comparable to Cadillac or Lexus. I would have to put Oyster Sailboats on par with Bentley as some of the most luxurious sailing yachts on the market today.

Oyster Yachts, a British manufacturer, likes to call their sailboats hybrid adventure machines that bring owners life-enhancing experiences. I would say it more simply. If you want the best performance, comfort, and visual appeal, Oyster Sailboats should be your first stop. Oyster provides the utmost luxury but doesn’t come up short in the performance or safety categories.

Oyster Sailboats are considered thoroughbreds in the sailing world. These boats have logged over 20 million sailing miles and can account for more than 90 sailing circumnavigations of the globe. These numbers support the assertion that Oyster Sailboats are among the best and most prestigious sailing vessels available.

What Do You Get with an Oyster Sailboat?

Unmatched Elegance – Ask an owner what sets their Oyster Sailboat apart and without hesitation, most will say the elegant and luxurious appointments that these boats bring.
Unrivaled Construction – Sailors rarely equate luxury with sailing ability, but in the case of Oyster Boats, most owners consider their Oyster sailboats to be among the safest available based on the quality of construction and materials.
Handling and Performance – Being at the helm of an Oyster Sailboat prompts owners of these boats to make statements like, “the best handling sailboat I have ever sailed,” and “I wouldn’t hesitate to take my family and this boat anywhere under any conditions.”
Classic Looks – Despite the leading-edge technologies and designs that incorporate the best new ideas, Oyster sailboats are respected among veteran sailors for their classic looks.

12. Hinckley Yachts

Since 1928, Hinckley has been building top-of-the-line sailboats. This veteran company continues to bring designs with classic shapes, strong construction, and dramatic lines. Based in Maine, Hinckley is intimately acquainted with the challenges of sailing the North Atlantic and building boats to meet these challenges head-on. Impeccable craftsmanship is the name of Hinckley’s game, and the results speak for themselves.

Despite the classic lines of their boats, Hinckley manages to incorporate the best of modern performance design and technologies for construction. Utilizing carbon fiber, Kevlar and computer-designed load paths, the boats are some of the most structurally advanced on the market.

However, advanced technology and performance don’t detract from the comfort of these boats. From the ease with which they sail to the small details and amenities that are often overlooked by other boat manufacturers, Oyster Sailboats put customer satisfaction, safety, and comfort front and center.

What Do You Get with a Hinckley Yacht?

Above Average Construction – Hinckley owners make no secret of how much they hold the construction of their boats in high regard. The quality of Hinckley’s construction is one of the most often noted reasons for purchasing a boat.
Rich Appointments for a Warm Feel – Many boat owners understand that fiberglass just doesn’t give a feeling of comfort. Hinckley combats this perception by generously using wood inside their boats to bring a rich feeling of luxury.
Stability and Comfort – Thanks to the Hinckley gyro-stabilization system, owners are assured one of the most comfortable rides in almost any kind of sea.
Customer Service – Hinckley’s Yachtcare program is often cited as one of the best reasons to own a Hinckley sailboat. This program features mobile service teams, yacht delivery, and routine maintenance, which is often the bane of owning this kind of boat.

13. Hylas Sailing Yachts

Our modern consumable society has spawned a tradition of throw-away products produced in China that are focused more on price than on quality. Wrapping our heads around the idea that one of the best yacht manufacturers is, in fact, based in Taiwan is almost unfathomable. However, in the case of Hylas Sailing Yachts, this is the case.

Hylas, a division of Queen Long Marine Shipyard, has built a reputation for building bespoke yachts for discriminating customers in the custom luxury yacht area. Hylas doesn’t work through brokers or dealers. This innovative company prefers to deal directly with their customer to ensure that complete satisfaction is the result.

The center cockpit design of Hylas’ popular yachts is the centerpiece of their designs. In addition to incorporating the latest in technological designs and materials, Hylas uses almost complete wooden linings on their composite hulls to give their boats rich and warm interiors that exhibit the finest of joinery.

What Do You Get with a Hylas Sailing Yacht?

