Cruising Life

NOAA: 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season Already Worst Ever

By Peter Janssen on November 10, 2020 Cruising Life

NOAA: November 10, 2020 With less than a month remaining in the Atlantic hurricane season, the formation of Subtropical Storm Theta on November 10 over the northeastern Atlantic Ocean made the 2020 season the most active on record. Theta — the 29th named storm of the Atlantic season — breaks the record for the highest number of tropical/subtropical storms in a single year. The previous record of 28 storms was set in 2005. Official records date to 1851. “After the historic Atlantic hurricane season of 2005, it’s remarkable to have another season during my career that would reach this extreme level of…

Boats were scuttled between black Rock Harbor and the Pennfield Reef Lighthouse in Long Island Sound.

Marina Owner Pleads Guilty to Scuttling Old Boats

By Peter Janssen on November 10, 2020 Cruising Life

Here’s a great announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s office for Connecticut about how the owner of a marina in Bridgeport just pleaded guilty to scuttling several old boats in Long Island Sound in an issue involving paid dockage fees: John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JOHN MAGNESS, 71, of Southbury; PETER ALBRECHT, 70, of Norwalk; and CARLOS SANTOS, 60, of Westbrook, have each pleaded guilty to a federal charge related to the scuttling of several sailboats and motor boats between the Black Rock Harbor and the Pennfield Reef Lighthouse in Long Island…

Largest Great White Sharks Swimming Down Atlantic Coast

By Peter Janssen on November 10, 2020 Cruising Life

Some of the largest great white sharks ever tagged have been getting a lot of attention in the past few days from Florida to New Jersey. Heading south, like a snowbird, Unama’ki, the second largest great white ever tagged by OCEARCH, the large marine animal research organization, was swimming along the Florida coast from Vero Beach to Key Largo. Unama’ki (pictured above) is 15 feet, 5 inches long, and weighs more than 2,000 pounds. The researchers think she may be heading for the Gulf of Mexico, where she spent much of last winter. OCEARCH has tagged about two dozen great…

Nordhavn Finishing New 80 with Vripack Interior

By Peter Janssen on November 9, 2020 Cruising Life

Nordhavn is working on its first new 80 with a sophisticated Scandinavian-style interior by Vripack, the Dutch design firm. It will be completed next year. The company has already finished hull number one of the 80, designed as a go-anywhere world cruiser that can be run by an owner-operator. Built at the South Coast yard in Xiamen, China, the yacht will be ready for inspection by the end of the year at Nordhavn’s headquarters in Dana Point, California. The 80 is a departure for Nordhavn in that the company is collaborating with Vripack to create a new, more contemporary, European…

Boat Racer Indicted in Alleged Magazine Fraud Case

By Peter Janssen on November 9, 2020 Cruising Life

Here’s a story from Lake Expo about the indictment of a well-known boat racer on eight charges of mail wire fraud in a case alleging that he committed $300 million worth of fraud for magazine subscriptions: A well-known member of the Lake of the Ozarks powerboating community has been indicted on federal mail wire fraud charges, in the U.S. District Court of Minnesota. Russell “Rusty” Rahm faces eight federal felony charges, as prosecutors allege he—through multiple Kansas-based companies—committed massive fraud related to magazine subscriptions, to the tune of more than $300 million, with more than 150,000 victims, for 20 years.…

Volvo To Stop Making Seven Marine Outboards

By Peter Janssen on November 9, 2020 Cruising Life, Engine Room

For the past several years, the outboard business has been on a tear. The demand for new outboards, even on traditional cruising boats, often outpaced supply. Yamaha couldn’t make its popular large outboards fast enough. Mercury upped its game and produced new outboards that became the power of choice even on such Down East boats at Hinckley and MJM. Suzuki stepped up its presence in the U.S. Three years ago, Volvo Penta, the Swedish giant, bought Seven Marine, a U.S. startup, and it started production of the entire Seven Marine lineup (527-hp, 577-hp, and 627-hp models) last February in Tennessee.…

Nordhavns Notch Up 7 Million nm – and Counting

By Peter Janssen on November 4, 2020 Cruising Life

We all know that Nordhavn owners like to go far. In fact, they’ve gone just about everywhere in the world, including going around it many times. But now we know exactly how far they’ve all gone – 7 million nautical miles, and that’s pretty far indeed. To track its owners’ progress, and the miles they put under their hulls, Nordhavn started a Distance Pennant program 12 years ago. Owners post their mileage, and earn a different pennant, as they go along, starting with 2,500 nm and then jumping up in 5,000 nm increments. So far, 487 owners have joined; many…

Congo and Lovango Cays with St. John in the distance US Virgin Islands

New Resort To Open on Private Island in U.S. Virgins

By Peter Janssen on November 4, 2020 Cruising Life, Destinations

A new resort will open next month on a private island just a ten-minute boat ride from Cruz Bay in St. John. The resort, the Lovango Resort & Beach Club, will be the first resort to open in the U.S. Virgins in 30 years. And it will have moorings and tender service if you want to arrive on your own boat. The Lovango resort is the third boutique property in the Little Gem Resorts portfolio, which already includes The Nantucket Hotel and Resort, and the Winnetu Oceanside Resort in Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard. It will open in stages over the…

New Sessa Key Largo 40: Versatile and Fast

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

Lots of boats have terraces or doors that open from the side bulwarks to increase the amount of space in the cockpit and to provide access to water sports. But the new Sessa Key Largo 40 takes that concept to an entirely new level. Take a look: Both sides of the cockpit drop down, creating an exceptionally large open space for a 40-foot boat. The seating is modular and can be reconfigured to fit your mood on the water: Running, sunning, or just enjoying an al fresco lunch or cocktails. Below, the Key Largo 40 sleeps four in a super-modern…

Lauderdale Show: Fewer People, but Lots of Buyers

By Peter Janssen on November 3, 2020 Cruising Life, Ft Lauderdale Boat Show

If you’re into boats, you’ve got to love John Staluppi, the Long Island entrepreneur who owns the third largest group of car dealerships in the U.S. Here’s what he has to say about going to the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show last week. “I always go to a boat show with intent to buy boats, and I bought two boats at the show. I bought a 32-meter Ocean Alexander and a small outboard Ocean Alexander, 45 feet.” He knew that the show had safety restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with requirements for face masks, social distancing, and one-way passageways.…

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