Author Peter Janssen

Cruising Life
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A Weakening Gulf Stream, and Rising Sea Levels, Mean More Trouble for the New England Coast

A weaker Gulf Stream, combined with overall global warming, could mean a lot of trouble for the coast of New England, according to this well-documented story from Weather Underground meteorologist Bob Henson.  The New England coast already has been hit hard by storms and surging high water (see the picture of Scituate, Massachusetts, above) in the past few months. Two nor’easters earlier this month produced two of the three highest water levels ever recorded in Boston Harbor, and things could get worse. A basic problem is that the sea level along the Northeast coast is rising faster than it is…

Cruising Life
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Woman Taking Selfie Falls 15 Decks off a Cruise Ship at Night off the Bahamas. Crew Rescues Her. See Video

A woman taking a selfie fell 15 decks off her cruise ship balcony into the water near the Bahamas at night, but quick action by the captain and crew of the Norwegian Epic liner saved her life. Passengers said they could hear her screaming as she fell. It was about nine at night, with many passengers still eating dinner, when the announcement “Code Oscar portside” came three times over the intercom. The ship, which had been at cruise speed, came to a stop, turned around and launched a tender. Passengers watched as the boat searched in the darkness, using searchlights,…

Cruising Life
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One of 76 Containers that Fell Off Maersk Ship Off Carolina Coast Had 5,900 Pounds of Sulfuric Acid. Coast Guard, Others, Searching

This is a story that just keeps getting worse. Now it turns out that one of the 76 (yes, 76) containers that tumbled off the Maersk Shanghai while it was off the coast of North Carolina last week was carrying 5,900 pounds of sulfuric acid. The Coast Guard, NOAA and the EPA are trying to track the containers, which the Coast Guard has labeled “hazards to navigation.” The crew of the Shanghai called the Coast Guard after the containers fell off the ship in a heavy roll during nor’easter 17 miles off Oregon Inlet in the Outer Banks, saying they…

On Watch with Peter Janssen
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On Watch

Popular Palm Beach Show Opens March 22: More Boats, More Serious Deals. Plus, Our Reviews of 36 New Boats By Peter A. Janssen It’s not hard to understand why the Palm Beach International Boat Show has become the fastest-growing show in Florida in the past few years. Its location is terrific: Centered in downtown West Palm Beach along the shores of the Intracoastal Waterway, it’s pretty and easy to get to, on land or on water. And once you’re there, it’s easy to navigate the docks and tents without competing with hordes of other people. It’s a no-hassle boat show,…

Cruising Life
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Oldest Message in a Bottle, Dating to German Ship in 1886, Found in Australia

The oldest message in a bottle, thrown off a German ship in the Indian Ocean in 1886, has been found on a beach 110 miles north of Perth, Australia. The bottle, in remarkably good condition, was authenticated by German and Australian authorities. The bottle was found by Tonya Illman, who was walking along the shore of Wedge Island, in Western Australia. She was picking up debris, and saw the bottle, with a tightly rolled message inside. The message paper was wet, so she took it home and put it in her oven to dry out. When she unfurled it later,…

Cruising Life
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USS Lexington, Sunk in 1942, Found Two Miles Under Water in South Pacific

The remains of the aircraft carrier USS Lexington, which was sunk during the Battle of the Coral Sea in May, 1942, has been found two miles under water by a research team led by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. The Lady Lex was found about 500 miles from Australia by Allen’s Research Vessel Petrel, which located 11 of the carrier’s 35 planes on board, and took a close-up picture of a Grumman Wildcat, top. The Lexington was hit by Japanese torpedo planes and dive bombers during what has been considered the first battle between aircraft carriers in the world. After a massive…

Boat Reviews
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New Foiler Hits 40 Knots 5 Feet Over the Water, Provides a Smooth Ride

Hydrofoils aren’t exactly new (think America’s Cup boats, high-speed ferries), but we haven’t seen one like this before. Take a look at the new 31-foot, 40-knot Foiler just introduced at the Dubai International Boat Show. It’s made by Enata Marine in Sharjah, UAE, and it’s said to deliver a super-smooth ride while soaring five feet above the water on its retractable carbon-fiber hydrofoils. Powered by two 320-hp BMW diesels, the Foiler goes through the water like a normal boat until the foils are deployed at about 18 knots. Then, with a reduced wetted surface and drag, it takes off. The…

Cruising Life
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Williams Gives More Power, Stability to Popular MiniJet 280 Tender

The popular Williams MiniJet 280 tender just got a power boost. From now on, the 9’ 2” tender will come with a 50-hp Rotax Ace engine to give it faster acceleration and better handling, even when it’s loaded with passengers. Existing MiniJet owners can get an upgrade kit if they want to move up from their 45-hp engine. The new version comes with a new dash cluster and a new set of sponsons for better stability. Designed for owners of boats from 38 to 45 feet (and anyone else who wants one), the MiniJet 280 is the smallest in Williams’…

Cruising Life
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PowerDocks Win Innovation Award for First Docks That Generate Renewable Power

PowerDocks, the first docks that generate renewable power for boats, just won an Innovation Award at the Miami International Boat Show. PowerDocks make the first floating solar dock with walkable non-skid solar modules for energy storage and power distribution; they can provide renewable electrical power to boaters in remote areas or those who want to operate off the grid. The Innovation Award was made by the National Marine Manufacturers Association and Boating Writers International during the show. PowerDocks also were featured at the show’s first Solar Electric Power Zone, where they were hooked up with a Bruce 22T electric-powered boat…

Cruising Life
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Some Coastal Flooding To Become Weekly Event: NOAA Study

A new study from NOAA says that flooding may become a weekly event in some coastal areas of the U.S. Even without a storm, high tides are already flooding some coastal cities, including Miami and Norfolk, Virginia. And the NOAA study says that “sunny day flooding” will be more frequent in the future as ever-more-frequent storms make the problem worse. What is now a storm surge will be a normal high tide in the future. “The numbers are staggering,” says William Sweet, a NOAA oceanographer. “Today’s storm will be tomorrow’s high tide.” As reported by NPR, the NOAA report says…

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