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Five Performance Cruisers for 2020

• By Herb McCormick
• Updated: May 28, 2020

The 2020 Boat of the Year fleet was diverse and intriguing, but with five very cool new models ranging from 31 to 35 feet, no single class was as large or competitive as the Performance Cruisers. In this size range, even for boats whose purpose tilts more toward the racecourse side of the racer-cruiser equation, it’s not enough to design a boat stripped and laid out for speed alone. No, nowadays, basic creature comforts and reasonable accommodations are not only desirable, they’re mandatory, and nearly every boat in this category will not only be a blast to spin around the buoys, but they’ll all also provide an intrepid crew with everything necessary—decent berths, a serviceable galley, a private head—to get away for a week or two of adventurous cruising (the awesome sailing is a given). So, without further ado, here were the nominees for the Best Performance Cruiser for 2020. If you love the pure and simple act of sailing, each of these pocket rockets will provide one sweet ride.

Beneteau Oceanis 30.1

Of the five boats in this ­collection, the 31-foot-3-inch Beneteau Oceanis 30.1 was the compact yacht best-equipped and spec’d out as a dedicated cruising boat, and not coincidentally, it was also awarded the title of Best Performance Cruiser for 2020. But don’t let her cozy interior accommodations fool you; this is also one peppy little vessel.

One of the major appeals to the judging panel was the 30.1’s versatility. There are four different keel options, or a centerboard. The deck-stepped mast can be equipped with a tabernacle for easy lowering and trailering to a new locale, or for transiting canals. At $160,000, it was also the least-expensive offering in the category. The plusses just kept adding up.

The rig is a single-spreader fractional number with a square-top main, which maximizes power aloft in the sail plan. Our test boat had an overlapping genoa (with adjustable sheet leads) and an optional bowsprit; the standard version has a self-tacking 100 percent headsail. Twin wheels make handling simple, but for old-school dudes (like me), you can also get a tiller. That’s right, a tiller! The transom is complete with a little fold-down boarding step, along with a boarding ladder. At the opposite end, a Facnor headsail furler is stationed beside the Lewmar windlass. The overall attention to detail is terrific.

The Beneteau representative who presented the yacht to our judges said that the goal down below was “to fit a bigger boat in a smaller hull, to install a 35-foot interior in a 30-foot boat.” It was certainly an ambitious plan, and one that was largely successful. The V-berth forward is certainly impressive, and that aforementioned deck-stepped spar really opened up the space below, particularly the central saloon and dining area. At the foot of the companionway, the complete galley is to port and the enclosed head to starboard, which is also the locale of a functional little navigation desk. A good-size aft double cabin is also to starboard. For a small family, or a pair of couples, this is a perfectly fine arrangement.

Thanks to the coachroof windows and overhead hatches, there’s plenty of natural light below deck, which is augmented by efficient LED lighting throughout. The bold hull graphics are certainly attention-getters, and the well-executed dodger a perfect place to get out of the weather. Our sail test was conducted in a decent Chesapeake Bay blow, touching 20 knots, and the boat was nimble and responsive. All in all, it’s an ­impressive package—not to mention, a winning one. beneteau.com ; 410-890-0270

Grand Soleil 34

Way back in the 1970s, when the well-known Italian boatyard Grand Soleil was just getting started, its first model was a Finot-designed 34-footer. With over 300 units sold, it was an instant success, and launched the company on an upward trajectory that spanned the intervening decades, mostly with an ongoing series of much larger, more complex racer/cruisers. For 2020, the builder decided to return to its roots with a completely revamped Grand Soleil 34, and it’s a terrific boat.

These days, there are a ­couple of major rating rules under which racing yachts compete, and a growing movement of doublehanded classes in many major regattas. And, of course, conditions vary wildly depending on where one sails. Grand Soleil has taken all this into account by offering numerous keel, rig and deck packages, so owners can optimize their boat for their particular region or events.

The shallower of the two keel options draws under 6 feet and is fitted with a lead bulb, which is also the recommended cruising configuration; a deeper 7-foot-2-inch foil is also available. There are three rig choices: a standard aluminum stick or a choice of two different carbon spars. Our test boat had twin rudders and wheels, but a single rudder with a tiller can also be had. The optional 30 hp diesel with sail drive was the power plant on our version; a 20 hp auxiliary is standard. See what I mean about optimization?

Whichever performance package you opt for, the accommodations remain mostly the same. But even then, you have choices. For instance, the open layout, in cruising mode, has a roomy double berth in the bow; but you can remove the cushions and their base when racing to convert the space into vast sail stowage. Likewise, much of the oak furniture and floorboards can be replaced with composite materials, or even carbon, for competitive sailors mindful of keeping weight at an absolute minimum.

Either way, a drop-leaf table in the center of the boat is flanked by a pair of settees, and there’s a spacious double cabin aft, to port, while the opposing starboard side includes a roomy head through which you can access a large storage area under the cockpit seat. For cruising applications, there’s storage galore.

We sailed the boat in light air, unfortunately, so we did not have the opportunity to put the boat through its paces properly. There’s no doubt, however, that she’ll haul the mail. mareblu.net ; 619-840-3728

Italia 9.98

Of the five boats that comprised the Performance Cruiser class, in terms of sheer appearance, the futuristic 34-foot Italia 9.98 was easily the most distinctive. There are actually two versions of the boat: the 34 Club—which is the cruising alternative, the primary features of which are its twin wheels—and the 34 Fuoriserie—the racing model, and the one we tested, with its tiller steering being the identifying characteristic.

Both models share the same interior layout, and for ­cruising, the quarters are especially inviting and contemporary. The large double-berth forward is accessed by a large cutaway bulkhead trimmed in teak that doubles as a ring frame, and practically begs you to crawl in and kick way back. Two large, central settees flank the drop-leaf table that’s intersected by the keel-stepped spar.

Both the galley, to port, and the navigation station, to starboard, are most pleasant surprises: The former has a big fridge and gimballed, two-burner stove; the latter is much larger than one would expect on a boat of this size. Engaging details abound, including innovative, removable fabric lockers that can be offloaded when in racing mode, and cabin doors framed in aluminum for durability. Aft, there’s a generous double cabin to port, and a smaller double that also incorporates a big head to starboard. Other than sparing teak trim ­throughout, all furniture and fittings are clean, white composite structures that seem more aeronautical than nautical. Very modern and attractive.

Topside, the cockpit is spacious; the short, molded-in bench seats can be lengthened with dedicated storage boxes, which you can leave on the dock when racing and reinstall when cruising. There’s a good-size lazarette locker aft of the beam-width traveler, which in turn is aft of the tiller. The open transom adds to the overall feeling of being on a larger vessel. The double-ended German-style mainsheet is led below deck, contributing to the minimalistic theme; the sheet leads, naturally, are adjustable. The truly outstanding nonskid is molded directly into the deck.

