C OAST 250

THE TEST VERDICT

In the words of Matt Newland, the Coast’s designer and builder, ‘this is not a perfect motorboat. It’s a sailing boat that has a big engine and some trim tabs. It’s not going to set any motorboater’s heart alight and I’m not expecting to convert any motorboaters to sailing, though I would love to.’

Whether or not Matt and the Coast succeed in introducing motorboaters to the delights of sailing, I’m sure they will gain converts in the form of sailors who might otherwise have moved to motorboating or chosen a more conventional sailing yacht. He might also attract former (or current) owners of other power-sailers that they have found unrewarding or plain disappointing under sail. The power-sailer concept has always had its appeal but, apart from the MRCB, the Coast is the only one I have come across that really seems to deliver the goods in both modes. Great attention to detail has been paid to every aspect of the design.

WOULD SHE SUIT YOU AND YOUR CREW?

In many ways it’s a simple choice: do you want a boat of this size that sails well, offers roomy accommodation, will sit on a drying mooring, can be trailed behind a large family car and motors at 15 knots? You will find precious little else, if anything, that does all that. Even if the planing performance under power is of no consequence to you, the Coast’s other attributes make her worthy of attention.

She’s not cheap because of what she is. For example, the carbon rig makes so much sense under both power and sail. A cassette system around the gooseneck simplifies removal of the boom. A boat of this size and weight can’t be described as a trailer-sailer, but she’s certainly a trailable sailer and an extremely clever, wellconceived, versatile and practical one too.