In the maritime world, an enduring bond is forged between boaters and their trusted vessels, steeped in shared stories and cherished memories. Yet, amid this reverence for tradition, the arrival of new-boat models ignites an undeniable thrill. While older boats embody history, new builds bring the allure of innovation, cutting-edge technology and visionary design, beckoning enthusiasts to dream anew.
The following pages offer a preview of significant launches you’re likely to stumble across on the docks this fall and in the coming year. Several of these vessels are scheduled to be included in the judging for Cruising World’s 2024 Boat of the Year. You can follow the URLs for a deeper dive into boats that pique your interest, and inspect them in person at a show near you or at private showings arranged by dealers.
Bali Catsmart 38
Designed by Piaton Yacht Design, the Catsmart (pictured above) offers comfort and relaxation with a spacious galley, an ergonomic chart table, and panoramic sea views from a well-lit, open space. This 38-footer maintains the brand’s signature features, such as the Bali door and the rigid deck of the forward cockpit. There are twin helm stations for easy sailing maneuvers, and the layout is well-suited for leisure sailing and family time at anchor. As the smallest model in the Bali catamarans range, it incorporates the brand’s latest innovations: The Catsmart has a forward cockpit with lounging and sunbathing areas, a platform connecting the transoms with seating and stowage, a practical davit system, and sliding side windows that open to create an entertaining space that spans the galley, salon, and cockpit. bali-catamarans.com
Contest 49CS/50CS
After a pandemic pause, Contest Yachts has reemerged with two new models, both drawn by judel/vrolijk & co. The Contest 49CS and 50CS are both 50-foot sailboats but with quite different layouts. The 49CS has spacious twin staterooms aft, a rarity in this size sailboat, while the center-cockpit 50CS replaces its predecessor, emphasizing boathandling and stowage. Both models balance topside height and beam aft for standing headroom while integrating natural lighting and inventive features such as the 50CS’s transom window with a molded stairway for tender access. Both models also offer a choice of all-electric propulsion with a Torqeedo or BMW-based system for true bluewater range. contestyachts.com
Dufour 41
The Dufour 41 introduces a fresh perspective on outdoor living with its spacious cockpit and proven design that’s fast and responsive to sail. This 41-foot-10-inch cruiser offers a sense of space comparable to larger vessels. Sailing performance is courtesy of the shipyard’s relationship with designer Umberto Felci. The Dufour 41 blends modernity and light while keeping the Dufour brand’s DNA intact. The design’s attention to space and flow allows effortless movement on board, while its robust build promises agility on the ocean. The 41 offers options for living areas: The three-stateroom version has an expansive owner’s space, and each stateroom has a bathroom. In the four-stateroom model, which can host up to 10 guests, the Dufour 41 has two forward staterooms with soundproofing. Both versions have long-term stowage and a large galley. dufour-yachts.com
Elan Impression 43
The Elan Impression 43 is the epitome of a modern family cruiser. Designed by Humphreys Yacht Design and styled in collaboration with Pininfarina, this yacht has a wide-beam hull that maximizes interior space. Its 3D VAIL composite technology is used to create superior sailing characteristics, while the twin-rudder design maximizes control and stability, reducing broaching tendencies. The spacious cockpit has seating and a modular table that can be transformed into sun beds for relaxation. Inside are a well-appointed salon and a galley. With options for three or four staterooms, the Impression 43 is versatile enough to accommodate families or groups. elan-yachts.com
Fountaine-Pajot 80
The Fountaine-Pajot 80 sailboat combines function and sophistication. Its forward and aft cockpits connect to the salon, providing expansive relaxation areas. The staterooms, resembling refined suites, feature leather upholstery and wood accents. The heads, including a hot tub in the owner’s cabin, offer a spa-like experience. The salon has open circulation, large glass windows, a lounge, a bar and a chart table. Additional features include side cockpits with opening wings, a sea-view beach club, and toy stowage. The glazed coachroof and windows provide broad views, while the flybridge offers dedicated relaxation and navigation zones. Twin helm stations and strategic winch placement separate crew areas from leisure spaces. fountaine-pajot.com
Grand Soleil 65 LC, 72 LC
Cantiere del Pardo’s Grand Soleil 65 Long Cruise embodies performance, style and innovation. Designed by Franco Corazza, a seasoned racer, its epoxy-based vacuum vinylester resin hull combines biaxial fiberglass and unidirectional carbon fabrics for lightness and strength. The Long Cruise version places the salon closer to the cockpit, enhancing views and beam, and prioritizing cruising while maintaining performance. The Italian design and subtle interiors exude elegance. The salon splits into relaxation and dining spaces, with a stateroom area aft and an open galley amidships. Also launched this year, the flagship Grand Soleil 72 Long Cruise has a deckhouse with a widened, shortened and raised 270-degree window compared with the Performance model. grandsoleil.net
