CLASSIC APPEAL

SOMETIMES LOOKS REALLY DO MATTER. AND THIS PILOT CLASSIC 47 IS A SWEET HARMONY OF CLASSIC LINES AND MODERN BUILD

- TOBY HODGES

Where: Bodrum, Turkey Conditions: 6-10 knots wind over flat water

Model: PC47 number 1, with bespoke lower freeboard design, in-boom furling and self-tacking jib

Pride of ownership is a tricky quality to quantify. To many yacht owners looks will play second fiddle to pragmatics - practicality, space and affordability all rank higher (hence the success of serial production yachts). But surely you have considered which yacht might theoretically make you the most proud to own?

Here the monohull will likely always reign, with classic yachts in particular having that evergreen appeal, their owners willing to offset that need for constant maintenance with the visual pleasure their yacht brings.

I'm often asked which yacht I would choose, and that depends on circumstance - including when, where, for how long and for what imaginary budget. But for those lucky enough to afford a treasured possession to keep in a warm location, something they can take continued pride in whenever they see or sail it, to my eye, Performance Classic Yachts (PC Yachts) offers a range of Hoek pilot classic designs that are hard to top.

PC Yachts is a small volume brand producing modern classics which take their appealing lines from the traditional pilot cutter. It builds a couple of yachts a year in composite or wood epoxy at Metur Yachts in Turkey, a yard also renowned for its refits (it recently restored the 74ft ocean racing ketch Stormvogel).

These designs may sport a Bermudan rather than gaff rig, but still boast the prodigious sail area of pilot cutters. The cutters were proven designs for north European waters over a century ago, when they'd race to reach incoming ships, often in ugly conditions, and needed to be fast and easy to manage short-handed. The latter part rings true for PC Yachts too.