Sail - July 2018

JULY 2018

Boreal 47

A robust, go-anywhere aluminum cruiser

By Adam Cort

T

he dif erence between a racing boat and a cruising boat is usu-

ally readily apparent. Dif erentiating between dif erent grades of

cruisers, however, can be another matter: the line between those

meant to go of soundings and those better suited to staying

within VHF range of land can be blurry at best—unless you’re talking

about a boat like the Boreal 47, a boat clearly ready to not only go from

the Arctic to the Antarctic, but all points in between.

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION

h e latest design from Boreal SARL, located in France’s Brittany region,

the Boreal 47 is an evolution of the Boreal 44, with the extra 3t coming

in the form of a reverse transom incorporating a modest swim step.

Both the hull and deck are fabricated in aluminum: same with the

pilothouse, or “command module,” which incorporates a padded inside

helm seat and magnii cently large navigation surface with room for all

the electronics your heart could ever desire.

h e canoe body is carefully sculpted through the use of multiple chines

and includes a centerboard partially enclosed in a kind of thick skeg, or

shoe, which combined with a somewhat stubby rudder allows it to read-

ily take the ground. At i rst blush, said rudder might appear inadequate

to the job of controlling the boat under sail. However, the Boreal 47 also

carries a pair of daggerboards well at to help her track when sailing hard

on the wind in particular. More on these later.

h e double-spreader masthead rig includes a Sparcrat aluminum

mast and boom with stainless steel wire rigging and a pair of headsails,

both on Profurl furlers. Unlike many more “casual” cruisers, so to speak,

in which the inner forestay l ies a self-tacking utility sail, the inner stay

aboard the Boreal l ies a true staysail for use in the kinds of dirty weather

this sort of boat will inevitably encounter on its various adventures.

ON DECK

Topsides, the Boreal 47 is replete with practical details that serve to make

life easier and safer at sea: safety railings to either side of the mast for

extra security working forward; a massive lazarette beneath a kind of a

mini lounging deck immediately forward of a robust optional aluminum

arch; aggressive antislip deck coverings; sturdy welded-on mooring cleats

and double stanchions; a teak toerail running stem to stern; and even a

lip running along the trailing edge of the pilothouse that works as both a

handhold and a vent for bringing fresh air below. h e list goes on and on.

h e boat is equipped with a single large wheel, which is nice for getting

outboard so that you can peek around the house when steering hard on

the wind. h at said, the house remains a bit of an obstruction and I ot en

found myself standing when at the helm to see where I was going. Of

course, on passage an autopilot will typically be doing most of the steering.

Beyond that, the cockpit is fairly compact, refreshingly deep, and

equipped with a number of strong points for a tether and nice big drains in

the event you are boarded by a big sea. In other words, it’s the perfect cock-

pit for passagemaking and dramatically dif erent from the cockpits you

typically see at boat shows these days. h e trailing edge of the pilothouse

also extends a foot or so over the cockpit benches, creating a nice pair of

nooks to snuggle up into during a night watch or to get out of the rain.

Going forward, the welded handrails, jib tracks, headsail sheets,

shrouds, dorades and safety rails create a bit of an obstacle course—again

of ering a striking contrast to the wide-open decks commonly seen at

boat shows these days. However, there’s also plenty to grab onto when

moving about in a seaway. h e foredeck itself is both large and wonder-

fully uncluttered—it seems a shame that this is where most cruisers will

end up storing their dinghies, but there it is.

Forward of that, there is a suitably large sail locker and a sturdy alu-

minum sprit that serves as both an anchor roller and attachment point

NEW BOATS

DOUBLE HEADSAILS

PILOTHOUSE

ALUMINUM HULL