It was a great pleasure to attend Annapolis Boat show 2023. This show is one of the major annual exhibitions of sailing boats in US. It is definitely worth visiting if you consider buying a new boat or just chartering in the near future.
Many European manufacturers brought their latest models of sailing boats to this exhibition. Below is the list of the short list of boats that attracted our attention most.
Dufour 41 – nominee of boat of the year 2024. Award that is well deserved. High quality materials, meticulously planned interior and exterior of the boat. Dufour 41 form 2023 significantly outperforms its main competitors of the same size in terms of space and ergonomics.
Excess 11 & 14 by Beneteau Greoupe. There are very few performance catamarans available for the bareboat charter and Excess catamarans is definitely the leader in this segment. New hull design provides even better performance but without sacrificing comfort of the crew. Saloon and cabins get lots of sunlight while fridge & freezer are roomy in the galley.
Neel 43 & 47 trimarans represent another segment in performance boats and also available for charter bareboat or crewed. Neel trimarans are all about performance, so if you crave for some adrenaline and speed that’s the right boat for you. Unfortunately, in pursuit for performance, Neel trimarans sacrifice comfort and lack of privacy in cabins. Two main double cabins on the deck are exposed to the galley, aft cabins are not that comfy, with heads under the stairs, while forepeak cabins are really hard to access and look more like lockers. Neel is the right choice if you travel with likeminded sailors but not ideal in terms of comfort.
Moon Dragon was one of the most luxury crewed catamarans presented on the boat show and available for charter in the Caribbean. This 60-foot catamaran offers 5 exquisite queen and 1 single ensuite guest cabins, large cockpit for outdoor dining and huge covered flybridge with bar. Professional crew of 3 skipper, first mate and chef will make your sailing vacation unforgettable.
