The Solara brand was introduced by Fluid Motion nearly a decade ago and has proven to be a real hit with America’s performance cruiser aficionados. Built in the U.S. by the builder of Ranger Tugs and Cutwater Boats, the Solara style is that of a classic American sport cruiser. The B in its name stands for the flybridge, a feature seldom seen on boats that are only 31-feet long. The builder likes to emphasize that the 310 SB is a multi-purpose boat. It can take you offshore for sport fishing, it can run the family to the beach for an…

Next week in Newport Rhode Island, cruising enthusiasts from all over the Northeast will make their annual pilgrimage to the ity by the Sea to attend the Newport International Boat Show. The show has grown in size and importance over the last decade and is now the place for many boat builders to debut their newest models. Here’s a look at nine new cruisers and trawlers that are having their debutant parties in Newport next week: Hunt 56 by DiMillo’s The new Hunt 56 marks the first model introduced under Hunt Yachts by DiMillo’s, pairing the legendary Ray Hunt Deep-V…

You have to hand it to the brand managers and designers at Jeanneau for constantly thinking outside the box. If fact, it seems at times that they don’t  know there is a box. The Sea Loft 480 proves the point. And it is informative that in the description of the boat on the Jeanneau website and brochure the concept of “cooking’ is an oft repeated theme. Sure, we all cook when we cruise, but they seem to be inferring that what’s going on here is instead cruising while actually cooking. And why not, the new design was created for families…

The new 800 from the Italian builder Ferretti carries the company’s unmistakable DNA – that unique Italian blend of style and power. At 80 feet, the hull is of a size that carries its lines including the flybridge sweetly and without any jarring visual angles.  The actual flybridge is almost invisible from off the boat. Like this generation of Ferretti yachts, the 800 has been dedicated to outdoor living at its best.  On the fore deck, the designers have included a spacious sunning area with wide sunbeds. Plus, there is a lounge and a dining table that will seat five…

This is a first for Cruising Odyssey. We have never reviewed a boat from the Finnish builder Grandezza even though they have been building boats for a generation and have dealers around the world. Simply put, they do not show boats at American shows and do not have an American distributor. So here we go. The newest boat in their line of sport cruisers from 25 to 37 feet is the 34 Outboard. This is the same hull used in the 34 inboard but by moving the propulsion aft useful interior spaces have been opened up. Built on Finland’s west…