Refreshers of RYA courses

DEHLER 38 SQ - Blue Eye

Speed meets quality and comfort

Dehler 38 SQ is the newest model from a famous German shipyard Dehler, traditionally known for their quality built yachts. A "true performance cruiser", says the renowned Sail magazine. That means the boat is fast but has everything needed for comfortable cruising. Another review says Dehler did a great job with this model while "keeping the boat as simple to use and fun".

We needed only one short sail with our Blue Eye to confirm that all these reviews were accurate. And we're sure you'll quickly realise why she's a perfect yacht for learning sailing. She has performance Quantum sails and a sleek, sharp, sporty line, so she sails well even on light wind.

Two very responsive carbon wheels enhance the manoeuvrability and provide a good feel of the boat's movement, even more so because they control only one deep rudder. The stern is spacious and broad, so there's enough room for a swimming platform with an integrated ladder.

The cockpit is spacious, with a fixed foldable table that enables the crew to enjoy their meals and drinks on the deck under the shade of a large bimini top. It also provides enough room for active sailing, and three winches on each side - a rarity in the class - prove the yacht is made to perform. Teak wood covers the cockpit deck, and the rest has a non-skid finish.

BLUE EYE is our training yacht registered for the RYA courses, so you can be sure she has everything needed for safe sailing. Also, a radar and an active radar reflector – which makes the yacht more visible to big ships - enhance her safety. She has the latest B&G chart plotter and instruments.

She has 38 feet, around 11,4 meters. The interior has three roomy double cabins, a cosy saloon, a foldable dining table, a chart table, and a fully equipped kitchen with a sink, stove and a large fridge. There's also a bathroom with a toilet and a shower, and all wastewater goes to a holding tank. Large windows in the saloon and cabins allow natural light below the deck. The shipyard used only fine woods - teak, mahogany and oak - for the furniture, which matched perfectly with the bright upholstery.

Additionally, BLUE EYE has a hot air heating system installed to keep the crew comfortably warm after sailing in spring and autumn. She also has substantial autonomy with a freshwater tank of 295 litres, a fuel tank of 160 litres, and service batteries of 160 Ah, so she stays comfortable even on a more extended cruise.