Plenty of sporty forty-something-footers already exist, such as the Firset’s imagine that you’re looking for a fast cruiser with racing potential – something between 9.1 and 12m (30 and 40ft). Where do you start? With the Bénéteau First range, perhaps, or Jeanneau’s Sun Fasts? Or would you prefer an Elan, a Maxi, a Dehler, the new Dufour 34 or one of the Hanses?

Quick though they are, it’s probably true to say that boats from none of these builders are generally considered to stand comparison with the Najads or Hallberg-Rassys of this world when it comes to quality of finish or attention to detail. And therein lies a dilemma for some: you can go fast and have a chance to bring home the silverware, or you can have a lovingly hand-crafted boat. But not both.

Or can you? Go up a size or two, and it becomes easier – if you have the cash. The Grand Soleils, Baltics and Swans, for example, are widely perceived as the gentleman’s racers: perfect for those who want to thrash around the race course (preferably in Antibes or Antigua) during the day, and entertain their guests in opulent surroundings after sunset.

Now many Bénéteau owners may well proclaim that their boats are very nicely finished, thank you, and those who own Najads will point out that they have been known to win the odd race. Nonetheless, your choice of classily appointed sporty cruiser/racers below 12m (40ft) is limited.

The boats that are probably best known in this category are the X-Yachts range from Denmark. Their 332 is among the most successful boats of her size in IRC competition, boasting a full racing calendar including national and area championships and her own start in Cowes Week. Moreover, she’s roomy, well finished, nicely put together and widely cruised. It’s not a cheap way of doing things, to be sure, but X-Yachts have made it work and proved that there is a market for boats like this.

Working along similar lines in many ways is another Scandinavian yard that’s less well-known to British sailors. Finngulf is a name that has been around since the early 1980s and, until recently, was associated with the long, slim style of fast cruiser typically found in the Baltic. The Hanse 331, which was discontinued a few years ago, was the old Finngulf 33.

Things have now changed at the Finngulf yard. While some of the old-generation slim Finns designed by the Swede Håken Södergren are still available, they’re no longer promoted. Instead, the past few years have seen the launch of a new range from Finland’s only full-time independent yacht designer, Karl-Johan Stråhlmann.

The 28 arrived first, four years ago, and was promptly awarded the title Sailboat of the Year in the under-30ft category by one of Germany’s leading yachting magazines. She was followed by the 41, 33 and 46, while this summer saw the launch of the 37.

All are thoroughly modern-looking sports cruisers with short ends, fine entries, wide sterns, bulbed keels and tall fractional rigs. But they don’t have the plumb bows and towering topsides of many of their contemporaries. With their modest freeboard, slight sheer and gently-raked stems, they’re attractive boats whose appearance hints at speedy sailing and good manners. I sailed both boats on breezy days in Finland to find out whether they lived up to their promise.

The first Finngulf 37 had been launched only three days before I stepped aboard, and she wasted no time in proving herself to be an impressively fast boat. During the Finnboat floating show for the world’s yachting press, attended by most Finnish builders of sailing yachts, she quickly took the lead on the daily test legs and, more often than not, showed both of the 40-footers at the event a clean pair of heels.

The fact that the designer, who’s also a keen racing sailor, was on board and flying the genniker at every opportunity might have had something to do with it. Karl-Johan Stråhlmann was as keen as everyone else to see how his new creation went. And after three days of sailing in winds that nudged 30 knots at times, he declared himself happy with the performance.

He explained that he wanted a fast hull and had made no concessions to the IMS rule, such as internal ballast to reduce stability. All the ballast is in the lead keel (the deeper, 2m/6ft 7in version was on the prototype), which is bolted directly to the hull and whose loads are distributed internally by a substantial moulded grid. The coastal waters of Finland are littered with rocks – not all of them marked – so Finnish designers and builders need to make sure their boats can withstand the occasional impact. A fast boat is only fast if it’s afloat.

Like many of her compatriots, the 37 is built with a balsa-cored hull and powered by a saildrive engine. While some people prefer shaft-driving engines and solid layups, Scandinavian boatbuilders have used cored laminates and saildrives for years. Divinycell can be specified instead of balsa if you want maximum stiffness with minimum weight for racing.

Builder:
Finngulf Yachts Oy,
PO Box 16,
Inkoo,
Finland.

Tel: +358 9 2211 703
Fax: +358 9 2211 793
Email: sales@finngulf.com
Website: www.finngulf.com