Winner: J\/Boats, J\/45<\/h3>\n\n\n\n \n\n\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t![\"J\/45\"](\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/JBoats-J45-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n \n J\/45<\/span>\n Jon Whittle<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\nThe Johnstone family business has certainly evolved in the 45 years since the company launched with the J\/24, but the common denominator in the boats it has built since then is pretty straightforward: They\u2019re all terrific sailing craft. Over time, J\/Boats pivoted from one-design classes to ocean racers and full-fledged cruisers, and all that experience has culminated with this sleek, slick, dual-purpose 45-footer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs expected, this boat sailed beautifully,\u201d judge Ed Sherman says. \u201cIts 75 hp Volvo Penta saildrive gave us ample speed when motoring, and was quiet too. I see this boat as an answer to the hardcore racer who wants to scale back a bit and enjoy cruising with the family in comfort while not sacrificing the performance they\u2019re used to.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fellow judge Mark Pillsbury explains what put the boat over the top in his mind: \u201cDuring Boat of the Year sea trials, we\u2019re usually accompanied by builders or dealers who tell us what a boat\u2019s intended to do, and we\u2019re left to determine how successfully they hit the mark. In the case of the new J\/45<\/a>, we got to hear directly from an owner himself, who wanted a boat that he could seriously race with his mates, and then take his family of four young daughters off cruising. After a summer of doing both, the verdict was in: He loved his new J\/45. And after our sail, so did we. \u2018Rides like it\u2019s on rails,\u2019 I jotted in my notes. \u2018Very smooth.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nFinalist: Beneteau, Beneteau First 36<\/h3>\n\n\n\n \n\n\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t![\"Beneteau](\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Beneteau_36-00442-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n \n Beneteau First 36<\/span>\n Jon Whittle<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\nThe French builder\u2019s First line of boats has always been performance-oriented (as opposed to its Oceanis line of dedicated cruisers), and the company has upped the ante since obtaining the Seascape brand and incorporating it into Groupe Beneteau. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI reckon First 36 owners are going to be racing more than cruising,\u201d says judge Herb McCormick, who led the charge to give the boat \u201cspecial recognition”<\/a>. \u201cIt will excel in both club races and doublehanded events, which are becoming more and more popular. But this boat can do both well. It gives you so many options.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\nSherman concurs: \u201cAnother boat offering the racing enthusiast a genuinely viable cruising option. Simple but solid construction and finished to a high standard, this model represented to me what a modern racer\/cruiser should be. Equipped with a 30 hp saildrive, it motored along nicely at 8 knots, and this was on a day when we had lots of wave action and over 20 knots of wind at times. This Slovenian-built Beneteau was also a joy to sail.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finalist: L30 Class, L30<\/h3>\n\n\n\n \n\n\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t![\"L30](\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/L30-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n \n L30<\/span>\n Jon Whittle<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\nOur judges were highly impressed with this sweet little trailerable sailboat, which was developed by Ukraine\u2019s most famous sailor, Olympic sailing medalist Rodion Luka, and which is still being produced in the country despite the ongoing conflict. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our sea trial, in a stiff 20-plus-knot southerly, was easily one of our week\u2019s wildest. Here\u2019s Pillsbury\u2019s take: \u201cThe L30 is an interesting boat with just enough interior accommodations for short cruises or overnights en route to a regatta and back. The boat we sailed was set up for racing, meaning lot of lines to tug to adjust sails. But its retractable keel, cassette rudders and mast stepped on a tabernacle make trailer sailing a definite possibility.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finalist: Lyman-Morse Boatbuilding Inc., Lyman-Morse LM46<\/h3>\n\n\n\n \n\n\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t![\"LM46\"](\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Lyman_Morris-02335-1-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n \n Lyman-Morse LM46<\/span>\n Jon Whittle<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\nOur Domestic Boat of the Year is a showstopper on multiple levels, a boat built by the midcoast Maine company that produced the beautiful Seguin line back in the day, of which the LM46<\/a> is a worthy successor.