arcona vs x yachts

Swift and fast: Arcona Yachts of Sweden

• November 2nd, 2017

It was some months ago when I was sailing with a small boat to the Danish Island of Bornholm (Read it here and here ), mooring at Klintholm and standing on the jetty, when two bigger yachts entered the harbour. I was stunned by the beautiful lines of the boats, attractive sheer lines of the hulls and the unusual tall masts. I was sure it must have been X-Yachts, but the distinctive three stripes at the waterpass were missing. Instead, two thick stripes showed that this must be another brand. The moment when the yachts were landed safely and the crew relaxed, I strolled to their berth to take a closer look. “What a great boat!”, I thought and was puzzled when I read the name of the yard: Arcona Yachts of Sweden.

Never heard of it. I was stunned. A European brand making such beautiful boats and I never heard a word of it?! After the trip I searched the web and read in to the brand, grabbed the phone and arranged an interview with Torgny Jansson, the owner of the yard and the “brain” behind Arcona Yachts. Here´s what we were talking about:

Lars Reisberg | NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “Torgny, thanks for spending your time answering my questions. First of all, as I told you, I shamefully must admit that I´ve never heard of ARCONA Yachts in my life before: How would you describe the brand and the yachts to somebody unknowing like me?”

Torgny Jansson | ARCONA Yachts: “Well, Lars, we are a Swedish company of course. Compared to other bigger brands, we are a small yard making some 35 boats per year. The reason that ARCONA isn´t know to you may be explained by the fact that our main markets are the United Kingdom, where we have our strongest fan base and most clients, Norway and Denmark. Because we aren´t making too many units, it´s clear that you don´t see many Arcona yachts out there sailing. In Germany we do not sell too many units. In UK, on the other hand, we have more than 100 ARCONA yachts in the water.”

NFS.com: “Which is a pity, speaking of Germany, because your boats are extraordinarily beautiful!”

Torgny Jansson: “More than that! We have a dealer in Germany for sure and we want to expand, but you see, we don´t want to grow by force. First premise of our yard is to make the finest boats possible. We don´t have to sell too much as we are a small yard without a big overhead. We don´t have any financial problems nor big loans to pay for. ARCONA yachts is still family owned and because we are situated near Stockholm at our family´s base where we have a large facility providing winter storage and service for sailors, we have a second source of income which makes us more independent. ARCONA employs only 14 people – so I don´t have to push too hard for selling more and more boats. I can concentrate on refining our products to make the best yachts possible.”

NFS.com: “How would you describe and ARCONA yacht?”

Torgny Jansson: “That´s easy: An ARCONA is a new fresh approach to sailing. I want to make sexy hulls sailing particularly pretty well with a tall and efficient rigg to gain speed. The boat is very, very stiff, boasts a load of stability and is a true racy performer. Yet we want to offer a classic interior design with superior material quality. We don´t make compromises here.”

NFS.com: “When I read more into ARCONA I was fascinated by the family´s heritage as the base of the yachts …”

Torgny Jansson: “… yes, the story is nice. I am a sailor in the third generation. My grandfather was into commercial shipping and all around the world, my father was into sailing and I myself sail since I can walk literally. In the late Sixties my father founded the yard near Stockholm which is the core base of our activities still today. When I left school in the Nineties I immediately started working at the yard. Back then we build some 10 boats per year but the most income was generated by our marina service and winter storage, a product we maintain still today. But making boats is most fun. When we started ARCONA with the ARCONA 400 we sold a total of 160 units. This was the real beginning of our brand and the business. As I said, now we produce around 35 units per year, best year lately was 60 units before the financial and economic crisis in 2008.”

NFS.com: “When I first saw the ARCONA yachts approaching, I mistook them for being X-Yachts. Does this happen often? What made me think I saw an X?”

Torgny Jansson: (laughs) “Fortunately this does not happen too often, but I know what you mean. You see, X-Yachts, which I like very much I must admit, make boats that have virtually the same core principles and target groups. When we made the ARCONA 400 we have been very impressed by the competing model of X-Yachts for sure. Both X-Yachts and ARCONA feature a rather more aggressive, sportive look and target the same sailors who seek sleek, stable, stiff and fast performing yachts. And indeed, we very much have the same clients. But from my point of view, when X-Yachts introduced the split between Xc and Xp lines, that left a lot of clients with ARCONA who were seeking a boat placed virtually in the middle between Xc and Xp. A modern, very fast boat with classy interior.”

NFS.com: “ARCONA offers yachts starting from 34 feet to 46 feet. What are the most sold models?”

Torgny Jansson: “Definitely the ARCONA 430 which was and still is our power seller. With some 60 boats now this yacht and this size performs exceptionally well. My favourite boat though is the new 465 which is a perfect yacht in my eyes. Yet still the ARCONA 410 is also a great boat that sails very well, is very roomy and offers a decent performance. People love her too.”

NFS.com: “Who is the principal architect of ARCONA Yachts?”

Torgny Jansson: “We are very happy to be able to employ Stefan Qviberg who is a very, very capable and well known yacht designer. You see, a lot of people can do yacht design. All you need is a CFD-capable computer, some knowledge. But that´s not the point. Stefan Qviberg came to my father´s business after he examined in the late Seventies and that´s the beginning of our partnership. Since then he is the principal designer and I must say I am so delighted by his work. For example, when we introduced the ARCONA 380 we found out that the boat was still one ton – one full ton! – lighter than the competing Xp 38 by X-Yachts! Stefan´s designs are fully race capable yachts with loads of stability which are a joy to sail. Yet very safe and simple. For us, speed is extremely important as weight is as well. Stefan really knows how to make the boats stiff and perfectly smooth and we are very, very happy having him attached to ARCONA.”

NFS.com: “I feel that Scandinavian yachts are special in many respects. And I´ve talked to some people about it as well (read my Interview with Niels Jeppesen of X-Yachts and Magnus Rassy here ), what would you think is a “Scandinavian approach to sailing” and how does an ARCONA meet these things?”

Torgny Jansson: “Well, I´d say first of all we have a lot of upwind sailing here in the Baltic area. This fact calls for specially built boats of course. This is how they use to sail: Upwind. Back in the days there was no choice, you simply had to go upwind in order to reach for certain ports. We opt to have this ability to go upwind in our boats today but now our boats are built in a slightly different way: We do try to offer wide sterns but at the same time combined with sleek narrow bows. Hulls that can take off. See, the fastest speed ever recorded on an ARCONA was 22.7 knots. That´s a lot! Close to the wind our boats regularly break 8.5 knots with ease. This is what we try to do: Offer a boat that can take off downwind but be fast upwind too. Speed is an extremely important aspect of ARCONA yachts.”

NFS.com: “With an ever shrinking market of classic ownerships, a shift towards charter-optimized boats and the current trend to bigger and bigger boats , what´s the perspective of ARCONA boats in the future? Will we see a 60 feet 5-cabin and 4 heads ARCONA next?”

