Best Sailboats by Category

A look back at review boats that stood out in specific categories

We’re asked occasionally, “What’s the best boat you’ve ever reviewed?” Our standard answer is, “Depends on what you want to do with it.” And it’s true—the characteristics that make one boat perfect for, say, a singlehander bent on shallow-water day-sailing are unlike the virtues sought by a family looking to do extended coastal cruising. Horses for courses, as they say.

Some years back we tried to address the question when we published an article in issue #52 called, A Look Back at 10 Years and 60 Boats. In that feature we listed the 60 boats we’d so far reviewed and highlighted 12 models we thought most stood out in a positive way—a dozen boats we could make a good case for being “the best,” depending on the intended use.

Our list was diverse, to say the least, including boats as disparate as the Montgomery 15, Hirondelle catamaran, Melonseed Skiff, and the oft-maligned MacGregor 26M. But each of the boats had a certain something—either excelling in a particular category or two, or they were one of the rare boats that seemed to do a lot of different things well.

It’s true that what constitutes a “perfect boat” often changes depending on a sailor’s current boating interests, the waters being sailed—even the owner’s stage of life. What was the “perfect boat” 20 years ago might not be such a good fit anymore. Having now tested 108 different boats, we sometimes find ourselves going back and reading our own review articles on boats that, although they weren’t especially interesting to us when we first sailed them, suddenly look more appealing for one reason or another. Situations and interests change.

TOP—The Ranger 20 scores high marks for performance and practical accommodations. ABOVE—The Sage 17 impressed us immediately, moving quickly and pointing well. All photos Debra Colvin

We are also asked which boats are best for a particular purpose— which is the most comfortable for cruising? Which is most seaworthy? Which one is best built? Since we always divide our boat reviews into eight categories—Performance, Trailering and Launching, Seaworthiness, Accommodations, Quality, Compromises, Modifications, and Value—we thought it might be interesting, and maybe even informative, to highlight previously-reviewed boats that stood out favorably in each specific category. But instead of the Modifications and Compromises categories, which don’t make much sense in this context, we decided we’d add Versatility, where we can highlight designs that do several things well.

The list that follows is not conclusive in any scientific sense, but if you’re especially focused on one key virtue or design characteristic, this list might give you a head start in your own research.