rustler yachts facebook

• Berthon Home
• Yacht Brokerage
• New Yacht Sales
• Moody Yachts

Rustler Yachts

• Sealine Motor Yachts
• Solaris Yachts

Berthon USA are honoured to be the American agent for Rustler Yachts, the renowned British brand. These beautiful yachts are hand crafted in Falmouth, Cornwall which is in the depths of the South West of England, UK. Rustler Yachts started in the early 1980s and are a relatively low volume yard building very high quality cruising yachts. Since the 1980s hundreds of owners have enjoyed the process of building the yacht of their dreams. You will enjoy a unique close relationship with the team that is building your yacht.

Rustler Yachts are a company passionate about the yachts they build, which are hand crafted using a combination of traditional boat building methods and cutting edge technology. Every yacht is built to your exact requirements giving it a personal touch with distinctive character.

The range of yachts on offer has expanded over the years. The first yacht to splash the water back in 1980 was the Rustler 36. The full fleet ranges from a glamorous 24ft daysailer – all the way up to the magnificent Rustler 57.

Rustler Yachts are all built to an incredibly high standard which are far above the industry norm. The designs of all the yachts puts comfort and safety at sea at the forefront, meaning these yachts are built for real life cruising and life on-board. There motion at sea is wonderfully easy and despite the traditional look, the whole fleet is deceptively fast.

Alan Baines: [email protected]

Inspired by some of the classic designs from the last century, the Rustler 24 offers the day boat sector a new dimension by combining traditional long keel sea-keeping and handling qualities, with the practicality of modern materials and systems.

The Rustler 33 is beautiful. Designed to be really easy to live with, simple to sail, and offering cosy accommodation for a weekend away; she is the perfect antidote to yachts whose designers have forgotten what pleasure there is to be had in simple aesthetic beauty.

Designed as a smaller sistership to the renowned and well respected Rustler 42 - the Rustler 37 is a pretty yacht, offering double cabins fore and aft, and a spacious saloon. There is plenty of storage for extended cruising, and large navigation and galley areas.

Rustler 41 Motor Yacht   NEW

And now for something a little different... We have the Rustler 41 Motor Yacht - a stunning Tony Castro design. Great if you are looking for an example of one of the best classic cruising yachts you can buy in either sail or power.

The Rustler 42 is a classic looking yacht with moderate height to the topsides, a sweet sheerline, pleasing overhangs and a long, wide and low cabin top. The Rustler 42 adds a performance element to other essential bluewater attributes like directional stability, stiffness and good load carrying ability.

Powerful, comfortable and exceptionally well-behaved, the Rustler 44 is a welcome addition to the ranks of classic bluewater cruising yachts.

The stunning Rustler 57 is a pro at drawing admiring looks wherever she goes. Designed by Stephen Jones, who also did the Rustler 42 and 37, she is fast and sea worthy.

Search BerthonUSA.com

• Boats for Sale

New and used Rustler boats for sale

• United Kingdom
• United States
• Rustler 44 DS
• Rustler Bowman 45

Search all our new or used Rustler for sale. We have Rustler brokers and sellers from around the world at great prices.

History of Rustler

Rustler Yachts is a distinguished British boat manufacturer, originally established in 1963 by Kim Holman, a highly esteemed naval architect. The company was chiefly known for producing the iconic Rustler 36, a high-quality, long-keel cruising yacht, which debuted on the market in 1980 and quickly became renowned for its durability and seaworthiness. Holman was a pioneer in his methods of construction and design, creating a legacy of high-performance, seaworthy boats with sleek, sophisticated lines. The first workshop was located in the old rust-proofing building at Robinson's Yard, Penpol, near Falmouth in Cornwall, which is why the company was aptly named Rustler.

In 1990, Rustler Yachts was acquired by new partners Nick Offord and Peter Thomas, and moved from its original location to Falmouth. The company transitioned to a new, spacious yard located at Falmouth Docks, and the product line expanded to include a wider range of premium yachts, from the Rustler 24 day sailer to the large Rustler 58.