Gunboat 80
The Gunboat 80 builds on the 68’s design, with a racing-focused layout and luxurious features. Sporting large, asymmetrical boards and T-foil rudders, its lightweight, 28-ton build emphasizes performance. The boat can reach 14 to 15 knots in moderate winds, and nearly 30 knots in strong breezes. Designed by VPLP with Chedal Anglay Design’s minimalist style, the yacht has an owner’s stateroom with a private companionway. Customizable guest staterooms, en suite bathrooms and separate crew quarters are available. Sliding doors connect the cockpit to the salon, creating an expansive open space. With two helm stations and the potential for a forward nacelle helm, the boat blends practicality and versatility. Another Gunboat 80, set to sail as a family-cruising model, is under construction for a summer 2024 debut. gunboat.com
Hallberg-Rassy HR 40C, HR 57
The Hallberg-Rassy 40C follows the Hallberg-Rassy 44’s legacy. Embodying comfort, performance and aesthetics, it replicates attributes in the salon, galley and aft stateroom. The cockpit mirrors the 44’s dimensions for exceptional sailing. Two galley choices are offered, one with expanded workspace and stowage, and with room for a dishwasher and microwave. Aft-stateroom options include twin berths or a centerline berth with a settee and makeup table. The interior features African khaya mahogany or European oak, with ample ventilation. Exterior design integrates modernity with hallmark features. A user-friendly rig and optional hardtop dodger enhance the sailing experience. The model offers small or foldout swim platforms and a concealed electric windlass. The HR 57, designed by Germán Frers, will also debut in the United States this fall with a streamlined sail plan. hallberg-rassy.com
Hanse 510
The Hanse 510 is a collaboration with Berret-Racoupeau’s designers. This yacht introduces a hull design with bow and aft chines for improved waterline efficiency and performance. The vessel offers notable interior space and has a garage capable of holding an inflated dinghy more than 8 feet long, with the Hanse Smart Tender System for launching. The options list varies from a washing machine in the utility room to flat-screen TVs in the master stateroom and salon. The builder’s Flagship Package includes fine fabrics and materials, as well as a hidden bar behind a folding backrest. hanseyachts.com
HH44
The HH44 is a catamaran with electrification and carbon reinforcement for tech-savvy sailors, cruisers, and racers. The HH44-OC is intended for family bluewater cruising with an aluminum mast and mini keels, while the sportier HH44-SC has carbon daggerboards, a carbon rig, and solar panels for race-level performance. Designed for hybrid propulsion and solar power, it offers emissions-free motoring. Folding transoms enhance safety and living space. Clean decks, an enclosed cockpit, and hidden lines ensure security. An angular cabin design, forward-facing windows, and EVA-foam decking add comfort. Self-tacking staysails and adaptable helm positions are other notable features. hhcatamarans.com
Jeanneau 55
The Jeanneau 55—a collaboration between Philippe Briand Yacht Design, Winch Design and Jeanneau—finds inspiration in catamarans for space optimization. At 40,878 pounds with a D/L of 125.5 and a 26 percent ballast-to-displacement ratio, it extends its beam throughout, emphasizing a topside chine for interior volume. DWL measures 52 feet, 7 inches; overall length reaches 52 feet, 11 inches with minimal overhang. Twin rudders align with draft choices of 8 feet, 4 inches and 6 feet, 5 inches. The layout includes three staterooms and an unusual galley-salon setup. The cockpit has flanking settees aft of the twin helms. An optional, retractable hardtop arch covers the cockpit. Versatile rig options accompany the yacht’s elegant blend of performance, comfort and style, catering to globe-trotting sailors. jeanneau.com
Knysna 550
The Knysna 550 (top) is a 55-foot sailing catamaran that merges luxury and performance. Evolving from the Knysna 440, 480 and 500, it balances opulence and capability. With a flybridge for enhanced visibility and diverse layouts, the model elevates high-performance sailing while ensuring comfort. Intuitive flybridge helm control complements its sporty design. The Knysna 550 also has customizable interiors with premium finishes. knysnayachtco.com
Beneteau Oceanis 37.1
