Cruising Life

Ferretti Launches New 860 Luxury Cruiser

By Peter Janssen on October 18, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The Ferretti Group just introduced its new Ferretti 860 flybridge motor yacht at the Cannes Yachting Festival, a luxurious, Italian-made cruiser that would be just as much at home in the glamorous ports of the Med or heading to the Keys or Nantucket. Some of the more notable features of the new 860 include floor-to-ceiling windows in the salon, a glass parapet at the stern (so you can enjoy an unbroken view), a sliding glazed door that opens to the port side deck, and an optional jacuzzi for the flybridge. Standard power is twin 1,800-hp V12 MAN diesels. With optional…

Crab fleet in Dutch Harbor, Alaska. Photo: US Coast Guard; Holly Hugunin

Alaska Cancels Snow Crab Season

By Peter Janssen on October 18, 2022 Cruising Life, On Watch with Peter Janssen

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game just cancelled this year’s snow crab season in the Bering Sea for the first time ever. It said that 90 percent of the snow crab population has been lost in the past few years, probably as a result of warmer waters and climate change. The current number of crabs, the department said, is below the threshold for opening the fishery. The annual season usually opens on Oct. 15. The snow crab fleet consists of about 65 boats; some of them are in the Coast Guard’s picture of Dutch Harbor, above. The crabbers and…

Iliad Unveils New 53 Flybridge Power Cat

By Peter Janssen on October 17, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Iliad Catamarans just unveiled its new 53 Flybridge in Australia, a blue-water, long-range cruiser with impressive space and performance. The new power cat has high clearance and high freeboard for its bridge deck that helps to keep its ride soft and safe, even in less-than-ideal conditions. The flybridge makes use of the cat’s almost-25-foot beam to create a large social area that offers unobstructed views all around. It has a centered two-person helm seat with a bar on the starboard side and a large U-shaped seating area and table to port. A hardtop, with a sunroof, provides some weather protection.…

Coast Guard Rescues 3 Men and a Dog

By Peter Janssen on October 17, 2022 Cruising Life

The Coast Guard and others recently rescued three men and a dog from a 57-foot cruising boat that was sinking off Sucia Island in the San Juans in Washington State. The Coast Guard received a call about 2 p.m.saying that a boat was taking on water after it hit some rocks entering Echo Bay on Sucia. A small, picturesque island, Sucia is just north of Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands group. It’s near the U.S.-Canadian border. The Coast Guard immediately sent a 45-foot response boat from Bellingham to help. Fortunately, Good Samaritans arrived at the scene first and…

Nimbus Launches 365 Coupe Family Cruiser

By Peter Janssen on October 17, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Nimbus will display its new 365 Coupe, a sporty cruising boat with some Scandinavian flair, at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, starting Oct. 26. Nimbus, a Swedish builder, says the 365 Coupe is a functional boat; it has everything a family or a couple need for a weekend, or much longer, cruise. There are two cabins below, with one head, and two more people can sleep on the convertible settee in the salon. And it’s made for easy handling and comfortable cruising. The walkaround side decks are protected by high railings, and there’s a door opening from the helm…

Bold is Beautiful

By Sandy Parks on October 13, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The Sirena 68 brings together all the qualities that experienced cruisers would seek in a new yacht—essentially an upgrade in comfort and confidence in all areas. The new 68 is built on a hull that marries efficiency and performance seamlessly—it’s a semidisplacement design with a keel in the central bottom and chines on the sides. The hull shape encapsulates a cavernous volume of space, allowing everyone onboard to spread out and get comfortable, but still be together. The interior is a special kind of intersection where craftsmanship meets utility, elevating every aspect of the space to make it feel welcoming,…

New Hope 40: A Power Cat with Foils

By Peter Janssen on October 12, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

At first glance, the Hope 40 looks like another Down East picnic boat, but with a slightly broken sheer line. But then take a look under the hull. It’s a state-of-the-art power catamaran with hydrofoil technology. The new Hope 40 is the brainchild of McCullough Yachts in Newport, Rhode Island, and it’s going to be built at Front Street Shipyard in Belfast, Maine. On its website, McCullough says, “For years customers have asked us why existing power catamarans look like futuristic alien spacecraft.” They say their reply is the Hope 40, “an attractive vessel that still utilizes the smooth riding…

New Hardy 65: A Serious Blue-Water Cruiser

By Peter Janssen on October 12, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The new Hardy 65 is a British-built, go-anywhere traditional blue-water cruiser with a blend of modern comforts and high-tech components. The 65 is the flagship of the Hardy fleet, which starts at 32 feet. They’re all built by Cockwells, in Falmouth, England. The company says the 65 is “a little ship with a big attitude.” Standard power is twin 800-hp MAN diesels, with a top speed of 25 knots on the 65’s semi-displacement hull. Optional 1,200-hp MANs produce a top speed of 30 knots. The Hardy 65 is a serious, seaworthy boat; there aren’t a lot of frills. The side…

Coast Guard Rescues 3 Boaters from Sharks

By Peter Janssen on October 11, 2022 Cruising Life

The Coast Guard rescued three missing boaters in the Gulf of Mexico last Sunday after their boat sank and they were attacked sharks. Two of the three had serious cuts on their hands from the sharks, and the sharks had almost eaten through one of their life jackets. “Rescued just in the nick of time,” the Coast Guard said in a release. The three men left Venice, on the southeastern coast of Louisiana, early Saturday morning for a fishing trip on their 24-foot center console. It sank about 10 that morning, leaving them in the water with life jackets but…

Photo by Nicholas Claris

Lagoon Starts Fractional Ownership with Sea Style

By Peter Janssen on October 11, 2022 Charter, Cruising Life

Lagoon Catamarans and Sea Style Partners just formed a joint venture to promote a fractional ownership program for Lagoon’s multihull power and sail yachts. The two companies announced their new partnership at the Cannes Yachting Festival, saying it will give owners access to Lagoon’s international network of yachts and Sea Style’s experience in fractional ownership, yacht management and crew services. Mathias Chouraki, the president of Sea Style, said the new partnership “shows that fractional ownership is not only trending, but also will become an important part of our industry in coming years.” The program offers owners a 25 percent or…

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