Cruising Life

New Yamaha Seascooter: How To Have Fun Under the Water

By Peter Janssen on July 30, 2019 Cruising Life

There are still plenty of summer weekends left to enjoy your boat and all the toys you keep there. Here’s one that looks like a lot of fun, particularly if you have anybody who loves to dive or snorkel on your crew: The Yamaha RDS250 Seascooter, an electric-powered scooter that adds a new level of enjoyment to your time on – or under – the water. The RDS250 costs $545 and it can run at speeds up to 2.5 mph for about two hours. (It tops out at 2.8 mph.) It’s rated for 100 feet, so you can explore all…

Cruising Boat Hits Jetty. Coast Guard Rescues Three

By Peter Janssen on July 30, 2019 Cruising Life

VALLEJO, Calif. — The Coast Guard rescued three people near the Carquinez Bridge in Vallejo, Saturday evening. Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders were notified that three people aboard a 36-foot pleasure craft had sustained head injuries after their vessel collided with the eastern jetty near the entrance of the Napa River, at approximately 9:40 p.m. Watchstanders launched a 29-foot Response Boat-Small boatcrew from Coast Guard Station Vallejo and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco. The boatcrew arrived on scene, administered first aid and transferred the three people to Cal Maritime where Vallejo Fire Department personnel…

Sargasso Weed Will Affect Atlantic Voyagers

By George Day on July 29, 2019 Cruising Life

Those of us who have sailed across the North Atlantic, particularly on the route from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean, and the route from Bermuda to the Azores, will have seen our share of Sargasso weed or Sagassum floating out there. In fact, we used to look for it because there was a fair chance that a Mahi Mahi or a Wahoo would be hanging out under the weed patch and might be ready to chase a trolled lure. But since 2011, the amount of Sagassum in the North Atlantic has expanded dramatically fed, largely, by nutrients flowing from…

Mystic Moon on the Inside Passage: “We Got Salmon!”

By Peter Janssen on July 29, 2019 Cruising Life

When we last checked in with John and Kathy Youngblood on Mystic Moon, their 2004 Selene 53, they were up in Glacier Bay, Alaska (after cruising more than 35,000 miles in the past few years in the Caribbean and the Pacific). They’re now coming down the Inside Passage, and just left Alaska and entered British Columbia. The cruising has been great, despite a fried alternator, and the fishing even better (see the picture of John’s 20-pound, 33-inch king salmon above). Here’s a recent log of their trip: We left Hydaburg on Thursday the 18th around 9am as we had to…

New Era for Safety at Sea as Iridium Unveils GMDSS Terminal

By Peter Janssen on July 29, 2019 Cruising Life

Written by Yachting Art Magazine The Lars Thrane LT-3100S will be the first terminal to offer Iridium service for the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System. Iridium Communications Inc. and partner Lars Thrane, today unveiled the Lars Thrane (LT) 3100S terminal designed to operate on the Iridium network for Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) vessel carriage requirements, with service targeted to launch in January 2020. This is the first terminal designed to provide truly global GMDSS services and is the first to be offered after the International Maritime Organization’s decision to recognize Iridium as just the second-ever…

New Bering 70: Blue-Water Cruiser with 2,500 nm Range

By Peter Janssen on July 29, 2019 Cruising Life

The new Bering 70, the Turkish builder’s first model in its Coastal range, is designed for long-range cruising and exploring, with a 2,500 nm range at 9 knots and a comparatively shallow draft of 4’ 10”. Powered by economical twin 350-hp Cummins diesels, the new 70 has a top speed of 13 knots. With a steel hull and contemporary lines, the Bering 70 is something of a departure from traditional salty blue-water cruisers. It makes extensive use of fabrics and non-traditional woods in the interior, and there’s not an inch of teak to be seen on the exterior. The light-filled…

“It’s Terrifying:” Boaters Stranded by High Water on Lake Ontario

By Peter Janssen on July 28, 2019 Cruising Life

By Kamil KaramaliReporter Global News Ron Kirton hops off his boat onto what is usually a dry dock at Bluffers Park Yacht Club — but this year, the entire wooden structure has been submerged completely under water because of high water levels in Lake Ontario. “It’s been a long frustrating year for a lot of people,” said Kirton, while ankle-deep in water with his pant legs rolled up. “Everyone pays a lot of money down here.” “We launched in April and 90 per cent of the boats haven’t even been started.” Kirton said almost all of the club members at…

Larry Polster: Selling the House and Moving On Board

By Peter Janssen on July 28, 2019 Cruising Life

In the past, we’ve written about Larry Polster’s decision to buy, and then start cruising on, hull number one of the new Kadey-Krogen 50 Open series. Now, Polster, who’s a vice president and partner of Kadey-Krogen, and his wife, Janet, have sold their house and moved on board their new boat, Together, full time. Here’s his story about how they made that decision, and how it’s working out. (As a former liveaboard myself, on a Grand Banks 36, I can just say that all this rings true.) Many of you know that Janet and I are the proud owners of the first…

Eight Best Wireless Devices for 2019

By Peter Janssen on July 24, 2019 Cruising Life

Here’s a look at eight of this year’s best wireless devices from the Marine Electronics Journal: Wireless technology is everywhere, and boats are no exception. At Marine Electronics Journal (MEJ) hardly a week goes by that we don’t receive at least a couple news releases from companies that are rolling out a new piece of electronic wireless wizardry. Some of these products help boaters navigate more conveniently or better, while others are tied to onboard communications, entertainment, fishing, system monitoring or another function entirely. Below are eight wireless devices that are worth a look. They’re part of an exercise MEJ…

Five Reasons To Spend Christmas Cruising in the BVI

By Peter Janssen on July 24, 2019 Cruising Life

What are you doing next Christmas? Here are some great ideas from the Moorings about how to spend the holiday away from all the stress and bustle at home by cruising in the British Virgin Islands: ‘Tis the season – the season for planning a fun-in-the-sun Christmas vacation in the British Virgin Islands! This is your chance to swap snow for sun and slippers for swimsuits in the cold of winter. Too often, the hustle and bustle of the holiday season takes its toll. During the month of December, time gets away, stress runs high, and energy hangs low. To…

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