BOOKIN

BOOKIN is an intriguing choice for the San Francisco Bay sailor who appreciates a boat with genuine performance pedigree but still wants the comfort and practicality of a capable cruising yacht. Designed by internationally respected naval architect Ron Holland and built by Fast Yachts in Brazil, the Fast 345 combines the responsive sailing characteristics of an IOR-era performance design with accommodations suitable for weekends on the Bay, coastal cruising and longer adventures.

At approximately 34½ feet, BOOKIN is a particularly appealing size for San Francisco Bay. Her fin keel, spade rudder and performance-oriented hull form give her the responsiveness and positive helm that experienced sailors appreciate when the afternoon breeze builds through the Golden Gate. Rather than feeling like an under-canvassed cruising boat, the Fast 345 was conceived with performance very much in mind, making her well suited to the Bay's combination of brisk winds, short chop and frequently changing conditions. At the same time, her relatively easily driven hull means she can remain rewarding to sail during the lighter morning conditions often encountered before the summer afternoon breeze fills in.

The Ron Holland design pedigree is an important part of BOOKIN's appeal. Holland became known for yachts that successfully combined offshore capability with speed, balance and efficient sailing characteristics, and those priorities are readily apparent in the Fast 345. This is a boat for an owner who enjoys sailing the boat - not simply motoring from one destination to another.

For the Bay Area sailor, that versatility opens up an unusually broad range of possibilities. BOOKIN can be an entertaining day sailor along the San Francisco cityfront, a responsive boat for informal club racing, a comfortable weekend cruiser to destinations around the Bay and Delta, or a platform for coastal passages beyond the Golden Gate. Her combination of manageable size, sailing performance and cruising accommodations makes her especially attractive to a sailor who wants one boat capable of doing several things well.

BOOKIN represents something increasingly difficult to find in today's market: a moderately sized performance cruiser from a respected designer, with the sailing characteristics to make a windy afternoon on San Francisco Bay something to look forward to rather than avoid.