On Watch with Peter Janssen

Nordhavn 76 Crosses Atlantic, Lands in Barbados

By Peter Janssen on December 23, 2021 On Watch with Peter Janssen

The Spirit of Ulysses, a Nordhavn 76, just completed a 2,000-nm transatlantic voyage, arriving in Barbados on Sunday, Dec. 19, just 17 days after it left Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. But then the five members of the crew had to wait six hours on the boat for a doctor to arrive and give them a Covid clearance. Once that happened, they tied up in Port St. Charles and took off for a celebratory dinner in a beachside restaurant. There was much to celebrate. Ulysses, a 2007 model, was the first boat that Mike Ridgway ever owned. A retired computer…

Nordhavn 76 Completing Epic Transatlantic Voyage

By Peter Janssen on December 16, 2021 Cruising Life, On Watch with Peter Janssen

The Spirit of Ulysses, a Nordhavn 76, is within days of the finish line of its epic 2,000-nm transatlantic voyage from the Canary Islands to Barbados. If conditions hold, the crew now expects to make landfall in Barbados on Sunday morning. Ulysses, a 2007 Nordhavn with twin 400-hp Detroits, left Lanzarote in the Canary Islands on Dec. 3 and almost immediately ran into some gnarly conditions, including wind gusts up to 53 knots and sea swells from 10 to 15 feet. At first the crew couldn’t even land a Dorado they hooked up, and cooking and eating was problematic. After…

Maritimo Building M75 Offshore Cruising Flagship

By Peter Janssen on December 9, 2021 Boat Reviews, On Watch with Peter Janssen

Maritimo, the highly successful Australian builder of luxury offshore cruising yachts, just announced that it’s developing a new M75 Flybridge Motor Yacht flagship. The new Maritimo is a four-stateroom, three-head, blue-water cruiser with an enclosed flybridge, a creative and expansive aft deck, and a lower “adventure deck.” Low-angle, straight-shaft drives connect to twin 1150-hp Scania diesels and reduce the yacht’s draft to just 4’ 11” so it can explore more destinations around the world. It holds 2,641 gallons of fuel to ensure long-range cruising. Maritimo’s announcement Thursday evening underscored the company’s most successful year in its almost 20-year history. Indeed,…

Beneteau Making New Swift Trawler 48

By Peter Janssen on November 30, 2021 Boat Reviews, On Watch with Peter Janssen

Beneteau just announced that it’s launching a new Swift Trawler 48. Hull number one, with twin 380-hp Cummins diesels, will have its world premiere at the Düsseldorf show in January; hull number two, with twin 425-hp Cummins, will make its U.S. debut at the Miami show in February. The 48 is the flagship of Beneteau’s Swift Trawler line, which starts at 35 feet. Beneteau also makes a Grand Trawler 62, but it has a displacement hull for long-range voyages. The new 48 is a three-stateroom, two head cruiser; top speed is 23 knots with the 380-hp engines, and 26 knots…

Jeanneau Enters Upscale Day Boat Market with DB/43

By Peter Janssen on November 10, 2021 On Watch with Peter Janssen

Jeanneau just announced that it’s starting a new line of high-end day boats with the stunning-looking DB/43. Jeanneau said the new 43 would have the functionality of an express cruiser and the streamlined design and polished finish of a premium day boat. The DB/43 will be available in both inboard and outboard power, with the outboard power aimed at the U.S. market. The day boat or weekend cruiser universe is a growing market segment both here and overseas. Jeanneau, part of the Beneteau Group, is a French giant in both the power and sail markets. The DB/43 is a collaboration…

Let The Good Times Roll

By Peter Janssen on November 4, 2021 On Watch with Peter Janssen

The big Lauderdale show is now in the rear-view mirror, and it seems that things couldn’t be better. As usual, the bigger the better. Indeed, one broker at the superyacht part of the show over at Pier 66 (pictured above) said he was seeing a billionaire every few minutes. But the good news spread down the line. Brunswick, for example, said it had “record-breaking performance” at the show; Boston Whaler reported a 35 percent increase in revenue over the past year, while Sea Ray had 30 percent. David Foulkes, the Brunswick CEO, said the Lauderdale show “sets the tone for…

FLIBS Opens on Wave of Enthusiasm

By Peter Janssen on October 28, 2021 Ft Lauderdale Boat Show, On Watch with Peter Janssen

The iconic Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, the largest in-the-water show in the United States, is underway, riding a wave of enthusiasm and pent-up demand. The show officially has 647 exhibitors and 712 boats, from Absolute to Zeelander; the largest is a 252-foot Feadship named Boardwalk. Fort Lauderdale calls itself “the yachting capital of the world,” and the show does not lack for excess. Not all the boats had fenders as large as those on the megayacht in the picture above, or the helicopter on the upper deck, but in Fort Lauderdale it’s just a matter of scale. The show…

Prize-Winning Bluegame 70 Debuts at FLIBS

By Peter Janssen on October 20, 2021 On Watch with Peter Janssen

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,…

Huge Lauderdale Show Starts Oct. 27

By Peter Janssen on October 13, 2021 Cruising Life, Ft Lauderdale Boat Show, On Watch with Peter Janssen

The massive Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, the largest in-the-water show in the world, opens on Wednesday, Oct. 27, and runs through Sunday, Oct. 31. Last year, the show was only half its usual size, because of the Covid pandemic, but this year it’s back with everything from superyachts to SUPs, on the docks, in tents and on land exhibits. In 2019, the last pre-Covid year, the show attracted more than 100,000 people. This year, that number is expected again, with the show in multiple locations, centered at the Bahia Mar Yachting Center and Las Olas Marina, as well as…

Back Cove 372 Debuts at Annapolis Show

By Peter Janssen on October 4, 2021 Boat Reviews, On Watch with Peter Janssen

Back Cove just launched its newly redesigned 372 family cruiser at the Annapolis powerboat show, running through Sunday, Oct. 10. The 372 is a new iteration of the original Back Cove 37 that was first launched in 2009; that turned out to be one of the Maine builder’s most popular models. More than 200 of them were sold, and the tooling was getting worn out. With a single diesel engine, a low profile and its Down East lines, the 37 was popular because it was a Goldilocks boat – not too big, not too small. A single person could handle…

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