The Oceanis 37.1 (bottom), the pinnacle of the seventh Oceanis Cruiser generation, retains the line’s hallmark traits while prioritizing eco-friendly sailing. Resembling the Oceanis 30.1 and 34.1, it has an open, backstay-free deck with double spreaders for improved performance. Aft winches enable easier shorthanded handling, accompanied by instruments including a 7-inch plotter at the starboard helm. Stability and power are enhanced through the flared-hull design with integrated ribs, without compromising volume. The interior has a roomy salon offset to port and a forward stateroom with large portholes. The Oceanis 37.1 comes in cruising and performance versions, and an eco-conscious approach is highlighted by electric propulsion, as well as Iroko wood decks suitable for serene inland waters and open seas. beneteau.com
Italia 12.98, 14.98
Italia Yachts’ 12.98 and 14.98 hulls are designed for cruising and racing enthusiasts. The IY 12.98 is a sleek design built for speed. Its ergonomic deck layout and balanced hull combine comfort and performance. Notable hydrodynamic features include variable aft waterline sections for dynamic length, and reduced wetted surfaces for improved light-wind performance. The interior is ecology-driven with wicker, cotton and linen, emphasizing habitability and comfort. The IY 14.98 targets extended cruising but retains a racing DNA, merging it with a family-oriented exterior that includes multiple heads and a good amount of stowage. italiayachtsinternational.com
Seawind 1170, 1370
The Seawind 1170 blends classic Seawind features into a contemporary design that’s suited for coastal cruising and offshore sailing. Its spacious layout, trifold doors and enclosed twin helms define the boat’s essence. The base model includes inboard 29 hp diesel engines, mini keels, and spade rudders. Notable features include an extended solar-panel-friendly cockpit roof, added headroom, a longeron with an optional bowsprit, and an aft-facing portlight for improved cabin ventilation. Rainwater collection, helm-seat stowage and a telescopic transom ladder enhance functionality. Also debuting this year, the Seawind 1370 is a cruising catamaran with panoramic windows, a forward-facing nav station, a large galley and a sheltered cockpit. With solar panels and twin helm stations, it’s a boat intended to allow for self-sufficiency. seawindcats.com
Solaris 44
The Solaris 44 is all about fast cruising or racing with a reduced crew. For easier handling, all lines lead to accessible winches. The boat also has a recessed mainsail traveler and coaming winches for asymmetrical spinnaker deployment. An efficient aft beam with twin rudders enhances performance. Spacious sail and cockpit lockers, separate life raft stowage, and a nearly 14-foot beam characterize the deck layout. Twin berths are in the stern stateroom, which highlights the simplicity of design by Javier Soto Acebal and the Solaris design team. An oak interior with three staterooms, two heads, and a separate shower is standard, with deck options including hydraulic systems and various sail configurations. solarisyachts.com
X-Yachts Xc 47
The X-Yachts Xc 47 expands the builder’s XCruising line of offshore-cruising yachts. With a length just shy of 50 feet and a beam of nearly 15 feet, the boat is intended for long-distance cruising with a smaller crew. The cockpit layout prioritizes helmsman maneuvers, positioning winches forward of steering wheels and routing sheet lines below the deck. A repositioned mainsheet track and a deep, secure cockpit enhance comfort and maneuverability. The aft deck has full-width seating and a sun deck. The semideck salon design of the superstructure maximizes views and natural light, and allows for a multilevel layout with improved stowage. The hull has slim forward sections, ample rocker, and a modern stern for stability. Built using vacuum-infused epoxy and fiberglass sandwich construction with carbon-fiber reinforcement, the XC 47 is scheduled to launch in early 2024. x-yachts.com
Island Spirit 525
The Island Spirit 525 incorporates a slew of client preferences with a walk-through salon, trampoline-equipped forward seating, a spacious flybridge, communal aft seating, a sizable galley, a dining area aft, and en-suite-stateroom layouts, including crew quarters. Its sail plan complements the light displacement for robust sailing performance. The boat also has an electric drive system with a 55 kWh range extender, 65 kW drive motors, 210 kWh E-drive storage, and up to 4.8 kW of solar supplemental charging. (The design requires only 37 kW to achieve 8 knots.) Flexible configurations for three to six staterooms and optional forepeak staterooms include en suite facilities and queen-size berths with stowage. navigare-yachting.com
Pegasus 50
The Pegasus 50 is a shorthanded bluewater-sailing yacht that combines safety, speed, ease of handling, and comfort. Penned by Marine Designs, the vessel has robust construction and advanced technologies. The 360-degree-window design floods the salon, galley and nav station with light. That space connects via a sliding safety-glass door to the cockpit. Additional safety features include a windshield, a solid roof, sturdy railings, and well-placed handholds. Modern hull lines, twin rudders, a tandem keel, an optimized sail plan, and lightweight, strong construction should allow for swift sailing for racing enthusiasts and cruisers alike. Inside, a gimbaled dinette, forward-facing nav station, galley, three berths, and two heads with showers enhance onboard comfort. pegasus-yachts.com