Torgny Jansson: “I would say no because ARCONA has a very different client base compared to the big brands. But I know what you mean: People nowadays don´t want to own a boat but have fun sailing one week and maybe next week go climbing. Still, ARCONA has maintained a classic owner base. You see, 35 boats per year as a sales target isn´t that many people. We can find those people and enthrill them becoming an ARCONA-owner. That´s the advantage of a smaller company like ours. Yet, it´s difficult and we understand we have to do something to get along with the ever changing market. That´s shared ownership for example. And yes, we have a bigger ARCONA in the making yet I don´t want to talk much of it. All I can say is there will be a 54, 55 feet boat in the future as there is much interest in this 50 feet-size.”

NFS.com: “A bigger cruising ARCONA?”

Torgny Jansson: “Yes, a boat made for the very long haul , something around 54 feet, not bigger. This is a size where we still lose clients to X-Yachts for example who offer boats in this size. But still, even the big ARCONA will stay true to our core values of making boats as stiff and as light as possible to offer a very, very fast platform for performance sailing.”

NFS.com: “At last, Torgny, where does the name ARCONA Yachts come from?”

Torgny Jansson: “That´s a simple story: One of the yachts we built in the first years back in the Seventies was a Carl Beyer design, the APHRODITE. We couldn´t keep that name for the company for obvious reasons but I wanted our brand start with an A. We came up with lots of ideas but when we had the charts of the Baltic Sea on our table somebody pointed to the German Island of Ruegen where Cape Arkona is situated …”

NFS.com: “… with most beautiful tall white cliffs …”

Torgny Jansson: “… exactly! And apart from ARCONA Yachts with a C, the name comes from this German Island. It´s a maritime connotation and a place in the Baltic Sea where we are situated. The funny thing about ARCONA as a name is that it is mentioned in Swedish weather forecast 4 times in a row, which is a nice advertising.” (laughs again)

NFS.com: “Thanks so much, Torgny, for answering my questions.”

Now that I´ve got to know ARCONA yachts by their owner and mastermind, I want to experience the philosophy of these boats first hand. Sad to see that there aren´t too many owners around where I live. I admire the boats with their tall masts and sleek, efficient rigging, I am fascinated by the passion of Torgny for his product as he told me he is sailing the boats himself extensively throughout whole summer. The company never went bankrupt or changed ownership, is still owner-owned and manned by people who are true sailors. Time to get to Stockholm again …

You may also like to read these articles:

Magnus Rassy shows the new HR 44

A Day at Luffe Yachts

Fast boats by X-Yachts – a day in the yard in Haderslev

All pictures with kind permission of ARCONA Yachts Sweden

Interesting Sailboats

Thursday, december 14, 2023, two beautiful yachts: arcona 50 versus x-yacht 4-9.

The Arcona 50 looks like an X-Yacht, and if it was not built by Arcona, it could be an X-yacht. That is one of the few things that could be said negatively about the Arcona 50.

https://interestingsailboats.blogspot.com/2022/03/surprising-arcona-50.html

Niels Jeppesen, one of the founders of X-yachts left the company, but X-Yachts that are designed now by an X-yacht design team, continue to be designed along the same lines used by Jeppesen and Pons, which created a distinctive image brand. Nothing wrong with that, it is their brand's image.

It is as if Porsche used a Ferrari designer and the new Porsche looked like the new Ferrari. I don't know about Arcona fans but I am quite sure Porsche fans would have hated it, and as far as I am concerned I think the same way. Instead of going along with the lines of the Arcona 435 ( the last Qviberg design), and slightly modernizing them, Jeppesen and Pons opted to continue the work they were doing for X-yachts here, and obviously, the new Arcona looks like an X-Yacht.

Arcona cannot get it wrong with this one while for X-Yacht it would be just one more yacht among the considerable number they build.

The bigger differences between the Arcona and the X4-9 regards the hull, with the Arcona 50 having the beam slightly more brought aft (being more similar to the X5-9), having two rudders instead of one, being a foot longer (HL 14.99 to 14.65m) and most of all, considerably more beamier (4.60 to 4.49m). 

If we want to look at really fast all-around performance cruisers or cruiser racers, the Mylius 50 has a 4.48m beam, the Swan 50 has a 4.20m and the Shogun 50 has 3.88m, being the only one that can be considered to have a narrow hull. A very beamy fast performance cruiser maximized for downwind sailing, like the Pogo 50, has a 5.15m beam.

If on the Arcona that B/D will give good safety stability and AVS, on the X4-9 it will give much better values. In regards to sailing power (stiffness), the bigger Arcona 50 compensates for the much bigger X4-9 B/D with a bigger hull form stability and the performances should not be very different, except upwind with waves, where the X4-9 will have a better performance.

They do not only look very similar, as they have very similar performances, with the X4-9 being just a bit better upwind (and probably in light wind) and the Arcona 50 sailing with a bit less heel and probably being just a bit faster beam reaching with medium-strong to strong winds and just a bit easier downwind with strong winds.

The beam is much more brought back on the Arcona, but it is not one of those transoms that limit heel at a relatively low angle, quite the contrary, it allows progressively high angles of heel, increasing RM and trying to limit the increase in drag. It is a design more centered on allowing a very good performance than on making it easier to sail the yacht, and I see it as a positive thing on a performance cruiser.

But the dinghy garage, when is not complemented with a decent storage space in the cockpit has its own problems because it is a wet storage space, and it is impossible to maintain it dry. 

Arcona, being much wider should have much more storage space than the X4-9, especially aft, but while the X4-9 has storage space under both cockpit seats (one of them for the liferaft), Arcona, besides the garage, has only a small cockpit central locker for the liferaft. 

The absence of practical storage in the cockpit can make a big difference in regards to cruising, with Arcona lacking the space to store all that stuff that all that cruise know needs to be at hand. Not having an easy storage dry space,  with easy access on the cockpit makes no sense because such space is needed for cruising, and even for sailing, to store equipment frequently used.

The interior layout is very similar but due to the bigger beam, the interior volume is bigger on the Arcona, with special relevance for the two aft cabins that are not only wider but higher because they include the space under the cockpit seats. 

The Arcona 50 costs standard at the shipyard, without VAT, 844240 €, and the X4-9 MKII  costs  696000 euros, as announced by Yacht.de, even if the price seems too low, if compared to Arcona. 

I bet some of you will be asking what would be the one I would prefer. I would have to say I don't know exactly, there are things I prefer on the X-yacht and others on the Arcona. 

On the X-yacht, I like the smaller beam, the smaller freeboard, the bigger B/D, the cozier, and warmer interior, the cockpit storage space, and being built with epoxy resin. 

I don´t like the aluminum rudder stocks on X-yacht, but being the designer the same, I don't know if the new Arcona has them (I hope not). 

If those prices are right and correspond to boats equipped similarly, I like a lot more X-yacht price, even if I doubt both boats equipped the same way have a difference of price over 178 000 € (with VAT), but if so, I would clearly prefer the X-Yacht, but it is not up to me to decide, it is up to you.