Our test boat was equipped with an optional sprit to fly reaching and off-wind sails. Another iteration of the sprit includes an anchor roller as well; the boat we sailed did not have a windlass, but there’s provision for one. It would be quite easy to convert this boat from racing mode to a solid cruiser. And you’d turn heads in every anchorage. italiayachtsusa​.com ; 410-279-3027

Beginning with the popular little J/24 way back in 1977, J/Boats has become famous for its steady introduction of terrific racing and cruising boats, almost all of which shared one main characteristic: They sailed like a witch. More than four decades later, having built more than 50 separate, mind-­boggling models, the Johnstone family that designs, markets and sells the brand shows no signs of slowing down. Their latest offering, for 2020, was another fast and fun racer/cruiser: the ­32-foot-7-inch J/99.

Our sea trials for Boat of the Year, conducted in a stiff 25-knot Chesapeake Bay breeze, was easily one of the most memorable test sails in this edition of the contest. The boat was fast, responsive and a joy to steer, perched on the weather rail with an extension for the tiller. Judge Ralph Naranjo was probably the most impressed of all. “It’s one of the most enjoyable small boats I’ve ever had a chance to sail,” he said.

Everything about the deck layout is set up for efficient boat handling. The beam-width traveler is aft but readily at hand; optimizing mainsail trim in the lulls and puffs is clearly a priority, and coarse and fine-tuning options on the mainsheet further simplify this task. Halyards and reefing lines are led to a pair of Harken winches on the coachroof. A Harken furler handles the 100 percent jib. The sheet leads, naturally, are adjustable. In past designs, the company was well-known for its retractable bowsprits, but with the J/99, it opted for a fixed sprit that is more robust and can handle the loads imposed by today’s big asymmetric kites and code-zero reachers. The entire point of this exercise is easily attained—not to mention sustained—performance.

The “cruiser” part of the boat’s racer/cruiser calculation is the lesser of the two, but the boat is by no means stripped out. The head is forward, with the forepeak reserved for sail stowage. But there are good sleeping quarters in a pair of doubles aft, as well as the two settees in the main saloon that flank a central table. Nice teak trim lends warm and welcome accents to the nav station and galley, which was rudimentary on our test boat, but which can also be upgraded with a basic propane stove. Sure, this layout is more of a camper than a cruiser, but it’s also more than serviceable for a dauntless crew. When they gather around at the end of the day, it will be more than adequate for ­spinning yarns about the wonderful sailing they just experienced. jboats​.com ; 401-846-8410

Jeanneau Sun Fast 3300

If there were any doubt about what the 32-foot-9-inch Jeanneau Sun Fast 3300 was designed and built for, it was put to rest by our sister publication, Sailing World —a racing magazine dedicated expressly to the need for speed—when it named the boat its overall Boat of the Year for 2020 . So let’s get that right out of the way: The 3300, pure and simple, is a raceboat. Sure, the interior has the basics to allow its crew to navigate, prepare a hot meal and catch a few winks between watches, but the idea here is to get you there , and as quickly as possible.

The boat is actually optimized for doubleha­nded races, a growing segment of the competitive scene, especially in France, where the boat was designed and constructed. One of the naval architects on the project was Guilaume Verdier, whose design credits include the remarkable 100-footer, Comanche . There are hollows, or “concaves,” in the bow and stern of the boat to promote planing in certain conditions. Jeanneau clearly pulled out all the stops in creating the 3300.

The deck-stepped rig—which will allow the boat to be shipped in a container for owners who wish to campaign the boat internationally—is carbon, of course. The list of tweakable features is endless. Both the mainsheet and running backstays are infinitely adjustable, with fine-tuned cascades for each. There are water-ballast tanks to simulate the weight of a full crew lining the windward rail when sailing in shorthanded mode. A three-dimensional jib – lead ­system provides the ability to dial in exact and precise ­headsail trimming. When ­racing, a five- or six-sail inventory will allow the crew to hoist and set the ideal sail combination for whatever the wind speed, sea state or point of sail.

Regarding the layout below, Sailing World editor Dave Reed wrote: “There’s not much glitz below deck, but that’s the point. The 3300 is no crossover cruiser. Inside the bowels of this white vinylester-infused capsule are nothing but rudimentary accommodations: galley, nav station, convertible settees and pipe berths that fold up to add additional crew berths. If distance racing and putting the boat away wet is what you desire, this is the level of interior you’ll come to appreciate.”

As the great designer Bill Lee once said, “A raceboat is like a jock strap you pull on to go racing.” So buckle up and hang on to your hats. And strap in, of course. jeanneau.com ; 443-221-4203

Herb McCormick is CW ’s executive editor.

• More: beneteau , Cruisers , grand soleil , J/Boats , jeanneau , print may 2020 , Sailboats
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Best performance yachts: Our pick of the top options

• Toby Hodges
• March 10, 2023

Toby Hodges takes a look at all the nominees and the winner of the performance yachts 2022 category in the European Yacht of the Year Awards

The European Yacht of the Year awards is the most thorough and impartial awards programme – the winners here are widely considered the best yachts of the year . As such the boats nominated by the jury in the performance yachts category can be considered the best of the best.

This year’s shortlist had the full range. From the more conventional definitive style of performance cruiser to the contemporary French interpretation of a lightweight planing cruiser – and even a new brand of sports  catamarans  for the thrill seekers.

Three Italian pure performance yachts and two very different yachts built in Slovenia made for a varied and exciting Performance Yachts category.

Best performance yachts

Winner best performance yachts 2023 – beneteau first 36.

Where once we could assume a cruiser-racer was a fairly standard format design, over the last decade it’s been much more the sexy, perormance yachts the Italian yards specialise in. But as French yards like Pogo and JPK have proven, there’s growing enthusiasm for lightweight planing yachts – and the First 36 is the first real production yacht in that spirit.

Here’s a yacht that puts the focus firmly back into sailing. The First 36 has been kept inviting and approachable – unlike many yachts that can plane, the look is modest, not aggressive. It’s uncomplicated, unfussy and the result is a pleasure for all to sail. It’s more about what you can’t see, the design and engineering, which should ensure longterm demand.

The small, fiddly heads compartment and lack of tiller options are perhaps the only real detraction from an otherwise brilliant collaboration by Seascape and Beneteau, from concept to build quality.

It was their goal to keep this area of the market relevant and prove a mainstream brand can do it, rather than only niche specialist yards. To create a mass produced yacht at this weight and to this foam-cored quality and one that can bring so much fun is a feather in the cap of the First brand.

Grand Soleil 40

The Grand Soleil 40 is an archetypal Med cruiser-racer, and an absolute delight to sail – a feature I’ve learned that Matteo Polli designs tend to share (he also drew the Ecoracer). We sailed the race set up with ORC keel (an IRC version is available too) and six winches, an extended bowsprit and a taller mast. It was one of my most memorable trials of the season in 10-12 knots, with the deep and forward positioned rudder giving plenty of control and lovely direct steering.

