bluewater cruising yachts for sale

BLUEWATER SAILING YACHTS QUALITY CRUISING SAILBOATS FROM THE WORLD’S TOP BUILDERS.

BLUEWATER CRUISING SAILBOATS FOR SALE

bluewater cruising yachts for sale

2019 Outbound 56

Specifying and building Outbound 56 BAREFOOT was a labour of love for her owners. They wanted to build the best quality and most practical cruising yacht that they could sail easily, as a couple, and that would carry them and their young children in safety and comfort, even to remote areas. The yacht is a very highly specified and much improved version of the well-known Hylas 56. Even after delivery the owner continued to improve and upgrade the yacht – including changing out the main engine. No cost has been spared to produce this wonderful yacht. With her hydraulic in-mast furling main, hydraulic furler to both of the headstays, electric furling gennaker, electric sheet winches - all controlled at the cockpit – she may be sailed single-handed (and has been). The interior provides a delightful aft “stateroom”, a double cabin forward and a versatile third cabin that may be used as a single or double and serves as a stowage area and workbench.

bluewater cruising yachts for sale

1988 Sparkman & Stephens Custom 50

The Stephen Custom 50 was conceived by the renowned yacht designers Sparkman & Stephens who have designed and built some of the worlds leading cruising and racing sailboats. They did not miss the mark with this 1988 classy cruiser. This stable yacht is designed and optimized for long term cruising and is a true blue-water sailboat. A solid glass hull and full skeg make Brizo a smooth ride even in rough seaways and give assurance. Built at the Queen Long yard in Taiwan, a precursor to the fabled Hylas yachts, her build quality is unquestioned. The quality craftsmanship and fine joinery is apparent throughout the interior of this well-conceived design. A deck saloon and a three-cabin layout make this yacht perfect for cruising couples or families. If you are seeking a boat that can carry you far and wide with speed, safety, and comfort, Brizo is a must see.

bluewater cruising yachts for sale

2006 Oyster 56

Renown as one of the world leading sailboat builders, Oyster is the epitome which other boats strive to measure themselves against. Ambrosia a great example of quality, function and form. These deck saloon boats boast bright comfortable interiors, practical sail handling from the helm and rigid construction. A perfect family boat or couples cruiser this boat is optimized for long term cruising in comfort and style.

bluewater cruising yachts for sale

2014 Bestevaer 66 Custom

A very unique yacht that is ready to sail the world for new adventures. Anabel is a very seaworthy yacht that has been built for unlimited cruising and a unique design which is totally “Custom built”. Only one owner from new. Built in the prestigious KM shipyard in Holland and designed by Dykstra Naval architects, it is made to the specifications of its owner who is a very experienced sailor. All on this yacht is thinking of safety, seaworthiness but not leaving aside the maximum comfort it provides for life onboard. There are no other boats like this on the market this is the reason for its customization.

All Bluewater Cruising Sailboats For Sale

  • Little Harbor
  • Robert Perry
  • Sparkman & Stephens

bluewater cruising yachts for sale

2020 Outbound 56

bluewater cruising yachts for sale

2012 Southerly 57 RS

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2009 Tartan 5300

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2009 Outbound 44

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2006 Outbound 46

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1999 Marten Custom Bill Tripp 72

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1993 Robert Perry Custom 63

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1990 Little Harbor 59

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1989 Windship 60 Cutter

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1989 Little Harbor 54

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1988 Little Harbor 46

bluewater cruising yachts for sale

1983 Mason 53

Featured bluewater sailboat brands.

bluewater cruising yachts for sale

HYLAS COLLECTION

The premier collection of pre-owned Hylas bluewater sailing yachts that are currently available on the market. Collection Yacht brokers have sold more Hylas sailboats in the last decade than all other yacht brokerages combined.

View Hylas Collection

bluewater cruising yachts for sale

OYSTER COLLECTION

Oyster is one of the world’s top bluewater cruising sailboat brands. Built in the UK, Oysters are finely crafted seaworthy yachts that capable of ocean passages and circumnavigation, with their most popular models being in the 50-70ft range. The Oyster Collection features current Oyster yachts for sale as well as videos, reviews, and guides.

View Oyster Collection

bluewater cruising yachts for sale

PASSPORT COLLECTION

Built to meet the style and taste of the American sailing market, Passport yachts are admired worldwide for their hand-crafted quality, proven passage making abilities, and well-thought out designs. While the award winning Passport 545 is perhaps the most popular model, the entire line is built to the same standards and respected for its sailing performance, fine interior woodwork, and beautiful detailing inside and out.

View Passport Collection

Bluewater Cruising Sailboat Reviews, Guides, & News

Passport 545 Aft Cockpit Walkthrough Video

Passport yachts gives us a closer look at the interior and exterior of the Passport 545 Aft Cockpit sailboat.

Promo Video of the All New Oyster 565

A great promo video that Oyster has released highlighting features of the all new Oyster 565.

bluewater cruising yachts for sale

Oyster 725 Review

The 725 was built, as many Oysters are, to sail anywhere her owners wish to go. She is the first boat in the range to have exceptional and dedicated crew quarters.

bluewater cruising yachts for sale

Oyster 625 Review

The Oyster 625 is a powerful sailboat that can be handled by an experienced couple but also has ample space for a captain and crew if that is the desired cruising mode.

bluewater cruising yachts for sale

OYSTER YACHT SALES EXPERTS

Collection Yachts, based in the yachting capital of the world, Fort Lauderdale, is proud to represent buyers and sellers of Oyster Yachts. Traveling with clients across the globe to find the best Oyster Yacht has resulted in long lasting relationships and many sales. Like Oyster, Collection Yachts provides top quality service for as long as a client owns their Oyster.

Previously Sold Models

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Home » Blog » Bluewater sailboats » The best bluewater sailboats (we analyzed 2,000 boats to find out)

The best bluewater sailboats (we analyzed 2,000 boats to find out)

By Author Fiona McGlynn

Posted on Last updated: May 16, 2023

We analyzed two-thousand bluewater sailboats to bring you a list of proven offshore designs

BEST BLUEWATER SAILBOATS

What are the best bluewater sailboats?

This was a question we asked a lot of experienced cruisers when we decided to sail across the Pacific. We needed a boat after all, and we wanted to buy the best bluewater sailboat we could afford.

We heard a lot of strong opinions.

Some sailors thought it was reckless to go offshore in any boat that didn’t have a full keel.

Others prioritized performance, and wouldn’t dream of going anywhere in a slow boat like the Westsail 32 (a.k.a. a “Wet Snail 32”).

Opinions like these left us feeling confused like we had to choose between safety and performance.  

If we learned anything from these conversations, it’s that what makes a bluewater boat is a hotly debated topic!

However, there’s a way to cut through all the opinions and get to the bottom of it. The solution is….

We analyzed just under 2,000 boats embarking on ocean crossings (over a 12 year time period) and came up with a list of the ten best bluewater sailboats.

Where did we get our data?

The data for our best bluewater sailboats list comes from 12 years of entries in the Pacific Puddle Jump (PPJ), an annual cross-Pacific rally. We took part in 2017 and had a ball!

You can read about the methodology we used to analyze this data at the bottom of the post.

What do we mean by “best”?

We know, that word is overused on the internet!

Simply, based on our data set, these were the most common makes and models entered in the PPJ cross-Pacific rally. There were at least 10 PPJ rally entries for every make of boat on our top 10 list.

So, these boats are 100% good to go?

No! A bluewater boat isn’t necessarily a seaworthy boat. Almost every cruiser we know made substantial repairs and additions to get their offshore boat ready, adding watermakers , life rafts, solar panels, and more.

Also, you should always have a boat inspected by a professional and accredited marine surveyor before buying it or taking it offshore.

But my bluewater baby boat isn’t on this list!?

There are hundreds of excellent bluewater yachts that are not on this list. For instance, we sailed across the Pacific in a Dufour 35, which didn’t even come close to making our top 10 list.

Choosing the right boat is very much an individual journey.

Where can I find these bluewater boats for sale?

We recognize that a top 10 list won’t get you very far if you’re shopping for a bluewater boat (especially if you’re looking in the used market).

So, to help you find your perfect boat, we’re going to create a big list of bluewater boats that you can use to refine your search on Yachtworld, Craigslist, or any other places to buy a used boat .

Sign up for our newsletter to get our big list of bluewater boats list as soon as it comes out.

We’re also working on a series of posts by size class. For example, if you’re looking for a smaller boat, you can narrow it down to the best bluewater sailboats under 40 feet .

Takeaways from our analysis

There were no big surprises on an individual boat level. All of these makes are considered good cruisers, some of them are even best-selling designs! However, there were a few things that caught our eye.

“Go simple, go small, go now” still holds water

We were thrilled to see the smallest boat in our roundup at the very top of the list! Westsail 32 owners can take pride in their small but mighty yachts (and ignore all those snail-sayers).

While undoubtedly there’s been a trend towards bigger bluewater cruisers in recent years, small cruising sailboats seem to be holding their own. 60% of the monohulls on this list were under 40 feet (if you count the Valiant 40 which sneaks just under at 39.92 feet).

Cat got our tongue

So, we knew catamarans were a thing, but we didn’t fully appreciate HOW popular they’d become!