Other performance cruisers around 50ft that may interest you:

https://interestingsailboats.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-ice-52-had-bad-luck-last-year-it.html

https://interestingsailboats.blogspot.com/2022/12/new-solaris-50-beautiful-but.html

https://interestingsailboats.blogspot.com/2020/12/italia-1498-fast-beautiful-and.html

https://interestingsailboats.blogspot.com/2020/03/shogun-50-and-shogun-426.html

https://interestingsailboats.blogspot.com/2021/07/mylius-50-carbon-rocket-cruiser-racer.html

https://interestingsailboats.blogspot.com/2019/02/grand-soleil-48-performance-and-race.html

https://interestingsailboats.blogspot.com/2019/10/swan-48-perfect-performance-cruiser.html

https://interestingsailboats.blogspot.com/2023/03/kraken-50-versus-pegasus-50-comparison.html

https://interestingsailboats.blogspot.com/2021/03/pegasus-50-perfect-long-range-voyage.html

https://interestingsailboats.blogspot.com/2018/10/oceantec-50-what-looker.html

https://interestingsailboats.blogspot.com/2018/12/another-dream-boat-fc3-53.html

https://interestingsailboats.blogspot.com/2016/11/fc3-53-dream-come-true.html

https://interestingsailboats.blogspot.com/2017/11/eleva-50-different-and-not-only-in-what.html

https://interestingsailboats.blogspot.com/2019/01/new-first-53-kind-of-disappointment.html

3 comments:

(His name is Jeppesen, Niels Jeppesen)

Nice reading and wishful thinking. Not boats suited for the average income. Who is buying boats like these? Can not be many sold over the years. It was long ago X-yachts built affordable smaller boats that one could buy. The economic theory of smaller boats in large numbers seems to be gone forever.

The new XC47 looks interesting, have you written about it?

A new name but a formidable heritage

The Arcona 435 has been racking up silverware since its launch in 2018 but the recent addition of One Ton Cup-winning designer Niels Jeppesen has elevated a prestigious 40-year-old brand to another level entirely

There’s a chance that you won’t have heard of Arcona Yachts and even if you have, you still might struggle to describe them. After all, this is a company that has enjoyed 40 years of success, but where much of it has been conducted away from the international spotlight. It is a company that has never set its primary goal as winning races and yet has delivered some impressive results nonetheless. It’s also a company that has produced nearly 1,000 boats in 40 years and has achieved cult status among those who have discovered the marque.

But the focus of attention right now is the news that the co-founder of one of the biggest names in performance production boatbuilding and a former competitor has joined forces with Arcona. For Swedes, the fact that he’s a Dane may raise a wry smile, but to the rest of us Niels Jeppesen’s achievements with X-Yachts, the company he co-founded, along with his reputation on the racecourse, means that his views get taken seriously.

So, if you hadn’t heard of Arcona, that is about to change. Since she first slipped into the water in 2018 the Arcona 435 has attracted a good deal of attention as a design that delivers far more than her modest, elegant and sleek looks might suggest. Interestingly, even the brochure provides few clues as to what really makes her tick with no mention of her race-winning attributes or setup.

Instead, while her traditional layout and style below decks with her beautifully finished Khaya mahogany interior is that of a cruiser, the message on deck is subtly different. From the windward sheeting car for the mainsheet to in-haulers on the jib sheets, soft shackles on the halyards and deck organisers to allow you to cross sheet halyards and control lines in the pit along with plenty more examples, she is far more the racer/cruiser.

On the other hand, a fixed bowsprit with its anchor garage, a spray dodger moulding in the coachroof and a cockpit table that rises out of the floor are details that suggest something quite different.

Dig a little deeper into her specification and you’ll find that this is a cruiser that is available with a carbon hull and rig. And then, when you take the helm you’ll discover a 43-footer with the silky smooth, well balanced feel of a grand prix racer.

Those who know the brand well will tell you that these are familiar characteristics of the range that was designed by the late Stefan Qviberg. And yet the company has recently gone through a series of key changes in its management with Urban Lagnéus taking over the reins as the new CEO. On the face of it, not something that might seem especially newsworthy outside the marine business sector, but his personal background and his route to the role suggests a career path that almost emulates the dual personality of the Arcona Yachts themselves.

A racing sailor from an early age, he started in a Mirror dinghy before working his way up to representing Sweden in the 470 at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. ‘I raced a 470 for 12 years with Magnus Lundgren. We had some good successes and were often in the top 10 in the world, but we couldn’t quite get a world championship win,’ he said. ‘Fifth was our best result at the world championship, but we did win the World Cup in both 1991 and 1992.’

Today, Lagnéus and Lundgren’s partnership afloat continues aboard a J/70 for the Swedish National League but their story ashore is also one that has endured for more than 40 years. ‘Throughout our Olympic campaign, Christoph Rassy was our sponsor but then he asked me to be the finance director and I worked for Hallberg- Rassy for 18 years,’ says Lagnéus.

He went on to work outside the marine industry after Christoph Rassy retired, but the combination of a racing background and his boatbuilding experience for one of the world’s best-known high-quality production yacht builders remained crucial assets for his move back into the industry with Arcona. And when he did, he is back working with Magnus Lundgren as a team again but now both for Arcona Yachts!

Meanwhile, the passing of designer Stefan Qviberg had left a crucial position to be filled.

After selling his remaining shares in X-Yachts in 2019 Niels Jeppesen had set up a UK-based design company, Jeppesen & Pons, for which Arcona became his first client.

‘While I was at X-Yachts I studied the competition for many years and noticed that Arcona was trying to break into our market. In the spring I saw how many of their yachts would arrive in the marina in Hamble where we had our design office. At more than one point, Arcona was selling more boats into the UK than XYachts. But I had never seen them close up, so before I had the agreement with Arcona I went on board to have a look and I was very impressed. At that point I knew that I wasn’t going to have any issues about the level of detail or quality.

‘I was also clear that their owner and management team were willing to take long-term decisions and make serious investments in the development of the range. In addition, I was pleased to see that their focus on creating boats that perform well and feel good was right at the top of their list which struck a chord with me. It was just what we had always sought to do at X-Yachts.

‘Add to that the appointment of Urban Lagnéus as the new company chief executive, a person who has been sailing all his life and has his heart very much in the right place and it was an easy decision to agree to work with them.’

For all the plaudits that Arcona gets in the yachting press, it’s difficult to imagine a better validation than from their former arch-rival.

But Jeppesen’s view of the road ahead is equally revealing. With 48 years designing, building, racing and cruising under his belt, Jeppesen’s perspective on where the boatbuilding industry sits and where the challenges currently lie provides a clearer understanding of how Arcona achieve their distinctive feel and performance.

‘We were designing and building some very extreme boats back in the 1980s and 1990s,’ he said. ‘Back then we were using carbon skins, Nomex cores, titanium and other advanced materials because weight was everything. But the boats were fragile then.

‘Today, there’s still a great deal of pressure on keeping weight down on cruisers because of the amount of equipment and services that we’re putting on board. This means that we have to look just as carefully at the way that we build boats, which leads us to carbon and other modern materials and techniques. But we can’t make cruising boats that fragile, so it means that we must look at modern materials and build techniques. We also look really carefully at every item that goes on board. And we can’t just go for the lightest answer, maintaining quality, finish and reliability is essential.

‘So, from looking at new ways of creating sandwich Corian worktops to installing lighter washer/dryers, there is more pressure on the design and build of a modern performance cruiser than many people think.’

While the primary focus is on cruising, the Arcona range has been very successful on the race course, especially in Scandinavia. The Pantaenius Bohusracet is the largest doublehanded regatta in Sweden and an Arcona has won its class in every race for the last four years as well as winning overall in 2016. The Tjörn Runt is the second largest event in Sweden where Arcona has won overall in 2020 and been class winners for four years in a row, across a huge range of conditions from 35 knots down to just four knots of breeze.