The three cabin interior can have one or two heads and different galley options, the cabins are a good size with modest stowage, and it’s all tastefully styled by masters Nauta.

Italia yachts 12.98

At 5ft longer and from the board of Cossutti (who Polli once worked under), the Italia Yachts 12.98 is another cruiser-racer in the same grain as the GS40, but with a markedly different looking white interior. We sailed the ‘Bellissima’ cruising version, which 80% of customers have opted for.

Italia’s yard is now in Fano and its one-shot infused vinylester build looks impressive. However, the deck lacks some refinement and practical stowage, while the three cabin interior isn’t voluminous by today’s standards.

This is a slippery yacht that has a lovely, light feel on the single rudder – the interior styling will be the deal breaker for most.

Solaris Yachts on the other hand has perfected its recipe, tripling its yard size to cater to demand for its sexy Acebal-designed performance yachts.

The Solaris 50 we tested in 2015 and which won this award was arguably the turning point that propelled the brand’s popularity. The owner of the new 50 we tested previously had the original 50 and a 58 and confirms this replacement has nearly the same space as the 58, yet is faster, more powerful and stable than its predecessor (we easily matched 7-8 knot winds under gennaker).

It heels onto its chine and accelerates well, while twin rudders provide ample control. The design prioritises helming experience but the yard needs to come up with a better helm seat option. The interior is well executed, especially the spacious forward owner’s cabin.

The Elan E6 is a big 47-footer, high and beamy and one that leans more towards spirited cruising with generous accommodation over racing. That said, extensive options allow you to tailor it either way, including foam cored furniture and a taller carbon mast for those looking for extra oomph.

It’s a fine collaboration between Humphreys Yacht Design, Gurit, Pininfarina and Elan, while an impressive standard spec includes a carbon sprit and six winches.

The E6 is fun to sail at various angles and gives a nice, sporty feel on the helm – it likes to heel but has plenty of grip and tracks well.

The cockpit is deep and comfortable, with good optional protection and there’s ample deck stowage. A really smart three (or four) cabin interior shows a high standard of construction, finish and styling. It is bulky and you pay for the size in weight, but it looks good and Elan knows how to build a great boat for the price.

Best performance yachts 2022

Winner best performance yachts 2022 – jpk 39fc.

Along with fellow Brittany yard Pogo, JPK has redefined the modern performance cruiser: stiff, stable and efficient to the max. For the keen sailor who wants to get the utmost enjoyment out of hands-on cruising, the JPK 39 is a superb design (and to my eye, an appealing one too), while the yard has done a nice job with the vacuum-infused construction and interior fit-out. The two-cabin version we sailed had plenty of stowage too.

It looks different, behaves beautifully and stands up to its canvas, is designed to sail efficiently with a loaded displacement, and has a deck set-up to encourage you to trim it to your heart’s content. My only slight negative is the unnerving mess the cockpit can become as there are so many control lines.

This lightweight blast will best suit experienced sailors and those comfortable with short-handed sailing. And it guarantees smiles.

Photo: Andreas Lindlahr/European Yacht of the Year

One such sports catamaran is the IC36, an exciting first offering from a new Czech brand that’s packed with fresh thinking. The first turbo version of this cruising catamaran (Independence) is built using a carbon fibre crossbeam, bowsprit, boards and rudders, epoxy hulls, plus a custom Pauger rotating mast, which all serve to keep weight below three tonnes.

It provided some spirited sailing, particularly when fetching at a measured pace of 10-13.5 knots with the code 0. The direct feel of tiller steering while seated in the low rotating bucket seats was a highlight.

The finish quality in the hulls is first class and there is somehow space for up to eight berths. The coachroof features a retractable bimini and removable vinyl side panels and solar panels, while the cockpit table, which includes an exterior galley, is also removable.

In fact the IC36 can be dismantled to 2.55m beam to make it legally trailable. It has so many options and ideas – too many perhaps – all reflected in the price.

Monohull enthusiasts will share our congratulations to J-Boats for its elegant new flagship. The J/45 won the hearts of the jury and made for a long drawn out decision against the JPK. In the end the two yachts will appeal to different sailors and tastes.

J has stayed true to its roots, yet still managed to bring a current, classy new offering. The unmistakable Alan Johnstone lines have been paired with a contemporary, warm European interior designed by Isabelle Racopeau, while much focus has been paid to the joinerwork and the invisible quality. We saw the two cabin version, which has an excellent technical cabin in place of the second aft cabin.

The J/45 is designed to still perform when loaded with cruising gear. True to J’s reputation, it was a witch upwind and could outpoint anything else during our trials. The compromise is that it won’t plane easily like a JPK or Pogo.

The Solaris 40 is another looker from Soto Acebal and the blue steel metallic hull colour of the test boat made the powerful hull shape really stand out.

We liked the recessed traveller, direct steering to the twin rudders, neat folding helm seats, clutches integrated into the coamings and the easy access to the side decks. However, the jury found the cockpit with its short benches and deck design a little too flat and minimalist.

The interior is smart and contemporary, again offered with two or three cabins with two heads it makes good use of the space.

One of the yachts I was looking forward to sailing most was the Pogo 44, and the only one shortlisted that I didn’t manage to! A collision with the photographer’s RIB shortly before my scheduled trial put it out of action.

However, my colleague Rupert Holmes did a full Pogo 44 test and report on it for Yachting World and describes the 44 as designed to thrill and unlike any other pure cruising yacht of its size. The stability from the beamy hull and deep lifting keel combines brilliantly with the ability to sail fast easily and in comfort. However some jury members didn’t like having to rely on an autopilot to use winches.

The interior is like a loft apartment, with so much natural light – it’s minimalist yet comfortable, spacious and practical for cruising.

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Practical Boat Owner

• Digital edition

Best British cruiser-racer boats: Our pick of the secondhand market

• Peter Poland
• November 11, 2022

Cruising sailors who avoid racing designs could be missing out on the extra pleasure that comes from a boat that sails superbly in light or heavy winds, with or without a full crew…

Many sailors tend to steer clear of yachts dubbed as cruiser-racers when they’re browsing classified ads or brokerage lists in search of their first (or next) cruising yacht. I often wonder if they’re missing out on enhanced sailing fun by following this route.

Much of my early sailing experience was based on cruiser-racers such as the Nicholson-designed South Coast One Design (SCOD) and Nicholson 26, a Holman-designed Elizabethan 29, a French Samouraï quarter tonner and an Oliver Lee-designed Hunter 19 and Hunter 701.

In their different ways all these yachts mixed cruising (admittedly cramped in the Hunter 19!) with above average performance and handling.

And then there’s the social side of the sailing clubs that are at the heart of our sport. Whether you enjoy a cruise in company, a social get-together, occasional sessions at the bar, low key club racing or high-octane regatta weeks, sailing clubs come up with the goods.

Without these clubs and the volunteers who help administer them, our sport would have less to offer and provide fewer opportunities to get together with like-minded sailors.

