Design and Construction
The hull is a hand-laminated, vacuum-bagged vinylester-and-E-glass layup, solid below the waterline and closed-cell-foam cored above it, with a two-piece mold that yields an inward-facing flange at the hull-to-deck joint, bonded and fastened for a secure union anchor. Inside the bilge, a galvanized steel grid carries the structural loads and lends the hull its toughness, and steel beams further strengthen that grid. The glasswork is neat and smoothly finished, and the whole yacht is strongly built rather than merely pretty.
Rig, Power, and Handling
Our test boat sat clearly at the performance end of the racer-cruiser spectrum, carrying a tall rig over a deep fin keel with lead ballast and an oversized wheel. The standard Volvo makes 27 horsepower, but the performance package substituted a 40-horsepower Volvo diesel and bundled the tall rig, deep lead keel, upgraded winches, and that oversized wheel. On the water the boat was exceptionally easy to manage: predictable in forward and reverse, turning within roughly a boatlength, and nimble around a crowded start line and mark roundings. She tacked easily, pointed and footed with the best in the fleet, and with a big genoa drove right up to hull speed in the puffs; a clean deck and low coachroof let a full crew move quickly to work her through traffic.
Accommodations
Below, the cabin detailing is to a high standard, with neatly fitted joinery and a lovely finish, yet the interior is unelaborate—a pleasant, inviting space rather than a showpiece. The two-cabin owner’s version sailed in the test accommodated a family of four on a summer cruise or a race-week crew in comfort. An optional three-cabin arrangement adds berths for another couple but sacrifices the large storage area beneath the cockpit seats.
Known Issues
The principal constraint noted by reviewers is the keel: with a deep-draft variant near seven feet eleven inches, the boat’s draft could limit available anchorages anchor.
The Verdict
The Grand Soleil 37 is a genuinely performance-oriented 37-footer that punches above its length in fleet racing while remaining a comfortable coastal cruiser. Botín & Carkeek’s hull-and-deck engineering, backed by Cantiere del Pardo’s steel-grid structure, gives a sailor a strongly built platform that handles like a thoroughbred and accommodates crew or family without fuss. The deep keel is the one real-world compromise.
Pros
- Exceptional sailing performance; matches fleet pointing and footing with nimble maneuvering
- Strongly built hull with steel-grid structure and secure bonded hull-deck joint
- High-standard, unpretentious interior with two- or three-cabin flexibility
- Established race record in IRC events across European waters
Cons
- Deep draft limits some anchorages
- Wires in tested systems appeared not tinned
