When choosing a cruising yacht, different parameters are taken into account. If their hierarchy depends on the program and the crew, we can list at least 6 important criteria to choose on which boat to sail.
1 - Comfort on board, habitability, life on board
A good cruising yacht must above all be comfortable. This comfort is achieved through habitability with beautiful volumes, pleasantly bright. Spaces must also be well delimited with cabins isolated to the maximum. Bathrooms and toilets will also be well located, to be used without discomfort. Finally, the beds should be comfortable and accessible, without requiring you to roll over every night. We will also think about the headroom, which can be a constraint depending on the size of the crew.
Finally, the kitchen and dining area will be well supplied, both in terms of work surfaces and the dining area.
2 - Ease of operation
Unlike a racing boat, a cruising yacht must be easy to handle, often with a reduced crew. This point is valid at sea for all maneuvers under sail with well sized winches, if necessary electric, with maneuvers that return to the cockpit to secure them. It is also necessary to think about the ease of maneuvering under engine, as a sailboat returns to port. These can be supported by a bow thruster for example. Also think about the width of the sailboat. Indeed, architects tend to make these dimensions bigger, often leading to the adoption of bisafran, causing great difficulties for maneuvering in port, the flow of the propeller not bearing directly on the appendage.
3 - Performance under sail and engine
Of course, we are talking about cruising here. So there is no question of setting a time limit. And yet, going fast from one point to another offers security for the crew, and above all allows for more distant cruising. If the speed is exhilarating, the performance to go upwind, for example, allows to pass a cape without any trouble. So look at the performance of the sailboat.
If necessary, also take into account the engine performance if the navigation must be done against the current, or to arrive at the stopover on time.
4 - Safety at sea and at anchor
Safety is an essential element for all sailing boats. For a cruising boat, it starts with the equipment, whether it is regulatory or not, either for the boat such as the VHF, the AIS, the radar or the beacon..., or for the crew, with the PLB, the life jacket or the headlamp... We will also check the protection of the cockpit and the side decks, for crews with children.
We will also take a boat well adapted to the program, to the weather conditions that we are supposed to find on our route.
Time spent cruising is also often spent at anchor. You need a sailboat well adapted for this. Of course, we will think about the anchoring equipment: efficient anchor, good length of chain, adapted windlass, but also to avoid a rolling sailboat when the swell enters. For this, multihulls are the most comfortable.
5 - Storage capacity and autonomy
When cruising, it is good to be autonomous. If the storage capacities, whether in water, energy or even food, oblige us to return to port often, the constraint is likely to weigh heavily. We will therefore opt for a sailboat that has good fresh water capacities, electricity via the appropriate recharging means, and diesel fuel if necessary. These facilities will be all the more important if the planned trip is long or far from the refuelling points.
We will also think about the storage capacity of the lazarette to store enough food for the trip and the number of crew members.
6 - Aesthetics of your sailboat
Although it may seem subjective, the aesthetics of a sailboat are also important to many boaters. We love to sail on a beautiful boat! Especially when its beauty is pleasing and attractive, while remaining very functional.
