On the lakes and inland waterways where small cruisers of this type find their fans, the marinas are called waterway rest areas, and there is no point in hurrying anyway, as the nearest shore is always within sight. If you want to do water sports in such areas, you sail a dinghy or beach cat - a decision in favour of a cabin cruiser, on the other hand, is often a decision in favour of a weekend home, with the advantage that it can also be moved under sail. The fact that the market is bigger than some people realise is shown by the stable sales figures and numerous models in this segment - now almost exclusively manufactured in Poland. Dalpol has been an established name in this scene for years.
Comfort costs weight: 1.35 tonnes of brochure weight - with a little extra equipment, an outboard motor and a full water tank, 1.5 tonnes of cruising weight is not unrealistic - is offset by just 20 square metres of sail area, with internal ballast and a galvanised steel centreboard providing righting moment. In short, the Phobos 21 is what sells like hotcakes in Poland, but is often looked down upon by seasoned sailors in this country.
The Phobos 21 can do one thing almost unrivalled: get people on the water cheaply, with a roof over their heads and a large berth. Read the detailed test in issue 13 of YACHT.