50% of our top 10 bluewater boat list consists of catamarans—a good fact to toss out the next time you’re trying to garner a happy hour invite on the party boat next door (which will undoubtedly be a catamaran).

Still got it!

We’ve got good news for all you good old boat lovers! 60% of the boats on our list were first built before 2000.

While these older models are less performance-oriented than modern designs, cruisers value these boats for their ability to stand up to rough seas and heavy weather. It just goes to show that solid bones and classic looks never go out of style.

Alright, without further ado, let’s dive into our list of the 10 best bluewater boats!

The 10 best bluewater boats

best bluewater sailboats

1. Westsail 32

The Westsail 32 is an iconic bluewater sailboat

The Westsail 32 is one of the most iconic bluewater cruisers and 19 have set out to cross the Pacific in the PPJ rally since 2009.

In 1973, this small cruising sailboat garnered a 4-page spread in Time magazine. The article inspired many Americans to set sail and the Westsail 32, with its double-ender design, set the standard for what a real bluewater cruiser should look like.

There were approximately 830 built between 1971 and 1980.

This small boat has taken sailors on ocean crossings and circumnavigations. Though considered “slow” by some, the heavily-built Westsail 32 has developed a loyal following for her other excellent offshore cruising characteristics.

If you’re interested in small bluewater sailboats, check out our post on the best small sailboats for sailing around the world .

2. Lagoon 380

Lagoon 380

The Lagoon 380 is a reliable, solidly built catamaran and considered roomy for its size. We counted 18 of them in our data set. With over 800 boats built , it may be one of the best-selling catamarans in the world. Like the other boats on this list, the Lagoon 380 has proven itself on long passages and ocean crossings, winning it many loyal fans.

3. Lagoon 440

Lagoon 440 is a bluewater catamaran

18 Lagoon 440s have set out to cross the Pacific in the PPJ rally since 2009.

Why leave the comforts of home, when you can take them with you? The Lagoon 440 is a luxurious long-range cruiser, offering beautiful wood joinery, spacious accommodations, and a deluxe galley. Oh, and you have the option of an electric boat motor !

SAIL and Sailing Magazine have both done in-depth reviews of the Lagoon 440 if you want to learn more.

4. Amel Super Maramu (incl. SM 2000)

Amel Super Maramu is a popular bluewater sailboat

If you follow the adventures of SV Delos on YouTube, you probably know that the star of the show (SV Delos— in case the title didn’t give it away ) is an Amel Super Maramu. These classic bluewater sailboats can be found all over the world, proof they can go the distance.

We counted 16 Amel Super Maramus and Super Maramu 2000s in our list of PPJ entries.

Ready to join the cult of Amel? Read more about the iconic brand in Yachting World.

5. Valiant 40

The Valiant 40 is an iconic bluewater cruiser

When I interviewed legendary yacht designer, Bob Perry, for Good Old Boat in 2019, he told me that the Valiant 40 was one of the boats that most defined him and marked the real start of his career.

At the time, heavy displacement cruisers were considered sluggish and slow, especially in light winds.

Perry’s innovation with the Valiant 40 was to combine a classic double ender above the waterline, with an IOR racing hull shape below the waterline. The result was the first “performance cruiser”, a blockbuster hit, with over 200 boats built in the 1970s.

It’s no surprise we counted 16 Valiant 40s in our data set.

Cruising World magazine dubbed it “a fast, comfortable, and safe cruising yacht,” and there’s no doubt it’s covered some serious nautical miles.

It’s worth noting that there were blistering problems with hull numbers 120-249 (boats built between 1976 and 1981). Later models did not have this problem. Despite the blistering issues, the Valiant 40 remains one of the most highly thought of bluewater designs.

6. TAYANA 37

The Tayana 37 is a top bluewater boat

The Tayana 37 is another hugely popular Perry design. The first boat rolled off the production line in 1976 and since then, nearly 600 boats have been built. Beautiful classic lines and a proven track record have won the Tayana 37 a devoted following of offshore enthusiasts.

12 Tayana 37s have set out to cross the Pacific in the PPJ rally since 2009. Read more about the Tayana 37 in this Practical Sailor review .

7. Lagoon 450

The Lagoon 450 is one of the best bluewater sailboats

If this list is starting to sound like a paid advertisement, I swear we’re not on Lagoon’s payroll! This is the third Lagoon on our list, but the data doesn’t lie. Lagoon is making some of the best cruising sailboats.

The 450 has been a hot seller for Lagoon, with over 800 built since its launch in 2014. While not a performance cat, the Lagoon 450 travels at a reasonable speed and is brimming with luxury amenities.

At least 12 owners in the PPJ rally chose the Lagoon 450 to take them across the Pacific. It’s no wonder SAIL had so many good things to say about it.

8. Fountaine Pajot Bahia 46

Fountaine Pajot Bahia 46 Bluewater Sailboat

There were 11 Fountaine Pajot Bahia 46s in our data set.

Fountaine Pajot released the Bahia 46 in 1997, a sleek design for traveling long distances. Its generously-sized water and fuel tanks along with ample storage for cruising gear are a real plus for the self-sufficient sailor.

According to Cruising World , “Cruising-cat aficionados should put the Bahia 46 on their “must-see” list.”

9. Catalina 42 (MKI, MKII)

Catalina 42 bluewater boat

10 Catalina 42s (MKI and MKII) have set out to cross the Pacific in the PPJ rally since 2009.

The Catalina 42 was designed under the guidance of the legendary yacht designer and Catalina’s chief engineer, Gerry Douglas.

One of Catalina’s philosophies is to offer “as much boat for the money as possible,” and the Catalina 42 is no exception. According to Practical Sailor , Catalina aims to price its boats 15% to 20% below major production boats like Hunter and Beneteau.

Practical Sailor has a great in-depth review of the Catalina 42 .

10. Leopard 46

Leopard 46 bluewater sailboat

Since 2009, 10 Leopard 46s have embarked on Pacific crossings in the PPJ rally.

Leopards have won legions of fans for their high build quality, robust engineering, and excellent performance.

The Leopard 46 also boasts something of a racing pedigree. It was built in South Africa by Robertson and Caine and designed by Gino Morelli and Pete Melvin, who came up with the record-breaking catamaran Playstation / Cheyenne 125 .

Read more about the Leopard 46 in this Cruising World review .

Methodology

What the data is and isn’t.

The PPJ data was a real boon because it reflects a wide range of cruising boats: small, big, old, new, expensive, and affordable. We think this may be because the PPJ is a very financially accessible rally—the standard entry cost is $125 or $100 if you’re under 35 (age or boat length!).

We did look at data from other (pricier) rallies but found that the results skewed towards more expensive boats.

Needless to say, the data we used is just a sample of the bluewater boats that crossed the Pacific over the last 10+ years. Many cruisers cross oceans without participating in a rally!

Entries vs. completions

The data we used is a list of the PPJ entries, not necessarily the boats that completed the rally. In instances where we saw the same boat entered multiple years in a row, we assumed they’d postponed their crossing and deleted all but the latest entry to avoid double counting.

Boat make variations

The world of boat building and naming can get pretty complicated. Sometimes a manufacturer changes a boat’s name a year or two into production, other times the name remains the same but the boat undergoes a dramatic update.

For the most part, we’ve used SailboatData.com’s classification system (if they list the boats separately, then we have also), except where there are two separately listed models that have the same LOA, beam, and displacement.

Fiona McGlynn

Fiona McGlynn is an award-winning boating writer who created Waterborne as a place to learn about living aboard and traveling the world by sailboat. She has written for boating magazines including BoatUS, SAIL, Cruising World, and Good Old Boat. She’s also a contributing editor at Good Old Boat and BoatUS Magazine. In 2017, Fiona and her husband completed a 3-year, 13,000-mile voyage from Vancouver to Mexico to Australia on their 35-foot sailboat.

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43 of the best bluewater sailboat designs of all time

Yachting World

  • January 5, 2022

How do you choose the right yacht for you? We highlight the very best bluewater sailboat designs for every type of cruising

bluewater cruising yachts for sale

Which yacht is the best for bluewater boating? This question generates even more debate among sailors than questions about what’s the coolest yacht , or the best for racing. Whereas racing designs are measured against each other, cruising sailors get very limited opportunities to experience different yachts in real oceangoing conditions, so what is the best bluewater sailboat?

Here, we bring you our top choices from decades of designs and launches. Over the years, the Yachting World team has sailed these boats, tested them or judged them for European Yacht of the Year awards, and we have sifted through the many to curate a selection that we believe should be on your wishlist.

Making the right choice may come down to how you foresee your yacht being used after it has crossed an ocean or completed a passage: will you be living at anchor or cruising along the coast? If so, your guiding requirements will be space, cabin size, ease of launching a tender and anchoring closer to shore, and whether it can comfortably accommodate non-expert-sailor guests.

Article continues below…

bluewater cruising yachts for sale

The perfect boat: what makes an ideal offshore cruising yacht?

