The Australian builder of hand-crafted cruising boats introduced their flagship, the Maritimo M75, to the U.S market last week at the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show. They also brought the first new M55 Black Edition to be landed in America. I had the chance to thoroughly look at the new M745 at FLIBS and saw at once that the flagship represents the pinnacle of Maritimo’s boat building art. When you step aboard, you realize at once how big the boat truly is. A flybridge, sport cruiser with four cabins below and a spacious salon, the 75 has a huge amount…
The Swedish marine engine builder, Volvo Penta, has been working on their Dynamic Positioning technology and the all-new Assisted Docking function for years. Finally, at the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show the company was ready to give real-life demonstratiosn. The first Assisted Docking system in North America is installed on a new MJM M4. The boat was at the 17th Street Boat Basin, where I met up with the Volvo team. I had used Volvo’s Dynamic Positioning technology before, so this was not new. Basically, the technology relies on a highly sensitive GPS receiver with eight antennas that then feeds…
Last Friday, during the Ft. Lauderdale boat show, I had the opportunity to go out on a 37-foot center console powered by twin Mercury Verado 300-horsepower engines. The boat was equipped the Seakeeper’s new Ride stabilizers, and we were going to put the system to a test in some bouncy water. Seakeeper is well-known for their gyro boat stabilizers that have become increasing popular in the cruising fleet. The gyro systems use heavy flywheels spinning around an axis to create the stabilizing force to hold the boat level, much the way a spinning top is hard to reorient due to…
In 2020, the French company JetCycle introduced their innovative and patented water toy of the same name. The original JetCycle is a recumbent, pedal-powered foiling boat that, with spirited pedaling, will rise up onto its foils and then soar over the waves at up to 20 knots, as long as your legs last. It’s a fun idea and at about $10,000 apiece it quickly found a market in Europe among outdoor enthusiasts, cyclists and energetic youngsters. The company now runs JetCycle family-oriented events with races and point to point rallies. And, they have recruited a team of ambassadors who help…
Hylas Yachts, which builds finely designed and crafted sail and power yachts at their Queen Long yard in Taiwan, has a hard-earned reputation for delivering sensible, conservative powerboats that are first and foremost good sea boats. Their powerboat line, designed by the New Zealand-based firm Salthouse, has roots deep in workboat traditions with sea-kindly hulls, flared bows and deep cockpits. The new 47, with twin outboards, is the first to have outboards and also the first to run with diesel-powered engines. The move to alternative propulsion was driven by a need to deliver more sustainable boats to customers who are…
Here’s a sobering report published on Monday on the website LiveScience. Forty four top climate scientists have alerted policy makers in the Nordic countries that the collapse of the Gulf Stream and the other major Atlantic currents will precipitate devastating weather and climate changes in Europe and North America. While this threat has been on our radar for a while, the group of scientists argue that they and many others have seriously underestimated the rate and immanent timing of the current collapse. The currents involved are part of what is known as the North Atlantic Meridonal Overturning Circulation. The currents…
The British yacht builder Pearl Yachts introduced their brand-new 82 at the Cannes boat show in September and the Bill Dixon design earned top honors for “Best Interior Design” for yachts in its size category. That’s not surprising. Pearl, which began building yachts in 1998, is a boutique builder of highly refined mini-super yachts from 62 to 95 feet. They maintain limited production because they want to focus their attention on quality instead of quantity. The results are reliably stunning. The new 82 has the brand’s aggressive lines and modern styling with a racy speed-boat bow and sharply angled glazing…
The Finnish boat builder Saxdor introduced their new 34-foot this year to acclaim. The boat was awarded a Finish Design Innovation Award and it has been nominated for the prestigious European Power Boat of the Year Award. But such elevated status should not be too much of surprise given the company’s pedigree. Saxdor was founded by Sakari Mattila who was also a founder of Aquador, Paragon, XO Boats and the incredibly successful Axopar. The. new boats Mattila is building in Finland and Poland are brimming over with high-tech, high-speed powerboat DNA. The new 34 GTWA is one of the few…
Back Cove Yachts, the venerable Maine builder of classic-looking Downeast-style cruisers announced at the Newport Intrnatijonal Boat Show in September that they were reintroducing the Back Cove 41 with many upgrades and new features. The 41 is the builder’s flagship and has proven to be extremely popular worldwide. The new version has so many new features that Back Cove has given it a new name, the 412. Because the boat’s essential design features work so well, in the 412 the hull, deck and accommodation plan remain the same in the 41. But Back Cove has added a full height door…
