On Watch with Peter Janssen

Iridium’s New Portable Device with Global Coverage

By Peter Janssen on February 9, 2023 On Watch with Peter Janssen

Iridium just launched its new go-anywhere portable wireless device, Iridium GO! exec, that provides global, off-the-grid connections for smartphones, laptops and tablets. The new GO! exec is a significant upgrade from Iridium’s GO! and is 40 times faster. It enables users to make calls, get email and messaging, share pictures, post to social media, collect weather information, and even send an SOS from a dedicated button. It also serves as a WiFi hotspot for multiple devices. For boat owners, it has an external antenna and fixed installation kit. The new device is powered by the Iridium Certus 100 service that…

New Silent 120 Cat Has Airplane, Submarine

By Peter Janssen on January 29, 2023 On Watch with Peter Janssen

Silent Yachts has just taken the idea of adventure or explorer yachts to an entirely new level by announcing that its new 120 Explorer will have both a vertical takeoff and landing airplane and a personal submarine. The all-electric powered catamaran also will have trans-oceanic capabilities and virtually unlimited range. The plane, an eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) named the XP4, is made by the British startup VRCO. It can hold four people, cruise at 160 knots, and fly for an hour. Large solar panels on the yacht’s roof slide out to port and starboard to open a touch-and-go…

European Boat of the Year Awards

By Peter Janssen on January 26, 2023 Cruising Life, On Watch with Peter Janssen

The winners of the annual European Boat of the Year Awards were just announced at the Düsseldorf show. The winners are chosen by a panel of judges from 12 European boating magazines, and they consider each boat’s workmanship, handling, layout, safety, value, and new ideas and concepts. For this year’s contest, the judges looked at more than 250 new boats, and ultimately choose the winners, and multiple finalists, in six categories. (The Prestige M 48 is shown at top.) The winners are: Sportboats up to 8 Meters (26’): Winner: Askelladen C 78 Cruiser (above) Finalists: Bayliner M19, Beneteau Flyer 8…

Sirena Building a 48 Starter Yacht

By Peter Janssen on January 22, 2023 On Watch with Peter Janssen

Sirena Yachts just announced plans for their new 48, the smallest Sirena yet, at the big Düsseldorf show. It is scheduled to be launched in time for the Cannes Yachting Festival next September. In the announcement, the Turkish builder said the new 48 is designed as its entry boat; the Sirena fleet now has a 58, 68, 78 and 88. The company says the 48 “will appeal to a new generation of boaters and marine enthusiasts.” It’s designed by Germán Frers, the acclaimed Argentina naval architect, who also has worked on the larger Sirenas. It has three cabins (sleeping six)…

Saxdor Unveils Versatile 400 GT

By Peter Janssen on January 17, 2023 On Watch with Peter Janssen

Saxdor just unveiled plans for its new 400 GT, an aggressively styled, versatile cruiser with a low profile, large fold-down terraces and outboard performance. The new Saxdor, built in Finland, will be ready later this year, and the company says it is designed for boaters “whether you are spending the day under the hot Miami sun or driving through a blizzard in Norway.” It will turn heads with its modern Scandinavian look, almost vertical bow, and sleek cabin roof. It has windows all around, for 360-degree visibility, and sliding doors on both sides of the wheelhouse lead to the folding…

Tiara Building New 1,800-hp 48 LE

By Peter Janssen on January 9, 2023 On Watch with Peter Janssen

Tiara just announced that it’s building a new 48 LE, the flagship of its Luxury Express line, powered by three 600-hp Mercury Verado outboards. The announcement said that the new 48 will have the same multi-use social zones, amenities and performance as the existing 43 LE, but on a larger platform. The 48 will be launched this fall. From the renderings, the 48 seems to be a comfortable vessel for an afternoon on the water or an extended cruise. The salon and helm deck are fully protected by a glass enclosure. A sun roof overhead provides light and ventilation, while…

Alaska Couple Cruising Nordhavn 41 in Greece

By Peter Janssen on January 4, 2023 On Watch with Peter Janssen

It’s taken a while, but a retired couple from Alaska are now living their dream, having just taken delivery of their new Nordhavn 41 in Turkey and cruised 400 miles to Athens, Greece. They’ve left the boat there for the winter, but will return before long to start their five-year plan of cruising through Europe and then bringing the boat back to the U.S. and all the way up to their home port of Palmer, Alaska. The boat, named Meraki, is owned by Jan and Tom Newman, who both say they love being on the water Tom grew up in…

New Rugged Stratos Dutch Built 50

By Peter Janssen on December 12, 2022 On Watch with Peter Janssen

You certainly can’t say that Bas Lengers is aiming too low. Indeed, Lengers, the founder of Stratos Yachts, says, “with complete confidence,” that his new Dutch Built 50 “is the most seaworthy vessel in her class.” Lengers just started Stratos after spending 40 years as the head of Lengers Yachts, a yacht dealer in the Netherlands. The company has been in his family for three generations. But he wanted to start a new brand to showcase what he calls iconic Dutch craftsmanship, unparalleled seaworthiness, and exceptional strength and finish. Lengers worked with Bernd Weel, the Dutch designer, and Sea Level,…

Ever Forward Pilot on Cell Phone: Coast Guard

By Peter Janssen on December 7, 2022 On Watch with Peter Janssen

There’s a moral here for all of us. The Coast Guard just issued its report about the grounding of the 1,095-foot-long Ever Forward in the Chesapeake last March, and it’s devastating. Its conclusion: The grounding was caused by the “failure to maintain situational awareness and attention while navigating, and inadequate bridge resource management.” The problem: The pilot was on his cell phone. But he was hardly alone. The ship’s master had left the bridge half an hour before the grounding to get dinner, but still on the bridge, along with the pilot, were the Third Officer, a Deck Cadet, and…

Hurricane Season Ends. Good Riddance!

By Peter Janssen on December 1, 2022 On Watch with Peter Janssen

The deadly and devastating 2022 Atlantic hurricane season just ended on November 30, and hundreds of thousands of people (or more) are saying none too soon. The impact from Hurricanes Ian, Nicole and Fiona in Florida and Puerto Rico will last for years. In Florida, 148 people died from Hurricane Ian alone, and the destruction was estimated at $50 billion. NOAA says the hurricane season this year produced 14 named storms (with winds of 39 mph or more); eight of them became hurricanes (with winds of 74 mph or more), and two became major hurricanes (with winds of 111 mph…

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