Solid Core Fiberglass Construction – Owners of Hylas yachts rave about solid core construction. Foam core is much lighter but tends also to be much less rigid than solid core construction.
Uncompromising Quality – Those who sail Hylas yachts brag about the quality of the materials used in these boats. Stainless steel tankage, skeg-hung rudders, and the use of Twaron bulletproof fabric in the hulls provide a level of trust that many boat owners can’t understand.
Immaculate Construction Standards – How many other boat owners brag about the neatness of the wiring on their boats? Some even make it a point to show off the meticulous way the wiring and plumbing in Hylas boats are installed.
Unbelievable Storage and Stowage – The innovative use of space and the care with which these boats are designed to allow Hylas owners to enjoy an above-average amount of storage space.

14. Sparkman & Stephens

Sparkman & Stephens are a bit different in the way they view themselves. This company is not just a sailboat manufacturer. Sparkman & Stephens consider themselves more of a naval architecture firm than just a boat-building company. It is this way of thinking that affects each boat that is spawned from the Sparkman & Stephens shops.

Tradition is a huge part of the Sparkman & Stephens design philosophy, but it doesn’t get in the way of innovation and sophistication. Incorporating the best of traditional designs and concepts with the latest and greatest in materials, technologies and engineering is at the core of the boat designs from this company. These concepts tend to take the sailing experience to an entirely new level.

Sparkman and Stephens take a very analytical approach to boat design. Every hull form is thoroughly analyzed and tested using the latest in computer modeling technology. Tank testing is done on most designs to ensure the performance and safety characteristics of each design meet their exacting standards.

What Do You Get with A Sparkman & Stephens Sailboat?

Unmistakable Designs – Owners of Sparkman & Stephens sailboats enjoy almost instant recognition at any port they visit. The combination of hull forms and profile ensures everyone knows you are sailing an S&S design.
A Most Functional Cockpit – Experienced sailors often remark that the S&S sailboats have the most functional cockpit designs and layouts they have encountered.
Trim and Finish Details – The quality of S&S sailboats doesn’t stop at the boat’s exterior. Inside, owners find the finest in joinery and finish possible to complete the overall feeling of luxury in these boats.
Sailing Characteristics – Ask an S&S owner to describe the way their boat sails, and you will usually get a huge grin and an exuberant “GREAT” as the answer. By and large S&S owners rave about the way these boats handle, maneuver, and perform on the water.

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The yachts owned by celebrities

How can someone who is recognised everywhere get away from it all? On a superyacht, of course. Yachts owned by celebrities range in style and size, but one thing that unite these vessels is their owner's love for the sea. Our round-up features the famous faces of British footballer David Beckham, tennis superstar Rafael Nadal, martial artist Conor McGregor and fashion designer Giorgio Armani.

Unknown owned by Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimović took delivery of the second hull in Benetti 's 34M Oasis, named Unknown , in 2022. The 34 metre superyacht has had a busy maiden season, cruising around the emerald coasts of Sardinia showing off her trademarked Oasis deck and RWD -designed exterior. Ibrahimović has posted the yacht on social media extensively, with videos of him and his friends playing with a drone and putting her huge locker of water toys - which includes a floating dock - to good use. The Oasis 34M follows in the footsteps of the highly popular Oasis 40M, the first hull of which, Rebeca , is owned by champion powerboat racer Tim Ciasulli.

More about this yacht

Seven owned by david beckham.

Ex-England football star and Inter Miami owner David Beckham has been revealed as the owner of a 28 metre Riva Argo 90 . Named after Beckham's iconic football shirt number, Seven was launched in October 2021 and constructed in GRP. Studio Officina Italiana Design penned the yacht both inside and out, while Ferretti Engineering Department oversaw her naval architecture. Stand out design features include the sun lounging space on the foredeck, while twin MTU diesel engines power her to a top speed of 30 knots.

Tecnomar for Lamborghini 63 owned by Conor McGregor

UFC fighter Conor McGregor has been revealed as the owner of a recently completed Tecnomar For Lamborghini 63 yacht . The 19.2 metre yacht is a crossover of the two brands and designed to satisfy owners who enjoy superyachts and supercars. McGregor’s yacht features a distinctive gold hull paint and will feature the same materials as a Lamborghini supercar. Inspired by Lamborghini’s Siàn FKP 37 model, Tecnomar For Lamborghini features an aerodynamic profile and special “carbon skin”.

Main owned by Giorgio Armani

Fashion designer Giorgio Armani has recently celebrated 40 years of life at sea and of course the fashion icon has a suitably stylish yacht. Enter the 65 metre Codecasa yacht Main , owned by Giorgio Armani, which has been designed inside and out with input from Armani. The exterior of the yacht is in an unusual dark green colour, which suits the angular, military-inspired exterior lines. Inside, the yacht has a muted palette and features wow factors in a spiral staircase, gym, cinema and guest accommodation for 12.

