Civilisation gradually fell away as the road rolled onwards in the car’s headlights; cities gave way to villages, which gave way to forests. Suddenly, snuggly-lit timber cottages appeared, nestled amid…
Boat test
Dufour 48 review: Pushing the cruising concept to the extreme
Dufour seems to introduce new models at a blisteringly fast pace. The truth is, each mould they build will last for about 300 hulls, after which it’s worn out and…
Faurby 360 Deck Saloon Review: ‘She was responsive to helm, talking through the rudder about how she was feeling’
The summer of 2025 may have been gloriously warm and dry (though less fun for farmers and the planet in general) but the average British summer can normally be counted…
The BayCruiser 23 review: Why this water ballast trailer-sailer is the perfect weekender
It started with a burp. Well, in a manner of speaking. There was a strange moment soon after the start of my test of the BayCruiser 23 when owner Mark…
Used Sweden Yachts 390 Review: This Swedish Classic Still Turns Heads
The forecast did not look promising as we headed out of Dartmouth. A bit of sun, a bit of cloud, and a southeasterly Force 2-3. Not an ideal day for…
Bente 28 review: Can a 28ft cruising boat handle a family of five?
Having eaten dinner, I was down below washing up. Outside, wind was lashing rain across Yarmouth Harbour where we had taken shelter for the night, while our children entertained themselves…
Contessa 32 review: Still an enduring classic
‘Once, we were going around Portland Bill in a blow and we hit a wave – the boat stopped and I carried on going. I flew 4ft through the air…
X-Yachts Xc47 review: A whole new concept
Rarely do boatbuilders start with a genuinely blank sheet of paper. The time and capital required to develop an all new boat make it a serious commitment, and the stakes…
Saare 41.2 review: ‘One of the best cruisers you will ever sail’
You could be forgiven for not having heard of Saare Yachts. After all, they only build half a dozen or so yachts a year, in just three sizes – 38ft,…
Broadblue 346 review: A cat with nine lives (well two actually)
Sometimes, if you stick around for long enough, you will see things that appear and then disappear before reappearing some years later. It happens in all areas of life, including…