European Sailing Boat 2018: 3 sailboats for luxury cruising

Hallberg-Rassy 44

In the Luxury Cruiser category, the 3 nominees come from both the Mediterranean and Scandinavian countries. The yards here offer units with particularly comfortable and luxurious design and equipment. These yachts are generally larger and with a higher budget, capable of sailing all over the world.

Amel 50

With a length of 15 m, the Amel 50 is the smallest model in the range and is aimed at a new clientele with a more varied programme: long cruises, short cruises, more sporty sailing, for two or more people. To achieve this, the shipyard is banking on a new hull, a new rigging and many small innovations.

The sloop rig replaces the ketch rig and allows the central cockpit to be extended and all the winches to be brought back to the centre of the boat for easier manoeuvring. As for the hull, it is proportionally wider, tauter and flatter, with bi-safrans, a first for Amel.

The large central cockpit, found on all Amel models, guarantees the owner, thanks to its rigid shelter and depth, a great protection during navigation. The Amel 50 has three cabins and all the necessary equipment for long cruising.

Hallberg-Rassy 44

The Hallberg-Rassy 44 is a 13.68 m long-distance cruiser from the Swedish shipyard with a robust design and classic lines for long-distance sailing. She has a large cockpit of 2.29 m well sheltered and a tilting transom that converts into a bathing platform.

Inside, it is possible to choose between three different layouts at the front of the mast: two configurations with two cabins and one configuration with one cabin. There are also all the comfort equipment necessary for long cruising: fully equipped galley, bathroom, large saloon and numerous layout options. An interior made very luminous thanks to the numerous hull portholes.

Ice 60

After the success of the Ice 52, the Italian shipyard Ice Yachts has launched the Ice 60, a fast cruiser for demanding owners that presents itself as performing well in regattas while having enough space and comfort on board. Its modern lines are characterized by an inverted bow with a 1.3-meter long carbon bowsprit and a transom inspired by the Volvo Open 70 (already found on the successful Ice 33 model, launched in 2014). Its fiberglass and carbon structure makes it light and powerful.

Inspired by the Ice 62, 82 and the bestseller 52, the Ice 60 has a higher volume and even gains 7% compared to the Ice 62. On board there is a large tender garage, a large cockpit saloon... Inside, the fittings have been designed to be light, which does not prevent the 59.02 ft sailing yacht from accommodating between 3 and 4 cabins and 2 or 3 bathrooms.

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