And then there’s the Gotland Runt with overall victory in 2017 and first, second and third in class in 2021.

Placing performance at the top of the list for a range of cruisers might be considered bold in the fiercely competitive production world where internal volume and apartment styling is king, but Lagnéus sees the niche market in performance cruisers as an advantage.

‘We want to appeal to customers who above all else want to come back to the dock feeling that they’ve had a really good sail, that’s the motivation for us. And that means good balance and good feel aboard a boat that is easy to manage,’ he says. ‘If you compare it with cars, you can be very comfortable in a Volvo, but you’ll have had more fun driving a Porsche.

‘And the fact is, that while the cruising yacht market is big, fewer people want performance cruisers, so there are fewer builders and that means less competition. Surely it’s a win-win?’

A win-win based on a mix of deep-rooted racing, cruising and production experiences. So, if you had not heard of Arcona, this is just the start.

Click here for more information on Arcona Yachts »

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The X4⁰ Best Performance Cruiser Winner 2021!

woensdag 9 december 2020

Cruising World from 8th December 2020:

“With this year’s aforementioned diminished nominee list, it was impossible to break down the fleet across the board to fit each boat into a neat, tidy category. One of the two notable exceptions was the Performance Cruiser class, with three strong entries: the Arcona 435, the Beneteau Oceanis 40.1 and the X-Yachts X4 0 . We’ll get to the Arcona and the Beneteau in the pages to come, but for 2021, the clear winner in this class of sweet-sailing racer/cruisers was the X4 0 . It clearly met the criteria for being the top performer in its stated design brief: a boat that will compete strongly—and well—on the racecourse, yet be comfortable and fun for coastal cruising.

With the X-Yachts, we’ve seen this figurative movie before. The Danish brand has taken home BOTY hardware four times in the past five years.

Murphy, our resident boatbuilding whisperer—he’s worked closely with the American Boat and Yacht Council writing textbooks and creating curricula—was emphatic when it came to the quality of the X4 0 ′s ­construction: “X-Yachts has built 6,000 boats since they went into business in 1979. So they have a good, long track record.

They’re probably best known in performance circles, so when we board an X-Yacht, we expect the boat is going to sail pretty well, which this one certainly did. As far the build quality, this is one of the top two yachts in this year’s fleet (the other is the HH 50 cat, which we’ll get to). It’s an epoxy hull, which is the best resin you can use to build boats, in terms of both strength and resilience. It also has a galvanized-steel grid. In years past, there have been questions about the long-term integrity of that grid, but they’re unfounded. My feeling is that the massive steel structure is not encapsulated; it goes on top of the fiberglass structure, and it’s not an issue. I think this boat is straight-up wholesome. It’s a really, really lovely sailboat.”

Pillsbury found the efficient deck layout to his liking: “This boat was one of few we saw this year that actually had enough winches on it to sail it like a proper boat. We climbed on several others where a clutch was used to service several lines from a single winch. Sometimes it was hard to remember which clutch to open and which clutch to close, which took away a lot of the joy of sailing. Here you can just load up a winch and know that your line is going to be there, that you have quick access to it. I really liked that. It was also one of only a couple of boats that had a full-on traveler, which to my mind, when you carry a lot of sail, as this boat does, if you can’t really control and trim that mainsail, it’s a problem. And here’s another trend we saw for 2021: a below-deck furler for the headsail, which makes for a nice, clean deck layout.””

Read the full story here.

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Arcona 345, A New Performance Cruiser Nordic Style

Following the success of the European Yacht of the Year winning Arcona 435 in 2019, Arcona Yachts unveils a new performance cruiser model ideal for shorthanded sailing, the Arcona 345.

Torgny Jansson, Founder of Arcona Yachts, comments: “ The Arcona 345 is such an exciting project for us. She has a slightly larger sail area than the Arcona 340 to give optimised upwind performance. There is the option to have twin wheels configured which can be upgraded to carbon. With a tiller as standard, she is very responsive so we can’t wait to see her perform on the racecourse. ”

The layout provides a forward cabin with plenty of room and a good-sized clothes locker each side of the dressing area, with more stowage beneath and over the berths.

The saloon has an L-shaped galley, with lots of stowage, a gimballed twin burner gas cooker with oven and a generously-sized sink and fridge; a smoothly rounded backward-facing chart table with ample space for electronic equipment; a twin leaf saloon table, a U-shaped seating area to port and long straight settee starboard capable of seating six to dine.

The heads are spacious with separate shower facilities. One aft cabin features a large double berth, two portholes that can be opened, plenty of lockers and shelves, plus stowage under the berth.

The hull and deck employ vacuum infusion technology with a sandwich construction featuring multi-axial rovings and Vinylester resin. The core material is 20mm Divinycell. All bulkheads are bonded to the hull and deck for added strength.

Fitted with a powerful fractional rig, the  Arcona 345  sports a tapered, twin spreader, keel-stepped mast and is prepped for spinnaker equipment. For strength and stability, the bulb keel is made of antimony hardened lead.

The transom is open with an integral bathing platform. The large storage locker aft is accessible from two recessed hatches in the cockpit floor. Additional storage can be found in the aft end of the cockpit bench and a cockpit table is stowed in the starboard side locker. The cockpit coaming, aft deck and sole are in teak. The side deck can be specified either in teak or in Arcona’s iconic non-slip material.

Arcona 345 specs

Design: Stefan Qviberg Lenght overall: 10.40 m Lenght waterline: 9.80m Beam: 3.45m Draft: 1.95/1.80m Displacement: 5200hg Water capacity: 130l Main sail: 41.1m2 Jib 107%: 33.5m2 Spinnaker: 120m2 Asymmetric: 120m2 www.arconayachts.se

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ARCONA 50 VERSUS X-YACHT 4-9

Regarding Arcona versus X-Yacht as boat builders, I have heard some complaints about the quality of X-Yachts, but to be honest I don’t know if it is just one or two random cases, or, if like somebody has said to me, their quality is not what it used to be, due to a much larger production and the need to maximize manufacturing speed and to minimize costs. What cannot be denied is that they have a very clear difference regarding shipyard size and boats and the number of produced yachts.

If I had to choose between an Arcona 50 and a similar-sized X-yacht, I would take that into consideration, because being built in much smaller numbers by a reputable and experienced boat builder, basically the same way as X-Yachts, the chances are that Arconas are built with bigger attention to details and better quality control. 

Arcona cannot get it wrong with this one while for X-Yacht it would be just one more yacht among the considerable number they build.

Arcona 50 natural competitor is the new MKII version of the 2018 X4-9, which is basically the old boat with some small modifications: the same hull, bigger bowsprit, redesigned single rudder, revised small winch relocation, and some small cosmetic touches to make it look more like the new X5-6 (that looks like the Arcona 50, just a bit bigger). 

The bigger differences between the Arcona and the X4-9 regards the hull, with the Arcona 50 having the beam slightly more brought aft (being more similar to the X5-9), having two rudders instead of one, being a foot longer (HL 14.99 to 14.65m) and most of all, considerably more beamier (4.60 to 4.49m). 

