Test Sailing the Moody DS48 with the Dixon Yacht Design team
Test Sailing the Moody DS48
with the Dixon Yacht Design team
Bill Dixon has been designing the Moody range of yachts for many years, so when we had the opportunity to get out on the water on the latest Moody design with Bill & his team, we jumped at the chance.
The new Moody DS48 has been developed to go up against the likes of the Oyster 495 and Amel 50 by offering ocean-crossing solidity, as well as exceptional comfort and high-end finishing. To an extent they all offer some form of raised saloon feature but none come to close to that of new DS48. You are left with no doubt when you get onboard that they have clearly achieved the quality and finishing side of things in spades. The fixtures and fittings are top quality, as is the detailing of the trimmed bulkheads, joinery and equipment.
Leaving the pontoon is effortless thanks to the Side Power proportional thrust bow and stern thrusters, remarkably powerful and responsive giving the helm a very reassuring amount of control of the boat. Certainly moving the boat sideways to windward in 15 knots of wind was no effort for them at all.
It is worth mentioning that this DS48 has the upgraded 150hp Yanmar engine, which was not only extremely smooth and quiet, it also happily propelled us along offering 8 knots, at 2,000 rpm and only 6 lph. Once out in the Solent we had between 12 and 18 knots of true wind, which was enough for the Dixon team to assess the heel angles and hull stability. Hard pressed with full sail and 23 knots of apparent wind she sat solidly at a comfortable 20°, out of the gusts the average upwind heel angle was 15°, which is very much inline with their fluid dynamics modelling.
Boat speeds were very impressive, topping out at 9.7 knots and almost constantly between 8 and 9 knots at all points of sail. Down in the western Solent we had as much in terms of waves as you can expect in enclosed waters, not exactly a rigorous test for a yacht with this kind of open ocean pedigree and design but it is safe to say that there was not a hint of any hull slamming or notable loss of boat speed, which bodes very well for fast and safe passage making speeds.
Characteristic Moody high gunwhales and solid guard rail, together with shoulder height grab rail mean moving forward on the DS48 feels extremely secure.
Once out in the Solent we had between 12 and 18 knots of true wind, which was enough for the Dixon team to assess the heel angles and hull stability.
If you would like to know more about the new Moody DS48, or to arrange a visit to see it at Hamble Point Marina,
please get in touch with our team.