Article continues below…

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Over a lengthy sailing career I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy countless happy hours – mainly pulling sheets – on all sorts of club races. And in the process I’ve made many friends. That’s the joy of cruiser racing.

Whether it’s as up-market as Cowes Week , as huge as the Round the Island Race , as muddy as Burnham Week, as chilly as a winter or spring series or as low key as mid-week summer evening racing, it guarantees splendid sociable sport.

And you don’t need to own an expensive modern yacht to join in the fun. Cruiser racing can encompass anything from a modest 22-footer up to a sumptuous Swan. Splitting the fleet into separate divisions takes care of size variations and the results are calculated using a variety of handicap systems.

When assessing a yacht’s likely performance, motion and behaviour at sea it’s important to take account of its displacement, ballast ratio, DLR (displacement to waterline length ratio), SA/disp (foretriangle and mainsail area to displacement ratio) and Ted Brewer’s Comfort Ratio (a complex formula that assesses a yacht’s motion at sea based on waterline beam and weight etc).

The crew of this Hunter Impala seem to be enjoying their Round The Island Race in The Solent. Photo: Peter Brogden / Alamy

Lower DLR and Comfort Ratio and higher SA/Disp indicate faster sailing.

The day I asked David Thomas to design a new Hunter cruiser-racer was – with the benefit of hindsight – the day that Hunter Boats’ fortunes took a dramatic turn for the better.

It was also the day that David embarked on his career as the leading British designer of One Design cruiser-racers: although One Design racing was not part of my initial brief.

I simply asked for a boat of around 22ft that would have more beam and offer better accommodation than other cruisers of its size, look attractive, handle nicely, take strong wind in its stride and win races under its IOR handicap. Looking back, it was a request that bordered on mission impossible.

Hunter Sonata

When the wood hull plug for the Hunter Sonata (Displacement 2,460lb, ballast ratio 41%, DLR 175, SA/disp 17.3, CR 11.1) arrived at Hunter’s Essex factory, we made a mould and then tackled the deck plug.

But once we’d framed up the coachroof and draped it with material to see what it looked like, my business partner Derek Chardin and I reckoned it could go higher, thus winning two more inches of headroom in the cabin.

So we took a unilateral punt and did precisely that. Once it was planked up we invited David Thomas to the factory and heaved a sigh of relief when he said it looked very elegant.

A Hunter Sonata from Scarborough Yacht Club racing on the North Sea in South Bay, North Yorkshire. The yacht in front is a Hunter 707 ‘sports boat’. If you plan to go racing you should inform your insurers to be sure that racing risks are covered. Photo: Damien Taylor / Alamy

The Sonata’s spacious interior was unusual for a mid-1970s design. The settees stretch under the cockpit to create quarter berths, and there’s enough width to incorporate another DT ‘special’ – simple pilot berths offered as an alternative option to fixed side shelves.

The galley butts against the main bulkhead while the forepeak accommodates twin V-berths and a heads. David and Derek also perfected a simple, light and strong ‘box girder’ system of plywood structures to provide the basis for the accommodation plus overall rigidity. This was jigged then bonded into the hull (while still in its mould) before the deck was attached.

As a result, finishing off the interior became a simple procedure; both for the Hunter workforce and – more relevantly – for clients who bought the boats as kits. This was an important part of the business as owners traded their way up the Hunter range; building, then sailing, then selling, then building bigger.

At the 1975 Earls Court Boat Show we handed out provisional leaflets showing our new but as yet unlaunched Sonata. DT’s reputation as a designer was invaluable and several sailors liked the look of her so much they put down deposits.

Things were on a roll before anyone saw, let alone sailed, a Sonata. We had another stroke of luck when Peter Hornbrook, an existing Hunter owner, ordered a Sonata and said he’d like to become class secretary and help set things up.

David Thomas also ordered his own Sonata and helped create Sonata One Design class rules. And the rest is history… Sonatas won races galore and became the first RYA-recognised National One Design cruiser class.

To this day, Sonatas are popular as speedy coastal cruisers as well as One Design or handicap racers. Back in 1979, Yachting World said: ‘She is fun to sail yet seaworthy enough for short cruises.

As the Sonata has already shown herself capable of out-sailing larger boats, she is worth racing in handicap events where there is no one-design class.’

Hunter Duette 23. Photo: SailingScenes.com

Hunter Duette 23

Later, we asked David Thomas to design sleek twin keels to go under the Sonata hull and rig and called this the Hunter Duette, followed by a stub keel and centreplate Sonata. Several were bought by RYA Sailability.

Then, as a final throw of the Sonata dice, we asked David Dyer to draw a completely new deck that could provide standing headroom, an aft heads compartment and an aft double berth.

The Hunter Horizon 23 (LOA 22ft 9in, Disp 2,745lb, Ballast ratio 52%, DLR 205, SA/Disp 17.6, CR 12.6) and 232 twin keelers showed how a successful Thomas racing hull could morph into an even more spacious fast cruiser.

Proof of this bionic cruiser’s ability was the 2021 Sailor of the Year Award won by 82-year-old Murdoch McGregor for his 1,900 mile 10-week single-handed sail around the UK in Artemis , his Hunter Horizon 232. At the same time he raised £10,000 for the charity Mental Health UK.

The previous year, 15-year-old Timothy Young had also set off to sail solo around the UK in a Hunter Impala 28 (LOA 28ft, disp 4,300lb, ballast ratio 44%, DLR 154, SA/disp 20.33, CR 14) showing that David Thomas’s second One Design for Hunters was as capable a cruiser as a racer.

Hunter Impala 28

The Impala 28 came into being after a group of sailing pundits decided to select three new offshore One Design classes. The OODC (Offshore One Design Council) invited proposals for a 28-footer, a 34-footer and something in between. So David Thomas showed me the plans of his new 28-footer and told me that Hunter should build it.

The Impala’s development and build processes were like the Sonata all over again; but bigger. One unusual feature was the pivoting outboard motor system located in a central stern locker. It was cheaper than an inboard, made life easy for kit builders and was simple to install.

The Impala’s interior was also unusual for its time. Settee berths extend under the cockpit seats and their backrests hinge up to create two comfortable pilot berths under the side decks, safely suspended by lines and lee-cloths and ideal for off-watch crew on night passages.

Hunter Duette 23. Photo – David Harding

The galley is forward to starboard and an ingenious full size chart table hinges down beside the main bulkhead opposite to port. The enclosed heads compartment is just ahead of this and the forepeak contains twin berths.

Overall, Thomas designed a simple and practical seagoing layout that was as good for cruising as it was for racing.

The Impala duly won the OODC’s 28ft slot. It excelled as a One Design, frequently beat top Half Tonners in IOR regattas and also made a great fast cruiser. As ever, Thomas was on hand to help the class he had created.

In later years an IOR rule change led to him add a 3in lead shoe to the keel base, then the association changed the rules to permit an inboard diesel. Otherwise little has changed.

