READY TO Rumble

In conditions that kept most other boats home, the EXCESS 12 come out and play. the US. This fall, we’ll see the 37-foot Excess 11 alongside the flagship 48-foot Excess 15. Two other models, the Excess 13 and 14, will eventually follow.

The 12 is available in three layouts. The boat we sailed is the three-cabin, two-head version. The owner’s quarters are in the port hull, and include a queen-size berth aft and a head and shower forward. Two double cabins share a single head and shower in the opposite hull. There is also a four-cabin version, with either two or four heads.

Underway, the Excess was pretty easy to handle, even in boisterous conditions. Once the sails were set and sheeted in (no need for the screecher that day), tacking required just a turn of the wheel. In 25 to 30 knots of breeze and higher gusts, we scooted right along at better than 8 knots, both closehauled and reaching, and the steering felt quite nimble. was more than willing to

Though we kicked up a good bit of spray, both helms were dry, and it was pretty cool to sit down close to the water and watch it fly by. I found the soft-back fold-down helm seats, which also close off the transom steps, to be quite comfy. When I first took the wheel, I noticed the aft corner of the cabin created a blind spot, but by moving around a bit, I was able to compensate for it.

Under power, at cruising rpm (2,000), the twin Yanmar 29 hp engines and saildrives pushed us along at 6.5 knots, even into the wind, and we added a knot with the throttles wide open.

Back in college, graffiti in a local watering hole read, “Anything worth doing is worth doing to excess.” After getting a chance to sail the new Excess 12 on a very blustery day, I’d have to agree.

Mark Pillsbury is CW’S editor.