{"id":82860,"date":"2026-01-05T13:36:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T18:36:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/?p=82860"},"modified":"2026-01-05T16:12:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T21:12:08","slug":"2025-boat-of-the-year-best-club-racer-saffier-24-lite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/sailboats\/2025-boat-of-the-year-best-club-racer-saffier-24-lite\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 Boat of the Year Best Club Racer: Saffier 24 Lite"},"content":{"rendered":"\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Saffier_24_Lite-0681-1024x682.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image disable-lazyload\" alt=\"Saffier Lite 24\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Saffier_24_Lite-0681-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Saffier_24_Lite-0681-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Saffier_24_Lite-0681-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Saffier_24_Lite-0681-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Saffier_24_Lite-0681.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Behind the helm is a sprawling aft cushion lounge for guests to enjoy the ride, away from the fray, and down below is sitting headroom only and acres of cushions encircling a compression post.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Walter Cooper<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<iframe id=\"x8aa2rgac1\" src=\"https:\/\/Sailingworld.dragonforms.com\/x8aa2rgac1\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"width:100%;height:165px;border:none;overflow:hidden;\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p>Saffier isn\u2019t a brand well known in the States, and as far as we know, they\u2019ve never entered a single model into our Boat of the Year world. But after admiring a brand new Saffier Lite 24 on a trailer all summer, we persisted in convincing them to show us what they\u2019ve been hiding in Europe for the past few years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Saffier, says our demo host and dealer Anton Webre, promises there is no pretending with its boats. \u201cIt is a premiere performance daysailor brand. That is their DNA. Dennis (Hennevanger, the builder) will tell you that if you\u2019re looking for something else, then look somewhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Webre sells quite a few Saffier models, especially the builder\u2019s bigger mooring candy. The 24 Lite, he says, is one sweet little harbor burner. Yes, it\u2019s pricey at $195,000 (as quoted, with tariff), but sailing it is believing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }<\/style><div class='embed-container'><iframe src='https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NDMn8YQRYWE' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEsthetically, this boat is really, really nice,\u201d Davis says. \u201cIt would be a beautiful thing to have for a Wednesday night club race series.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s also light and plenty lively, Davis adds. At only 1,300 pounds, the boat is really stable, so the ballast is clearly in the right place. And sailing upwind was a delight. \u201cIt\u2019s designed to be a stay-in-the-cockpit boat,\u201d Davis says, \u201cso yeah, sit on the cushions and enjoy it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Saffier_24_Lite-0233-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Saffier_24_Lite-0233-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Saffier_24_Lite-0233-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Saffier_24_Lite-0233-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Saffier_24_Lite-0233-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Mike Ingham, Monica Morgan and Dobbs Davis take the Saffier 24 Lite for test lap up the Severn River, showcasing the boat&#8217;s comfortable layout and high-performance features that earned its place as the Boat of the Year Award&#8217;s Best Club Racer. <\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Walter Cooper<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>Comfortable, very light and very cool-looking daysailor is what Ingham jotted into his note pad, while also noting the quality and finish of the composite hull, built in the Netherlands, northwest of Amsterdam, in what is described as a technically-advanced and clinically clean shop. Saffier\u2019s story is a captivating one, but it is one for later. We know very little about them in the States, but what we do know is that they\u2019ve been building award winning and ground breaking sailboats since 1999. The Saffier 24 Lite is yet another for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a boat where you get out on the water, by yourself or with a bunch of people,\u201d Webre says. \u201cIt\u2019s all so easy to use, thoughtful and beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The judges also pointed out its impressive gelcoat finish and that there is not one piece of wood on the boat. It\u2019s all composite, including the synthetic decking, which comes in almost any color.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Aluminum is the standard rig, and while carbon is an option, Webre says not to bother. The aluminum rig is perfectly fine. And for the dry-sail racer in the group: A single-point lift eye is embedded into the rock-solid keel grid. Easy in, easy out on the hoist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Saffier_24_Lite-0582-1024x682.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Saffier Lite 24\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Saffier_24_Lite-0582-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Saffier_24_Lite-0582-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Saffier_24_Lite-0582-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Saffier_24_Lite-0582-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Saffier_24_Lite-0582.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">At only 1,300 pounds, the boat is really stable, so the ballast is clearly in the right place.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Walter Cooper<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s certainly possible to shorthand the 24 on a beer-can twilight, but four would be perfect company. Whether racing with a code zero, an A2 or even JAM, there\u2019s something for everyone. All controls cascade aft to companionway clutches. With cabin-top winches, it\u2019s all simple and effective. The jib is self-tacking and runs on a flush deck track, the Zero is on a furler at the end of a carbon sprit, and the mainsheet block is set on the cockpit floor post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Behind the helm is a sprawling aft cushion lounge for guests to enjoy the ride, away from the fray, and down below is sitting headroom only and acres of cushions encircling a compression post. You hardly know the electric sail drive unit and batteries are there. Inside, there\u2019s nothing more until you toss the overnight gear drybags on board and see where that takes you. \u201cI\u2019d overnight it with my son,\u201d Webre tells the judges with a hint of sincerity, \u201cbut my wife would not.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And that\u2019s okay, because there is no night in daysailor. But there is all day\u2014and there is twilight\u2014in the Saffier 24 Lite.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For turning corners with the twilight fleet and turning heads on the harbor cruise, there\u2019s the Saffier 24 Lite.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":82862,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"BS_author_type":"BS_author_is_guest","BS_guest_author_name":"Dave Reed","BS_guest_author_url":"","hydra_display_date":"","hydra_display_updated":false,"_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"","_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","arc_story_id":"","arc_website_url":"","custom_permalink":"","arc_subtype":"","arc_exclude_from_feeds":false,"sponsored":false,"sponsored_label":"Sponsored Content","sponsored_display_label":false,"sponsored_image":false,"post_right_rail":true,"post_right_rail_ad_1":true,"post_right_rail_ad_2":true,"post_right_rail_ad_3":false,"post_right_rail_ad_4":false,"post_right_rail_recirc":true,"fixed_anchor_ad":true,"post_top_ad":true,"post_off_ramp":true,"post_taboola":false,"labels":true,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"\"\"","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":"","sponsored_url":"","social_share":true,"ad_targeting":"","ad_settings_ads_on_this_page":true,"ad_settings_automatic_ad_injection_into_the_content":true,"alternate_title_newsletter":"","alternate_content_newsletter":""},"categories":[160],"tags":[3065,173,3071,164],"class_list":["post-82860","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sailboats","tag-2025-boat-of-the-year","tag-boat-of-the-year","tag-saffier","tag-sailboats"],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82860","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=82860"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82860\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/82862"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=82860"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=82860"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=82860"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}