types of sailboat brands

My Cruiser Life Magazine

25 Best Sailboat and Catamaran Manufacturers (By Type)

Asking a sailor to pick the best sailboat brands is like asking a car enthusiast to pick the best sports car. Boaters are connected to their boats and share a personal attachment to them that goes beyond the practical. Boats are close to living things. For millennia, sailors have personified their vessels and labeled them “she.” Whatever pronouns you choose to use with your boat, there is no doubt that he or she will earn a special place in your heart.

So how does a humble writer go about breaking down the “best” sailboat manufacturers? Is it of all time? Or are only companies still producing boats today? We must set some limits, and they will no doubt seem arbitrary–but here they are.

First, we are dividing this list up to cover coastal cruisers, luxury monohulls , voyaging bluewater cruisers , cruising catamarans , and performance catamarans. Yes, there is some overlap between these categories. For example, many big “coastal cruisers” have crossed oceans, and many seawind catamaran brands are more than capable cruisers.

So what makes a boat “the best.” The best boat for you is not going to be the best boat for the next guy. There’s simply no way to define what the best manufacturers are going to be. The reason we chose these boats are specified below. It’s not arbitrary, but, at the same time, you don’t have to agree with them.

Finally, nearly all of the brands listed below have one thing in common—you can still buy a new vessel from their yard. In the world of boating, it’s not uncommon to purchase a vessel that has been out of production for decades. There are hundreds, probably thousands, of great manufacturers who went out of business during major economic downturns. Building boats is always a tricky business, but with the economy suffering no one buys new boats.

Table of Contents

5 best coastal cruiser sailboat makers, 5 best luxury sailboat manufacturers, 5 best voyaging bluewater cruising boats, 5 best cruising catamaran manufacturers, 5 best performance cats.

Coastal cruisers are entry-level sailboats built affordably so that nearly anyone can buy one. Another term that gets used is “production boat.” A production boat is designed to be mass-produced in an assembly-line-like factory for maximum cost savings.

The alternative is the custom or semi-custom built voyage yachts. Every element of the build is overseen by expert shipwrights. So the implication is that the production yacht has less quality—but this argument doesn’t always hold blue water if you can forgive the metaphor.

The manufacturers who make the most popular production coastal cruisers also make some larger yachts capable of crossing oceans. But one thing about these boats needs to be made clear—while some can be modified, improved, and outfitted to cross oceans, they do not leave the factory ready to do so.

And while some of them look very sharp, they do not contain the gorgeous hardwood joinery and craftsmanship that fills the hulls of hand-built yachts. These brands make their boats appealing to the mass market, and that market is not the voyaging bluewater cruisers or the luxury yacht.

So are they the “best sailboat brands?” If you’re looking for the best, most affordable coastal cruiser you can get, then yes—these are the best boats for you. However, if you’re looking for the best built, the best outfitted, or the best engineered or designed—then you’d best keep reading farther down the list!

Catalina Yachts

Catalina builds simple sloops ranging in size from fun 12.5 Expo dinghy to their 545 Flagship. There are more Catalinas in the world than any other types of sailboat . The company was founded in California in the mid-1970s.

Of the many wonderful models that Catalina has made popular, the Catalina 30 was an all-around winner. The beamy 30-footer has a cavernous interior that makes it a great entry-level liveaboard. The Catalina 38 is a popular racer/cruiser designed by none other than the famous Sparksman and Stevens (S&S).

Beneteau & Jeanneau

The French marine conglomerate Groupe Beneteau makes many different labels of boats, but their two most popular production sailboat brands are Beneteau and Jeanneau. They also make the Lagoon catamarans. 

Like Catalina, the company makes production boats at an attractive price. They are roomy and comfortable to stay on or even liveaboard. In addition, Beneteau’s are known for their distinctive lacquered wood interiors, which add an air of sophistication to an otherwise average boat. 

Beneteau has a long history. The company was founded in 1884 and has been building fiberglass boats since the mid-1960s. Notable models include the Beneteau Oceanis series, especially the models made after 1995. The most famous Jeanneaus come from the Sun Odyssey lineup.

Hunter Marine (Marlow-Hunter)

Hunter is another American builder and is Catalina’s primary domestic competitor. It is based in Florida and was formed in the early 1970s. Most Hunters have been racing boats or small trailer-sailors , but over the years, there have been quite a few larger liveaboard boats and long-range cruisers. They currently make boats from 15 to 50 feet long.

Dufour catamarans are another French company that makes larger cruising boats. The company was founded in 1964.

Bavaria Yachts

Bavaria Yachtbau is the largest German shipyard. The company makes sail and powerboats, as well as the French-made Nautitech catamarans. The company was founded in the 1970s and was acquired by US investors in 2007. Their monohull sail designs range from 31 to 57 feet long.

If the coastal cruiser category is reserved for the Fords and the Toyotas, let’s look at a few Cadillacs and Lexuses.

The boats below take things up a notch. These are beautifully designed boats with hand-built cabinetry and upgraded fixtures. They’re going to come with everything you need to cruise the boat in style.

Boats in this category are more likely to be built on a semi-custom basis. In other words, these yards might only be putting out a handful of boats per year. If you’re the first owner, you can likely visit and watch your sunreef yachts progress from fiberglass molds to rigging and launching.

Finally, the build quality of these yachts is generally exceptional. The designs usually come from the drafting boards of world-renown sunreef yachts designers, and their timeless beauty shines in every port they visit.

Morris Yachts

If you’re looking for a sailboat that’s also a work of art, Morris Yachts has the one you’re looking for. The company is based in Maine and produces semi-custom boats built to order. All boats are made by hand by expert craftsmen. Since it first opened in 1972, the company has made about 300 boats.

Their present offerings range from the M29 to the M42, but they have built hulls larger than that in the past. The most famous Morris boats, like the 36-foot Justine, were designed by renowned yacht designer Chuck Paine.

Island Packet

Island Packet has always made sturdy blue water cruisers with old-school looking (although technically updated) full keels. Some people may argue that IPs are production boats not quite worthy of the “luxury” title, but it is undebatable that the quality of their boats is above average.

Packets are built-in in Largo, Florida, near Tampa, and their shallow drafts and large living spaces make them perfect for living aboard in Florida or the islands. The first Island Packets rolled off the assembly line in 1980.

IP’s one-piece hulls do not feature the bolted-on keel and fractional rigs so common on many production boats now. Instead, you will find a robust design that is seaworthy and comfortable at sea.

Oysters are recognized worldwide as one of the most beautiful high-end cruising boats you can get your hands on. They focus on larger ocean-capable yachts with luxurious and cavernous interiors.

Oyster is a British yacht builder founded in 1973. Their claim to fame is the unique deck salon layout, which features large central windows around the living space that make the space feel much larger and more comfortable. The company is also known for its excellent attention to detail and outstanding build quality.

Hylas make sailboats ranging from 46 to 70 feet long. They are built in Taiwan by Queen Long Marine and were introduced in 1984. Most of their designs were created by renowned naval architect German Frers, although their first designs came from Sparksman and Stevens.

Tartan Yachts

Hailing from the Great Lakes port of Painesville, Ohio, Tartan has made sturdy and beautiful yachts since 1971. The company’s current lineup features everything from a tiny 24-foot day sailor to an ocean-capable 53-footer.

Tartans are set apart from other production boats by their beautifully crafted interiors. Thoughtful designs make these boats great cruisers and liveaboards.

Some boats are made as an accessible weekend cruisers for everybody, and some are exclusive showpieces that light up the harbor with their polished teak. Others are built tough to take on the elements at sea.

These boats are some of the best-built examples of marine engineering out there. These boats don’t come cheap, but that’s because their makers pay special attention to creating vessels strong enough to take on anything. They spend extra time making super-thick and strong hulls, and they use the best most robust equipment throughout the design.

The hull designs come from the drafting boards of world-renown naval architects. Their designs are heavy and built for a comfortable motion on big seas. In most cases, rudders are skeg-hung for extra security, and props are well-protected behind long keels.

These boat manufacturers routinely crop up on the lists of vessels that have circumnavigated successfully. These boats can cross oceans, and their crews never worry about their safety at sea.

Unfortunately, Texas-built Valiant Yachts ceased operations in 2011. The company built a series of canoe-sterned offshore sailboats from the drawing board of Bob Perry. The Valiant 40 is regarded as one of the best modern offshore sailing vessels. Many have circumnavigated, and the owners are a tight-knit group who love their boats.

Pacific Seacraft

Pacific Seacrafts are built in Washington, North Carolina. Many of their designs came from designer Bill Crealock, including the salty but comfortable PS 34 and PS 37. Other well-known models include the tiny 20-foot Flicka and the 24-foot Dana, both of which have serious offshore cred not given away by their diminutive statures. 

Pacific Seacrafts are hand-built and regularly recognized as some of the best sailboats available. Build quality and thoughtfulness in design are second-to-none.

Hallberg-Rassy

Hallberg-Rassy is a Swedish shipyard that makes very sturdy and capable bluewater cruisers since 1943. Over the years, the company has made everything from small 24-footers to the flagship HR 64. Their best-known yacht was the smaller HR 35 Rasmus, of which they built 760 hulls. The 44 and 50 are their most popular current models.

Amel is the French maker of extremely well-regarded and modern bluewater ketches. This once common rig configuration, with two masts, reduces sail size to keep the lines more manageable on larger vessels. They also allow for more sail configurations to suit a broader spectrum of ocean conditions.

Famous sailing YouTubers SV Delos sail an Amel. The motor boats are large and capable of any voyage you can imagine. They feature thoughtful designs, including fully motorized sail control and a comfortable and protected center cockpit.

Winner of many best boat of the year awards, Passport yachts make spacious and comfortable offshore sailing machines. The first Passports were launched in 1979. The company is based in Annapolis, Maryland. Some of their early models, which Bob Perry designed, are excellent used sailboat options. Today, the company makes boats from 48 to 61 feet long.

And now for something a little different—the sailing catamaran categories. Sailing catamaran brands have become wildly popular in the sailing world because they are so comfortable to live on and offer a significant performance advantage over monohulls. Whether tucked safely in a marina or living off the grid by a tropical beach, sailing catamarans represent a fantastic upgrade to boat life.

You can argue about whether sailing catamarans or monohulls are the best sailboats all day long. But there will always be a place for each one, and there will always be people who love one but not the other.

The best catamaran brands below are the big and comfortable ones that most people will consider the “best” ones to cruise and live on. However, there are two types of sailing catamaran sailors—those that choose these boats because they have wonderful living space and those that choose sailing catamarans for the performance. If you’re the second type of person, you’ll want to move on to the next section about performance catamarans.

Antares Catamarans

The Antares began life as the PDQ 44. It’s a stout sailing catamaran with a few uncommon features that set it above most cruising catamarans—it has a high bridge deck for smoother rides, and it features maintenance-free traditional shaft-drive engines. The company currently builds boats in Argentina and is launching a hybrid model for the 2022 model year.

Knysna Yachts

The Knysna 500 is one of the most beautiful sailing catamarans that you’ll ever lay eyes on. Unfortunately, there aren’t many of these semi-custom boats in the world. The factory in South Africa has only made about 100 of these boats, but they’re well worth taking the time to seek out. Their overall craftsmanship and attention to detail are unmatched in the sailing catamaran industry.

Nautitech Catamarans

The French-built sailing catamaran arm of Bavaria Yachts, Nautitech catamarans makes boats that blend beautiful living spaces and solid offshore performance. Current models range from 40 to 54 feet long.

