Best Boats

Thanks to Covid-19, 2020 has been a year like no other. Human nature being what it is, though, sailors and the boatbuilding industry have continued doing what they love and know best. In fact, boat sales have been strong across the board as mariners have taken to the water in ways not seen for years in response to things like travel restrictions and social distancing. The boatbuilding industry has also responded by doing everything it can, both to help get people out on the water in the short term and by continuing to push the envelope with a great new crop of boats. There has, however, been a catch—a distinct lack of boat shows where sailors can go see them. It is with this situation in mind that we at SAIL are forging ahead with our annual Best Boats contest in an effort to keep you, our readers, abreast of the latest in boat design. The good news is that, despite the lack of boat shows this fall, nearly all the new boats set to appear at them still arrived as scheduled. Better still, in spite of whatever else may be going on these days, the boatbuilders of the world have once again outdone themselves in term of quality and innovation, to the benefit of sailors everywhere. Look for our selection of winners in SAIL’s January issue.

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MONOHULLS

DUFOUR 530

Ever since joining forces with catamaran builder Fountaine-Pajot, Dufour has been on a roll, bringing out a number of new designs in quick succession. Among these is the Dufour 530, which made its debut this past winter at Germany’s Dusseldorf boat show. Designed by Umberto Felci, the boat is available in three distinct versions: “Easy” for owners and charterers in search of simplicity; “Ocean” for those sailors looking for a little more boatspeed and better controls; and “Performance,” which comes with a