Cruising Life

Raymarine Introduces Its First Open-Array Radar with Enhanced Targeting and Tracking for Cruising Boats

By Peter Janssen on May 13, 2018 Cruising Life, Electronics

Raymarine has just introduced its first open array radar with a sleek modern pedestal that will fit on any cruising boat and that brings long-range performance and small-target imaging to any Raymarine MFD. The new Magnum radar comes with either 4kW or 12kW power output, and either a four-foot or six-foot antenna array. Magnum’s maximum range is 96 nm for the 12kW version, and 72 nm for the 4kW version, making it ideal for any blue-water cruiser. Using the same technologies as the U.S. Coast Guard, Magnum is a companion to Raymarine’s award-winning Axiom and Axiom Pro MFDs running Lighthouse…

How to Leave a Dock on a Windy Day: Keep Positive Control and Don’t Dawdle!

By Peter Janssen on May 9, 2018 Cruising Life

Leaving a dock on a windy day can be challenging, if not intimidating, particularly if the wind is holding you on the dock. But there are ways to get off cleanly and under control. Docking on my single-screw Grand Banks 36 (without a bow thruster) was not always fun. But I did make good use of some tips from the pros, which you can use whether you have a single or twin-screw boat. If the wind is holding you on the dock, take a spring line aft from the bow and loop it around a dock cleat toward the middle…

New Sirena 58: Built for Liveaboard Comfort and for Cruising “All Corners of the World”

By Peter Janssen on May 9, 2018 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The new Sirena 58 is built for liveaboard comfort with lots of space inside and out. It also is built for long-range cruising. Indeed, German Frers, the famed naval architect who designed it, says it’s a mini explorer yacht made for cruising “all corners of the world.” The new cruiser, built by Sirena Yachts in Turkey, has a Frers-designed hull that’s smooth and efficient at displacement and planing speeds. With two standard 650-hp Cat diesels, the Sirena 58 tops out at 26.5 knots; with optional 850-hp Cats, it reaches 30 knots. Dial back to 10 knots, and the Sirena 58…

For the Best of Land and Sea, Check Out San Diego’s Hotel Marinas, with First-Class Amenities All Around

By Peter Janssen on May 8, 2018 Cruising Life, Destinations

If you’re cruising in Southern California, you might want to think about taking advantage of the many marinas that are run by hotels in San Diego, one of the prime boating destinations on the West Coast. You can get the best of both worlds, land and sea, by tying up at one of the city’s first-class marinas and then making use of the hotel’s amenities on shore. Here are some ideas from The Log. One of the largest of these is Kona Kai Marina on Shelter Island, part of the decidedly upscale Kona Kai Resort (pictured above). The marina, which…

Humpback Whales Enjoying Baby Boom in the Antarctic

By Peter Janssen on May 8, 2018 Cruising Life

Here’s some good news: Humpback whales are making a comeback in the Antarctic; in fact, they’re enjoying something of a baby boom. A new study under Ari Friedlaender of the University of California at Santa Cruz reports that female humpback whales are having higher pregnancy rates and giving birth to more calves in recent years than previously. The whales were almost hunted out of existence in the late 19thcentury and for most of the 20thcentury, until international treaties were signed to protect them. The whales, which grow to the size of a school bus, have life spans similar to ours.…

New Garmin inReach Mini Fits in the Palm of Your Hand, but Can Provide Worldwide Two-Way Messaging and SOS

By Peter Janssen on May 7, 2018 Cruising Life, Electronics

The new Garmin inReach Mini, a powerful two-way satellite communicator, is so small that it fits in the palm of your hand. But it lets you send and receive messages through the Iridium satellite network and it has an emergency SOS function that operates 24/7. Not bad for a device that weighs 3.5 ounces and is 4 inches tall and 2 inches wide. With the inReach Mini, you don’t have to worry about being out of cell range or off the grid, as long as you have a subscription to the worldwide Iridium network. And you can pair it with…

New York Gov. Cuomo Promises to Organize a “Citizens’ Fleet” to Block Offshore Drilling; Cites Winston Churchill at Dunkirk

By Peter Janssen on May 7, 2018 Cruising Life

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, just promised to organize a “citizens’ fleet” to block offshore drilling proposed by the Trump Administration. “I’m going to commission a citizen fleet to stop it just as Winston Churchill did at Dunkirk,” he said, recalling the heroic rescue of British and Allied troops from France in the early days of the Second World War. Cuomo called Trump’s decision to permit offshore drilling “an unacceptable risk,” and said he would organize fishing and recreational vessels to stop it in a speech attacking the Administration’s environmental and energy policies. The Administration’s policy would open…

Meet the New Albemarle Loop: Slow Down and Enjoy North Carolina

By Peter Janssen on May 7, 2018 Cruising Life, Destinations

A group of North Carolina marinas and businesses has formed a new organization aimed at cruising boat owners called The Albemarle Loop, making it easier to enjoy the waterfront towns, culture and history that surround Albemarle Sound. Now you can stray away from the magenta line marking the middle of Intracoastal Waterway on most charts and explore the many rivers, creeks, coves and communities on Albemarle Sound, or take advantage of The Albemarle Loop to make it an important part of your journey. There are now 12 marinas in The Albemarle Loop program, offering free or low-cost slips, fresh water…

Palm Beach Motor Yachts Announces New Flagship 70 with Same Beautiful Lines but More Room Inside

By Peter Janssen on May 7, 2018 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Palm Beach just started building its new flagship, a Palm Beach 70, at its factory in Malaysia. The new 70 is scheduled to be launched later this year, and the company has already sold the first two hulls. The Palm Beach lineup now has six models, from 42 to 65 feet. The new 70 will have more interior volume than the 65, particularly in the midships master stateroom and the other guest staterooms, although the company emphasizes that the boat’s interior can be completely customized to fit the individual owner’s desires. One of the first hulls features four staterooms and…

Meet Untold Horizon, a New Voyage-Planning Service from Professional Mariners

By Peter Janssen on May 6, 2018 Cruising Life

Wondering where to go on your next cruise, or the best way to get there? Now you can get help from a new voyage-planning service from Untold Horizon that will help you prepare so you will arrive safely and securely. I just found out about this new effort myself when I stopped by the Untold Horizon booth at the Connecticut Spring Boat Show in Essex, and met Jeremy Dann, the president of the company. A graduate of the Maine Maritime Academy, Dann holds a 500-ton Master Domestic license and a 300-ton Master International license and has worked as the captain…

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