John Hauck, 82, just completed the Great Loop, again, by himself. Hauck finished the Loop, crossing his wake, 132 days after he left Demopolis, Alabama, on his Rosborough RF-246 named Grumpy. For Hauck, the second Loop came almost two years after he completed it the first time, on Aug. 2, 2019, after he had cruised 6,303 miles in 110 days. He spent most of the time by himself on that trip, although a lady friend joined him for a short spell. A retired Army special forces major who flew Cobra helicopter gunships for the 101st Airborne in the Vietnam war, Hauck…
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In an Owners Words: "The 630 Outer Reef Yacht Showed No Flaws"
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Floating Through the Heart of Florida on a Leopard 53 PC
Coastal communities of Florida represent a melting pot with ever-changing cultures, whereas Central Florida, along the Okeechobee waterway, is still untouched by transplants. Discover the Okeechobee waterway-- the only navigable canal to run from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. Leopard Catamarans
SpaceX Alums Build 40-mph Electric Boat
Arc Boat Company, a new high-tech company with heavy duty Silicon Valley funding, is now selling a 24-foot, 40-mph, all-electric boat powered by a 200kWh battery. The company is taking orders for the new Arc One, costing $300,000, with the first boat scheduled for delivery by the end of the year. So far, Arc, based in Los Angeles, has ten employees. All but one of them, CEO Mitch Lee, have worked for SpaceX, Elon Musk’s space exploration company. Lee founded the company with Ryan Cook; they studied mechanical engineering together at Northwestern University, and then went on to work at…
Amphibious Luxury RV Hits 7 Knots in Water
Just in case you’ve ever thought of driving your luxury motorhome into the water, take a look at the amphibious Terra Wind by CAMI that travels 80 mph on land and 7 knots when it’s floating. The Terra Wind is 42’ 6” long with an 8’ 6” beam; it weighs 33,000 pounds, or a bit more than a school bus, and it has a draft of 3’ 5.” It’s driven by a single 330-hp Cat turbo diesel, with an automatic transmission for the road and a marine gearbox for the water. It has two 19-inch bronze props. It comes with…
Boaters Camp Out Waiting for Slip Space
Here’s a sign of the times. Boat owners in Scituate, Massachusetts, on Boston’s South Shore, camped out in their tents next to the harbor master’s office for as long as four nights waiting for a slip to open up there. Boat sales soared during the pandemic, particularly among first-time buyers. Now many of them are discovering the unpleasant truth: They don’t have a place to put them. Across the U.S., last year was a 13-year-high for boat sales (and 9 percent above 2019), according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association. The number of first-time boat buyers rose for the first…
New All-Electric 20m Eegle: “Perfect Coastal Cruiser”
The creative, all-electric 20m Eegle trawler-like cruiser is being completed in a yard in the south of France. BYD, the Spanish naval architectural firm that drew the yacht, says that it is “designed to be the perfect coastal cruiser,” combining “the space and comfort of a beach apartment with the effortless mobility and seaworthiness of a highly capable motoryacht.” The new Eegle is 65’ 6” long with a beam of 16’4” and it’s powered by four 150-kW motors to give it a top speed of 20 knots and a range of 80 nm. An optional larger fuel tank and genset…
Inflatable Takacat: Creative, Fun, Tender
Here’s a fresh idea for a dink or tender or just a fun boat to have around, particularly when space is tight: The New Zealand-made Takacat, a catamaran-style inflatable with an open bow and transom that’s lightweight, compact, versatile and cost effective. The open bow is made for easy boarding from a mothership, or from the water if you’ve been swimming. And the fully removable transom keeps the boat dry, since water can flow out the back, while making it easy to pack the Takacat in two storage bags. Takacats come in six sizes from 8’ 6” to 15 feet…
Coast Guard Rescues 7; See Dramatic Video