Today, Rustler Yachts continues to produce world-renowned, bespoke blue water cruising yachts hand built by skilled craftsmen in their Falmouth, Cornwall premises. They proudly strive to uphold the cherished tradition of British yacht building, with an unwavering commitment to quality, safety, and beauty. Each handcrafted vessel is a testament to Rustler's enduring legacy and vision for the future, firmly establishing the company as one of the industry's leading players within the global yachting community.

Which models do Rustler produce?

Rustler produce a range of boats including the Rustler 36 and Rustler 33 . For the full list of Rustler models currently listed on TheYachtMarket.com, see the model list in the search options on this page.

What types of boats do Rustler build?

Rustler manufactures a range of different types of boats. The ones listed on TheYachtMarket include Cruiser , Racing boat , Cruiser/racer , Exploration vessel and Day boat .

How much does a boat from Rustler cost?

Used boats from Rustler on TheYachtMarket.com range in price from £85,000 GBP to £400,000 GBP with an average price of £166,000 GBP . A wide range of factors can affect the price of used boats from Rustler, for example the model, age and condition.

Sign up to our newsletter

By submitting this form, you agree to our Privacy & Cookie Policy

Change units of measure

This feature requires cookies to be enabled on your browser.

Show price in:

Show lengths, beam and draft in:

Show displacement or weight in:

Show capacity or volume in:

Show speed in:

Show distance in:

Berthon Winter Collection

Latest issue

August 2024

In the August 2024 issue of Yachting World magazine: News Few finish a tempestuous Round The Island Race European rules are eased for cruising to France and Greece Olympic sailing…

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Rustler 57 review: This traditional British cruiser was built to rule the waves

• Toby Hodges
• December 18, 2019

Rustler’s stunning new flagship, the Rustler 57 may cause you to re-evaluate what comfort is all about when cruising

Product Overview

Manufacturer:, price as reviewed:.

There will be times when you get caught out, when the weather doesn’t do exactly as forecast and the sea state becomes worryingly erratic. These are the sort of times when you feel the eyes of the young or less experienced members of the crew turning to you, wanting reassurance you may not be able to give. This can be the unpredictable nature of cruising .

At times like this it matters little how many sunpads you may have on deck, what size your flatscreen TV is, or which toys are lurking in the lazarette. You’d trade any of them for a comfortable and forgiving motion, safe passage on deck and a minimum of unnerving noises.

You want to be able to set the correct sail to the conditions. You may also re-evaluate what makes life comfortable: proper protection in the cockpit; a navstation where you can think and plan; somewhere to dry wet gear, make a hot brew safely, or cocoon yourself on a berth with a sturdy leecloth.

These may not be the sexy features that sell yachts at boat shows, but they could make a crucial difference to the enjoyment of an offshore passage. Rustler Yachts knows this well. It builds very elegant-looking cruising yachts, but they are designs that shun fashion for exactly this type of pragmatism.

It’s no fluke that the top three of five finishers in the retro, attritional Golden Globe Race 2018 were Rustler 36s. The Penryn, Falmouth, yard takes a belt and braces approach to its builds. Its range has spanned modest sized cruising yachts up to 44ft – until now. This new Rustler 57, by far its largest model to date, is still a yacht that its creators hope will provide that total reassurance.

Article continues below…

Amel 50 review: An indoor sailing experience to excite even hardened sailors

Amel has a long established following for yachts designed and built to match the needs of liveaboard and bluewater cruisers.…

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 490 test: A boat that demands to be noticed

Pip Hare tests the first Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 490, the eighth generation of its hugely popular cruising range

No frills introduction

First impressions are reassuring: a sweeping sheerline rising to a raked stem, a spoon bow and an elegant counter, and a deep underbody with a softly turned bilge are all traits that have stood the test of time. They help produce a reliable, kindly motion at sea, with the added bonus of lines that are exceedingly easy on the eye.

Rustler’s go-to designer, Stephen Jones, who joined us for the first day of trials, explained that he endeavoured to keep the freeboard of the Rustler 57 as low as possible – no easy task with today’s demands for internal volume. His solution lay with modern influences: a fuller bow shape, noticeable in the forward cabin, and broad beam aft which buys valuable space in the two aft guest cabins.

This yacht is refreshing in its conservative, dependable nature. At this size and price range, there’s no shortage of competition in the luxury cruiser market, but the Cornish yard is sticking to what it does best and, for that reason, the Rustler 57 stands out. Director Adrian Jones describes it as a scaled-up version of the company’s venerable 42.

