In the MOOD

If your cruising frame of mind extends to a versatile deck-saloon design with surprising sailing chops, take a gander at the Moody DS41.

- HERB MCCORMICK

Back in the day, after Cruising World launched in the mid-1970s, a steady helping of rugged, well-built cruising boats from a collection of British builders that included Westerly, Nicholson, Oyster, Contessa and many others frequently appeared in these pages. Personally, I was most attracted to the Moody line, perhaps because one of its frequent naval architects, Angus Primrose, was a close friend of the magazine's publisher and a regular contributor.

Plus, having been founded by boatbuilder John Moody in the early 19th century, Moody struck me as the quintessential English shipyard.

Moody began to produce fiberglass sailboats in 1965, with Laurent Giles and Bill Dixon joining Primrose as the principal designers. During the next 30 years, Moody launched 39 models and knocked out more than 4,000 yachts, a notable run that concluded in 2005, when production ceased.

In 2007, German marine conglomerate Hanse Yachts AG acquired the brand, and any concerns about the new landlords taking it all in a completely different direction were quickly put to rest when it named Dixon as the designer for all its new models.

Which brings us to the accomplished master's latest creation, the inspired Moody DS41 (the initials stand for "deck saloon"). Excuse me while I gush, and please pardon the cliché, but the DS41 is solid proof that a seasoned dog like Dixon, who drew the lines for one of the more interesting new boats for 2023, still has some fancy tricks up his sleeve. Indeed, as a member of our most recent Boat of the Year judging panel, I joined my colleagues in unanimous agreement while naming the DS41 the year's Best Full-Size Cruiser.