By modern standards, the Arcona 50 is not very beamy and its 4.60m beam is a lot smaller than the one of the smaller Hanse 460 (4.79m beam), it is smaller than the one of the new Solaris 50 (4.78m beam) and much smaller than the one of the Hallberg Rassy 50 (4.99 beam), the one than the new Contest 50 (4.90m) or even smaller than the Pegasus 50 beam ( 4.83m).

Curiously it has the same beam as the X-yacht C50 (that has a very different hull), and it is bigger than the sportier and much faster XP 50 (4.43m beam). 

If we want to look at really fast all-around performance cruisers or cruiser racers, the Mylius 50 has a 4.48m beam, the Swan 50 has a 4.20m and the Shogun 50 has 3.88m, being the only one that can be considered to have a narrow hull. A very beamy fast performance cruiser maximized for downwind sailing, like the Pogo 50, has a 5.15m beam.

Arcona 50 and X4-9 have similar lead torpedo keels and while the B/D is big on both boats, it is way bigger on the X4-9 (42.5% to 35.8%) even if we have to give some compensation to Arcona due to having more 10cm draft.

If on the Arcona that B/D will give good safety stability and AVS, on the X4-9 it will give much better values. In regards to sailing power (stiffness), the bigger Arcona 50 compensates for the much bigger X4-9 B/D with a bigger hull form stability and the performances should not be very different, except upwind with waves, where the X4-9 will have a better performance.

The B/D was calculated with the X4-9 standard (2.40m) draft and the Arcona with the optional 2.50m draft. As standard, the Arcona 50 has a 2.95m draft with  600kg less ballast. With these configurations the X4-9 displaces in light condition 12900kg and the Arcona 14500kg.

Regarding SA/D both the X4-9 and the Arcona 50 have very similar very high SA/D. Both boats have standard jib on a self-tacking rail and can optionally have instead a small genoa. 

Both with jib, the X4-9 has a SA/D of 22.3 and the Arcona 24.3.  Both with a small genoa, the X4-9 has 23.9 and the Arcona 25.8. The smaller X4-9 SA/D has to do with the X-yacht being less beamy. Less beamy sailboats generally need less sail area to sail upwind and less sail area to sail in weak wind.

They do not only look very similar, as they have very similar performances, with the X4-9 being just a bit better upwind (and probably in light wind) and the Arcona 50 sailing with a bit less heel and probably being just a bit faster beam reaching with medium-strong to strong winds and just a bit easier downwind with strong winds.

However, let me point out that in regards to transom design (and sailing with more or less heel) the two transom designs are different but not necessarily one better than the other. 

The beam is much more brought back on the Arcona, but it is not one of those transoms that limit heel at a relatively low angle, quite the contrary, it allows progressively high angles of heel, increasing RM and trying to limit the increase in drag. It is a design more centered on allowing a very good performance than on making it easier to sail the yacht, and I see it as a positive thing on a performance cruiser.

The one on the X4-9 is less progressive and it is designed to increase RM at a given heel angle, minimizing drag, partially compensating the smaller hull form stability (due to the smaller X4-9 beam) and giving a better performance at the angle the designer considered that the hull works better, taking into account the increase in drag and the more substantial B/D, that demands heel, to be fully exploited.

The sail hardware, the running rigging, the winches location, and even the optional genoa tracks are very similar being the main difference a single-point attachment for the main line control (boom) on the X-yacht, versus an electric-operated traveler, a very expensive piece of equipment, on the Arcona.

Regarding layout, both boats are very similar and you can even tell that they were designed by the same designer, both have a  good space aft the engine for technical equipment, both have a good sail locker at the bow and a dinghy garage, being the one of the Arcona wider due to the extra beam.

But the dinghy garage, when is not complemented with a decent storage space in the cockpit has its own problems because it is a wet storage space, and it is impossible to maintain it dry. 

Besides it is not subdivided and that means that anything you put there will be moving around, and will stay wet. It is not a suitable space to mount any electronic equipment not designed to be in wet places, and most of them are not.

Arcona, being much wider should have much more storage space than the X4-9, especially aft, but while the X4-9 has storage space under both cockpit seats (one of them for the liferaft), Arcona, besides the garage, has only a small cockpit central locker for the liferaft. 

Arcona’s garage is wider but does not have dedicated storage spaces at the sides (subdivided), nor a way to access that lateral space from the cockpit (only central hatch access), and that makes that extra space of little use, in what regards storage. It allows only a slightly bigger dinghy, even so, too small for a boat of this size.

The absence of practical storage in the cockpit can make a big difference in regards to cruising, with Arcona lacking the space to store all that stuff that all that cruise know needs to be at hand. Not having an easy storage dry space,  with easy access on the cockpit makes no sense because such space is needed for cruising, and even for sailing, to store equipment frequently used.

Anyway, those two garages will be of little use in regards to storing a dinghy while cruising a cruising ground, which implies using it almost every day. The dinghy has to be a small one, for a boat this size, and due to the need to store cruising material in the garage, and the small height of the compartment, it will give a lot of work to put it in and out, much more than if it is stored on davits or over the deck.

For an oceangoing cruiser, it makes sense to have a storage space where a dinghy could be stored, even half deflated, on a several days ocean passage, but for that, the best design would be to reserve the central part for storage of a folded dinghy, while reserving the two lateral parts for two dry storage compartments, accessed from the cockpit. But of course, that would diminish the space of the aft cabins and these days interior space is the most valuable commodity in cruising sailboats.

The interior layout is very similar but due to the bigger beam, the interior volume is bigger on the Arcona, with special relevance for the two aft cabins that are not only wider but higher because they include the space under the cockpit seats. 

The Arcona 50 interior is also a bit higher due to higher freeboards.

The standard engines are similar with around 60hp (both with an option for 80hp), the diesel tankage is bigger on the Arcona (375L to 265L) as well as the water tankage (375L to 310L). Both can have optionally more tankage.

The Arcona 50 costs standard at the shipyard, without VAT, 844240 €, and the X4-9 MKII  costs  696000 euros, as announced by Yacht.de, even if the price seems too low, if compared to Arcona. 

Of course, it all depends on the standard equipment that comes with each boat, but traditionally both brands include standard much material that is optional on other brands.

I bet some of you will be asking what would be the one I would prefer. I would have to say I don’t know exactly, there are things I prefer on the X-yacht and others on the Arcona. 

On the X-yacht, I like the smaller beam, the smaller freeboard, the bigger B/D, the cozier, and warmer interior, the cockpit storage space, and being built with epoxy resin. 

On the Arcona I like more the transom design, the electric mainsheet traveller and the idea of being built in smaller numbers, presumably with more attention to finish and detail. 

I don´t like the aluminum rudder stocks on X-yacht, but being the designer the same, I don’t know if the new Arcona has them (I hope not). 

I prefer the twin rudders of the Arcona, not because they are more effective, but because they pose fewer problems while docking in the med.

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All carbon Arcona 465 on test – is this the ultimate performance cruiser?

• March 3, 2017

Is this all-carbon 46ft performance cruiser too hot to handle? Pip Hare goes for a test sail

Swedish yard Arcona, together with designer Stefan Qviberg, is offering a way out of the inevitable compromise between equipment and speed by building the new 465 with a carbon hull and deck as standard. By taking the weight out of the hull of this 46-footer, Arcona believes that the boat can still be fitted out with the luxury interior customers would expect and that owners will be able to load on nearly a tonne of extra gear and still enjoy great performance.