Infinity owned by NBA star Tony Parker

In December 2018, Turkish yard AvA Yachts announced that it had sold the second hull in its 35 metre Kando 110 series to NBA star Tony Parker and the yacht was delivered two years later. Named Infinity , the steel and aluminium full displacement yacht will feature a bulbous bow and has been designed in-house. The 340GT yacht will accommodate 12 guests in six cabins with crew quarters for six including a separate captain’s double cabin. The four-decked yacht will feature a “light, contemporary interior décor” chosen by the basketball star and his wife, who are said to have put the yard through a rigorous selection process before choosing AvA for their new build.

Astoria owned by David Gilmour

While rather more sedate and old-fashioned than some of the world's largest superyachts , the 27 metre Astoria has certainly seen its fair share of rock and roll behaviour. Owned by Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour, the houseboat was built in 1911 for Fred Karno and designed so a 90-piece orchestra could play on its deck.

Gilmour bought Astoria in 1986 and converted it into a recording studio complete with three cabins, a kitchen, bathroom and large main saloon. Parts of Pink Floyd's last three albums, along with many of Gilmour's solo releases, were recorded on board and the boat is permanently anchored on the River Thames at Hampton in Greater London.

Amphitrite formerly owned by J. K. Rowling and Johnny Depp

It was reported in January 2016 that Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling had bought classic superyacht Amphitrite . Previously known as Vajoliroja , this was once Johnny Depp's yacht and named after a blend of his name and the names of his ex-wife Vanessa Paradis and their two children Lilly-Rose and Jack. The yacht was once again listed for sale in September 2016 with an asking price of €17.5 million and eventually sold in July 2017 to an undisclosed buyer.

Necker Belle formerly owned by Richard Branson

For famous entrepreneur Richard Branson, his yacht and Caribbean island is where he gets away from the stresses of business life. The 32 metre catamaran superyacht Necker Belle was named after his island hideaway, Necker Island, in the B.V.I., which is one of the most exclusive private islands owned by celebrities . Built by CMN and launched in 2003, Necker Belle was sold by Branson to an undisclosed buyer in August 2018. The yacht is designed for partying with a huge sundeck for entertaining, lots of water toys and ample accommodations for guests and was also used to provide aid to those affected by hurricanes Irma and Maria .

Cyan owned by U2's The Edge

Believe the tabloids, and you might think that it's U2's frontman Bono that owns this yacht. But it's actually U2's The Edge who owns superyacht Cyan . The 48.71 metre motor yacht was launched by Italian builder Codecasa in 1997 but has been kept in like new condition and is now available to charter with Burgess . The yacht's crew have very cool uniforms befitting a rockstar's boat, and Cyan is also known to have one of the best outdoor cinemas found on a superyacht . She accommodates 10 guests in a Franco & Anna Della Role interior.

Va Bene owned by Eric Clapton

Another musician with a passion for yachting is Eric Clapton. Superyacht Va Bene is owned by Eric Clapton, although it is currently listed for sale with Burgess , and it's also reported that he owns the aptly named yacht Blue Guitar . The 46.51 metre motor yacht Va Bene was launched in 1992 by Cornelissen . She features exterior design by the A Group and interiors and naval architecture by Richard Hein . The semi-displacement, tri-deck yacht enjoyed a refit in 2008 and hosts 12 guests in comfortable accommodations. She also reaches a top speed of 18 knots powered by twin Caterpillar engines.

12 Celebrity sailors and boaters past and present

Katy Stickland

From hardcore racers like pop legend Simon Le Bon to George Clooney's love of motor yachts, here is our pick of the celebrities who adore sailing and boating.

Celebrity sailors George Clooney and David Suchet

Simon Le Bon

The frontman of Duran Duran’s sailing career hit the headlines in 1985 when his 77-foot maxi yacht, Drum, lost its keel and capsized during the Fastnet Race.

Simon Le Bon and other crew members were trapped inside the boat until they were rescued off the Cornish coast .

Determined to sail again, Le Bon refitted Drum and continued with his plans to compete in the 1985-1986 Whitbread Round the World Race.

