Boat Reviews

American Tugs 395: A Sturdy Cruiser

By Peter Janssen on September 4, 2016 Boat Reviews

Although American Tugs are made in LaConner, Washington, about half are now sold on the East Coast as owners recognize the boats’ many advantages, including a sturdy hull, raised-pilothouse design, and ease of living on board. The new American Tugs 395 offers all that (including a ten-year hull warranty) plus a two-stateroom, one-head layout, a large salon and a pilothouse that can seat four, in addition to the captain. The pilothouse also has six opening windows, visibility all around, and side doors that give immediate access to the side decks. The 395 has a cruising speed in the 15-knot range…

Take Your Pick of 5 Great Cruising Boats

By Peter Janssen on August 24, 2016 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

From 27 feet to 88 feet, here’s a good look at five popular cruising boats from major builders – the Ranger Tug 27, Beneteau 34 Swift Trawler (pictured here), Kadey-Krogen 48, Nordhavn 52, and Outer Reef 88. I’ve spent a good amount of time cruising on all of these boats (except the Outer Reef) and I can attest that they all offer comfortable and safe cruising over the waters for which they were designed. (The Nordhavn, for example, is a blue-water cruiser built to cross oceans, while the Ranger is a coastal cruiser appropriate for the ICW or the Inside…

Nordic Tug 26: A Classic Pocket Cruiser

By Peter Janssen on August 23, 2016 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

When it was first introduced at the Seattle boat show in 1980, the Nordic Tug 26 was an instant hit; at an introductory price of $29,995 (including a refundable $1,000 deposit), the company sold 37 at the show and 54 by the end of the month. A single-diesel cruiser with a 36-hp Volvo and a faux smokestack, the Nordic Tug 26 had a lot of character. Some 200 have been sold since then, to owners who want to do the Great Loop, the Inside Passage or just the next cove on a Saturday afternoon. The 26 now is powered by…

Kadey-Krogen 58: All the Comforts of Home

By Peter Janssen on August 11, 2016 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Here’s a great report from the new owner of a Kadey-Krogen 58 Extended Bridge, telling why she and her husband, a former Naval officer, bought the boat. Rose Shaheen, the owner, says they were looking for their retirement boat and were interested in three things: “safety, reliability and liability.” Turns out, livability was the deciding factor; Mrs. Shaheen says she loves all the room on the boat so that it really feels like home (this is in addition to the Kadey-Krogen’s first-class fit and finish, its seakeeping abilities and its perhaps best-in-class engine room. If you’re interesting in finding a…

Back Cove 30 Video After Mid-Coast Maine Cruise

By Peter Janssen on August 10, 2016 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

I just came across this old video by my friend Billy Black after we had taken a mid-coast Maine cruise six years ago on the then-new Back Cove 30, a great time. It’s particularly appropriate now since I’ll be taking a similar cruise next week on the brand-new Back Cove 32. I’ve go to say that the Maine-built Back Coves (and Sabres too – their big-brother brand) are among my favorite cruising boats. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GmS6_deOh8

Video Tour of Aquila 44 Power Cat by Its Owner

By Peter Janssen on August 10, 2016 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Here’s a great tour of an Aquila 44 power cat by an owner who’s bought two Aquilas before. Needless to say, he likes the boat. But it’s easy to see why. With it’s 22-foot beam, the Aquila has space and more space – plus lots of light all around. A fun video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSOBpVj9QzE

Azimut Magellano 66: A Cruising Boat with Italian Style

By Peter Janssen on July 22, 2016 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The Azimut Magellano line is something of a cross between traditional trawler-type cruising boats – think Fleming or Grand Banks – and the more trendy styling you usually associate with first-rate Italian builders. Here’s a good look at the new Azimut Magellano 66. http://www.mby.com/reviews/trawler-yachts/azimut-magellano-66-review

New Marlow Pilot 31, Made for the Great Loop

By Peter Janssen on July 21, 2016 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Here’s a good look at the new Marlow Pilot 31, the entry-level boat in what used to be the Mainship lineup, that’s now has been revised and updated by David Marlow. It’s a basic couple’s single-diesel cruising boat, made for coastal cruising or, say, the Great Loop. http://www.boats.com/reviews/marlow-pilot-31-first-look-video/

Just Launched Palm Beach 42

By Peter Janssen on July 6, 2016 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Take a look at this just-launched Palm Beach 42, with some of the most graceful lines, not to mention most gorgeous tumblehome, of any boat on the planet. It’s the first new model since Palm Beach Yachts, in Australia, was acquired by Grand Banks Yachts, in Malaysia, in 2014, and it’s heading for the fall boat shows in the U.S. I tested the first Palm Beach to be imported into the U.S. six years ago, and I was knocked out by the thoroughly modern but classic lines, the elegant fit and finish, and the world-class quality of the boat then.…

Doug Zurn's latest: a John Williams 38 with IPS drives.

Doug Zurn’s New Williams 38

By Peter Janssen on June 24, 2016 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life, On Watch with Peter Janssen

At first thought, this doesn’t seem like a logical partnership: Doug Zurn, who’s designed the sleek, fast MJM 50Z; the sleek, fast Shelter Island Runabout 38, and the sleek, fast 57-foot Vendetta for Billy Joel, has joined forces with John (Jock) Williams, who designs and builds the most traditional of all Maine lobster boats, originally for commercial fishermen and now for well-heeled owners who appreciate the “lobster yacht” aesthetic. But come together they did, with the new Williams 38 as the result – a classic-looking lobster boat above the waterline, with a state-of-the-art hull design below. The visible part of…

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