Design and Construction
Rather than using a conventional female mold for a fiberglass hull, RM builds its hulls from marine plywood coated in epoxy resin. The 1370 follows that established practice. It isn’t a cheap choice: an epoxy-and-plywood hull costs about 20 percent more than one traditionally molded in GRP.
In return, the builder gets a rigid structure centered on a resin-coated steel cage, which reinforces the attachment points for the bulb keel and chainplates. Fiberglass and Kevlar reinforcements add heat and sound insulation through the structure.
Above the waterline, the 1370 displays Lombard’s signature multi-chine geometry. Hard chines and a relatively wide stern give the cabin unusual volume for a boat of this length, while the negative stem is a deliberate styling gesture. Twin rudders share the steering load.
The deep-draught version draws 2.45 meters and has a light displacement of 9,528 kilograms. A shallow-draught option draws 1.95 meters and displaces 9,803 kilograms.
Rig, Cockpit, and Handling
The 1370 carries a cutter rig with a German mainsheet system and a double backstay. Compared with the earlier model, the stempost was reworked into a slightly raked profile, balanced by a permanent bowsprit that can carry a Code 0 or gennaker.
Six winches are arranged around the cockpit:
- Two on the coachroof beside the companionway for the mainsail and vang
- Two just aft of the cabin bulkhead, beside the seating
- Two on the rear coaming for the downwind sails
The self-adjusting jib sheets lead to the starboard and port winches. This arrangement keeps trimming simple and leaves a very large, uncluttered cockpit.
On the water, the 1370 responds quickly. Test sailors found its acceleration striking and noted that even a breath of wind was enough to get the flagship moving again. In just over ten knots of true wind, it maintained more than seven knots. Close-hauled in 13 real knots, the GPS showed 8.6 knots.
The hard chines are intended to provide a measure of dynamic stability when sailing heeled. Downwind under the 175-square-meter gennaker, the boat holds an unwavering line. The steering feels easy rather than nervous, and the helm angle that unlocks its pace isn’t difficult to find.
Interior and Accommodation
The interior is distinctive, with all furniture and joinery finished in matte blue—a treatment the launching reviewer had never seen aboard a yacht. Light dominates the living spaces. Huge forward windows at the bow of the deckhouse, likened to a sports car’s windscreen, combine with large side windows to flood the dinette with daylight. The galley and chart table also feel generous.
Forward, the owner’s cabin is welcoming, with a very wide double bunk. A split head-and-shower arrangement creates two roomy compartments, and cabin headroom is 190 centimeters.
The aft accommodation is more mixed. One stern cabin has a bed only a few centimeters narrower than a queen, but the berth in the other is less than 130 centimeters wide. The two bunk lengths are not large. One aft cabin is also described as having an XXL double berth, ample stowage, and a small porthole. At the owner’s request, a third cabin can be created from a technical space.
Some interior doors are only 40 centimeters wide. The wardroom measures 226 by 192 centimeters.
Known Issues
The deckhouse surfaces around the large forward windows are very smooth, with no anti-slip treatment at all—not even close to the glass. One reviewer worried that anyone crossing this area could slip when it’s wet, a fair caution on a boat intended to be walked forward in a seaway.
Verdict
The RM 1370 is a thoughtful evolution of Lombard’s design, combining a fast, seakindly hull with an unconventional, light-filled interior. Its epoxy-and-plywood construction provides stiffness and quiet, while the cockpit layout is genuinely user-friendly for short-handed sailing. The main trade-offs are the aft accommodation and the slick surfaces around the forward deckhouse windows.
Pros
- Quick, lively performance, with strong light-air response and steady downwind tracking
- Epoxy-and-plywood hull with a central steel cage for rigidity, plus a notably quiet engine compartment
- Bright, roomy forward owner’s cabin and dinette with distinctive glazing
- Six-winch cockpit with self-adjusting jib sheets and a German mainsheet system for easy handling
Cons
- One aft-cabin berth is less than 130 centimeters wide, and stern-berth dimensions are generally modest
- Smooth deckhouse surfaces around the windows lack anti-slip treatment, creating a wet-weather slip hazard
- Matte-blue interior paint and 40-centimeter doors may not suit every buyer