Choosing a boat for offshore cruising is not a decision to be taken lightly. I have researched this topic on…

luxury-cruisers-European-yacht-of-the-year-sunbeam-46-1-exterior-credit-bertel-kolthof

European Yacht of the Year 2019: Best luxury cruisers

Before the sea trials began, I would have put money on a Hallberg-Rassy or the Wauquiez winning an award. The…

All of these considerations have generated the inexorable rise of the bluewater catamaran – monohulls can’t easily compete on these points. We have a full separate feature on the best bluewater multihulls of all time and here we mostly focus on monohulls. The only exceptions to that rule are two multihulls which made it into our best bluewater sailboats of 2022 list.

As so much of making the right choice is selecting the right boat for the venture in mind, we have separated out our edit into categories: best for comfort; for families; for performance; and for expedition or high latitudes sailing .

Best bluewater sailboats of 2022

The new flagship Allures 51.9, for example, is a no-nonsense adventure cruising design built and finished to a high standard. It retains Allures’ niche of using aluminium hulls with glassfibre decks and superstructures, which, the yard maintains, gives the optimum combination of least maintenance and less weight higher up. Priorities for this design were a full beam aft cabin and a spacious, long cockpit. Both are excellent, with the latter, at 6m long, offering formidable social, sailing and aft deck zones.

It likes some breeze to come to life on the wheel, but I appreciate that it’s designed to take up to five tonnes payload. And I like the ease with which you can change gears using the furling headsails and the positioning of the powerful Andersen winches inboard. The arch is standard and comes with a textile sprayhood or hard bimini.

Below decks you’ll find abundant headroom and natural light, a deep U-shape galley and cavernous stowage. For those who like the layout of the Amel 50 but would prefer aluminium or shoal draught, look no further.

Allures 51.9 price: €766,000

The Ovni 370 is another cunning new aluminum centreboard offering, a true deck saloon cruiser for two. The designers say the biggest challenge was to create a Category A ocean going yacht at this size with a lifting keel, hence the hull had to be very stable.

Enjoyable to helm, it has a practical, deep cockpit behind a large sprayhood, which can link to the bimini on the arch. Many of its most appealing features lie in the bright, light, contemporary, clever, voluminous interior, which has good stowage and tankage allocation. There’s also a practical navstation, a large workroom and a vast separate shower. I particularly like the convertible saloom, which can double as a large secure daybed or pilot berth.

Potentially the least expensive Category A lift keel boat available, the Ovni will get you dreaming of remote places again.

Ovni 370 price: €282,080

bluewater cruising yachts for sale

There’s no shortage of spirit in the Windelo 50. We gave this a sustainability award after it’s founders spent two years researching environmentally-friendly composite materials, developing an eco-composite of basalt fibre and recycled PET foam so it could build boats that halve the environmental impact of standard glassfibre yachts.

The Windelo 50 is an intriguing package – from the styling, modular interior and novel layout to the solar field on the roof and the standard electric propulsion, it is completely fresh.

Windelo 50 price: €795,000

Best bluewater sailboat of 2022 – Outremer 55

I would argue that this is the most successful new production yacht on the market. Well over 50 have already sold (an equipped model typically costs €1.6m) – and I can understand why. After all, were money no object, I had this design earmarked as the new yacht I would most likely choose for a world trip.

Indeed 55 number one Sanya, was fully equipped for a family’s world cruise, and left during our stay for the Grand Large Odyssey tour. Whereas we sailed Magic Kili, which was tricked up with performance options, including foam-cored deckheads and supports, carbon crossbeam and bulkheads, and synthetic rigging.

At rest, these are enticing space ships. Taking one out to sea is another matter though. These are speed machines with the size, scale and loads to be rightly weary of. Last month Nikki Henderson wrote a feature for us about how to manage a new breed of performance cruising cats just like this and how she coaches new owners. I could not think of wiser money spent for those who do not have ample multihull sailing experience.

Under sail, the most fun was obviously reserved for the reaching leg under asymmetric, where we clocked between 11-16 knots in 15-16 knots wind. But it was the stability and of those sustained low teen speeds which really hit home  – passagemaking where you really cover miles.

Key features include the swing helms, which give you views from outboard, over the coachroof or from a protected position in the cockpit through the coachroof windows, and the vast island in the galley, which is key to an open plan main living area. It helps provide cavernous stowage and acts as the heart of the entertaining space as it would in a modern home. As Danish judge Morten Brandt-Rasmussen comments: “Apart from being the TGV of ocean passages the boat offers the most spacious, open and best integration of the cockpit and salon areas in the market.”

Outremer has done a top job in packing in the creature comforts, stowage space and payload capacity, while keeping it light enough to eat miles. Although a lot to absorb and handle, the 55 offers a formidable blend of speed and luxury cruising.

Outremer 55 price: €1.35m

Best bluewater sailboats for comfort

This is the successor to the legendary Super Maramu, a ketch design that for several decades defined easy downwind handling and fostered a cult following for the French yard. Nearly a decade old, the Amel 55 is the bridge between those world-girdling stalwarts and Amel’s more recent and totally re-imagined sloop designs, the Amel 50 and 60.

The 55 boasts all the serious features Amel aficionados loved and valued: a skeg-hung rudder, solidly built hull, watertight bulkheads, solid guardrails and rampart bulwarks. And, most noticeable, the solid doghouse in which the helmsman sits in perfect shelter at the wheel.

This is a design to live on comfortably for long periods and the list of standard features just goes on and on: passarelle; proper sea berths with lee cloths; electric furling main and genoa; and a multitude of practical items that go right down to a dishwasher and crockery.

There’s no getting around the fact these designs do look rather dated now, and through the development of easier sail handling systems the ketch rig has fallen out of fashion, but the Amel is nothing short of a phenomenon, and if you’ve never even peeked on board one, you really have missed a treat.

best-ever-bluewater-yachts-Contest-50CS-credit-Sander-van-der-Borch

Photo: Sander van der Borch

Contest 50CS

A centre cockpit cruiser with true longevity, the Contest 50CS was launched by Conyplex back in 2003 and is still being built by the family-owned Dutch company, now in updated and restyled form.

With a fully balanced rudder, large wheel and modern underwater sections, the Contest 50CS is a surprisingly good performer for a boat that has a dry weight of 17.5 tonnes. Many were fitted with in-mast furling, which clearly curtails that performance, but even without, this boat is set up for a small crew.

Electric winches and mainsheet traveller are all easy to reach from the helm. On our test of the Contest 50CS, we saw for ourselves how two people can gybe downwind under spinnaker without undue drama. Upwind, a 105% genoa is so easy to tack it flatters even the weediest crewmember.

Down below, the finish level of the joinery work is up there among the best and the interior is full of clever touches, again updated and modernised since the early models. Never the cheapest bluewater sailing yacht around, the Contest 50CS has remained in demand as a brokerage buy. She is a reassuringly sure-footed, easily handled, very well built yacht that for all those reasons has stood the test of time.

This is a yacht that would be well capable of helping you extend your cruising grounds, almost without realising it.

Read more about the Contest 50CS and the new Contest 49CS

best-ever-bluewater-yachts-hallberg-rassy-48-credit-rick-tomlinson

Photo: Rick Tomlinson

Hallberg-Rassy 48 Mk II

For many, the Swedish Hallberg-Rassy yard makes the quintessential bluewater cruiser for couples. With their distinctive blue cove line, these designs are famous for their seakindly behaviour, solid-as-a-rock build and beautifully finished, traditional interiors.

To some eyes, Hallberg-Rassys aren’t quite cool enough, but it’s been company owner Magnus Rassy’s confidence in the formula and belief in incremental ‘step-by-step’ evolution that has been such an exceptional guarantor of reliable quality, reputation and resale value.

The centre cockpit Hallberg-Rassy 48 epitomises the concept of comfort at sea and, like all the Frers-designed Hallberg-Rassys since the 1990s, is surprisingly fleet upwind as well as steady downwind. The 48 is perfectly able to be handled by a couple (as we found a few years back in the Pacific), and could with no great effort crack out 200-mile days.

The Hallberg-Rassy 48 was launched nearly a decade ago, but the Mk II from 2014 is our pick, updated with a more modern profile, larger windows and hull portlights that flood the saloon and aft cabin with light. With a large chart table, secure linear galley, heaps of stowage and space for bluewater extras such as machinery and gear, this yacht pretty much ticks all the boxes.

best-ever-bluewater-yachts-discovery-55-credit-rick-tomlinson

Discovery 55

First launched in 2000, the Discovery 55 has stood the test of time. Designed by Ron Holland, it hit a sweet spot in size that appealed to couples and families with world girdling plans.

Elegantly styled and well balanced, the 55 is also a practical design, with a deep and secure cockpit, comfortable seating, a self-tacking jib, dedicated stowage for the liferaft , a decent sugar scoop transom that’s useful for swimming or dinghy access, and very comfortable accommodation below. In short, it is a design that has been well thought out by those who’ve been there, got the bruises, stubbed their toes and vowed to change things in the future if they ever got the chance.

Throughout the accommodation there are plenty of examples of good detailing, from the proliferation of handholds and grabrails, to deep sinks in the galley offering immediate stowage when under way and the stand up/sit down showers. Stowage is good, too, with plenty of sensibly sized lockers in easily accessible positions.

