While cruising offshore in the Achilles 24 was ‘adventurous’, the 9m was designed for long-distance, short-handed sailing and today makes a good choice as a cheap but safe and strong introduction to cruising. Despite having six berths the accommodation was cramped, with small spaces for the chart table, galley and heads. She had a fin-and-skeg underwater profile with a much taller rig, comparatively, than the 24 and could be raced competitively at club level. A 10hp diesel was fitted as standard.

LOA 29ft 10in (9.11m), LWL 25ft 5in (7.76m) beam 8ft 11in (2.73m), draught 5ft (1.52m), displacement 5,624 lb (2,647kg). Price guide: £10,000 to £15,000.