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 The Express 30 was designed by Steve Killing as a "30-foot boat that would have performance, comfort and grace". Not unexpectedly, the Express 30 has a keen emphasis on performance, and its uncluttered interior accented with the warmth of oiled teak does indeed provide a clean, functional air of comfort and grace.
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 The Express 35 represents an impressive blend of sailing performance and elegant cruising comfort. There is sufficient room in its overall length for a posh interior without compromising the appearance or the sailing ability of the hull shape. The abundance of carefully fitted stowage units and many other thoughtful details all contribute to making the 35 a yacht an owner can be justly proud of.
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 The H.T. Gozzard 36 bears no resemblance to the old-fashioned cutters, with their widow-maker bowsprits and running backstays. There are no running backstays in sight, and her bowsprit is a nice, wide platform that conveniently stows the anchor and provides a wonderful spot for dolphin watching.
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 It was one of the nicest sails I have had in my home waters. The sun was shining and the wind was easterly at Trade Wind strength, force 3 to 4. We motored out the opening in the breakwall near Toronto's Western Gap and set the mainsail and the roller-furling genoa in the lee of Ontario Place. Then we close-reached for an hour into Lake Ontario at a steady six knots.
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 One of the first boats I considered buying during my search for the perfect ""starter"" many sailing years ago was the traditional ""North Sea Double-Ender,"" a design similar to the Halman 21. To me, it possessed the quintessential qualities necessary for the perfect offshore vessel - transom-hung steering, long keel, curving sheer, an almost plumb entry, and powerfully built.
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 It was a perfect day for boat testing and not so great for picture taking, but we always like the chance to go sailing when we can demonstrate to ourselves the full attributes of any boat. They say the devil is in the details and the Hanse 315 did not disappoint. The 315 is the smallest in the new generation of the Hanse line and Hanse continues to impress setting trends and showing great innovativeness.
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 When Tom Penton wanted to move up, he consulted with his trusted yacht broker, Pat Sturgeon (now along with Hans Fogh) who represents Hanse Yachts. They worked together to 'spec' out Tom's new Hanse 400.
Having the luxury of living on Georgian Bay where Tom and his wife moor the boat, I have watched it round the point several miles off my house and knew right away who it was. The distinctive look and presence of this boat makes it stand out from the crowd. The sleek Judel/Volijk design is strikingly modern; the dark blue hull complements the low profile cabin top and reverse sheer line work perfectly. The distinctive fractional 9/10 rig with double spreader mast and sail plan was a telling sign of the arrival of the distinctive Hanse to Georgian Bay.
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 What we like about Hanse is – first, performance – and second, price. The Hanse 430, like its siblings, tends to have a large sail area to weight ratio and a sense of simplicity few have been able to even consider. But I sense that it's the performance moniker that drives the Hanse team every day.
Sailing a Hanse is a treat in both light to medium and heavy air. The design team has been able to balance such a wonderful hull – known for its volume and size – with stability. Every time I step onto one of these boats, I sense performance and speed.
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 When I select boats for my column each issue, I try to gather those which have a distinctly Canadian flavour, either in design, construction or ownership. Even though the Canadian content of the new Hunter 29.5 could be considered small, I have to admit a personal interest—the head of the design team is fellow Canadian, good friend (and occasional CY contributor) Rob Mazza.
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 Have you dreamt of shutting down your office computer, casting off your docklines and cruising to a sunny southern sea? Hunter Marine's skipper Warren Luhrs had a similar dream and left his successful boat building business in the mid-'80s to indulge in his passion for offshore racing. But as Luhrs zipped around Cape Horn on Hunter's Child during his record-breaking 80-day sail from New York to San Francisco in 1988, the good-ship Hunter Marine began to flounder in deep water.
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