In theory it makes sense: the 465 is only three per cent heavier than the 430 but with ten per cent more sail area. But does it still feel like a cruising yacht in practice?

Area tested: Solent Wind range: 6-14 knots, flat water Model: number 1 fitted with teak decks and trim, carbon rig and uprated engine

Here is a boat that instantly changes its personality, coming alive when under sail. The helm was light and the boat felt nimble and fast.

As we made our way upwind, I firmed up the leeches on both sails to see what I could get out of it in the flat waters of the Solent. Thanks to my tweaks we were well heeled and achieving over seven knots of boat speed at a TWA of 37 degrees in 13 knots TWS.

Tips and tricks for successful shorthanded upwind sailing

The 465 is undoubtedly a stiff boat, but as light as the helm was, when hard on the breeze and trimmed for height, we could have used a dozen or so burly crew on the rail. This begs the question: has Arcona gone too far towards the performance end of the spectrum for this boat to be interesting for serious cruising sailors?

From my point of view the boat felt great – alive, capable and fun – but would you really want that electric feeling from the helm as a constant feature if double-handed cruising? My answer came from two of our crew, Richard and Colin, both of whom are Arcona 430 owners who cruise their boats extensively double-handed with their wives.

The moment I headed down below to experience the boat while sailing, these two took over and with some softening of the sails transformed the twitchy bucking beast I had created into a smooth and fast ride. We found ourselves cruising along just off the breeze at nearly nine knots while they amiably swapped notes on their beloved 430s.

Sailing for grown ups

The Arcona 465 is not a beginner’s boat. The combination of lightweight hull and powerful rig requires a certain amount of experience to make the most of its sailing potential and to calm things down for a comfortable passage.

Loads on this 46-footer are not insignificant and the mainsail was quite an effort to grind in, although the standard Harken 60AST winches (not fitted on the test boat) would certainly have made a difference. An optional electric winch on the cabin top helped with tensioning the halyards.

The traveller is full width across the cockpit floor and easy to trim from forward of the steering position, but could not be managed by the helm. Helming itself was a delight; the twin wheels are placed well outboard giving a great view of the jib whether sitting or standing, to windward or leeward.

Two collapsible platforms come out of the deck to provide a level platform for the helmsman while the boat is heeled. I could easily reach around the steering binnacle to the mainsheet.

It is lovely to see features like inhaulers as standard – it not only makes a great difference to sail trim, but also gives the impression the boat is serious about sailing. As standard there is a removable inner forestay from which a storm jib or even small staysail could be flown.

The boat I tested had a twin spreader carbon rig (aluminium is standard) which was easily controlled from the cockpit with a hydraulic backstay pump.

We hoisted an enormous A2 spinnaker and in a dying breeze that peaked at around nine knots were able to sail powered up at a wind angle of 100 degrees down to about 150, with speeds reaching eight knots. Off the breeze we held our speed at low wind angles, even in as little as six knots TWS.

The asymmetric sails are set off a stainless bow roller; our boat was also set up for symmetrical spinnakers though we had none to try. In every direction the Arcona 465 felt nimble and quick and we were turning heads as we strolled past everything on the Solent, sailing close under the lee of boats of a similar size.

How to choose the right asymmetric spinnaker for your type of sailing

After a few hours on the water it was interesting to observe the boat’s two distinct personalities: depending on who was on the helm and whether they were ramping up or backing off the power, the boat could switch from being a twitchy sprinter to a calm ultra-runner and back again. Under engine, the 465 spun on a sixpence, reversed well and was utterly obedient in tight spaces.

The test boat had an 80hp engine rather than the standard 56hp, coupled with a Gori prop. It was a lot of power and if not used gently, did feel a bit aggressive. I have no doubt that a 56hp would do the job.

The engine controls and throttle are tucked away at ankle height on the starboard side of the boat. This does take a bit of getting used to – it’s quite a long way to bend down – though if you manoeuvre the boat from a sitting position, things become a lot easier.

Arcona can fit the throttle higher up on the binnacle if requested, but aesthetically this is not so pretty and would also be at risk of being knocked or caught by the mainsheet during gybes. Access to the engine was reasonable at the front and to the sides, but particularly good behind the engine and to the saildrive, with whole panels that can be removed in the aft cabin.

Arcona has made every effort to keep the deck layout of this boat clean and spacious. The 4.2m beam is elegantly absorbed into the length of the boat giving a clutter free feel on deck and promising plenty of space below.

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Everything electric boats and boating

New Arcona 415 first sailing yacht with electric propulsion standard

Sweden’s arcona yachts has announced that their new arcona 415 has oceanvolt electric propulsion as a standard feature, a first for series-produced sailing yachts..

Having electric as standard on a boat like the 415 marks a big change. Now it means that potential owners would have to specifically ask about diesel as an option, which then requires comparing its pros and cons to electric. Arcona obviously thinks most will go with the clean, quiet, zero emission system.

“Electric is here to stay” says Urban Lagnéus, Arcona Yachts CEO. “The ability to spend your leisure time at sea without emissions, and yet gain advantages in comfort and performance, opens up a new world of opportunities for our normal usage. Our cruisers sail beautifully in any conditions, but in light winds and close to marinas, if you need to use the engine, electric propulsion is the way forward.”

Electric propulsion that recharges itself

To provide the motors and electric system the company turned to Oceanvolt , which was founded in 2004 by avid sailor Janne Kjellman and is a pioneer in zero emission propulsion for sailboats.

Their modular AXC series lets the user ‘stack’ motors to build power configurations of 10kW, 20kW, 30kW or 40kW and their patented ServoProp variable pitch sail drive was a 2017 category winner in the prestigious DAME awards that recognize the best-designed products in each year’s METSTRADE nautical trade show.

It is the ServoProp with hydroregeneration that will be the standard on the Arcona 415, using a 15kW system and 19kWh battery pack. In hydro regeneration (sometimes called just regeneration or ‘regen’) the electric motor can be instantly converted to an electricity-generating turbine that is turned by the ServoProp propeller while the boat is under wind power. That electricity is then stored in the system’s battery pack for later use.

One of the keys for regen is achieving enough speed to get the propeller turning, and the Arcona yachts are well suited to the task. The boatyard is known for ‘cruiser-racers’ which are designed to perform well in racing when the pilot has an expert team aboard, but also be comfortable, safe and easy to sail for relaxed family cruising.

Lagnéus says “The sleek and light hull design works extraordinarily well with electric propulsion, however our customers have seen the hydro regeneration commence when the yacht is sailing at a speed as low as 3.3 knots.”

Crossing the Atlantic with zero emissions

Arcona is also a pioneer in electric propulsion. It already has the largest fleet of electric sailboats on the water, the first being the Arcona 380Z (for Zero emission) launched in 2015. In 2019 Graham Balch of Green Yacht Sales wrote about What it’s Like to Cross the Atlantic Ocean in an Electric Sailboat.  You can read the whole story »» on the Green Yachts site , but here’s a teaser:

And (spoiler alert):

“ Would I do it again? Crossing the ocean in an electric sailboat was so enjoyable compared to a sailboat with a diesel engine, I would never want to cross the ocean with a diesel engine ever again (pretty similar to how most Tesla owner feels about the idea of going back to driving a gas car).”

