Cruising Life

StellarPM Planning New Line of Explorer Cats

By Peter Janssen on April 3, 2023 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The worldwide fleet of large power catamarans just keeps growing. Indeed, StellarPM, the Vietnamese builder, just introduced a new line of luxury explorer power cats that are designed to be as much as home in the fjords of Norway as they are cruising around Sardinia and Corsica. StellarPM now joins the ranks of builders in Europe, Turkey, Australia and other parts of the world who have been launching big, luxurious power catamarans lately. And expedition or explorer yachts are a growing subspecies in that category. There are two yachts in the new StellarEXP fleet, a 32-Meter (about 105 feet), and…

Fairline Launching Sporty New Targa 40

By Peter Janssen on April 3, 2023 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Fairline, the large British builder, just announced that it will launch a sporty new Targa 40, the entry to the Targa line, this summer. The new 40 replaces the Targa 38, which was first launched in 2006; it was one of Fairline’ most popular boats, with more than 300 sold in ten years. The Targa lineup now will have six boats, from the new 40 up to a 65. “This brand-new 40 takes everything we loved about the 38 and elevates it for the 21st century,” said Christian Gott, Fairline’s lead designer. Standard power for the 40 will be twin…

New Dyna 63 Displayed at Palm Beach

By Peter Janssen on March 30, 2023 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Dyna Yachts just displayed its new 63 motoryacht at the Palm Beach show last week. Made in Taiwan, Dynas are popular in Europe and are starting to make inroads in the U.S. The Dyna 63 is a three-stateroom, two-head cruiser that also has a two-berth crew cabin aft, accessible via doors in the transom, with its own head, fridge and microwave. If you don’t have crew, I think a lot of teenagers or an extra guest would be very happy back there. The new Dyna is powered by twin 1,000-hp CATs, reaching a top speed of 26 knots. At its…

New Protector Targa 380 with 1,800-hp Outboards

By Peter Janssen on March 29, 2023 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Protector just launched the latest version of its popular Targa 380, offering a bit more room and considerably more power to the tough-as-nails recreational RIB. The New Zealand builder says that the new Protector is the ultimate high-performance RIB, designed for “tough luxury” in any sea conditions. The performance certainly will be enhanced by the new Targa’s power capability; it can be driven by two or three outboards, up to a total of 1,800-hp. Many new owners certainly will opt for three 600-hp V12 outboards, boosting the top speed to more than 50 knots. Over the years, Protectors have become…

ALVA Making Ocean-Crossing Solar Cat

By Peter Janssen on March 28, 2023 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

ALVA Yachts, the fairly new German builder, just introduced its new 78-foot solar/electric cat with transatlantic range. The new ALVA is called the Ocean Eco 78, and it’s a luxury cat with a wide stance; indeed, the beam is a full 39’ 3”, or half the boat’s length, providing a lot of space throughout the yacht. For more, a bulwark “terrace” folds out of each side of the main deck. The solar/electric power starts with an array of solar cells on the rooftop that provide up to 26kWp (Kilowatt peak), feeding a battery bank that holds up to 490kWh. All…

NFT Breakthrough at Palm Beach Show

By Peter Janssen on March 28, 2023 Cruising Life

Cloud Yachts of Miami says it made a breakthrough of sorts when it launched what it says is the world’s first “tokenized super yacht” at the Palm Beach show last week. What that means is that you can buy an NFT token for a cruise on Cloud’s 2003 Sunseeker 94 that’s docked near the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach. The token costs $500 in real money. Cloud also has the Sunseeker, named So What Who Cares, for sale for $1.9 million. It has a beam of 21’ 5”, a draft of 5’ 5″, and it’s powered by twin 1,801-hp MTUs.…

How To Run An Inlet

By co_admin on March 27, 2023 Cruising Life

This is Boating 101, but it never hurts to have a refresher. Here’s some good basic advice about how to run an inlet from America’s Boating Club: Navigating an inlet can be tricky and dangerous, so you should know how to safely run an inlet before you encounter one. Prepare for the approach. Before you make an approach, study the wind and tide, and eyeball the chart. Go out to the sea buoy before shooting the inlet. The buoys’ locations were calculated to assist a direct approach. Call the pros. If there’s a U.S. Coast Guard unit or commercial tower…

Fountaine Pajot 67: Trans-Atlantic Power Cat

By Peter Janssen on March 27, 2023 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Everything about the new Fountaine Pajot Power 67 is impressive – its size, its elegance, and its performance. This latest power cat from the longtime French builder has a beam of more than 32 feet, adding sheer volume to the interior and exterior of the boat (the full-beam foredeck, for example, is simply vast, and is large enough for an optional Jacuzzi). At the other end of the boat, the teak swim platform and lounging areas aft just don’t seem to end. The lines on the new 67, the flagship of the Fountaine Pajot fleet, are modern and elegant, announcing…

JetCar: 56-Knot Combo PWC and Corvette

By Peter Janssen on March 27, 2023 Cruising Life

If you’re looking for a different experience on the water, see the new JetCar, an off-the-wall combination of a PWC and a Corvette C8. The 15-foot vessel is not legal on land, but the Florida-based manufacturer says it’s approved by the U.S. Coast Guard for the water. JetCar USA offers a variety of power options, starting with a 4-cylinder, 4-stroke Yamaha Marine engine. Other options include both Yamahas and Sea-Doo engines, up to supercharged 300-hp models. The price ranges from $25,000 for the bare hull, where you can install your own engine, up to about $55,000 for the big supercharged…

Stephens Waring Designs 40-foot SUV

By Peter Janssen on March 27, 2023 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Stephens Waring, the classic yacht design firm in Belfast, Maine, just announced plans for Paradigm, a 40-foot sport utility vessel that they say is meant for modern living on the water. The new boat, appropriate for two couples or a family, features an almost plumb bow, a raised foredeck, and an open SUV-type platform aft for easy access to watersports or a dinghy. It has a modified-V hull laid up with cored composite construction and laminate technology. Standard power comes from a single 370-hp Yanmar diesel, with a fuel-efficient top speed of 20 knots. Twin diesels could boost that to…

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