While there are many more cats (and cruisers?) on the water than we first saw 14 years ago, you might be surprised by the high number of ketches you’d stumble across anchored in the world’s most remote places.

Out here in the offshore cruising world, ketches are a popular alternative to other rigs because those smaller sails are easier to manage. This makes the ketch a great choice for couples, older sailors, liveaboards, families and solo sailors.

For short-handed sailing across long distances while facing rough waters and heavier winds, the small sails on a ketch are simple to handle. For overall balance, performance, handling and comfort, a ketch is difficult to beat.

To anyone serious about offshore sailing, the ketch rig has proven its worth time and time again, even by today’s standards.

So, is the best sailboat to sail around the world a ketch? We explain why we think it is in this week’s video.