Skippered by Skip Novak, Drum came in third overall in elapsed time.

Twenty years later, Le Bon once again competed in the Fastnet on board Drum, determined to conquer the race that has so nearly cost him his life.

However, delayed by light winds, he was forced to abandoned the race to perform with Duran Duran in Japan.

Le Bon owned Drum during the height of his pop career in the 1980s, before selling it to Scottish motoring tycoon, Sir Arnold Clark.

In 1987, the singer, along with his wife, Yasmin, and the rest of Drum’s crew answered a MAYDAY call from a yacht off the coast of Venezuela.

Karen McCracken and her family were sailing to Belize when they got caught in a storm and were blown onto a reef.

More recently, Le Bon joined America’s Cup hopefuls, Land Rover BAR, on board AC45F during the 2015 America’s Cup World Series Portsmouth event.

Timothy Spall

Actor Timothy Spall and his wife, Shane, spent eight years cruising the waterways of Britain after buying their first narrowboat in 1997.

They then decided they wanted to go further afield and found a specialist boat builder to build them a sea-going barge, the Princess Matilda.

Their adventures on board their 16-metre Dutch canal barge have since been watched by thousands during the BBC Four series – Timothy Spall: Somewhere at Sea, Timothy Spall: Back at Sea and Timothy Spall: All at Sea.

The three series follows the Spalls as they journey around the coast of Britain in their £200,000 barge.

The voyage has also been chronicled in two books by Shane – The Voyages of the Princess Matilda and The Princess Matilda Comes Home – The Adventure Of A Lifetime Around Britain On A Barge.

Morgan Freeman

“My earrings are worth just enough to buy me a coffin if I die in a strange place. That was the reason why sailors used to wear them,” said Morgan Freeman.

The Hollywood actor fell in love with sailing when he saw a sailboat gliding on San Francisco Bay in 1961.

Six year later, he sailed for the first time in a 18-foot Lightning-class centreboat boat on a reservoir in Stowe, Vermont.

Since then, sailing has became his “refuge and passion”.

His first boat was a Holland-built Holiday 28, and for 16 years, Freeman sailed out of Eastchester Bay.

He explored the waters and anchorages of Long Island Sound, Block Island, the Elizabeth Islands, Cape Cod, the coast of Maine, and up to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

He first sailed to the Caribbean in 1979 on a 30-foot (9.14-meter) Alberg-designed sloop with a crew that included his wife, daughter and family cat, Zipper.

It took nine days to reach Bermuda and they stayed for six weeks, hitting a storm with 50-knot winds on their return journey.

In 1989, on board his Shannon 38, Sojourner, Freeman went as far as Sombrero Rock, north of St. Martin, and then two years later began cruising the British Virgin Islands (BVI).

Since then, the Hollywood actor has sailed as far as Trinidad, exploring the Caribbean on his new Shannon 43.

Credit: Andrea Barsanti – Spirit Road/Wikimedia Commons

For more than 35 years, Canadian rock legend, Neil Young, owned the two-masted, gaff-rigged schooner, W.N. Ragland.

Originally built of oak in 1913, the 100-foot Baltic trader is a far cry from the yachts usually associated with rock stars.

The ship needed serious renovating when Young purchased it, buying enough mahogany to fill a railroad truck to replank the schooner.

As well as cruising the world with friends and family, Young also reportedly leant out W.N. Ragland for scientific expeditions to Hawaii and Alaska.

He sold the vessel to Walter Wallace of Wallace Yacht Co. in Port Townsend, Washington.

Interestingly, Young’s fellow band member in Crosby, Stills and Nash, David Crosby was also a passionate sailor, owning a John Alden designed schooner, Mayan.

The song, Wooden Ships, is believed to have been written onboard in 1968 when the ship was moored at Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Prunella Scales and Timothy West

Fawlty Towers actress Prunella Scales, and her husband actor Timothy West have been avid boaters since living on a barge during their early acting days to save money.

Now self-confessed “canal nuts”, the couple like nothing more than exploring Britain’s waterways.

Since 2014, their love of canal boating has been passed on to Channel 4 viewers through the programme, Great Canal Journeys.

The series has seen the couple explore not only the canals and rivers of the UK, but also further afield in France, Venice, Sweden and Amsterdam.

West, who has owned a narrowboat since 1979, is also vice-president of The Waterways Trust, the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust and a patron of the Huddersfield Canal Society.