A sweeping sheer rising to a high bow, helps keep a low freeboard and graceful look. All photos: Richard Langdon

“What our owners want is to not follow fashion,” he says, pointing out that the hull shape, protective skeg and single wheel are the antithesis of the offerings from most modern production yards. The rig is also unusual these days: “We stuck to our guns with parallel spreaders and a cutter rig,” says Jones.

Where this first Rustler 57 differs from the standard boat is in the rig and keel set up. The owner didn’t want the boat to draw more than 2m, nor have an air draught over 25m. Rustler’s solution was to use a long chord, lead keel case with a bronze fin centreboard that can lower to give another 1.5m draught. The carbon Seldén mast and V-boom carries a fully battened mainsail, which uses a Harken switch track to stow closer to the boom.

From the moment you step aboard the Rustler 57 via a proper boarding gate in the guardrails, walk along its secure side decks between sturdy toerail and handrails, noting features such as the Samson post and protected dorades, and settle in the deep cockpit, you feel enveloped in a luxurious safety blanket.

Sailing from the heart of the boat. Note how deep in the cockpit Toby is at the helm, yet still with clear sightlines

Before moving on to performance, it’s important to point out where the money goes. This is a hand-built boat, more than 22,000 hours of it in fact. It’s a yacht built to last.

“We use a monolithic layup with a glass stringer matrix for all of our cruising yachts, as we genuinely believe it to be stronger,” Adrian Jones explains. He maintains that, compared to sandwich construction, this copes better with deflection, is easier to repair and won’t delaminate.

The result is a medium-displacement yacht, weighing 27 tonnes – similar to the new Amel 60, and just under two tonnes more than the Oyster 565 . However, as we’d soon discover, you don’t pay a real penalty for that weight as the nearly two tonnes of tankage is positioned low and central in a deep bilge, and a long waterline length helps maintain a healthy speed.

Moving through the gears

I’m a fan of cutter rigs and twin headsails on cruising yachts. It’s prudent to be able to change your arsenal of canvas easily to match conditions, and keep correct sail shape without needing to leave the cockpit.

Our first reach away from Mylor was under full mainsail and yankee, making an effortless 9-10 knots. But once out into Falmouth Bay and into gusts that brought 25 knots over the deck, we needed to adjust our sail area for comfort. Having the option to swap to the staysail, and/or drop a reef in the main via the single line reefing system, was fuss-free and no one needs to venture forward.

It was a lively first sail, fetching upwind, then broad reaching under yankee and staysail, the Rustler 57 fully powered up and topping 10 knots. The motion through the water was superb.

The Rustler 57 gets up to speed easily and keeps way on handsomely, however we experienced abnormal load on the helm during that first morning. The boat had only recently launched and was still being tuned, but even with a reef in the main it was still an effort on the wheel.

The Rustler’s lines are exceedingly easy on the eye

Stephen Jones was convinced there was too much belly in the mainsail. Sailing into the Helford for a pitstop lunch gave us the chance to move the outhaul and reeve clews further aft on the boom. By flattening the mainsail considerably the helm instantly felt much more balanced.

Further tweaks of the Lewmar geared steering may make the autopilot’s life easier too, but it no longer felt like we were fighting the boat. Indeed, the Rustler 57 let us know politely and with plenty of time to ease sheets if it was feeling pressed.

The rest of that afternoon and the following day was a joy in classic late summer West Country conditions, which provided an ideal mix of wind strengths. When the breeze is around 12 knots or above, the Rustler 57 consistently clocks 8.5 knots on most angles.

In the average 20-knot conditions we had on the first afternoon, we reached along at a consistent 9.5 and over, which points to delightfully easy passagemaking potential.

It’s also a relatively nimble yacht, for which I was grateful as we beat into St Mawes, navigating through a dinghy racing fleet. It can match single-figure wind speeds down to 6 knots or motor at an admirable 8.5 knots at 2,200rpm.

Some potential modifications could make the Rustler 57 easier still to sail. When the wind gets up, the long yankee sheets can be a handful as they whip about during a tack. The electric winches arguably need to work faster to tame these, but my preference would be to furl the yankee during tacks in anything over 15 knots of wind.

