Author Peter Janssen

Boat Reviews
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Fountaine-Pajot Launches Upscale 67 Powercat

Fountaine-Pajot has launched its most luxurious powercat yet, a 67-foot flagship that even has a Jacuzzi on the foredeck. In keeping with the French builder’s reputation for creating comfortable, seaworthy and blue-water boats, the new 67 also has a cruising range of 1,700 nm powered by twin 435-hp straight-shaft Volvo diesels. Everything about the new Fountaine-Pajot is massive and impressive. The volume comes not only from the overall length but also the more than 32-foot beam that makes the salon seem like a living room in a seaside home and the foredeck and aft cockpit like spas and entertaining areas…

Boat Reviews
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Back Cove 372 Debuts at Annapolis Show

Back Cove just launched its newly redesigned 372 family cruiser at the Annapolis powerboat show, running through Sunday, Oct. 10. The 372 is a new iteration of the original Back Cove 37 that was first launched in 2009; that turned out to be one of the Maine builder’s most  popular models. More than 200 of them were sold, and the tooling was getting worn out. With a single diesel engine, a low profile and its Down East lines, the 37 was popular because it was a Goldilocks boat – not too big, not too small. A single person could handle…

Cruising Life
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Salem To Become New Wind Farm Center

Salem, Massachusetts, hasn’t really been the same ever since the witch trials back in 1692. Now, the face of Salem is going to change again. Vineyard Wind, the developer of the first big offshore wind farm in the U.S., just announced it will transform the port of Salem into a hub to support the new wind projects off the Massachusetts’ coast. Indeed, Vineyard Wind has partnered with the City of Salem and Crowley Maritime Corporation to create a private-public partnership to establish Salem Harbor as the state’s second major offshore wind port, along with a similar site in New Bedford.…

Cruising Life
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Yamaha Introduces 9.9-hp Electric Outboard

Yamaha just introduced its HARMO electric outboard to the U.S. at the big International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) in Tampa. The outboard couples a 48-volt power supply with a high-yield, low-drag 3.7 kilowatt motor. The rim-drive electric motor and specially encased impeller provide 225 pounds of static thrust. Yamaha says that is the equivalent of a conventional 9.9-hp gasoline outboard. The electric outboard’s running time depends on the type of battery, the size, configuration and other parameters. Rim motors have been used for thrusters and some other marine applications in the past, but Yamaha says this this the first…

Cruising Life
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11 Winners for IBEX Innovation Awards

The International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) just announced the 11 winners and three runners-up of their annual Innovation Awards in Tampa. The awards were announced at a keynote breakfast celebrating IBEX’s 30th anniversary attended by 800 people. The awards program is managed by the National Marine Manufacturers Association with judging by members of Boating Writers International. Dozens of manufacturers submitted entries to the contest. “This year’s Innovation Awards program saw an incredible collection of entries,” said Anne Dunbar, the show director. She said the judges “had their work cut out for them to select winners to join the ranks…

Destinations
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Branson Opens Second Island Resort in BVI

Sir Richard Branson’s original resort on Necker Island in the BVI wasn’t all that shabby. Indeed, you could relax there with the Private Family Hideaway package, including a six-person private jet, private pool, a DJ, and a Great House with 20 bedrooms, for $137,000 a week. But now Branson has opened a smaller and even more upscale resort on Moskito Island, only two miles away, where offseason rates start at $19,000 a night for the Oasis Estate and $17,500 a night for the Point Estate. But those rates include an estate manager, private chef and staff, all meals, drinks and…

Cruising Life
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New Recap of El Faro Disaster, with 33 Deaths

In the worst U.S. maritime disaster in 30 years, the El Faro, a 790-foot-long container ship, sank during a hurricane in the Bahamas on Oct. 1, 2015, killing all 33 men and women on board. Here’s a chilling recap of the tragedy from Arnold & Ltkin LLP, a maritime law firm hired by three of the crewmen’s widows: It has been six years since El Faro steamed into Hurricane Joaquin, an act that sank the vessel and claimed the lives of the entire crew. Thirty three people lost their lives that ill-fated day. Thirty three families were torn apart, wondering…

Cruising Life
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Raymarine Launches YachtSense in U.S.

Raymarine just introduced its new YachtSense control system to the U.S. at the IBEX boat builders’ show in Tampa. YachtSense is a digital switching system that connects all the boat’s systems so the captain can be aware of what’s happening in real time. “YachtSense is the new standard in premium digital control solutions for today’s most sophisticated vessels,” said Jamie Dery, Raymarine’s VP of the Americas. Raymarine says the system is unique because of its scalability, its options for various configurations, and its safety features. It uses a modular architecture, starting with a Master Module and a Power Supply Module…

Cruising Life
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Lauderdale Man Hurt in Freak Docking Accident

A man suffered a severe leg cut in a freak accident while docking a boat at a popular Fort Lauderdale waterfront restaurant. The man, who has been identified, apparently lost his balance and fell off the boat at the Boathouse at the Riverside restaurant on the New River in the Las Olas section of town. About 50 people were eating on the outdoor terrace overlooking the river at the time. He was heading for the restaurant to attend a birthday party about 2 p.m. on Saturday. When his friends lifted him back on the boat, diners could see a deep…

Boat Reviews
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HMY To Import New Two Oceans 555 Cats

HMY Yachts just announced that they will introduce the new luxurious Two Oceans 555 Power Catamaran, made in South Africa, to the American market next year. The new 555 has a four-cabin layout, with the master stateroom on the main deck with a door opening to a sunken lounge on the foredeck. Founded in 1989, Two Oceans specializes in blue-water, comfortable and safe power and sail cruising catamarans. The power cat range incudes a 75, 82 and 87. The new 555 models are the company’s entry-level cats. But there is nothing small about them. Designed by Du Toit Yacht Design…

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