Cruising Life

New Weego Power Packs Supply More Jump Starts for Your Boat

By Peter Janssen on October 6, 2018 Cruising Life, Gear, Maintenance

If you want to jump start your boat, or your upcoming holiday shopping, take a look at the new Weego power packs. The Weego 44 and Weego 66 Power Packs are compact, rugged devices that have more power and features to make sure your vessel can start every time. They make a useful piece of gear for your boat at any time, and they also could be a much-appreciated addition to a holiday gift list for your favorite boat owner. Both Weegos have 10 percent more cranking amps of power, with the Weego 66 (pictured above) providing 660 cranking amps,…

Sabre Starting Work on New 31-Knot 58 Salon Express. Stay Tuned

By Peter Janssen on October 6, 2018 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Sabre Yachts is working on a new three-stateroom 58 Salon Express that it plans to launch early next fall. The new Down East cruiser will be powered by Volvo IPS950 pod drives and is expected to top out at 31 knots and cruise at 27 knots. The tooling is now underway. The hull mold will be delivered to the Sabre factory in Raymond, Maine, from the tooling shop in Rhode Island soon, with the deck tooling not far behind. When it’s completed, the Sabre 58 will be delivered in the water in Portland. The new 58 is designed to replace…

Yamaha, Raymarine, Awlgrip and Ten Others Win IBEX Innovation Awards

By Peter Janssen on October 4, 2018 Cruising Life, Electronics, Engine Room, Gear, Maintenance

Yamaha, Raymarine and Awlgrip were among the winners of the 2018 Innovation Awards at the International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference in Tampa. The awards, made in 13 categories, were managed by the National Marine Manufacturers Association and judged by eight members of Boating Writers International. “This year’s entries were very focused on improving the boating experience,” said Alan Wendt, chairman of the judging panel. “From solving simple issues with canvas to more complex engineering challenges with hardware and composites, there is ample evidence of innovation underway in a thriving industry.” Yamaha won the outboard category for its new V-8, XTO…

Heading South? Here Are Updates from Florence: What’s Open, and What’s Not

By Peter Janssen on October 1, 2018 Cruising Life

Heading South this fall? If so, or if you’re just planning a trip down the Intracoastal Waterway in the future, you’ll want to take a look at this comprehensive update on storm damage from Florence. Compiled by Waterway Guide and updated frequently, it tells you what’s open and what’s not along the way. The information comes from cruisers, marinas, the Coast Guard and Waterway Guide partners, and covers marinas, bridges, facilities and locks along the ICW. Marinas and bridges are listed by state, while navigation updates are provided for the affected areas: Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida East Coast, Florida…

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Annapolis ’18: More Boats, More To See and Do. Plus: Our Reviews of 32 New Cruising Boats

By Peter Janssen on October 1, 2018 Cruising Life

The United States Powerboat Show in Annapolis is always a popular show – for a whole lot of reasons. It’s fun, it’s easy to get to, and it’s easy to see a lot of new boats and gear there. And it’s in Annapolis, the hub of the Chesapeake, a cruising mecca with boatyards and marinas – and waterfront restaurants and bars – all around. Centered around City Dock, in the middle of town (also known as Ego Alley), this year the show, the 47th annual, runs from Thursday, Oct. 11, through Sunday, Oct. 14. It has many more boats than ever…

The Lasting Appeal of 1920s Commuter Yachts: Here’s a Slideshow of Six of Today’s Best

By Peter Janssen on September 30, 2018 Cruising Life

The idea – and then the reality – of commuter yachts started in the Roaring Twenties, when newly rich (and old-monied) Wall Street masters of the universe wanted a faster, and much more fun, way to commute to work from their estates on the golden North Shore of Long Island Sound than on the railroad. Think Gatsby, but with longer lives. As a result, sleek, low-profile, 20-knot yachts, usually with enough mahogany inside to populate a small forest, were born. The elegant designs of commuter yachts, with their clean, graceful and often awe-inspiring lines, have lived on. Here’s a slideshow…

In Light of State Department Warnings, How Safe is Mexico Today? The Log Has Some Answers

By Peter Janssen on September 30, 2018 Cruising Life, Destinations

Travel advisories are often issued by the United States, but how dangerous is it south of the border? MEXICO — There are certainly a fair share of boaters who navigate to and from Mexico’s many marinas and boating destinations on a regular basis, giving no mind to the travel advisories issued by the U.S.’s State Department. Yet others might buy into this notion of Mexico being a drug cartel playground, with innocent U.S. tourists caught in the middle of heated gun battles. Traveling always comes with risks, to be sure. Some people will invariably have bad experiences, even if they…

New 230-Foot Eco-Yacht Designed To Pluck 5 Tons of Plastic a Day from the Ocean and Then Power Itself with That Waste

By Peter Janssen on September 29, 2018 Cruising Life

Plans for the new Ocean Saviour, a 230-foot, $52 million eco-yacht that is designed to collect plastic from the ocean and then power itself by recycling that waste into fuel, were just unveiled in Southampton, UK. The boat will have two booms on either side that will funnel floating pollution into a conveyer. The plastic then will be chopped into tiny pieces, milled and processed onboard to power the boat. The high-tech process on Ocean Saviour will destroy ocean waste completely with “minimal atmospheric pollution,” according to its designers. The yacht can scoop up five tons of plastic pollution a day and…

Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island Resort To Reopen Soon, Rebuilt After Irma. See His Video

By Peter Janssen on September 29, 2018 Cruising Life, Destinations

Sir Richard Branson is going to reopen his exclusive and beautiful vacation property on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands in a few weeks. It had been seriously damaged by Hurricane Irma last fall. “Delighted that Necker Island will soon be open again as we continue the recovery,” Branson wrote. Branson bought the 74-acre island in the ‘70s for $180,000 and spent millions making it one of the most sought-after luxury resorts in the world. Over the years, the guest list has included royals, Kate Moss, Kate Winslet, the late Nelson Mandela, and former President Barack Obama and his…

New Vicem 65 IPS Classic: A Down-East Look from a Veteran Turkish Builder

By Peter Janssen on September 29, 2018 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The new Vicem 65 IPS Classic, the Turkish-built yacht with classic Down East lines, will have its world debut at the Annapolis powerboat show starting Oct. 11. The new low-profile beauty with its long sheerline and built-in-Maine-like tumblehome is the 153rd yacht built in Vicem’s 27-year history, and its 12th in the 60-foot segment. Powered by twin 800-hp Volvo diesels with IPS 1050 pod drives, the new Vicem cruises at 26 knots and tops out at 30 knots. At its cruising speed, the boat has a range of about 420 nm. Because of its cold-molded construction process using marine mahogany, Vicem…

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