This Australian manufacturer of fast cruising cats has focused on performance while offering comfortable sailing catamarans suitable for cruisers. The Seawind 1000, first offered in the 1990s, set the standard for the small, simple, yet capable cruising catamaran. They currently produce boats from 38 to 52 feet long.

The Big Three— Lagoon , Leopard , and Fountaine Pajot  

The three big names in cruising cats can’t be left out, but they aren’t particularly distinct enough to warrant individual shout-outs. Each company makes production cruising and charter sailing catamarans of average build quality. In car terms, these companies are making the Honda Civics of the sailing catamaran world. In monohull terms, these companies are Beneteau, Catalina, or Hunter.

Fountaine Pajot and Lagoon are French-built, while Leopard catamarans come from South Africa. All of the companies began gaining popularity in the late 1990s, and all of them are popular in the charter boat market. They all compete with one another closely, and their designs follow distinct trends. They often have functional layouts that are pleasant to liveaboard, but their build qualities are mixed.

One of the most common advantages that sailing catamaran companies want you to know about is their performance. Foot-by-foot, sailing catamarans are faster than monohulls. Regular cruising cats can still be sluggish in light winds, though.

But companies below take performance to another level. State-of-the-art rigging, sails, and weight-savings composites turn some of these boats into rocket ships. The vessels are big enough and outfitted well enough for voyages of any length. Many have circumnavigated. In short, these performance cats can move.

Catana is very similar to Lagoon or Fountaine Pajot—French-built charter sailing catamarans with lots of living space. However, the company’s designs feature retractable daggerboards instead of the more common mini-keels. This gives them better downwind performance and an advantage on big seas.

Regardless of the actual performance of the vessels, Catanas are built with sailing in mind. Aft helms provide a beautiful clear view of the sails and the conditions.

If you’re looking for a floating rocketship, Gunboat has your number. These carbon fiber-built miracles of space-age technology regularly zip along at speeds higher than the true wind. Carbon hulls and masts and the latest in rigging technologies make them tick.

They’re as fast as race boats but comfortable liveaboards, too. In their words, “Life is too short to sail a slow boat.” Since they opened in 2002, Gunboat has made fewer than 40 boats, ranging from 48 to 90 feet long. They’re made in La Grande-Motte, France.

The now-famous Outremer is featured on the YouTube channel Sailing La Vagabonde. It’s a fast boat. Current designs range from 45 to 55 feet long. Like all boats in this class, these are fast cats that still maintain enough space for comfortable living at sea. Outremers are built in France, and the company has been making performance catamarans since the 1980s.

HH Catamarans

Awarded several best boat the year awards by Cruising World and Sail magazines, the HH is a thoroughly modern take on the traditional cruising catamaran. More emphasis is placed on speed and performance, using daggerboards and super light composite construction. HH Cats are built in Xiamen, China. The company currently offers HH44, HH50, and HH88.

The sleeper of the performance cat category is Maine Cat, hailing from Lincolnville, Maine. Their boats are built lightweight with a focus on light air and upwind performance. Daggerboards are used along with simple, intelligent designs.

Of the boats on the performance list, the MC 30 is the smallest sailing cat offered. It features an impressive feature set, however, and a unique combination of traits. For one thing, these boats are designed to be straightforward and light instead of filled with luxuries. For more living space, the MC 41 offers speed and space with none of the frills. 

Matt has been boating around Florida for over 25 years in everything from small powerboats to large cruising catamarans. He currently lives aboard a 38-foot Cabo Rico sailboat with his wife Lucy and adventure dog Chelsea. Together, they cruise between winters in The Bahamas and summers in the Chesapeake Bay.

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10 Best Sailboat Brands- A Captain’s Perspective

by Capt Kris Baker | Aug 30, 2021

Last Updated on September 7, 2021

Choosing one of the 10 best sailboat brands will allow you to go sailing! Feel the wind in your hair and listen to the sounds of the water slapping against the hull. It is so much fun to experience. It is not only rewarding but it makes you feel alive. You can see all the beauty that lies ahead of you with each passing day at sea.

Sailing is one of the most rewarding hobbies, and this article can make it more enjoyable. Sailboats are all very different, but I will help you learn what to look for when choosing your next boat. Some boats are better for coastal cruising while others are built to take on bluewater passages. You’ll find a 10 best sailboat brand that suits your style!

Choosing a “best” sailboat brand can be difficult. The 10 best sailboat brands are as different as the 10 best vacuum cleaners, everyone has a preference to what sailboat brand they like.

In this article you will fi nd my picks for the 10 best sailboat brands.

Island packet, pacific seacraft, hans christian.

• Leopard (Catamaran)

Why These Boats?

The 10 best sailboat brands will bring you the 10 best sailing experiences. All of the 10 best sailboat brands are outstanding vessels that will offer you years and years of enjoyment. They all have a great reputation for being well built. They are made to last.

Owning a sailboat can lead to an unforgettable adventure for those who are able to afford the boat. Sailboats are all very different, but I will tell you what to look for when choosing your next boat. Some boats are better for coastal cruising while others are built solely for bluewater passages. You’ll find 10 best sailboat brands that suits your style!

T he finest sailboat brands will make sailing a lot easier and more enjoyable for you. For decades, if not centuries, the finest sailboat brands have perfected the craft of boatbuilding. They’ve devoted their abilities and enormous amount of time to developing and producing only the best quality sailboats in the business.

So if you are looking for that “escape” from the daily grind, sit back, grab a cup of coffee and enoy this article!

The Island Packet brand is built in Florida. Packets have a reputation for being very well built. They have been building boats since 1978 and are known for their classic lines and heavy construction. The 30-year plus owners of these vessels can attest to their quality. I know I can, I own one!

The Pacific Seacraft has won many awards, including Fortune’s best built American Products! These vessels are heavy, strong and very seaworthy, and they are truly beautiful.

Originally built in Washington state, Pacific Seacraft have moved their facilities to North Carolina. They also will continue to refit and service the boats the have already been sold and loved by their owners. This is a big plus!

The Valiant is built in Washington state, and is known as one of the best sailboats in their size range. They specialize in boats that are “built to last” and are also known for their seaworthiness and classic lines. They were built as a safe, fast and comfortable vessel.

The Valiant was designed by Bob Perry (who also designed the Tayana series) and this boat was very heavily built with hand layed fiberglass.

There has been numerous cruisers who are circumnavigating in this boat. Probably one of the most famous is Rebecca Childress, on Brick House. Check out her videos, they have alot of great tips and advice!

Cabo Rico sailboats are a Bill Crealock design (same designers as the Pacific Seacraft) The company was started in 1965 in San Jose, Costa Rica and have built boats in the 34-51 foot range. Owners love them because the have execellant build quality and performance .

The Cabo Rico is a moderately heavy boat, which makes her sea kindly. She sails well when the wind is up, but not so great (as one would expect) in light wind.

The Hans Christian is a stunningly beautiful example of a “Taiwanees” sailboat. She is a capable blue water cruiser with exceptional hand craftsmanship. Yes, you guessed it, another Bob Perry design!

The HC is a stout, double ender with a cutter rig. She is heavily built with teak decks and a beautiful all teak interior.

The Hans Christian, like the Cabo Rico, prefers a good breeze, and is sluggish in light air. Her hull is thick, sold fiberglass and is hand laid.

Hinckley Yachts

Hinckley yachts began their career building exceptional, luxurious, yachts in Maine. Their meager beginnings were servicing local lobster boats.

Hinckley Sailboats have superior construction and are made with classic shapes and dramatic lines. All of their yachts are custom built to the owner’s exact desires.

The Bermuda 40 was designed as a racer-cruiser. Sadly they are not in production anymore. Their last Bermuda 40 was constructed in 1991. Interstingly, this was Hinckley’s first fiberglass boat.

The Caliber brand of sailboats were built in St. Petersburg, Florida. The overall design of the boats is a serious offshore cruiser. It also has all around excellent abitlities, feeling at ease coastal cruising, or being used for more serious work.

The Caliber sailboat has combined 2 versions of extreme hulls. A high performance keel, made for speed, combined with a full keel for control, create a hull that has high pointing ability, excellent directional stability, easy tacking (light wind), and high mobility during docking situations.

The hull is made extremely strong using heavy woven roving glass laminate. It forms a thicker hull. It is time tested construction.

Sadly, Caliber Yachts are no longer producing fine offshore boats, but they remain active in the industry with a full time yacht brockerage.

Passport Yachts

Cruising World magazine unanimously chose the Passport 545 for overall top boat of 2016! Absolutely every detail on the Passport is of the highest quality.

Passport began creating these sailing beauties in 1979, and has gained the reputation of being one of the finest yachts built. Can you guess who designed them? Yep, none other than Bob Perry!

As the years slip on by, cruising boat demands have changed. Passport has changed with the times. Always stiving for a very safe and comfortable boat, there are hundreds of Passports cruising all over the world. You can purchase a Passport custom made to your specifictions, or purchase a previously loved boat!

Hunter 46LE

This entry surprised even myself! The reason this Hunter made my top ten is it really is a pretty decent boat. Hunter made this model easy to sail, had pretty good stability, is easy to maintain.

Hunter has managed to achieve a balance of low mintenance and good sailing ability with luxury amenities. Access to the engine and boat systems are all excellant.

The Hunter’s sailing performance will be appreciated by most sailors. It get points takehttps://youtu.be/PI5BhvgsS2wn off for the B&G rig and the humongous pedestal.

The Hunter is perceived as a nice coastal cruiser with the ability to log some decent ocean miles. This can be done in a good bit of comfort. Hunter definately has listened to the cruising sailor and made modifications to it’s design to reflect this.

Leopard 43 Catamaran

I first learned of this brand of catamaran from my friends Nicki and Jason Wynn. They knew nothing about sailing, bought this boat, took some sailing lessons, and are now circumnavigating the globe!

The Leopard is built in South Africa by Robertson and Caine boatbuilders. This boat is built either as an owner’s or charter version.

Leopard’s boast excellent liveability, comfort, safety and easy sailing ability.

Oceangoing capabilities are many. Leopard’s are built very well to exacting standards. She has fuel tankage of 264 gallons.

What are your cruising plans?

These 10 best sailboat brands will all work well for whatever kind of sailing and cruising you plan on doing, whether that is coastal cruising or bluewater passages.

Features to Look For in a Cruising Boat

Since all these boats have great construction, here is a list of what to look for beyond the bones of the yacht. All sailboats will be a comprimize. There is no “perfect” boat. I know – I’ve looked! You have to know what features will make your cruising more safe and comfortable.

Fuel and Water Storage

Having large enough tanks onboard will allow you to cruise longer without having to stop. 100 gallons of diesel should give you about 10 days at 6 knots. That’s 1,200 miles before it’s time to stop for fuel.

Your Cooking Facilities

A modern diesel stove will light quickly and cook your food perfectly. Having plenty of storage, counter space and a good sized ice box are also must haves

General stowage

Don’t forget to plan for general storage. You have 10,000 things that need to be stowed away somewhere when you go cruising. Make sure your boat has the space necessary for comfort and safety.

Your Head or Restroom

You are going to have to spend a lot of time in this space while you cruise. Make sure it is a good model and has an ample sized holdng tank.

Good Sail Plan

Having a good sail plan is key to making your cruising experience more safe and pleasurable. Make sure you know what sails come with the boat and if they are in good shape.