The side decks, finished in non-slip gelcoat, feel really secure thanks to the wide cap rail, high guardrails and sturdy handrails along the flat coachroof top – although checkstays hinder access a little

The hydraulic backstay and vang and electric furlers ease the task of sail trim and handling. But with running backstays, two sets of headsail sheets and the mainsheet to consider during tacks, it might prove sensible to lead the staysail sheets to a self-tacking track. It would also make sense to use the mainsheet winches to adjust the traveller from the helm, which would simply involve the addition of a turning sheave.

From the helmsman’s position, there are good sightlines through the fixed windscreen and under the foot of the high-cut yankee. I had a preference for standing behind the wheel, but it is possible to sit out on the coamings. The V-boom on the test boat seems large, which not only impacts on the yacht’s aesthetics, but can prevent you from seeing the telltales to leeward from the helm.

A focus for Rustler was the creation of a deep, protected cockpit. I can’t stress enough how this puts you at ease at sea, and you feel inside rather than on top of the yacht. If salt water does somehow reach the cockpit, a bridgedeck step abaft the companionway ensures it remains outside.

Davits can carry a large dinghy – an 11ft/3.5m RIB with 20hp motor in the case of the test boat. The swim platform hinges off the sealed transom, with steps down from the pushpit

Stowage has been planned carefully on deck. Handy cuddies in the coamings also hide remote controls for the electric primaries as well as shorepower sockets. There are practical lockers beneath the helm seats for washdown gear on one side and warps the other.

The top of the rudder stock and the emergency steering connection are also beneath the helm seat, which would make it quick and easy to fit an emergency tiller. Surprisingly, however, there is no permanent provision for sheet tails – the mainsheet tail bags and halyard hooks are additions.

The bountiful lazarette, large enough for full-size bicycles on the test boat, is a watertight area as the swimming platform hinges off the sealed transom. A quarter locker houses two 13kg gas bottles and the deep sail locker forward can easily swallow a downwind sail and fenders.

Sumptuous saloon

The lion’s share of space on the Rustler 57 has understandably been allocated to the cockpit and saloon. Fiddles and handles guide you safely through an interior that oozes hand-built quality.

I was drawn to the proper navstation, where you can settle behind the chart table, scan the displays on the angled, raised panel, check the sea state through the hull portlight or the mainsail through the hatches, all while in communication with those in the cockpit, galley or saloon.

Layout is logical – things are where they should be. The switchboard, for instance, is divided up so the deck lights are in close reach from the companionway. The 24V systems are on one panel, 240V on another, with the breakers mounted separately below. It’s intuitive. Proper shelving for pilot books is built into the bulkhead behind the pilot seat and the grab bag is below. This is a yacht designed for passagemaking.

Long coachroof windows, hull portlights and overhead hatches provide plenty of light to the vast saloon

That said, the Rustler 57 has an impressive allocation of social space for time at rest. The galley and saloon create a colossal communal area; it’s rare to find this much saloon space below superyacht or large cat level. Eight can sit around the large table with another four on the sofa.

Ample natural light and ventilation help create a light, airy ambience. The owners of this boat chose satin-finished teak, together with traditional blue upholstery. The standard finish is in a lighter European oak.

These owners also opted for a washing machine, separate dryer, dishwasher, microwave and extra fridge freezer. So despite the intelligent layout of the galley, I actually found it a little wanting in convenient stowage space for everyday utensils. However, the yacht boasts plenty of stowage in general, including in the deep bilge.

The owner’s cabin forward has generous stowage and natural light, plus an adjoining heads and separate shower

The engine is, unusually, mounted centrally below the inboard area of the galley’s work surface for optimum weight management. “Our view is that you should be able to do daily checks but otherwise it should be as central as possible,” explains Rustler’s co-director Nick Offord. The sole boards and bin area surrounding the engine lift away to give easy access to the filters etc.

The prop shaft runs through a large Aquadrive unit and Halyard silencers, so despite the engine’s position in the heart of the interior, it was quiet underway. The space beneath the companionway is used to house the genset, and there is room for a washing machine or wet hanging above (there is also a rail in the day heads for drying gear).

