The season of 2022 has in many ways been a glorious one for cruising sailors; an affirmation that islands over the horizon and the freedom all sailors crave is once more attainable. As such it has seen a frenzy of activity, as pipe dreams cooked up during lockdown become bluewater reality. So what does all this frenzied activity tell us about 2023?
If there is one thing we have learnt from the last few years it is that life is unpredictable and that nothing should be taken for granted. Perhaps accordingly, the scramble to buy a boat shows no signs of easing in the coming year. Despite the dark economic clouds, boat manufacturers across Europe are reporting record waiting lists as they simply cannot build enough boats to satisfy demand. I’m not just talking about some of the smaller bespoke manufacturers here; even the big mass producing manufacturers such as Beneteau and Jeanneau who turn out boats with regularity simply cannot build enough boats and report waiting lists into 2026 for some
