At first there is a crackling sound, like when you open presents at Christmas. The sound is well known and comes with joyful anticipation and a certain amount of tension. There's a slight lull, followed by this muffled "whump". A jolt. Then pressure. Acceleration.
The stern lifts on a wave, you can see a gust rushing on the water, powering up, even more pressure, even more acceleration, even more speed, the gurgling from behind becomes a whirring. The mixture of joy and tension gives way to an initially undefined pulling in the lower abdomen. Is this going well or into the sun?
Then a look at the Speedo: 14 knots. Yes, it's running, the boat is gliding. It immediately becomes calm on board. No hustle and bustle. The tension gives way to pure sailing fun. The helmsman holds the ship in his hands, every slightest movement is immediately acknowledged with a course change. Gusts are actively driven, as are waves. If the two meet, there is an express surcharge. Gliding under gennaker. You should have done it once. It's good.
Achieving this highly pleasing state requires a combination of circumstances: an area with enough space, the right wind - not too much and certainly not too little - the right wave and preferably some sun. These conditions were found on the test day off IJmuiden. An old wave from the south-west, wind from the same direction around 15 knots and the entire North Sea coast of the Netherlands as a playground for the nimble weekender.
Competition from the Saffier Se 33 Life
Oh yes: the right undercarriage is of course particularly essential for rides of the kind described above. The Saffier Se 33 Life is just such a fun tool. That can be said at this point without giving much away. Because anyone who knows the brand and the people behind it will know that Dennis and Dean Hennevanger have never produced a boat that doesn't sail well. So it would be very surprising if the new 33 were any different.
The Saffier Se 33 Life is a weekender
Because it comes at an exciting time. Until now, the Saffier brand has operated in a niche - daysailers. But this niche is getting bigger, as are the boats themselves. A 37-foot daysailer? Just a few years ago, a pipe dream for the super-rich. Now on offer from Saffier.
Less time for one hobby, but more and more different leisure activities: For sailing boats, this means that they are more likely to be used in between rather than in the absolute way that many have grown up with on the water. A little sailing fun after work, a family outing at the weekend. All of this is usually rather short, and just as often without an overnight stay on the boat.
The boat must also be easy to handle and very accessible. The fact that this type of sailing is becoming increasingly popular is proven not only by the current sales figures for Saffers, but also by the fact that new types are constantly entering this market - especially in the category slightly above the pure daysailer, known as a weekender. You can even spend the night on it and make a coffee if you need to and the evening was particularly nice. There is also heating, a toilet and running water.
Jachtwerf Heeg has also recognised the trend and will be offering the Pointer 30 on. However, the biggest competitor for the latest Saffier, alongside the yachts from Tofinou, is certainly the Sunbeam 32.1. Although it is much more extravagant, it ultimately serves the same market as the more elegant-looking Dutch model.
Prerequisite for the Saffier Se 33 Life: good sailing
During the test, it not only performed excellently under a large cloth at the front, but also when travelling uphill, i.e. to windward. Of course, Hennevangers didn't skimp on the details, but rather went all out. This means a 2.10 metre deep keel (1.70 and 1.45 metres as an option), carbon mast with rod rig and aft curved spreaders (price on request) and equally fine sails from Elvstrøm, also as an extra. Also logical: this ensures very good upwind performance.
With a wind of around 15 knots and an angle to the true (!!!) wind of 30 degrees, the speed was around 6.5 knots. If you drop only a few degrees, it's 7. If it has to be a little higher, you can still reach 6.3 nautical miles per hour. The figures should of course be treated with caution due to the slight current in the outer harbour of IJmuiden, although the measurements were repeated several times.
Whether with the help of the current or not, the Saffier sails very high on the wind. She remains very neutral on the rudder - typical of the shipyard's sportier SE line. And that even when the heel is already very strong. On the one hand, this is pleasant because it makes steering physically easier, but on the other hand, the helmsman must remain fully focussed at all times if he wants to keep the boat as close to the wind edge as possible. The good thing is that the more you sail with the boat, the more you get used to it, learn and interact with it. Then it also becomes less mentally exhausting.
Almost relaxed sailing on the Saffier Se 33 Life
Finding a comfortable seating position remains a challenge. Sitting behind the helm on the coaming is quite cosy, but unfortunately there is a lack of support when the heel increases. The teak block on the floor is barely sufficient to provide secure support. An outward sloping coaming could help here. Or some kind of folding mechanism with a bracket or in the floor behind the steering wheels. Steering from leeward is also possible. There you can sit on the aft deck and lean on the backrests, called gentlemen's seats (extra charge). This is comfortable, but then you can no longer see what is happening upwind. Definitely not an option in narrow waters.
