Cruising Life

SACs Rebel 50: A Luxurious RIB

By Peter Janssen on April 2, 2024 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The SACS Rebel 50, recently introduced to the U.S. at the Palm Beach show, just may be the most luxurious RIB in the world. It’s certainly one of the most good looking, and it comes with the fit and finish of a five-star motoryacht. Actually, the Italian-built Rebel 50 isn’t a traditional RIB at all; it’s somewhat in its own category. Its RIB credentials come from foam-filed collars (instead of inflatable tubes) that are mounted around the bulwarks; they are D-shaped fenders that do the same job as inflatable tubes, but they don’t take up as much room, leaving more…

Riviera Belize 54 Daybridge: High-End Cruiser

By Peter Janssen on April 2, 2024 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The new Belize 54 Daybridge motoryacht from Riviera manages to have some retro design appeal combined with all the elements that make a high-end family cruiser so appealing. With three staterooms and two heads and a blue-water hull, the Belize 54 can hold a family of six or a group of friends for an overnight excursion or a long cruise. A convertible dinette in the salon can sleep two more. Standard power comes from twin 725-hp Volvo IPS950 pod drives, delivering a top speed of 33 knots, and a range of 370 nm at its cruising speed of 20 knots.…

New Design for Exploration Yacht

By Peter Janssen on April 2, 2024 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

By now, we’re all familiar with the “beach club” or “terrace” trends in current yacht design, where the aft deck and swim platform combine into a social zone that extends out over the water or the sides of the bulwarks drop down to provide more useable space when the yacht’s stopped. To varying degrees, you could see these concepts on boats both large and small at boat shows all around the world in the past few years. Now, Pastrovich Studios in Monaco has taken those ideas one step (or several steps) further. Pastrovich, a highly regarded firm with a reputation…

Lyman-Morse Building New Hood 42

By Peter Janssen on April 1, 2024 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Lyman-Morse just announced that it’s building a new cold-molded Hood 42 flybridge cruiser, representing the third joint venture between Lyman-Morse, in Thomaston, Maine, and C.W. Hood Yachts, in Marblehead, Massachusetts. The two companies have already created the Hood 35 LM and the Hood 57 LM, all carrying a timeless Downeast profile, lines and pedigree. The design is inspired by classic Wasque cruisers. Lyman-Morse says that while the new Hood 42 LM “may evoke a golden age of yachting on the outside, under the waterline she sports a modern hull shape optimized for comfort and performance, and she’s constructed with the…

How To Avoid Underwater Hazards

By co_admin on April 1, 2024 Cruising Life

Do you recognize these hazards to safe navigation? Here’s some great advice from Skipper Tips about how to recognize underwater objects that could sink your boat: Can you look at a paper or electronic navigational chart and identify dangerous submerged piles, posts, or stakes? Hazards like these can damage your costly hull, keel, rudder, or propeller. Use these navigation tips for safer sailing worldwide. Look to Section K in Chart No. 1 to know what these symbols and abbreviations look like on your chart. This vital section deals with Rocks, Wrecks, Obstructions and Aquaculture. And indeed, dangers like these are…

Maritimo Launches New Black Edition

By Peter Janssen on April 1, 2024 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Maritimo, the Australian builder that’s celebrating its 20th anniversary, just announced that its launching a new Black Edition series of refinements and upgrades across its 55, 60 and 600 series of luxury motor yachts. The changes start with Maritimo’s already spacious open cockpits that connect to full cruising galleys inside the salon. The new Black Edition includes a redesigned larger transom island that separates the swim platform from the cockpit. The Black Edition has an upgraded lounge and barbeque area and a new forward-facing cockpit lounge. There’s also a new door to access the lazarette, next to the built-in fridge,…

NOAA Outlook: Warmer Spring, Some Flooding

By co_admin on March 27, 2024 Cruising Life

Here is NOAA’s new weather forecast for the spring: Forecasters at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center — a division of the National Weather Service — predict above-average temperatures for most of the Continental U.S. and Alaska, as part of NOAA’s Spring Outlook released today for April through June. Meanwhile, NOAA’s National Water Center predicts a lower-than-average flood risk across the entire country, due in part to historically low winter snow cover across the Upper Great Plains and western U.S. “Climate change is affecting the timing, intensity and duration of weather events in the United States,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D.…

Princess Unveils New Flybridge 58 Cruiser

By Peter Janssen on March 26, 2024 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Princess Yachts, the upscale British builder, just announced at the Palm Beach show that it’s building a new F58, a three-stateroom luxury flybridge cruiser. The F58 is the latest member of Princess’ F series, which already includes a 55 and 65. Easily handled by a couple, with helm stations in the salon and up top on the open flybridge, the new Princess is powered by twin 1,000-hp MAN diesels. Optional 1,200-hp MANs are upgrades if you want even more power. It comes with a low profile, particularly for a flybridge yacht, with sporty lines accented by a slash of glazing…

Heading Offshore? Rent an EPIRB from BoatUS

By co_admin on March 26, 2024 Cruising Life, Electronics

There’s no doubt that an EPIRB could save your life if you have a problem while cruising offshore. But new ones are expensive. BoatUS now offers an affordable program where you can rent one for $65 a week, plus $25 for shipping. Read about it here: SPRINGFIELD, Va., March 25, 2024 – The majority of the nation’s nearly 12 million recreational boaters don’t often travel far offshore, beyond cellular or VHF range. But for those who only do on a rare occasion, having an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) is important, allowing you to summon rescuers if there’s a…

New 50-Knot Electric RIB from eD-TEC

By Peter Janssen on March 26, 2024 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

A German start-up is now starting sea trials on its new all-electric, high-performance 31-foot RIB that cruises at 30 knots and hits 50 knots at its top speed. The company is called eD-TEC, which stands for Electric Driven Technology. Based in Munich, the company was founded by Michael Jost, the former chief strategy officer for Volkswagen, and the new carbon-fiber monohull was developed by Sven Akermann, who’s been designing performance sail and power boats since 2007. The 31-footer is the first in a range of RIBS from 22 to 55 feet. It’s due to be delivered this summer, and it’s…

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