The Discovery 55 has practical ideas and nifty details aplenty. She’s not, and never was, a breakthrough in modern luxury cruising but she is pretty, comfortable to sail and live on, and well mannered.

best-ever-bluewater-yachts-Rustler-42-credit-Latitudes-Picture-Library

Photo: Latitudes Picture Library

You can’t get much more Cornish than a Rustler. The hulls of this Stephen Jones design are hand-moulded and fitted out in Falmouth – and few are more ruggedly built than this traditional, up-for-anything offshore cruiser.

She boasts an encapsulated lead keel, eliminating keel bolts and creating a sump for generous fuel and water tankage, while a chunky skeg protects the rudder. She is designed for good directional stability and load carrying ability. These are all features that lend this yacht confidence as it shoulders aside the rough stuff.

Most of those built have had a cutter rig, a flexible arrangement that makes sense for long passages in all sea and weather conditions. Down below, the galley and saloon berths are comfortable and sensible for living in port and at sea, with joinery that Rustler’s builders are rightly proud of.

As modern yachts have got wider, higher and fatter, the Rustler 42 is an exception. This is an exceptionally well-mannered seagoing yacht in the traditional vein, with elegant lines and pleasing overhangs, yet also surprisingly powerful. And although now over 20 years old, timeless looks and qualities mean this design makes her look ever more like a perennial, a modern classic.

The definitive crossover size, the point at which a yacht can be handled by a couple but is just large enough to have a professional skipper and be chartered, sits at around the 60ft mark. At 58ft 8in, the Oyster 575 fitted perfectly into this growing market when launched in 2010. It went on to be one of the most popular models from the yard, and is only now being superseded by the newer Rob Humphreys-designed Oyster 565 (just launched this spring).

Built in various configurations with either a deep keel, shoal draught keel or centreboard with twin rudders, owners could trade off better performance against easy access to shallower coves and anchorages. The deep-bodied hull, also by Rob Humphreys, is known for its easy motion at sea.

Some of the Oyster 575’s best features include its hallmark coachroof windows style and centre cockpit – almost everyone will know at first glance this is an Oyster – and superb interior finish. If she has a flaw, it is arguably the high cockpit, but the flip side is the galley headroom and passageway berth to the large aft stateroom.

This design also has a host of practical features for long-distance cruising, such as high guardrails, dedicated liferaft stowage, a vast lazarette for swallowing sails, tender, fenders etc, and a penthouse engine room.

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Privilege Serie 5

A true luxury catamaran which, fully fitted out, will top €1m, this deserves to be seen alongside the likes of the Oyster 575, Gunfleet 58 and Hallberg-Rassy 55. It boasts a large cockpit and living area, and a light and spacious saloon with an emphasis on indoor-outdoor living, masses of refrigeration and a big galley.

Standout features are finish quality and solid build in a yacht designed to take a high payload, a secure walkaround deck and all-round views from the helm station. The new Privilege 510 that will replace this launches in February 2020.

Gunfleet 43

It was with this Tony Castro design that Richard Matthews, founder of Oyster Yachts, launched a brand new rival brand in 2012, the smallest of a range stretching to the flagship Gunfleet 74. The combination of short overhangs and centre cockpit at this size do make the Gunfleet 43 look modern if a little boxy, but time and subsequent design trends have been kind to her lines, and the build quality is excellent. The saloon, galley and aft cabin space is exceptional on a yacht of this size.

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Photo: David Harding

Conceived as a belt-and-braces cruiser, the Kraken 50 launched last year. Its unique points lie underwater in the guise of a full skeg-hung rudder and so-called ‘Zero Keel’, an encapsulated long keel with lead ballast.

Kraken Yachts is the brainchild of British businessman and highly experienced cruiser Dick Beaumont, who is adamant that safety should be foremost in cruising yacht design and build. “There is no such thing as ‘one yacht for all purposes’… You cannot have the best of all worlds, whatever the salesman tells you,” he says.

Read our full review of the Kraken 50 .

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Wauquiez Centurion 57

Few yachts can claim to be both an exciting Med-style design and a serious and practical northern European offshore cruiser, but the Wauquiez Centurion 57 tries to blend both. She slightly misses if you judge solely by either criterion, but is pretty and practical enough to suit her purpose.

A very pleasant, well-considered yacht, she is impressively built and finished with a warm and comfortable interior. More versatile than radical, she could be used for sailing across the Atlantic in comfort and raced with equal enjoyment at Antigua Sailing Week .

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A modern classic if ever there was one. A medium to heavy displacement yacht, stiff and easily capable of standing up to her canvas. Pretty, traditional lines and layout below.

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Photo: Voyage of Swell

Well-proven US legacy design dating back to the mid-1960s that once conquered the Transpac Race . Still admired as pretty, with slight spoon bow and overhanging transom.

best-ever-bluewater-yachts-Hylas-46

Capable medium displacement cruiser, ideal size and good accommodation for couples or family cruising, and much less costly than similar luxury brands.

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Photo: Peter Szamer

Swedish-built aft cockpit cruiser, smaller than many here, but a well-built and finished, super-durable pocket ocean cruiser.

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Tartan 3700

Designed as a performance cruiser there are nimbler alternatives now, but this is still an extremely pretty yacht.

Broker ’ s choice

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Discovery 55 Brizo

This yacht has already circumnavigated the globe and is ‘prepared for her next adventure,’ says broker Berthon. Price: £535,000 + VAT

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Oyster 575 Ayesha

‘Stunning, and perfectly equipped for bluewater cruising,’ says broker Ancasta International. Price: £845,000 (tax not paid)

best-ever-bluewater-yachts-Oyster-575-Pearls-of-Nautilus

Oyster 575 Pearls of Nautilus

Nearly new and with a high spec, this Oyster Brokerage yacht features American white oak joinery and white leather upholstery and has a shoal draught keel. Price: $1.49m

Best bluewater yachts for performance

The Frers-designed Swan 54 may not be the newest hull shape but heralded Swan’s latest generation of displacement bluewater cruisers when launched four years ago. With raked stem, deep V hull form, lower freeboard and slight curve to the topsides she has a more timeless aesthetic than many modern slab-sided high volume yachts, and with that a seakindly motion in waves. If you plan to cover many miles to weather, this is probably the yacht you want to be on.

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Photo: Carlo Borlenghi

Besides Swan’s superlative build quality, the 54 brings many true bluewater features, including a dedicated sail locker. There’s also a cockpit locker that functions as a utility cabin, with potential to hold your generator and washing machine, or be a workshop space.

The sloping transom opens out to reveal a 2.5m bathing platform, and although the cabins are not huge there is copious stowage space. Down below the top-notch oak joinery is well thought through with deep fiddles, and there is a substantial nav station. But the Swan 54 wins for handling above all, with well laid-out sail controls that can be easily managed between a couple, while offering real sailing enjoyment to the helmsman.

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Photo: Graham Snook

The Performance Cruiser winner at the 2019 European Yacht of the Year awards, the Arcona 435 is all about the sailing experience. She has genuine potential as a cruiser-racer, but her strengths are as an enjoyable cruiser rather than a full-blown liveaboard bluewater boat.

Build quality is excellent, there is the option of a carbon hull and deck, and elegant lines and a plumb bow give the Arcona 435 good looks as well as excellent performance in light airs. Besides slick sail handling systems, there are well thought-out features for cruising, such as ample built-in rope bins and an optional semi-closed stern with stowage and swim platform.

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Outremer 51

If you want the space and stability of a cat but still prioritise sailing performance, Outremer has built a reputation on building catamarans with true bluewater characteristics that have cruised the planet for the past 30 years.

Lighter and slimmer-hulled than most cruising cats, the Outremer 51 is all about sailing at faster speeds, more easily. The lower volume hulls and higher bridgedeck make for a better motion in waves, while owners report that being able to maintain a decent pace even under reduced canvas makes for stress-free passages. Deep daggerboards also give good upwind performance.

With bucket seats and tiller steering options, the Outremer 51 rewards sailors who want to spend time steering, while they’re famously well set up for handling with one person on deck. The compromise comes with the interior space – even with a relatively minimalist style, there is less cabin space and stowage volume than on the bulkier cats, but the Outremer 51 still packs in plenty of practical features.

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The Xc45 was the first cruising yacht X-Yachts ever built, and designed to give the same X-Yachts sailing experience for sailors who’d spent years racing 30/40-footer X- and IMX designs, but in a cruising package.

Launched over 10 years ago, the Xc45 has been revisited a few times to increase the stowage and modernise some of the styling, but the key features remain the same, including substantial tanks set low for a low centre of gravity, and X-Yachts’ trademark steel keel grid structure. She has fairly traditional styling and layout, matched with solid build quality.

A soft bilge and V-shaped hull gives a kindly motion in waves, and the cockpit is secure, if narrow by modern standards.

best-ever-bluewater-yachts-Catana-47

A three or four cabin catamaran that’s fleet of foot with high bridgedeck clearance for comfortable motion at sea. With tall daggerboards and carbon construction in some high load areas, Catana cats are light and quick to accelerate.

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Sweden Yachts 45

An established bluewater design that also features in plenty of offshore races. Some examples are specced with carbon rig and retractable bowsprits. All have a self-tacking jib for ease. Expect sweeping areas of teak above decks and a traditionally wooded interior with hanging wet locker.

