Small cruisers: Boot premieres I: Seascape 24

She is not only between the Seascape 18 and 27 in terms of size, she also successfully combines the essence of both boats conceptually. She has inherited the fully retractable keel and the intelligent reduction from her little sister, and the performance, parts of the rigging, the fittings and the space below deck from the larger boat.

All in all, this results in an exciting mix that can actually appeal to many target groups: Inland sailors who only go out on the water for a few hours, as well as cruising skippers who go on trips along the coast and want to stay dry overnight or anchor their boat in the shallows.

But there is one thing that sets the Seascape 24 apart from its two brand sisters: even the construction number 1 is remarkably cleanly finished. Whereas the young shipyard took longer to get to the point in series production with its predecessors, practically everything on the new model fits right away. You can feel the gain in experience and routine. And it is also evident in detailed solutions such as the neatly integrated spindle drive for the swivelling keel.

The 24, for example, manages with less than 20 moulds for the hull and deck, compared to 40 for the 27, while the empty weight of 890 kilos is even less than the originally calculated value and therefore around 300 kilos less than the 27 - with an almost identical sail area. However, the big one has more ballast and a higher righting moment, which is why they cannot be directly compared.

She is not cheap for a small cruiser. Ready to sail, she costs 51,890 euros ex shipyard, which is significantly more than most boats around 24 feet. On the other hand, there is a carbon rig including a membrane sail set from North Sails, high-quality fittings - and the promise that the additional financial outlay will be offset by more performance and fun.

We will only be able to judge whether this succeeds in the test. In any case, the Seascape 18 and 27 have already clearly demonstrated this. With the same DNA, plenty of sail area and more manufacturing expertise, the Seascape 24 is at least very well placed to do the same.