Boat Reviews

VisionF Black Cat Captures Solar Power

By Peter Janssen on October 22, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

If you’re thinking about a boat that stands out from the crowd, take a look at the new all-black VisionF 80 catamaran from Turkey. The company says on its website that “We create innovative, exciting yachts that stand out with their distinctive designs.” But the black color is more than a cry for attention or a fashion statement. The black color is designed to attract more heat from the sun and convert it to energy, feeding the solar panels that seem to cover the boat. As is, the solar panels provide enough energy to power the black cat’s house systems.…

Windy To Debut SR44 SX at Lauderdale

By Peter Janssen on October 19, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The high-end Windy SR44 SX sport cruiser, powered by three 425-hp Yamaha outboards, will make its U.S. debut at the Fort Lauderdale show next week. The new Windy is an acknowledgement of the growing popularity of outboard power here. It has a top speed of just over 50 knots, and provides a fast but solid and comfortable ride throughout the speed range. With its clean, modern, Scandinavian lines, the new Windy is just as likely to garner head-turning attention in Key West and Block Island as it is in Monaco or Ibiza. The SR44 SX is the successor to an…

Ferretti Launches New 860 Luxury Cruiser

By Peter Janssen on October 18, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The Ferretti Group just introduced its new Ferretti 860 flybridge motor yacht at the Cannes Yachting Festival, a luxurious, Italian-made cruiser that would be just as much at home in the glamorous ports of the Med or heading to the Keys or Nantucket. Some of the more notable features of the new 860 include floor-to-ceiling windows in the salon, a glass parapet at the stern (so you can enjoy an unbroken view), a sliding glazed door that opens to the port side deck, and an optional jacuzzi for the flybridge. Standard power is twin 1,800-hp V12 MAN diesels. With optional…

Iliad Unveils New 53 Flybridge Power Cat

By Peter Janssen on October 17, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Iliad Catamarans just unveiled its new 53 Flybridge in Australia, a blue-water, long-range cruiser with impressive space and performance. The new power cat has high clearance and high freeboard for its bridge deck that helps to keep its ride soft and safe, even in less-than-ideal conditions. The flybridge makes use of the cat’s almost-25-foot beam to create a large social area that offers unobstructed views all around. It has a centered two-person helm seat with a bar on the starboard side and a large U-shaped seating area and table to port. A hardtop, with a sunroof, provides some weather protection.…

Nimbus Launches 365 Coupe Family Cruiser

By Peter Janssen on October 17, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Nimbus will display its new 365 Coupe, a sporty cruising boat with some Scandinavian flair, at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, starting Oct. 26. Nimbus, a Swedish builder, says the 365 Coupe is a functional boat; it has everything a family or a couple need for a weekend, or much longer, cruise. There are two cabins below, with one head, and two more people can sleep on the convertible settee in the salon. And it’s made for easy handling and comfortable cruising. The walkaround side decks are protected by high railings, and there’s a door opening from the helm…

Bold is Beautiful

By Sandy Parks on October 13, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The Sirena 68 brings together all the qualities that experienced cruisers would seek in a new yacht—essentially an upgrade in comfort and confidence in all areas. The new 68 is built on a hull that marries efficiency and performance seamlessly—it’s a semidisplacement design with a keel in the central bottom and chines on the sides. The hull shape encapsulates a cavernous volume of space, allowing everyone onboard to spread out and get comfortable, but still be together. The interior is a special kind of intersection where craftsmanship meets utility, elevating every aspect of the space to make it feel welcoming,…

New Hope 40: A Power Cat with Foils

By Peter Janssen on October 12, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

At first glance, the Hope 40 looks like another Down East picnic boat, but with a slightly broken sheer line. But then take a look under the hull. It’s a state-of-the-art power catamaran with hydrofoil technology. The new Hope 40 is the brainchild of McCullough Yachts in Newport, Rhode Island, and it’s going to be built at Front Street Shipyard in Belfast, Maine. On its website, McCullough says, “For years customers have asked us why existing power catamarans look like futuristic alien spacecraft.” They say their reply is the Hope 40, “an attractive vessel that still utilizes the smooth riding…

New Hardy 65: A Serious Blue-Water Cruiser

By Peter Janssen on October 12, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The new Hardy 65 is a British-built, go-anywhere traditional blue-water cruiser with a blend of modern comforts and high-tech components. The 65 is the flagship of the Hardy fleet, which starts at 32 feet. They’re all built by Cockwells, in Falmouth, England. The company says the 65 is “a little ship with a big attitude.” Standard power is twin 800-hp MAN diesels, with a top speed of 25 knots on the 65’s semi-displacement hull. Optional 1,200-hp MANs produce a top speed of 30 knots. The Hardy 65 is a serious, seaworthy boat; there aren’t a lot of frills. The side…

New Evo 43 with Ever-Expanding Beach Club

By Peter Janssen on October 11, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The new Evo 43 R4XT, just displayed at the Cannes Yachting Festival, takes the idea of a transforming beach club to an entirely new level. Evo, based in Naples, hired Besenzoni to create a transformer-like, expandable stern platform for its new boat. Opening in a series of steps, the new stern extends the length of the boat by three feet, and the beam by six feet. And it drops 30 inches below the waterline when you want to launch tenders or toys or go for a swim. The aft bulwarks also fold out from the cockpit to open up the…

Sunreef 80 Power Cat To Debut at FLIBS

By Peter Janssen on October 10, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The extra-large and luxurious 80 Sunreef Power will make its U.S. debut at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, starting Oct. 26. The hull of the new 80 was completely designed from scratch, with the idea that the massive catamaran would serve as an all-around motor yacht that could cruise long distances in safety and comfort. Powered by twin 1,200-hp MAN diesels, the Sunreef 80 has a top speed of about 24 knots and a range of 3,500 nm. Sunreef Yachts have been made in Gdansk, Poland, since 2003. With a massive beam of more than 39 feet (about half…

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