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A vintage performer, first launched in 1981, the 51 was the first Frers-designed Swan and marked a new era of iconic cruiser-racers. Some 36 of the Swan 51 were built, many still actively racing and cruising nearly 40 years on. Classic lines and a split cockpit make this a boat for helming, not sunbathing.

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Photo: Julien Girardot / EYOTY

The JPK 45 comes from a French racing stable, combining race-winning design heritage with cruising amenities. What you see is what you get – there are no superfluous headliners or floorboards, but there are plenty of ocean sailing details, like inboard winches for safe trimming. The JPK 45 also has a brilliantly designed cockpit with an optional doghouse creating all-weather shelter, twin wheels and superb clutch and rope bin arrangement.

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Photo: Andreas Lindlahr

For sailors who don’t mind exchanging a few creature comforts for downwind planing performance, the Pogo 50 offers double-digit surfing speeds for exhilarating tradewind sailing. There’s an open transom, tiller steering and no backstay or runners. The Pogo 50 also has a swing keel, to nose into shallow anchorages.

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Seawind 1600

Seawinds are relatively unknown in Europe, but these bluewater cats are very popular in Australia. As would be expected from a Reichel-Pugh design, this 52-footer combines striking good looks and high performance, with fine entry bows and comparatively low freeboard. Rudders are foam cored lifting designs in cassettes, which offer straightforward access in case of repairs, while daggerboards are housed under the deck.

Best bluewater sailboats for families

It’s unsurprising that, for many families, it’s a catamaran that meets their requirements best of increased space – both living space and separate cabins for privacy-seeking teenagers, additional crew or visiting family – as well as stable and predictable handling.

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Photo: Nicholas Claris

Undoubtedly one of the biggest success stories has been the Lagoon 450, which, together with boats like the Fountaine Pajot 44, helped drive up the popularity of catamaran cruising by making it affordable and accessible. They have sold in huge numbers – over 1,000 Lagoon 450s have been built since its launch in 2010.

The VPLP-designed 450 was originally launched with a flybridge with a near central helming position and upper level lounging areas (450F). The later ‘sport top’ option (450S) offered a starboard helm station and lower boom (and hence lower centre of gravity for reduced pitching). The 450S also gained a hull chine to create additional volume above the waterline. The Lagoon features forward lounging and aft cockpit areas for additional outdoor living space.

Besides being a big hit among charter operators, Lagoons have proven themselves over thousands of bluewater miles – there were seven Lagoon 450s in last year’s ARC alone. In what remains a competitive sector of the market, Lagoon has recently launched a new 46, with a larger self-tacking jib and mast moved aft, and more lounging areas.

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Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

Fountaine Pajot Helia 44

The FP Helia 44 is lighter, lower volume, and has a lower freeboard than the Lagoon, weighing in at 10.8 tonnes unloaded (compared to 15 for the 450). The helm station is on a mezzanine level two steps up from the bridgedeck, with a bench seat behind. A later ‘Evolution’ version was designed for liveaboard cruisers, featuring beefed up dinghy davits and an improved saloon space.

Available in three or four cabin layouts, the Helia 44 was also popular with charter owners as well as families. The new 45 promises additional volume, and an optional hydraulically lowered ‘beach club’ swim platform.

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Photo: Arnaud De Buyzer / graphikup.com

The French RM 1370 might be less well known than the big brand names, but offers something a little bit different for anyone who wants a relatively voluminous cruising yacht. Designed by Marc Lombard, and beautifully built from plywood/epoxy, the RM is stiff and responsive, and sails superbly.

The RM yachts have a more individual look – in part down to the painted finish, which encourages many owners to personalise their yachts, but also thanks to their distinctive lines with reverse sheer and dreadnought bow. The cockpit is well laid out with the primary winches inboard for a secure trimming position. The interior is light, airy and modern, although the open transom won’t appeal to everyone.

For those wanting a monohull, the Hanse 575 hits a similar sweet spot to the popular multis, maximising accommodation for a realistic price, yet with responsive performance.

The Hanse offers a vast amount of living space thanks to the ‘loft design’ concept of having all the living areas on a single level, which gives a real feeling of spaciousness with no raised saloon or steps to accommodation. The trade-off for such lofty head height is a substantial freeboard – it towers above the pontoon, while, below, a stepladder is provided to reach some hatches.

Galley options include drawer fridge-freezers, microwave and coffee machine, and the full size nav station can double up as an office or study space.

But while the Hanse 575 is a seriously large boat, its popularity is also down to the fact that it is genuinely able to be handled by a couple. It was innovative in its deck layout: with a self-tacking jib and mainsheet winches immediately to hand next to the helm, one person could both steer and trim.

Direct steering gives a feeling of control and some tangible sailing fun, while the waterline length makes for rapid passage times. In 2016 the German yard launched the newer Hanse 588 model, having already sold 175 of the 575s in just four years.

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Photo: Bertel Kolthof

Jeanneau 54

Jeanneau leads the way among production builders for versatile all-rounder yachts that balance sail performance and handling, ergonomics, liveaboard functionality and good looks. The Jeanneau 54 , part of the range designed by Philippe Briand with interior by Andrew Winch, melds the best of the larger and smaller models and is available in a vast array of layout options from two cabins/two heads right up to five cabins and three heads.

We’ve tested the Jeanneau 54 in a gale and very light winds, and it acquitted itself handsomely in both extremes. The primary and mainsheet winches are to hand next to the wheel, and the cockpit is spacious, protected and child-friendly. An electric folding swim and sun deck makes for quick fun in the water.

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Nautitech Open 46

This was the first Nautitech catamaran to be built under the ownership of Bavaria, designed with an open-plan bridgedeck and cockpit for free-flowing living space. But with good pace for eating up bluewater miles, and aft twin helms rather than a flybridge, the Nautitech Open 46 also appeals to monohull sailors who prefer a more direct sailing experience.

best-ever-bluewater-yachts-Leopard-45

Made by Robertson and Caine, who produce catamarans under a dual identity as both Leopard and the Sunsail/Moorings charter cats, the Leopard 45 is set to be another big seller. Reflecting its charter DNA, the Leopard 45 is voluminous, with stepped hulls for reduced waterline, and a separate forward cockpit.

Built in South Africa, they are robustly tested off the Cape and constructed ruggedly enough to handle heavy weather sailing as well as the demands of chartering.

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Photo: Olivier Blanchet

If space is king then three hulls might be even better than two. The Neel 51 is rare as a cruising trimaran with enough space for proper liveaboard sailing. The galley and saloon are in the large central hull, together with an owner’s cabin on one level for a unique sensation of living above the water. Guest or family cabins lie in the outer hulls for privacy and there is a cavernous full height engine room under the cabin sole.

Performance is notably higher than an equivalent cruising cat, particularly in light winds, with a single rudder giving a truly direct feel in the helm, although manoeuvring a 50ft trimaran may daunt many sailors.

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Beneteau Oceanis 46.1

A brilliant new model from Beneteau, this Finot Conq design has a modern stepped hull, which offers exhilarating and confidence-inspiring handling in big breezes, and slippery performance in lighter winds.

The Beneteau Oceanis 46.1 was the standout performer at this year’s European Yacht of the Year awards, and, in replacing the popular Oceanis 45, looks set to be another bestseller. Interior space is well used with a double island berth in the forepeak. An additional inboard unit creates a secure galley area, but tank capacity is moderate for long periods aboard.

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Beneteau Oceanis 473

A popular model that offers beam and height in a functional layout, although, as with many boats of this age (she was launched in 2002), the mainsheet is not within reach of the helmsman.

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Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 49

The Philippe Briand-designed Sun Odyssey range has a solid reputation as family production cruisers. Like the 473, the Sun Odyssey 49 was popular for charter so there are plenty of four-cabin models on the market.

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Nautitech 441

The hull design dates back to 1995, but was relaunched in 2012. Though the saloon interior has dated, the 441 has solid practical features, such as a rainwater run-off collection gutter around the coachroof.

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Atlantic 42

Chris White-designed cats feature a pilothouse and forward waist-high working cockpit with helm position, as well as an inside wheel at the nav station. The Atlantic 42 offers limited accommodation by modern cat standards but a very different sailing experience.

Best bluewater sailing yachts for expeditions

Bestevaer 56.

All of the yachts in our ‘expedition’ category are aluminium-hulled designs suitable for high latitude sailing, and all are exceptional yachts. But the Bestevaer 56 is a spectacular amount of boat to take on a true adventure. Each Bestevaer is a near-custom build with plenty of bespoke options for owners to customise the layout and where they fall on the scale of rugged off-grid adventurer to 4×4-style luxury fit out.

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The Bestevaer range began when renowned naval architect Gerard Dijkstra chose to design his own personal yacht for liveaboard adventure cruising, a 53-footer. The concept drew plenty of interest from bluewater sailors wanting to make longer expeditions and Bestevaers are now available in a range of sizes, with the 56-footer proving a popular mid-range length.

The well-known Bestevaer 56 Tranquilo  (pictured above) has a deep, secure cockpit, voluminous tanks (700lt water and over 1,100lt fuel) and a lifting keel plus water ballast, with classically styled teak clad decks and pilot house. Other owners have opted for functional bare aluminium hull and deck, some choose a doghouse and others a pilothouse.

