Düsseldorf Boat Show review by Chris Beeson.
Yes, Crash-Test Boat sailor Chris Beeson is back in front of the camera and reunited with Graham Snook behind it. Together, Chris and Graham have been responsible for millions of video views while working for Yachting Monthly magazine. Here, Chris looks at his pick of interesting yachts that you might not have heard of.

We love reviewing yachts for you, but it costs money and pays nothing – for the moment, at least.
If you’re enjoying the reviews, you can help us make more by supporting us.
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1:07 X-Yachts – XR41*
2:10 Heyman Yachts – Heyman 42PPH
3:03 Wauquiez – Wauquiez 55’
4:37 Saare Yachts – 42.1*
5:52 Saffier Yachts – SL46MED
6:51 Contest Yachts – Contest 63CS*
8:52 Grand Soleil – Blue
9:38 Dragonfly – 36 Performance
10:12 Swallow Yachts – Bay Cruiser 21*
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*In-depth walk-through video tours will be on this channel

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#sailing​ #sailboat​ #yacht​ #yachtingreviews #reviews #yachting​ #boat​ #sea #yachting #boating #yachts #yachtlife #dreamyacht #sailinglifestyle #boatinglife

Vaan Yachts (it’s Dutch for weather vane) was founded by Igor Kluin to address the end-of-life problem head-on. Sailing is the ultimate mode of sustainable travel and he wants to supply bluewater cruising yachts that keep their side of the bargain. This catamaran is 60% recycled aluminium, decks are PEFC-certified cork, headlinings are recycled PET, fabrics are recycled. The result? The Vaan R5 is 100% recyclable (sails excepted). It’s all electric, with batteries drip-fed by the solar panels on the cabin top and the saildrive hydro generators (with a diesel generator for back-up). The concept is clear-minded, but how does it sail? Chris Beeson finds out.
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We love reviewing yachts for you, but it costs money and pays nothing – for the moment, at least.

If you’re enjoying the reviews, you could help us make more by supporting us.
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We’d be super grateful.

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1:18 Sailing the Vaan R5
3:32 Foredeck
5:13 At the mast
5:47 Side decks
6:12 Aft deck
6:46 At the helm
7:41 V-Drive
8:59 The cockpit
10:08 The galley
11:28 Saloon
12:45 Starboard hull – Forward cabin
13:20 Starboard hull – Heads
13:35 Starboard hull – Midships
14:18 Starboard hull – Aft cabin
14:54 Port Hull – Owner’s en suite
15:30 Port Hull – Owner’s suite – Midships
16:00 Port Hull – Owner’s aft cabin
16:39 Performance
18:20 Conclusion

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LOA 14.95m (49ft 1in)
Waterline length 14.95m (49ft 1in)
Beam 7.99m (26ft 3in)
Draught 1.35/2.1m (4ft 5in/6ft 11in) standard/retractable centreboard option
Displacement 18,000kg (39,683lb)
Price (from) €1,495,000 (ex tax)

Visit https://www.vaan.yachts/ for more details
UK Dealer: https://www.fortismarine.co.uk/

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Kit worn by Chris and Graham (kindly provided by Helly Hansen)
Men’s Kos Polo https://amzn.to/4iboxhC (amazon)
Mens Ahiga Sneakers https://amzn.to/4hWEibA (amazon)
Mens Skagen Offshore https://amzn.to/42WqXf2 (amazon)

Books by Chris Beeson
The Crash Test Boat https://amzn.to/4gYZnBv (amazon)
How to survive at sea https://amzn.to/4hW6DPe (amazon)
What Now Skipper? https://amzn.to/4hCoc7n (amazon)

(These are affiliate links - you won't pay more, but Yachting Reviews will receive a tiny percentage from any sale)
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Yachting Reviews is brought to you by Mainstay Media – a collective of expert writers, editors, photographers, video producers and designers who are all market leaders in their respective fields. Mainstay Media offers comprehensive content creation services that can give your business a unique competitive advantage.
https://mainstaymedia.co.uk/



The price is correct at the time of uploading and is the base price. Price, specification and standard equipment change. The yacht shown will have options and extras. Please contact the manufacturer for a current price list.

