372

  

Under sail the 372 is as reliable and well mannered as it looks. If you want blistering speed, go find a sport boat. But if you want a boat that will be fun, safe, comfortable and easy to sail when crossing an ocean or taking your non-sailing friends out for an afternoon jaunt, a boat like the 372 is the way to go. Not that it is a slug. Our test boat was equipped with an in-mast furling main and a self-tacking blade jib, as opposed to the standard slab-reefing main and 130 percent genoa. But 10 knots of breeze was still more than sufficient to keep us moving at around 6 knots. A little more sail area would have been nice, but there is much to be said for user-friendly rigs like this. The helm was both responsive and stable, and although the boat tacked quickly and cleanly, it does not demand constant attention to stay on course. Over the years I’ve decided that the hallmark of a cruiser that sails well is when I can take notes at my leisure while steering the boat with my knee. The 37 2 passed this little test with flying colors. Under Power  Our test boat came with a bow thruster, but it’s hardly a requirement. The 372 spins on a dime and is both well mannered and predictable when backing up. The boat’s 55hp Volvo saildrive unit and Gori folding prop provided 5.5 knots of speed at 1. 000 rpm, 6.7 knots at 2. 000 rpm and 7.6 knots at 2. 500 rpm.