2024 Sail Buyer's Guide

From 40 to 45 feet

Whether they’re designed for comfortable cruising or for racing, these 12- to 14-meter units have two major advantages: they remain accessible in terms of handling and technical management, while being big enough to claim a certain level of comfort offshore. This category is therefore somewhat of a gateway to blue water cruising. The oceans and all the seas of the world await you!

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Published 08/12/2023

By Mark Bernie, Julie Echelle, Dick Sawyer, Emmanuel van Deth and Kim Wellington

Réservé aux abonnés

Issue: 193

Published: jan. / feb. 2024

Discover this issue

BALI CATSPACE

Optimized for full-comfort cruising

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Although the Catspace was the smallest of the Balis until the launch of the Catsmart, it is far from being the least ambitious: offers four cabins and ten berths in a length of just 40 feet. As a bonus, a gigantic flybridge, unusual in this size. On the lower deck, the areas are designed to be used to the maximum thanks to the integrated deck. However, careful construction allows the displacement to be kept to 9.4 t lightship. To fully enjoy cruising, Bali equips the Catspace with impressive tankage. And refrigerated volume is not to be outdone, at 9.35 cu ft (265 l). This model, launched almost three years ago, is available in a three or four-cabin version. An excellent platform for family cruising, as we were able to experience for ourselves during a 400-mile test last summer.

Builder: Bali Catamarans
Architect: Lasta Design Studio
Interior architecture: Lasta Design Studio
Overall length: 40’5” (12.33 m)
Beam: 21’6” (6.55 m)
Draft: 3’11” (1.19 m)
Light displacement: 20,725 lbs (9.4 t)
Mainsail: 527/560 sq ft (49/52 m²)
Self-tacking solent: 323 sq ft (30 m²)
Engines: 2 x 20 to 40 HP
Fuel: 106 US gal (400 l)
Water: 200 US gal (760 l)
Price: from € 397,000 ex-tax
www.bali-catamarans.com

DRAGONFLY 40

Three hulls, two steering wheels

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Since its first presentation at Boot Düsseldorf in 2020, this folding trimaran has become the flagship of the Dragonfly fleet - the last model in this size was the 12 M, whose production stopped several years ago. The program assumed by Jens Quorning, its architect-builder, is offshore cruising - with the emphasis on ease of handling, high average speeds and optimized size for berthing or storage ashore anywhere in the world thanks to a width contained to 13 feet (4 m) when the trimaran is folded. Note that there are two steering wheels. During our test in Denmark back in June, we appreciated the performance of the 40, but also its comfort and the extremely meticulous finish. This model can be delivered in four versions: Touring, Ultimate, C Ultimate and C Performance. The two “C” versions are in carbon, making them over a ton lighter…

Builder: Quorning Boats
Length: 40’8” (12.4 m)
Beam: 13’1”/27’7” (4/8.4 m)
Draft: 2’4”/7’3” (0.7/2.2 m)
Light displacement: 10,580 to 12,790 lbs (4.8 to 5.8 t)
Mainsail: 700/805/895 sq ft (65/75/83 m²)
Genoa: 355/410/474 sq ft (33/38/44 m²)
Gennaker: 1,185/1,505/1,615 sq ft (110/140/150 m²)
Berths: 6/8
Fuel: 40 US gal (150 l)
Water: 58 US gal (220 l)
Engine: 40/57 HP
Price: from € 660,400 ex-tax
www.dragonfly.dk

SEAWIND 1260

Really neat folding door!

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The 1260 adopts a famous Seawind specialty: the door separating the saloon and cockpit folds away into the roof in good weather, freeing up XXL-sized living space at anchor or while you’re sailing. Within the Seawind range, the 1260 is clearly oriented towards ...

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