Just like the Sonata, the Impala Class is still active and the boat remains a potent weapon in IRC club cruiser-racing. Thomas’s evergreen designs do as well under today’s IRC rules as they once did under IOR and CHS handicaps.

As was Hunter’s wont, the Impala hull (with an elegant new extended counter stern) was also used to create a new twin keeled cruising variant.

The Hunter Horizon 30 adds an extended, elegant counter stern to the Impala’s hull

Hunter Horizon 30

Named the Hunter Horizon 30 (LOA 30ft, disp 7,264lb, ballast ratio 43%, SA/disp 19.8, CR 22.5) this had a new deck design and interior layout featuring a twin berth forecabin, a conventional saloon with table, an aft chart table (port) and galley (starboard), an aft heads compartment and a separate aft double cabin.

It’s a tribute to Thomas’s original Impala 28 hull design that, with this elegant new deck, the Horizon 30 has ample headroom and space for an aft heads and double cabin without having to resort to an ugly fat stern. It all adds up to a great cruiser with race-boat genes.

Say the word ‘Sigma’ to many cruising sailors and they might reply that these are racing boats and they wouldn’t want anything so quick or demanding.

This would be a shame, because they could be missing out on the extra pleasure that comes from a boat that sails superbly; either in light or heavy winds, with or without a full crew.

The David Thomas-designed Sigma range – the 29 (1983), 33 (1979-1991), 36 (1979), 362 (1983), 38 (1988) and 41(1982) – first hit the scene back in the late 70s with the Sigma 33.

A Sigma 33 sailing at Cowes Week 2005. Photo: Gary Blake/DPPI Media/Alamy

This was marketed as a One Design cruiser-racer and to this day there are fleets of Sigma 33s racing around the cans along our coastline.

Many cruiser-racers spawned by the IOR rule in those distant days have a lot going for them. They are beamier than their RORC rule inspired predecessors, providing more initial stability and increased space down below.

Some had pinched narrow sterns but most were of medium displacement and their sterns were moderately wide.

Sigma 33 Workout under spinnaker during the 2015 Round the Island Race. Photo: Niall Ferguson/Alamy

The Sigmas remain balanced and well mannered, even when sailed overenthusiastically. The Sigma 33 (LOA 32ft 6in, disp 9200lb, ballast ratio 38%, DLR 227, SA/disp 17, CR 22) proved her seaworthiness when the prototype boat successfully weathered the worst of the infamous 1979 Fastnet storm.

Thirty years later 29-year-old Will Sayer sailed his Sigma 33c (a masthead rigged, shallower draught cruising version of the 33 OOD) to overall IRC victory in the single-handed OSTAR race from Plymouth to Rhode Island.

His 33c Elmareen was the smallest boat in the race and finished in 16th place on the water, winning her class (and overall) on IRC handicap.

In the same 2009 OSTAR, Marco Nannini’s Sigma 36 British Beagle (LOA 36ft, disp 12,350lb, ballast ratio 34%, DLR 232, SA/disp 18.2, CR 23.9) was first to finish and overall handicap winner in the IRC3 class. Whether sailed single-handed or fully crewed, these Sigmas are balanced and seaworthy yachts.

Since then, hundreds of Sigmas have sailed thousands of miles. And many are now owned by enlightened cruising sailors who have no intention of going anywhere near a race course. But such owners have the knowledge and experience to recognise a good thing when they see it.

They regard sailing upwind as a pleasure rather than a penance and they enjoy the sensation of sailing quickly and efficiently – as opposed to bouncing around in the same hole in the water or crabbing sideways towards their destination.

Back in 2001, Yachting Monthly ’s comment on the Sigma 36 could equally well apply to the entire range: ‘…. the Sigma 36 is beautiful to sail. There are not many yachts that can compare. She gives a huge feeling of security… backed up by fabulous handling.’

Sigma 38s enjoy close racing at Cowes Week. Photo: Johnathan Smith/Alamy

The larger Sigma 38 OOD (LOA 38ft, disp 13,750lb, ballast ratio 42%, DLR 206, SA/disp 19.33, CR 23) and Sigma 41 (LOA 41ft, disp 19,000lb, DLR 229, SA/disp 16, CR 29.5) are equally popular as capable offshore cruisers.

My most memorable Sigma experiences were on a Sigma 362 (LOA 36ft, disp 12,400lb, ballast ratio 41.6%, DLR 252, SA/disp 17.8, CR 24.4). This successful model sold in large numbers from the early 1980s to the early 1990s and was the first Sigma hull of its size to adopt the contemporary accommodation layout.

Unlike the 33 and 36 (from whose hull she evolved), the 362 has an aft stern cabin with a double berth and a sizable aft heads compartment with shower. The boat is long enough to accommodate these features while still retaining a graceful and moderate stern.

Amidships, the hull features a touch of tumblehome. This not only looks beautiful, it also creates extra buoyancy in the right place as the yacht begins to heel and puts the maximum beam where it’s most useful from an ‘inside space’ point of view.

So why don’t modern cruisers have tumblehome? Tumblehome means the builder has to make a split, as opposed to one piece, mould to get the hull out and this puts up the price.

And the extra labour needed to lay up the hull in a two part mould and then polish out the flash marks where the mould is joined means extra time. And time is money.

The 362’s hull lines are the same as those of the sportier 36. Her well-proportioned new coachroof design is nicely styled and provides ample space and headroom below without looking too high or sacrificing the wide side decks.

The 362’s rig, however, makes concessions to family cruising. Instead of the racier (and taller) fractional rig on her Sigma 36 sister designer Thomas gave the 362 a slightly shorter mast featuring a masthead rig.

Thus the genoa becomes a bit larger and lives on a headsail roller, while the mainsail becomes smaller and is easily tamed by efficient slab reefing and a system of lazyjacks.

The owner of the 362 I sailed said the only drawback was that the repositioning of the mast changes the boat’s trim slightly, so small puddles can remain on the side deck right aft.

My first experience of the Sigma 362 was on a race. Alastair Chilston and his co-owners had entered Thembi in the Round the Island Race. When I came aboard, I discovered (to my relief) that Alastair had enlisted one crew who was an experienced racing helmsman.

Thembi ’s forward facing nav station. Photo: Peter Poland

The boat also had a nice new fully battened mainsail and a fancy looking light No1 genoa. Alastair’s youngest son looked as though he had all the makings of a nimble foredeck hand, so things looked promising.

The skilled guest helmsman made an impeccable start and kept us clear of the close tacking tangle. When sailing in such a big fleet clear air is essential. Then, from the Needles on, the powerful masthead spinnaker pulled like a train.

On the final long beat the genoa set beautifully and Thembi continued to climb through the fleet. I’ll never forget the delightful feel on the wheel (with one finger on one spoke) as she ate up the miles to windward with effortless ease and sailed past larger and racier yachts in the process.

Interior of the Sigma 362 Thembi that Peter Poland raced on in the Round the Island Race then later cruised in the Ionian… four male crew can tend to be untidy!

