Cruising Life

Fire Sinks One Boat at Charleston Fuel Dock, Damages Another. See Story and Video

By Peter Janssen on May 30, 2017 Cruising Life

Matthew Chase had just filled up the gas tank of a 32-foot powerboat at the Ashley Marina in Charleston, South Carolina, at about 9:45 on Memorial Day morning. Chase, who works at Ashley, one of the most popular stops for boat owners cruising on the ICW nearby, said, “I stepped back like we always do, standard procedure, and then he went to start the boat and it must have sparked something and it blew up.” Chase was worried that the boat fire could set off a larger fire at the fuel dock, “so I ran pretty far away.” The two…

NOAA Wants To End Support for Charts Used by Recreational Boaters

By Peter Janssen on May 29, 2017 Cruising Life

This may be the end of paper charts as we know them. In a move that could have a tremendous impact on the safety of navigation for recreational boat owners, NOAA has announced plans to end its support of the system it has been using to produce more than 1,000 paper charts as well as the charts used in cruising guides and chart books. The plan also would downgrade the value of electronic charts used in recreational boats. This proposal is an about face from what NOAA officials said in 2014 when they decided to let private companies print official…

Terrifying Video of Great White Shark Attacking Kayaker

By Peter Janssen on May 28, 2017 Cruising Life

Brian Correiar, an experienced Scuba diver, was paddling his red, 14-foot-long kayak in Monterey Bay, California, when he heard a loud “bang.” A great white shark was attacking it. Correiar said he flew through the air and landed outside the kayak. He looked back “and to my horror saw a great white shark no more than three feet away had my kayak in its mouth.” As you can see from this video, taken from shore, Correiar starts swimming backward, yelling, “No, God, no” even while the shark is swimming toward him with the kayak in its jaws. “I was sure…

On His “Dream Greek Holiday,” A British Tourist Dies Riding an Inflatable Sofa

By Peter Janssen on May 27, 2017 Cruising Life

It was 5 in the evening on the sixth, and last day, of what Simon Crewe, a 57-year-old carpenter from Leicestershire, England, called a “dream Greek holiday.” As a final treat, he and his brother David and a friend signed up for a ride on a yellow inflatable sofa pulled by a speedboat off the island of Cephalonia, in the Ionian Sea just west of the Greek mainland (pictured above). Simon Crewe’s partner, Vicki David, was on the speedboat, taking a holiday video. They had just started, when David Crewe said he heard “a massive bang,” and something hit his…

Kingfisher: A 1959 Classic Huckins for Charter

By Peter Janssen on May 25, 2017 Charter, Cruising Life

How’s this for a different kind of charter – Kingfisher, a recently restored classic 50-foot Huckins Corinthian built in 1959? Available in the Northeast this summer, Kingfisher certainly qualifies as a class act, whether you want it for a wedding, a cocktail cruise, a long weekend or more. Think about arriving in Nantucket, Newport, or Sag Harbor with your friends or family; Kingfisher would certainly cause heads to turn. The yacht has two cabins, both with heads and showers, plus a protected salon, a large shaded flybridge, a roomy salon with settee and large side windows, a raised foredeck with…

St. Croix: The Largest, Most Historic, and Most Laid-Back of the U.S. Virgin Islands

By Peter Janssen on May 24, 2017 Cruising Life, Destinations

With its warm waters, white beaches and protected harbors, St. Croix has been attracting visitors ever since Columbus landed there in 1493. Unfortunately, he was almost immediately attacked by the native Kalinago, and quickly sailed away. The Dutch and English had better luck, forming settlements in 1625, but they fought with each other and subsequent European nations trying to claim the place. Indeed, no fewer than seven nations (including the Knights of Malta and Denmark) have fought for ownership of St. Croix over the years. The U.S. finally bought the island, which is about 40 nm below St. Thomas (and…

Garmin’s New 360-Degree Spherical Camera, With GPS (Of Course)

By Peter Janssen on May 24, 2017 Cruising Life, Electronics, Gear

Garmin has just introduced the VIRB 360, a versatile, compact, waterproof, spherical 360-degree camera. It offers high-quality video up to 5.7K/30fps, it has four built-in microphones to capture sounds in all directions, and it comes with a 4K Spherical Stabilization to make your video look smooth and steady. And, taking advantage of its built-in GPS (this is Garmin, after all), the VIRB 360 provides custom data overlays for all its settings. “The VIRB 360 lets you relive personal experiences and share them with your friends – from a different point of view, every time,” says Garmin VP Dan Bartel. “VIRB…

Army Corps Says Great Dismal Swamp Canal Won’t Reopen Until Late Summer

By Peter Janssen on May 24, 2017 Cruising Life

If you’re planning on the Great Loop or just cruising on the East Coast this summer, you’ll have to wait a while to go through the Great Dismal Swamp. The Army Corps of Engineers, which closed the Great Dismal Swamp Canal after Hurricane Matthew in October, now says it may not reopen until late this summer. The 22-mile-long canal dates back to George Washington, who visited the Great Dismal Swamp in 1763 and suggested draining it to create a waterway connecting the Chesapeake with Albemarle Sound in North Carolina. After the canal was dug, mostly by slave labor, it opened…

A Speeding Cat Kills Friend and Passenger on Smaller Boat in Fort Lauderdale

By Peter Janssen on May 24, 2017 Cruising Life

A 31-foot catamaran, going fast, crashed into the back of a 22-foot center console running slowly in the Intracoastal Waterway in Fort Lauderdale at 10:30 last Saturday night, killing two people on the smaller boat and injuring two more. No one on the cat was hurt. Witnesses said the cat, driven by Max Irvine, 36, rode up over the back of the center console as it approached Bokamper’s Sports Bar and Grill on the Waterway at 32nd Street. “The catamaran straddles the other boat,” said Timothy Heiser, the assistant chief of Fort Laudardale’s Fire-Rescue. The drivers of the two boats…

Problems with Your Diesel? Here’s a Great Guide on How To Diagnose and Fix Them

By Peter Janssen on May 23, 2017 Cruising Life, Engine Room, Maintenance

Do you know what to do if your diesel exhaust suddenly turns grey? Or the engine loses power? Or overheats? Even if you do, here’s one of the best and most thorough stories I’ve seen about how to diagnose and fix most problems with a diesel engine. It’s great as a primer, if you’re new to diesels, and as a refresher, if you’re an old hand. And it covers all the bases, including how to bleed air from the injectors, drain a filter, and change an impeller. The graphics are clear and easy to understand. Take a look: http://www.yachtingmonthly.com/sailing-skills/diagnose-and-fix-marine-diesel-engine-problems-29940

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