Boat Reviews

ALVA Making Ocean-Crossing Solar Cat

By Peter Janssen on March 28, 2023 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

ALVA Yachts, the fairly new German builder, just introduced its new 78-foot solar/electric cat with transatlantic range. The new ALVA is called the Ocean Eco 78, and it’s a luxury cat with a wide stance; indeed, the beam is a full 39’ 3”, or half the boat’s length, providing a lot of space throughout the yacht. For more, a bulwark “terrace” folds out of each side of the main deck. The solar/electric power starts with an array of solar cells on the rooftop that provide up to 26kWp (Kilowatt peak), feeding a battery bank that holds up to 490kWh. All…

Fountaine Pajot 67: Trans-Atlantic Power Cat

By Peter Janssen on March 27, 2023 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Everything about the new Fountaine Pajot Power 67 is impressive – its size, its elegance, and its performance. This latest power cat from the longtime French builder has a beam of more than 32 feet, adding sheer volume to the interior and exterior of the boat (the full-beam foredeck, for example, is simply vast, and is large enough for an optional Jacuzzi). At the other end of the boat, the teak swim platform and lounging areas aft just don’t seem to end. The lines on the new 67, the flagship of the Fountaine Pajot fleet, are modern and elegant, announcing…

Stephens Waring Designs 40-foot SUV

By Peter Janssen on March 27, 2023 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Stephens Waring, the classic yacht design firm in Belfast, Maine, just announced plans for Paradigm, a 40-foot sport utility vessel that they say is meant for modern living on the water. The new boat, appropriate for two couples or a family, features an almost plumb bow, a raised foredeck, and an open SUV-type platform aft for easy access to watersports or a dinghy. It has a modified-V hull laid up with cored composite construction and laminate technology. Standard power comes from a single 370-hp Yanmar diesel, with a fuel-efficient top speed of 20 knots. Twin diesels could boost that to…

New Jet Shark: Fun On and Under the Water

By Peter Janssen on March 21, 2023 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

If you’re looking for something new and want to ramp up your fun factor, take a look at the Jet Shark, a 20-foot prototype that can hit 45 mph on the surface and dive 5 feet under the water. The Jet Shark is the brainchild of Rob Innes, who’s been working with semi-submersibles for the past decade, or more. He previously designed the Seabreacher, which was smaller and slower. Jet Sharks are being built in Redding, California. The Jet Shark prototype holds four passengers; the production version will have six. It’s powered by a 420-hp Kodiak Marine engine, which is…

Horizon PC68 Making Palm Beach Debut

By Peter Janssen on March 20, 2023 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The Horizon PC68, with a creative Portuguese bridge and expansive living and entertaining areas on all three decks, is making its debut at the Palm Beach show this week. Up top, you can order the bridge to be open or as an enclosed sky lounge. Either way, it comes with a day head and shower, a grill, freezer, and a bar with a fridge and an icemaker. It also has the upper helm, of course, and enough seating areas to hold a dozen or so of your friends. The boat deck aft is large enough to carry a 17-foot RIB.…

Azimut Unveils New Hybrid Seadeck Series

By Peter Janssen on March 18, 2023 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Azimut just announced that it’s starting a new line of luxury hybrid cruising yachts that will cut emissions by 40 percent. Azimut said the new line, called Seadeck, will be built with lightweight carbon exteriors and planing hulls for efficiency. The new Seadecks, starting with the Seadeck 6, a 56’ 7” motoryacht, will be fitted out with recycled and recyclable materials. The yachts will have solar panels on the roof tops, and a battery pack that’s strong enough to power the boat’s systems for four to eight hours at anchor. They also will have energy recovery systems to create hot…

Sunreef Building New Line of Fast Ultima Cats

By Peter Janssen on March 17, 2023 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Sunreef, which has been making luxury catamarans in Poland for the past 20 years, just announced that it’s building a new Ultima line of fast, high-tech, hybrid cats, starting with a 45 and a 55. Francis Lapp, the yard’s founder and president, said the new cats will have “the ultimate hull shape for all those who are looking to enjoy quick getaways in speed, comfort, and style.” The new line, he said, is “all about fast cruises, vast living space, and energy efficiency.” The new cats have sleek, aerodynamic lines and bulwarks that fold down from the aft decks to…

New Electric Hovercraft Hits 50 mph

By Peter Janssen on March 16, 2023 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Michael Mercier built his first hovercraft when he was 13 years old, working with plans from Boy’s Life magazine. Mercier’s now 36, and after studying mechanical engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University and years of dreaming and tinkering, he’s launched his first personal hovercraft. It’s the VonMercier Arosa, an all-electric craft that can hover about six inches above the surface (ground, water, or a combination of the two) and cruises at 20 mph but can top out (briefly) at 50 mph. The Arosa is powered by three electric motors producing 240-hp. Potential owners can choose either an 18 kWh battery that will…

Numarine Building Explorer Yacht with a Pool

By Peter Janssen on March 15, 2023 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Numarine, the upscale Turkish builder, just announced that they’re building a new 40MXP global explorer yacht with transatlantic range. Standard power on the new 128-foot 40MXP is twin 800-hp MAN diesels, producing a range of 6,000 miles at 8 knots. Numarine says it has already sold the first two hulls of the yacht, and both clients, who are existing Numarine owners, have ordered the optional 900-hp MANs for a bit more power. Numarine specializes in high-performance, luxury explorer yachts. Umberto Tagliavini, the Italian naval architect who has worked on many of the company’s yachts, drew the hull for the 40MXP.…

Linssen Launches New 55, a True Convertible

By Peter Janssen on March 15, 2023 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Linssen has launched its new flagship, the 55SL Variotop, a long-range, steel-hulled cruiser with a creative convertible top. The 55, like some smaller Linssen, features a proprietary fully automatic convertible roof that opens or closes at the touch of a button. Linssen positions the 55 as an all-weather cruiser, or a live aboard, and the Variotop adds to that appeal. On a sunny day, open it and enjoy the breeze; if the weather turns, press the button to add overhead protection. The new Linssen has another standard feature that’s a bit unusual. The helm seat can be elevated above the…

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