European Sailing Boat 2018: 3 sailboats for the family cruise

Bénéteau Océanis 51.1

They are three nominees in the "Family-Cruiser" category to be able to be stamped "European Yacht of The Year 2018". These three cruising yachts were launched in 2017 and represent the major French (Bénéteau and Jeanneau) and German (Hanse) shipyards. The yachts in this category are designed for sailing with family or friends, for day trips or holidays, but also for cruising on the deep blue sea.

Hanse 548

The Hanse 548 is a 16.22 m cruiser designed by the German shipyard Hanse, which is an addition to the range of 50-foot sailing yachts recently launched by European yards. Presented as fast and seaworthy, the Hanse 548 is easy to sail with the manoeuvres carried out aft at the two helm stations (electric winches, self-tacking jib, furling sail...).

On board, comfort is the key word with a large cockpit/sunbathing area, a folding bathing platform, an outdoor galley, a garage with tender... Inside, the design is the same as the one initiated on the Hanse 588 and the customization options are numerous. The Hanse 548 is offered in 3 and 4 double cabins versions.

Oceanis 51.1

The Oceanis 51.1 is the first unit of Bénéteau's 7th generation Oceanis and features a new stepped hull to increase interior volumes, a sleek deck plan and is designed to be easy to sail. With a length of 15.94 m, this unit has a large cockpit and numerous relaxation areas.

In the standard version, this cruiser has a furling mast, the self-tacking jib and all the halyards and sheets brought up on a single winch at each helm station. In its First Line version, the Oceanis 51.1 offers an extended carbon or aluminium mast and 35% more sail area.

Inside, the enlarged space is sufficient to accommodate 3 or 4 cabins and the same number of shower rooms as well as a large kitchen and dining room.

Sun Odyssey 440

The Sun Odyssey is a 13-metre cruiser of the new generation of Sun Odyssey from Jeanneau. With a redesigned and much smoother onboard circulation - gangways sloping gently down from the shroud chain plates to the aft of the cockpit -...you get on board without taking a step. Another innovation is its modular cockpit with cockpit backrests that fold down to a large horizontal surface. When folded up, they form backrests like those usually seen on these sailboats. When lying down, they cover themselves with cushions to provide a large horizontal sunbathing area.

On board, the Sun Odyssey 440 offers between 2 and 3 cabins and enough space for a long-distance cruise.

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