Legendary Classic Boats: 5 “small” 90s icons (20-70 thousand €)

To talk about Classic Boats in general sometimes misses the nuances and subtleties that each design phase entailed, as well as its evolutions and philosophies. We selected 300 projects of excellence, 300 models of historical value to celebrate and enhance. With this in mind, we now want to explore the topic as it deserves, contextualizing each project and each boat to its time. Here now is a series of in-depth articles, brief overviews of 20 legendary Classic Boats, their design canons and their evolution decade by decade. Here, then, are 5 legendary Classic Boats of the 1990s (presented in order of average value).

Legendary Classic Boats: The 1990s (pt.1)

With the advent of the 1990s, design is definitely approaching a new season. The advent of the new rating system, the IMS, begins to become more and more encumbered, and design canons are increasingly disrupted by the use of digital technologies, the adoption of “exotic” composite materials, and the introduction of new drifts, bulbs, and ballasts. We are on the cusp of one era as it mixes with another, producing boats that are increasingly high-performance and ever closer to our contemporary standards. Narrow, starry sterns, maximum beams amidships, and broad sweeps come to an end, and, as perhaps only 30 years earlier, boats now change dramatically. The maximum beams are now wider, set back from the center of the boat and much less tapered in coming toward the increasingly wide and “flattened” aft mirrors.

At the same time, materials change, and standard technologies reduce thicknesses in laminations immensely, ensuring extremely low weights, deeper appendages and less turbulence. In short, boats are tending toward “planing,” bulbs are beginning to depopulate, and arms are being fractionalized even where “masthead rigging” was not previously questioned. But more importantly, the era of digital technologies is being confirmed, with software entering the mainstream, leading to design canons that have never been so close to today’s standards.

5 Legendary Classic Boats of the 1990s

With these five Classic Boats, then, we begin to see five hulls that well represent the turn of the century. These are exceptional projects, boats that have ascended to iconic levels because of their qualities, achievements and/or success. Representing the “low” price range, among the legends of the “nineties,” here are 5 hulls between 20 and 70 thousand euros on average, perfect for small cruising, racing or day-sailing.

• Discover all Classic Boats of Historical Value by Giornale della Vela

MELGES 24

Melges; 7.23 m; Reichel & Pugh; 1993

The Melges 24 is a hull taken for granted, the J/24 of its time, but it is pivotal: it revolutionized the one-design world. Very fast, acrobatic but safe. It is the most iconic boat of the legendary U.S. shipyard, which also builds it in Europe. It has hundreds of launched specimens. The design is by the American firm Reichel & Pugh, a guarantee. It still has a regatta circuit today.

Its AVERAGE VALUE is around €21,000. To find out its card and price range, open this LINK.

FIGARO SOLO

Beneteau; 9.14 m; Groupe Finot & Jean Berret; 1990

Developed for the Solitaire du Figaro regatta, the Figaro Solo liked it from the start, thus starting a series that is still more than active today. From its earliest version it was characterized by a powerful sail on fractional rigging with flying rigging, resulting in a fast hull, strong synthetic foam sandwich with structural counter-molding and efficient weight distribution. Today, outside the circuits in which it participates, it can be a great hull for fun and pure sailing outings.

Its AVERAGE VALUE is around €35,000. To find out its card and price range, open this LINK.

MUMM 30 / FARR 30

Carroll Marine / Ovnington; 9.42 m; Bruce Farr; 1995

The Mumm 30 is something of an icon. A gem of world sailing, in addition to bearing the name of a Champagne, it is also known as the Farr 30, as is often the case with hulls designed by the great and eponymous Bruce. Perfect as a day sailer or for small coastal cruises, it was, and is, a true sailing missile, as extreme as a track car and as fascinating as a great contemporary classic. It deserves if you are looking for a fast, fun and, all in all, affordable hull.

Its AVERAGE VALUE is around €55,000. To find out its card and price range, open this LINK.

FIRST 31.7

Beneteau; 9.61 m; Groupe Finot & Pascal Conq; 1998

A small and underrated classic. Heir to the First 310 and Figaro – of which it mirrors the water lines, drift bulb and large aft wetted area – the First 31.7 was part of the range restyling that Beneteau undertook in the late 1990s. It is a boat that does not disdain cruising, cabin cruising and spacious for 4, but its hidden nature is racing and the deck layout proves it. You will not fail to find many of them, emptied of all superfluous furnishings, in every club and noncircle regatta. Small, versatile and fun, it is a hull that does its own thing without too much pretension. And he does it well.

Its AVERAGE VALUE is around €68,000. To find out its card and price range, open this LINK.

GRAND SOLEIL 37

Pardo Shipyard; 11.3 m; J&J; 1996

The Grand Soleil 37 in 1996 saw the debut of Cantiere del Pardo’s new range. It is introduced by 37, precisely, which bears the great signature of J&J. The styles of tradition remain, but the design bears the marks of innovation. The deckhouse is long, low, the stern “open,” stepped. It will be offered in two versions, cruising and racing, the latter with a lead keel and increased sail plans.

Its AVERAGE VALUE is around €70,000. To find out its card and price range, open this LINK.

The three steps to enhance your Classic Boat

Well, is your boat a Classic Boat? Now we explain how to dignify Classic Boats by Journal of Sailing and increase their value. We have created a network of professionals dedicated to precisely this enhancement.

• The first mandatory step in enhancing the value of a historic Classic Boat by Giornale della Vela is appraisal. We have identified two “top” appraisers(Davide Zerbinati and Danilo Fabbroni) who can draw up a real Classic Boat certification and see the historical value of the boat recognized. Only by careful analysis of the state of the property and its maintenance over the years, as well as checking that the original design has not been distorted, can its value be certified.
• Insurance is the second essential step, after the appraisal. Today it is difficult for an insurance company to value a boat that is at least 25 years old for its true value. With the Classic Boat initiative, once an appraisal is obtained from our two appraisers, the intrinsic value of the boat is also received by the insurance broker David Assicurazioni. And if the appraisal certified the boat’s excellent condition–the premium becomes more affordable! HERE you can find out more about insurance!
• Buying and selling is the third step that required dedicated professionals: we involved one of Italy’s leading brokers(Abayachting) capable of transposing the real value of each of the current 188 selected boats, both in the case of selling and buying. It helps you sell it or buy it at the best price by selecting the best buyer or buyer, performing an assessment of the boat’s condition.
• Our “dream team” of appraisers, insurers and brokers can be contacted with one click directly from the boat tabs (Link here).
• FIND OUT HOW MUCH 300 CLASSIC BOATS BY SAILING NEWSPAPER ARE WORTH