Cruising Life

Fast New Yanmar X47 Makes a Debut in Genoa

By Peter Janssen on October 7, 2020 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Yanmar just displayed its new X47 Express Cruiser, the official VIP Cruiser of the 36th America’s Cup presented by Prada, at the big Genoa boat show. Yanmar designer Ken Okuyama worked with Azimut to install three 370-hp sterndrives in the new yacht. After Genoa, the next stop for the Yanmar X47, the company’s flagship, will be the America’s Cup in Auckland, New Zealand, starting March 6. It will offer VIPs a fast ride to the course and then a luxurious viewing platform to enjoy the races. Power for the X47 comes from three Yanmar 8LV turbo diesels with XT370 sterndrives,…

Metal Shark Launches 148-Foot, 11,000-nm Range Cat

By Peter Janssen on October 7, 2020 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Metal Shark Boats just launched a unique 148-foot aluminum catamaran, an expedition yacht that has enough range to cross the Atlantic four times without refueling. It is the Louisiana yard’s first superyacht, and the first in a series of future long-range recreational cats. The new yacht is named Magnet, and Metal Shark, which makes commercial and military vessels, turned to Incat Crowther, a design firm with headquarters in Sydney, for help. Incat Crowther specializes in designing large commercial catamarans. Powered by twin 2,600-hp MTU diesels, Magnet has a top speed of 27 knots. At its most efficient cruising speed of…

Limestone Boats Coming Back – With New Outboard Models

By Peter Janssen on October 7, 2020 Cruising Life

Limestone Boats, a favorite in New England and the Great Lakes for generations, is coming back. It has new ownership, a new factory, and new models (all outboards), but it still has the help of Mark Ellis, its iconic designer. Ellis designed the first Limestone, a 24, about 35 years ago. It was made in Ontario, Canada, as were all subsequent models. But the company has been bought by a group under Scott Hanson, the former head of Rossiter Boats, which acquired the molds and the manufacturing and branding right from Ellis. The new company, The Limestone Boat Company, has…

Coast Guard Tests Unmanned Surface Vessels off Hawaii

By Peter Janssen on October 6, 2020 Cruising Life

The Coast Guard just began testing unmanned surface vessels off Hawaii, trying to learn if they can be used in remote parts of the Pacific to detect illegal fishing or other problems. The tests are run by the Coast Guard Research and Development Center, working with local Coast Guard units. They involve the Coast Guard’s own autonomous research vessel made by Metal Shark (at the left in the picture above), and autonomous vessel systems from SailDrone (at the right) and Spatial Integration Systems. The tests are off the south shore of Oahu, and run through Nov. 5. The tests will…

Outer Reef 580 Motoryacht Ariel at Holbrook Island Sanctuary near Castine, Maine. Photo by Miles Cherkasky

Cruising in Maine on an Outer Reef Yacht

By Peter Janssen on October 5, 2020 Cruising Life, Destinations

Owners of Outer Reef Yachts are an adventuresome sort; they also know how to take some terrific pictures. Here’s a story, from Outer Reef, about what you can expect from a cruise to Maine. If your summer cruising itinerary includes a visit to Maine, you’ll discover the true beating heart of this culturally fascinating, beautiful state. As the most northeastern state of the U.S., Maine is known for its dramatic, rocky coastline. Dubbed “The Pine Tree State,” the forests that cover much of the 400 km of coastline make for an impressive cruise. The dramatic landscape has been preserved in…

New Boat Made by 3D Printing Debuts at Genoa Show

By Peter Janssen on October 3, 2020 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Moi Composites, an Italian high-tech startup, just introduced its 3D-printed fiberglass powerboat at the Genoa boat show. The boat, called MAMBO, for Motor Additive Manufacturing BOat, was made with Moi’s new continuous fiber manufacturing technology. Under a generative algorithm, Moi’s system deposits continuous fibers into a thermosetting resin to produce a material with the strength and durability of fiberglass but which is much easier to shape. The finished MAMBO vessel is 21.3 feet long with a beam of 8.2 feet and a weight of 1,763 pounds. It has a 115-hp outboard engine. The hull resembles an inverted triangle, giving it…

All-Electric Pure Outboard Gets Major Funding

By Peter Janssen on September 30, 2020 Cruising Life

Will your next RIB be powered by an all-electric outboard? It will indeed, if Andy Rebele, the founder and CEO of Pure Watercraft in Seattle, has anything to say about it. Started in 2011, Pure just got a major infusion of cash, some $23.4 million in Series A funding, to expand its Pure Outboard business. The funding was led by L37 Ventures, a San Francisco venture capital firm that specializes in disrupting markets, with help from some Amazon executives and others. The new money will let Pure expand its operations in Seattle. It has already been beta testing its first…

ACR Launches New Electronic Distress Flare Package

By Peter Janssen on September 30, 2020 Cruising Life

ACR just introduced a new ResQFlare electronic distress flare as a Coast Guard-approved alternative to pyrotechnic flares. The flare comes in a package with a distress flag that’s also approved by the Coast Guard. The ResQFlare is a high-intensity LED flare that can be used as a day and night distress signal to attract the attention of rescue personnel in an emergency. It emits a flash with the characteristics of a Morse Code SOS, known around the world as a distress signal. It also rights itself in the water and provides 360-degree visibility for more than six miles. The new…

Monte Carlo Yachts Launching New 76 Skylounge

By Peter Janssen on September 29, 2020 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Monte Carlo Yachts will introduce its new 76 Skylounge at the Fort Lauderdale boat show that starts on Oct. 28. It launched the 70 Skylounge at the Miami show last February. The new skylounge on the 76 is a large, light-filled social space with windows all around and full-width glass doors opening out to an upper aft deck. It even has a skylight for more natural light, and ventilation. The skylounge basically functions as a second, all-weather salon, but with a better view. It also is the home of the yacht’s only helm station. It has a large L-shaped settee…

Sealegs New 38: Largest Amphibian Yet

By Peter Janssen on September 29, 2020 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Sealegs, the New Zealand company that’s been making amphibious boats since 2005, is now making a 12M Cabin RIB, and Sealegs says the 38-footer is the largest amphibious production boat in the world. Powered by twin 400-hp outboards, the new 38-foot Sealegs can top out at 40 knots in the water, while its 94-hp gas engine will propel it to 5 mph on land. With hydraulic wheels and motors built into its 37-inch tires, the 12M Cabin is an all-wheel, all-terrain vehicle; indeed, it can climb a 25 percent grade. On the water, the new 12M Cabin RIB has more…

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