Author Peter Janssen

Cruising Life
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Ice Shelf Size of L.A. Collapses in Antarctica

An ice shelf the size of New York City or Los Angeles collapsed two weeks ago during an Antarctic heat wave, sending a massive slab of ice into the ocean. Satellite imaging showed that the Conger Ice Shelf on East Antarctica, which had been there for thousands of years, suddenly disappeared between March 14 and 16. The ice shelf has been shrinking slowly since the 1970s. Even though the shrinkage was accelerating lately, the entire disappearance of the ice shelf was totally unexpected. East Antarctica is one of the coldest and driest places on earth. But the collapse of the…

Destinations
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Lyman-Morse Develops Camden Waterfront

For the past 42 years, Lyman-Morse, based in Thomaston, Maine, has been building boats ranging from carbon-fiber racing sailboats to luxurious Down East powerboats, creating a mix of cutting-edge technology and traditional craftsmanship. Lately, Lyman-Morse has been expanding, building a boutique hotel in Rockland, for example, and edging into custom home design. Now, it’s almost ready to open its redevelopment along the Camden waterfront, with a mix of restaurants, retail shops and gallery spaces for local craftspeople. The Camden redevelopment is almost complete, and is scheduled to open in June. Lyman-Morse actually has owned the Camden waterfront property since 2015…

On Watch with Peter Janssen
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New Outer Reef 900 Debuts in Palm Beach

The new Outer Reef 900, a long-range cruiser with a legendary pedigree, is making its world debut at the Palm Beach boat show this week. The new 900 is powered by twin 750-hp John Deere diesels, giving it a top speed of 24 knots, and a range of 3,000 nm at 8.5 knots. Outer Reef has earned a solid reputation for its long-range cruisers lately. Indeed, two have gone around Cape Horn, one with company president Jeff Druek on board. This latest Outer Reef was ordered by veteran cruisers who have owned many top-tier yachts in the past. Two years…

Cruising Life
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Couple Save Drowning Man, Shoot Him

Here’s our bizarre boating story of the week: On a popular boating lake in South Carolina, a Good Samaritan rescued Nathan Drew Morgan, 29, and a woman companion after they fell off their Jet Ski and appeared in distress. The Good Samaritan subsequently shot and killed him after Morgan threatened him. The Good Samaritan, 74, was with his wife (the police are withholding their names) on their pontoon boat on Lake Keowee, a man-made lake with sandy beaches, waterfront homes and 300 miles of shoreline. They saw Morgan, from nearby Walhalla, and his companion in the water waving for help.…

Destinations
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Heat Stress Hits Coral in Great Barrier Reef

Coral on the Great Barrier Reef is in trouble, again. Indeed, the Australian agency in charge of managing the reef just said it has been hit by “significant heat stress” over the summer. The Great Barrier Reef, the most extensive coral reef in the world, is listed as a World Heritage Site. Scientists and researchers from the United Nations are visiting the reef this week to determine whether it should be listed as “in danger.” The reef just avoided such a designation last year, after intensive lobbying efforts in Australia led UNESCO to postpone such a decision until now. Meanwhile,…

Boat Reviews
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New Seavy 11 Power Cat from France

Here’s an early look at a sporty new entry in the growing power catamaran field, the 38-foot Seavy 11 from a new French builder, Sea Venture Yachting. The Seavy 11 is an ultra-modern, ultra-modular cat. It already has more deck space, by a long shot, than a similar-sized monohull, but you can fold down the platforms on each side of the aft deck to add another three feet to the already large 14-foot beam. And it comes with three power options – sterndrives, outboard, or electric. The company says that with twin 370-hp sterndrives, the Seavy 11 tops out at…

Boat Reviews
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New Daychaser 48 To Be Launched Soon

The Doug Zurn-designed Daychaser 48 Down East day boat will be launched this spring by Boston BoatWorks. The Daychaser is being built exclusively for members of the Barton & Gray Mariners Club. The boat is made for a perfect day on the water. It was designed by Zurn Yacht Design in Marblehead, Massachusetts, and built by Boston BoatWorks, in Charlestown, Massachusetts. “We think the high level of detail and foresight that went into the design will satisfy Barton & Gray’s ever-expanding membership,” Zurn said. The new Daychaser is basically an entertainment platform, built for picnics, cocktail outings, and day cruises.…

Boat Reviews
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A New Luxury Thoroughbred from Michigan

If you’re thinking about a second boat or a runabout, take a look at the new U23i Thoroughbred from a small startup company in Manistee, Michigan, on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. The new 23-footer is a product of the Thoroughbred Boat Company, and the brainchild of Mike Kamaloski, the company’s founder and president. “We decided we were going to take the excitement and style of boats of the past and bring it to today’s generation,” he told upnorthlive.com. “We built a modern-day classic.” The new 23, called “Maiden Manistee,” has inboard power from a single 365-hp Ilmor engine,…

Boat Reviews
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Tiara Building New 60 Flagship Cruiser

Tiara is now making its new EX60 flagship, the largest vessel the Holland, Michigan, builder has ever produced. Offered with several versions of Volvo IPS pod drives, the new 60 will be ready by the end of the year. Tom Slikkers, the Tiara president and CEO, said, “For this particular design, we’ve blended elements we know are proven in our outboard line and have taken portions we’ve learned from the inboard models.” With three staterooms and two heads below, the new 60 comes with several creative and expandable living features, including side decks that fold out of the bulwarks aft…

Cruising Life
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Sergio Davi Transits Panama Canal

Sergio Davi, the 65-year-old Italian adventurer, just transited the Panama Canal on his 10,000 mile expedition from Sicily to Los Angeles on a 36-foot RIB. It took Davi 8 hours and 30 minutes, mostly at night, to travel 49-nm across the canal. He was joined by Stefano Germani, the financial manager of the Italian tech company I-Tronik. Davi needed extra help on board to help with the radio and lines once inside the canal. Davi started his epic expedition on Dec. 15 in Palermo, hoping to reach L.A. in about 100 days. His schedule was set back when he tested…

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