8 Great New Sailboats for 2022
Fall boat shows highlight the latest launches, and there’s much to see if you’re contemplating purchasing a new sailboat. Whether monohull, catamaran or trimaran, exciting new designs are landing on US shores from Europe and South Africa. Here’s a preview of what you’ll be seeing on the water soon – maybe even in peer-to-peer rental programs like Boatsetter.
- Beneteau Oceanis 34.1
- Dufour 37
- Hanse 460
- Balance Catamarans 442
- Nautitech 44 Open
- Fountaine Pajot Tanna 47
- Lagoon 55
- Neel 43
Already Own a Sailboat? Earn an Average of $20K by Renting it Out on Boatsetter
1. Beneteau Oceanis 34.1
Beneteau’s Oceanis 34.1 shed 2,000 pounds and a few inches on the beam over her predecessor and added 29% more sail area for better performance in light air. There are three keel options, including a hydraulically lifting keel (4’ 1” – 8’ 4” with no bulb) that will deliver good performance. Outfitting is versatile with three levels of sail packages available, including the highest “Upwind/Downwind” option that includes a Code 0, extra winches and jammers, and a bowsprit. Now you can really get this little demon going.
- Estimated MSRP:$188,000
2. Dufour 37
The Dufour 37 borrows many features from her bigger sibling, the Dufour 470, including the bowsprit, large hatches, and a fantastic deck layout. This model also has an all new hull with a greater power/weight ratio and a taller mast for an increased sail area and better performance. Like her predecessor, the Dufour 360, the 37 has a single rudder, so she’s lively and responsive, but she still sports twin wheels for a friendlier cockpit layout. Her LOA is below 37 feet, but you’d never know it in how she feels on deck or below or in how she sails.
- Estimated MSRP:$275,000
Visit Dout Yachts to Learn More
3. Hanse 460
The Hanse 460 looks like a speed demon and sails like a witch, but she’s quite a comfortable family cruiser. With accommodations for up to 10 in five cabins, the 460 will perfectly fit private ownership and charter. A self-tacking jib simplifies short-handed sailing, but her 1,227 square feet of sail and a slippery hull designed by Berret-Racoupeau will make her a contender in club competitions. Best of all, her beam and integrated hardtop provide protection from the elements and make her feel almost like a catamaran.
- Estimated MSRP:$284,000
Visit Hanse Yachts to Learn More
4. Balance Catamarans 442
The 442 is Balance Catamarans’ latest answer to a performance multihull designed to carry a good turn of speed on all points of sail, including upwind with the foiled daggerboards. A self-tacking rig and 1,205 square feet of sail area guarantee easy sailing with good light wind performance. Rumor has it that 30 orders were taken before the first unit was out of the factory, so there’s much buzz around this new model from South Africa. The VersaHelm is the star feature where you can drive from up high or down low where it’s warm and dry.
- Estimated MSRP:$820,000
Visit Balance Catamarans to Learn More
5. Nautitech 44 Open
Naval architect Marc Lombard teamed with designer Christophe Chedal Anglay to create the new Nautitech 44 Open cat and it’s one good-looking boat. The bows are curved and slightly reversed, there are dual chines on the hulls, the windows are angular, and the coachroof is low, sleek, and angled upward in the aft sections, an effect that adds the perception of movement even at rest. Able to sail 9-10 knots in 15-20 knots of true wind, this bluewater cat will keep owners happy around the harbor or around the globe.
- Estimated MSRP:$622,000
Visit Nautitech Catamarans to Learn More
6. Fountaine Pajot Tanna 47
A truly spacious cat, the Tanna 47 is all about the room, from the large cabins to the inviting main deck and up to the enhanced flybridge. The new design is made for large groups, and she’s bound to be a hit in the charter, especially with her large solar panel array that will keep all the toys and refrigeration humming. Cabin arrangements are flexible, from an owner’s version with a sumptuous suite to a five-cabin layout that will easily accommodate ten guests.
- Estimated MSRP:$1,051,000
Visit Fountaine Catamarans to Learn More
7. Lagoon 55
With the new Lagoon 55 (the last 55 was launched 35 years ago), naval architects VPLP (the same one used for the original 55) teamed with designer Patrick Le Quément to dial in a good-looking boat with lots of amenities and lounge areas. This model replaces the popular Lagoon 52, and she’s all about big boat entertaining from the flybridge to the foredeck. Up to 12 can be seated for dinner, and the entire cockpit is designed to encourage relaxing and watching the world in your wake.
- Estimated MSRP:$2,500,000
Visit Lagoon Boats to Learn More
8. Neel 43
When even two hulls aren’t enough, consider a trimaran like the swanky Neel 43. This French builder has turned the concept of cruising trimarans on its ear with a spacious multihull that reels off the miles since it’s 6,000 pounds lighter than most cats of the same length. She’ll sail 10 knots in a 14-knot breeze with a lower wetted surface area, especially when the windward ama lifts clear of the waves. Accommodations include three cabins, a single head, and the option to upgrade to a 48-volt power system with lithium batteries and an Integral alternator that eliminates the need for a traditional generator.
- Estimated MSRP:$398,000
Visit Neel Trimarans to Learn More
Sharing Sails
To help offset the purchase price and ongoing costs of premium sailboats such as these, some owners are opting to charter their boats via outfits like Boatsetter, which can make ownership much more manageable. New boats are selling fast, so find your dream cruiser and then share the sailing with family, friends, and guests.
Zuzana Prochazka is an award-winning freelance journalist and photographer with regular contributions to more than a dozen sailing and powerboating magazines and online publications including Southern Boating, SEA, Latitudes & Attitudes and SAIL. She is SAIL magazines Charter Editor and the Executive Director of Boating Writers International. Zuzana serves as judge for SAIL’s Best Boats awards and for Europe’s Best of Boats in Berlin.
A USCG 100 Ton Master, Zuzana founded and manages a flotilla charter organization called Zescapes that takes guests adventure sailing at destinations worldwide.
Zuzana has lived in Europe, Africa and the United States and has traveled extensively in South America, the islands of the South Pacific and Mexico.
