Cruising Life

New Law Requires Engine Cut-Off Devices

By Peter Janssen on March 15, 2021 Cruising Life

Starting April 1, all drivers of open recreational boats under 26 feet LOA must have an engine cut-off switch if they’re running above displacement speeds and an engine cut-off device is installed on the boat. On that date, the Coast Guard will start implementing a 2018 law requiring the installation of engine cut-off switches in those boats, as well as The National Defense Authorization Act of 2021 that requires the operators of recreational boats under 26 feet to use an engine-cut off link. Boats made in or since January, 2020, have an engine cut-off boat installed, so owners of those…

Bering Unveils New 72 with 5,000 nm Range

By Peter Janssen on March 15, 2021 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Bering Yachts just unveiled its plans for an all-new 72-foot explorer yacht with a range of more than 5,000 nm at 7 knots. Powered by twin 326-hp Cummins, the Bering 72 has a top speed of 10 knots. The company says the new 72 is “a true modern classic of the steel-hulled explorer yacht perfect for long family expeditions as well as shorthanded cruising.” The hull is made of steel; the superstructure of aluminum. The 72 is part of Bering’s Exploration series, with models from 70 to 109 feet. Built in Antalya, Turkey, the new 72 is a rugged three-deck…

Bride Surprises Groom with New Yacht. Video

By Peter Janssen on March 14, 2021 Cruising Life

Here’s a one-of-a-kind story from MSN and The Daily Mail. The video went viral; see it below: Most brides and grooms just exchange rings on their wedding days — but one newlywed celebrated the big moment by giving her new husband a yacht at the end of their wedding ceremony. Janeen Soler and Trederick Gray tied the knot in Miami, Florida, on March 7, and video from their glamorous outdoor nuptials has quickly gone viral. While guests looked on, Janeen, who works as a realtor and runs an auto dealership with her new husband, took the microphone from the officiant to…

Back Cove Reimagines Popular 37 Down-East Cruiser

By Peter Janssen on March 13, 2021 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Back Cove just announced that it was giving a facelift to the popular 37-foot Down East Cruiser that it first introduced in 2009. The new boat, called the 372, will still have the same lines as the original, but it also will have some new amenities and improvements that will make both cruising and living on board easier and more appealing. The original Back Cove 37 was a classic cruiser, with a single diesel, low profile and modern lobster-boat lines. The problem was, it was too popular. Back Cove, in Rockland, Maine, has sold more than 200 of them; the…

Aquila To Debut New 70 Flagship in Palm Beach

By Peter Janssen on March 10, 2021 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The new, massive and luxurious Aquila 70 flagship power catamaran will make its U.S. debut at the Palm Beach International Boat Show, starting March 25. Aquila designed the new cat to look like a yacht, trying to avoid the more squared-off look of some large power catamarans. Lex Raas, the Aquila president, said the company interviewed many customers before they designed the 70, and they said “it needs to look like a yacht, not like a box.” As a result, the 70 has flowing lines and a luxurious aesthetic. The customers also said they wanted performance, Raas said. The 70…

New ICOM VHF: First Handheld with AIS

By Peter Janssen on March 9, 2021 Cruising Life, Electronics

ICOM just launched its new breakthrough IC-M94D handheld VHF, the first in the world with built-in AIS. Combined with DSC (Distress Signal Calling), AIS (Automatic Identification System) is a boon to boating safety and secure navigation. Until now, AIS was limited to larger VHF units and helm-mounted display screens. With the new Icom, you can have all the safety and communications features (receive only) of AIS in the palm of your hand. You can use it on a smaller boat, a dink or simply as a back-up system on a larger vessel. The M94D is a significant VHF even without…

New Linssen Sturdy 40.0 Sedan, 8-Knot Cruiser

By Peter Janssen on March 9, 2021 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Linssen just introduced its new Sturdy 40.0 Sedan Intero, an upgraded version of its 40 Sedan that was named the European Power Boat of the Year in the displacement category at the Düsseldorf show three years ago. The new Sturdy 40.0 has larger windows, a redesigned engine room, an improved helm station (with a sliding door to the port side deck), and Linssen’s “softchine prestressed” hull. Powered by the standard single 110-hp Volvo, the boat still travels at a displacement speed of 8 knots, but it also delivers a range of 500 nm. From its yard in Maasbracht, The Netherlands,…

Vineyard Wind Gets Approval from Interior Dept.

By Peter Janssen on March 9, 2021 Cruising Life

There’s probably going to be a lot of activity in the Atlantic south of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket for the next few years. The Interior Department just finished its environmental review of the Vineyard Wind project there, clearing the way for the first commercial-scale offshore wind farm in the U.S. The Vineyard Wind project is about 12 nm south of both Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, and about 15 miles off the coast of Massachusetts. It is a massive project. When it is completed, it will deliver clean, renewable power to more than 400,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts. The new…

A Complete Spring Commissioning Checklist from BoatU.S.

By Peter Janssen on March 8, 2021 Cruising Life, Maintenance

It’s that time of the year again, and you need to start thinking seriously about getting your boat ready for the water, assuming you’re not one of the fortunate people who live far enough south that you can keep boating all year round. For the rest of us, here’s a very comprehensive spring commissioning checklist from BoatUS: SPRINGFIELD, Va., March 8, 2021 – Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) offers its updated Spring Commissioning Checklist to help boaters start the season right. The nation’s largest advocacy, service and savings group also offers BoatUS.com/Spring, a new one-stop-shop for everything…

Technohull Launches New 80-knot RIB

By Peter Janssen on March 8, 2021 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

You probably don’t want to take it on the Great Loop, but it sure would be fun to drive the new Technohull 47 Omega flagship around Miami, or Catalina, or Block Island. Wherever you’re going, you probably won’t be late. Indeed, with four 450-hp Mercury Racing outboards, the new Technohull is said to hit a top speed of about 80 knots. Technohull has been making high-end RIBs in Greece since 2004. The 47 combines high-speed performance with a superyacht finish, and it has the company’s largest cabin yet; it includes a large double V berth, a full-height shower and lots…

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