Otherwise, operation is relaxed without restriction. Thanks to the two optional E-Rewind winches (extra), which can be operated from both sides, the helmsman can trim the sails conveniently at the touch of a button - headsail on one winch, mainsheet on the other. Which button does what is easy to understand. The backstay and traveller are deflected directly next to the helmsman. This means that a gust can be defused by pulling hard on the backstay, or pressure can be quickly applied to the sail with the traveller. This works perfectly.
By the way: if the helmsman is working on the starboard side, the optional second refrigerator in the cockpit is also accessible; the shipyard finds that at 33 feet the way into the cabin is sometimes just too far. Agreed. The lounge area in front of the wheels is very comfortable. A cockpit table (an extra) helps with picnics on the water and provides space for a glass of Prosecco. Practical.
Weekend living on the Saffier Se 33 Life
Below deck, you can see why the Saffier is so much fun to sail. A daysailer or weekender simply has to make fewer compromises. A large wet room? Standing height? A full galley? Nobody expects any of that here. This means the Saffier Se 33 Life can concentrate on the usual core competences of a sailing boat, which it does very well. Nevertheless, it offers more than just the bare essentials below deck.
Four people can sleep there in the Family version. Then there are two berths in the saloon and a huge sunbathing area (2.80 x 1.40 metres) in the foredeck. If this is shortened to a length of 2.14 metres, the path to the pump toilet below is clear. This is screened off from the saloon, but unfortunately not from the berth where the rest of the clan sleeps; privacy seems to play a less important role for families than for couples. This is because the Couple version has a separate toilet room. When love is still young, things can be a little more secretive on board. Well, as I said, this is a weekender and not a cruising yacht. Keyword compromises.
The workmanship below deck is high quality and the surfaces are harmonious. There is plenty of storage space, and the galley with induction hob is also perfectly adequate for a pasta meal. Opposite is the coffee bar (extra charge). It is very much in keeping with the Saffier idea: a hot drink in the afternoon and breakfast in the morning. And let's be honest: a weekend trip on a ship like this also includes dinner in the restaurant. Cooking and washing up afterwards? No thanks!
The feeling of space is good, as the Saffier manages without bulkheads thanks to carbon reinforcements in the deck. This means that there is still more hidden in the cabin than you would expect when looking from the outside. The requirements of a weekender are fully met.
The top dog
The Saffier is the epitome of the daysailer: solidly built, excellent sailing and with many pleasing details. At the same time, it looks good without being overly innovative. No wonder that 35 units had already been sold even before construction number 1 was launched. The version with a diesel engine costs from 213,010 euros, with an electric drive it is just under 24,400 euros more. But in return you get exquisite weekend fun.
The measured values for testing the Saffier Se 33 Life
The Saffier Se 33 Life in detail
Technical data of the Saffier Se 33 Life
- Designer:Dean Hennevanger
- CE design category:B (with railing)
- Torso length: 9,75 m
- Width:2,85 m
- Draught/alternate..:2,10/1,70, 1,45 m
- Weight:2,85 t
- Ballast/proportion:1,2 t/44 %
- Mainsail:33,0 m²
- Self-tacking jib:23,5 m²
- machine (Yanmar):10 kW/14 hp
Hull and deck construction
Iso-resins over 15 millimetre foam core in vacuum injection. Solid laminate in the keel area. Carbon reinforcements
Price and equipment
- Base price ex shipyard: 213,010 euros gross, incl. VAT.
- Price with 6 kW Torqeedo electric pod motor: 237,400 euros gross
- Warranty/against osmosis: 2/2 years
As of 9/2023, how the prices shown are defined can be found here !
Shipyard and dealer
Saffieryachts.com dealer in Germany: diamond-yachts.com , ultramarin.com , bavariaboats.com
YACHT rating
Fast-sailing, well-built weekender for sailing fun in between. If you want to spend the night on board, you can do that too. The idea has been consistently realised and is therefore logical. Visually successful
Design and concept
- + Clear realisation as a weekender
- + Large cockpit
- +/- Very neutral on the rudder
Sailing performance and trim
- + Excellent sailing characteristics
- + Trimmable to the point
Living and finishing quality
- + Comfortable berth dimensions
- - Corner at the companionway
- - Privacy Family version
Equipment and technology
- + E-drive possible
- + Very good fittings
- - Many things at extra cost
This article first appeared in YACHT 24/2021 and has been updated for this online version.
More about Saffier Yachts:
- SAFFIER SE 33 GP :A daysailer becomes a thoroughbred racer
- SAFFIER SC 6.50 CRUISE: The successful new edition of a powerhouse in the test
- SAFFIER SE 24 LITE: Poison green daysailer from Holland put to the test
