The Crossover boat of the Year?

[Polux]

A crossover cruiser? Never heard that called to a boat. Regarding cars it is an used term to call those cars that have the slightest faint perfume of the off-road ones but that are not designed to go off road and if someone tries their capacities are really ridiculous. Some don't even have 4 wheel drive, just the faint look.

So, crossover in a boat means what? We have main market cruisers, cruiser-racers, performance cruisers and crossovers. Can someone explain me the difference between the last three?

at least the Crossover of the year is a beautiful performance cruiser, or is it a cruiser-racer

[Stu Jackson]

Part sailboat and part submarine?

[SaltyMonkey]

wtf is it? please tell/\/\/\

Monkey want to know


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C oo
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[Celestialsailor]

Just another bar of soap in the water

[boatpoker]

its a S.U.B.

[SaltyMonkey]

Could it be a bubbleteau?

[Orion Jim]

Might be fast an efficient but it can't be comfortable and it got hit with the ugly stick more than once. Then again I still call a proper yacht "she" not "it".

[Polux]

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

wtf is it? please tell/\/\/\

Monkey want to know


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C oo
_( ^)
/ ~\

You mean a Crossover cruiser? I don't know, it is an American thing so you should know a lot more about it than me. They have made it the crossover cruising boat of the year and all.

[Polux]

Originally Posted by Orion Jim

Might be fast an efficient but it can't be comfortable and it got hit with the ugly stick more than once. Then again I still call a proper yacht "she" not "it".

You find it ugly? Well the American jury said that it was " “real sexy” going through the water", that she was "the standout at the dock and on the water was...a sharp-looking" (sailboat) but I guess that we cannot have all the same taste regarding boats.

Regarding comfort they said "Refinements are deep in the bowels, under floorboards and behind headliners. The boats are lighter and better built, the systems more streamlined, and tweaks in cockpit and cabin layouts are subtle.... it’s got all the accommodations … a nice, light interior, and the boat sails incredibly well....The judges praised the craftsmanship of the interior as well. They all reported that the cabinetry and systems were meticulously finished, and the three-cabin, double-head layout had everything an owner would need for an extended cruise."

It seems comfortable enough for me.

[IntoMyHealth]

I like it! AND I like Hinckleys! I'll probably never own either. 😜



-Bill

[clockwork orange]

Originally Posted by Orion Jim

Might be fast an efficient but it can't be comfortable and it got hit with the ugly stick more than once. Then again I still call a proper yacht "she" not "it".

Ugly? not to my eyes, we all have different ideas of what looks good, personally I never found any Cape Dory good looking, even for their type. Ugly sheerline on every one of them and comfort is just as subjective as looks.

[StuM]

> American jury said

You mean the panel from Sailing World magazine?

They also picked another Grand Soleil as their "Luxury Cruiser of the Year"

I don't suppose that Grand Soleil advertise with them, do they?

[Polux]

Originally Posted by StuM

> American jury said

You mean the panel from Sailing World magazine?

They also picked another Grand Soleil as their "Luxury Cruiser of the Year"

I don't suppose that Grand Soleil advertise with them, do they?

I am a bit confused I don't think Sail world Magazine as a Luxury cruiser of the year award and to my knowledge that award was attributed to the 47LC not by Sail Magazine but by the chief testers of 11 different European magazines from 11 different European countries, after they all have tested the nominated boats for that category (European Yacht of the year award).

Regarding their magazines to have all advertises from Grand Soleil an that to be the reason of the choice, it does not make sense. Grand Soleil is not a big brand and many other bigger brands make naturally more advertises than Grand Soleil on the pages of those magazines.

Particularly this year on the European Yacht of the year only a major brand, Hanse, has won a award. Many of the boats of the bigger brands had not even been nominated to the contest.

Regarding Sailing World magazine awards I agree that a single magazine can be more influenced by a particular publicity client then 11 different ones from 11 different countries but from the panel of Sailing magazine juries you have 3 independent Juries (out of 5) and they are very knowledgeable: Chuck Allen, a great sailor and North Sails expert, Tom Rich, with 25 years of experience building top boats and Greg Stewart a senior NA at Nelson/Mareck yacht design and a sailor for more than 40 years.

I very much doubt that they would all be on the pay role of a small brand like Grand Soleil

[Polux]

Originally Posted by IntoMyHealth

I like it! AND I like Hinckleys! I'll probably never own either. ��
-Bill

Well, who knows? that boat is the Grand Soleil 43, a boat with already some years in Europe and a favorite of mine, offering very good light wind ability, sailing very well and having a very good interior.

The boat is very well built, not only in what regards finish but structurally and even if a lot more expensive than Beneteaus or Jeanneaus it is not that expensive regarding quality costing about 100k less than a smaller Bluejaket 40, a boat with similar characteristics.
Grand Soleil

[monte]

More categories = more brands = more $$$ for the magazines. It helps fill the pages with reviews and advertising, which also allows for the staff to be paid and the occasional interesting contributors to be paid as well, helping sustain the dying print media for another year. For this that actually believe the reviews/advertising it's worth reading between the lines and asking yourself if comments such as the one below could apply to any new or old yachts:
"Refinements are deep in the bowels, under floorboards and behind headliners. The boats are lighter and better built, the systems more streamlined, and tweaks in cockpit and cabin layouts are subtle.... it’s got all the accommodations … a nice, light interior, and the boat sails incredibly well....The judges praised the craftsmanship of the interior as well. They all reported that the cabinetry and systems were meticulously finished, and the three-cabin, double-head layout had everything an owner would need for an extended cruise."
Indeed they could apply to my boat as well as 99% of new yachts. The salesspeak is just part of the advertising and I imagine most reviewers would have a difficult time coming up with something that hasn't been said before. In fact I'm sure most will have a selection of sentences they can cut and paste together to allow a review to be formulated over their morning coffee.
Any negative points are usually watered down with comments such as 'she was a little sluggish to windward but as soon as we fell off the wind 10 degrees she found her legs...'
I don't think reviews are a huge problem, but they should be taken with a grain of salt. Enjoy the glossy pics and fudged data they present and take them for what they're worth.
Regarding my cynicism, perhaps it sprouted as a kid. I was 12 yo and in my first or second sailing season and received a trophy for 'most improved sailor' I was pretty happy until my brother told me ' that's not a real trophy, they just gave it to you to make you feel good' 😢