Author Peter Janssen

Engine Room
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New Electric Outboard with Dolphin-like Drive

FinX, a French startup, just introduced its revolutionary electric-powered outboard motor that uses fin-driven thrust, copied from the movement of dolphins, instead of a propeller. The basic idea is that FinX replaces the propeller with a fin-like undulating membrane; when it’s agitated by the electric motor, the membrane develops thrust that pushes the boat forward. The linear motor excites a ring-shaped membrane, causing it to undulate and send wave energy through the water, creating thrust. The basic FinX outboard has a 72-A 48-V lithium battery that will drive a small boat or a RIB up to a top speed of…

Cruising Life
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NTSB: Use This To Save Your Life

The National Transportation Safety Board just issued a safety alert urging boat owners to give everyone on board a personal locator device to improve their chances of being rescued in an emergency. PLBs or satellite emergency notification devices can pinpoint your location in an emergency, so that others will know where to find you and they can coordinate rescue efforts. The NTSB says that current PLBs are accurate within about 300 feet and that they almost immediate notify search-and-rescue organizations when they’re activated. The NTSB said that the use of PLBs in the sinking of the U.S. cargo ship El…

Cruising Life
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Maine Man Rescued After Missed Calls

Last Sunday afternoon, a mid-coast Maine man took his skiff out to retrieve parts of his dock that had been washed away by a storm. Somehow, the skiff turned over, and he was thrown into the frigid water near Tenants Harbor. As it turns out, a Facebook posting that he had shared with friends, just to tell them what he was up to that afternoon, plus a missed check-in call with his wife, probably saved his life The rescue started when the man’s wife said he missed a check-in call at 4:15. She called him again and again, but her…

Boat Reviews
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New Azimut Fly 72 To Debut in Miami

The new Azimut Fly 72, another Italian beauty, will make its U.S. debut at the Herald Plaza location of the Miami show, starting on Feb. 14. The new Azimut has four staterooms (plus one for crew under the cockpit), all with their own heads, plus a larger than usual social foredeck, a large flybridge, and a light-filled salon with lots of entertaining space and an extra dinette. Power comes from twin 1,400-hp MAN V12 diesels, paired to straight shafts and delivering a cruising speed of 26 knots and a top speed of 31 knots. The foredeck is made for lounging…

Boat Reviews
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Wicked New Brabus Shadow Black Ops 45

Here’s a boat with an attitude. The Brabus Shadow 1200 XC Black Ops Signature Edition was just unveiled at the big Düsseldorf show. The new, 45-foot 1200 XC is the biggest Brabus Shadow ever built, and it’s unique inside and out, with a mix of performance, comfort and luxurious ambiance. The company says the new boat “has absolutely everything, bringing next-level usability and versatility to the luxury boat segment.” The Shadow is the made by Brabus Marine, a partnership of Axopar, the innovative builder in Finland, and Brabus, a German company that specializes in transforming luxury cars (think Mercedes-AMG) into…

Boat Reviews
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New Pershing GTX 80: Big and Bold

Pershing yachts are not for the modest. Indeed, the Ferretti Group, which owns Pershing, says the new Pershing GTX 80, with its striking looks, is “synonymous with fun, total control, and unchallenged supremacy.” It’s hard to live up to all that, but the Pershing GTX 80 certainly comes close. Its new design features Pershing’s signature lines, starting with an almost-vertical bow and including a slightly convex sheerline. The eye-catching bulwarks in the bow have been opened by a longitudinal slot; those in the stern incorporate winches for dock lines and also can swing down to provide space for sun lounging…

Miami Boat Show
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Massive Miami Show Starts Feb. 14

The massive, sprawling and multifaceted  Miami boat show will start on Wednesday, February 14, and run through Sunday, February 18. If you go, you won’t get lonely. The show’s organizers expect more than 100,000 people over those five days. The show this year is a combination of the Miami International Boat Show and the Miami Yacht Show. It’s now called the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show, a mouthful, but the point is that it’s bigger, and presumably better, than ever before, with more than 1,000 boats on display and an economic impact of $1.34 billion. The show now is…

Boat Reviews
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American Tug 435: A Sturdy Cruiser

Some things last because they stay true to their roots, they’re authentic, you know what you’re going to get. One case in point is the new American Tug 435, a sturdy, no-frills cruiser that’s on display at the Seattle boat show, running from February 2 through 10 at the Bell Harbor Marina downtown, just north of the Pike Place Market. This is hull number 15 of the 435 that American Tugs has been making in its factory in La Conner, about an hour’s drive north of Seattle, for several years now. The 435 is a complete cruiser, ready to head…

Charter
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Freedom Boat Club: 600,000 Trips Last Year

The Freedom Boat Clubs is a modern American success story – an idea whose time has come. Indeed, Freedom just announced that it delivered more than 600,000 boating trips to members last year in North America, Europe and Australia. The world’s largest boat club operator, Freedom is part of Brunswick, and is based in Venice, Florida. And it’s very pleased with the way things are going. “We are committed to providing a pathway for new entrants and all who seek to enjoy the on-water lifestyle through our subscription-based boating model,” said Cecil Cohn, president of the Freedom Boat Club network,…

Boat Reviews
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New Galeon 435 GTO To Debut in Miami

The new Galeon 435 GTO will make its U.S. debut at the big Miami show that starts on February 14. With its open aft deck and large drop-down terraces, the Polish-built Galeon wants to set new standards for comfortable outdoor living and relaxing on board. The 435 GTO is no slouch underway, either. Powered by three 600-hp Mercury Verado outboards with contra-rotating props, it tops out at more than 55 mph. Standard trim tabs help to keep everything on the straight and level. For spending time on board, the new Galeon has two cabins (sleeping four adults) and one head…

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