FINE BALANCE

Where we tested: Port Ginesta, Barcelona Conditions: 5-10 knots, flat sea Model: Italia 11.98 Bellissima. Comprehensive spec included carbon mast and boom, rod rigging, fixed bowsprit and twin wheels

I’m a soft touch for a well-balanced boat with a light feel and the ability to change gear easily. Be it it a cruiser or racer, performance and handling are, to my mind, essential aspects in any design. And while the accommodation is important, what happens below decks always comes second in my book.

So perhaps it was of little surprise that the Italia 11.98 and I got on so quickly. This is a boat that is silky smooth and light on the helm, responsive and comfortable to steer. The kind of boat where the autopilot will get little use and where the main trigger for any tension among the crew will stem from whether someone has been hogging the wheel.

This is also a boat that is as much fun and rewarding to sail in light conditions as it is when the breeze gets up thanks to its balance.

But this is also a boat that is very confusing.

It might sound clichéd, but from the first time I saw the 11.98 there was something about it that really appealed, I just couldn’t figure out what it was. When you first see the 11.98 you think you have it sussed: it’s clearly a modern cruiser/racer. But gradually you notice details