Author Peter Janssen

Gear
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A New Compact Fiberglass V-Bottom RIB that Folds Up

It’s hardly news that space in most cruising boats is tight, and room to store a dinghy is at a premium. And then, where do you keep it? On deck, on the swim platform, on an upper boat deck with a crane, towed behind the boat? The new F-RIBs from Foldablerib in Southampton, England, solve all that. They make five models of folding RIBS, all with fiberglass deep-V bottoms, from nine to 15 feet. The nine-foot F-RIB 275, shown above, weighs just 79 pounds and packs away in a bag that measures 2’10” x 3’ x 1’6.”  Just stow…

Cruising Life
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What To Do When Your Engine Dies Coming in to a Marina

It’s probably going to happen sooner or later. Just when you’re heading for a slip, or a fuel dock, your engine dies. Yikes. Here is some great advice from Captain John’s Skipper Tips about what to do next: Imagine that you enter a marina channel after a perfect day. All of a sudden – your engine sputters, shudders and dies! You press the starter button. Nothing doing! And there’s no room to anchor and no room to turn around. What  now, skipper? You can bet that the best airplane pilots are always on the lookout for landing strips off the…

Cruising Life
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This Couple, New To Boating, Trade Up to Prestige 550, Cruise from Annapolis to Palm Beach

Three years ago Jonathan Murray and Desiree Van Welsum weren’t out to buy a boat. Instead, they were were living in New York City and were looking for a weekend home in the country. After several potential deals fell through, they decided to try a boat as a floating second home. They then moved to Washington and bought a 41 footer that they used just enough to decide they needed a bigger boat. Then came a 51 footer, and just last spring they traded up again, to a Prestige 550. They love the boating and cruising life, and here in…

On Watch with Peter Janssen
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On Watch

New York Boat Show: Keeping the Dream Alive by Peter A. Janssen Even when I was living on my Grand Banks at Norwalk Cove, Connecticut, in the middle of winter, I always looked forward to the New York Boat Show each January. It’s easy to get a bit discouraged when the dock lines are covered with ice and the side decks are under a few inches of snow, but then I’d dig out my boat shoes and head for the show. It was, of course, an opportunity to see a lot of new boats and boating stuff, but what was…

Cruising Life
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Top 10 Spots to Snorkel: Go Now!

After you’ve dropped the hook, either on your own cruise or on a charter, one of the first things you’ll probably do is break out the fins and mask and go snorkeling. It’s easy, it’s fun, and almost everyone has a good time in or under the water. But where to go? Here’s a list from Coastal Living magazine about the ten best snorkeling destinations, from Florida to Catalina to Hawaii. See if your favorite snorkeling spot is here: http://www.coastalliving.com/travel/top-10-spots-to-snorkel

Boat Reviews
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New Doug Zurn-Designed Duffield 58: Quiet, Elegant, Fuel-Efficient

It’s not a surprise that when Marshall “Duffy” Duffield wanted a new cruising boat for himself that fuel efficiency and quiet operation were top priorities. After all, Duffield owns the Duffy Electric Boat Company, and electric boats are nothing if not quiet and fuel efficient. To design his new trawler, which Duffy will run himself, he turned to Doug Zurn, the Marblehead, Mass., designer who’s already drawn fuel-efficient, quiet – and beautiful – boats for MJM Yachts, Marlow, Vanquish and Samoset, plus the Shelter Island Runabout and Vendetta for Billy Joel. “I wanted a traditional-looking boat that was proportionally correct…

Charter
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New 27-Knot Aquila Power Cat with Twin Outboards

http://aquilaboats.comAquila is launching a new 36-foot power catamaran that makes cruising or chartering easy, comfortable and fast. Indeed, the new Aquila 36 has two staterooms and two heads and is powered by twin 250-hp Mercury Verado four-stroke outboards that top out at 27 knots. If that’s not fast enough, twin 300-hp or even twin 350-hp Verados are options. With the standard 250s, the new cat cruises at 21 knots and delivers a 282-nm range. Performance is one thing. Cruising comfort is another. With its 14’7” beam, the Aquila 36 offers room to spare, inside and out. The staterooms in each…

Cruising Life
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How To Dock in a Cross-Wind: Video and Detailed Story

At some point, we’ve all been there. It’s time to back into a slip, but the wind is blowing and the bow wants to go one way and the stern another. Even if no one is watching (and they usually are) you don’t want to mess this up. Here’s a great video, plus a long story, showing how to accomplish this without an injury either to your boat or to your reputation. See the video first here: https://youtu.be/MmaYOXulaGM For the detailed story, click here: http://www.mby.com/maintenance/windier-berthing-32638

Cruising Life
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Toys, Tech and New Boats: The Best of the London Boat Show

Here’s a great look at the best toys, technology and boats at the London Boat Show, in a CNBC video. Take a look at how you can use your Apple iWatch to control all the lights on your boat (pictured above), for example. Oh, you don’t want to do that? Well, try a ride on the Seabob instead.  In the middle of winter here in the northern half of the U.S., it’s easy to forget that boating is fun. Here’s an easy reminder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJ9sGUn6JZs

Charter
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If You Want to Turn Heads in Ibiza, Charter a Fjord 40

A few years ago I drove a new Fjord 40 from Key West up to Miami, and it simply was one of the best days I’ve ever had on the water. The ultra-modern design of the boat is one thing; a steady 30-knot cruise was another, but the almost unanimous head-turning by other boaters is rarely experienced. People stopped and stared when we left Key West and we even drew a small crowd when we put in to Little Palm Island, one of the most exclusive resorts on the East Coast, for a photo shoot. More people lined the dock…

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