It’s not every year that we have the entries to form a proper dual-purpose Cruiser/Racer category, but for 2015 there were three outstanding nominees, the The Salona 44, the Jeanneau Sun Fast 3600 and the C&C Redline 41. As a cruising magazine, it must be noted that we place a heavy emphasis on the cruising part of that equation. Had we inverted the class title and judged it as the Racer/Cruiser division, the results might have been quite different.
After all, the judges — all of whom list a fair bit of racing on their sailing resumes —fell hard for the Sun Fast 3600. Yes, it has a workable, even comfortable interior, though one better suited for a bash to Bermuda with the boys than a cruise to the islands with Mom and the kids. As a pure sailboat, however, it was nothing less than superb.
“They’re very upfront about the design purpose; this is a performance boat for one-design, doublehanded and crewed racing, either around the buoys or offshore,” said Mark Schrader. “Our test boat came with twin wheels, though that’s a concession to the American market. Most of the European buyers prefer the standard tillers.
“Sailing this boat, to me, is a real sailor’s idea of a good time,” he continued. “The deck and cockpit are laid out for racing. There are miles of color-coded lines with a variety of clutches and tackle, but everything is nicely labeled with an obvious purpose. It’s sort of a trimmer’s candy store. The dual rudders are canted out and placed far aft, which makes for really good control. The wheels spin with a very light touch. The hull shape really lets everybody know, the driver and the trimmers, when you’re in the groove. You get an instant response on the wheel and the boat just surges. It tells you when you’ve got it right.”
So, yeah, Schrader liked it a lot.
The new C&C Redline 41 also intrigued the panel; it’s a fresh design from a new builder. C&C, of course, is a venerable brand with a long history in the marine industry. But this 41-footer is a thoroughly modern high-tech machine built to exceedingly high standards. It sports a tall carbon rig and carbon bowsprit, and a deep fin keel, and is laid out for a full crew to race from Newport to Bermuda and then head south for a winter’s cruise. C&C also introduced a flat-out 30-foot racer for 2015. In other words, these aren’t necessarily your daddy’s C&Cs.
“These boats are nothing like the previous generation of C&Cs,” said Tim Murphy. “They’re now being built by a Rhode Island company, USWatercraft, and have a new designer for the line, Mark Mills, who made his name in Grand Prix IRC racing. I really enjoyed sailing this boat and I think what they’re doing is very exciting. I’m psyched to see how this new partnership evolves.”
Click here to read more about Cruising World‘s Boat of the Year competition.
C&C Redline 41 Sailboat
Salona 44 Sailboat