Good electronics package

 A good electronics package is a must for any modern cruising boat. Be sure to look for a good selection of electronics, but make sure they are up to date and in working order. good boat electronics can also be a safety item.

AIS will alert you when other boats are in your area. A good chartplotter will be a great aid to get you where you want to go. Having radar on board will show you things like land or other boats when the visibility is bad.

A good depth sounder is vital, obviously so you know how deep the water is.

A few other pieces of electronics I would have on board is a good VHS radio, boat knotlog (lets you know the spped of your boat through the water, and a annenometer (measures the speed of the wind).

Having a reliable engine on your boat will allow you to make repairs and get back home in case of an emergency. Make sure the engine is powerful enough for your choice of boat.

A bonus would be getting a set of spares (oil & fuel filters, belts etc.) along with a good running, well maintained engine.

Good handholds

Good handholds throughout the boat will make life at sea so much more pleasurable. Once the seas get rough, safety comes into play and handholds both down below and on deck are a must!

I hope this article has helped you in your search for the 10 best sailboat brands. All 10 have their own strengths and weaknesses. They are all great vessels, but to each captain goes his own preference. I hope my choices help you decide when you look for your next dreamboat!

What is your favorite, and why?

I’m Capt Kris Baker.  I have been sailing and cruising since I was about 6 years old.   I have lots of tips and tricks I have learned over the years, and I am happy to share them with you!

My new boat is an Island Packet 320 “Southern Star”.  I plan on cruising the Bahamas and Islands south!

Buying a Used Boat?

Better Sailing

Best Sailboat Brands

There’s no denying that sailors are passionate about their sailboats. So, are you in the search of buying a new yacht or sailboat? In order to help you, here you can find the best sailboat brands. There’s definitely an indulgence of owning a sailboat! Some of us only dream about it but few can sail the seas in their own yacht or sailboat. With a fine-crafted sailboat, sliding through the waves and wind is unquestionably an enjoyable experience. Contrary to most people’s opinion, owning a sailboat can be something affordable that many of us can achieve. Owing a proper sailboat is of high importance so it’s advisable to know beforehand some of the best sailboat brands.

Groupe Beneteau

Beneteau remains the most popular and best sailboat brand in the world and produces both sail and powerboats. For over a century now, this French company managed to make models combining simplicity and performance. Whether you prefer the Figaro Beneteau 3 or the Oceanis Yacht 62, Beneteau will fulfill your needs just right across all latitudes. From the deck space to its design, a lot of Beneteau models come with the 360 systems. This facilitates life at sea but also offers a luxurious but practical voyage. They also make the hull finer to cut through the water better, which results in less movement – something that helps with comfort.  Its models are designed with stable hulls, clear deck plans, and simplified maneuvering. Are you are looking for a sailboat to explore the seas or for a fast-sailing one? In any case, Beneteau can meet your needs.

Jeanneau is a French boat brand located in Les Herbiers, established in 1957 by Henri Jeanneau, who started by racing and then building small powerboats. The shipyard’s first fiberglass model was made in 1960, and the first sailboat in 1964, the Alizé, which became an instant success in the French market. In 1985, Jeanneau opened a separate division called JAT (Jeanneau Advanced Technologies), and they were the boatbuilders of the Lagoon range of catamarans. Jeanneau (and Lagoon) became part of the Bénéteau group in 1995; however, all brands are still producing their boats under their own brand name. 

Hallberg-Rassy

Hallberg-Rassy is a Swedish yacht maker who has a reputation for making some of the sturdiest and highest quality sailboats. According to many sailors, this is a well-known sailboat brand that offers comfort, utmost safety, and easy handling. Their sailboats have a well-protected deck and cockpit, designed with nice woodwork, and powerful engines with big tankage to ensure that you can go on long voyages. Furthermore, their large steering wheels make it much easier to control the sailboats, even in the toughest conditions. In essence, this brand has features that provide control, safety, and comfort.

Bavaria is the main diet of many Meditteranean sailors. The sailboats are practical and affordable due to their manufacturing process as well as their production, which is more streamlined. Bavaria sailboats are based on reliability, affordability, and ease of use. These are aspects that guide the design decisions here, a fact that makes them so prevalent in charter companies.

The mission of Catalina is to make boats as practical as possible for everyone. In other words, this means practical handling, a practical interior layout, and last but not least, a reasonable price. As Catalina owners say they make, robust and honest boats that endure real-world conditions, perform well and cost less to maintain. The company’s stability allowed for excellent manufacturing facilities, something that contributed to massive production and affordable prices.

Wallys are considered to be costly sailboats! But despite their price tag they certainly are pioneers in many aspects. Wally company manufactures high-end sailboats along with exquisite build quality. However, these cruisers and hi-end racers aren’t really user friendly. Not all sailors, especially beginners, are able to navigate the seas with a Wally. Their superyachts are focused on sporty cruising, comfort, and design. Buying a used one would be a safe situation. It should be noted that they hold up even after a long time both in terms of quality and performance.

Nautor’s Swan

Nautor’s Swan has met many requirements and demands of sailors, all over the world. The company has raised sailing levels by manufacturing highly-performing models. Models such as the Swan 98, Swan 120, and Swan 65 are speedy, sleek, and ensure safety. One of Nautor’s Swan commitments is that they never put at risk your safety. Its models are made of foam-cored glass fiber and are reinforced with epoxy and carbon-fiber.

Island Packet Yachts

The sailboat brand Island Packet Yachts encourages its customers to discover the world, on board. Furthermore, Island Packet Yachts is meant for adventurous sailors that want to travel around the world in utmost safety. From the IP 439, the IP 525 to the IP 379, the first thing you notice is their large aft deck. In addition, there’s a large capacity in the living space for your belongings. This design is especially for those that are planning to spend a lot of time on the seas. To sum up, they provide superior seafaring and excellent features that allow you to spend comfortably extended periods while traveling.

Sparkman & Stephens

Sparkman & Stephens supports the belief that a sailboat’s excellence goes beyond hull lines and deck plans. For more than 90 years, this brand believes in the finest naval architecture, sophistication, and innovation. Moreover, Sparkman & Stephens has laid the foundation of sailing as a sport, all over the world. The models are rooted in tradition but also provide the excellent performance of sailing on the seas.

Tartan Yachts

Tartan Yachts have won several awards in terms of design and construction. This brand is widely known for providing an ultimately stable platform and easy handling. Furthermore, Tartan always tries to serve every sailor’s needs. For example, every component of their sailboats is designed with engineering levels that guarantee excellent on-deck visibility and optimum performance. Basically, Tartan models can be ideal if you appreciate the performance. In conclusion, they provide more than satisfying sailing features both in wider and narrow passages. 

Hinckley Yachts

For more than 90 years, Hinckley Yachts has been building robust and safe sailboats. In its sailboat category, you can choose between several models that have inner strength and functional features. In essence, if you travel in the North Atlantic then a Hinckley Yacht is definitely a must, to deal with the challenges of the ocean! Whether you choose the Sou’wester 53 or the Bermuda 50,  this brand integrates impeccable craftsmanship. Last but not least, they provide state-of-the-art construction and ensure that their models provide advanced sailing practices.

Amel Yachts

This French sailboat brand offers easy-to-handle sailboats for over five decades. They use 100% technical French know-how and manufacture robust sailing boats. Some of their best models, for example, are the Super Maramu, the Santorini, and the Mango. Furthermore, Amel models provide handy items for every sailor such as electrical winches, spare filters, and generators. However, some say that Amel has a deficiency in terms of personalization and specification. Either way, Amel can guarantee safety, reliability, and quality.

Final Thoughts

The above-listed brands are some of the best sailing boat brands in the market. Although there are plenty of other brands to choose from, these brands distinguish from others in relation to safety, quality, and performance. Finally, when it comes to choosing a sailboat or yacht, always think carefully about your needs, budget, and preferences!

Peter is the editor of Better Sailing. He has sailed for countless hours and has maintained his own boats and sailboats for years. After years of trial and error, he decided to start this website to share the knowledge.

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Types of Sailboats: Essential Guide for Every Sailor

Sailboats have been an essential part of human history, contributing to exploration, trade, and leisure. With a myriad of designs and sizes, these versatile vessels cater to various purposes and preferences. The defining characteristics of sailboats come from their rigging, sails, and hull design.

The basics of sailboat design play a significant role in the classification and function of these vessels. Hull shapes, keel types, and construction materials contribute to the speed, stability, and maneuverability of sailboats. Additionally, rigging and sails come in various shapes and sizes, which influence sailing performance and handling.

Key Takeaways

• Sailboats are classified by hull design, rigging, and sails that serve specific purposes.
• Designs and materials have a direct impact on the performance and handling of sailboats.
• A wide range of sailboat types exists, which cater to different needs and preferences.

Basics of Sailboat Design

Sailboats come in various shapes and sizes, designed for different purposes and sailing conditions. One can classify sailboats based on hull types, keel types, and mast configurations. This section will briefly discuss these basic components of sailboat design.

There are mainly two types of hulls: monohull and multihull.

• Monohull : This is the traditional and most common type of sailboat hull. It consists of a single hull, providing stability through the use of a keel or centerboard. Monohulls come in various shapes and sizes, suitable for various sailing conditions.
• Catamaran : Catamarans have two parallel hulls of equal size, offering increased stability and speed compared to monohulls. They are commonly used for cruising and racing.
• Trimaran : Trimarans have three hulls, with a larger central hull and two smaller outrigger hulls. This design offers even more stability and speed than catamarans.

The keel is an essential component in sailboat design, helping with stability and performance. There are various keel types, including:

• Full keel : This traditional design features a long and wide keel that extends along the boat's bottom. It offers good tracking and stability but sacrifices speed and maneuverability.
• Fin keel : Fin keels are shorter and deeper than full keels, providing a better combination of stability and maneuverability. These are common in modern monohull sailboats.
• Bulb keel : A bulb keel features a fin keel with a heavy bulb at the bottom, which concentrates the boat's weight, increasing stability and performance in rough conditions.
• Swing keel or centerboard : Swing keels and centerboards can be raised or lowered, allowing the boat to adapt to different water depths and sailing conditions. They are common in smaller boats and racing sailboats.

Mast Configuration

The mast configuration affects the sail plan and overall performance of a sailboat. Some common mast configurations include:

• Sloop : This is the most popular mast configuration and features a single mast with a mainsail and a headsail. The simple design makes it easy to handle and suitable for various sailing conditions.
• Cutter : Similar to the sloop, the cutter also has a single mast but carries two headsails, providing more sail area and better performance in heavy weather.
• Ketch : A ketch configuration has two masts: a taller main mast and a shorter mizzen mast. This design offers more flexibility in sail combinations and better balance in different sailing conditions.
• Yawl : Similar to a ketch, a yawl also features two masts but the mizzen is located further aft and is smaller. This design provides better balance and control, particularly in downwind sailing scenarios.

In conclusion, the basics of sailboat design involve selecting the appropriate hull type, keel type, and mast configuration for the desired sailing performance and conditions. Understanding these concepts can help sailors make informed decisions when choosing a sailboat or planning their sailing adventures.

Rigging and Sails

When it comes to sailboats, the rigging and sails play a crucial role in the boat's overall performance and capabilities. This section will briefly cover popular rig types and sail types seen on different sailboats.