We knew, as we crossed the finish line, that Thembi had done us proud. But a first in Class and Division came as a complete surprise. If we’d gone easier on the refreshments off Ventnor we could probably have saved another one-and-a-half minutes and carried off the top prize.

My second, and considerably longer, sail on Thembi could not have been more different. I was part of a motley crew of four for a week’s fun on a ‘boy’s outing’ in the Ionian. Alastair had had enough of spiralling Hamble mooring costs and decided to sail Thembi to warmer and cheaper climes.

He’d already visited Ireland and Brittany on long summer cruises and enjoyed a trip across Biscay and back to visit some rias in Northern Spain.

Some might think that four large chaps would find living aboard a 36ft cruiser-racer for a week a bit of a squeeze, but that wasn’t the case. The 362’s interior provides the ideal compromise between seagoing efficiency and harbour comfort. That’s the benefit of using a designer who is also an experienced seaman.

Starting in the bow, the 362 has a generous sized forecabin. Despite being 6ft 2in tall, I happily shared this with a spare sail or two. With an infill in place the berth is wide and long enough to qualify as a genuine ‘double’.

Sigma 362 Thembi cruising in the Ionian. Photo: Peter Poland

There are also full-length under-deck lockers either side, plus a hanging locker (starboard) and a washbasin (port). So stowage and ablutions are well catered for.

In the spacious main saloon, the U-shaped settee to port converts into a double berth. Outboard of the starboard settee, this 362 featured an option derived from the 362’s racing pedigree – a pilot berth.

In heavy sailing conditions this makes a snug and secluded corner for an off-watch crew. When in cruising mode, it becomes a stowage area into which untidy crew can dump bulky objects.

The navigation and galley areas are located aft, at the foot of the companionway steps. Both are large for the size of boat and work well.

The chart table faces forward and is surrounded by useful lockers and drawers while the galley has a substantial work surface and usable lockers – when the doors are slid open the contents don’t fall out in a jumble.

The deep ice-box and double sink are big and work well. It’s hard to believe that this functional and user-friendly layout was designed so long ago.

The spacious aft heads compartment is also a surprise in such a sleek hull. Indeed, it’s big enough not to look out of place in a modern wide-stern cruiser. And much the same can be said of the aft double cabin on the other side of the boat. The bed is big, yet there’s still space for hanging lockers and shelves.

Perhaps the clearance beneath the cockpit sole is slightly less than one might find on a modern, high freeboard cruiser, but it’s still ample to do the job. And it’s a small price to pay for owning a thoroughbred, proper looking yacht.

Despite her age, Thembi ’s rig and equipment were mostly original – which speaks volumes for her solid build. The Kemp (now Seldén) spars looked in excellent condition, though the standing rigging had sensibly been replaced as a matter of course.

The original Volvo inboard thumps along happily. “It’s serviced regularly. They say the first part of these engines likely to give trouble is the gearbox”, said the owner. “But, so far so good.”

The only thing that caused a brief worry was the DeepSea stern gland. But this was only because a service engineer had removed an extra jubilee clip that the owner had wisely clamped onto the prop shaft immediately ahead of the seal to stop it slipping.

A new stainless steel fuel tank lived under the aft double berth. This was a Spanish replacement for the original mild steel tank that rusted through then dumped its smelly contents into the bilge. Access to the tank and stern gland is achieved by lifting the bunk boards.

The interior fit out will be familiar to any Moody owner. This is because, like production Moodys of that era, all Sigmas were built by Marine Projects. The finish in teak-faced ply and solid teak trim is sound and functional.

The interior tray moulding supporting bulkheads and bunk structures is neat and unobtrusive. Moulded side linings inside the roof are nicely matched in colour and texture to the vinyl material glued to the headlining panels.

In places the vinyl had come unstuck, but this is easily rectified. The cushions throughout the boat were also original, and in excellent condition. What’s more they are comfortable to sleep on – even in the sticky heat of Greek nights after overindulging in Greek tavernas.

Since it was hot, we saw a lot of the cockpit. It’s typical of a Thomas design and is spacious yet not too wide. With the helmsman aft behind his wheel, there’s comfortable room for three or four more ahead. Sheet winches are sensibly positioned and the mainsheet track spans the cockpit. So it’s easy to adjust sheets.

A cockpit table folds neatly away against the wheel pedestal when not in use – which was not often the case on our Ionian cruise. And to prevent crew from tumbling down the companionway, solid and seamanlike grab rails surround the opening and come easily to hand.

About the only sign of age in the cockpit was the condition of the teak decking panels (made of ply) set into the seats. But that’s par for the course on many production boats of this era.

And how did she sail? Being in the Ionian in June, the answer was not very often. Many a mile was covered under engine, with the original trusty Autohelm connected up to the wheel. But when the wind did blow, Thembi was a joy to sail.

One evening we enjoyed an unforgettable and long spinnaker run in a rising breeze as we approached Paxos. With the wind initially on the beam and the spinnaker set shy, the boat charged along at 7+ knots.

What’s more she was so well balanced when the wind went further aft that she let the Autohelm steer her – without collapsing the spinnaker. “The Autohelm’s steering the boat better than I did,” muttered one crew member.

But that’s the sign of a sweet and balanced hull – if you set the sails properly, it should rarely leave its groove.

On another memorable occasion we had a stomping beat back towards Levkas. With a couple of rolls in the genoa Thembi reeled in fat charter boat after fat charter boat as they sagged off to leeward while she climbed effortlessly up to windward.

I sat on the lee side of the cockpit with a finger looped around one spoke of the wheel, just watching the woollies on the genoa luff and helping her on her easy and speedy way.

That’s the joy of steering a well-designed yacht. Who would swap such a splendid sensation for a larger stern cabin? Maybe a charter company, but not me.

The Sigma 362 achieves an admirable balance between creature comforts, sailing performance and good looks, which is all that I’d ask for in my ideal cruiser. A well-maintained and re-engined 362 would do nicely.

Sigma 38 Beefeater racing at Cowes Week back in 2007. Photo: Gerry Walden/Alamy

The Sigma 38 also makes a great cruising yacht. An owner once summed up the 38’s appeal well when he told me: “It is interesting how, as classes wax and wane, the Sigma 38 still hangs in there.

Sigma 38s win in RORC, JOG and, when organisers take them out of One Design, they win under IRC inshore as well. Much of this is down to an enthusiastic bunch who run the Sigma 38 class association website , which is gradually being improved as a resource to help keep these boats going.

“One problem is that the 38 makes a seriously good cruising boat as well, which might dilute the racing. But most folk are attracted to them because they want to do both – and it would be difficult to find another boat that covers both these roles without spending more than double the money. But then I am probably biased!” He is, but then again he’s right.

When considering buying any well-used yacht, including a Sigma, it pays to employ a reputable surveyor. Hugo Morgan-Harris of surveyors Saunders Morgan Harris sails a Sigma 38 so knows what to look for on this and other models.