The beginning of the beginning

Sailing boat owners have been some of the first to adopt electric propulsion over the past decade, with a big reason most likely being that many sailors like sailing for the very reason that they prefer silence and fresh air to the sounds and odours of diesel and gasoline motors.

Many owners have converted boats themselves, with motors from companies like Oceanvolt , Fischer-Panda , Bellmarine , Thoosa and others (check the Plugboats Guide to Electric Saildrives and Pods and the Marketplace of Electric Motors ).

A growing number of builders have been offering electric propulsion as an option, and the number of manufacturers doing so is increasing almost daily. In February Elan yachts was the first to offer electric as an option across its entire fleet , and an Electric Sailboat category was started in this year’s Gustave Trouvé Awards.  You can see the nominees »» here

Electric propulsion as the standard feature is the next important step in the transition away from fossil fuels.

As Arcona’s Lagnéus says: “The benefits of electric propulsion are numerous; not having an exhaust and the elimination therefore of emissions, the ongoing cost saving vs. fuelling up with diesel, the minimized operating noise and vibrations, the increased space for living, the complete power management, the ease of use and maintenance, and having an overall lighter weight thus increased performance.”

“We can all do our bit to combat climate change, and to be the first yacht builders with zero emission propulsion as a standard is an important step towards further enjoyment of sailing the Arcona way.”

Exciting things are happening every day in electric boats and boating. Subscribe to the Plugboats newsletter so you don’t miss a thing!

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Arcona 50 : The luxury cruiser of the year 2024

Michael Good

 ·  22.01.2024

Measured values Arcona 50

Yacht review arcona 50, technical data arcona 50, the competition in the premium segment.

• You can find all the winners of the Sailing Oscars here...

The Swedes from Arcona Yachts don't like being compared to X-Yachts anyway. And yet they have to face up to the confrontation right now. A major personnel matter has caused a stir: Niels Jeppesen, co-founder, face and figurehead of the X-Yachts brand and responsible for the design of all new models from Haderslev for almost 50 years, unexpectedly announced his move to a new client following the separation from X-Yachts in spring 2022. Jeppesen and his partner Ariadna Pons were to design a new 50-foot flagship for Arcona Yachts - for Arcona of all places, one of X-Yachts' main competitors.

This new liaison is likely to have caused quite a stir. Apparently, however, the parties are pretty much at peace with each other on the matter - at least that is what is being communicated. Jeppesen and Pons have been working as an independent duo from their design office in England for some time now. And the fact that the look of the new Arcona 50 now bears the typical signature of its designer Niels Jeppesen is probably more due to the nature of the situation than the competitive thinking of two brands that serve the same demand.

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The Arcona 50 should do well in the Mediterranean

In fact, the Swedes' new flagship is a far cry from its direct competitor from Denmark, the X 4.9 are quite similar both visually and conceptually - at least at first glance. Despite the supposedly many similarities, the differences lie in the details and are only really recognisable after a closer look. The parallels are not only to be found when comparing the Arcona with the X, but also in the comparison with the entire competitive environment. Particularly in the upmarket fast cruisers with a hull length of around 50 feet, the competitors present a strikingly homogeneous overall picture ( see competition overview below ).

With its latest flagship model, Arcona Yachts is now enriching this market segment as a new competitor. Until now, the yacht builders based in Gustavsberg near Stockholm have maintained a relatively narrow programme of fast, sporty performance cruisers between 34 and 46 feet in length, constructed by the now deceased designer Stefan Qviberg. The brand is still very successful on the regatta courses in the north and is also enjoying good demand in Germany, especially on the Baltic Sea. However, Arcona boats are rarely found further south, especially in the Mediterranean.

Urban Lagnéus, CEO of the Arcona Yachts shipyard, which now belongs to the same group of companies as Najad, hopes that this will now change with the new ship. As the brand's flagship, the new 50 is built much closer to the needs of the Mediterranean than its smaller sisters. The boat is designed to be more versatile, but is also less focussed on racing. This is particularly evident in the cockpit layout, which is also suitable for a small crew or family sailors. This means that the halyards, sheets and trim lines are led below deck and inside the cockpit coamings on two winches in front of the steering columns. An increasingly common solution on dedicated cruising yachts.

Front guest cockpit, rear work cockpit

The layout with the clear division of the guest cockpit forward and the working cockpit aft is also a common arrangement in the performance cruiser class, and the competing boats from X-Yachts and the Italian competitors are similarly structured. However, Arcona refrains from offering two versions for racing and cruising, such as Cantiere del Pardo for the Grand Soleil 48 Performance. Instead, the yacht builders have designed the layout very specifically so that both the helmsman on his own and an ambitious regatta crew can easily cope with the functions.

The designers have left enough space between the steering pillars and the cockpit thwarts so that the winches can be operated easily from the cockpit without cramping. However, the gap is at the expense of the dikes, which remain comparatively short with a length of just 1.74 metres. However, the winches on the rear cockpit coaming are very close together and also quite close to the halyard stoppers. Careful handling is therefore required during manoeuvres. And because it is not possible to crank the two winches at the same time, Arcona installs electric drives as standard for one of the two drums on each side.

Short rudders, but plenty of draught

Jeppesen & Pons have configured the Arcona 50 with double, relatively short rudder blades. This is particularly advantageous for courses with half winds or on a beam reach, which is the prime discipline for yachts of this type. In addition, a deep T-keel with a slim shaft and antimony-hardened lead bulb comes as standard. However, the draught of 2.95 metres is considerable and can be a hindrance in some sailing areas. For this reason, the keel is also available with a draught of 2.50 or 2.20 metres with correspondingly more ballast. The aluminium rig with three spreaders comes from the Danish manufacturer John Mast with rod shrouds and hydraulic tensioners for the backstay.

A carbon fibre rig with the same mast height is available as an option. According to Arcona Yachts' calculations, the weight saving is around 25 per cent, which is ultimately advantageous for better sea behaviour in waves. The shipyard does not offer a furling mast for the Arcona 50, but a furling boom from Mainfurl in Denmark is on the list of options. The test ship is also equipped with this.

The Arcona 50 sails very lively

For the trial run off La Rochelle in France, the conditions vary greatly, from almost calm to 4 Beaufort (12 knots) with some swell. The Arcona 50 gives an impressive demonstration of her abilities in all conditions. The powerful hull design by Jeppesen/Pons with the wide stern offers noticeably high dimensional stability. The boat sails stiffly and upright, which is particularly pleasant on long courses. Equipped with the optional overlapping genoa with hole points on the coachroof, the Swede also runs very well upwind. The tacking angle is 85 degrees or even slightly less.

It is also surprising how lively the chic ship moves and how quickly it returns to the set values after the manoeuvres. And this despite the fact that, with a displacement of just under 14 tonnes, it is not exactly one of the lightweights in comparison.

While rowing in windy conditions is a pleasure with a high fun factor, the steering feeling is almost completely absent in light winds, which is not unusual for designs with double rudder blades. This may also be due to the very high-quality but complex design of the Jefa steering system, which controls the rudder blades with two separate cables and couples the quadrants with a push rod. Although the system offers full redundancy in the event of a fault, it is also somewhat sluggish with more resistors.

