Cruising Life

Ellis Boat Charters: Cruise Down East This Summer

By Peter Janssen on July 6, 2021 Charter, Cruising Life

Even though the Fourth of July is in the rear-view mirror, there’s still plenty of time left for cruising vacations and charters this summer. And it would be hard to find a more appealing or inviting cruising area than Down East in Maine, particularly in the iconic Southwest Harbor area, the gateway to Somes Sound and Acadia National Park. You can enjoy all this on the water, by chartering a Maine-built boat from Ellis Boat Charters, a branch of the Ellis Boat Company in Southwest Harbor. Then you can cruise the area on your own, or with a local captain,…

OTAM Launches 50-Knot, 70HT Luxury Cruiser

By Peter Janssen on July 6, 2021 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

OTAM just launched its new 70HT fast luxury cruiser, powered by twin 2,000-hp MTU diesels. The sleek, low-profile, three-stateroom yacht will make its official debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival starting on Sept. 7. For the past 65 years, OTAM has been making custom cruising yachts, ranging from 45 to 130 feet, in its yard in Liguria, Italy. The new 70HT was built with the same customization, craftsmanship and luxury that have defined the brand. The hull comes from Umberto Tagliavini Marine Design; the rest of the boat from the BG Design Firm, which said that “the design is strongly…

Two Oceans Launches Luxurious 850 Power Cat

By Peter Janssen on July 5, 2021 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Two Oceans Marine, the large catamaran builder in Cape Town, South Africa, recently launched a new 850 E Power Catamaran, an ocean-crossing vessel with all the comforts of home, down to its Ralph Lauren fabrics on the sun beds and cushions. Founded in 1989, Two Oceans specializes in building power and sail catamarans from 23 to 110 feet, for blue-water cruising, fishing and commercial use. The new 82-foot 850E is a custom build, with lines from Du Toit Yacht Design. The Two Oceans 850 E is powered by twin 305-hp Cummins diesels, giving it a top speed of 22 knots.…

$1.5 million for Whale Vomit?

By Peter Janssen on July 5, 2021 Cruising Life

The crew of a fishing boat from Yemen just caught $1.5 million worth of whale vomit – actually ambergris, which the Natural History Museum in London says is often called “floating gold” because it’s so rare. Once it’s cleaned up, ambergris is used to make high-end perfume last longer; Chanel and Lanvin are reported to use it to this day. The 35 impoverished Yemeni fishermen were working in the Gulf of Aden when they hauled up a sperm whale carcass. As they towed it back to port, they realized they might have something valuable because it smelled awful. Ambergris is…

Orcas Behaving Badly, from Spain to Seattle. Videos

By Peter Janssen on July 4, 2021 Cruising Life

We’ve seen two different stories about Orcas interacting with boats lately. One, about an aggressive pod attack, came off the southern coast of Spain, and the other, a more refined interaction, came off Camano Island north of Seattle. You can see videos of both below. In the first story, a pod of about 30 orca whales circled and attacked the hull of a sailboat for two hours as it neared the Strait of Gibraltar. The three British sailors on board said they were afraid the 25-foot-long orcas would sink the boat. In fact, they damaged the rudder to the point…

Gas Burns on Top of Gulf of Mexico. Video

By Peter Janssen on July 3, 2021 Cruising Life

This cauldron of burning gas on top of the Gulf of Mexico looked like a scene out of Dante’s Inferno. Indeed, one eyewitness said it seemed like “the portals of hell.” The fire started after an underwater gas pipeline, 12 inches in diameter, ruptured off Campeche on the Yucatan Peninsula. The Pemex pipeline was part of the Ku Maloob Zaap underwater oil field, one of Pemex’s largest. Video of the fire, which you can see below, soon circulated on social media around the world, with commentators calling it “the eye of fire,” because of the circular shape of the burning…

Family of Drowned Boy Sues Tug Operator

By Peter Janssen on July 3, 2021 Cruising Life

The family of a young boy who drowned in the Chicago River has sued the operator of a tug and barge that they claim caused a wake that capsized their boat. Victor Lobato Ochoa, 7, was thrown from the family’s 16-foot motorboat by the passing wake of a tug pushing a barge on the South Branch of the Chicago River early on the evening of last July 22. The boats were operating in a no-wake zone. The lawsuit says a report from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources claimed the cause of the accident was the “force of the wake”…

New Seakart: Half Jet Ski, Half RIB

By Peter Janssen on June 30, 2021 Cruising Life, Gear

If you’re ready for some fun this summer, or any other time, take a look at the new Seakart 335, a hybrid mix of a jet ski and a RIB. The 11’ 5” Seakart has the fun and performance of a jet ski, combined with the capacity and safety of a RIB. Not a bad idea. Power comes from a 110-hp or 180-hp four-stroke Yamaha jet drive. With the 110, top speed is 39 knots; with the 180, it’s 56 knots. The Seakart has a console like that of a jet ski, down to the mirrors, but the steering is…

Top 10 Boat Names from BoatUS

By co_admin on June 29, 2021 Cruising Life

SPRINGFIELD, Va., June 29, 2021 – It’s been a tumultuous year for Americans, and getting away from it all on a recreational boat has given many the respite they’ve needed. With lives upended, some recreational boat owners have chosen to reflect on the times when selecting a name for their boat. “Social Distancing” rocketed to the No. 2 spot on the BoatUS Top 10 Boat Names list for 2021. The choice of boat names, which were requested from the BoatUS online Boat Graphics service, may also tell you a little about the owner. Here’s this year’s Top 10 Boat Names…

How To Stay Safe on the Water This Summer

By co_admin on June 29, 2021 Cruising Life

With the Fourth of July weekend approaching, and the rest of summer unfolding ahead, more and more people will be out on the water, on all kinds of vessels, with all kinds of experience. This year, more of them will be new to boating; indeed, 415,000 people bought a boat for the first time in the past 18 months. Here are some great tips from the Water Sports Foundation in Orlando, Florida, about how everyone can stay safe this summer and beyond: 1. IMPORTANT BASICS: PLAN AHEAD & BE PREPARED Boaters should conduct a thorough inspection of their vessel and…

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