The Sigma 38 Association also offers useful advice about buying a Sigma (see their website). My own Sigma 362 experiences suggest that if they’re still there, any original mild steel fuel or water tanks will need replacing!

Sixteen-year-old Jessica Watson crosses the Sydney Harbour finish line of her unassisted solo voyage around the world in her S&S 34 Ella’s Pink Lady . Photo: Christophe Launay/DPPI Media/Alamy

The S&S 34 (LOA 33ft 6in, disp 9,195lb, ballast ratio 58%, DLR 290, SA/disp 16.5, CR 24.3) is another all time great cruiser-racer that has many fans.

It was built in the UK from 1968 and also in the USA and Australia. From the day Edward Heath became an owner, the S&S 34’s fame spread. Heath won pots galore, including the Sydney Hobart Race in his first S&S-designed 34 Morning Cloud .

Many S&S 34s built in Australia have circled the globe, including the remarkable Jessica Watson and her S&S 34 Ella’s Pink Lady . When she finished her non-stop 23,000 mile solo circumnavigation via the Roaring Forties in 210 days, Jessica was still only 16. You can read about it in her book True Spirit .

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

S&S 34. Photo: Sailingscenes.com

When I asked her ‘why a 34?’ she explained: “The S&S 34 was the obvious choice for the voyage. I just couldn’t ignore its amazing track record. I would have struggled sailing a bigger boat and I needed a boat that would comfortably handle multiple knockdowns.

“Also it was really important to have a boat that could sail into +30-knot wind and huge seas. Very few modern boats could do that.”

Experienced delivery skipper David Thompson was another owner to sing the S&S 34’s praises, saying: “The owner before me did four transatlantics in her, including the OSTAR.

“She’s what I call an offshore boat… very stiff, seaworthy and goes like a train to windward if it’s blowing hard. The raised sheer at the bow makes her a dry boat for her size. She has a big skeg rudder that’s unbalanced, as on many boats of that era.

“The pinched stern makes her a bit of a handful going downwind at speed, but the big rudder would always haul her back. With the powerful keel and strong construction one could hang onto lots of sail if the wind got up a bit.”

Anyone looking for a more modern cruiser-racer also has plenty of choice. Most of the many boats designed by Rob Humphreys make versatile cruiser-racers. The 32ft 9in Elan 333 (1999) is a good example.

A high SA/disp ratio of 20.72 and low DLR of 166.35 add up to speed; while a ballast ratio of 38% (with a CG-lowering bulbed keel) promises stability.

As an added bonus, the modern interior layout is well thought through and she’s also a pretty boat. If her size does not suit, the Elan 31 (2002) and 340 (2006) are worth a look.

The J109 (2004; LOA 35ft 3in) cruiser-racer has also been successful. Its 10,900lb displacement, SA/disp ratio of 21.3, DLR of 171.51, and bulbed lead keel (ballast ratio 35.78%) explain why this yacht really shifts, while its Comfort Ratio of 20.4 suggests an easy motion.

And note that J boats go for lead keels. These cost much more than cast iron, but are so much better in so many ways. The J109’s bowsprit and asymmetric downwind chute is suited to cruising as well as being potent around a racecourse.

The interior has a modern layout with a heads compartment and double cabin just aft of the L-shaped galley and forward-facing chart table. Forward are two saloon settee/berths, two hanging lockers and double forepeak berth.

Leading European builders such as Jeanneau, Beneteau and Dehler have also offered successful cruiser-racers down the years. However these days they tend to concentrate on larger yachts that also appeal to the charter markets.

If a brokerage cruiser-racer appeals, it’s still important to use an experienced surveyor and study any relevant owners’ class association facebook pages or websites.

Any boat that appears to have been raced hard needs careful scrutiny. But find the right one and you should get a lot of fun for your money. And if you plan to go racing, be sure to tell your insurers first.

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Posted 2024-08-06 18:57

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Hunter 28.5 Racer/Cruiser Sailboat - $8,995 (Wickford RI)

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• Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Best of Moscow by high speed train

By shuguley , February 15, 2014 in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

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Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.

Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?

My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

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If you are considering this on the 2015 June Baltic cruise on Voyager; my suggestion is don't. There is so much to do in St. Petersburg and although a train is one of my favorite ways to travel the time would be far better spent in St. P.

Thanks for the advice. Yes, this would be on the Voyager during the 2015 season but not yet sure exactly which cruise.

We did the Moscow excursion "on a different luxury line", but from your brief description it sounds very much like the same trip, so I will operate on that assumption. It is a VERY long day! We left the ship at 5:30 AM and returned at 12:30 AM. The highspeed train trip is comfortable, and while they call it "Business Class" it does not compare well to the equivalent class on say Rail Europe. When we did it in 2011, we did have highspeed both ways, and the trip back seemed much longer as the adrenaline and excitement had worn off!:D

Moscow itself is not that terribly different from any other big city in the world, but this Cold War kid never thought he would ever stand in Red Square, never mind walk the grounds of The Kremlin, or tour The Kremlin Palace, or see (but not visit) Lenin's Tomb, or visit The Armoury. But he did, and he loved every minute of it! Yes, it is a long day, and you barely scratch a scratch on the surface, but it is worth it. There is a tremendous amount to see in St. Petersburg, but every Baltic cruise goes to St. Petersburg, so you can go back if you choose to. Not every cruiseline offers you the chance to see Moscow.

I have not personally done this tour, but our last time in St Petersburg, the private guide that we hired for a day was leading the regent tour to Moscow on the high speed train the next day. He said it was way better than the previous alternative, which was flying to Moscow and back. He said that you actually got to Moscow faster because you didn't have to deal with airline checkin etc. it did seem like a very long day to me, and there is so much to see and do in st. Petersburg that I didn't consider doing it.

countflorida

We toured to Moscow from St. Petersburg via the hi-speed SAPSAN train last September, from a Baltic cruise on the Oceania Marina. You need to have a two-night, three day port call in St. Petersburg to take this tour because the tour typically leaves the ship around 5:00 - 5:30 AM and doesn't return until after midnight the next day. We didn't take the ship's tour; we made private arrangements with TravelAllRussia for three days of touring, the first and third days in St. Petersburg and the second day the tour to Moscow by train. Our cost for the private tour for three days was about the same as what the ship charged for the excursion to Moscow alone. There are a number of private tour agencies that operate in St. Petersburg and offer the Moscow train tours; we would strongly recommend them over the ship's tours.

All three days had private guides with car and driver. The second day, the driver picked us up at the ship and took us to the train, but we were alone on the train, and met in Moscow by the guide on the station platform. After our tour and dinner, we were brought back to the train and after the return train trip met by the driver and taken back to the ship. Because you are alone on the train you must have your own Russian visas.