The full bow buys plenty of volume in the master cabin , with beam enough to allow steps up each side of the double berth and for the headboard to mount on the forward bulkhead.

The aft cabins, meanwhile, also with ensuite heads, are where the price is paid for the elegant counter and traditional hull shape, as headroom and bilge space quickly reduces going aft. The berths are on two levels in the twin cabin – nice passage berths but they could get a little cramped for guests spending longer periods aboard.

There’s plenty of competition in this market – from British yards alone – but by sticking to what it knows and does best, Rustler has created something refreshing with its old-school approach. There are some small tweaks that could improve the sailhandling, but the feeling of security this boat provides when sailing overrides all other impressions. By making you feel both welcome and safe, the Rustler 57 encourages you to dream about voyaging further afield. With its potential for consistent passagemaking speeds and its forgiving nature at sea, the Rustler 57 would be as at home in, say, the colder waters of the Baltic as it would taking the tradewinds across the Pacific. The layout, giving generous space to the cockpit and main living area, ensures it is a very pleasant yacht to be aboard at anchor, too. Its retro lines may squeeze space out of the aft cabins, but I’d take the timeless looks any day. Choosing the Rustler 57 boils down to how much you value reassurance. For those thinking of spending long periods aboard, there are few yachts I can think of that would offer such a feeling of dependability.

Practical Boat Owner

• Digital edition

Rustler 33 review and test sail – a pleasure to look at and a pleasure to sail

• David Harding
• February 17, 2021

David Harding admires the sleek, uncompromising weekender from UK boatbuilder Rustler

I read a fascinating article recently about relationships. It was a distillation of the guidance offered by over a thousand people who had been with their spouses or partners for more than 10 years, and one point in particular recurred time and time again: be together for the right reasons.

A partnership formed for the wrong reasons (and there are a lot of very common wrong reasons) is almost certainly destined to fail – or, at the very least, not to thrive as it might.

And it’s the same with the relationship between an owner and his or her boat. You need to buy a boat for the right reasons; for the sort of sailing you’re going to be doing. That means actually doing.

There’s nothing wrong with a little future-proofing or with having dreams, but you need to be realistic. A 50-footer with 10 berths is being wasted if used by a couple for overnighting or coastal pottering.

Perhaps more importantly, it’s unlikely to be the best boat for the job.

Buying such a boat for that sort of sailing would be like buying a camper van for going to the shops – or, heaven forbid, buying a big black 4×4 to take the kids to school around the corner (not that anyone would do such a thing, of course).

As Adrian Jones of Rustler Yachts puts it, “Why have accommodation if you don’t use it? Why not have a boat that’s nicer to sail and easier to look after? So many cruisers just go day-sailing and weekending, and buy the wrong boat because there’s nothing else.”

About 10 years ago, thoughts like this prompted Rustler to develop ‘the right boat’ for people who wanted a stylish weekender but couldn’t find anything.

Some years earlier the Falmouth-based company had taken on the moulds of the Piper – a sweet-lined daysailer in the style of a miniature 12 Metre – and renamed it the Rustler 24.

Both the builder and a good many customers rather fell for it.

Weekending in style

Almost inevitably, the market for open daysailers over 6m (20ft) or so is limited – especially in the UK.

To broaden their appeal, keelboats of this nature need some accommodation to turn them into weekenders, and that’s exactly what Rustler had in mind when creating the 33 back in 2011.

Adrian came up with a one-page list of essential features.

“It had to be fast and pretty and big enough to house a loo,” he said. “And it had to look absolutely gorgeous. We didn’t want the boat to be designed around the accommodation.”

Stephen Jones was commissioned to draw the lines. Jones has a long-standing relationship with Rustler and a knack for designing good-looking boats, especially when unconstrained by rating rules or accommodation requirements.

As well as a loo, a boat of this length would nonetheless provide space for a basic galley, four decent berths and somewhere to hang waterproofs, so life on board would be perfectly civilised for a few nights at least.

This page of ‘must haves’ led to the birth of a real stunner: 10.36m (34ft) of elegance with low freeboard, a graceful spoon bow, a hint of sheer and a well drawn-out counter stern, topped with a short, well-proportioned coachroof.

