How well do they actually sail?

[badey0015]

[markfnovak]

[clonjers]

[badey0015]

[wingdiver]

We have the HC44PH and she is a ketch rigged cutter.
We did a sail trial back and forth in the river to average out the tide and got 8.25kts average in around 20-25kts of wind. This was with all sails and unreefed.
On most trips we motorsail as you can guarantee the wind is never in the perfect direction for a holiday trip. Usually get an average 7-7.5kts.
We re-rigged ours to the original rig plan. The main mast on the ketch is pretty high - around 55ft - and certainly taller than the Beneteau 42 sloop that moors next to us - much to the owners dismay.

[chrisray12]

I can say having sailed on a baba/panda 40 and a current owner of a 43t, the difference to me was unnoticeable. Both have very similar rig setups and sailing characteristics, PHRF ratio 50.50 vs 50.00(cutter), sail area, draft, beam and keel, that I could not imagine a noticeable difference. We looked at both when we were shopping for a boat. I would almost be certain that if both boats were racing on a reach or run that the outcome would most certainly be, who is the better sailor than what is the better performance boat. If anything, the 43 with longer waterline should help with speed at 15- 20 degrees of heel in larger or lumpy seas. If performance is the ultimate issue that you are concerned about, I would certainly recommend you look for a HC telstar keel 43 or 41. This would certainly help with lighter wind conditions and angle of sail close hauled. The Pilot House will change the sailing angle but I did not find any PHRF ratio for either HC or Baba/Panda.

For us, space and layout was the ultimate decider vs. the Panda/Baba.