The Hallberg-Rassy 53 is a solid, Frers-designed blue-water cruisers built by the esteemed Swedish yard between 1992 and 2006 and this hull, 67th of 88 in the popular series, was delivered in 2002. Chris Beeson was not remotely surprised to find a boat crammed with real craftsmanship and long-range, ocean-going cruising experience. But what he didn’t expect was the remarkably good condition of this 24-year-old yacht, especially below, where she wears her tens-of-thousands of passage miles very lightly.


We love reviewing yachts for you, but it costs money and pays nothing – for the moment, at least.
If you’re enjoying the reviews, you can help us make more by supporting us.
https://buymeacoffee.com/yachtingreviews

We’d be super grateful.

If you’ve any other ideas about how we can make Yachting Reviews create income while letting us say what we think about yachts, we’d love to hear from you!

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0:23 The hull
1:30 Foredeck
2:06 Side decks
3:13 Aft deck
4:00 Cockpit
5:24 Saloon
6:33 Navigation station
7:14 Saloon continued
7:31 Mid-cabin
7:54 Forward heads
8:15 Forward Cabin
8:56 Galley
9:54 Engine room
10:26 Owners aft cabin
10:58 Owner’s en suite heads
11:35 Conclusion
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Hull Length 16.44m, 53ft 11in
Waterline length, 13.35m, 43ft 10in
Beam 4.64m, 15ft 3in
Draught 2.29m, 7ft 6in
Ballast 9,000kg, 19,842lb
Displacement 23,000kg, 50,706lb
Price £325,000 (tax paid) correct when recorded (18/2/2025)

Full specifications:
https://www.michaelschmidt.co.....uk/msp-boat/boat-lis

Thanks to Inspiration Marine Group for allowing us on board for this tour https://www.inspirationmarine.co.uk

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Books by Chris Beeson
The Crash Test Boat https://amzn.to/4gYZnBv (amazon)
How to survive at sea https://amzn.to/4hW6DPe (amazon)
What Now Skipper? https://amzn.to/4hCoc7n (amazon)

(These are affiliate links - you won't pay more, but Yachting Reviews will receive a small percentage from any sale)
=-=-=

Yachting Reviews is brought to you by Mainstay Media – a collective of expert writers, editors, photographers, video producers and designers who are all market leaders in their respective fields. Mainstay Media offers comprehensive content creation services that can give your business a unique competitive advantage.
https://mainstaymedia.co.uk/
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#sailing​ #sailboat​ #yacht​ #yachtingreviews #reviews #yachting​ #boat​ #sea #yachting #boating #yachts #yachtlife #dreamyacht #sailinglifestyle #boatinglife

The Saare 41.2. Looking for a brand-new solid cruising yacht with decent performance, quality craftsmanship and high comfort levels? Then Hallberg-Rassy, Malo and Najad are probably your top-of-mind brands. Add Saare to that list.

This yard built over 200 Finngulf yachts in Estonia before going it alone. Now, under German ownership, Saare listens to all your needs and uses its experience to build a boat that suits your cruising programme exactly. It’s one reason they build just 5-6 yachts a year. Chris Beeson got on board at Boot Dusseldorf 2025.
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We love reviewing yachts for you, but it costs money and pays nothing – for the moment, at least.
If you’re enjoying the reviews, you can help us make more by supporting us.
https://buymeacoffee.com/yachtingreviews

We’d be super grateful.

If you’ve any other ideas about how we can make Yachting Reviews create income while letting us say what we think about yachts, we’d love to hear from you!
-
0:25 Foredeck
0:51 Side decks
1:14 Cockpit
2:20 Galley
3:00 Saloon
3:51 Forecabin
4:50 Heads
5:30 Aft Cabin
5:51 Navigation Station
6:15 Construction
7:10 Conclusion

LOA 12.5m, 41ft
Waterline length 11.2m, 36ft 9in
Beam 3.92m, 12ft 10in
Draught (option) 2.0m (2.6m), 7ft 3in (8ft 6in)
Ballast, 3,800kg, 8,378lb
Displacement 10,900kg, 20,503lb
Price (from) € 522,124 ex tax

The price is correct at the time of uploading and is the base price. Price, specification and standard equipment will change and the yacht shown has options and extras.
Please contact the manufacturer for a current price list.


