Author Peter Janssen

Cruising Life
By

8 People Killed in Tragic Alabama Marina Fire

Monday, Jan 27th 2020 Eight people are killed after massive fire rips through Alabama marina destroying 35 boats – and more could be trapped in vessels underneath the collapsed dock that seven survivors jumped off to escape the blaze At least eight people died and 35 boats were destroyed by the blaze along the Tennessee River Monday Seven people jumped off the boats as the fire in the middle of dock at Lake Guntersville, Jackson raged Seven people who escaped into the water were hospitalized with minor burns and are doing okay A total of 17 agencies responded to the…

Cruising Life
By

Weather Forecasts Revisited After Duck Boat Disaster

Here’s a thorough and thoughtful story from the Washington Post about the dangers and difficulties of reading weather charts, particularly in light of the duck boat disaster on Table Rock Lake near Branson, Missouri, in July, 2018, when a tourist boat sank, killing 17 people, in 70 mph winds: Boat captain ‘reviewed radar’ data six minutes before his vessel was swallowed by angry waves By Matthew Cappucci January 26 It has been 18 months since a fully loaded duck boat plunged beneath turbulent whitecaps atop Table Rock Lake near Branson, Mo. The ill-fated tour took place despite warnings of dangerous weather.…

Boat Reviews
By

New SUMMIT 54 Has Successful Sea Trial, Hits 26 Knots

The new SUMMIT 54, the flagship of a new brand from Kadey-Krogen, was just launched in Taiwan and performed just as planned in its initial sea trial. The flagship of the new SUMMIT fleet, the 54 “performed flawlessly,” said Larry Polster, Kadey-Krogen’s vice president, “achieving her design parameters of a cruise speed of 23 knots and WOT speed of 26 knots.” This performance was all the more remarkable because the boat had no fewer than 15 people on board for the sea trial. Polster also said the SUMMIT 54 had little bow rise, stayed level in turns, and remained true…

Cruising Life
By

EPA: Cities Now Can Dump More Raw Sewage in Rivers

Here’s a disturbing story from The New York Times: By Christopher Flavelle The Environmental Protection Agency has made it easier for cities to keep dumping raw sewage into rivers by letting them delay or otherwise change federally imposed fixes to their sewer systems, according to interviews with local officials, water utilities and their lobbyists. Cities have long complained about the cost of meeting federal requirements to upgrade aging sewer systems, many of which release untreated waste directly into waterways during heavy rains — a problem that climate change worsens as rainstorms intensify. These complaints have gained new traction with the…

Cruising Life
By

Record Waves – Up to 46 Feet – Hit Western Med

Storm Gloria caused a series of record-breaking waves recently in the western Mediterranean Sea. Indeed, a buoy off the Balearic Islands recorded a new record wave height of 46.58 feet, while buoys off Valencia, Spain, registered a significant wave height of 27.69 feet, the largest ever recorded in the Med. Significant wave height is the equivalent of the mean wave height of the highest third of the waves at a given time. It is what an experienced observer would estimate at sea at that time. The tide gauge in the Port of Valencia also recorded a historical maximum of 6.9…

Cruising Life
By

2 Tugs Collide in Mississippi; 3 Crew Missing

The Coast Guard is searching for three crewmen who are missing after two towing boats collided at mile marker 123 in the Mississippi River near Luling, Louisiana. The collision occurred about 5:30 on Sunday morning. The Coast Guard says the towing vessel Cooperative Spirit was going upriver when it entered a barge fleeting area and hit some barges before colliding with the towing vessel RC Creppel. Four crew from the RC Creppel were thrown into the water. The boat sank in the river. A good Samaritan boat recovered one of the crew. The Coast Guard sent three search-and-rescue boats and…

On Watch
By

Beneteau Launches New Project E – Big Luxury Cruisers

Beneteau has some big news: It’s starting Project E to launch two new luxurious cruising boats, a 62 and a 73, its largest boats yet, and they’ll have innovative displacement hulls for comfort, space and range. The “E” stands for “expedition,” among other things, and the company says the 62 (pictured above) will have a range of 900 nm at 8 knots, while the 73 (pictured at top) will have a range of 1,400 nm at 10 knots. Announcing the new boats at the Düsseldorf show, Beneteau says they are designed to build on the popularity of its Swift Trawler…

Charter
By

A Guide to Chartering in St. Martin for the First Time

Here’s some great information about chartering in St. Martin if you haven’t been there before, with some up-date-advice from a charterer on a new Moorings 514 power cat. St. Martin Yacht Charter Guide for First Time Guests Published: January 20, 2020     Terese Kerrigan    A logical next step for anyone looking to branch out from the British Virgin Islands, half-French, half-Dutch St. Martin is a premier travel destination and a delightfully eclectic cultural melting pot. Known for its laid-back Caribbean charm and stylish European appeal, this upscale sailing paradise boasts sparkling white-sand beaches, designer shopping, superb dining, and scenic hiking. Plus, nearby…

Cruising Life
By

8 Tips for a Midwinter Check on Your Boat, from BoatUS

For those of us living in the north, it’s time to pay a visit to the boat for a midwinter checkup. It’s also an excuse to go down to the boat and dream about better (and warmer) days ahead. But you want to do this right. Here are eight tips from BoatUS about how to take care of your boat, and yourself, this winter: ANNAPOLIS, Md., Jan. 21, 2020 – Winter solstice may have been one month ago, but on the boater’s calendar, January is generally considered the middle of a vessel’s long winter nap. It’s time to check up on her…

Cruising Life
By

Can a Great White Shark Help Solve a Crime?

Here’s a great story  on Fitsnews.com about how a Hilton Head, South Carolina, shark fisherman hopes to use publicity from the great white shark he just caught and tagged to solve the 2016 hit-and-run death of a 14-year-old year old girl named Grace. Massive 2,800-lb. Great White Shark Caught Off Of Hilton Head – Could It Help Solve A Crime? You never know what’s lurking off the SC coast.. By  Mandy Matney Could a South Carolina great white shark help the Highway Patrol solve a crime? Hilton Head Island’s great white shark whisperer is giving it his best shot. Chip Michalove, a famous fisherman who has hooked…

1 2 3 … 191