Cruising Life

MarineMax Gets Bigger, Buys Intrepid

By Peter Janssen on October 5, 2021 Cruising Life

The big just got bigger. Indeed, MarineMax, the largest boat retailer in the world, just announced that it will buy Intrepid Powerboats. The two companies said they had signed a definitive agreement for the sale that will take place by the end of this year. This is the second acquisition for MarineMax recently. In May, it bought the privately held Cruisers Yachts, which had just bought Carver and Marquis, the late Irwin Jacobs’ brands. Founded in 1998 in Clearwater, Florida, MarineMax has 100 locations around the world, including 77 retail dealers and 31 marinas or storage operations. It says it…

Anatomy of a Disaster in Pictures

By co_admin on October 5, 2021 Cruising Life

Here’s a great recap by gCaptain of the wreck of the container ship Rena that hit a reef off New Zealand and eventually broke apart in that country’s worst maritime disaster: The MV Rena was traveling at a speed of 17 knots when it grounded on Astrolabe Reef off the coast of New Zealand on October 5, 2011, during a voyage from Napier to port of Tauranga. At the time, the ship was carrying over 1,300 containers and 1,733 tonnes of heavy fuel. What resulted became the country’s worst maritime disaster which took years to clean-up. Investigators eventually found that it was…

Fountaine-Pajot Launches Upscale 67 Powercat

By Peter Janssen on October 4, 2021 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Fountaine-Pajot has launched its most luxurious powercat yet, a 67-foot flagship that even has a Jacuzzi on the foredeck. In keeping with the French builder’s reputation for creating comfortable, seaworthy and blue-water boats, the new 67 also has a cruising range of 1,700 nm powered by twin 435-hp straight-shaft Volvo diesels. Everything about the new Fountaine-Pajot is massive and impressive. The volume comes not only from the overall length but also the more than 32-foot beam that makes the salon seem like a living room in a seaside home and the foredeck and aft cockpit like spas and entertaining areas…

Salem To Become New Wind Farm Center

By Peter Janssen on October 4, 2021 Cruising Life

Salem, Massachusetts, hasn’t really been the same ever since the witch trials back in 1692. Now, the face of Salem is going to change again. Vineyard Wind, the developer of the first big offshore wind farm in the U.S., just announced it will transform the port of Salem into a hub to support the new wind projects off the Massachusetts’ coast. Indeed, Vineyard Wind has partnered with the City of Salem and Crowley Maritime Corporation to create a private-public partnership to establish Salem Harbor as the state’s second major offshore wind port, along with a similar site in New Bedford.…

Yamaha Introduces 9.9-hp Electric Outboard

By Peter Janssen on October 4, 2021 Cruising Life, Engine Room, Gear

Yamaha just introduced its HARMO electric outboard to the U.S. at the big International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) in Tampa. The outboard couples a 48-volt power supply with a high-yield, low-drag 3.7 kilowatt motor. The rim-drive electric motor and specially encased impeller provide 225 pounds of static thrust. Yamaha says that is the equivalent of a conventional 9.9-hp gasoline outboard. The electric outboard’s running time depends on the type of battery, the size, configuration and other parameters. Rim motors have been used for thrusters and some other marine applications in the past, but Yamaha says this this the first…

11 Winners for IBEX Innovation Awards

By Peter Janssen on September 29, 2021 Cruising Life, Gear, Maintenance

The International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) just announced the 11 winners and three runners-up of their annual Innovation Awards in Tampa. The awards were announced at a keynote breakfast celebrating IBEX’s 30th anniversary attended by 800 people. The awards program is managed by the National Marine Manufacturers Association with judging by members of Boating Writers International. Dozens of manufacturers submitted entries to the contest. “This year’s Innovation Awards program saw an incredible collection of entries,” said Anne Dunbar, the show director. She said the judges “had their work cut out for them to select winners to join the ranks…

New Recap of El Faro Disaster, with 33 Deaths

By Peter Janssen on September 29, 2021 Cruising Life

In the worst U.S. maritime disaster in 30 years, the El Faro, a 790-foot-long container ship, sank during a hurricane in the Bahamas on Oct. 1, 2015, killing all 33 men and women on board. Here’s a chilling recap of the tragedy from Arnold & Ltkin LLP, a maritime law firm hired by three of the crewmen’s widows: It has been six years since El Faro steamed into Hurricane Joaquin, an act that sank the vessel and claimed the lives of the entire crew. Thirty three people lost their lives that ill-fated day. Thirty three families were torn apart, wondering…

Raymarine Launches YachtSense in U.S.

By Peter Janssen on September 28, 2021 Cruising Life, Electronics

Raymarine just introduced its new YachtSense control system to the U.S. at the IBEX boat builders’ show in Tampa. YachtSense is a digital switching system that connects all the boat’s systems so the captain can be aware of what’s happening in real time. “YachtSense is the new standard in premium digital control solutions for today’s most sophisticated vessels,” said Jamie Dery, Raymarine’s VP of the Americas. Raymarine says the system is unique because of its scalability, its options for various configurations, and its safety features. It uses a modular architecture, starting with a Master Module and a Power Supply Module…

Harbor Pilots: High Pay, Higher Risks

By co_admin on September 27, 2021 Cruising Life

Here’s a great story about harbor pilots, their risks and their jobs, from Business Insider: The average harbor pilot at the Port of Los Angeles makes $434,000 a year, but also faces a one in 20 chance of dying on the job, according to a new book out Tuesday from The Wall Street Journal’s Christopher Mims. The book, “Arriving Today: From Factory to Front Door — Why Everything Has Changed About How and What We Buy,” breaks down the complicated dance that brings a shipment from Asia to US buyers in a matter of days. Harbor pilots are some of…

Lauderdale Man Hurt in Freak Docking Accident

By Peter Janssen on September 27, 2021 Cruising Life

A man suffered a severe leg cut in a freak accident while docking a boat at a popular Fort Lauderdale waterfront restaurant. The man, who has been identified, apparently lost his balance and fell off the boat at the Boathouse at the Riverside restaurant on the New River in the Las Olas section of town. About 50 people were eating on the outdoor terrace overlooking the river at the time. He was heading for the restaurant to attend a birthday party about 2 p.m. on Saturday. When his friends lifted him back on the boat, diners could see a deep…

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