Here’s a dramatic video of a Coast Rescue of seven people from a sport fishing boat 69 miles southeast of Cape May, New Jersey, last Sunday afternoon. A Coast Guard helicopter flew all seven back to its base in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The Coast Guard said it received a message at 1:19 p.m. that a 40-foot sport fishing boat, with seven on board, was running into difficulty in four- to six-foot seas and winds gusting to 30 mph. As conditions deteriorated, the crew on the boat activated their EPIRB. The Coast Guard sent a Jayhawk helicopter, a Hercules aircraft…
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The Strongest Link in Your Chain
Azimut Launching New 68 World Yacht
Azimut will launch its new 68 at the Cannes Yachting Festival starting Sept. 7, the latest in its Flybridge Collection of nine yachts from 50 to 78 feet. Azimut calls the 68 a world yacht, because it offers buyers three layout choices for the salon and dining areas on the main deck. With its growing popularity around the world, Azimut recognizes that people in different cultures use their yachts in different ways. Now they can choose the layout that best reflects how they like to spend their time on board. The first layout provides an elegant living area in the…
Prestige Launching New X60 Luxury Cruiser
Prestige will introduce the upscale, highly designed X60, the second yacht in its new X series, at the Cannes Yachting Festival, starting on Sept. 7. It launched the inaugural yacht in the series, the innovative X70, just a year ago. The new X60 is a three-stateroom, three-head flybridge motor yacht with an unusually large and open salon. It’s powered by twin 600-hp Cummins diesels with v-drives, producing a cruising speed of about 20 knots and a top speed of 25 knots. With a combination of curved and straight lines, the X60 has a state-of-the-art European look, all created by Garroni…
Sabre Building New 43 SE with Volvo IPS
Earlier this week, Sabre announced that it’s planning a new 43 Salon Express, an updated classic Down-East styled cruiser that will replace the recently retired Sabre 42 Salon Express. The 40- to 45-foot range is a winner for Sabre. Indeed, the company has built more than 660 yachts in that size range since it launched the first Sabre 42 sailboat in 1987. While keeping true to Sabre’s made-in-Maine heritage, the new 43 has some state-of-the-art innovations. It’s the first full-network Sabre under 58 feet, for example, where owners can check critical functions and control any circuit on the boat from…
Lamborghini Launches New 63 Speedster
The new Lamborghini 63 by Tecnomar was launched recently at the Marina di Carrara in Italy. Powered by two 2,000-hp MAN engines, the new Lambo on the water tops out at a sizzling 60 knots. The new Lamborghini is a collaboration between the luxury Italian sports car builder and the Italian Sea Group, the parent company of Tecnomar. It’s named the Lamborghini 63 to recognize both its length and the year that Lamborghini was founded. Giovanni Costantino, the CEO of the Italian Sea Group, said it’s the fastest boat in the Technomar fleet and it “links technology, supreme design, quality…
Nemo: World’s Smallest Dive System
Here’s a new way to explore underwater (at least to ten feet underwater) without all the hassle of a scuba tanks. Nemo, from Blu3 (pronounced “blue”), is a ten-pound, battery-operated portable dive system that’s so user-friendly that you can even take it on the plane with you. A U.S. company, Blue3 says that Nemo, with its patent-pending technology, is the world’s smallest dive system. It’s designed particularly for people who are used to snorkeling but want to explore farther underwater. Nemo consists of a buoyant foam rectangle and tube with a custom battery-powered compressor, which pumps air to the diver…
New Seakart: Half Jet Ski, Half RIB
If you’re ready for some fun this summer, or any other time, take a look at the new Seakart 335, a hybrid mix of a jet ski and a RIB. The 11’ 5” Seakart has the fun and performance of a jet ski, combined with the capacity and safety of a RIB. Not a bad idea. Power comes from a 110-hp or 180-hp four-stroke Yamaha jet drive. With the 110, top speed is 39 knots; with the 180, it’s 56 knots. The Seakart has a console like that of a jet ski, down to the mirrors, but the steering is…
ACR Launches Small Bivy Stick Sat-Comm Device
