Author Peter Janssen

Boat Reviews
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Azimut 66 Magellano: Head-Turning, Long-Range Italian Cruiser

A contemporary, stylish Italian version of a classic trawler, the Azimut 66 Magellano is a four-cabin, four-head cruiser that is designed to bridge the gap between traditional blue-water boats (think Grand Banks or Fleming) and more avant-garde designs. It also has what Azimut calls a “dual-mode” hull, with two chines and a less rounded bottom than previous Azimuts, which means it can run efficiently through all speed ranges. If you want to go slow, the 66 Magellano has a range of 1,000 nm at 9 knots. If you’re in a bit of a hurry, the boat tops out at 23…

Ft Lauderdale Boat Show
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Lauderdale Show Opens: Good Vibes, $4 Billion Worth of Boats, Plus Ferraris, Helicopters

The iconic Fort Lauderdale show just got off to a good start, with blue skies, large crowds, and boats, boats and more boats.  Indeed, at breakfast just before the show opened, Skip Zimbalist, who runs the show as the head of Show Management, said there were more boats than ever before, including eight over 200 feet, while advance ticket sales were up 20 percent from last year. The Lauderdale show, arguably the largest show in the United States, has seven locations with small boats, big boats, superyachts and all the appropriate toys. Zimbalist noted that a $7 million helicopter  landed…

Gear
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Time to Winterize Your Boat: Here’s How

For most of us, it’s that time of year – unless you’re heading for Florida and the Bahamas or Southern California and Catalina. The last cruise is probably over, and you’re scheduling a haulout with your marina any day now. But even before your boat is out of the water, there’s a lot you can do yourself. Here’s one of the better lists I’ve seen about what you can do to make sure your boat makes it through the winter safe and sound and is ready to go next spring. Take a look: look.http://blog.boattrader.com/2016/10/winterizing-boat.html

Cruising Life
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Further’s Blog: Still Strong in the South Pacific After 11 Years

It’s been 11 years since Brian Calvert left Friday Harbor, Washington, on his Selene 48 Further, heading for Alaska, Mexico and the South Pacific. He’s now in Raja Amput, a remote section of Indonesia, and reports  that the boat’s Cummins QSL diesel has 8,049 hours and is still running strong. In fact, all is well except that he broke a stabilizer on a treacherous passage and then had to hire a local bike mechanic to try to fix it. Spoiler alert: It didn’t work. Read more in Brian’s blog here: http://www.furthuradventures.com/blog/2016/10/15/Seven-Year-Report–the-Boat

Cruising Life
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Titanic Key Sells for $104,000

Even after a century, interest in the Titanic goes on and on. Indeed, at an auction in London, a key to a lifejacket locker on the doomed liner just sold for the equivalent of $104,000, far more than had been anticipated. The key had been found on the body of a steward, Sidney Sedunary, 23, who was last seen alive handing out lifejackets to passengers as the ship was sinking. Earlier, the sextant belonging to Sir Arthur Rostran, captain of the Carpathian, which arrived at the scene two hours after the Titanic sank and rescued 700 passengers, sold for the…

Cruising Life
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Video: Need for Lights on Miami Jetty Where Fernandez Died

We all can relate to this: A night entry into a busy harbor with a lot of light pollution all around, and a 1,000-foot-long jetty off your starboard side that barely rises above the waterline. Hmmm. This is what Miami star pitcher Jose Fernandez faced last month when he ran his center console onto that jetty at a high speed about 3 in the morning, killing himself and his two companions. Watch this video from the Miami Herald and you’ll understand the problem. Yes, Fernandez probably was going too fast. Yes, authorities said he had been drinking. Yes, he…

On Watch with Peter Janssen
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Welcome

. Welcome to the first edition of Cruising Odyssey, our new, dynamic, free weekly e-newsletter and constantly updated website aimed at celebrating the idea of Living the Dream Under Power. A totally digital enterprise, Cruising Odyssey offers an entirely new way to connect with those of us who cruise under power; we focus on pursuing the dream, whether that leads to the Great Loop, the Inside Passage, the Med, or hanging out on the hook in a favorite nearby cove. And it’s designed for the way we get information today: mobile, digital, immediate, worldwide and through social media. Sign up…

Cruising Life
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Popular Ranger Rendezvous in the San Juans

Here’s a great picture of the annual rendezvous of some 150 Ranger Tugs and Cutwater Boats at Roche Harbor in the San Juans, one of the biggest gatherings of boat owners in the United States at one of the best cruising destinations in the United States. To continue the superlatives, Fluid Motion, LLC, the parent company for Ranger and Cutwater, is one of the most successful boat companies in the United States – having started with a 21-Ranger Tug in 1999 and now producing hundreds of Rangers and Cutwaters in six factories throughout Washington State. (See our “Boat Reviews” section…

Gear
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Fun (and Prize-Winning) Underwater Lights from Lumishore

Sometimes, boating is just fun. Take a look at these new, prize-winning Lumishore underwater lights, for example. Light up the water? Well, why not (unless you’re worried about sharks or other nocturnal creatures). In any event, Lumishore, which makes these lights, just won a Product Excellence Award from the National Marine Electronics Association; it was the second year in a row that Lumishore won the award, so they must be doing something right. Indeed, Lumishore’s EOS Series, which won the award, provides hassle-free color control, with multiple custom color modes. It comes with plug-and-play connectors for easy installation and it…

Gear
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Twin Disc Makes Steering Easier

Just when you thought it couldn’t get much easier, Twin Disc has come up with a new electronic steering system to do exactly that. The electronic system, which the company calls “e-Steer,” does not have any of the problems often associated with purely hydraulic systems. Instead, the new e-Steer electronic helm is connected to the hydraulic-powered rudders by wires, reducing the possibility of leaks or loss of steerage. The new electronic system also has Twin Disc’s Speed Sensing technology, which gives the helmsman adaptive resistance – meaning the control of the wheel is firmer at full throttle and lighter at…

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