Cruising Life

16 Great Cruising Destinations on the South Shore of Cape Cod and the Islands

By Peter Janssen on July 24, 2018 Cruising Life, Destinations

Some of the best cruising grounds in the U.S., if not the world, are found off the south shore of Cape Cod and the nearby islands – the Elizabeth Islands stretching southwest between Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound, and then Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket offshore. Here’s a look at 16 great cruising destinations there from New England Boating. You can easily cruise to two or three of them (or more) in the same day, but each one is worth a long visit in its own right. First on their list is Cuttyhunk, as it would be for mine too, not…

New Report: Ship Suffered “Heavy Rolling” for 90 Seconds before Losing 81 Containers Off Coast of Australia

By Peter Janssen on July 24, 2018 Cruising Life

The 879-foot-long cargo ship Efficiency rolled 30 degrees to port and starboard for 90 seconds in gale-force winds off the coast of Australia before 81 containers washed overboard in the middle of the night, according to a new report from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. The Liberian-flagged Efficiency was en route from Taiwan to Port Botany, just below Sydney. It was delayed from docking for eight hours, according to the new report, while the crew stopped and restarted the main engine for brief periods of time to control the drift. At this point, the ship was 16 nm off Newcastle, which is…

How To Raft Up to Another Boat – Safely, Securely and With Nary a Scratch. See the Video

By Peter Janssen on July 24, 2018 Cruising Life

Nothing’s more fun than a mid-summer raft-up with friends. In the best of circumstances, a raft-up can be a floating picnic, a way to get together with old and new friends who all share your love of boating. Birds of a feather…In the worst of circumstances, well, you don’t want to go there. Here’s a great video from Motor Boat & Yachting about how to pull off a raft-up so you get all the enjoyment without any scrapes and bumps along the way. As with most of cruising, the key is preparation. If you’re rafting up to just one boat,…

The Best Beaches in the World to Visit by Boat, from the Seychelles to the Hard-to-Reach Hidden Beach in Mexico

By Peter Janssen on July 24, 2018 Cruising Life

Where to go next? Finding new destinations is always a problem. How about heading for some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, accessible by boat? Just drop the hook, take the dink ashore and soak up vistas from the sugar-white sands of the Caribbean, the cobalt-blue waters of the Med, or the history-laden tropics of the Yucatan. Here’s a short list from OceanScape Yachts to help you find your way. For a tranquil beach paradise, take a look at Playa de Flamenco beach, pictured above, in what was called the Passage Islands of Puerto Rico and is now…

New All-Electric Q30 from Finland: Elegant Lines, 80-nm Range, and Light Enough to Tow Behind Your Tesla

By Peter Janssen on July 23, 2018 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

With its super-modern, minimalist clean lines and all-white aesthetic, the new all-electric Q30 from Finland’s Q-Yachts is designed to make a statement. It wants to be the future of boating. It already is quiet and has no emissions, almost no wake, and a cool factor that is off the charts. As one reviewer said, if Apple were to introduce a 30-foot boat, the Q30 would be it. And it performs. The Q30 is powered by a single Oceanvolt AXC20 electric motor and an Oceanvolt 30kWh lithium battery pack; a 60kWh pack is an option. It cruises at 9 knots and…

Sudden Storm Sinks Tourist Duck Boat in Missouri Lake: 17 Dead. Questions About Regulations

By Peter Janssen on July 21, 2018 Cruising Life

Two tourist duck boats, modeled on the amphibious craft used in the Second World War, were out on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri, on a summer evening when the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning at 6:32. The boats carry passengers on an hour-long tour, starting on land, before they go down a boat launch ramp to start a 20-minute circle around the lake. The tours are popular with families; operators give children yellow duck whistles that make a quacking noise. About half an hour after the warning, one of the boats made it back to land.…

Stay Connected Throughout the U.S. and Up To 20 Miles Offshore with the New KVH TracPhone LTE-1

By Peter Janssen on July 17, 2018 Cruising Life, Electronics

What are most people worried about when they’re starting a long cruise, say on the Great Loop, the Inside Passage or through coastal waters? In this internet age, everyone wants to stay connected. And they don’t want to worry about dropped connections, spotty Wi-Fi service at far-flung marinas, or a bundle of unexpected costs showing up in the bill at the end of the month. Now KVH says it has an answer to all that: The new KVH TracPhone LTE-1, a fast, extended-range mobile internet option that works throughout the U.S. and up to 20 miles offshore. It costs $1,699…

Hunt Launches New 54 Express, Smallest in Its Prize-Winning Ocean Series

By Peter Janssen on July 16, 2018 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Hull number one of Hunt Yachts’ new 54 Express is just getting out of the test tank in Taiwan and is almost ready to ship. The smallest yacht in Hunt’s Ocean Series, which goes up to 84 feet, the new 54 Express carries all of Hunt’s legendary craftsmanship, elegant, clean lines, and the deep-V hull that has defined superior offshore performance for more than half a century. The new 54 has the same low profile, long sheer and classic looks that have made Hunts easily recognizable around the world. The first in this new series has a foam-green-colored hull, which…

The 5 Best Islands in Maine; Plan Your Cruise Now

By Peter Janssen on July 16, 2018 Cruising Life, Destinations

The iconic, rocky coast of Maine, filled with finger-like peninsulas, hidden coves and welcoming harbors, is one of the great treats awaiting cruising boat owners. And then there are the islands. Here’s a look at five of Maine’s most beautiful islands from New England Today. If you’re cruising Down East this summer, you’ll want to visit at least some of them, if not all. My personal favorite is Monhegan, pictured above, a small (one square mile) outpost about ten miles off the coast at Port Clyde, which is a great destination in its own right. And it has a fairly…

12 Great New Summer Toys to Make Your Cruising Life Complete

By Peter Janssen on July 15, 2018 Cruising Life, Gear

In case you haven’t had your fill of summer toys, here’s a great list from Forbes to help you out. Forbes calls this a list of billionaire superyacht toys, but the title is misleading. Sure, some are a bit over the top: at $75,000, the Platypus Submersible Watercraft, pictured above, may put your toy budget under water (even though it sure looks like fun). But there 11 other toys, gadgets, bikes and vehicles on this list that could be just right for the rest of us. Here are a few with a lot of appeal. At just $2,799, the Gocycle GS…

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