Below the waterline we find a smooth rocker and, principally for downwind performance, subtly fuller stern sections than on similarly slim and shapely boats of yesteryear. They’re so well hidden by the long counter as to be almost undetectable – but, together with other aspects of the Rustler’s design including the modest weight and bulbed fin keel , they mean that sailing a modern boat with classically beautiful lines reminiscent of a bygone era no longer means being limited to the performance of a bygone era.

The view below the waterline

Classic lines are often associated with narrow beam by modern standards, and this is an essential element in the Rustler’s looks and performance: it’s just 8ft (2.44m) overall and appreciably less at the waterline.

Given that many 22-footers are beamier than this, and that a typical modern 34ft cruiser will measure nigh on 3.65m (12ft) between the gunwales, it places her in the distinctly-slender category.

Given her lack of beam and her narrow waterline, the Rustler has little in the way of form stability. She has no need for it, because 35% of her weight is slung low down in the keel. Wide beam and a hard turn to the bilge in high-volume cruising boats often lead to very distorted waterplanes when they heel, resulting in a heavy helm through lack of balance and, ultimately, to loss of control. At the opposite end of the spectrum, a hull that’s semi-circular in section presents the same shape when heeled as when upright, and the narrower the hull the less the asymmetry whatever its shape.

There’s more to balanced hull design than this, but it follows that a narrow boat with rounded sections like the Rustler will be more inclined to go in a straight line than will a typical fat-bodied, load-lugging cruiser.

It’s her ballast, not the hull shape, that provides the righting moment.

Lightly-ballasted boats that rely to a large extent on form stability will reach an angle of heel at which the form stability suddenly reduces. Then, if there’s not enough weight in the keel to take over, you find yourself rapidly running out of power (and potentially running into other things).

That’s why boats like the Rustler are such a pleasure to sail. They heel gently and progressively as the wind picks up.

The helm remains light, and the harder it blows the faster they go.

Adrian sums up the 33 succinctly: “Because it’s long and thin, with low ballast and a big rig, it’s going to be fast, tolerant and easy to sail. And if you want to race, you can sail with a small crew because you don’t need weight on the rail.”

Keep it slim

Fully powered up on a fetch is when many boats carry a lot of weather helm, but the angle of the tiller here shows the exceptional balance

The rig on the 33 can be generous because it’s countered by all that ballast (in lead, because iron would be far too much of a compromise).

At the same time the sail area doesn’t need to be enormous, because the boat’s modest weight (under 2,700kg/6,000lb) and low wetted area mean she’s easily driven.

She needs only a modest foretriangle, with no need for the forestay to be taken to the stemhead to maximise the J measurement: it’s set inboard (a la Folkboat).

This is a more elegant arrangement, commonly seen on classically-styled boats with long bow overhangs.

On the subject of overhangs, you might think that the short waterline would be a limiting factor, but don’t forget that the long counter draws it out by several feet when she starts to move.

Besides, it’s not all about sheer speed with a boat like this. Wide, flat, light boats with short ends will be faster in some conditions, especially when they start to plane downwind. Typically they will also be more demanding and less comfortable to sail, particularly upwind in a seaway when the Rustler’s slim hull will slice through waves that cause uncomfortable slamming and banging in many boats.

By all accounts she’s not even particularly wet: the fine bow splits the waves and most of the water (green and white) disappears to leeward before it reaches the cockpit.

Boats like this don’t wear you out with a violent motion. You’re low down and can never be far from the centreline, so you don’t get bounced around so much and there’s less distance to fall if you are thrown off balance. If you’re helming from the high side of a cockpit that’s 12ft wide, you find yourself a long way from the leeward gunwale when the boat heels.

Quite apart from practical considerations, it comes down to what sort of boat you feel comfortable in and what you like the look of.

“Some people like the squared-off mini-Volvo 70 look and others prefer a 12 Metre”, says Adrian. “We’re nearer the Metre look.”

As well as the hull lines, the clutter and the detail on a boat has a major bearing on its appearance.

For example, as is common practice on classic weekenders and race boats, the Rustler has no stanchions or guardwires (a ‘fence’, in the parlance of people who own such boats). You can have one if you insist, if you want to go offshore or if you have to in order to compete in certain events.