The high-quality construction creates peace and stability

One thing is particularly noticeable below deck: the calmness underway and during manoeuvres. This is due to the perfect insulation with continuous inner shells, but also to the first-class workmanship and the high-quality construction of the hull and deck.

The Arcona 50 is built entirely in Arcona's new production facility in Uddevalla, while the hull is built entirely as a GRP sandwich construction using a vacuum infusion process with vinyl ester resin and a foam core. In addition, the shipyard laminates carbon fibre strips in the shrouds and keel suspension area and reinforces the floor assembly in the keel area with a steel frame.

Familiar layout with few options

The interior design with the owner's cabin forward, two guest cabins aft and two bathrooms, each with a separate shower area, corresponds to the class standard to which the concepts of all competitor boats are orientated with only minor deviations. After all, the feudal offerings are aimed exclusively at discerning owners who, at best, also invite friends to go sailing. In this respect, layouts with many cabins are not on the list of priorities.

There is little variation in the layout of the aft cabins. Instead of a large, contiguous berth, two separate single berths are also possible here, which considerably simplifies access for double occupancy. Owners can also have the aft cabin on the starboard side converted into a large, internally accessible forecastle or have a workshop set up there. There are many different options here. In this case, the shipyard would cut out the inner shell in the area of the cockpit thwarts, making the large storage space accessible from the cockpit.

When designing the galley, the customer can choose between a closed U-shaped layout and an open arrangement with a free-standing cooking element and a direct connection to the seating area in the saloon.

Very high-quality interior fittings

The quality standard below deck is simply first class. Finishing with light-coloured oak, as in the construction number one, is an option. Arcona uses Khaya mahogany as standard, which is slightly darker and more reddish in colour. The customer also has the choice of flooring. The strap look as on the test boat is just one of many options. In addition to the impeccable, extremely high-quality workmanship of the interior elements in all areas, it is the many small details that are impressive, especially in the technical on-board installations. The components are perfectly accessible and are clearly and sensibly installed. The fuel and fresh water tanks are made of stainless steel and are fitted under the floorboards in the saloon.

However, the ventilation options on board could be better. The two hatches in the roof of the cabin superstructure are nice and large, but unfortunately the side windows cannot be opened. Cross-ventilation, especially in the saloon, is only possible through the open companionway. The cabins and wet cells, on the other hand, can be better ventilated.

The price tag hanging on the Arcona 50 causes general disillusionment. It states a base price of 1.04 million euros for the basic package ex shipyard, including 19 per cent VAT, but still without the sails, for which at least another 50,000 euros will have to be forked out. Even if the boat is beautifully built to a high standard and extensively equipped, this is a lot of money for a boat of this size and orientation.

The Arcona 50 achieved the Nomination for European Yacht of the Year 2024 made it. Whether the beautiful Swede can win the coveted award remains to be seen. The jury's decision will be announced at the boot trade fair in Düsseldorf, where the Arcona 50 will also be on show as a world premiere.

Sailing performance

Arcona 380 – Yachting Monthly review

• August 21, 2014

She's designed to take the place of two boats in Arcona's stable of performance cruisers, but is she that good? Chris Beeson finds out

Product Overview

Manufacturer:, price as reviewed:.

What’s she like to sail? If the 380 were a car, she would be an Aston Martin: a beautifully-engineered, luxurious and refined sports tourer, purring with power and control. Torgny ‘Arcona’ Jansson says he’s not entering her for the European Yacht of the Year 2015 because two 38-footers won this year (Dehler and Bénéteau Océanis). This is news that will delight other manufacturers of performance cruisers. For anyone who actively and genuinely enjoys the business of sailing, this boat is the benchmark. Drape an arm over the lifelines, check your position on the binnacle plotter, and luxuriate in a peerless helming experience, unrivalled among production boats. I defy anyone to sail this boat and not smile as she leans gently on a gust and surges forward. It’s pure sailing pleasure. She positively flies upwind. Her structural stiffness and ballast distribution allow her to carry full canvas when others will be reefing. Off the wind she glided across the water regally, accelerating with each extra knot, once again with the helmsman in total control. We didn’t have an offwind sail aboard but I would love to see her pick up her skirts and fly. What’s she like in port and at anchor? The galley is a fine example, well laid-out with good stowage and thoughtful light and ventilation, and works as well in port as it does at sea. The saloon hullports are sized and positioned to blend in with the hull stripe so they’re not tremendously useful as windows but they do add more light. The table is simple but works well, though the mast is a little intrusive. If there is a negative, it’s stowage, which is limited to lockers outboard and the slender space below the sole. However, she has been designed with performance in mind so, where you might usually find stowage under the settees and the tankage pushed out to the ends, Arcona have opted to keep the weight central. Stowage in the forward cabin is good but it’s a bit limited in the two aft cabins. On deck, there’s a simple walk-through to a bathing step with a ladder. There’s enough stowage for most kit. Order the two-cabin version and you’ll have more stowage than you know how to fill. Would she suit you and your crew? She’s not a boat for beginners. For a start, she’s got plenty of power – easily controlled if you know what you’re doing but she might scare newbies. With a cockpit traveller, the falls of the mainsheet could catch the unwary during a gybe, too. Plus, if you’re new to sailing, you should sail something else for a few years just so you can appreciate how good the 380 is. If you’re a dinghy-sailing couple looking for a classy, sporty cruiser then she could be right up your alley, likewise a couple with a more sedate cruising yacht looking to get a bit more excitement out of their time afloat as well as expanding their cruising range thanks to her effortless speed. I wouldn’t say she’s unsuited to families but the kids need to be savvy sailors to make sure there are no mainsheet incidents. As a tweaky sort of sailor myself, I would treasure the thrills she delivers but sadly she’s out of my price range. That said, the pound is strong against the Swedish krona at the moment so, if I did have the money, I know where I’d spend it. Take a test sail and tell me I’m wrong.

Fact and figures

LOA – 11.28m (37ft) LWL – 10.6m (34ft 9in) Beam – 3.8m (12ft 6in) Draught – 2.1m (6ft 11in) Displacement – 6,850kg (15,101 lb) Ballast – 2,400kg (5,291 lb) Sail area – 81.52m2 (877sq ft) Engine – 30hp Diesel – 150 litres (33gal) Water – 200 litres (44 gal) D/L ratio – 159.4 SA/D ratio – 23 Ballast ratio – 35 % RCD – Category A STIX – 37 Designer – Stefan Qviberg Builder – Arcona Yachts Tel – 02380 457770 Website – www.arconayachts.com

The Arcona 380 is not for beginners. For a start, she’s powerful – easily controlled if you know how, but she might scare newbies. Plus, if you’re new to sailing, you should sail something else for a few years to appreciate how good the 380 is. As a tweaky sort of sailor myself, I would treasure the thrills she delivers but sadly she’s out of my price range. That said, the pound is strong against the Swedish krona at the moment so, if I did have the money, I know where I would spend it. Take a test sail and tell me I’m wrong.

Arcona Yachts are known to build some of the world’s best cruiser-racers in terms of design, speed, comfort and quality. The spirit of Arcona runs throughout our whole range of six models, 345 – 50. Each yacht is responsive and yet kind, a sailor’s dream. Buying an Arcona makes you part of a community of people that care about sailing, great design and each other.

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