Design and Construction
RM builds its hulls from marine plywood coated in epoxy resin rather than from a conventional fiberglass female mold, and the 1370 follows that house practice. The material choice is not cheap: an epoxy-and-plywood hull runs about 20 percent more expensive than a traditionally GRP-molded one. What the builder gets for that cost is a rigid structure centered on a resin-coated steel cage that strengthens the attachment of the bulb keel and chainplates. Fiberglass and Kevlar reinforcements add heat and sound insulation through the structure.
Above the waterline the 1370 shows Lombard's signature multi-chine geometry. Hard chines and a relatively wide stern give the cabin unusual volume for the length, while the negative stem at the bow is a deliberate styling gesture. Twin rudders share the steering load, and the deep-draught version draws 2.45 meters against a light displacement of 9,528 kilograms, with a shallow-draught option at 1.95 meters and 9,803 kilograms.
Rig and Handling
The boat carries a cutter rig with a German mainsheet system and a double backstay. The stempost was reworked from the earlier model to a slightly raked profile balanced by a permanent bowsprit, onto which a Code 0 or gennaker can be secured. Six winches sit in the cockpit—two on the coachroof beside the companionway for the main and vang, two just aft of the cabin bulkhead by the seating, and two at the rear coaming for the downwind sails—and the self-adjusting jib sheets on both the starboard and port winches keep trimming simple while opening a very large, uncluttered cockpit.
On the water the 1370 is quick to respond. Test sailors found the acceleration striking and noted that a breath of wind is enough to get the flagship moving again. With just over ten knots of true wind she holds above seven knots, and at 13 real knots close-hauled the GPS showed 8.6. The hard chines are intended to add a measure of dynamic stability when sailing heeled, and downwind with the 175-square-meter gennaker she holds an unwavering line. Steering is easy rather than nervous, and the helm angle that unlocks her pace is not hard to find.
Accommodations
The interior is distinctive, with all furniture and joinery painted a matte blue—a finish the launching reviewer had never seen aboard a yacht. Light dominates the living spaces: huge forward windows at the deckhouse bow (likened to a sportscar's windscreen) and large side glazing flood the dinette, while the galley and chart table read as generous. The owner's cabin forward is a welcoming space with a very wide double bunk and a split head-and-shower arrangement that yields two roomy compartments; cabin roof height there is 190 centimeters.
Aft, the picture is more mixed. One stern cabin holds a bed only a few centimeters narrower than a queen, but the other falls under 130 centimeters wide, and the two bunk lengths are not large. A third cabin can be created from a technical space at an owner's request. Some interior doors measure just 40 centimeters across, and the wardroom is 226 by 192 centimeters. An aft cabin also offers an XXL double berth with ample stowage and a small porthole.
Known Issues
The deckhouse surfaces around those large forward windows are very smooth, with no anti-slip treatment at all, not even near the glass. A reviewer worried that anyone crossing them could slip when the surfaces are wet, a fair caution for a boat meant to be walked forward in seas.
The Verdict
The RM 1370 is a thoughtfully evolved Lombard design that keeps a fast, seakindly hull and wraps it in a light-filled, unconventional interior. The epoxy-plywood construction buys stiffness and quiet, and the cockpit layout is genuinely user-friendly for short-handed sailing. The trade-offs are in the aft accommodation and the slick forward deck surfaces.
Pros
- Quick, lively performance with strong light-air response and steady downwind tracking
- Epoxy-plywood hull with central steel cage for rigidity and a notably quiet engine compartment
- Bright, roomy forward owner's cabin and dinette with distinctive glazing
- Six-winch cockpit with self-tailing jib sheets and German main for easy handling
Cons
- One aft cabin berth under 130 cm wide and generally modest stern-berth size
- Smooth deckhouse windows lack any anti-slip, a wet-weather slip hazard
- Matte-blue painted interior and 40 cm doors may not suit all buyers
