Although the 76 is a production boat rather than a one-off, it offers the space and separation of a much larger custom yacht. Its sleek, low coachroof conceals a raised deck saloon, while a 99,200-pound displacement and 33,100 pounds of lead ballast in a 9'10" bulb fin mark it as a serious offshore hull.
Design and Construction
Briand’s hull is purposeful rather than decorative. A nearly plumb bow extends the waterline for speed potential, while the fairly straight sheer rises slightly toward the stem. The stern sections broaden to maximum beam at the cockpit and incorporate a chine. This adds initial stability when power reaching and, once the boat heels, helps it settle into a comfortably stable mode that resists weather helm.
The twin rudders sit well apart and far aft, allowing the leeward blade to retain its bite. Modern waterlines made this double-rudder arrangement possible in the first place. Underwater, a 10-foot cast-iron fin with a bulb carries winglets intended to reduce the tip vortex and cut drag.
The clean hull and deck shapes, along with the seamlessly integrated deckhouse, give the impression of a yacht built to last. CNB used a modular construction scheme, building four interior modules outside the hull and positioning them within millimetres of their 3D design. This allowed the yard to build the hull and interior simultaneously, reducing build time to five or six months while drawing on the parent group’s economies of scale.
Rig and Handling
The deck layout uses advanced systems intended to let two people handle the boat. An experienced couple can manage it in most conditions.
The standard aluminium mast rises 112 feet above the water. A Hall Spars carbon mast was optional and remained lighter than the aluminium version even with in-mast furling. A performance rig, 3 metres taller, increased sail area by six or seven per cent.
A self-tacking jib makes tacking straightforward. The large, fully battened mainsail has three reef points and drops into lazy jacks and a pocket boom; buyers could instead specify in-mast furling or CNB’s own in-boom system. Hydraulic Reckmann furlers for the jib and genoa operate from push buttons at the twin helms. Four deck winches—two on each side of the mast—allow one crew member to 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, it sailed at 28 degrees to the apparent wind and made 10 to 11 knots over the bottom, slowing to eight knots on a broad reach. On a Force 4–5 close reach, it held 10.5–11 knots all day. In light air, its speed still exceeded the wind speed by half a knot or more on the return.
Accommodations
The CNB 76 was the only raised-saloon yacht on the market that divided the owner’s area from a reserved aft crew zone while still giving those seated at the settee a splendid exterior view. Unlike most deck saloons, its wrap-around windows let diners see outside while seated.
An off-axis entrance leads past the central saloon, which has a dinette to port and swivelling easy chairs to starboard. Beneath folding floor panels lies a vast engine room.
Forward, the owner’s cabin has a centreline double berth facing ahead and a high headboard for privacy. Two guest cabins each have an en-suite head. One has sliding twin berths that convert to a queen; the other has bunk beds and an extendable lower berth. The skipper’s cabin aft to port contains two single berths that join to form a double.
The galley sits beneath the cockpit and includes three fridges, a wine cooler, and a bar counter. Hull windows, hatches, and the saloon’s wrap-around glazing bring in abundant natural light.
A longitudinal tender garage aft opens through a folding transom, which becomes a launching ramp for a Williams jet tender or modified RIB.
Known Issues
The twin rudders trade low-speed control in reverse for grip under sail. Reviewers noted that the boat needs more speed than expected before it will steer when backing. Bow and stern thrusters, along with joystick steering, are fitted to offset this weakness around docks.
During Yachting World’s test, a faster mastbase halyard winch would help when hoisting the larger cruising sails. One tester also felt exposed at the aft helms because the guardrails behind them reached only thigh height. The central pushpit support was to be raised.
The Verdict
The CNB 76 translates a custom-yacht brief into a series-built, modular boat. It combines light steering and performance across a wide range of conditions with clear separation between owners and crew, without sacrificing the view from the raised saloon. Its tender garage and keel winglets are features many rivals omit.
This is a flagship defined by its breadth of accommodation and all-conditions performance rather than by ornament.
Pros
- Raised saloon with genuine sightlines for seated guests
- Clear separation between owner and reserved aft crew areas
- Stable, quick chined hull with twin rudders
- Performance from light air into winds in the teens
- Modular construction delivering a custom-level interior in five to six months
- Tender garage with a folding transom ramp
- Redundant twin helms
Cons
- Twin rudders provide poor backing control under power without thrusters
- Aft-helm guardrails can feel low in a swell
- Mastbase winch is slow when handling large sails