There are several types of rigs commonly found on sailboats:

• Sloop : Sloops are the most common type of rig found on modern sailboats. They have a single mast with a mainsail and a single headsail, typically a genoa or jib.
• Ketch : Ketches have two masts, with the main mast taller than the mizzen mast situated aft. They carry a mainsail on the main mast and a mizzen sail on the mizzen mast. Ketches benefit from easier handling and reduced sail area under strong winds.
• Yawl : Similar to ketches, yawls have two masts, but the mizzen mast is smaller and sits further aft, behind the rudder post. Yawls are often chosen for their graceful appearance and improved balance.
• Schooner : Schooners have two or more masts, with the aft mast(s) typically taller than the forward mast(s). Schooners can handle more sails, offering increased sail area for better performance, especially downwind.
• Catboat : Catboats are single-masted sailboats with a single, large mainsail and no headsails. They have a wide beam, which provides stability and ample space for passengers.
• Cutter : Cutters are similar to sloops but carry two headsails, usually a jib and staysail. Cutters may have multiple headsails for increased versatility in various wind conditions.

In addition to the types of rigs, there are also several types of sails used on sailboats, including:

• Mainsail : The primary sail attached to the back of the main mast. It is typically raised on a track or luff groove and managed by a combination of halyard, sheet, and boom vang.
• Genoa : A large triangular sail that overlaps the mainsail, typically used in light winds to provide additional surface area for better performance.
• Jib : A smaller, non-overlapping triangular sail attached to the forestay. Jibs are easier to manage than genoas and are used in a variety of wind conditions.
• Spinnaker : A large, lightweight sail used primarily for downwind sailing . Spinnakers are often brightly colored and shaped like a parachute to catch wind efficiently.
• Staysail : A smaller sail typically used in cutter rigs, positioned between the main mast and the forestay. Staysails provide additional sail area and versatility in varied wind conditions.

Understanding the relationship between sail and rigging can help sailors optimize the performance of their sailboats. With various options for rig types and sail types, each sailboat can be configured to meet the unique needs of its skipper and crew.

Classes and Types of Sailboats

Monohulls are the most common type of sailboats, consisting of a single hull that provides stability and balance. They come in various sizes and designs, depending on their intended use. Some popular monohull sailboats include the Optimist , Finn, and Sunfish, which are frequently used for racing and recreational sailing. Monohulls tend to have a deeper draft, requiring more water depth than their multi-hull counterparts.

Multihulls, also known as multi-hull sailboats, are a more modern innovation in sailing. They feature two or more hulls connected by a frame or bridgedeck. This design offers increased stability and speed over monohulls. Some common types of multihulls are catamarans (with two hulls) and trimarans (with three hulls). Due to their wider beam and shallower draft, multihulls are particularly suitable for cruising in shallow waters and provide more living space on board.

One-Design Sailboats

One-Design sailboats are a specific class of racing sailboats in which all boats are built to the same design specifications, ensuring that the competition focuses on the skill of the sailor rather than the design of the boat. These boats must adhere to strict rules and standards, with minimal variations allowed in terms of hull shape, sail area, and rigging. Some popular one-design sailboats include the Enterprise and the aforementioned Optimist and Finn sailboats.

Dinghies and Skiffs

Dinghies and skiffs are small, lightweight sailboats that are often used for sailing classes, short-distance racing, or as tenders to larger boats. Dinghies usually have a single mast with a mainsail and sometimes a small jib. Some popular types of sailing dinghies include the Optimist, which is specifically designed for children, and the versatile Sunfish sailboat. Skiffs, on the other hand, are high-performance sailboats primarily used for racing. They have a larger sail area relative to their size and typically include features such as trapezes and planing hulls, which allow for faster speeds and greater maneuverability.

In conclusion, there are various classes and types of sailboats, each with its own unique features and characteristics. From the simplicity of monohulls to the stability and speed of multihulls, and from the fair competition of one-design sailboats to the excitement of dinghies and skiffs, there is a sailboat to satisfy every sailor's preferences.

Sailboat Size and Use

When exploring the world of sailboats, it's important to understand their different sizes and purposes. Sailboats can be categorized into three main types, each with unique characteristics and uses: Day Sailers , Racing Sailboats, and Cruising Sailboats .

Day Sailers

Day Sailers are small sailboats typically ranging from 10 to 24 feet in length. These boats are perfect for short sailing trips and are easy to maneuver for beginners. They have limited accommodations on board, providing just enough seats for a small group of people. Some popular day sailer models include the Laser, Sunfish, and Flying Scot. Lightweight and agile, Day Sailers are often used for:

• Recreation: casual sailing or exploring nearby waters with family and friends
• Training: beginner sailing lessons or practicing sailing techniques
• Competition: local club races or interclub regattas

Racing Sailboats

Racing Sailboats are designed to provide maximum speed, maneuverability, and efficiency on the water. Sizes may vary greatly, from small dinghies to large yachts. Key features of racing sailboats include a sleek hull shape, high-performance sails, and minimalistic interiors to reduce weight.

Career racers and sailing enthusiasts alike participate in various types of racing events , such as:

• One-design racing: all boats have identical specifications, emphasizing crew skill
• Handicap racing: boats of different sizes and designs compete with time adjustments
• Offshore racing: long-distance racing from one point to another, often around islands or across oceans

Cruising Sailboats

Cruising Sailboats are designed for longer journeys and extended stays on the water. They typically range from 25 to 70 feet in length and provide comfortable accommodations such as sleeping cabins, a galley, and storage spaces for supplies and equipment. Sailing cruisers prioritize stability, comfort, and durability for their voyage.

Here are some common types of cruising sailboats:

• Cruiser-racers: These boats combine the speed of a racing sailboat with the comfort and amenities of a cruising sailboat. They are ideal for families or sailors who enjoy participating in racing events while still having the option for leisurely cruises.
• Bluewater cruisers: Designed for handling the world's most demanding ocean conditions, bluewater cruisers are built with a focus on sturdy, self-reliant sailboats that can withstand long-distance voyages and challenging weather conditions.
• Multihulls: Catamarans and trimarans are gaining popularity in the cruising world for their typically more spacious interiors and level sailing characteristics. With two or three hulls, multihulls offer high levels of stability and speed for a comfortable cruising experience.

Understanding the differences between various sailboat types will help potential sailors select the perfect vessel for their sailing goals, skills, and preferences. Day Sailers, Racing Sailboats, and Cruising Sailboats each have their unique features, catering to distinct uses and sailing experiences.

Advanced Sailboat Features

Sailboats have evolved over time, and many advanced features have been developed to enhance performance and safety. In this section, we will discuss some of the key advanced features in modern sailboats, focusing on performance enhancements and safety/navigation.

Performance Enhancements

One critical component that impacts a sailboat's performance is the type of keel it has, which affects stability, resistance, and maneuverability . There are several kinds of keels such as fin keel , wing keel , and bulb keel . Fin keels offer low drag and high efficiency, making them suitable for racing sailboats. On the other hand, wing keels provide better stability at low speeds, while bulb keels provide a lower center of gravity to enhance overall stability and comfort during long voyages.

Another feature that contributes to a sailboat's performance is its sails and rigging. The jib is a triangular sail at the front of the boat, which helps improve its upwind performance. More advanced sailboats use a combination of shrouds , which are the supporting cables running along the sides of the boat, and stays , the cables that help hold the mast in place, to create a stable and efficient rigging system.

A sailboat's performance can also be influenced by the presence of a centerboard or daggerboard , which can be adjusted to optimize stability, maneuverability, and speed. When racing or navigating in shallow waters, retractable centerboards and daggerboards are particularly useful as they provide better performance and versatility.

Safety and Navigation

Safety and navigation onboard a sailboat relies on a combination of advanced gear and equipment. A modern sailboat is usually equipped with:

• GPS and chartplotters to assist with navigation and planning routes
• VHF radios for communication with other vessels and authorities
• Radar to detect obstacles, weather systems, and other vessels
• AIS (Automatic Identification System) which helps monitor nearby vessel traffic

The design of a sailboat's hull, rigging, sails, and hardware also contribute to its safety. The boom , the horizontal pole that extends the sail, should be properly secured and designed to avoid accidents while sailing. The keel , whether it's a fin, wing, or bulb keel, plays a vital role in the overall stability and safety of the sailboat. The choice of keel should be based on the intended use of the sailboat and the prevailing sailing conditions.

In summary, advanced sailboat features significantly improve the performance, safety, and navigation capabilities of modern sailboats. Innovations in keel design, rigging systems, and onboard navigational equipment have undoubtedly contributed to the overall enjoyment and safety of sailing.

Sailboat Ownership

Buying Considerations

When considering buying a sailboat , it is important to understand the different types of sailboats available and the purpose each serves. Sailboats can be broadly categorized into three types:

• Racing sailboats: Designed for speed and performance, with minimalistic interiors and advanced sail systems.
• Cruising sailboats: Built for comfort and longer trips, featuring more spacious interiors and amenities.
• Daysailers: Smaller, easy-to-handle boats that are often used for short trips and recreational sailing.

Prospective boat owners should consider factors such as boat size, type, budget, and intended use (solo vs. family sailing, charter operations, etc.). It's also essential to evaluate the availability of necessary gear and the level of experience required to handle the chosen sailboat.

Maintenance and Upkeep

Sailboat ownership involves maintenance and upkeep to ensure the boat remains functional, safe, and holds its value. Some common maintenance tasks include:

• Hull cleaning and inspection: Regularly inspect the hull for damages and clean off any growth to maintain performance and fuel efficiency.
• Antifouling paint: Apply antifouling paint to prevent marine organisms from attaching to the hull, which can negatively impact the boat's performance.
• Engine maintenance: Check and replace engine oil, inspect cooling and fuel systems, and clean or replace air filters.

In addition to regular maintenance, sailboat owners should also be prepared to replace or repair critical systems and components, such as:

• Sails: Monitor the condition of your sails and replace them as needed to maintain performance and safety.
• Rigging: Regularly inspect and maintain the standing and running rigging, and replace worn or compromised parts.
• Electronics and instruments: Ensure navigation systems, radios, and other electronic equipment are functioning properly.

Taking proper care of a sailboat can be time-consuming, and some owners may choose to charter their boats when not in use as a way to offset ownership costs. Others may opt for hiring professionals to manage routine maintenance, particularly when sailing solo or with limited sailing experience.

Historical and Special Sailboats

Tall ships and gaffers.

Tall Ships are large, traditionally rigged sailing vessels with multiple masts, typically square-rigged on at least one of their masts. Some examples of these ships include the clipper, brig, and square-rigged vessels. The clipper is a fast sailing ship known for its sleek hull and large sail area, while the brig features two square-rigged masts. Square-rigged ships were known for their impressive sail area and could cover large distances quickly.

Gaffers are a subset of historical sailing vessels with a gaff mainsail as their primary sail type. This gaff-rig is characterized by a spar (pole) that extends the top edge of the mainsail, giving it a quadrilateral shape to optimize wind coverage. Gaff mainsails were commonly used in England and influenced the development of other sailing vessels.

Classic and Antique Sailboats

Classic and antique sailboats refer to older, traditionally designed sailing vessels that have been preserved or restored. They often feature wooden construction and showcase a variety of rigging types, including gaff rigs and square rigs. These historical sailboats have unique designs, materials, and techniques that have since evolved or become rare.