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Yachting Reviews is brought to you by Mainstay Media – a collective of expert writers, editors, photographers, video producers and designers who are all market leaders in their respective fields. Mainstay Media offers comprehensive content creation services that can give your business a unique competitive advantage.
https://mainstaymedia.co.uk/

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#sailing​ #sailboat​ #yacht​ #yachtingreviews #reviews #yachting​ #boat​ #sea #yachting #boating #yachts #yachtlife #dreamyacht #sailinglifestyle #boatinglife

Winner of the European Yacht of the Year 2025 in the Luxury category, the Contest 63CS instantly impresses. Above deck, this 19.3m yacht has been customised for single-handed, push-button sailing with electric or hydraulic everything, all with manual back-up for contingency. Her flush foredeck and aft sea terrace promise socialising and sunbathing in equal measure, and down below there's a sophisticated, stylish interior full of bright ideas, clean sightlines and impeccable workmanship.

We love reviewing yachts for you, but it costs money and pays nothing – for the moment, at least.
If you’re enjoying the reviews, you can help us make more by supporting us.
https://buymeacoffee.com/yachtingreviews

We’d be super grateful.

If you’ve any other ideas about how we can make Yachting Reviews create income while letting us say what we think about yachts, we’d love to hear from you!

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0:15 Bow
0:56 Foredeck
1:31 Side deck
1:58 Aft deck
2:43 Helm position
3:35 Cockpit
4:06 Companionway – on-deck
4:31 Companionway – down below
5:24 Navigation station
5:57 Saloon
6:34 Crew cabin / workshop
7:07 Port guest cabin
7:23 Starboard guest cabin
7:43 Saloon – aft
8:04 Galley
8:44 Owner’s suite
9:26 Owner’s en suite heads
10:00 Conclusion
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LOA (inc bowsprit) 20.54m, 67ft 5in
Waterline length 17.85m, 58ft 7in
Beam 5.5m, 18ft 1in
Draught 2.9m, 9ft 6in
Ballast, 12,000kg, 26,456lb
Displacement 31,900kg, 70,327lb
Price on application

Find out more from Contest Yachts here: https://bit.ly/YR-Contest63

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Yachting Reviews' Chris Beeson and Graham Snook travel to Hellevoetsluis in Holland, home to the Vaan Yachts shipyard. Co-founded by serial sustainable business builder Igor Kluin and Nienke van t' Klooster, who also looks after interior styling, Vaan's mission is to lead the way to the sustainable building of entirely recyclable yachts. Igor's shocking stat is that, every year, 78,000 of Europe's 80,000 end-of-life yachts are incinerated. Vaan is committed to leading the industry to a circular model where yachts can be dismantled and the raw materials used again. Igor shows us where the dream becomes reality.

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We love reviewing yachts for you, but it costs way more than it earns — at least for the moment.

If you’re enjoying the reviews, you could help us make more by supporting us.
https://buymeacoffee.com/yachtingreviews

We’d be super grateful.

If you’ve any other ideas about how we can make Yachting Reviews create income while letting us say what we think about yachts, we’d love to hear from you!
-

Books by Chris Beeson
The Crash Test Boat https://amzn.to/4gYZnBv (amazon)
How to survive at sea https://amzn.to/4hW6DPe (amazon)
What Now Skipper? https://amzn.to/4hCoc7n (amazon)

=-=-=

Yachting Reviews is brought to you by Mainstay Media – a collective of expert writers, editors, photographers, video producers and designers who are all market leaders in their respective fields. Mainstay Media offers comprehensive content creation services that can give your business a unique competitive advantage.
https://mainstaymedia.co.uk/

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Extra footage from:
Vaan Yachts
Cemrecan Yurtman*
Kelly*
Tima Miroshnichenko*
*www.pexels.com
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#sailing​ #sailboat​ #yacht​ #yachtingreviews #reviews #yachting​ #boat​ #sea #yachting #boating #yachts #yachtlife #dreamyacht #sailinglifestyle #boatinglife

X-Yachts emphatically returns to its grand-prix racing roots with the XR41, a radical departure from the XP range that XR replaces. The yacht made its premiere at the 2025 Düsseldorf Boat Show, which is where Chris Beeson stepped on board for a walk-through tour. Discover a series of firsts for X-Yachts, the range of options between the Race and Sport settings, which elements of the interior you can remove and exactly how many hydraulic packages are available for fine-tuning on this snarling beast of a yacht.