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nSherman peels back the technical layers: \u201cMastervolt lithium battery power and a 120-amp, high-output, main-engine-driven alternator eliminate the need for an onboard air-conditioning generator. Further enhancing this concept, the engine is connected to a Centek muffler system so that when the engine is running to recharge the batteries, things stay quiet. Our engine motoring tests confirmed this with speeds at over 8 knots with noise decibel levels in the low 70- to 74-decibel range on a 20-knot windy day that generated a lot of ambient noise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finalist: X-Yachts, X-Yachts X43<\/sup><\/h3>\n\n\n\n \n\n\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t![\"X43\"](\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/XYachts-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n \n X-Yachts X43<\/sup><\/span>\n Jon Whittle<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n The Johnstone family business has certainly evolved in the 45 years since the company launched with the J\/24, but the common denominator in the boats it has built since then is pretty straightforward: They\u2019re all terrific sailing craft. Over time, J\/Boats pivoted from one-design classes to ocean racers and full-fledged cruisers, and all that experience has culminated with this sleek, slick, dual-purpose 45-footer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs expected, this boat sailed beautifully,\u201d judge Ed Sherman says. \u201cIts 75 hp Volvo Penta saildrive gave us ample speed when motoring, and was quiet too. I see this boat as an answer to the hardcore racer who wants to scale back a bit and enjoy cruising with the family in comfort while not sacrificing the performance they\u2019re used to.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fellow judge Mark Pillsbury explains what put the boat over the top in his mind: \u201cDuring Boat of the Year sea trials, we\u2019re usually accompanied by builders or dealers who tell us what a boat\u2019s intended to do, and we\u2019re left to determine how successfully they hit the mark. In the case of the new J\/45<\/a>, we got to hear directly from an owner himself, who wanted a boat that he could seriously race with his mates, and then take his family of four young daughters off cruising. After a summer of doing both, the verdict was in: He loved his new J\/45. And after our sail, so did we. \u2018Rides like it\u2019s on rails,\u2019 I jotted in my notes. \u2018Very smooth.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The French builder\u2019s First line of boats has always been performance-oriented (as opposed to its Oceanis line of dedicated cruisers), and the company has upped the ante since obtaining the Seascape brand and incorporating it into Groupe Beneteau. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI reckon First 36 owners are going to be racing more than cruising,\u201d says judge Herb McCormick, who led the charge to give the boat \u201cspecial recognition”<\/a>. \u201cIt will excel in both club races and doublehanded events, which are becoming more and more popular. But this boat can do both well. It gives you so many options.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sherman concurs: \u201cAnother boat offering the racing enthusiast a genuinely viable cruising option. Simple but solid construction and finished to a high standard, this model represented to me what a modern racer\/cruiser should be. Equipped with a 30 hp saildrive, it motored along nicely at 8 knots, and this was on a day when we had lots of wave action and over 20 knots of wind at times. This Slovenian-built Beneteau was also a joy to sail.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our judges were highly impressed with this sweet little trailerable sailboat, which was developed by Ukraine\u2019s most famous sailor, Olympic sailing medalist Rodion Luka, and which is still being produced in the country despite the ongoing conflict. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Our sea trial, in a stiff 20-plus-knot southerly, was easily one of our week\u2019s wildest. Here\u2019s Pillsbury\u2019s take: \u201cThe L30 is an interesting boat with just enough interior accommodations for short cruises or overnights en route to a regatta and back. The boat we sailed was set up for racing, meaning lot of lines to tug to adjust sails. But its retractable keel, cassette rudders and mast stepped on a tabernacle make trailer sailing a definite possibility.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our Domestic Boat of the Year is a showstopper on multiple levels, a boat built by the midcoast Maine company that produced the beautiful Seguin line back in the day, of which the LM46<\/a> is a worthy successor.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sherman peels back the technical layers: \u201cMastervolt lithium battery power and a 120-amp, high-output, main-engine-driven alternator eliminate the need for an onboard air-conditioning generator. Further enhancing this concept, the engine is connected to a Centek muffler system so that when the engine is running to recharge the batteries, things stay quiet. Our engine motoring tests confirmed this with speeds at over 8 knots with noise decibel levels in the low 70- to 74-decibel range on a 20-knot windy day that generated a lot of ambient noise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nFinalist: Beneteau, Beneteau First 36<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n Finalist: L30 Class, L30<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n Finalist: Lyman-Morse Boatbuilding Inc., Lyman-Morse LM46<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n Finalist: X-Yachts, X-Yachts X43<\/sup><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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