If this is your first visit to St. Petersburg, I would agree there is much more to see there. We found Moscow somewhat a disappointment, particularly Red Square. The Kremlin and the cathedral in Red Square were also worth seeing. But the best thing we saw was the Moscow subway! I worked for the Washington Metro system back in the 1980s as it grew from 40 to 80 miles and although I was in the computer area, I learned a lot about the challenges of running a subway system. We used the Moscow system to get across the city from where we had dinner to the train station, and I was amazed at the cleanliness', speed of operation, the short headways maintained, and the courtesy of everyone involved. A very impressive experience!

We had been to St. Petersburg before, and so had the time to take a day and go to Moscow. Also, I really like trains, and the SAPSAN is a German train set running on Russian rails. Seats are like first class domestic air, spacious but not too plush or comfortable, but with enough room. Not too much recline, and almost 8 hours on the train in two shots is a lot for an old man. They come through and sell drinks, candy, etc. but the sellers don't speak English and no one around us helped, so we had just poor coffee once coming, and brought stuff with us for the trip back. Not too much to see from the train either, particularly on the return when it is night the whole way.

If you decide to go, take a private tour and avoid the overly expensive ship's tour. I'm glad we did it, but wouldn't bother to repeat the tour; we've seen Moscow.

Thanks so much to all of you for the thorough and thought insight. Yhe information you have provided is most helpful.

countflorida: Your detailed post is very helpful. We are not quite ready for a Baltic cruise but should do so within a year. Time enough to do our pre travel research, bookings and visa gathering.:) Thank you!

Emperor Norton

Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.   Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?   My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

I did this on Seabourn. IMO DONT. Take Aeroflop (er Aeroflot). The train has non folding seats where you are literally knee to knee with your fellow passenger (facing each other). Further they don't believe in air conditioning. It's also the worlds slowed bullet train. I think I would have found more enjoyment wandering around the St. Petersburg and Moscow airports.

Countflorida,

This is a little off topic,, however we had planned a river cruise in Russia but decided we would rather stay on land and have booked about two weeks with Travel-All-Russia using the private guide and driver. I'm curious as to how you found them as a tour company.

The guides they provided were fine. We had a different guide each of the days in St. Petersburg, but both were flexible, pleasant, knowledgeable and spoke English very well, as did the guide in Moscow, incidentally. She was a bit aloof, distant, not too friendly, but otherwise fine. In fact, she was the one who suggested taking the Metro, which unexpectedly became one of the highlights of the Moscow excursion. If I have a complaint with AllTravelRussia, it is with their plan and its execution (more later).

I had requested emphasis on World War II (in Russia, the Great Patriotic War) sites and info. In scheduling us, they weren't careful about dates and a couple of the sites we wanted to see were scheduled on the third day, after we'd been to Moscow. But both sites were closed that day of the week, and that info was readily available, right on web sites describing them. Also, the included meals (lunches in St. Pete, dinner in Moscow) were not what we asked for: light meals with some choices, so we could avoid things we didn't like and choose things we did like. My request was ignored; we were given full Russian meals with a fixed menu, no choice. On the first day, a fish dish was the entre, but I am allergic to fish. Fortunately, I had the e-mail I'd sent with me and showed it to the guide, and she was able to change my entre to chicken, which was very good actually. But we didn't want a 3-4 course lunches or dinner (in Moscow). We had the guide drop the lunch the third day, although we never got any credit or refund. But, particularly in contrast to the ship's tours, the prices were so reasonable we didn't worry too much about it.

The people who were on the ship's tour to Moscow saw us boarding the same train for which they were forced to queue up and wait on the way back, and asked us what we had done. I was candid and open so they were not happy when I explained what we had arranged and particularly what it had cost. Also, when we returned to the ship, we found they had laid on a late supper for those who had gone to Moscow, so up we went and had something. Well, it turns out the late supper was supposed to be just for those on the ship's tour, but we and others on 'independent' tours, there were a dozen or more of us, crashed the party, actually got there first, and they didn't realize it until the larger group arrived and there weren't enough tables/places set. By that time, the 'independents' had all gotten served and were eating; what could they do?

A couple from the larger group sat down with us and asked us about our tour, and they were the ones I told about our arrangement and its cost. They turned to others who’d been with them and announced the details, loudly enough so the whole room heard, which started a lot of bitching and complaining. I gathered they weren't very happy with the ship's tour to begin with, and this was the straw that broke the camel's back. We finished up and beat it out of there, but overheard later that one of the excursion staff came to check on something and ran into a real mess. I caught a cold on the trip, which forced me to bed the second day following in Tallinn, so by the time we reappeared we heard about the contretemps' but apparently no one recalled who started it, thankfully.

Because of what happened to us, I would probably not use AllTravelRussia if I were to go again, or if I did, I would be sure to get confirmation of every detail of the tour. They do have good reviews generally, and we were certainly helped by their visa department and liked the guides and drivers. Their weakness, I say now with full 20:20 hindsight, is that once the sales person who plans the tour, sells it to you and collects your money, he (or she) transfers the plan to their Russia office for implementation; there is no follow-up to make sure it gets done right. And that is where our problems arose; we paid for a custom tour but got a standard package with a few destinations switched, and no one checked them out, even to see when they were open the day we were scheduled to go. If you check every detail that’s important to you, it should be OK, but that’s a hell of a way to have to do business, in my opinion.

Thank you for the 20/20 hindsight observation on your Russian tour operator, and better priced than the ship's excursion cost.

Thanks very much for the feedback.

We had the same experience as you so far as price. We originally booked a Viking Cruise but, hearing some things about the river cruises that made us unhappy, looked into other options. T-A-R cost the same or less than a cruise and had us in hotels for 11 days. We opted for the private tour. They have three tour levels, based on hotels. We originally opted for the four star as it did not cost much more than the three star hotels. Finally we decided to throw it all in and upgraded to five star. In Moscow we will be at the newly opened Kempinsky which is two blocks from Red Square. In St. Petersburg it is the Grand Hotel Europe, one of the most vaunted luxury hotels in Russia. Location is important for us as the tours use up only part of the day so being in the center of everything for our independent touring is important. As with many other cities, the less you pay, the farther out of the center of town you are.

We have been working with our salesman in D.C. and he seems to get back to us with the changes we want. He recently returned from Russia so is up on everything. When I asked they said they paid the full TA commission if I wanted so I got my usual TA on board so he is watching our back and giving us that extra level of comfort. He also set up our air, which I know pays him little or nothing, and got us business class for much less than T-A-R wanted for economy, though it took working for a while with a consolidator. He's happy to get his 10 percent on this trip without having booked it. He also took care of the trip insurance. We've been doing a lot of research on the CC sister site Trip Advisor and will write a report there. We will, I guess, become a source of info for CC members after having spent 5 days in Moscow and 6 in SP.

• 4 months later...

scubacruiserx2

Anybody considering a day trip to Moscow from St. Petersburg on the Sapsan may want to look at our travelogue filled with pictures.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1927687

Very informative. Thanks dor sharing. Jeff

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