Here are some examples of antique and classic sailboats:

• Sloop : A single-masted sailboat with a Bermuda rig and foresail
• Cutter : A single-masted vessel with a similar rig to the sloop, but with additional headsails for increased maneuverability
• Ketch : A two-masted sailboat with a smaller mizzen mast aft of the main mast

In summary, historical and special sailboats encompass a wide range of vessel types, from large, multi-masted tall ships to smaller, single-masted gaffers and classic sailboats. These vessels reflect the rich maritime history and the evolution of sailing techniques and designs over time.

Sailboat Culture and Lifestyle

Sailboat culture and lifestyle encompass a variety of aspects including racing events, leisurely cruising, and exploring new destinations. The main types of sailboats include racing yachts, cruising sailboats, and motorsailers, each offering a unique experience for sailors.

Regattas and Racing Circuits

A popular aspect of sailboat culture involves participating in regattas and racing circuits . These events create a competitive atmosphere and develop camaraderie among sailors. Racing sailboats are specifically designed for speed and agility , and sailors often team up to compete in prestigious races such as the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race or the America's Cup. Yacht clubs play an essential role in cultivating this competitive sailing environment.

Sailboat Charter and Tourism

Another facet of sailing culture is the sailboat charter and tourism industry, which allows people to experience the cruising lifestyle without owning a sailboat. Charters are offered for various types of sailboats, from family-sized cruising vessels to luxurious superyachts . Yacht sailing provides tourists with a unique travel experience, as they can explore diverse destinations, immerse themselves in local cultures, or simply relax on the open water.

Cruising sailboats are designed to provide comfortable living spaces and amenities, making them perfect for longer journeys or exploring remote destinations. Motorsailers, on the other hand, are equipped with both sails and engines, offering versatility and convenience for sailors.

Some popular sailing destinations include the Caribbean, Mediterranean Sea, and the South Pacific. These regions offer beautiful scenery, rich cultural experiences, and ideal sailing conditions.

The sailboat culture and lifestyle attract individuals who enjoy adventure, exploration, and camaraderie. From competitive racing events to leisurely cruising vacations, sailing offers diverse experiences that cater to a wide range of interests.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the distinguishing features of different sailboat classes?

There are various sailboat classes, each with its own distinguishing features. Monohulls, for example, are the most common type of sailboat and have a single hull. Multihulls, such as catamarans and trimarans, have two or three hulls, respectively. These differences in hull design often affect the boat's stability, speed, and maneuverability.

Which sailboat types are best for novice sailors?

Novice sailors often benefit from starting with smaller, more manageable boats. Sailing dinghies and daysailers are popular choices due to their simple rigging and ease of handling. These boats typically have a single mast and a limited number of sails, making them ideal for beginners to learn sailing basics.

What are common types of small sailboats ideal for day sailing?

For day sailing, small sailboats such as sailing dinghies, day sailers, and pocket cruisers are ideal options. These boats usually range between 12 and 25 feet in length and offer simplicity, ease of handling, and portability. Examples of common day sailing boats include the Sunfish, Laser, and O'Day Mariner.

How do the purposes of various sailboat types vary?

Sailboats serve different purposes based on their design, size, and features. Daysailers and dinghies are ideal for short trips, sailing lessons, and casual outings. Racing sailboats, with their lighter weight and streamlined design, are built for speed and competition. Cruising sailboats, on the other hand, are designed for longer voyages and often include living quarters and additional amenities for comfortable onboard living.

What is considered the most popular class of sailboat for recreational use?

The most popular class of sailboat for recreational use often varies depending on individual preferences and local conditions. However, monohulls are commonly preferred due to their widespread availability, versatility, and affordability. Within the monohull class, boats like the Sunfish, Laser, and Catalina 22 are popular choices for their ease of use and adaptability to various sailing conditions.

Could you describe a sailing dinghy designed for two people?

A two-person sailing dinghy typically has a simple rig with a single mast and one or more sails, making it easy to handle for both experienced and novice sailors. The RS Venture , for example, is a popular choice for two-person sailing. It features a spacious cockpit, durable construction, and simplicity in its rigging and control systems. These characteristics make it an excellent option for recreational sailing, training, and even racing.

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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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Best Cruising Catamarans

• By Cruising World Editors
• Updated: July 1, 2021

Cruising catamarans have been around for decades, but early models—often plywood and fiberglass vessels built by their owners from plans and kits, kept the boats on the fringes of mainstream sailing. That all changed, though, as big roomy cats were discovered by sailors who went off to charter in the Caribbean, where the multihulls proved their worth as comfortable liveaboard and party boats.

Today’s bluewater catamarans roam the globe, carrying families to exotic destinations across the Pacific and beyond. Just as with their monohull cousins, there is no best catamaran. Instead there is a wide variety of designs, ranging from small catamarans that offer the ease of maintenance a couple might enjoy to performance catamarans capable of easily knocking off 250-mile days. Today, the best catamaran brands offer a range of size models and layouts that can be optimized for an owner sailing with family and friends, or for the charter market, where there’s a demand for four, five and even six cabins worth of accommodations.

The most prolific catamaran manufacturers are in France and South Africa where yards include both large-run production builders and niche companies building fewer than 10 boats a year.

The best cruising catamarans offer good load-carrying ability and respectable performance. As with any sailboat , a modern catamaran’s design is a result of compromises. Daggerboards or keels? Galley up or galley down? Spacious owner’s cabin or extra bunks? There are lots of options to choose from—and that’s what makes looking at these sailboats fun!

Here, then is an eclectic A to Z list of some of the best catamarans that have helped shaped the evolution of how we live and sail on two hulls.

Antares 44i

Now built in Argentina as a full-fledged, bluewater catamaran and cruiser that can be safely operated by a shorthanded couple or family crew, the Antares 44i features a fully covered cockpit with a quartet of big, standard solar panels recessed within the hardtop, one example of a yacht capable of long-range passagemaking.

Atlantic 42

Almost 30 years ago, yacht designer Chris White revolutionized catamaran design with the first in his series of Atlantic cats, the primary feature of which was the innovative mid-ship sailing cockpit forward of the main cabin. The smallest in the Atlantic line, the 42 remains White’s most popular design ever.

Fountaine-Pajot has built so many outstanding cruising catamarans that it’s difficult to narrow down any single boat, but we’ve always been fans of the good-looking, well-thought-out Bahia 46. At 46 feet, the boat is large enough for offshore forays and has plenty of volume; with its simple but powerful sail plan, it’s also an excellent performer.

Beginning around 1996, the French builder Catana was one of the first companies to manufacture fully found cruising cats for private ownership, and this Christophe Barreau design, which enjoyed a nearly 10-year production run from 1997-2006, was emblematic of this first generation of safe, fun, long-legged offshore voyagers.

Click here to see more cats from Catana.

When it comes to speed, light boats are fast ones. And if you wish to save weight, that means exotic modern materials like carbon. Catana now infuses the laminates of their entire production line with carbon fiber, and for this list, we’ve chosen the Catana 50 Carbon, one of the zippiest cats now crossing oceans.

Click here to read about a couple’s charter aboard a Catana 50.

Gemini 105M

Pioneering catamaran sailor, builder and designer Tony Smith launched the first of his 33-foot Gemini 105M’s (10.5 meters = 33′) in 1993, and soon after found a ready and willing stream of sailors enamored of the boat’s compact size, affordable price tag, and such innovations as the nifty lifting rudder and transom steps.

Click here to read about the Gemini Legacy 35.

Built between 2000-2005, the Gunboat 62 firmly established the Gunboat brand: go-anywhere cats that applied race-boat technology to a world-cruising platform. Hull no. 1, Tribe, was built for company founder Peter Johnstone, who then spent a year-and-a-half cruising with his family, smiling all the way.

French builder Henri Wauquiez is best known for his long career building monohulls, but the Kronos 45 cat, which he launched in 1992, was ahead of her time. Classic lines, the aft “targa bar” over the cockpit, the louvered coach roof windows, even the distinctive stripes on her hull: the Kronos 45 remains timeless.

No roundup of cruising cats would be complete without several Lagoon entries, and the best of that impressive bunch might well be the Lagoon 380. Originally launched in 1999, and revered for its combination of quality, volume and performance, with over 740 boats built the 380 is still going strong.

Launched five years after the breakthrough 380, the Lagoon 440 was an evolutionary design that featured a raised flybridge helm station, a unique “gullwing” configuration below the bridge deck, expanded windows in the hull and much more. With 400 boats built in a 6-year production run, the 440 was an unqualified success.

How big can a production cat, still operable by a short-handed crew, really be? The builders at Lagoon discovered that 62-feet hit a sweet spot in the marketplace, and have sold over 70 boats since its introduction in 2010. The centerpiece of this design is the sensational steering station atop the flybridge, with expansive views of the sea and sky.

Click here to see more cats from Lagoon.

With an unmatched pedigree – designed by premier multihull naval architects Gino Morelli and Pete Melvin, built by the prestigious Robertson & Caine boatyard in South Africa, and commissioned by chartering giant The Moorings – the Leopard 40 was, perhaps unsurprisingly, Cruising World ’s Import Boat of the Year in 2005.

Louisiane 37

Based on the famous French racing cat Charente-Maritime, the Louisiane 37, designed by Joubert/Nivelt and launched by builder Fountaine-Pajot in 1983, was a light, fast liveaboard cruiser with full accommodations that represented a radical departure from the hefty British cats that preceded it.

Maine Cat 30

One of the more versatile and clever cats ever created, the central feature of the cool Maine Cat 30 is the open bridge deck/living room sandwiched between the hulls and canopied by a rigid, permanent hard top (the comfortable accommodations/ staterooms are stationed in the hulls). Ideal for a winter in the Bahamas but with the ability to sail offshore, it’s a boat for all seasons and reasons.

Built in Florida and beloved by the owners of the over 120 boats built during the company’s existence from 1993 to 2009, the Manta Catamarans range included 38-, 40- and 44-foot cats. For this exercise, however, we’re heralding the original Manta 42, which won the Best Value Overall prize in CW’s 2001 Boat of the Year contest.

Moorings 4800/Leopard 48

Another Leopard/Moorings collaboration built by the wizards at Robertson & Caine (though this boat was designed by fellow South African Alex Simonis), the Leopard 48 was another CW Boat of the Year winner with all the contemporary bells and whistles: forward cockpit, flybridge helm station and solid hardtop dodger, just to name a few.

Click here to read more about the Leopard 48, and click here to see more images.

Nautitech 441

The Best Multihull Under 45 Feet: So said the CW judging panel in the 2013 Boat of the Year competition, regarding the Nautitech 441. But what makes this versatile platform so intriguing are the different helm set-ups. The 441 employs a single wheel, to starboard, ideal for solo sailors, while the 442 has a pair of helm stations aft.

Click here to see more Nautitech Catamarans.

Outremer 5X

A state-of-the-art all-oceans cat that exemplifies how far multihull design has come, the 59-foot Outremer 5X was a winner on both sides of the Atlantic, taking top honors in the European Boat of the Year competition in 2013, and following up as the Best Full-Size Multihull in CW ’s contest a year later.

Click here to see more cats from Outremer.

St. Francis 50

The flagship of the proud St. Francis line – built in South Africa since 1990 to designs by local legends Lavranos Marine Design – the St. Francis 50 is another “luxury cat” that shares much in common with an earlier 48-foot sister-ship, but packs even more payload into its roomier lines.

Click here to read more about the St. Francis 50

Seawind 1000

Founded by Aussie surfer and sailor Richard Ward in 1982, the 33-foot Seawind 1000 is easily the most popular cruising cat ever built in Australia (the company has since moved its manufacturing and management operations to Vietnam). Roomy and airy, these cats dot the coastline of eastern Oz.

