1992 Reichel/Pugh 50

Step aboard and you feel immediately that this is a proper driver’s boat—low freeboard, powerful sections, and a cockpit laid out so the trimmers and helm stay in sync without tripping over each other. The tiller gives you that fingertip feedback you just don’t get on newer, heavier designs, and the boat rewards a steady hand with a clean, high groove upwind. Down below is all business: functional pipe berths, sea-kindly galley and nav station, and enough storage to keep the race gear organized for distance events. She’s light enough to light up in the teens, yet still has the backbone and balance to punch through a lumpy seaway without beating up the crew.

This size and style of Reichel/Pugh shines in the local mix of tight coastal courses, offshore sprints, and overnight races. The 50-foot waterline gives you the length to stretch your legs in open water, while the relatively narrow beam and efficient hull make tacking duels and mark roundings sharp and precise in crowded fleets. When the afternoon breeze pipes up, the boat’s sail-carrying power and balanced rudder keep her on her feet instead of on her ear. Add in a cockpit that handles both full race crews and lighter shorthanded setups, and you’ve got a versatile weapon for the prevailing conditions here.