A stainless plate on the stem incorporates fairleads, a pop-up nav light and provision for an easily-removable anchor roller

Keeping visual distractions to a minimum extends far beyond obvious things like this. A furling drum at the tack of the jib does little for any boat’s appearance, so Rustler set it below decks (another reason to have the forestay abaft the stem). It’s made by Bartels in Germany, because that’s the only slim, single-groove, under-deck system on offer. A twin-groove foil would simply be too fat for the boat.

Further reducing clutter, the furling line runs below decks all the way to the cockpit locker.

It almost goes without saying that the mast is keel-stepped because it can be a slimmer section.

Even the backstay arrangement has been thought about carefully. Instead of a cascade, which would be a visual distraction and make it difficult to keep the water out where it passed through the deck, the Rustler has a 2:1 system led down the mast and aft to the coachroof where it can be winched. Winching the backstay feels odd, but it’s done this way for good reason.

A result of this attention to detail is a clean and beautifully uncluttered appearance.

Cleats are of the pop-up type and so is the nav light on the bow.

Teak decks are fitted to most boats and an increasing number of owners are now choosing carbon rigs to enhance further the boat’s comfort and performance.

One practical if inelegant feature not seen in the photos is a bow roller. It’s removable, so owners usually just bolt it on when they need it.

Theory and practice

Clean lines: the Rustler 33 on test in her home waters off St Mawes

It would be inconceivable for a boat with the pedigree of the Rustler 33 not to sail like a witch.

I sailed the prototype twice in 2012, first from Lymington and then on Rustler’s home waters of Falmouth, and have since seen production 33s at other points around the coast.

It’s no surprise that they have been sought out by owners far and wide, being shipped to countries as far afield as New Zealand and, increasingly, the USA.

They have found homes with people moving up from smaller classics like the Folkboat and others on the way down from larger cruisers who have done their ocean sailing but still want a ‘proper’ boat.

As for the sailing – well, the 33 behaves and performs exactly as you would wish. Upwind on flat water with 12-15 knots of breeze we clocked speeds in the high 5s and tacked through around 75°.

On our second outing we completely destroyed a 32ft cruiser from a yard not known for building slow boats.

Starting from its leeward bow on an upwind leg, we out-paced and out-pointed it, ending up 50 yards to windward after 10 minutes.

Downwind with the asymmetric spinnaker we hit nigh on 9 knots and I suspect the Rustler would need little excuse to start surfing in any waves.

The cockpit, though smaller than on some weekenders, is particularly well designed.

For example, the tiller is connected to the rudder stock via a drag link. This places it on the aft deck, allowing the helmsman to sit at the cockpit’s aft end, whereas mounting the tiller directly on the stock would place the helmsman a long way forward.

Sitting forward works on some boats. On the Rustler, aft is probably best.

And for those who like boats like this, it can only be a tiller.

Sit in or sit out? The cockpit makes it comfortable to do either. A mainsheet traveller can be fitted

At the helm you have a choice of sitting inboard, removing the aft sections of the seats and standing up or, as favoured by those of us with a dinghy-sailing background, sitting on the coaming and using the tiller extension.

Below decks

Space to sit, lie down, go to the loo, brew a cuppa (or heat a meal) and hang your waterproofs is what you need on a weekender. You have all this on the Rustler, and the enclosed heads is pretty generous for a boat of this nature. This is where you find the amply proportioned wet-locker too, right aft so as to keep the rest of the boat dry. You can’t stand up (unless you’re under 1.45m/4ft 9in tall), but sitting headroom over the settee berths is a comfortable 1.1m (3ft 7in).

Behind the companionway steps is the engine – a 14hp Nanni diesel on most boats or, increasingly now, a Torqeedo saildrive.

Despite the simplicity of the accommodation, this is still a Rustler and the finish on recent boats has been upgraded from the first few. There are no interior mouldings (except in the heads) so you have access to the outer hull, all the joinery is bonded to the hull, and the structure, with its substantial frames, looks reassuring.

PBO’s verdict

The Rustler 33 is sheer indulgence: a pleasure to look at and a pleasure to sail.