Seawind 1160

If the Seawind 1000 was a minimalist approach to cruising cats, the 38-foot Seawind 1160 is the flip side of the coin, a full-fledged long-range voyager. Among the reasons it was named CW ’s Most Innovative boat for 2007 is the unique “tri-folding” door that stashes overhead to open up the saloon and cockpit into a spacious living area.

Click here to read more about the Seawind 1160.

Sunsail 384

Every sailboat is a compromise, and in the case of the Sunsail 384 (also sold privately as the Leopard 38) that’s a good thing, because designers Morrelli & Melvin and builder Robertson and Caine got the balance just right with this relatively small catamaran. With four cabins, the 384 can carry the same size bareboat charter crowd as her larger siblings, but does so with a decided bounce in her step. Named CW’s Import Boat of the Year in 2010, you can gauge the success of the design by the grins on the crew as they barrel down Sir Francis Drake channel in the British Virgin Islands.

Victoria 67

The French design office of Berret Racoupeau drafted the lines of Fountaine-Pajot’s new flagship, introduced in 2013, a magnificent world-girdling voyaging catamaran. Like other giant cats launched in recent years, the boat features a sensational upper deck with all sail controls, helm and lounging stations.

Click here to see more images of the Victoria 67.

Wharram Tanaroa

No list of influential multihulls would be complete without the work of James Wharram, and while Tangaroa wasn’t a production cat by any means, it showcases the British designer’s respect for ancient Polynesian craft. Wharram sailed this 23-foot-6-inch “double-hulled canoe” across the Atlantic in the 1950s, and sold countless plans for similar boats for decades afterwards.

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Types of Sailboats

Table of Contents

Sailboats are one type of boat, but just because they all have sails doesn’t mean they’re all the same. There are subsets of sailboats and they differ by their shape (or number of hulls), the type of sailing rig, and their best primary use. Let’s investigate.

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Sailboat shapes

Sailboats can be monohulls or multihulls, which can be catamarans with two hulls or trimarans with three.

Monohulls are the classic sailing boat with one hull . Large, traditional, and older versions have deeper and heavier keels integrated into the hull for greater stability. At the same time, newer designs have fin keels that are attached rather than integrated appendages. Monohull boats can be used for racing or cruising.

Catamarans have two hulls that are connected by a bridge deck . Cats are prized for their large deck and accommodations space, stability, and shallow draft, so many mid-sized cats can be found in charter fleets worldwide.

Production cats are typically built for comfort rather than speed, but there are high-performance carbon fiber racing cats like those in the America’s Cup.

Trimarans are boats with three hulls. They can be large cruisers with fixed hull supports or small racers where the structural arms that hold the amas (outer hulls) fold to make the whole boat narrower. This is handy when fitting into a small slip or onto a trailer. Even more than catamarans, trimarans are known to be fast sailors.

More sailboats of all shapes (but especially catamarans) are experimenting with foils where the hull(s) ride out of the water to minimize wetted surfaces and maximize speed.

READ MORE: 10 Best Beginner Sailboats

Sailboat rigging

The rig of a sailboat includes the spar (mast) that holds the sails up, the boom that holds the bottom of the mainsail, and the shrouds or stays that support the mast. One sailboat can have multiple masts.

The number and placement of the masts decide what kind of boat it is. A sloop has one mast but may have multiple headsails (the sails that are in front of the mast), and therefore it may be called a cutter sloop.

A ketch or a yawl has a second smaller (mizzen) mast aft of the main mast. Schooners have multiple masts, but the secondary mast is ahead of the main mast rather than behind it. Many classic tall ships are outfitted as schooners, not generally found in modern recreational sailing.

Different uses of sailboats

As mentioned above, sailboats can be distance cruisers, racers, or something in between . Much of how they’re used will depend on their size and shape.

• Daysailers: The primary use of a daysailer is for an afternoon sailing in a bay or harbor. You can daysail on the ocean, and any boat can be sailed for just a day. Still, typical daysailers are usually smaller (under 30 feet), have no or minimal accommodations below, and are used for short outings.
• Cruisers: Sailboats can cruise for a weekend or a lifetime. Cruisers are often outfitted with amenities to accommodate overnight stays, so they have a galley , a cabin , and a head (bathroom). They vary in size, can be mono- or multihulls, and can carry any rig type.
• Racers: Although any sailboat can be raced, some models are specifically designed to do so. They’re usually built lighter and carry more sail area.
• Racer-cruisers: Racer-cruisers are performance boats (usually sloops) that can cruise. Some sailors will argue that there’s no such thing and that it’s all marketing rather than reality as companies try to make customers believe their boats are fast. Lightly built cruisers are often classified as racer-cruisers.
• Bluewater cruisers: Sailboats designed to cruise across oceans are often called bluewater cruisers. They’re well equipped, have large water and fuel tanks, and are often loaded with technical and cruising gear to be able to stay at sea for a long time. Again, these sailboats can have any number of hulls or masts to qualify for this moniker.
• Motorsailers: Heavy sailboats with big engines may be called motorsailers but it’s not a name that appeals to their owners because it implies the boat is heavy and slow under sail.
• Sailing dinghies: Small sailboats that are often used to teach sailing are sailing dinghies. They’re designed for one or two people and can be basic like a Lido or Sabot or competition level such as a Finn, Nacra, or Laser.

Learn more about sailboats with Boatsetter

An expert sailor knows a sailboat isn’t just a boat with sails — there are nuances and knowing the differences will make you not only better informed, it will also enable you to decide which kind of sailboat is right for you.

Of course, the best way to get to know a sailboat is by hands-on practice . Rent a sailboat — with a captain or to sail solo — and get on-the-water practice. In no time, you’ll be a pro.

Boatsetter is a unique boat-sharing platform that gives everyone— whether you own a boat or you’re just renting — the chance to experience life on the water. You can list a boat , book a boat , or make money as a captain .

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Zuzana Prochazka is an award-winning freelance journalist and photographer with regular contributions to more than a dozen sailing and powerboating magazines and online publications including Southern Boating, SEA, Latitudes & Attitudes and SAIL. She is SAIL magazines Charter Editor and the Executive Director of Boating Writers International. Zuzana serves as judge for SAIL’s Best Boats awards and for Europe’s Best of Boats in Berlin. 

A USCG 100 Ton Master, Zuzana founded and manages a flotilla charter organization called Zescapes that takes guests adventure sailing at destinations worldwide. 

Zuzana has lived in Europe, Africa and the United States and has traveled extensively in South America, the islands of the South Pacific and Mexico. 

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17 Sailboat Types Explained: How To Recognize Them

Ever wondered what type of sailboat you're looking at? Identifying sailboats isn't hard, you just have to know what to look for. In this article, I'll help you.

Every time I'm around a large number of sailboats, I look around in awe (especially with the bigger ones). I recognize some, but with most of them, I'll have to ask the owner. When they answer, I try to hide my ignorance. The words don't make any sense!

So here's a complete list with pictures of the most common sailboat types today. For each of them, I'll explain exactly where the name comes from, and how you can recognize it easily.

So here's my list of popular sailboat types, explained:

Bermuda sloop, sailing hydrofoil, dutch barge, chinese junk, square-rigged tall ship, in conclusion, how to recognize any sailboat.

Before we get started, I wanted to quickly explain what you should look for when you try to identify a sailboat.

The type of sailboat is always determined by one of these four things:

• The type of hull
• The type of keel
• The number of masts
• And the type of sails and rig

The hull is the boat's body. There are basically three hull types: monohull, catamaran, and trimaran. Simply said: do I see one hull, two hulls (catamaran) or three hulls (trimaran)? Most sailboats are monohulls.

Next, there is the keel type. The keel is the underwater part of the hull. Mostly, you won't be able to see that, because it's underwater. So we'll leave that for now.

The sail plan

The last factor is the number of masts and the sail plan. The sail plan, simply put, is the number of sails, the type of sails, and how the sails are mounted to the masts (also called rigging ).

Sailboat are mostly named after the sail plan, but occasionally, a sail type is thrown in there as well.

So now we know what to pay attention to, let's go and check out some sailboats!

Dinghies are the smallest and most simple sailboats around.

They are your typical training sailboats. Small boats with an open hull, with just one mast and one sail. Perfect for learning the ways of the wind.

On average, they are between 6 and 20 ft long. Mostly sailed single-handed (solo). There's no special rigging, just the mainsail. The mainsail is commonly a Bermuda (triangular) mainsail. Dinghies have a simple rudder stick and no special equipment or rigging.

Dinghies are great for learning how to sail. The smaller the boat, the better you feel the impact of your trim and actions.

How to recognize a sailing dinghy:

• short (8ft)
• one Bermuda sail
• open hull design
• rudder stick

Common places to spot them: lakes, near docks

If you'd ask a kid to draw a sailboat, she'll most probably draw this one. The Bermuda Sloop is the most popular and most common sailboat type today. You'll definitely recognize this one.

How to recognize a Bermuda Sloop:

• triangular mainsail (called a Bermuda sail)
• a foresail (also called the jib)
• fore-and-aft rigged
• medium-sized (12 - 50 ft)

Fore-and-aft rigged just means "from front to back". This type of rigging helps to sail upwind.

Any sailboat with one mast and two sails could still be a sloop. Even if the sails are another shape or rigged in another way. For example, here's a gaff-rigged sloop (more on the gaff rig later):

If you want to learn all about sail rigs, check out my full Guide to Understanding Sail Rig Types here. It has good infographics and explains it in more detail

The Bermuda sloop has a lot of advantages over other sailboat types (which is why it's so popular):

• the Bermuda rig is very maneuverable and pretty fast in almost all conditions
• it's really versatile
• you can sail it by yourself without any problems
• it's a simple setup

Common places to spot a sloop: everywhere. Smaller sloops are more common for inland waters, rivers, and lakes. Medium-sized and large sloops are very popular cruising boats.

Cutters have one mast but three or more sails. Most cutters are Bermuda rigged, which means they look a lot like sloops.

How to recognize a cutter:

• looks like a sloop
• two or more headsails instead of one
• commonly one mast
• sometimes an extra mast with mainsail

Cutters have more sail area, which makes them faster, but also harder to sail single-handed. There's also more strain on the mast and rigging.

Common places to spot a cutter: everywhere. Cutters are very popular for cruising.

They mostly have a Bermuda rig, which means triangular sails. But there are also gaff cutters and naval cutters, and some have two masts.

Here's an example of a two-masted naval cutter with an extra gaff mainsail and top gaff:

The Hydrofoil is a pretty new sailboat design. It's a racing sailboat with thin wing foils under the hull. These lift up the hull, out of the water, reducing the displacement to nearly zero. The foils create downforce and keep it from lifting off entirely.

This makes the hydrofoil extremely fast and also impressive.

The hydrofoil refers to the keel type. There are both monohull and multihull hydrofoils.

How to recognize a hydrofoil:

• it flies above the waterline and has small fins

Common places to spot a hydrofoil: at racing events

Famous catamaran: La Vagabonde from Sailing La Vagabonde

A catamaran is a type of cruising and racing multihull sailboat with two hulls. The hulls are always the same size.

Most catamarans have a standard Bermuda rig. The catamaran refers to the hull, so it can have any number of masts, sails, sail types and rig type.

