Author Peter Janssen

Cruising Life
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Garmin Launches New Handheld GPS, Radar

Garmin is making a lot of news at the big Fort Lauderdale show, with the introduction of a new series of marine handheld GPS models, as well as two new solid-state dome radars. The handheld GPSMAP 79 has an all-new appearance with a modern display to help you navigate safely and enjoy your time on the water. It has a rugged, floating design with a suite of easy-to-use nav tools that fit in the palm of your hand. The new Garmin has a larger, optically-bonded display and a scratch-resistant glass lens that prevents fogging, improves contrast and enhances clarity, even…

Cruising Life
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Get the Snow Off Your Boat: Coast Guard

It’s getting to be that time of year again, and that means that those of us in the northern states need to get ready for the snow, ice and generally lousy weather we know is coming. For its part, the Coast Guard is stressing the importance of getting snow off your boat as soon as you can, and preventing any ice to build up on docked boats. The accumulation of snow and ice can reduce a boat’s stability, and even cause it to sink. The Coast Guard also urges everyone to wear appropriate personal protective equipment if they’re boating in…

Cruising Life
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Coast Guard, NOAA, Find Historic Wreck

Researchers from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Coast Guard have found the wreck of the legendary U.S. Revenue Cutter Bear, which was lost at sea in 1963, about 90 miles south of Cape Sable in Nova Scotia. NOAA and the Coast Guard, as well as some academic institutions, had been searching for the wreck for decades. The Bear had been one of the most significant ships in Coast Guard history. It was used by the Navy as part of the rescue for the Greely Expedition to the Arctic in 1884, and it actually saved a few…

Boat Reviews
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New Retro Reward 17: A Fun, Soft Ride

The third week of October is pushing the boating season in Connecticut, but there we were, heading out of Mystic Harbor at about 35 mph in hull number one of the head-turning Reward 17, grinning from ear to ear. Even though we were going into a 15-knot or so headwind, with 3-foot seas, the Reward 17, driven by a 170-hp Rotax engine and a waterjet, delivered a ride that was soft and easy.  To show the boat’s maneuverability, Chris Ashley, who designed it and built it, turned the wheel and put us into a jet-drive turn; an immediate turn. But…

Cruising Life
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Video of Dog Rescue at Sea Goes Viral

A group of boating friends, and the dog they rescued a mile off the Florida coast, became social media stars when a video of their exploits went viral. Dylan Berian was boating near Fort Lauderdale with his friends when they suddenly saw a small dog swimming, alone, struggling to stay afloat. No other boats were nearby. Berian jumped in, fully clothed, to rescue the dog and bring him back to the boat. Once on board, the friends saw the dog’s collar with his name, Zuko, and his owner’s phone number on it. They called the owner, who said it was…

Electronics
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Best New Sat Comms for TV, Internet, Phone

Whether you’re walking the docks at a boat show or any self-respecting marina, you’ll see satellite domes on top of a lot of boats. In the old days (four or five years ago). they were only on large boats; now they’re on boats as small as 25 feet. Some carry live TV programming from shore, while others provide links to the internet, data and phone service. But which ones are best? Each year, Marine Electronics Journal asks top manufacturers to identify the one model in various categories that they define as their Best & Brightest, the one the manufacturers rate highest…

Cruising Life
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New Video of Dolphin Stampede

If you want to feel good about the world, take a look at this video of a dolphin stampede off the coast of Southern California recently, where abut 400 dolphins put on a show for people who were out on a whale-watching excursion. The video was from the catamaran named Manute’a, run by Captain Dave’s Dana Point Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari. It captures the dolphins leaping and diving and generally having a good time. It seems that Southern California has more dolphins per square mile than anywhere else on earth, at least according to Captain Dave. Adult dolphins are…

On Watch with Peter Janssen
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Prize-Winning Bluegame 70 Debuts at FLIBS

The highly innovative, prize-winning Bluegame BGX70 flagship will make its U.S. debut at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, along with the Italian builder’s smallest cruiser, the BG42. The X70 has already turned heads, and won awards in Europe – the “Most Avant-Garde Yacht” at the Cannes show, and “Motoryacht of the Year” at Düsseldorf. It combines many features found in superyachts with the easy-living capabilities of a family cruiser. Bluegame was founded by Luca Santella in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2004, making smaller boats. In the recession, it hit hard times and shut down. But then, in 2017,…

Destinations
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Palm Beach Public Marina Reopens on Nov. 1

The Town of Palm Beach Marina, home to power and sail boats since the 1940s, is scheduled to reopen on November 1 after a major $40 million renovation. The marina, just across the Lake Worth Lagoon from the mainland, is not far from Palm Beach’s considerably upscale attractions, including the Worth Avenue boutiques, art galleries and restaurants. One of the most significant attractions, however, is the weather, which provides a 12-month boating season. Another is the location, along the ICW with easy access to the Atlantic for cruising and fishing and a relatively short ride over to the Bahamas. For…

Boat Reviews
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True North Launches New 34 Outboard Express

True North,  now owned by Catalina, just introduced its all-new 34 Outboard Express at the Annapolis show. The new 34 has a one-level open plan in the pilothouse and cockpit, with the galley up, and it’s driven by twin 300-hp outboards. With its Downeast lines, dating to an earlier lobster boat heritage, the True North 34 is a versatile cruiser with a spacious cockpit and a single cabin and head below. Its looks go back to the original True North, a 38, launched by the Pearson Marine Group, in 2001. The original True Norths were called the SUVs of the…

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