FAURBY 460E

THE TEST VERDICT

The 460E is an incredible boat, both in the way she sails and the way she’s built. Yes, the build process could be simplified, and the boat could be made cheaper, but a boat like a Faurby isn’t about saving money, it’s about building boats using traditional methods and craftsmanship. Faurby’s employees create boats, they don’t just assemble them, as might be found in more streamlined boatyards today. There are areas on board where it’s clear that those who built the boat want to produce the best hand-built boat possible. But as good as they are you can still tell she’s hand built, so she doesn’t have the faultless, sterile precision of a machine.

All this talk of quality could easily overshadow the 460E’s performance, which is a shame because it really is as good as the build quality. The angles she can sail upwind are nothing short of remarkable, though the gentle breeze and flat water during the test will have helped show this in the best light. She is a refined sailing machine, and my only quibble is that a slightly freer helm would be the finishing touch.

WOULD SHE SUIT YOU AND YOUR CREW?

This is a boat for sailing purists who prefer not to put the engine on when faced with an upwind leg. She's more than capable of racing, but for refined cruising she will make your sailing experience one of pure pleasure. As long as you’re happy to have a narrow yacht that sails to windward like few others, you can also have the interior that best suits you, built for you. You can go out and buy a similar sized boat for a third of the price of the Faurby, but it won’t be made by hand or to your whims and wishes.

Faurby has been helping owners for the last 40 years, and it’s testament to the quality and ethos that of the last eight yachts sold, only two went to non-faurby owners. I would truly love to go through the process of designing the details of my dream yacht. Sadly, unless I find £750,000 down the back of my sofa, it will have to remain a dream. Maybe for you, though, it could become a reality.