THE new go-anywhere Garcia Explocat 52 offers an enticing combination of space, pace and rugged construction. Rupert Holmes tested the new boat for Yachting World and felt it’s clear she has the potential to make easy 250 mile days in the right conditions.
In recent years there have been two clear trends in serious long-term cruising yachts. Firstly catamarans have become mainstream, to the extent that professional racing sailors talk of ‘buying a catamaran’ for cruising with their families – a monohull doesn’t even enter the equation.
This trend can also be seen in ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) entries, where multihulls are increasingly common. In 2020 they accounted for 28% of the total fleet and a much higher proportion of new boats and more recent designs.
The second trend is the rapidly growing popularity of rugged metal expedition yachts. Aluminium is favoured for this as it offers good strength
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