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Photo: Jean-Marie Liot

The Boreal 52 also offers Land Rover-esque practicality, with utilitarian bare aluminium hulls and a distinctive double-level doghouse/coachroof arrangement for added protection in all weathers. The cockpit is clean and uncluttered, thanks to the mainsheet position on top of the doghouse, although for visibility in close manoeuvring the helmsman will want to step up onto the aft deck.

Twin daggerboards, a lifting centreboard and long skeg on which she can settle make this a true go-anywhere expedition yacht. The metres of chain required for adventurous anchoring is stowed in a special locker by the mast to keep the weight central. Down below has been thought through with equally practical touches, including plenty of bracing points and lighting that switches on to red light first to protect your night vision.

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Photo: Morris Adant / Garcia Yachts

Garcia Exploration 45

The Garcia Exploration 45 comes with real experience behind her – she was created in association with Jimmy Cornell, based on his many hundreds of thousands of miles of bluewater cruising, to go anywhere from high latitudes to the tropics.

Arguably less of a looker than the Bestevaer, the Garcia Exploration 45 features a rounded aluminium hull, centreboard with deep skeg and twin daggerboards. The considerable anchor chain weight has again been brought aft, this time via a special conduit to a watertight locker in front of the centreboard.

This is a yacht designed to be lived on for extended periods with ample storage, and panoramic portlights to give a near 360° view of whichever extraordinary landscape you are exploring. Safety features include a watertight companionway door to keep extreme weather out and through-hull fittings placed above the waterline. When former Vendée Globe skipper Pete Goss went cruising , this was the boat he chose to do it in.

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Photo: svnaima.com

A truly well-proven expedition design, some 1,500 Ovnis have been built and many sailed to some of the most far-flung corners of the world. (Jimmy Cornell sailed his Aventura some 30,000 miles, including two Drake Passage crossings, one in 50 knots of wind).

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Futuna Exploration 54

Another aluminium design with a swinging centreboard and a solid enclosed pilothouse with protected cockpit area. There’s a chunky bowsprit and substantial transom arch to house all manner of electronics and power generation.

Previous boats have been spec’d for North West Passage crossings with additional heating and engine power, although there’s a carbon rig option for those that want a touch of the black stuff. The tanks are capacious, with 1,000lt capability for both fresh water and fuel.

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Bluewater Yachts was established in 1958, making it one of the most longstanding cruising yacht manufacturers in the United States. The company was founded by brothers Bill and Richard Valdes, who were both extraordinarily passionate about boating. Starting from humble beginnings in a run-down storage facility in Bellingham, Washington, the manufacturer rapidly grew a reputation for building luxurious, reliable and highly seaworthy vessels. Today, these first-class vessels are near-legends in the seafaring community, symbolic of the American dream and spirit.In 1989, the family-owned business was sold to Randy Cowley, an entrepreneurial boat aficionado. Under his stewardship, Bluewater Yachts experienced considerable growth and began locating its manufacturing operations in Fort Pierce, Florida. This marked a major transformation in the company's history, and the unique construction parameters and features of their boats began receiving international recognition. Moreover, the company expanded its range to craft larger vessels, winning them a broader market share in the motor yacht industry. Fast forward to the present day, Bluewater Yachts continues to be a leader in the boating industry and is headquartered in Mora, Minnesota. The company remains committed to its enduring vision, and the standards of craftsmanship and quality control are as high as they were half a century ago. With a reputation for groundbreaking design and superior customer service, Bluewater Yachts continues to deliver state-of-the-art vessels that set the bar for cruising yachts worldwide.

Which models do Bluewater Yachts produce?

Bluewater Yachts produce a range of boats including the Bluewater Yachts 56 and Bluewater Yachts 60 . For the full list of Bluewater Yachts models currently listed on TheYachtMarket.com, see the model list in the search options on this page.

What types of boats do Bluewater Yachts build?

Bluewater Yachts manufactures a range of different types of boats. The ones listed on TheYachtMarket include Cruiser , Centre cockpit , Aft cabin , Exploration vessel and Sloop .

How much does a boat from Bluewater Yachts cost?

Used boats from Bluewater Yachts on TheYachtMarket.com range in price from £35,400 GBP to £1,300,000 GBP with an average price of £773,000 GBP . A wide range of factors can affect the price of used boats from Bluewater Yachts, for example the model, age and condition.

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For Sale: Horizon Power Catamarans 52

  • By Jake Lamb
  • March 19, 2024

Horizon PC52

The Horizon Power Catamarans 52 delivers a bluewater cruiser that’s capable of long-range voyages with home-size volume. Sunbird , a 2022 build, is currently listed for sale through Horizon Powercat Co for $2.145 million. The 52-footer ticks all the boxes with its three-stateroom, two-head layout that sleeps six, multiple exterior entertainment spaces and a well-appointed galley.

Sunbird has a reported 21-knot top hop thanks to twin 550 hp Cummins QSB 6.7 diesels. At 18 knots, this power cat should have a 400-nautical-mile range. Dial it back to 8 knots, and range increases about 1,000 nautical miles. Maximum range is 1,780 nautical miles at just under 5 knots. The Horizon PC52 has a 4-foot-6-inch minimum draft, enabling it to cruise safely over shallow waters.

Horizon PC52

When it’s time to turn in for the evening, the three staterooms are belowdecks. The starboard hull houses the master stateroom with an en suite head aft and a queen berth forward. The port hull has the VIP stateroom forward with a queen berth. The second head is positioned between the VIP stateroom and the third guest stateroom, which has twin berths that convert to a queen berth with an insert.

Guest can enjoy shaded dining with a view in the cockpit at the high-gloss teak table and transom bench seat. Pull up a few chairs and there’s space for six.

Horizon PC52

Alfresco dining spaces are also found on the flybridge where guests can enjoy cocktails and conversation at an L-shaped dinette to port or relax on the lounge pad forward and to starboard.

Sunbird has an aft-galley aft layout, which makes serving guests in the cockpit and the salon easy. And for chefs who strive to please everyone, the salon is large enough to accommodate several chefs simultaneously, and is equipped with a Miele cooktop, Miele speed oven and full-sized refrigerator. The galley’s countertop bar also has three stools and is sure to be a gathering spot after hours.

Horizon PC52

We recently reported on the construction process for the Horizon PC52, “This open-water capable powercat has one-piece hull lamination and longitudinal stringers for added backbone, and the hull is built with the trademarked SCRIMP process for improved strength without added weight. It also has a high-density, foam-cored construction for the bottom and topsides, solid fiberglass laminate for the stem and keel, and high-density foam-cored stringers for the power cat’s Cummins diesels. For strength with reduced top weight, Horizon Power Catamarans uses foam-cored reinforcement in the deck and superstructure.”

Some other notable features aboard Sunbird include:

  • GE freezer on flybridge
  • Miele washer and dryer
  • Underwater lights
  • Wine cooler
  • Rod holders
  • Fish cutting board

Horizon PC52

Where is Sunbird located? The yacht is currently lying in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  

Take the next step: Contact the listing agent, Jason Ford, 954-552-0868, [email protected]

Quick Specifications

  • Length Overall: 52′
  • Maximum Beam: 22′
  • Fuel Capacity: 970 Gal.
  • Draft: 4’6″
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Beriev Be-12 ‘Mail’

Development, military operators, government agencies, civilian operators, specifications, design centre, manufacture, production list.

Two previously unknown types of large flying boat made their first appearance at the Soviet Aviation Day flypast of 1961. The swept wing, jet powered, Beriev Be-10 was one of the stars of the show; whilst another Beriev design, the turboprop engined Be-12 attracted little attention. Widely assumed to be a simple conversion of the 1949 vintage Be-6, the Be-12 was overlooked in many contemporary press reports. Not long after, however, the Soviet Naval Air Force chose the Be-12 to be the standard equipment of its coastal anti-submarine force, and the Be-10 was never to be seen in public again. Three decades on, the Be-12 was still in widespread service around Russia’s coasts, and had become renown for its versatility and robustness.

The Beriev Design Bureau, located at Taganrog near Rostov on the Azov Sea, has vast experience of designing ocean-going flying boats. Formed on August 6, 1934, with Georgii Mikhailovich Beriev as chief designer, it was responsible for the hugely successful MBR-2 short range reconnaissance flying boat of World War 2. This was followed in 1947 by the Be-6 (NATO code name ‘Madge’), a long range reconnaissance flying boat in a similar class to the Martin PBM Mariner, which featured a gull wing arrangement for mounting its two piston engines. Beriev’s next major design was the Be-10, a large twin-jet fast attack flying boat, with sharply swept wings and tail surfaces, powered by two Lyulka AL-7RV turbojets tucked under the wing roots.

In the late nineteen-fifties, the US Navy began development of the first Polaris nuclear missile submarines (the SSBN-608 USS George Washington class, first commissioned on December 30, 1959). Due to range and accuracy limitations, the Polaris A-1 missile needed to be launched from a position fairly close to the coast of the target country – especially one as large as the Soviet Union. Consequently, the AV-MF (Aviatsiya Voenno-Morskovo Flota – Soviet Naval Air Force) issued a requirement in 1956 for an aircraft capable of detecting and killing nuclear missile submarines in the coastal waters of the USSR.

