Sunday, April 12

Browsing: Cruising Life

A few years ago, when Hinckley Yachts, builder of the classic Picnic Boat line of Downeast-style day boats and cruisers, decided to put twin outboards on their new 35-footer, it was clear that outboards had “arrived.” That’s not to say that outboards were not always the power source of choice for most mid-range center consoles, fishing boats and weekenders. But, on a classic style cruiser normally powered by a diesel engine and jet drives? In the last 15 years, we have seen a blossoming of cruisers with outboards. MJM, Back Cove, Hinckley and many others have made the move, and…

Long known for building offshore-capable yachts with timeless style, Hunt Yachts has construction well underway on its newest model — the Hunt Ocean 56. Designed for owners who actively use their boats, this new 56-footer blends confident offshore performance, refined craftsmanship, and an unusually personal approach to yacht ownership. At just under 60 feet, the Hunt 56 hits a sweet spot for owner-operators: large enough to be genuinely luxurious, yet manageable enough to run without a crew. The layout is created for extended time aboard, with a bright, open salon offering panoramic views, two private en-suite staterooms, and a versatile…

The Grand Banks 54 was launched in 2021 in the U.S. and until late last year had not been tested by yachting journalists in the U.K. Although delayed, the pros who took their first look at the 54  came away with big smiles on their faces. The 54 is now the smallest of the new next generation of the Grand Banks line. This venerable brand, which can be named the founder of the trawler cruising concept 50 years ago, has been completely reimagined in the last decade. The company, now known as the GB Marine Group, is based in Malaysia…

This February at the Miami International Boat Show, Beneteau will introduce their new Swift Trawler 37 Fly to the North American audience. For over a decade, the Swift Trawler brand has carved out a unique niche as truly efficient performance cruising boats. The Swift concept is to give owners all the space and comfort and style of a trawler yacht and the efficient running that you expect from a trawler with the speed and performance of an express cruiser. The new 37 Fly does all of that in spades. The design is a bit more rakish that her sister ships…

Owning a cruising boat can be pricey to start with and then expensive to operate on an on-going basis. This is particularly true for boat owners who cannot afford the time to to get the full benefit of the cruising life. It has no doubt occurred to many of us that running our boats like charter businesses, with income to offset expenses and other benefits of business ownership, would make the whole process more attractive. But, there are wrinkles to running a charter business on your own, not just with the IRS but with handling bookings, deposits, scheduling and more.…

The Back Cove 41, with more than 100 hulls delivered so far, has to be one of the most popular mid-range family cruisers to come out of Maine.  With its jaunty sheer, flared bows, attractive cabin with large windows, the 41 is a true Doowneast classic. But even a classic can benefit from a few significant upgrades and tweaks. Thus, the birth of the Back Cove 412, which takes all the great qualities from the first generation and makes them better. First generation 41s are remarkably versatile and many have plied the Intracoastal Waterway, crossed the stream to the Bahamas…

Larry Graff, the founder and president of Aspen Catamarans, is an adventurer at heart and there are no adventure he likes better than leading a flotilla of Aspen cats and their owners to wild and wooly destinations. In this flotilla, that was the west coast of Vancouver Island off British Columbia. Twenty Aspens gathered in Anacortes, Washington and set off for a cruise in company.  Aspen cats are designed for long-haul, efficient cruising and can make excellent average speeds. The design that Larry Graff developed is actually a proa configuration. In a proa, one hull is narrower than the other…

At the Ft. Lauderdale International Boats Show, I had the chance to test out the performance of Seakeeper’s Ride stabilization systems aboard a 35 foot performance cruiser capable of hitting 40 knots.  We took the boat to government cut and ran it in and out through a nasty washing-machine seaway. The stabilizers are mounted on the stern and make trim adjustments in micro seconds. The effect was dramatic. With the Ride system engaged, the boat leveled off, did not roll or pitch and did not yaw as it moved through the mixed up sea. Turned off,  the boat’s motion was…

The 4500-square-mile body of water on the U.S. East Coast known as the Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in North American. It is fed by freshwater rivers at its head and then flushed by oceanic tides in is lower regions. The result is an aquatic stew that can be divided into three distinct regions. Blessed with many sheltered harbors, coves and river mouths, the Chesapeake Is a cruising paradise with historic towns like Annapolis and Oxford to visit and easy access to the Potomac River and the historic attractions around Washington, DC. Famed for it seafood –oysters, shrimp and…

The Northwest Yachts brand has been around for quite a while but when the pandemic hit and their factory in China closed, owner Peter Whiting, who owns Seattle Yachts, moth-balled the line. Following the pandemic, the boat market was strong and the opportunity arose for Whiting to re-launch Northwest and renew its offerings. He turned to legendary trawler and motor yacht designer Steve Seaton who drew three models from 52 to 58 feet. The 55 that was introduced at this year’s Seattle Boat Show. It is hull number one and makes a solid statement about where Whiting and Northwest are…

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