The ability to sail faster and more efficiently can also be safer and more satisfying. Peter K Poland explains...
Peter Poland
Best used Beneteau sailboats to buy right now!
Stylish and built in quantity, Beneteau yachts can make great second-hand buys. Peter Poland checks out some of the most desirable models
Small boats: How leisure sailing began
The pioneers of small-boat leisure sailing had to start from scratch when designing and building early yachts – but some of those vessels are still around to offer inspiration today.
Dufour 37: ‘a fast, comfortable cruiser’
Peter Poland sails the sparkling performing and spacious Dufour 37
Hanse 348: the spacious performance cruiser
The Hanse 348 promises excellent performance under sail with ease of handling, even single-handed. Peter Poland puts it to the test
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 380: “excellent all-round sailing performance”
The 380 is one of the latest offerings in Jeanneau’s updated Sun Odyssey range. Peter Poland puts the boat through its paces
Boat hull design: how it impacts performance
Peter Poland explains how boat hull design has evolved over the years and how it affects boat handling and accommodation
Sail boat rigs: the pros and cons of each popular design
Peter Poland looks at the history of popular rig designs and how the different types affect boat performance
How sailing gear has changed over the decades
Peter Poland reflects on pulling out the lead line, lobbing a Walker log over the stern and unpacking a sextant versus modern sailing gear
Keel types and how they affect performance
Peter Poland looks at the history of keel design and how the different types affect performance
Best bilge keel yachts and twin keel yachts for drying out ashore
Back in the late 1970s, I found myself on the horns of a dilemma. For the last decade or so I’d dismissed bilge keels and twin keels as ugly and…
Pocket cruisers: the best boats between 17-20ft
Whether you’re moving on from dinghies, or downsizing to a boat that’s fun without being a financial millstone, here’s a pocket cruisers market guide
Best daysailers: All thrills, no frills with these compact craft
You can learn a lot from studying famous sailors and what they say. Take Uffa Fox, for example. As well as being a designer, confidant of Royalty and an intrepid…
Classic cruiser boats: Why GRP models are now being welcomed into the fold
Sprawled, glass in hand, in the cockpit of my friend James Stock’s beautiful Stephen Jones-designed Mystery 35, I pondered on the eclectic fleet of elegant flag-bedecked classic cruiser boats that…
Dufour 32 review: 56 years of French design went into this new cruiser
When Michel Dufour set up as a designer and builder of GRP yachts back in the 1960s, the Arpege 30 (introduced in 1966) was only his second production yacht. In…
Best British cruiser-racer boats: Our pick of the secondhand market
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…
Best boats under £50,000: Our top 10 picks from the secondhand market
Choosing the right second-hand yacht to suit your needs as the years fly by can become ever more challenging. Unlike cars that fail MOTs and finally cease to be worth…
2022 Southampton Boat Show: Insights into the sail and power market
Peter Poland discusses interesting new boats at the Southampton International Boat Show (SIBS) and the state of the sail and power market in general.
Why we swapped sail for power: 10 motorboaters explain their big switch
Many moons ago I had a premonition that Hunter Boats ought to build a classy little motorboat for customers who decide the time has come to move on from sail…
Best 30ft German boats from three brands that have rapidly risen to prominence
Having left university with a degree in modern languages, I followed the example of many of my contemporaries. I went to work in the City. Those who stuck to the…