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Back Cove 372 Debuts at Annapolis Show

Back Cove just launched its newly redesigned 372 family cruiser at the Annapolis powerboat show, running through Sunday, Oct. 10. The 372 is a new iteration of the original Back Cove 37 that was first launched in 2009; that turned out to be one of the Maine builder’s most  popular models. More than 200 of them were sold, and the tooling was getting worn out. With a single diesel engine, a low profile and its Down East lines, the 37 was popular because it was a Goldilocks boat – not too big, not too small. A single person could handle…

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We Test New Hinckley 35: Poetry in Motion

The brand-new Hinckley 35, with twin Mercury Verado 350-hp outboards, was sitting in a slip at the Hinckley boat yard in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. I met skipper David Salathe at the boat and he gave me a quick tour before departing. The engines were both idling, but they were so quiet you could barely hear them. The under body of the 35 was designed by Michael Peters, who has numerous trophies and naval architecture awards to his credit. The look of the 35 is Down East classic with that special Hinckley flair. The high bow and flared sections forward promise…

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HMY To Import New Two Oceans 555 Cats

HMY Yachts just announced that they will introduce the new luxurious Two Oceans 555 Power Catamaran, made in South Africa, to the American market next year. The new 555 has a four-cabin layout, with the master stateroom on the main deck with a door opening to a sunken lounge on the foredeck. Founded in 1989, Two Oceans specializes in blue-water, comfortable and safe power and sail cruising catamarans. The power cat range incudes a 75, 82 and 87. The new 555 models are the company’s entry-level cats. But there is nothing small about them. Designed by Du Toit Yacht Design…

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We Test New Vicem 50 Classic in Newport

Last Monday, the day after the close of the successful Newport international Boat Show, I had the good luck to join professional captain Louis for a quick sea trial of the new Vicem 50 Classic. The dawn was clear and cool without a breath of wind brushing Newport Harbor. Louis fired up the twin Volvo IPS600 engines and with bow thruster and IPS pod drives engaged, he inched the 50 out of her tight slip at Bannister’s Wharf and drove her slowly into the fairway. As always on late summer mornings, Newport was filled with an amazing collection of sail…

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Kadey-Krogen, Summit, Building New Cruisers

Kadey-Krogen and Summit Motoryachts, its new brand, just announced two new boats at the Newport show. Building on the reception to the Kadey-Krogen 50 Open, the company will introduce a new 60 Open, with the same living concept joining the salon and galley area with the pilothouse. And Summit will launch a new 54 Coupe (see rendering, above) to add on to the 54 Motoryacht it just displayed in Newport. Kadey-Krogen has a rich history, having built more than 600 cruising yachts in the past 44 years in its yard in Taiwan. Full-displacement, blue-water trawlers, they have earned a reputation…

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Hylas Building New 49 Motoryacht for U.S. Owner

Hylas Yachts, which makes high-end cruisers at the Queen Long yard in Taiwan, just delivered a new M44 motoryacht to an American owner in the Chesapeake and is finishing up a new M49 motoryacht for another American owner on Lake Michigan. Andy Huang, the Hylas CEO, said the M44 “has been an evergreen model for Hylas, with good levels of interest shown across the boating world.” Hylas has sold ten M44s since it started the model in 2015. The new M49 is a larger version of the M44, with more room in the cockpit and in the accommodations area below.…

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Zeelander Announces Details of New 48-Footer

Zeelander, the Dutch builder of distinctive luxury yachts, just announced details of its new 48-foot Zeelander 5 at the Cannes Yachting Festival. The new yacht, available with three Volvo IPS650 pod drives, will have  a top speed of 45 knots. It will be launched next year at the company’s yard in Groot-Ammers, just east of Rotterdam. The Zeelander 5 carries all the lines and amenities that have marked the brand, particularly its gracious curves and generous tumblehome leading to a large sun lounge and swim platform that fold out from the transom. The fit and finish, including elegant woods and…

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Blue Game Launches Creative New 72 at Cannes

Blue Game just unveiled its hard-to-define new 72 at the Cannes Yachting Festival, where the aggressively styled cruiser with an aft deck that seems to go on forever caught a lot of attention. An Italian builder, Blue Game is a brand of San Lorenzo yachts, and it specializes in non-traditional styling that defies the usual yacht categories. Indeed, the company says the new 72 “is the perfect expression of its cross-over soul that escapes from belonging to a single segment.” The interiors can be customized, but the standard power comes from twin 900-hp Volvo IPS1200 pod drives for easy maneuvering…

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Wellcraft Plans “Adventure Cruisers” with Outboards

Many years ago, when Bob Long was running the company, Wellcraft was a powerhouse. It made everything from Scarabs (think Don Johnson in Miami Vice) to cruising boats to fishing boats. It had a strong dealer network, and a worldwide presence. But times change, and Wellcraft’s fortunes waned. Then Groupe Beneteau bought the company in 2017, and now Wellcraft is poised for a resurgence. Indeed, Wellcraft just announced it will make a series of “adventure cruisers,” starting with a 35-foot Commuter driven by three outboards. It’s scheduled to be launched in the U.S. next spring. Wellcraft sees a trend for…

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Cutwater Making New 28 Coupe with Twin Yamahas

Cutwater is making a new C-288 Coupe with twin 250-hp Yamaha outboards, a fully equipped pocket cruiser suitable for a couple or a small family. The boat has a 10-foot beam to maximize the cabin area for comfortable living on board and to give the boat stability, while still making it a trailerable vessel. The new 28 has a double-stepped, deep-V hull for performance and efficiency. It comes with a standard bow thruster and electric trim tabs to make maneuvering easy both around the docks and underway. Inside, the forward stateroom has seating around a table that drops down to…

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