How to recognize a catamaran:

• any boat with two hulls is called a catamaran

Common places to spot catamarans: coastal waters, The Caribbean, shallow reefs

The advantages of a catamaran: Catamarans heel less than monohulls and are more buoyant. Because of the double hull, they don't need as deep a keel to be stable. They have a smaller displacement, making them faster. They also have a very shallow draft. That's why catamarans are so popular in the Caribbean, where there's lots of shallow water.

Catamarans are nearly impossible to capsize:

"Compared with a monohull, a cruising catamaran sailboat has a high initial resistance to heeling and capsize—a fifty-footer requires four times the force to initiate a capsize than an equivalent monohull." Source: Wikipedia

How to recognize a trimaran:

• any boat with three hulls is called a trimaran

Trimarans have three hulls, so it's a multi-hull design. It's mostly a regular monohull with two smaller hulls or floaters on the sides. Some trimarans can be trailered by winching in the auxiliary hulls, like this:

This makes them very suitable for long-term cruising, but also for regular docking. This is great for crowded areas and small berths, like in the Mediterranean. It sure is more cost-effective than the catamaran (but you also don't have the extra storage and living space!).

Common places to spot Trimarans: mostly popular for long-term cruising, you'll find the trimaran in coastal areas.

Gaffer refers to gaff-rigged, which is the way the sails are rigged. A gaff rig is a rectangular sail with a top pole, or 'spar', which attaches it to the mast. This pole is called the 'gaff'. To hoist the mainsail, you hoist this top spar with a separate halyard. Most gaffers carry additional gaff topsails as well.

Gaff rigs are a bit less versatile than sloops. Because of the gaff, they can have a larger sail area. So they will perform better with downwind points of sail. Upwind, however, they handle less well.

How to recognize a gaffer:

• sail is rectangular
• mainsail has a top pole (or spar)

Since a gaffer refers to the rig type, and not the mast configuration or keel type, all sailboats with this kind of rigging can be called 'gaffers'.

Common places to spot a gaffer: Gaffers are popular inland sailboats. It's a more traditional rig, being used recreationally.

Schooners used to be extremely popular before sloops took over. Schooners are easy to sail but slower than sloops. They handle better than sloops in all comfortable (cruising) points of sail, except for upwind.

How to recognize a schooner:

• mostly two masts
• smaller mast in front
• taller mast in the back
• fore-and-aft rigged sails
• gaff-rigged mainsails (spar on top of the sail)

Common places to spot a schooner: coastal marinas, bays

How to recognize a ketch:

• medium-sized (30 ft and up)
• smaller mast in back
• taller mast in front
• both masts have a mainsail

The ketch refers to the sail plan (mast configuration and type of rig). Ketches actually handle really well. The back mast (mizzenmast) powers the hull, giving the skipper more control. Because of the extra mainsail, the ketch has shorter masts. This means less stress on masts and rigging, and less heel.

Common places to spot a ketch: larger marinas, coastal regions

How to recognize a yawl:

• main mast in front
• much smaller mast in the back
• back mast doesn't carry a mainsail

The aft mast is called a mizzenmast. Most ketches are gaff-rigged, so they have a spar at the top of the sail. They sometimes carry gaff topsails. They are harder to sail than sloops.

The yawl refers to the sail plan (mast configuration and type of rig).

Common places to spot a yawl: they are not as popular as sloops, and most yawls are vintage sailboat models. You'll find most being used as daysailers on lakes and in bays.

Dutch Barges are very traditional cargo ships for inland waters. My hometown is literally littered with a very well-known type of barge, the Skutsje. This is a Frisian design with leeboards.

Skutsjes don't have a keel but use leeboards for stability instead, which are the 'swords' or boards on the side of the hull.

How to recognize a Dutch Barge:

• most barges have one or two masts
• large, wooden masts
• leeboards (wooden wings on the side of the hull)
• mostly gaff-rigged sails (pole on top of the sail, attached to mast)
• a ducktail transom

The clipper is one of the latest sailboat designs before steam-powered vessels took over. The cutter has a large cargo area for transporting cargo. But they also needed to be fast to compete with steam vessels. It's a large, yet surprisingly fast sailboat model, and is known for its good handling.

This made them good for trade, especially transporting valuable goods like tea or spices.

How to recognize a Clipper:

• mostly three masts
• square-rigged sails
• narrow but long, steel hull

Common places to spot a clipper: inland waters, used as houseboats, but coastal waters as well. There are a lot of clippers on the Frisian Lakes and Waddenzee in The Netherlands (where I live).

This particular junk is Satu, from the Chesapeake Bay Area.

The Chinese Junk is an ancient type of sailboat. Junks were used to sail to Indonesia and India from the start of the Middle Ages onward (500 AD). The word junk supposedly comes from the Chinese word 'jung', meaning 'floating house'.

How to recognize a Chinese junk:

• medium-sized (30 - 50 ft)
• large, flat sails with full-length battens
• stern (back of the hull) opens up in a high deck
• mostly two masts (sometimes one)
• with two mainsails, sails are traditionally maroon
• lug-rigged sails

The junk has a large sail area. The full-length battens make sure the sails stay flat. It's one of the flattest sails around, which makes it good for downwind courses. This also comes at a cost: the junk doesn't sail as well upwind.

The cat rig is a sail plan with most commonly just one mast and one sail, the mainsail.

Most sailing dinghies are cats, but there are also larger boats with this type of sail plan. The picture above is a great example.

How to recognize a cat rig:

• smaller boats
• mostly one mast
• one sail per mast
• no standing rigging

Cat-rigged refers to the rigging, not the mast configuration or sail type. So you can have cats with a Bermuda sail (called a Bermuda Cat) or gaff-rigged sail (called a Gaff Cat), and so on. There are also Cat Ketches and Cat Schooners, for example. These have two masts.

The important thing to know is: cats have one sail per mast and no standing rigging .

Most typical place to spot Cats: lakes and inland waters

Famous brig: HMS Beagle (Charles Darwin's ship)

A brig was a very popular type of small warship of the U.S. navy during the 19th century. They were used in the American Revolution and other wars with the United Kingdom. They carry 10-18 guns and are relatively fast and maneuverable. They required less crew than a square-rigged ship.

How to recognize a brig:

• square-rigged foremast
• mainmast square-rigged or square-rigged and gaff-rigged

How to recognize a tall ship:

• three or four masts
• square sails with a pole across the top
• multiple square sails on each mast
• a lot of lines and rigging

Square-rigged ships, or tall ships, are what we think of when we think of pirate ships. Now, most pirate ships weren't actually tall ships, but they come from around the same period. They used to be built from wood, but more modern tall ships are nearly always steel.

Tall ships have three or four masts and square sails which are square-rigged. That means they are attached to the masts with yards.

We have the tall ship races every four years, where dozens of tall ships meet and race just offshore.

Most common place to spot Tall Ships: Museums, special events, open ocean

This is a bonus type since it is not very common anymore. As far as I know, there's only one left.

The Trabaccolo is a small cargo ship used in the Adriatic Sea. It has lug sails. A lug rig is a rectangular sail, but on a long pole or yard that runs fore-and-aft. It was a popular Venetian sailboat used for trade.

The name comes from the Italian word trabacca , which means tent, referring to the sails.

How to recognize a Trabaccolo:

• wide and short hull
• sails look like a tent

Most common place to spot Trabaccolo's: the Marine Museum of Cesenatico has a fully restored Trabaccolo.

So, there you have it. Now you know what to look for, and how to recognize the most common sailboat types easily. Next time you encounter a magnificent sailboat, you'll know what it's called - or where to find out quickly.

I loved this article. I had no idea there were so many kinds of sailboats.

i have a large sailing boat about 28ft. that im having a difficult time identifying. it was my fathers & unfortunately hes passed away now. any helpful information would be appreciated.

Jorge Eusali Castro Archbold

I find a saleboat boat but i can find the módem…os registré out off bru’x, and the saleboat name is TADCOZ, can you tell me who to go about this matter in getting info.thank con voz your time…

Leave a comment

You may also like, guide to understanding sail rig types (with pictures).

There are a lot of different sail rig types and it can be difficult to remember what's what. So I've come up with a system. Let me explain it in this article.

The Ultimate Guide to Sail Types and Rigs (with Pictures)

How Much Sailboats Cost On Average (380+ Prices Compared)

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10 Best Small Sailboats (Under 20 Feet)

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

December 28, 2023

Compact, easy to trailer, simple to rig, easy to maintain and manage, and affordable, the best small boats all have one thing in common: they offer loads of fun while out there on the water.

So whether you're on a budget or just looking for something that can offer ultimate daytime rides without compromising on safety, aesthetic sensibilities, alternate propulsion, and speed, the best small sailboats under 20 feet should be the only way to go.

Let's be brutally honest here; not everyone needs a 30-foot sailboat to go sailing. They come with lots of features such as electronics, entertainment, refrigeration, bunks, a galley, and even a head. But do you really need all these features to go sailing? We don't think so.

All you need to go sailing is a hull, a mast, rudder, and, of course, a sail. And whether you refer to them as daysailers, trailerable sailboats , a weekender sailboat, or pocket cruisers, there's no better way to enjoy the thrills of coastal sailing than on small sailboats.

There are a wide range of small boats measuring less than 20 feet available in the market. These are hot products in the market given that they offer immense thrills out on the sea without the commitment required to cruise on a 30-footer. A small sailboat will not only give you the feel of every breeze but will also give you the chance to instantly sense every change in trim.

In this article, we'll highlight 10 best small sailboats under 20 feet . Most models in this list are time-tested, easy to rig, simple to sail, extremely fun, and perfect either for solo sailing or for sailing with friends and family. So if you've been looking for a list of some of the best small sailboats , you've come to the right place.

So without further ado, let's roll on.

Table of contents

{{boat-info="/boats/hunter-15"}}

The Marlow-Hunter 15 is not only easy to own since it's one of the most affordable small sailboats but also lots of fun to sail. This is a safe and versatile sailboat for everyone. Whether you're sailing with your family or as a greenhorn, you'll love the Hunter 15 thanks to its raised boom, high freeboard, and sturdy FRP construction.

With high sides, a comfortable wide beam, a contoured self-bailing cockpit, and fiberglass construction, the Hunter 15 is certainly designed with the novice sailor in mind. This is why you can do a lot with this boat without falling out, breaking it, or capsizing. Its contoured self-baiting cockpit will enable you to find a fast exit while its wide beam will keep it steady and stable no matter what jibes or weight shifts happen along the way.

This is a small sailboat that can hold up to four people. It's designed to give you a confident feeling and peace of mind even when sailing with kids. It's easy to trailer, easy to rig, and easy to launch. With a price tag of about $10k, the Hunter 15 is a fun, affordable, and versatile boat that is perfect for both seasoned sailors and novices. It's a low-maintenance sailboat that can be great for teaching kids a thing or two about sailing.

Catalina 16.5

{{boat-info="/boats/catalina-16-5"}}

Catalina Yachts are synonymous with bigger boats but they have some great and smaller boats too such as Catalina 16.5. This is one of the best small sailboats that are ideal for family outings given that it has a big and roomy cockpit, as well as a large storage locker. Designed with a hand-laminated fiberglass sloop, the Catalina 16.5 is versatile and is available in two designs: the centerboard model and the keel model.

The centerboard model is designed with a powerful sailplane that remains balanced as a result of the fiberglass centerboard, the stable hull form, and the rudder. It also comes with a tiller extension, adjustable hiking straps, and adjustable overhaul. It's important to note that these are standard equipment in the two models.