He was also involved in the restoration of The Waverley, the world’s last ocean-going paddle steamer.

Errol Flynn

Dead by the age of 50, the hard drinking actor’s love affair with the sea and sailing began after he spent his early years around the Australian ports of Sydney and Hobart.

His first yacht was the Sirocco, which he sailed up the coast to New Guinea where the boat was wrecked.

After finding fame in Hollywood, Flynn purchased a second yacht, also named Sirocco, in 1938, often disappearing for days sailing.

In 1946, he brought the 118-foot schooner, Zaca, which he owned until he died.

He used the schooner to make a short documentary film, Cruise of the Zaca, which follows Flynn and his father, Professor Theodore Flynn, collecting specimens.

The voyage was done in association with the Scripps Institute of Oceanography of the University of California and took place off the east coast of Mexico and in the West Indies.

When Flynn died, his only real possession was the Zaca.

Griff Rhys-Jones

Griff Rhys-Jones at the helm of his classic yacht, Undina, with sailing celebrities Laura Baldwin, Phil Sharp and actor Geoffrey Hughes, raising awareness for Sail 4 Cancer

Comedian and television personality, Griff Rhys-Jones started sailing as a child.

His father had a boat in West Mersea on Mersea Island, which they would sail around the coast of Suffolk and into The Broads.

An enthusiastic sailor, Rhys-Jones brought his 45-foot classic yacht, Undina, reportedly spending £500,000 on its restoration.

The Philip Rhodes yacht went on to star in the BBC series Three Men in Another Boat before being listed for sail in 2013.

Since then, Rhys-Jones has brought a 1948 57-foot Sparkman and Stephens designed yawl, Argyll.

Built by Simms of Massachusetts in 1948, the yacht is used primarily for racing, and was the winner of the Bonifacio Trophy and the Coupe Des Dames in St Tropez in 2014, and come second in the Panerai Transat in March 2015.

Rhys-Jones skippered Argyll in the 2015 Fastnet Race.

He has also written about his sailing exploits.

In the Baltic with Bob records his 2002 journey to Russia on “an elderly yacht” with his friend, Bob and Baines who “knew how to mend the engine”.

He has also published Rivers: One man and his dog paddle into the heart of Britain, which follows Rhys-Jones as he explores some of Britain’s most well known rivers with his dog, Cadbury.

Jeremy Irons

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Actor Jeremy Irons was “brought up sailing” after growing up in Bembridge on the Isle of Wight where his father was a founding members of the local sailing club.

After learning to sail on dinghies, Irons has now gone on to bigger and faster vessels, famously competing in the fourth leg of the BT Global Challenge round the world yacht race.

Joining the crew of LG Flatron, he spent seven days sailing across the Tasman Sea from Wellington to Sydney, coming second in their section “by about five seconds”.

The ‘Stealing Beauty’ actor has his own ketch, Willing Lass, and often raves about sailing along the West Cork coast where he lives.

He took part in the 2015 Baltimore Wooden Boat Festival, and the Round Island Race, crewing for Conrad Humphreys on his 40-foot catamaran.

Teen idol, Zac Efron was bitten by the sailing bug after learning to sail for his role in the movie, ‘Charlie St. Cloud’.

In an interview with the Arizona Republic, he stated that he decided to take the title role after reading the script while spending time on a sailboat with his father.

Prior to filming, Efron took an intense course of sailing lessons out of Vancouver, learning how to capsize and sail a dinghy.

He said he would now like to move onto something bigger and try long-distance sailing with his father. His dream destination would be Hawaii.

JFK sailing in Maine on board the Presidential yacht, Manitou

JFK sailing the presidential yacht, Manitou. Credit: Robert L. Knudsen

Sailing was one of JFK’s greatest loves.

The US President learnt to sail as a child and owned a series of Star class boats as a teenager – Flash and Flash II – with his brother, Joseph.

Flash II was his favourite, sailing it in the waters of Nantucket Sound.

An avid sailor, JFK won the Nantucket Sound Star Class Championship in Flash II, and raced the boat while at Harvard, winning the 1938 McMillan Cup.

He sold the boat in 1941, but still got out on the water with his 26-foot Wianno Senior sloop, Victura, which was a 15th birthday present from his parents.

