CNB 76 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Briand's hull is purposeful rather than decorative. A nearly plumb bow stretches the waterline for speed potential, while the sheer runs fairly straight with a slight spring toward the stem. The after sections broaden to maximum beam at the cockpit and carry a chine that adds initial stability when power reaching and, when heeled, settles the boat into a comfortably stable mode that resists weather helm. Twin rudders are set well apart and far aft so the leeward blade keeps its bite, and modern waterlines made the double-rudder layout possible in the first place. Underwater, a 10-foot cast-iron fin with a bulb carries winglets meant to cut the tip vortex and reduce drag. The clean hull-and-deck shapes and the seamlessly integrated deckhouse read as a yacht built to last, and the modular build scheme — four interior modules constructed outside the hull and slotted within millimetres of their 3D design — let CNB build hull and interior at once, trimming build time to five or six months while tapping the parent group's economies of scale.

Rig and Handling

The deck layout uses advanced solutions so two people can handle the boat, and an experienced couple can manage her in most conditions. The standard aluminium mast stands 112 feet off the water; a Hall Spars carbon option is offered and, even with in-mast furling, stays lighter than alloy, while a 3-metre taller performance rig lifts sail area by six or seven per cent. A self-tacking jib makes tacking effortless, and the large fully battened mainsail carries three reef points, dousing into lazy jacks and a pocket boom; in-mast or CNB's own in-boom furling can be specified. Hydraulic Reckmann furlers on jib and genoa work from push buttons at the twin helms, and four deck winches — two per side of the mast — let a single crew raise and lower sails. Writing in Blue Water Sailing, test sailors found the helm so light they could leave the wheel for minutes, and the boat tracked hands-off; in 12 to 14 knots of breeze she sailed at 28 degrees to apparent wind and made 10 to 11 knots over the bottom, slowing to eight on a broad reach, while a Force 4–5 close reach held 10.5–11 knots all day and light-air returns still beat wind speed by half a knot or more.

Accommodations

This is the only raised saloon on the market that divides the owner's zone from a reserved aft crew area and still offers a splendid exterior view from the settee — unlike most deck saloons, seated diners see out through wrap-around windows. The off-axis entrance leads past a central saloon with a port dinette and starboard swivelling easy chairs, over a vast engine room beneath folding floor panels. A longitudinal tender garage aft opens via a folding transom that becomes a launch ramp for a Williams jet tender or modified RIB. The master cabin lies forward with a centreline double facing ahead and a high headboard for privacy; two guest cabins each have an en-suite, one with sliding twins to a queen, the other with bunk beds and an extendable lower berth. The skipper's port aft cabin holds two singles that join to a double. A galley under the cockpit carries three fridges, a wine cooler, and a bar counter. Natural light pours from hull windows, hatches, and the saloon wrap.

Known Issues

Twin rudders trade low-speed backing control for bite under sail: reviewers note you need more speed than expected to steer her in reverse, which is why bow and stern thrusters — and joystick steering — are fitted to counteract the deficiency around docks. In Yachting World's test, a faster mastbase halyard winch would help when hoisting the larger cruising sails, and one tester felt exposed at the aft helms with only thigh-level guardrails behind; the central pushpit support was to be raised.

The Verdict

The CNB 76 distils a custom-yacht brief into a series-built, modular hull that sails light on the wheel, separates owners from crew without compromising the view, and carries a tender garage and keel winglets most rivals omit. She is a flagship that earns the label through breadth of accommodation and all-conditions performance rather than ornament.

Pros