As far as the keel model is concerned, this is designed with a high aspect keel as the cast lead and is attached with stainless steel keel bolts, which makes this model perfect for mooring or docking whenever it's not in use. In essence, the centerboard model is perfect if you'll store it in a trailer while the keel model can remain at the dock.

All in all, the Catalina 16.5 is one of the best small sailboats that you can get your hands on for as low as $10,000. This is certainly a great example of exactly what a daysailer should be.

{{boat-info="/boats/hobie-16"}}

There's no list of small, trailerable, and fun sailboats that can be complete without the inclusion of the classic Hobie 16. This is a durable design that has been around and diligently graced various waters across the globe since its debut way back in 1969 in Southern California. In addition to being durable, the Hobie 16 is trailerable, great for speed, weighs only 320 pounds, great for four people, and more importantly, offers absolute fun.

With a remarkable figure of over 100,000 launched since its debut, it's easy to see that the Hobie 16 is highly popular. Part of this popularity comes from its asymmetric fiberglass-and-foam sandwiched hulls that include kick-up rudders. This is a great feature that allows it to sail up to the beach.

For about $12,000, the Hobie 16 will provide you with endless fun throughout the summer. It's equipped with a spinnaker, trailer, and douse kit. This is a high-speed sailboat that has a large trampoline to offer lots of space not just for your feet but also to hand off the double trapezes.

Montgomery 17

{{boat-info="/boats/montgomery-17"}}

Popularly known as the M-17, The Montgomery 17 was designed by Lyle C. Hess in conjunction with Jerry Montgomery in Ontario, California for Montgomery Boats. Designed either with keel or centerboard models, the M-17 is more stable than most boats of her size. This boat is small enough to be trailered but also capable of doing moderate offshore passages.

This small sailboat is designed with a masthead and toe rail that can fit most foresails. It also has enough space for two thanks to its cuddly cabin, which offers a sitting headroom, a portable toilet, a pair of bunks, a DC power, and optional shore, and a proper amount of storage. That's not all; you can easily raise the deck-stepped mast using a four-part tackle.

In terms of performance, the M-17 is one of the giant-killers out there. This is a small sailboat that will excel in the extremes and make its way past larger boats such as the Catalina 22. It glides along beautifully and is a dog in light air, though it won't sail against a 25-knot wind, which can be frustrating. Other than that, the Montgomery 17 is a great small sailboat that can be yours for about $14,000.

Norseboat 17.5

{{boat-info="/boats/norseboat-17-5"}}

As a versatile daysailer, Norseboat 17.5 follows a simple concept of seaworthiness and high-performance. This small sailboat perfectly combines both contemporary construction and traditional aesthetics. Imagine a sailboat that calls itself the "Swiss Army Knife of Boats!" Well, this is a boat that can sail and row equally well.

Whether you're stepping down from a larger cruiser or stepping up from a sea kayak, the unique Norseboat 17.5 is balanced, attractive, and salty. It has curvaceous wishbone gaff, it is saucy, and has a stubby bow-sprit that makes it attractive to the eyes. In addition to her beauty, the Norseboat 17.5 offers an energy-pinching challenge, is self-sufficient, and offers more than what you're used to.

This is a small, lightweight, low-maintenance sailboat that offers a ticket to both sailing and rowing adventures all at the same time. At about 400 pounds, it's very portable and highly convenient. Its mainsails may look small but you'll be surprised at how the boat is responsive to it. With a $12,500 price tag, this is a good small sailboat that offers you the versatility to either row or sail.

{{boat-info="/boats/sage-marine-sage-17"}}

If you've been looking for a pocket cruiser that inspires confidence, especially in shoal water, look no further than the Sage 17. Designed by Jerry Montgomery in 2009, the Sage 17 is stable and should heel to 10 degrees while stiffening up. And because you want to feel secure while sailing, stability is an integral feature of the Sage 17.

This is a sailboat that will remain solid and stable no matter which part of the boat you stand on. Its cabin roof and the balsa-cored carbon-fiber deck are so strong that the mast doesn't require any form of compression post. The self-draining cockpit is long enough and capable of sleeping at 6 feet 6 inches.

The Sage 17 may be expensive at $25k but is a true sea warrior that's worth look at. This is a boat that will not only serve you right but will also turn heads at the marina.    

{{boat-info="/boats/laserperformance-laser-sb3"}}

Having been chosen as the overall boat of the year for 2008 by the Sailing World Magazine, the Laser SB3 is one of the coolest boats you'll ever encounter. When sailing upwind, this boat will lock into the groove while its absolute simplicity is legendary. In terms of downwind sailing, having this boat will be a dream come true while it remains incredibly stable even at extraordinary speed.

Since its debut in 2004, the Laser SB3 has surged in terms of popularity thanks to the fact that it's designed to put all the controls at your fingertips. In addition to a lightweight mast, its T- bulb keel can be hauled and launched painlessly. For about $18,000, the Laser SB3 ushers you into the world of sports sailing and what it feels to own and use a sports boat.

{{boat-info="/boats/fareast-18"}}

As a manufacturer, Fareast is a Chinese boat manufacturer that has been around for less than two decades. But even with that, the Fareast 18 remains a very capable cruiser-racer that will take your sailing to the next level. In addition to its good looks, this boat comes with a retractable keel with ballast bulb, a powerful rig, and an enclosed cabin.

Its narrow design with a closed stern may be rare in sailboats of this size, but that's not a problem for the Fareast 18. This design not only emphasizes speed but also makes it a lot easier to maintain this boat. Perfect for about 6 people, this boat punches above its weight. It's, however, designed to be rigged and launched by one person.

This is a relatively affordable boat. It's agile, safe, well-thought-out, well built, and very sporty.

{{boat-info="/boats/chuck-paine-paine-14"}}

If you're in the market looking for a small sailboat that offers contemporary performance with classic beauty, the Paine 14 should be your ideal option. Named after its famous designer, Chuck Paine, this boat is intentionally designed after the classic Herreshoff 12.5 both in terms of dimensions and features.

This is a lightweight design that brings forth modern fin keel and spade rudder, which makes it agile, stable, and faster. The Paine 14 is built using cold-molded wood or west epoxy. It has varnished gunnels and transoms to give it an old-time charm. To make it somehow modern, this boat is designed with a carbon mast and a modern way to attach sails so that it's ready to sail in minutes.

You can rest easy knowing that the Paine 14 will not only serve you well but will turn heads while out there.

{{boat-info="/boats/wd-schock-lido-14"}}

Many sailors will attest that their first sailing outing was in a Lido 14. This is a classic sailboat that has been around for over four decades and still proves to be a perfect match to modern small boats, especially for those still learning the ropes of sailing.

With seating for six people, the Lido 14 can be perfect for solo sailing , single-handed sailing, or if you're planning for shorthanded sailing. While new Lido 14 boats are no longer available, go for a functional used Lido 14 and you'll never regret this decision. It will serve you well and your kids will probably fall in love with sailing if Lido 14 becomes their main vessel during weekends or long summer holidays.

Bottom Line

There you have it; these are some of the best small sailboats you can go for. While there are endless small sailboats in the market, the above-described sailboat will serve you right and make you enjoy the wind.

Choose the perfect sailboat, invest in it, and go out there and have some good fun!

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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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Pontoon Boats

Ski Boats/Wake Boats

Sportfishing Yachts

Walkarounds

Built for versatility, these boats can be used in both salt water and freshwater. They are designed to navigate many different types of waterways so you can pursue many different species of fish.

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Small lightweight and, durable trailer boats made of aluminum are most often used for freshwater fishing. Generally very simple craft, featuring riveted or welded aluminum hulls and bench seating, they can be operated in fish-friendly places - shallow water, coves, inlets - not many other boats can reach. Powered primarily by outboard engines, this type of boat offers both tiller and remote steering options.

Bass boats have low, sleek profiles and are built to fish with two or three anglers on board. The minimum length of bass boats starts with 16 feet and can go up to 26 feet.

These boats are popular in coastal areas where sea trout and redfish live. They can float and run in water less than two feet deep and are ideal for fishing with two to three people on board.

These family boats are the most popular in the runabout/spotboat category and are equipped with extra seats and forward access to the bow, a convenient spot to relax and sun.

Recreational by nature, Cabin Cruisers are generally equipped with cooking, sleeping and bathroom facilities and are ideal for those who want to feel the sun above and the ocean below.

These open fishing boats are built to take rough offshore waters in pursuit of ocean fish. Rod holders, outriggers and other gear are common fittings onboard.

Cuddy cabins are ideal for day cruising, watersports, and other on-the-water activities such as fishing and swimming.

Deck boats have wide deck to carry 8 to 12 or more passengers (like pontoons) but look and perform more like runabouts. They are powerful, too, making them excellent boats for skiing, tubing and wakeboarding.

Dinghies are small, easy-to-transport craft, most often used as companion boats for larger vessels.

This craft allows boaters to enjoy the two most popular on-water activities; fishing and skiing. This family fishing and recreational boat has enough power to pull a skier or two, and to get to the fishing spot in short order.

High performance boats are the sleek sports cars of the boating world, offering high speeds and precise handling to boaters who prefer their thrills full throttle. Marrying big horsepower with sleek hulls results in boats that are equally at home slicing through ocean swells or tearing up inland lakes. Cranking offshore or simply relaxing in a cove, performance boats deliver lots of smiles per hour.

Inflatable boats range in size from 8-foot dinghies for tenders to 30-foot high performance boats. These boats are suitable for saltwater and freshwater fishing, watersports and more.

Like bowriders and deckboats, they offer comfortable seating and sunning areas, plus a speedy and exciting ride. They are distinguished from runabouts by their propulsion system, which is enclosed inside the hull.

Large boats equipped with powerful single or twin engines, these craft are ideal for ocean cruising, navigating large rivers or the Great Lakes, as well as entertaining at the dock, and can stay on the water for days.

Featuring two or three hulls, rather than the more common single hull, multi-hull powerboats include designs for hardcore freshwater and saltwater fishing, as well as recreational and cruising, complete with expected amenities.

Personal watercrafts (PWCs), often known by their brand names of "Jet Ski" or "WaveRunner," have evolved overtime into a broad market now characterized by craft more similar to a snowmobile, featuring a saddle and handlebars and capable of hauling one-to-three passengers.

Pontoon boats give families with younger boaters a secure place to enjoy the ride or toddle about when at anchor, thanks to wide decks and "play pen-like" side rails and gates. When equipped with larger engines they can be as quick as runabouts.

Sailboats differ from other types of boats in that they are propelled partly or entirely by wind; they use sails to transform the power of the wind into power that moves the boat through the water. The term sailboat covers a wide variety of sailing craft, each with its own characteristics and styles.

Carve the morning glass on skis, soar over the wakes on a wakeboard, or surf an endless wave…ski/wake/surf boats are your gateway to fun!

These boats are great for pursuing large fish. Often equipped with sleeping berths, a galley for cooking and plumbing for convenience, they have the capacity to stay on the water for days.

Facilities for sleeping, cooking and plumbing provide boating fun for weekends on the water with family and friends. They can handle big rivers, lakes and oceans on moderate days.

These boats may be the ultimate family fishing boats and are most popular in coastal waters, large bays and the Great Lakes where anglers pursue salmon or offshore ocean species. They are equipped with rod holders, livewells and steps to the forward deck to make it easy to follow a big fish around the boat.

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