Victura was arguably the most cherished boat in JFK’s life – it was the boat he taught his wife, Jackie, to sail in, the boat he and Jackie were photographed on for the famous Life magazine shoot which helped create the Kennedy brand.

It is also the boat he took his children sailing in during family holidays at Cape Cod.

He even sketched the Victura during many of his meetings during his presidency.

As president, JFK also enjoyed the 92-foot wooden presidential yacht, which he renamed the Honey Fitz, although he continued to look for a presidential sailing yacht.

He found a 62-foot Sparkman and Stephens yacht, Manitou and had the vesse; refitted with the latest communications equipment so he could stay in touch with his office – it became knowns as the “Floating White House”.

David Suchet

Credit: Canal & River Trust

Although his most famous role, Hercule Poirot, suffers from the “mal de mer”, actor David Suchet certainly doesn’t!

His fascination with narrowboats and canals has now become his passion.

The actor and his wife, Sheila spent six years living on a 53-foot narrowboat, Prima Donna, after spotting it from the window of Suchet’s dressing room at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon.

They moved back onto dry land following the arrival of children, although Britain’s waterways were the focus of many family holidays and it wasn’t long before a second narrowboat was bought.

They now own their third narrowboat – a 70-foot vessel – and Suchet has become something of an advocate for the preservation and restoration of the country’s canals and rivers.

He is is currently vice-president of the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Trust, a past chairman of the River Thame Alliance and patron of the River Thames Boat Project.

He is also a friend of the Canal and River Trust.

George Clooney

As a resident on Lake Como in Italy, as well as other addresses, ‘Gravity’ actor, George Clooney is no stranger to boating.

He is often photographed on the water with various friends at the wheel of classically designed motor yachts.

According to media reports, he has brought a £10,000 row boat for his estate at Sonning Eye on the River Thames in Oxfordshire.

The Georgian house is situated on its own five-and-a-half acre island.

SailingEurope Blog - Sailing, Yacht Charter and Beyond

16 Most Prestigious World Regattas (2/2)

In case you missed our first part of the world’s regattas, make sure to check it out here . And if you want to find out everything there is to find out about sailboat racing and regattas, you can check it out here .

The second part of our list of the world’s regattas includes eight more fun and exciting events.

Rolex Middle Sea Regatta, Malta

A major sailing event in the Mediterranean since 1968. It is an exciting 977-kilometre-long race with changeable and demanding conditions starting and finishing in Malta, going around Sicily while passing the Messina Strait, the island of Stromboli and the Egadi Islands, and having a picturesque view to the active Etna volcano. Because of the scenery, Ted Turner named it “ the most beautiful racecourse in the world ”.

See more on the Rolex Middle Sea Regatta here.

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, Australia

Each year the Grand Slam offshore sailing race takes place on Boxing Day in summery Australia. It is one of the most difficult regattas in the world. Sailors start in Sydney and need to handle troubled waters of the Tasman Sea and the Bass Strait, pass the Stormy Bay, go up the Derwent River and finish in Hobart, Tasmania.

The current record and the “Holy Grail” holder (finishing the race under 40 hours) is Perpetual LOYAL with 37 hours and 31 minutes from 2016. It is worth mentioning that during the race’s lifetime, over a thousand women have taken part in it.

All the latest information on the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Route du Rhum, France

A transatlantic single-handed offshore race held every four years in November. The race starts in Saint-Malo, France and finishes in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe. Both destinations have their own culture worth seeing.

This legendary race is famous for its route that follows the historical path of rum travelling the seas. Sailors compete in four categories, depending on the size of their yacht. They reach speeds of more than 30 knots during their 5,700-kilometre-long journey. The current record is held by Banque Populaire VII and is 183 hours and 8 minutes, made in 2014.

Find all the news on the Route du Ruhm by clicking here.

Sint Maarten Heineken Regatta, the Caribbean

Started in 1980 and sponsored by Heineken from 1983, the four-days world-class regatta in the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean with cooling northeast trade winds appeals to anyone’s tastes.

Thousands of sailors from more than 35 countries in around 300 boats compete in various courses, depending on the type of boats. Non-spinnaker have more strategic opportunities, maxis and multihulls have races suited to their sailing styles, and live-aboard cruises have a leisurely start time.

The regatta has a reputation for hosting world-famous artists while enjoying a sponsored beer.

Check out more on the Sint Maarten Heineken Regatta here.