We love reviewing yachts for you, but it costs money and pays nothing – for the moment, at least.
If you’re enjoying the reviews, you can help us make more by supporting us.
https://buymeacoffee.com/yachtingreviews

We’d be super grateful.

If you’ve any other ideas about how we can make Yachting Reviews create income while letting us say what we think about yachts, we’d love to hear from you!

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0:10 The X-Yachts range
0:41 Development of the XR41
1:14 Cockpit
2:57 Saloon
3:45 Galley
4:08 Forward cabin
4:38 Conclusion
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#sailing​ #sailboat​ #yacht​ #yachtingreviews #reviews #yachting​ #boat​ #sea #yachting #boating #yachts #yachtlife #dreamyacht #sailinglifestyle #boatinglife

This 2021 Hanse 388, spec’d up to the eyes, has a big market of potential buyers looking for family coastal cruisers capable of short offshore passages. An upgrade of the popular Hanse 385, the 388 squared up to Beneteau’s Oceanis, Jeanneau’s Sun Odyssey and Bavaria’s Cruiser ranges and brought buyers an easy-to-sail yacht with a bright interior thanks to the new deck design.

This three-double-cabin version is almost in as-new condition and offers her next owner light-filled, thoughtfully-designed and comfortable living spaces. Add to that decent performance and easy single-handed sail handling from the helm stations, leaving a largely line-free and guest-friendly cockpit, and Chris Beeson reckons you have quite a compelling package.

-
We love reviewing yachts for you, but it costs money and pays nothing – for now, at least.

If you’re enjoying our reviews, you could assist us in producing more by supporting us.
https://buymeacoffee.com/yachtingreviews

We’d be incredibly grateful.

If you have any other ideas on how we can generate income for Yachting Reviews while still expressing our genuine opinions about yachts, we’d be keen to hear from you!

-
0:26 Foredeck
0:49 Side deck
1:24 Cockpit
2:36 Galley
3:45 Navigation station
5:05 Saloon
6:12 Forward Cabin
7:08 Engine access
7:34 Heads
8:15 Aft cabin
8:58 Hull and construction
9:26 Conclusion

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LOA 11.4m (37ft 5in)
Waterline length 10.40m (34ft 1in)
Beam 3.90m (12ft 12in)
Draught 2.06m (6ft 9in)
Ballast 2,380kg 5,247 lbs
Displacement 8,270kg 18,232 lbs
Price £ 234,950 (tax paid) correct when recorded (18/2/2025)

Full brokerage listing:
https://www.michaelschmidt.co.....uk/msp-boat/boat-lis

Thanks to Inspiration Marine Group and Michael Schmidt and Partners for allowing us on board for this tour.
https://www.inspirationmarine.co.uk


=-=-=
Books by Chris Beeson
The Crash Test Boat https://amzn.to/4gYZnBv (amazon)
How to survive at sea https://amzn.to/4hW6DPe (amazon)
What Now Skipper? https://amzn.to/4hCoc7n (amazon)

(These are affiliate links - you won't pay more, but Yachting Reviews will receive a teeny, tiny percentage from any sale)
=-=-=

Yachting Reviews is brought to you by Mainstay Media – a collective of expert writers, editors, photographers, video producers and designers who are all market leaders in their respective fields. Mainstay Media offers comprehensive content creation services that can give your business a unique competitive advantage.
https://mainstaymedia.co.uk/

A quick look at the Contest 63CS, Winner of the European Yacht of the Year 2025 in the Luxury category, the Contest 63CS instantly impresses.

If you'd like to know more, we have a full walk-through boat show tour here: https://youtu.be/74b9cpVRrCc .

LOA (inc bowsprit) 20.54m, 67ft 5in
Waterline length 17.85m, 58ft 7in
Beam 5.5m, 18ft 1in
Draught 2.9m, 9ft 6in
Ballast, 12,000kg, 26,456lb
Displacement 31,900kg, 70,327lb
Price on application

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#sailing​ #sailboat​ #yacht​ #yachtingreviews #reviews #yachting​ #boat​ #sea #yachting #boating #yachts #yachtlife #dreamyacht #Sailinglifestyle #boatinglife

The Swallow Yachts Bay Cruiser 21 was the European Yacht of the Year winner in the Special Yachts category in 2025. Chris Beeson looks around this delightful trailer sailor, which was built in Cardigan Bay, Wales, by family-owned Swallow Yachts.

