Atlantic City, NJ: SAIL Magazine's 4th annual Top 10 Sailboat Awards, sponsored by Interlux Yacht Paints for 2003, were announced at the sailing industry awards reception held in Atlantic City during Atlantic Sail Expo on January 9th. Winners were chosen from a field of 37 new boats, introduced into the American marketplace in 2002, by five expert judges in combination with over 4000 SAIL magazine reader votes. SAIL's Top 10 for 2003 are (in alphabetical order) the Bavaria 32, the Beneteau 423, the Hallberg-Rassy 43, the Island Spirit 40, the J/109, the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 35, the Malö 41, the Najad 460, the Sabre 426, and the Ultimate 24. SAIL views this annual new boat-testing as an essential service to its readers to help them evaluate all the boats available in the market as they are looking to buy.

In addition to the Top 10 selections, this year the judges included a "Best of the Rest" group in order to recognize a specific feature, design or construction technique that was particularly innovative and/or well-executed. These boats/features included the Island Packet 485's nav station, the ETAP 32 vertical steering system, the PDQ 42 Antares' electrical system, the Hunter Xcite's construction, the Catalina 350's smart and well-executed accommodation plan, and the Swan 45's efficient and elegant deck plan.

The judges use an objective 24-page test booklet, and their evaluations were combined with SAIL reader ballot votes to determine the winners. Judges this year were boat systems expert Nigel Calder, bluewater cruiser and SAIL senior editor Charlie Doane, veteran boat tester Tom Dove, SAIL technical consultant and naval architect Jay Paris, and SAIL new boats editor, Bill Springer. After extensive test-sailing, critique, and analysis of the new boats, the judges made their decisions regarding which boats best fulfilled their manufacturers' stated purpose. Criteria of the judges included: performance under sail, handling under power, safety and comfort on deck and below, livability, engine and systems installation and access, construction quality, aesthetics, and value for money. Full details on each winning boat are in SAIL's February 2003 issue, but some of the reasons for selecting each of this year's crop of Top 10 boats follow.

According to the judges, the Bavaria 32 is a "comfortable, attractive, smooth-handling coastal cruiser with a reasonable price tag" ($95,200, FOB Annapolis, MD). "We chose it because it has a sweet helm, clean lines, comfortable accommodations, and reasonable systems, all of which make it an enticing package." It also has "details such as a good-size chart table and a proper wet locker, ...features that are often missing on larger boats" says Jay Paris.

The Beneteau 423 was described by the judges as a "spacious 42-footer that sails well, has comfortable accommodations, sufficient systems, and is equipped with a long list of standard features (many of which are options on other boats) at a price ($164,300, FOB Charleston, SC) that makes it an excellent value." Springer goes on to say, "Beneteau has done a nice job providing cruiser comforts and decent sailing performance without driving the price through the roof."

One of 3 new Swedish boats, the Hallberg-Rassy 43, is designed by German Frers. Described by the manufacturer as a "fast, bluewater cruising boat," Doane says it has, "a favorable exchange rate, sturdy construction and quality craftsmanship (that) make the Hallberg-Rassy a very attractive offshore cruiser." Other judges comments include "hull and deck construction meet the high standards we have come to expect from Hallberg-Rassy, as does the excellent mahogany joinery down below." The price is $350,000 (FOB Sweden).

The Island Spirit 40 is designed and built in South Africa and sold by Trade Wind Yachts in Gloucester, VA. The manufacturer describes it as a "gracious and spacious cruising catamaran" and Springer says, "this is a straightforward offshore boat that is as suited to cross oceans as it is to island-hop in the Caribbean." Its price is $262,045 (FOB, Annapolis, MD).

J Boats has come up with yet another winning design in the J/109. Springer states "the J/109 (LOA 35' 3") is fun and easy to sail, comfortable down below and achieves its purpose beautifully," which according to the manufacturer is, "to combine sailing performance and live-aboard comfort in a boat that can be easily managed by one or two people." In fact, the judges felt that "the J/109 is more than a high-performance boat with cruiser-friendly add-ons; it's a well-conceived, well-executed dual-purpose boat that comes close to being all things to all sailors. Its price is $159,900 (FOB Warren, RI).

The Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 35, "the latest addition to its long-lived Sun Odyssey line, drawn by Marc Lombard and Eric Levet, demonstrates clearly that Jeanneau has not lost its identity since being acquired by ex-rival Beneteau," according to Springer and Doane. Calder describes it as "an extremely maneuverable boat with a nice ambience down below and better than average systems installations." Jeanneau sees it as a "reasonably sized cruising boat with better than average performance and a reasonable price." It sells for $99,900 (FOB Annapolis, MD).

The Swedish-built Malö 41 is "an easily driven yacht with a practical and pleasing interior" according to the manufacturer, and SAIL's judges say it has a "strong, no-nonsense construction combined with lush interior mahogany joinery work as well as a few unique twists. For example, the distinctive traveler arch over the cockpit, long a Malö trademark...works very well and its height can be specified by the owner." The U.S. agent is Discovery Yachts of Seattle Washington and the price is $350,000 (FOB Annapolis, MD).

The Najad 460 is another Sweedish-built Judel Vrolijk boat designed to be a "seakindly bluewater cruiser that combines relaxed cruising with top-notch performance." Judges were especially impressed with high quality hull and deck construction along with gorgeous interior joinery work, and they loved the feel of the helm. "This offshore passagemaker is solid, responsive, and fast- an excellent combination" says Springer. The price is $474,000 (FOB Sweden).

Judges concurred that "over the past 10 years, Sabre has introduced a line of medium-displacement performance-oriented cruising boats ranging in size from 36 to 45 feet, all designed by Jim Taylor, that have been exceptionally well executed. Sabre and Taylor have again done a superb job of balancing performance, live-aboard comfort, and quality construction in a single package." Calder says, "with its supple helm, quality construction and systems, and beautiful interior, the Sabre 426 is a class act." It costs $310,000 (FOB South Casco, Maine).

The Ultimate 24 designed by Jim Antrim is positioned as "a high-quality sportboat that's both fast and easy to sail," and the judges found this to be true. They said it "has innovative, well-executed features, achieves the difficult task of combining ease of handling and stability with sportboat performance, and is a gas to sail." Further commentary explains that "the Ultimate 24 represents the evolution from the old-fashioned 24-foot keelboat to a modern, easy-to-trailer performance keelboat that could very well energize new sailors as well as veteran racers." The price tag on the Ultimate 24 is $41,995 (FOB La Selva Beach, CA).

See the February issue of SAIL magazine.