FIRST HEARTBEAT

Oceanis 51.1 — Croatia Some cruising yachts ask you to choose between pace and comfort. This one doesn't. The Oceanis 51.1 sails noticeably faster than the models that came before her, yet the volumes below deck are those of a genuine holiday yacht — a combination that has made her one of the most adaptable sailing platforms on the water today. Her cruising ground plays to those strengths. Croatia's island chains reward a yacht that can cover distance in the afternoon breeze and then settle into a quiet bay for the evening, and the 51.1 does both without drama. Accommodation is arranged over six cabins for twelve guests. Four cabins are fitted with a double bed, one offers a single bed, and one is laid out with bunk beds — a configuration that suits extended families and mixed groups as readily as it does two couples travelling together, with real privacy at each end of the yacht. On board, life gravitates naturally to the cockpit and the deck, where the day is measured in swims, anchorages and long lunches rather than schedules. Your crew handle the sailing, the provisioning and the rhythm of each day, leaving you to decide little more than which island comes next.