Here’s an announcement from Outer Reef Yachts that will really catch the eye of cruisers who are seeking true seafaring expeditions to the earth’s far corners aboard a vessel that is a special combination of strength, seakeeping-ability, self-suffiency and luxury. Enter the new Adventure 780 that was introduced to the world this week. The new design, which is the first in Outer Reef’s new Adventure series, is the first new yacht to emerge from the recent merger between Outer Reef and the Dutch shipyard Lynx Yachts. The 780 is now in build in The Netherlands and will be ready to…
Maritimo will be bringing the new M55 Black Edition to the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show later this month and the new boat has been upgraded with truly enhanced living spaces. The changes to the design, already a popular model for the Australian builder, begin with the spacious cockpit that connects via sliding doors to the aft galley in the salon. A new wider transom island has been added between the cockpit and the swim platform that creates a better social area and enlarges the barbeque grill and counter. The cockpit’s dinette/lounge now faces forward and socially links the cockpit…
Of all the natural phenomena that we run into out on the water, lightning may be the most worrisome. A direct strike can blow a thru-hull right off the boat creating a gaping hole, it can fry your electrical panel and battery bank and it can start a fire. Even near misses can create a mess inside marine electronics and the autopilot, or in the alternator and starter motor on your engine, or it can blow up an inverter-charger. Lightning works in mysterious ways so you can never predict where it will go and what damage it can do. That…
Since its founding in 2019, Skyhawk has become a leader in wireless, battery-operated, cellular-connected monitoring devices. Last year, the company came out with its Oversea models designed for boats and they earned both an Innovation Award at the 2024 Miami Boat Show and a place on the NNMA’s Top 100 New Products list for 2024. Oversea monitors keep an eye on all the important aspects of a boat that has been left untended for a length of time. Monitors have specific responsibilities, so you can mix and match them as you deem necessary. You can have monitors for your battery…
It’s that time of year again; your boat is calling, and it’s time to get ready for a new season. Here’s a thorough spring commissioning checklist from BoatUS to help you get underway: Before You Launch Check the condition of antifouling paint and repaint if necessary. Inspect all hose clamps for rust and replace as necessary. Double clamp fuel lines and exhaust hoses with marine-rated stainless-steel hose clamps. While not technically required, it’s wise to double clamp whenever possible on all hoses — especially those below the waterline. Inspect all hoses for stiffness, rot, leaks and cracking, and replace any…
Furuno has unveiled a new series of MFDs that feature AI-assisted routing to take you on the best, safest and most direct path to your destination. And if an obstacle appears along the way, Furuno’s AI Routing will create a new route around it in real time. The new AI feature is part of Furuno’s new NavNet TZtouchXL series of multi-function devices designed for the helm of cruising powerboats. The AI routing uses Furuno’s new TZ maps to create routes along channels and to inlets and marina entrances using the draft of your boat, chart data and other safety parameters.…
Now here is something different for adventurous travelers, a boutique-style charter on mini-cruise vessels in Indonesia. The outfit is called Rascal Voyages and they have two vessels Rascal and Rebel, each with five cabins, that will take you to the most pristine islands, reefs and beaches on the planet. Indonesia is a vast country made up of thousands of islands. It is also one of the world’s most populous countries but most of the people live on Java and very few live on the outer islands where there is no infrastructure, no airports and no bridges. The only way to…
The Newport International Boat Show is only three weeks away with the kick-off on Thursday September 12. There are many reasons for coming to Newport for the show. It is the largest in-the-water show in the Northeast and features a broad selection of both sail and powerboats. Plus, acres of tents house hundreds of marine vendors of all types, many of whom offer great show discounts on their products and services. If you are coming to the show, you are also coming to the City by the Sea that is considered the sailing capital of America and has a new…
The Cruising Club of America is a private, not-for-profit organization that has a membership of experienced cruisers and sailors, both power and sail. For CCA members and many like-minded adventurous cruisers around the world, the Maine coast is hallowed ground. Maine veterans will tell you that it would take a lifetime of summer cruises to get to know all of the coast from Kennebunkport to Machias. There are hundreds of rivers, coves, harbors, islands and coastal villages to explore. Yes, there are millions of lobster pot buoys in every harbor and thorofare. Yes, fog is a regular occurrence, particularly in…
