Cruising Life

Leaders of Slowboat Flotillas Buy a New, Bigger, Not-So-Slow Boat

By Peter Janssen on November 26, 2018 Cruising Life

Laura Domela and her husband, Kevin Morris, leaders of the popular Slowboat Flotillas from Seattle to Alaska, just bought a Nordic Tug 44 to replace their old Nordic Tug 34. And they’re more than pleased with the deal. The new boat, Domela wrote on their blog, has “SO MUCH ROOM.” They heard about the 44 while they were leading a Flotilla around the outside of Vancouver Island in September. They worked with Seattle Yachts to both buy their new boat, a 2006 Nordic Tug 44 flybridge, and to sell their old boat, a 2013 Nordic Tug 34. They actually closed…

Holiday Boat Parades Now Underway. See Complete Listings of Parades All Across the U.S.

By Peter Janssen on November 26, 2018 Cruising Life

It’s that time of the year again, with holiday boat parades being planned and enjoyed in all parts of the U.S., even in the north. Some have already occurred; about 50 boats were decked out in lights and holiday themes for the annual parade along the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida, for example, carrying on a 30-year tradition. The Fort Lauderdale Winterfest is probably the largest parade, which is no surprise, given the city’s 165 miles of waterway. It attracts hundreds of boats, and more than a million viewers. Across the country, the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade in…

Ferry Crashes into Ferry Building in San Francisco. See the Video

By Peter Janssen on November 26, 2018 Cruising Life

A ferry carrying 53 passengers from Marin County across the bay crashed into a dock at San Francisco’s famed Ferry Building. Two passengers were slightly injured. You can see a video of the accident below. The ferry, the M.S. San Francisco, originated in Larkspur, in Marin. Witnesses said the ferry bumped into one dock before crashing into a larger one, sending people who were dining and shopping nearby running. It came to a stop when it hit a concrete walkway. The Coast Guard is investigating. I feel that I have a personal connection with the ferry. Many years ago, I…

Ocean Alexander Building Totally New Line, Divergence, a 45-Foot Luxury Sport Boat with Four 350-hp Outboards

By Peter Janssen on November 25, 2018 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Ocean Alexander is stepping way outside its box and is building a totally new line, called Divergence, a 45-foot luxury outboard powered by four 350-hp Mercury Verados. The new boat, being built at the old Sea Ray factory on Merritt Island, Florida, will be ready for the Miami show in February. So far, Ocean Alexander has earned a reputation for quality and customer service in the large yacht and megayacht worlds. Its existing lineup stretches from 70 to 155 feet. But the 40-to-50-foot segment is hot now, as is the outboard market. The new Divergence fits into both of those…

Dead Whale in Indonesia Had 1,000 Pieces of Plastic in Its Stomach, Including Flip Flops

By Peter Janssen on November 25, 2018 Cruising Life

A dead 31-foot sperm whale washed up on a beach in a popular resort area of Indonesia recently with more than 1,000 pieces of plastic in its stomach, including 115 cups, 25 bags and two flip flops. All told, the plastic in the whale’s stomach weighed 13 pounds. State officials who were called to the scene near Kapota Island couldn’t tell if the plastic killed the whale or whether it died of other causes. Indonesia is one of the largest producers of plastic waste in the world, along with China. This was not the first such incident in that part…

Fort Pierce, Florida: A Historic, Boater-Friendly Stop on the ICW

By Peter Janssen on November 19, 2018 Cruising Life, Destinations

If you’re cruising through Florida, you may want to think about stopping at Fort Pierce. It’s a major boating center right on the Intracoastal Waterway, and the Fort Pierce Inlet gives easy access to the Atlantic, if you want to go outside, or to the Bahamas. Hutchinson Island, the long, thin barrier island, separates the Waterway from the ocean there. Fort Pierce is called the “sunrise city,” because of the clear view to the east. One of the oldest cities in the area (with roots dating to 1567), it’s on Florida’s Treasure Coast, so-named because of all the tons of…

Want To Keep Your Hull Clean? Try Drive-in Boat Wash

By Peter Janssen on November 19, 2018 Cruising Life

Want to keep your hull clean? Who doesn’t. Here’s a new idea about how to do that, from a company in Sweden. It’s called Drive-In Boat Wash, which is pretty descriptive of what it does. Here’s how it works: You drive your boat into a U-shaped dock. Six rotating brushes (made with high-density polymer) automatically adjust to the hull shape. The brushes move back and forth along the length of the boat, removing fouling and even barnacles. Pressure is controlled hydraulically; the machine is operated by a hand-held remote. No chemicals are used in the cleaning and the fouling is…

The Favors Keep Cruising: Now Down the Historic Trent Severn Waterway on Their Ranger 29

By Peter Janssen on November 19, 2018 Cruising Life, Destinations

Many cruisers consider the historic, pastoral 240-mile Trent Severn Waterway the most beautiful part of the entire 5,000-mile-long Great Loop. Connecting Trenton on Lake Ontario to Port Severn on Georgian Bay, the waterway runs through small villages, farmland and lakes, and has no fewer than 44 locks. Jim and Lisa Favors, two experienced cruisers (they’ve already completed the Loop, for example), now write about their north to south passage on the Trent Severn, including their transit of the Peterborough lift lock, which is so unique it has been designated a Canadian National Historic Site. Built in the early 1900s, the…

24 Finalists Named for European Powerboat of the Year Awards

By Peter Janssen on November 19, 2018 Cruising Life

The 24 boats nominated as finalists for the prestigious European Powerboat of the Year awards were just announced. The winners will be announced at a ceremony on January 19, the first day of the Düsseldorf Boat Show. Arranged in five categories, the awards are made by a jury of editors from the leading European powerboat magazines, including those from Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway and Austria. Many of the finalists come from familiar brands to American boaters, while others are limited to the European market. Boats up to 25 Feet: Boston Whaler 170 Montauk Glastron GTD 220 Nordkapp…

Whale Shark, the Biggest Fish in the Sea, Surfaces Behind Fishing Boat Off Charleston. See the Video

By Peter Janssen on November 18, 2018 Cruising Life

Whale sharks, the largest fish in the sea, usually live in the tropics. About the size of a school bus, growing to 40 feet long and weighing in at 20 tons, they prefer warm water, migrating every spring to the continental shelf off central west Australia, where the Ningaloo Reef provides them with an abundant supply of plankton, their food of choice. So Michael Krivohlavek, 21, a mate for Daymaker Sport Fishing Charters out of Charleston, S.C., was surprised to see a whale shark surface behind his boat recently. The fishing boat was in 150 feet of water about 36…

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