Treat her as a daysailer or weekender if you wish. Or go for a sail and keep on going, because she’s vastly more capable and seakindly than many larger boats that purport to be offshore cruisers.

She’s in Category C under the RCD because of factors such as the absence of guardwires. Fitting them puts her straight into Category B.

Or, instead of sailing to new cruising grounds, you can take her on a trailer if you have a big enough car (she weighs less than 3 tonnes) and launch at a yard that has a crane or a travel lift.

Here’s a boat you can enjoy sailing for sailing’s sake and be proud to own: the Morgan of the seas if ever there was one. And there aren’t many boats of this size you can say that about.

Article continues below

Sedna 26 review – the trailable cruiser that thinks big

Yacht design can be a challenging business, and nowhere is the balance between space, pace and safety harder to achieve…

Big new small yacht: Beneteau Oceanis 30.1 tested

Thirty years ago a small boat might have been anything less than around 24ft. However, that number has since leapt…

What else might you buy?

In the UK, equivalents to the Rustler are thin on the ground. The Mystery 35 is conceptually not dissimilar in some respects but a bigger, heavier boat designed for cruising longer distances.

Moving down a size, the Mystery 30 (designed by David Thomas and initially known as the Link) was inspired by the IOD (International One Design).

We find more weekenders of this size overseas. Starting in Europe, Saffier’s Sc 10 is an obvious competitor, while the Tofinou 9.5 and Luca Brenta’s B30 are lighter, sportier, more open designs.

Saffier SC10

The American alternatives are in more traditional vein, such as Morris Yachts’ M29 and the substantially heavier Alerion 33 .

It’s no coincidence that, except for the Saffier, all these boats have tillers.

Why not subscribe today?

This feature appeared in the March 2021 edition of Practical Boat Owner . For more articles like this, including DIY, money-saving advice, great boat projects, expert tips and ways to improve your boat’s performance, take out a magazine subscription to Britain’s best-selling boating magazine.

Subscribe, or make a gift for someone else, and you’ll always save at least 30% compared to newsstand prices.

See the latest PBO subscription deals on magazinesdirect.com

Mike Lynch Yacht Update: All 6 Missing Confirmed Dead as Last Body Is Recovered

The Italian Coast Guard confirmed that the last missing passenger's body has been recovered.

Italian rescue divers have found the body of the last missing person from the luxury yacht that sank off the coast of Sicily. The body was brought to shore but has not yet been formally identified, according to Italian media.

However, it is believed to be that of Hannah Lynch , the 18-year-old daughter of British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch .

After four days of searching, Hannah was the final person missing from the yacht. The discovery follows Thursday’s recovery of her father’s body, which was found inside the sunken vessel, resting on the seabed at a depth of more than 160 feet and at a 90-degree angle. He was confirmed dead.

The family of Hannah and Mike Lynch has expressed their devastation, with friends describing the loss of the 18-year-old “on the precipice of her life” as “cruel beyond belief.”

Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares , was rescued shortly after the accident, along with nine other crew members and two other passengers. Eight of them were taken to a hospital, while the rest were accommodated in a nearby hotel.

The superyacht, carrying 22 passengers and crew, sank in Sicily on the same day Lynch was celebrating his acquittal in a fraud case in the U.S. related to the $11 billion sale of Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard in 2011.

According to the Italian news agency Adnkronos, sources involved in the recovery operations reported that the victims were found outside their cabins. “The passengers sought escape routes, reaching the opposite side of the vessel they were in,” the agency stated. “But the water had already reached the cabins, and five of them were found in that direction.”

The Italian coastguard also confirmed that the bodies of Jonathan Bloomer , his wife Judith Bloomer , lawyer Christopher Morvillo , and his wife Neda Morvillo were recovered after being discovered on the vessel the previous day.

The Bloomer family released a statement, saying, “We are grieving for our loved ones and all of those affected by the tragedy. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the emergency services and everyone who helped tirelessly in this rescue operation. Our parents were incredible people and an inspiration to many, but first and foremost they were focused on and loved their family and spending time with their new grandchildren.”

The statement added, “Together for five decades, our only comfort is that they are still together now.”

The boat’s chef, Recaldo Thomas , was confirmed dead on Monday.

With the recovery of the body on Friday, the total number of victims rises to seven.