Sunday, May 5

Browsing: Cruising Life

Four British friends, all amateur rowers, just broke the record for rowing across the Atlantic when they arrived in English Harbour, Antigua, just 29 days and 15 hours after they left the Canary Islands. They beat the previous record by six days, and fought 40-foot swells, hallucinations and food cravings along the way. Plus, chronic fatigue. Calling themselves The Oarsmen, the four raised the equivalent of $348,000 for two medical charities in Britain. They all lost weight and said they often rowed naked because their clothing would tend to rub and chafe. They rowed two hours on, and then two…

Pets and boats seem to go together. Actually, we’ve been cruising with pets, or some type of animal, for about 15,000 years, according to this great story from Atlas Obscura. That’s when Phoenicians carried cats on board to ward off rodents. And ancient Romans took chickens on their warships, believing that if the hens ate before a battle, they would be victorious. In 249 B.C. when the hen did not eat, an incensed Roman admiral threw the bird overboard; his entire fleet was almost wiped out. In more peaceful times, meaning today, people cruise with all types of pets. I…

An improved and more upscale version of the popular Camano 31, the new Helmsman Trawler 31 is being launched at the Seattle boat show, starting Jan. 26. The new Helmsman has the same hull, stability and performance as the old Camano, but now has a redesigned master stateroom and galley, a larger salon and an upgraded interior with more warmth and lots of teak. Overall, the new Helmsman 31 has a no-nonsense salty approach to cruising, offering lots of easy living space inside and outside the boat. With three large windows in front (the middle one opens), and large side…

The Trent-Severn Waterway, the 240-mile-long picturesque passage that connects Lake Ontario to Lake Huron through largely pastoral farmland and little towns in southern Ontario, provides one of the most unique cruising experiences in the world. Indeed, many cruisers who complete the Great Loop say it is the highlight of their entire 5,000-plus-mile trip. The basic route for the Waterway was traveled by Samuel de Champlain in 1615; he saw it as a way to provide a trade and military advantage connecting the two big lakes. After much debate, work on the Waterway, which starts in the town of Trenton, on…

The U.S. Navy just charged the commanding officers of two guided missile destroyers that collided with merchant ships in the far Pacific last summer – resulting in the deaths of 17 sailors – with negligent homicide. Both officers and their seconds-in-command were relieved of their duties after the accidents. Now the commanding officers face courts-martial and military criminal charges. The commanding officer and three other officers on the USS Fitzgerald (pictured top), which collided with a container ship on June 17 off Japan resulting in seven deaths, face charges including dereliction of duty, hazarding a vessel, and negligent homicide. The commanding…

If you’re thinking about a new water toy to put on your dock next to your cruising boat, take a look at the innovative (and relaxing) Ceclo from France. You won’t want to take this out in 10-foot seas, but for a quiet afternoon or evening around your harbor or lagoon, the Ceclo offers something new and fun. And you probably won’t see too many others like it. Made in France, the Ceclo is an electric-powered pedal boat, meaning you can pedal all day if you want, or if you want to take it easy, turn on the electric motor…

A NOAA response team rescued an adult humpback whale that had 340 feet of heavy line caught in its mouth off Maui, in the Hawaii Islands. After the line was cut away and the whale was free, a NOAA official said “the animal immediately breached several times.” The first report of a whale in trouble came from the captain of a fishing boat off Lahaina, Maui, who saw the whale trailing some heavy line. A NOAA team on a small RIB responded quickly, but they said the whale was “very active” at first. Using pole cameras and other gear, they…

Besenzoni, the large Italian marine accessories company, just won a prestigious DAME Design Award at the METSTRADE show in Amsterdam for its new, futuristic helm chair two months ago. Now, it’s introducing three versions of the chair, that seem to do everything except actually drive the boat, at the huge Boot Dusseldorf show opening this weekend. The Besenzoni chair, called the P400 Matrix, is being shown in Prestige, Comfort and Offshore versions, with various levels of luxury, comfort and movement. The innovative Matrix comes with an adjustable headrest, armrests and automatic support for your back. You can raise or lower…

The Moorings is planning its third annual BVI BoatU.S. Flotilla, a week-long cruise in company of the British Virgin Islands for BoatU.S. members, for May 19-26. The itinerary this year includes all the highlights of the BVI as part of a worry-free cruise under a Moorings flotilla leader. The Flotilla fee is $500 per boat, which includes support of a lead boat, a group dinner ashore, a vacation planner and even an official Flotilla T-shirt. The itinerary this year starts with a welcome ceremony at The Moorings charter base in Road Town, Tortola, with a departure the next morning, arriving…

Nordhavn is starting work on a new 80-foot boat, the latest addition to its long-range cruisers, at the South Coast yard in Xiamen, China. It fits between the company’s 76- and 86-foot models. “For some, the 86 is just too big,” says Jim Leishman, Nordhavn’s vice president. “At 80 feet, this boat will be that much more manageable.” While maintaining all of Nordhavn’s famed seakeeping and world-cruising attributes, the new 80 will have a more modern look than some of the company’s previous models. The sheerline, for example, is long and straight; the foredeck is almost parallel to the waterline.…

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