It was anticipated that surface ships or shore based direction finding stations would indicate the approximate location of an enemy submarine. An ASW aircraft would then follow up with short range radar, MAD probe and sonobouys to locate and classify the target. An attack would then take place, usually in co-operation with surface ships. Although the Be-6 had been progressively updated, the AV-MF needed a larger aircraft capable of carrying all the necessary weapons and up-to-date sensor equipment.

Accordingly, while development of the Be-10 continued, Beriev began work on a completely new design for a slower more comprehensively equipped aircraft. In the late fifties, Beriev is thought to have flown an experimental Be-6 converted with turboprop engines. This probably led to consideration of a turboprop powered aircraft based on the Be-6 layout. In the event, the new design shared only the gull-wing layout and twin tail of the old Be-6. A design proposal was submitted to officials in November 1957 and soon accepted. The Be-12 was only slightly smaller than the Be-10, but much lighter, and with a similar hull shape.

Both the Be-10 and Be-12 were first revealed to the rest of the world at the Soviet Aviation Day Airshow at Tushino Airport, Moscow, on July 9, 1961. During the two hour flypast, a formation of four Be-10s was followed by a single example of the Be-12. Western observers were informed that the Be-10 had already entered AV-MF service, and assumed that the Be-12 was merely a one-off turboprop development of the ageing Be-6. The NATO reporting names ‘Mallow and ‘Mail’ were allocated to the Be-10 and Be-12 respectively. At this time, Western naval air forces were rapidly phasing out the use of maritime patrol flying boats, in favour of more efficient long-range landplane types such as the Lockheed P-3 Orion and Avro Shackleton, and it was widely expected that the Soviet Union would follow suit.

In the meantime, the AV-MF had discovered that the emphasis on performance had imposed serious limitations in the operational capability of the Be-10. Further development of the Be-10 was therefore cancelled in favour of using land-based Tupolev Tu-16 ‘Badger’ bombers adapted for the naval role. In contrast to the Be-10, the Be-12 prototypes were fitted with an extensive sensor fit, including a Magnetic Anomaly Detection probe, and a small internal weapons bay in the rear hull, as well as external wing pylons. The first prototype retained the retractable ‘dustbin’ search radar installation used on the Be-6, and made its first flight on 18 October 1960. Unfortunately it crashed on 24 November 1961 with the loss of 3 crew, after mishandling by the pilots. The second prototype feature a number of design changes, including relocation of the engines from below the wings to above the wings, and the addition of a prominent nose search radar in place of the ventral ‘dustbin’. It made its first flight in 1962 and immediately resumed service trials. With long endurance and the potential for taking over many of the Be-6s secondary roles as well, the Be-12 was approved for AV-MF service.

Series production started in 1963, at GAZ 86 at Taganrog. Production ceased in 1973 after a run of 143 aircraft (including prototypes). Production then switched to the Tupolev Tu-142 Bear-F. The Be-12 officially entered service with the AV-MF in Spring 1964. The semi-official nickname of ‘Tchaika'(Seagull) was quickly given because of its wing form. Its main role was ASW patrol, operating out to 345 nm (500 km, 310 miles) from shore. By 1967 the Be-12 had replaced the Be-6 in front-line duties and began to take on second line roles. These eventually included coastal surveillance, multi-sensor reconnaissance, anti-shipping patrol, photographic survey, naval co-operation, transport, and Search and Rescue.

The Be-12 made another airshow appearance on July 9, 1967. Three aircraft taxied out and took-off at the start of the military portion of the Soviet Aviation Day display at Domodedevo Airport. This time there was no mistaking their operational status.

Over the years, the Beriev Be-12 has gained a total of 44 FAI recognized world records for aircraft in its class – all the records possible! During the period October 23-27, 1964, a stripped down aircraft designated M-12 set six new climb to height records for Class C.3 Group II turboprop amphibians, including an altitude of 12,185 m (39,977 ft) without payload, and an altitude of 9,352 m (30,682 ft) with 10,000 kg (22,046 lb) payload. These were followed by various speed and payload records. A pure flying boat version, with landing gear deleted, has also established a number of records in Class C.2 Group II for turboprop flying boats, using the same M-12 designation.

A number of equipment improvements were made during and after the production run of the Be-12. The initial ASW avionics suite was progressively upgraded. The original drum-shaped nose radome was replaced from about 1970 by a new radome which was flattened top and bottom to an oval shape. This was noticeable because the original radome had been plain grey in colour, while the new shape was coloured white over it’s lower three-quarters. ESM receivers and a tail warning system were also added and the engines were upgraded from the AI-20D series 3 to the series 4 standard.

From the mid 1960s, US Navy SSBN submarines were progressively equipped to carry the improved Polaris A-3 missile, which featured a much longer range and enhanced accuracy. This allowed effective submarine operations to take place much further away from the Soviet coast. Thus the coastal ASW patrol role of the Be-12 declined in importance from 1970 onwards, in favour of more secondary roles. At the same time, anti-submarine operations were increasingly taken over by specialised shipboard ASW helicopters and more sophisticated Il-38 ‘May’ landplanes.

As a result, from 1972 onwards four surplus aircraft were converted to the high speed Search and Rescue role and designated Be-12PS (Poiskovo-Spasatelynyi – Search Rescue). Equipment changes included the removal of ASW equipment and the addition of a big fuselage door under the starboard wing trailing edge. Ten new-build aircraft were also produced to this standard. An earlier attempt at producing a dedicated SAR variant, the Be-14, had been abandoned as the extensive changes specified – including removal of the main weapons bay, installation of a floor inside the fuselage and removal of the MAD detector boom – proved too costly.

Like the Be-6 before it, the Be-12 took on many non-military tasks for the Soviet/Russian government, such as fishery protection, whaling patrol, Arctic base supply transport, mapping, geophysical survey, utility transport etc…these missions were flown by standard AV-MF aircraft. The aircraft is highly regarded by crews, being highly reliable and very manoeuvrable, with powerful responsive engines. However, flying in it is a test of endurance, since the noise and vibration from the engines is particularly penetrating.

Following the break-up of the Soviet Union, the Beriev factory attempted to gain commercial sales from various versions of the Be-12. Seven redundant ASW examples were acquired from the AV-MF in 1991 for refurbishment and conversion.

Two aircraft were converted to the fire-bomber role, designated Be-12P (Protivopozarnyi – Fire protection). The modifications included the addition of twin water scoops mounted behind the hull step, and the installation of a metal 4.5 tonne capacity water tank in the rear weapons bay. Two further 0.75 tonne capacity water tanks were fitted in the forward stores position behind the cockpit, with extra drop doors in the hull below. Small overflow portholes were also fitted in the upper fuselage over the water tanks. Conversion work took place at the Irkutsk factory in Northern Siberia near Lake Baikal, with thorough drop testing trials at Taganrog during 1992. The first prototype Be-12P was a refurbished ASW machine coded yellow 40. This machine flew in standard AV-MF colours. A second prototype, registered RA-00073, flew in demonstrator colours and has appeared at the MAKS Moscow air show. Beriev eventually abandoned certification plans in favour of the more capable Be-200 jet amphibian.

Three other ex-military aircraft were converted during 1992-93 to Be-12NKh cargo transport aircraft, with an enlarged cargo hatch in the fuselage and the removal of all ASW equipment. Unfortunately, two of the aircraft suffered accidents and this project was abandoned.

The aircraft was obviously extremely well built, since aircraft returned to Taganrog for conversion showed virtually no signs of corrosion after years of service.

The Be-12 has served with all four of the Soviet Fleet’s Naval Aviation forces during its career: Black Sea, Northern, Baltic and Pacific. Peak strength in the mid 1970s comprised four full aviation regiments (some twelve squadrons of eight aircraft each), together with a number of independent squadrons. During the 1970s some of these regiments partially re-equipped with the Ilyushin Il-38 ‘May’, but in 1990 the Be-12 still outnumbered the newcomer by 1.5:1. Very low attrition has kept the number in service at a steady 75-90 aircraft since the early 1980s.

In an attempt to improve the surveillance of the US 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean, three Be-12s of the Black Sea Fleet deployed to Cairo West (and later to Mersa Matruh), Egypt, from 1968. The aircraft appeared in full Egyptian air force markings, including aircraft serial number 4385, but were AV-MF crewed and operated. These aircraft operated alongside AV-MF Tu-16s initially, and later with Il-38s, both types in Egyptian markings. The aircraft departed in July 1972 when President Sadat severed ties with the USSR.

Four aircraft were exported to Vietnam in 1981. Specially adapted to tropical operations these aircraft operated from Cam Ranh Bay, to watch over the US 7th Fleet. Reports of the Be-12 operating from Syria have not been substantiated. Despite some reports, the type was not supplied to China.

At midnight on December 31, 1991, the Soviet Union was officially dissolved and most its constituent states recombined as the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States). The Russian Federation Navy took over operations of most former Soviet naval air force aircraft. Ukraine declined to join the CIS, and Russia was faced with ceding control of any Black Sea fleet aircraft and bases on Ukraine territory to the Ukrainian Navy. Fortunately, a deal was negotiated to divide the assets between the two countries.

