Author George Day

Boat Reviews
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MJM Renews the Brand and Redefines Sport Cruising for 2026, Offers Big Discounts

This week MJM Yachts, under the new ownership of Seolta Holdings since late 2023, took the bold step to reintroduce their entire line with new model names and a host of upgrades to the yacht finish of the boats, to the standard equipment list and to the owner’s option list. MJM also announced that new boats ordered by July 31, 2025 can qualify for up to $200,000 in discounts. So, if you are in the market for a sport day boat or family cruiser, now is the time to pull the trigger. The promotion MJM sent out emphasizes that their…

Cruising Life
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What You Need to Know About In-Line Fuel-Water Separators

This is a down-and-dirty topic but fuel-water separators in your boat’s fuel lines are without doubt your first and most important line of defense in the war against contaminated diesel fuel. This is particularly true of you are cruising away from your home fuel dock and taking on diesel of unknown purity. Water in your fuel can come from several sources. First, it may be in the fuel dock’s own tanks that may have a leak or may not be well insulated and thus can sweat condensation in humid conditions Or, your own on-board metal tanks can sweat moisture from…

Cruising Life
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Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Saves 165 Children During the Texas Flash Flood

Coast Guard rescue swimmer Scott Ruskan (pictured at the left in the photo) is being hailed as a hero for coordinating the rescue of 165 children from the Mystic Camp during the flash floods on the Guadeloupe Rive in Texas. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem singled out Raskin,26, for his efforts as the only triage coordinator in the area. “United States Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer and Petty Officer Scott Ruskin (Ruskan), directly saved an astonishing 165 victims in the devastating flooding in central Texas. This was the first rescue mission of his career and he was the only…

Boat Reviews
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Introducing the New and Extraordinary Van den Hoven Voyager 50 Coupe

Bart Van den Hoven has been building high quality steel and aluminum cruising boats for discerning owners since 1992.  In those three decades, the Dutch yard has launched only 55 boats or roughly two a year. The first five he built by himself. But, in 1999 Van den Hoven “professionalized” the yard and brought on a growing team of highly skilled craftsmen. Today, he has 80 people on staff yet still only produces a few boats a year. Not seeking a large production audience, Van den Hoven instead offers extremely well-built and finely finished semi-custom yachts for owners who are…

Destinations
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Exploring France’s Historic and Beautiful Canal du Midi by Boat

Picture yourself at the helm of a 40-foot cabin cruiser motoring at 5 knots or so along a narrow canal that is bordered on both sides by towering plane trees whose roots form the natural reinforcement for the canal’s sides. Beyond, there are wide open fields of ripening wheat and sunflowers and huge rolling vineyards. It is hot and the air is still. You are on the Canal du Midi in the south of France and you are very close to heaven. For many a cruiser, a week or two on this ancient and historic canal ranks high on their…

Cruising Life
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Update on Car Carrier with 3,169 Cars and 730 EVs On Fire Near Alaska

As we reported two weeks ago, on June 3 the 600-foot Liberian-flagged car carrier Morning Midas, with 3,169 cars aboard, including 730 electric vehicles, caught fire 250 miles southwest of Alaska.  It was en route from China to Mexico. The 22 crew aboard fought the fire until there was no hope and then abandoned ship. They were rescued by the nearby container ship Costco Hellas. The fire, based on crew reports, was most likely caused by damaged lithium batteries in one or more of the EVs. The sea-going tug Gretchen Dunlap was deployed with a salvage crew aboard and has…

Boat Reviews
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First Look at the New Foiling Expedition-Style Cat from Turkish Builder Bering Marine

Bering Marine, which is a subsidiary of Bering Yachts, the Turkish builder of large expedition yachts, recently introduced the new BM50 SE. The SE stands for Swift Explorer and being 14 feet larger than the next model in the line, the BM50 is the company’s new flagship. Berinig Marine builds recreational cruising catamarans of aluminum in rugged, working craft style. The designs all have hydrofoils between the hulls that provide lift and improve fuel efficiency. The foils also act as stabilizers that keep the twin-hull designs from pitching and yawing. The builder’s intention is to combine the larger living spaces…

Cruising Life
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Joystick Steering Makes Maneuvering Easy. Here’s What’s New

Volvo Penta introduced Joystick steering two decades ago and has continued to pioneer ways to use the combination of engines,  thrusters and GPS to help skippers maneuver their boats more easily and precisely. I was involved in the early demonstrations of the Volvo Dynamic Positioning technology  back then and was amazed at how well even the prototype held a boat in position and allowed the skipper to turn a boat inside its own length. Last fall at the Ft. Lauderdale show, I got to test the latest Volvo Joystick iteration with the new Assisted Docking Function that allows you to…

Boat Reviews
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New Tiara 39 LS to Join the American Builder’s Luxury Sports Line

This week, Tiara Yachts of Holland, Michigan, announced that it is adding the new 39 LS to the Luxury Sports line. The new model fits neatly between the 34 LS and the 43 LS and offers the same combination of sporty performance with comfortable weekend accommodations. Powered by twin 600-horsepoer Mercury Verado engines that have the Mercury Joystick maneuvering and docking capabilities, the 39 LS power system is integrated with the Garmin navigation electronics for maximum performance. “Performance and innovation continue to define the Tiara Yachts’ brand, and the 39 LS is a testament to that legacy,” said Tom Slikkers,…

On Watch with Peter Janssen
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Boating Education Required for a Great Loop. Adventure

Preparing a boat to tackle the year-long adventure of circling America’s Great Loop, or any of the smaller cruising circles in the country, takes time and often a bit of money. But what about preparing ourselves for such an adventure? As it happens the Loop passes through up to 20 U.S. states, depending on your route, and into Canada and back. Many states require skippers to have certificates of competency and proof that they have taken and passed a range of courses on seamanship, boat handling and safety. Completing the required courses takes time so it should not be left…

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