ACR just launched its new Bivy Stick, the world’s smallest two-way satellite messenger and app. The Bivy Stick works anywhere with a view of the sky, with 100 percent global satellite coverage, and it measures just 4.5 inches by 1.8 inches. It weighs only 3.5 ounces. Built to be used whether you’re out on a day cruise around a lake or on an ocean voyage, the Bivy Stick lets you send messages, track and share your location, access GPS maps, view live weather forecasts, and place an emergency SOS call. The Bivy Stick has a high-power antenna for reliable connections…
Sealegs Rolling Out 12′ 5″ Amphib, Smallest Yet
Sealegs, the New Zealand amphibious boat maker, just announced that they are developing a new 3.8m (12’ 5”) Tender, their smallest yet. Sealegs says it is taking orders for the new amphib now and will roll out the first production models in 2022. We don’t have a price yet. The 3.8 Tender, created to fit on larger cruising boats, takes exploration by tender to a new level. With a standard 40-hp Yamaha outboard, the 3.8m has a top speed of 34 knots on the water. But when you roll up to a beach or want to explore a new shoreline,…
Salt Spring Island: Pacific Northwest Gem
Now that Canada is starting to open up again, Salt Spring Island, in the Canadian Gulf Islands, is an appealing destination for U.S. cruisers. The largest of the Gulf Islands, Salt Spring is just above the popular San Juan Islands in Washington State and off the east coast of Vancouver Island. It’s easy to get to, and hard to leave, as I can attest from personal experience. Salt Spring is 17 miles long, nine miles wide, with a year-round population of 12,000 people, including large groups of painters, writers, musicians, retirees, and farmers: it’s home to more than 200 farms…
Mackinac: Horses, Boats and a Grand Hotel
A four-acre island at the top of Lake Huron, just around the corner from the top of Lake Michigan, Mackinac has been a major tourist – and boating – destination for more than a century. To visit Mackinac (pronounced “Mackinaw”) is to step back in time. Motor vehicles have been prohibited since 1898, ten years before Henry Ford rolled out his first Model T. Since then, you get around on the island by horse, bike, or foot. Mackinac is known for its fudge. The first fudge shop was opened in 1887, the same year that the iconic Grand Hotel was…
Saba Rock Resort Set To Reopen in BVI
Saba Rock, the relaxed and romantic destination resort with breathtaking waterfront views in the British Virgin Islands, will reopen on Oct. 15. The resort, on a private island in North Sound, Virgin Gorda, has undergone a dramatic reconstruction after it was largely destroyed by Hurricane Irma in 2017. You can stay in one of Saba Rock’s nine ocean-front rooms, but if you’re chartering or cruising through the BVI, you can enjoy lunch or dinner in the open-air restaurant or one of two bars; you also can sign up for diving (the resort has a dive shop) and for kite-surfing. Saba…
The Moorings Opens Charter Base in Historic Corfu
The Moorings just announced that their marina in Corfu, in the northwest corner of Greece on the Ionian Sea, is now open for charters. One of the most glamorous destinations in the world, Corfu is one of the seven Ionian islands, and offers everything from gorgeous beaches and snug harbors to lively tavernas and waterfront resorts. With a charter from Corfu, you can explore the smaller Ionian islands, as well as make forays to historic ports of call along the Greek mainland. Many cruisers think the Corfu waters offer the best cruising in Greece. They certainly are among the most…
KVH Launches New, Faster, Mobile Connections
Here’s some good news from KVH for better and faster cell service wherever you’re cruising this summer, including up to 20 miles offshore. KVH just introduced its TracPhone LTE-1 Global, a compact new antenna based on LTE advanced cell technology that extends the range for mobile connections in more than 150 countries around the world. The new LTE-1 Global is faster than the previous 4G LTE and includes a high-gain dual antenna array, a modem, GPS, and Wi-Fi router in the dome. This means you can surf the web, hold video conferences, post on social media, enjoy streaming video and…
Garmin Making New GPS-Based Marine Compass
