Sailing is still a big thing in Europe and no country embraces the power of wind and sail and the romance of the sea more than France. It is home to dozens of sailboat builders and hosts many world-class offshore and coastal sailing events. Plus, the French are constantly pushing the design envelope to garner more speed and performance in both racing and cruising boats. In fact, the latest generation of cruising boats from France all have their roots deeply planted in performance and offshore racing design concepts. None more so than the wizards at Pogo Structures based in Brittany on France’s rugged Atlantic coast.
The latest creation from Pogo is their new Pogo 44 that was conceived as a fast cruising boat for a couple or a crew that wants to sail at the high end of the performance curve without giving up comfortable accommodations below for living aboard. Designed by the French firm Finot-Conq, the 44 is not like your regular production cruising sloops from the likes of Beneteau, Jeanneau or Hanse. Its hull shape is much more like those of the Volvo 60s or the IMOCA 60s. Read More