Cruising Life

New Problem with E15: Finding the Warning Labels at the Pump

By Peter Janssen on December 10, 2018 Cruising Life

It’s not news that E15 is a problem for marine gas engines. In fact, it voids many marine engine warranties, the federal government prohibits its use in recreational boat engines, and the Environmental Protection Agency prohibits it for sale in many states during the summer months because it contributes to smog. But now it turns out that finding an E15 warning label on a gas pump can be an even bigger problem. (Question: Can you see the E15 warning label on this pump near Cedar Lake, Indiana, in the photo above? It took us a while, too. For the answer,…

Coast Guard Rescues Three from Burning 60-foot Boat 30 Miles Off Miami Beach

By Peter Janssen on December 10, 2018 Cruising Life

The Coast Guard rescued three boaters recently after their 60-foot boat caught fire about 30 miles east of Miami Beach. Fortunately, a Coast Guard cutter was on patrol not far away, and it rescued all three, uninjured. The incident started about 3:20 on a clear afternoon, when the Coast Guard in Miami Beach received a VHF radio call from the owner of Family Time, a 60-foot yacht, saying that a fire had started in his engine room. The fire was spreading quickly, and the three men on board were going to abandon ship into a 23-foot tender. At it happened,…

New, Foiling Candela All-Electric Boat Tops Out at 30 Knots Plus

By Peter Janssen on December 10, 2018 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

A Swedish company, Candela, is building what it calls the first all-electric boat with the speed of a traditional gasoline-powered vessel. The Candela Seven, a foiling “e-boat” made of carbon fiber, has a top speed of more than 30 knots and a range of 50 nm at 20 knots, according to the company. The first boats will be delivered by next spring. The boat is powered by a 55 kW electric motor and a 44 kWh lithium ion battery. It can be recharged with a 230V/16A or 110V/34A household outlet. A full charge takes 12 hours. It runs on hydrofoils…

Docking Tip: How To Use a Breast Line

By Peter Janssen on December 10, 2018 Cruising Life

Docking. Yikes. Often the only worry a lot of us have when we leave a slip is the reality that we have to come back. And people are looking. You definitely want to look your best when you come in to a dock, and to be prepared for various situations. What should you do if you’re docking singlehanded, or if the wind is coming off the dock, pushing you away. A breast line is a fast solution. Here’s some great advice from Skipper Tips about how to use a breast line, with a very clear diagram. Just remember that a breast…

Boat-Loving Dentist Uses His Ranger Tugs 31 as a Floating Clinic, Treating Patients in Remote Parts of Alaska

By Peter Janssen on December 10, 2018 Cruising Life

Most people use their Ranger Tugs for cruising, maybe some fishing, probably a lot of time relaxing with family and friends. Dr. Victor Stime is different. A dentist, he uses his Ranger Tug 31, appropriately named Offshore Drilling, to treat people in isolated waterfront communities in Alaska every summer. A graduate of Seattle Pacific University, Dr. Stime worked as a dentist in a rural community near Spokane for 29 years. Then, two years ago, he suffered from a serious heart problem and had surgery at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. According to this story in SPU’s magazine Response, that changed…

Helmsman Building New 46 Expedition Pilothouse, a Flagship Long-Range Trawler

By Peter Janssen on December 5, 2018 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Helmsman Trawlers is introducing a new 46 Pilothouse, the first in its Expedition series. The largest Helmsman to date, the new 46 Pilothouse, powered by a single 490-hp Cummins diesel, is designed as a sturdy, efficient and comfortable long-range trawler. In the past few years, Helmsman has staked out a position in the marketplace where it delivers more boat for the money, and the 46 Expedition Pilothouse means to keep that promise. It is a low-maintenance trawler with simple systems; with a 1,500 nm range at 7.5 knots it will carry you to any cruising grounds you want to visit,…

Boating Leaders Voice New Concerns About Tariffs

By Peter Janssen on December 4, 2018 Cruising Life

Leaders of the boating industries in the U.S. and Canada say they were disappointed that the new $1.2 trillion trade deal that the U.S., Canada and Mexico signed at the Group of 20 summit in Buenos Aires did not ease retaliatory tariffs hurting boat manufacturers. The trade deal, called the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement, was signed by President Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. It needs to be approved by Congress to take effect here. The issue dates to when the Trump Administration imposed tariffs on imported steel and aluminum. The European Union, Canada…

Ocean Reef Celebrates Classic Yachts, Cars and Planes at 23rd Vintage Weekend. See Great Video

By Peter Janssen on December 4, 2018 Cruising Life

The Ocean Reef 23rd Vintage Weekend – filled with classic yachts, cars and planes – has just ended, a four-day party filled with parades, dances, fly-ins and a generally good time. The video below shows all the festivities – and it’s really fun. Take a look. The dance scenes are hilarious. A legendary private club in Key Largo, Florida, with a large, world-class marina, golf course, tennis courts, great condos and an airport, Ocean Reef is one of the better boating destinations in the world. Usually restricted to members, it’s open to the public for the Vintage Weekend; just bring your…

Aircraft Carrier Carl Vinson Rescues Five Boaters from Deserted Island off Hawaii

By Peter Janssen on December 3, 2018 Cruising Life

Here’s a story about the code of the sea being honored no matter how big, or small, your vessel may be. Mariners help other mariners. That certainly was the case when five boaters sent out a distress signal after their boat went aground on the uninhabited island of Nihau, the westernmost point in Hawaii. As it happened, the USS Carl Vinson, a Nimitz-class supercarrier (LOA: 1,092 feet; Beam: 252 feet; Draft: 37 feet) was on an international naval exercise only seven miles away. The Carl Vinson has a total of 90 fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters on board (plus a crew of…

Bruckmann Completing New Abaco 47 with Classic Downeast Lines

By Peter Janssen on December 3, 2018 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Bruckmann just took the hull of its beautiful, classic Mark Ellis-designed Abaco 47 out of the mold in its plant in Ontario, Canada, so the new cruiser should be in the water by spring. The new Abaco 47, with its long sheer, low profile, sharp entry and raked windshield, is designed with the same proven hull form from the popular Bruckmann Abaco 40, which is remarkably efficient through a wide range of cruising speeds. The new 47 can be powered either by either a single 1,136-hp CAT C18 diesel, or by two 641-hp CAT C8.7s. Top speed with the single…

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