Transatlantic Race

The Grand Slam offshore sailing 2,800 NM journey symbolizes the confirmation of a sailor’s naval manhood. Crossing the Atlantic is done from west to east, except in 1870 when the race started in Cork, Ireland and finished in New York, USA. The race is divided into three classes: Racing, Racing/Cruising and Classic Yachts Division. The minimum length overall is 40 feet, there is no maximum length, although yachts over a hundred feet are offered the fourth Superyacht Class.

The current world record of 166 hours and 8 minutes is held by Rambler 100 from 2011. One should try to sail the ocean at least once in a lifetime.

There is also the Single-Handed Trans-Atlantic Race taking place every four years. Only one crew member on board sails the Atlantic for over 20 days. Very physically and mentally challenging .

Feel free to check out more about the Transatlantic Race here.

Transpacific Yacht Race (Transpac), USA

Held biennially since 1906, the race connects the West Coast of the USA with the Hawaiian Islands. The Grand Slam offshore sailing race starts in San Pedro and finishes in Honolulu. A very strategic 2,225 NM long course offers downwind rides, but one should be careful about a dangerously high-pressure area – the North Pacific High.

The current monohull fastest time of 121 hours and 55 minutes is set by Comanche in 2017. For heavy yachts and leisure sailors who like offshore competitions, there is the Aloha class of the race.

Discover more about the Transpacific Yacht Race here.

Volvo Ocean Race

Beware of the longest and toughest professional sporting event in the world! Held every three years, the race represents the ultimate months-long trip around the world . It was established in 1973 in Portsmouth, UK, and was meant to follow 19th-century cargo ships’ route. Typically departs in Europe in October, has nine or ten legs with in-port races at many stopover cities, and is tens-of-thousands kilometres long.

Sailors compete in heavy weather with temperature variations from -5 to 40 °C . There is no prize money, but the team who is the fastest in the circumnavigation gets one award, and the other one goes to the team with the most points within in-port races. Competing and finishing the race is, surely, a lifetime achievement .

More about the Volvo Ocean race events can be found here and info on the 2014/2015 race can be found here.

World Match Racing Tour

The world’s leading professional sailing series started in 2001 in its current format. Each year, 20 teams show tactical teamwork skills close to the shore, so the public can follow the races. Sailors compete in identically supplied racing yachts. Media and broadcast cover the whole event in more than 180 countries.

The teams receive $1.5 million in prize money, which can be a great motivation for teams to enrol and compete.

Discover more about the World Match Racing here.

Now that you are more familiar with the world regattas, feel free to share your thoughts or experiences about watching or participating in some of them.

3 thoughts on “16 Most Prestigious World Regattas (2/2)”

I’m wondering what is the biggest and expensive regatta in history…

Dear Alexander,

I would say the Volvo Ocean Race, since the regatta lasts for nine months and yachts are sailing around the globe. From the logistics and sponsors point of view it is the most expensive regatta.

Thank you, Bruno!

Take a sneak peek at the biggest and most expensive boats at 2024's Palm Beach yacht show

The Palm Beach International Boat Show kicks off later this week.
Eight megayachts are expected to be on display for would-be buyers and charter customers.
These are the show's biggest yachts — and how many millions of dollars they are going for.

The Palm Beach International Boat Show — the yacht world's flashiest event stateside — is returning this year with over 800 boats for both deep-pocked potential owners and window shoppers to peruse.

While it's impossible to know what exactly will be on display until the show begins on Thursday, it's expected that eight megayachts — generally defined as ships over 60 meters long — will be docked at the show and at nearby marinas like the Rybovich Marina in the ritzy Florida town.

Some of these are for sale at eye-popping prices, but others are available to if in case you fancy living like a billionaire for a week or two this summer (and if you have six figures to spare on a vacation).

These are the eight biggest yachts that will be at the Palm Beach International Boat Show, in size order.

Nero: 90.1 meters

Price: From $497,000 a week (charter) Standout features: Pizza ovens, beauty salon, massage room, resistance pool

Reportedly owned by Irish billionaire Denis O'Brien, Nero is modeled after J.P. Morgan's 1930s ship , and was built in 2007 and updated in 2021.

She now boasts a gym on her sundeck with multiple cardio machines and a beauty salon, and has an on-board beautician for manicure, pedicure, hair, and massage needs. There's also an upgraded movie theater, two new pizza ovens, and both a pool and a jacuzzi.

