Editorial policy and how we research
Where our specifications and price ranges come from, and how we keep them honest.
Our sources
We build every model page from primary sources first: builder specification sheets and owner's manuals, class association records for one-design sailboats, naval architects' published data and sea trials published by established marine magazines. Wikipedia and enthusiast archives are used to cross check production dates and hull counts. Each page lists the main sources we consulted at the bottom.
When sources disagree, which is common with older boats and with figures such as displacement and tankage, we use the most frequently cited figure from the most authoritative source and say so in the text. When we cannot confirm a number, we leave it out rather than guess.
How we estimate prices
New prices are typical sail-away or delivered prices for a reasonably equipped boat in the US market. Used price ranges reflect typical asking prices for boats in average to good condition, grouped by model year. They are estimates for research and budgeting, not appraisals. Condition, engine hours, equipment, location and timing all move individual boats well outside our ranges. Always have a boat appraised by an accredited marine surveyor before you buy or finance it.
Running cost estimates
Ownership costs and calculators use widely accepted rules of thumb, such as insurance at around 1 to 2 percent of hull value and maintenance at 2 to 5 percent, adjusted for length and type. They are clearly labeled and every input can be changed.
Independence and advertising
Advertising pays for this site. Ads are placed in marked slots and never mixed into editorial text. Advertisers and builders have no say in what we publish, and we do not accept payment for reviews or rankings.
Corrections
If you spot an error, contact us with the page and, ideally, a source. We review every correction request and update the page, including the "updated" date, when a change is confirmed.
Who writes for Yatch US
Every page is researched from the sources listed at its foot, written to the rules above and checked line by line against those sources before it goes live. When a fact cannot be confirmed in at least one reliable source, it stays out of the page. We are not brokers or dealers, so we never write about a boat because we have one to sell, and readers who own or have surveyed one of these boats help us most by sending corrections.