Excess 14

The Excess 14 is the boat the brand should arguably have launched first. Where the initial 12 and 15 recycled existing platforms, this 14-metre was drawn by VPLP from a clean sheet: slim asymmetric hulls, weight pared to around thirteen tonnes light, a tall rig with optional carbon mast and square-top mainsail. The difference is measurable — the 14 sails in single digits of true wind where the volume brands motor — and tangible at the twin aft helms, which give the direct feedback the marque was created to sell. Concessions to cruising remain real: three or four cabins, a proper galley-down option, and a cockpit-saloon on one level. What it asks in exchange is discipline in loading and a budget closer to Outremer territory than Lagoon's. For sailors converting from performance monohulls without giving up family space, it is currently the most convincing offer from a volume group.