Garmin just announced that it’s offering a new marine satellite compass to help make navigation safer and more accurate. The new MSC 10 has multi-band GNSS and a fully integrated attitude and reference system to provide accurate heading and position information. Garmin says the MSC 10 provides precise positioning and heading accuracy within 2 degrees. The system is based on information from GPS, so it will not be affected by any magnetic interference. “An advanced navigation tool, the GPS-based MSC 10 won’t be impacted by magnetic interference, so even in challenging situations, you’ll know exactly where you’re headed,” said Dan…
Garmin OnDeck: Stay Connected to Your Boat
Garmin has launched a new remote OnDeck system that keeps you connected to your boat, no matter where you are. OnDeck lets you track, monitor and control (via up to five switches) what’s happening to your boat. “OnDeck is a comprehensive vessel monitoring and management tool designed to deliver important information about your boat directly to your fingertips, so you’ll always know that it’s safe, secure and ready for your next adventure,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin VP of global consumer sales. Is your bilge pump running, and running and running? You’d certainly want to know. Has your boat moved, and…
How To Get Your VHF Ready for the Season
Here’s some timely advice from BoatUS about how to get your VHF ready for the season: ANNAPOLIS, Md., March 23, 2021 – In recreational boating, cellphones are just fine for routine communications. So why do you need a VHF radio – either a handheld or fixed mount – on your boat? Because in an emergency it’s the only thing that can directly connect you to the U.S. Coast Guard’s Rescue 21 system, giving you access to high-tech emergency response and Digital Selective Calling (DSC) capabilities that can hasten your rescue. All you have to do now is to ensure VHF…
Ellis Boat Charters: Cruise Down East This Summer
Even though the Fourth of July is in the rear-view mirror, there’s still plenty of time left for cruising vacations and charters this summer. And it would be hard to find a more appealing or inviting cruising area than Down East in Maine, particularly in the iconic Southwest Harbor area, the gateway to Somes Sound and Acadia National Park. You can enjoy all this on the water, by chartering a Maine-built boat from Ellis Boat Charters, a branch of the Ellis Boat Company in Southwest Harbor. Then you can cruise the area on your own, or with a local captain,…
Moorings Opens Charter Base in Beautiful St. Lucia
The Moorings just opened its large charter base in St. Lucia on July 1, providing crewed and bareboat power and sail boats for cruising in some of the most beautiful waters in the Caribbean. The Moorings’ base is in Rodney Bay Marina on the northwest tip of St. Lucia, and it is an easy jumping off spot for exploring St. Lucia itself, with its enchanting mix of African, English and French culture, or heading north to nearby Martinique or south to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, with Bequia and Mustique. Navigation in the area is straightforward, and the winds generally…
Cost of Charters, and New Boats, Going Up
For the past year or so, as a result of the pandemic, the cost of charters has been going up. It’s a classic case of supply and demand; more people want to take a charter than there are charter boats available. To make matters worse, some of the yachts that used to be in the charter market have been sold, since the price of boats, particularly large yachts, has been going up too. In the old days, say three years ago, people wanting to charter a yacht often had some bargaining power; they could ask for a flat discount, or…
Boatsetter Launches Luxury Yacht Rentals
Boatsetter, the global peer-to-peer boat rental company, is moving uptown. Indeed, Boatsetter just announced that it’s starting Boatsetter Lux, aimed at high-end day or term yacht charters with a dedicated concierge team in more than 600 locations around the world. Boatsetter started in Fort Lauderdale in 2012, and it has been growing ever since. It started a partnership with Geico, for example, to handle insurance on its rental boats. Boatsetter Lux is now a partnership between the parent Boatsetter and Airbnb Luxe and Luxury Retreats, offering access to yachts to people staying in Airbnb’s luxury homes and villas. Each yacht…