Here’s some good news for anyone cruising along the Gulf coast of Florida or even on the Great Loop. The City Council of Clearwater just voted to replace the aging Clearwater Beach Marina with a new one with about 165 slips, modern amenities and a waterfront promenade. For the Clearwater Beach Marina, location is everything. It’s on Clearwater Bay, just south of the Memorial Causeway leading to the mainland and with no bridges between it and the Gulf, basically just around the corner. The ICW is on one side, and the iconic Clearwater beach is just three blocks away on…
There’s no doubt that an EPIRB could save your life if you have a problem while cruising offshore. But new ones are expensive. BoatUS now offers an affordable program where you can rent one for $65 a week, plus $25 for shipping. Read about it here: SPRINGFIELD, Va., March 25, 2024 – The majority of the nation’s nearly 12 million recreational boaters don’t often travel far offshore, beyond cellular or VHF range. But for those who only do on a rare occasion, having an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) is important, allowing you to summon rescuers if there’s a…
C-MAP just announced that it has updated its charts for North American with enhanced images and more detailed information. Founded in 1985, C-MAP has become a leader in digital marine cartography and cloud-based mapping. Its C-MAP App makes planning and navigating simple and easy. It’s made for your smart phone, tablet or personal computer, and you can personalize a chart with the layers you want and view it any time you want in the palm of your hand. You also can check the weather, create your own route, or rely on C-MAP’s Autorouting to do it for you. Now, the…
Simrad just introduced its new NSX ULTRAWIDE MFD that it says is the world’s first ultramarine display with all the features. Simrad says the new display has all the benefits of dual screens in one place, and is 63 percent wider than previous models. The NSX ULTRAWIDE results in an elevated-dash look that offers easier, faster and more efficient installation for OEM or existing boat owners with fewer cables and less set up. It is available in 12-inch and 15-inch screen sizes. The ULTRAWIDE will make its first appearance at the Düsseldorf show, starting Jan. 20, and in the U.S.…
The National Marine Electronics Association just named this year’s award winners at its annual conference in Orlando. The awards were chosen by NMEA members who voted online in 17 categories for Product of Excellence Awards, while a panel of judges named winners of the NMEA Technology Award and Best New Product Award. The Best New Product Award celebrates a new product that was introduced at the conference and that the judges thought was best in innovation, benefit to boaters, practicality and value. The winner: Furuno’s FCV800 fishfinder, which the judges said was “a real powerhouse of a standalone fishfinder.” The…
Now, here’s something new from the market disrupters at Uber. Uber Europe, which pioneered facilitating Uber users to book yachts for day trips or more, announced this month that the service would be expanded to deluxe resort areas in Ibiza, Venice, Paris and Greece. A typical Uber Yacht experience in Ibiza would get you and up to seven friends aboard a private Sunseeker for eight hours of touring the island as well as swimming and other water sports. It would cost $1,600 for the day and comes with a complimentary bottle of champagne. Uber also noted that the ride sharing…
The Moorings, the worldwide charter giant, is adding a new location in La Paz, on the tip of the Baja peninsula in Mexico. The Moorings new base there, with sail and power charter boats, will open in time for the 2025 season. La Paz is at the entrance to the Sea of Cortez, which Jacques Cousteau called “the world’s aquarium” – for good reason. Also known as the Gulf of California, it’s one of the most biodiverse ecological regions in the world, and its warm waters and low surfaces protect coral reefs, plankton and algae. The area was declared a…
Beneteau just announced that it’s signed a 100 million Euros contract with Le Boat to supply it with a fleet of 400 new Delphia boats for its international boat rental fleet over the next ten years. Both companies said they wanted to expand their business in North America; Le Boat, which claims to be the largest boat rental company in Europe, already has an active boat rental and ownership program in Canada. Delphia is a Beneteau Group brand in Poland that makes river-cruising boats. The announcement said that Delphia will deliver 100 new boats to Le Boat in the next…
If you’re looking for a cruising vacation where somebody else does all the work, you can always charter a wide variety of power and sail boats with a crew in most of the popular yachting areas around the world. But if you really want to kick back and relax, move up a notch and take a look at the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. Ritz-Carlton already has one ship, the Evrima, in operation, but it’s building a second one, the Ilma, that’s bigger and has more living and relaxing space, at a yard in Saint-Nazaire, France. It’s scheduled to make its maiden…