For those who want to go overboard, she has more than a dozen toys, including a waterslide, Jet Ski, and flyboard.

Victorious: 85 meters

Price: From $876,600 a week in the summer and $950,000 a week in the winter Standout features: Hammam (Turkish bath), wine cellar, wood-burning fireplace, children's playroom

Victorious brings a party vibe to the yacht show. With a beach club on board, a wine cellar, a cigar clubroom , multiple bars, and a lounge with a piano, the vessel is made for entertaining. Plus, there's a playroom and movie theater to entertain the kids.

For tamer charter clients, Victorious has a suite of wellness features such as a gym, massage room, beauty salon and hammam, or Turkish bath — perhaps a custom request of her owner, Turkish businessman Vural Ak.

She also boasts a treasure trove of water toys, including Jet Skis, jetsurfs, inflatable kayaks, and scuba equipment.

Casino Royale: 72 meters

Price: TBD Special Features: Infinity pool, helipad, private jacuzzi

Purchased and refitted by car dealer magnate John Staluppi last year, Casino Royale is the latest of his James Bond-inspired yachts (he's also owned an Octopussy and a Skyfall, among others).

Casino Royale has a helipad that turns into a dancefloor, an infinity pool, and a wellness center with a gym and sauna. The owner's cabin has its own deck, which features a private bar and jacuzzi.

Talisman C: 70.6 meters

Price: $60 million (or from $567,000 a week to charter) Special features: Massage and beauty room, private library

Likely the largest yacht for sale (not just charter) at the show, the Talisman C is a 2011 six-bedroom boat. The owner's cabin comes with an en suite bathroom, dressing room, private library, and crystal chandeliers.

Amenities include a gym, a beauty room, oversized jacuzzi, and a fully equipped bar. Her crew of 19 includes a trained masseuse, and the toy room comes equipped with a wakeboard, eFoil , and WaveRunners.

Joy: 70 meters

Price: From $650,000 a week Special features: Disco club, basketball court, onboard fitness instructor

Superyacht Joy testifies to the fact that owners want as many on-board experiences as they can get.

There's an expansive suite of fitness features, including a basketball court (don't shoot that hoop too hard!), a personal trainer on staff, boxing equipment, and a handful of machines. For post-workout winddowns, there's a spa with a steam room and onboard masseuse. And for entertainment, there's both an outdoor and indoor cinema, and a disco club.

Triumph: 65.4 meters

Price: From $707,600 a week in the summer and $650,000 a week in the winter Special features: Sauna, helipad, banana boat

This 2021 superyacht is named after Triumph motorcycles — a reported favorite of her rumored owner, British businessman Chris Dawson — and even has one on display as an art piece in the upper deck's lounge. The primary suite is 1,400 square feet and has its own study , and there's a sauna, an indoor-outdoor gym, a helipad, and a massage room spread among her six decks.

She boasts an "armada of water toys," including two kinds of Jet Skis, electric water bikes, and a banana boat.

Seanna: 64.5 meters

Price: $54,000,000 (or from $462,000 a week to charter) Special features: marble foyer, movie room, sundeck pool

The recently refurbished Seanna is available for sale and charter.

Her indoor-outdoor gym is on sea level so that passengers can take a dip after a session with the onboard personal trainer. There's also a sundeck pool, a helipad, a two-room massage facility, and, for the more cerebral guests, a library with an electric fireplace.

There are a number of toys on board, including a popular water trampoline and two WaveRunners.

Come Together: 60 meters

Price: $65,000,000 Special Features: DJ and videographer on board, ice bath, sauna

Next-to-new yacht Come Together is looking for a new owner after doing charters during the 2023 season.

The Beatles' influence is evident beyond the yacht's name, with guitars dotting the sky lounge and a crewmember who doubles as a DJ. There's also an outdoor cinema and bar for entertainment and an ice bath and sauna for the day after the party. The owner's suite has a private study and lounge, and each guest cabin has its own ensuite.

The sale includes a number of toys, like Jet Skis, kayaks, and Seabobs.

Watch: Inside the world's biggest cruise ship that just set sail

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Creole, Charles Nicholsons 1927 schooner. Largest wooden sailing yacht
Sea Eagle II: The inside story of the world’s largest aluminium sailing
The full story behind the world's largest sailing yacht
The top 10 largest sailing yachts in the world
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