With a range of trailer sailors from 20-26ft (6.1-7.9m) that can be rigged and launched in less than 15 minutes, they have proved popular around Europe.

Her long cockpit is ideal for relaxing afternoon sailing or at anchor, and she has accommodation for two down below. She is a great boat for weekends away or day sailing.

We love reviewing yachts for you, but it costs money and pays nothing – for the moment, at least.
If you’re enjoying the reviews, you can help us make more by supporting us.
https://buymeacoffee.com/yachtingreviews

We’d be super grateful.

If you’ve any other ideas about how we can make Yachting Reviews create income while letting us say what we think about yachts, we’d love to hear from you!

Hull Length 6.02m, 20ft
Waterline length, 5.67 m, 18ft 7in
Beam 2.18m, 7ft 2in
Draught (board up) 1.5m (0.25m), 4ft 11in (10in)
Water ballast 400kg, 881lb
Displacement 600kg, 1,322lb
Price (from) €32,100 ex tax

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#sailing​ #sailboat​ #yacht​ #yachtingreviews #reviews #yachting​ #boat​ #sea #yachting #boating #yachts #yachtlife #dreamyacht #sailinglifestyle #boatinglife

X-Yachts emphatically returns to its grand-prix racing roots with the XR41, a radical departure from the XP range that XR replaces. The yacht made its premiere at the 2025 Düsseldorf Boat Show, which is where Chris Beeson stepped on board for a walk-through tour – available in this channel.

Discover a series of firsts for X-Yachts, the range of options between the Race and Sport settings, which elements of the interior you can remove and exactly how many hydraulic packages are available for fine-tuning on this snarling beast of a yacht.

=-=-=
#sailing​ #sailboat​ #yacht​ #yachtingreviews #reviews #yachting​ #boat​ #sea #yachting #boating #yachts #yachtlife #dreamyacht #sailinglifestyle #boatinglife

X-Yacht XC47. Billed by X-Yachts itself as ‘probably the best cruiser we have ever built’ and designed to replace the popular XC 45 and XC 50 models, the XC 47 has a lot of heavy lifting to do. After three years and three design iterations, each of which had an interior mock-up to experience the space physically, the result is impressive. It’s flooded with light, has decades of cruising know-how built-in and features some seriously innovative thinking. It just feels right. And it’s an X-Yacht, so it’s almost certainly going to sail like a dream.

We love reviewing yachts for you, but it costs money and pays nothing – for the moment, at least.
If you’re enjoying the reviews, you can help us make more by supporting us.
https://buymeacoffee.com/yachtingreviews

We’d be super grateful.

If you’ve any other ideas about how we can make Yachting Reviews create income while letting us say what we think about yachts, we’d love to hear from you!

-
0:18 Foredeck
0:46 Side deck
1:28 Cockpit
3:13 Galley
4:32 Saloon
5:31 Forward cabin
5:50 Port aft cabin
6:10 Conclusion


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LOA (inc bowsprit) 15.21m, 49ft 11in
Hull length 14.37m, 47ft 2in
Waterline length 13.17m, 43ft 2in
Beam 4.56m, 15ft
Draught (shallow) 2.3m (2m), 7ft 7in (6ft 7in)
Ballast 5,490kg, 12,103lb
Displacement 14,900kg, 32,849lb
Price (from) €812,150 ex tax




Books by Chris Beeson
The Crash Test Boat https://amzn.to/4gYZnBv (amazon)
How to survive at sea https://amzn.to/4hW6DPe (amazon)
What Now Skipper? https://amzn.to/4hCoc7n (amazon)

=-=-=

Yachting Reviews is brought to you by Mainstay Media – a collective of expert writers, editors, photographers, video producers and designers who are all market leaders in their respective fields. Mainstay Media offers comprehensive content creation services that can give your business a unique competitive advantage.
https://mainstaymedia.co.uk/



The price is correct at the time of uploading and is the base price. Price, specification and standard equipment change. The yacht shown will have options and extras. Please contact the manufacturer for a current price list.

=-=-=
#sailing​ #sailboat​ #yacht​ #yachtingreviews #reviews #yachting​ #boat​ #sea #yachting #boating #yachts #yachtlife #dreamyacht #sailinglifestyle #boatinglife