According to official figures released in 1993, the Russian Navy had some 55 operational Be-12s in service (plus 22 in reserve storage), compared to only 36 Ilyushin Il-38s. By 2005 this number had dwindled to only twelve.

Whether hunting submarines, flying rescue missions or supplying Arctic bases, the versatile Be-12 amphibian has been faithfully serving the CIS and USSR for over forty years. With no direct replacement in sight, the Be-12 looks set to soldier on well into the 21st century. A remarkable record for an aircraft configuration regarded in the West as obsolete in 1960, four years before it even entered service.

Requirement Specification: Not known Manufacturers Designation: Izdeliye ‘Ye’

Head of Design Team: G.M. Beriev (basic design), Viktor Ponomaryov (civil conversions) Design Offices: OKB Beriev, 1 Aviatorov Square, 347923, Taganrog, Russia*

Total Produced: 143 a/c (all variants) * later Joint Stock Company TANTK named for G.M. Beriev, Taganrog.

‘More Than Half a Century of Soviet Transports’ Aviation Hobby Shop by Peter Hilman et al. The Aviation Hobby Shop, UK, June 2004   ISBN: ? * Includes Be-12 production list

More Information

‘Beriev Be-12 Amphibian Aircraft’ ( AviaPress Bookshop ) by Anatoliy Artemyev Major, Ukraine, 2001   ISBN: 5 93445 007 7 * Very well illustrated history of the Be-12, with scale plans. English summary text.

‘Samolety TANTK G.M. Berieva 1945-1968’ ( AviaPress Bookshop ) by G.S. Panatov, A.N. Zablotskii i A.I. Sal’nikov Restart+, Russia, 2001    ISBN: 5 94141 003 4 * Detailed history of all postwar Beriev aircraft, including unbuilt projects. Many illustrations.

‘Samolet-amfibija Be-12’ ( AviaPress Booskhop ) by A.N. Zablotskii Eksprint, Russia, 2001   ISBN: 5-94038-016-6 * Complete history of the Be-12, with many photos.

‘Protivolodochnye Samolety’ ( AviaPress Booskhop ) by Anatoliy Artemyev AST, Russia, Jan 2002   ISBN: 5 27103 870 X * Comprehensive history of postwar AV-MF ASW aircraft, including 5 chapters on the Be-12.

International Air Power Review Vol.4 AIRtime Publishing, UK, Spring 2002    ISBN: 1 880588 38 2 * Includes 14 page Variant File article on the Be-12

Aviatsija i Vremya No.3 1997 * Beriev Be-12 amphibious aircraft story + scale plans Aviatsiya Aviation Magazine No.12bis * Feature articles on various Beriev aircraft Air International August 1995 * Includes feature article on the Be-12 with cutaway drawing

Beriev.com * The official Beriev website

Airliners.net * 2 pages of good quality photos

Sea Wings: Beriev Be-12 ‘Mail’ Gallery * 28 colour photos

Wikipedia: Beriev Be-12 * Brief history and spec

Beriev Be-12 Chaika * Be-12 photographic walk-around

Wings Palette * 5 col profiles of Be-12s, including the prototype

Amphibian Be-12 * Brief history, description, spec

Global Security.com * Brief history, spec, photos

Moscow Airshow * 6 photos of the Be-12P-200

Russian Warrior * Spec plus several USN/NATO b+w intercept photos of Be-12s in action

Airplane Be-12P-200 * Features, photo, spec, 3-view drwg

HydroAviation Show, Gelendzhik * Several nice Be-12P-200 firebomber photos (including interior)

Be-12 Chaika * Russian text profile: history, variants, spec, photos, drwg)

Sevastopol Fleet * 8 good photos of Be-12s in current AV-MF service.

Flight Simulator Models: To be added.

Scale Models: To be added.

Scale Drawings: Beriev Be-12 ‘Mail’ Plans Gallery

To be added.

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  10. Blue water yachts for sale Cruising, Sailing, Luxury

    Moody Premium blue water cruising yachts. ... Even children and pets will be able to enjoy the delights of blue-water sailing. Computer-assisted systems are used to generate a precision finish for designs shaped accurately right down to the millimeter. But for all that, the company still relies on the workmanship of skilled boat builders - as ...

  11. Used Bluewater Cruising Yachts 41 for Sale

    Beneteau Oceanis 50 Euro €185,000. Oyster 485 US $295,000. Beneteau Oceanis 473 NZ $288,000. Hylas 46 US $258,800. Search for more boats. Bluewater Cruising Yachts 41. PRICE REDUCTION!! Kauai Uhiwai has had an amazing and unique build history. The hull was made over a male mould in 1974 and...Find out more.

  12. New and used Bluewater Yachts for sale

    Used boats from Bluewater Yachts on TheYachtMarket.com range in price from £35,200 GBP to £1,290,000 GBP with an average price of £769,000 GBP. A wide range of factors can affect the price of used boats from Bluewater Yachts, for example the model, age and condition. Used Bluewater Yachts for sale from around the world.

  13. Bluewater sailboats for sale by owner.

    Bluewater preowned sailboats for sale by owner. Bluewater used sailboats for sale by owner. Home. Register & Post. View All Sailboats. Search. Avoid Fraud. ... 33' Contest Yachts 33 - CONYPLEX Dutch Built Well Respected Global Cruiser NASSAU BAHAMAS Asking $19,500. ... 12' RS Sailing Feva XL Austin, Texas Asking $4,200. 24' Corsair Dash 750 MKII

  14. For Sale: Horizon Power Catamarans 52

    The Horizon PC52 has robust, infused-fiberglass construction designed for bluewater cruising. Courtesy Horizon Power Catamarans. The Horizon Power Catamarans 52 delivers a bluewater cruiser that's capable of long-range voyages with home-size volume. Sunbird, a 2022 build, is currently listed for sale through Horizon Powercat Co for $2.145 ...

  15. Bluewater Sportfishing Boats for sale

    Bluewater boats for sale on YachtWorld are available for an assortment of prices from $29,000 on the moderate end of the spectrum, with costs up to $1,495,000 for the most expensive, custom yachts.

  16. New & Used Yachts For Sale

    Winter Showcase Sales Event. Everglades Boats, Featured, News, Regulator Boats. Bluewater Winter Showcase Sales Event December 1, 2023 - January 31, 2024 From now until January 31, 2024, take the opportunity to own one of the finest boats available at a price that is unmatched for most of the year. Discover an impressive lineup of boats at this...

  17. Privilege catamaran for sale! (No it's not ours ) This gorgeous

    Privilege catamaran for sale! (No it's not ours 😉) This gorgeous bluewater cruising boat is ready to take your family wherever you want to go! 🌊 Find the full video tour, photos, and complete boat specs at the link in my bio! #sailboats #boatforsale #catamarans #bluewater #bluewatersailing

  18. Beriev Be-12 'Mail'

    Two previously unknown types of large flying boat made their first appearance at the Soviet Aviation Day flypast of 1961. The swept wing, jet powered, Beriev Be-10 was one of the stars of the show; whilst another Beriev design, the turboprop engined Be-12 attracted little attention. Widely assumed to be a simple conversion of the 1949 vintage ...

  19. 5 Of The Best Bluewater Cruising Powerboats In 2022

    Here are our picks for the five best bluewater cruising powerboats of 2022. SILENT 62 3-DECK (Closed) Above: A 2022 Silent 62 triple deck catamaran yacht for sale on YachtWorld by Silent Yachts. Photo by Silent Yachts. This beautiful trans-ocean yacht is the ultimate in both luxury and design.

  20. The First Regatta Held by Taganrog Yacht Club "Pier Five"

    The regatta was organized by "Pier 5", Taganrog Sailing Federation and NGO "TERRA". Athletes from Taganrog, Rostov-on-Don, Azov, Yeisk, Krasnodar, Novorossiysk and Moscow participated in the regatta. They competed in such classes as cruiser yachts, the MK, Finn-class yachts, the Optimist, and also in Techno and Formula windsurfing classes.

  21. Taganrog, Villas and Luxury Homes for sale

    43. Luxury home in Taganrog, Rostov Oblast. € 908,700. 500 m² 2 3. I sell an elite country house on the banks of the Miussky estuary. The estate, which was built in 2012 on an area of 1.50 hectares, consists of a three-level mansion (877.3 m2), a... Presented by Маралин Ру - Luxury Real Estate.

  22. Bluewater Cruising And Sailing Guide

    Jeanneau's new 2022 Sun Odyssey 380 sail boat is a bluewater cruising capable vessel with a base price of $237,000 that is on a short list candidate for couples and families looking to escape onto the water for day sails or extended coastal cruising. Above: A 2022 Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 380 Sailboat. Photo by Jeanneau.

  23. Mumtaztic Loft

    The following pigeon breeders directory is designed to help breeders in the United States to find other breeders and their breeds. Please note that this is not a classified section, and the breeders may or may not have pigeons for sale. If you like your information to be listed here, please fill out the breeder Form.

  24. Bluewater 5800 boats for sale

    2001 Bluewater 5800. US$235,000. ↓ Price Drop. Richard Boland Yachts | Alameda, California. <. 1. >. * Price displayed is based on today's currency conversion rate of the listed sales price. Boats Group does not guarantee the accuracy of conversion rates and rates may differ than those provided by financial institutions at the time of ...