Cruising Life

Ellen Garland

New Study: How Whales Share Their Songs

By Peter Janssen on September 6, 2022 Cruising Life

Humpback whales, it turns out, are creating individual songs and then sharing them with other whales. A new study says the songs can pass from one whale population to another, and even from the Pacific to the Atlantic. “Half the globe is now vocally connected for whales,” said Ellen Garland, a marine biologist at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and the author of the study, “and that’s insane.” Her study was just published in the Royal Society Open Science journal. Her eight-year study found that whales off Australia pass songs to whales in French Polynesia who pass them…

Riva Unveils First All-Electric Runabout

By Peter Janssen on September 5, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Riva, the glamorous and iconic Italian builder, just unveiled its first electric boat at a private event at the Monaco Yacht Club. The new boat, named Riva El-Iseo, is a fully electric, 27-foot runabout prototype. The name comes from Lake Iseo, in northern Italy, where Rivas are made and where Riva is celebrating its 180th anniversary. “El-Iseo is a glorious new chapter in the challenge that only Riva can experience every day,” said Alberto Galassi, CEO of the Ferretti Group, Riva’s parent company, “that of combining its legendary history with cutting-edge technology to generate beauty and style that will never…

New Caracat: 28-foot Boat/Camper

By Peter Janssen on September 5, 2022 Cruising Life

If you want to go boating in a lot of different spots, or if you just want to have fun on the water in a different kind of vessel, take a look at the new Caracat electric catamaran that you also can tow behind your SUV and use as a camper. The Caracat is 28’ 2” long and it has the basics for a day or a night on land or on the water. It transforms from a water vessel to a land-based camper via a patented design of two pontoons that swing out or retract at the push of…

New Vandal Explorers: “Less is More”

By Peter Janssen on August 31, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Vandal Marine in The Netherlands just announced that they’re introducing a new Explorer series at the Cannes show, starting Sept. 6. The new 46-foot offshore boats have foils for speed and fuel efficiency. They also embrace the company’s philosophy that “less is more” with a cool, industrial-chic look and without any of the extraneous bells and whistles that have been added to a lot of other new boats recently. The company says the new Explorers “enhance the sense of adventure by removing unnecessary complications,” and that they have everything you need while eliminating everything you can do without. The result…

New Study: Sea Levels To Rise 10 Inches

By Peter Janssen on August 30, 2022 Cruising Life

Melting ice in Greenland could result in a 10-inch rise in sea water around the world, more than twice the increase previously believed, according to a new study. The problem is what researchers call “zombie ice,” or ice that is no longer getting replenished from glaciers that are receiving less snow because of global warming. It is basically doomed ice that eventually will melt and raise sea levels. A new study just published in Nature Climate Change looked at Greenland’s melting ice sheet and said the sea levels would raise by at least ten inches even if we stopped burning…

Arksen Launching Adventure Boats

By Peter Janssen on August 30, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Arksen, the new and innovative British builder, just announced that it’s launching two new boats, a 28 and a 30, in its Adventure series. The new boats will make their debut at the Southampton show, starting Sept. 16. Started just two years ago, Arksen has specialized in making larger expedition and explorer yachts, with models now going up to 85 feet. For the two new smaller models, it formed a partnership with XO Boats, which makes rugged go-anywhere vessels with military-grade aluminum. The boats have deep-V hulls for offshore performance, and they’re powered by twin outboards. Arksen says the 28…

Canada Luxury Tax Starts Sept. 1

By Peter Janssen on August 30, 2022 Cruising Life

The 10 percent Canadian luxury tax on boats costing more than $250,000 started on Sept. 1, despite the efforts of the boating industry there and in the U.S. to derail it. Officially, the tax is called the Select Luxury Tax Act. It will add 10 percent to the value of new boats that cost more than $250,000 Canadian (just over $191,000 in U.S. dollars), and cars and aircraft that cost more than $100,000 Canadian (about $77,000 U.S. dollars.) The tax applies to new boats purchased for recreational use. The Canadian government says it is one way to redistribute wealth and…

De Antonio Launches 36 with Hidden Outboards

By Peter Janssen on August 29, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

De Antonio Yachts will launch its creative new D36, with twin outboards hidden under a large sun pad aft, at the Cannes Yachting Festival, starting Sept. 6. Built in the De Antonio yard in Barcelona, the new D36 can hold twin outboards from 300- to 450-hp. With the larger outboards, the boat cruises at 27 knots and tops out at 45 knots. De Antonio now builds five models from 28 to 50 feet. The D36 comes in both an Open and a Cruiser version: the Cruiser has a basic T-type hard top or an extended hard top to provide more…

Sarp Launches Head-Turning XSR 85

By Peter Janssen on August 29, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

If you really want to make a statement with your next yacht, take a look at the new Sarp XSR 85 with its Porsche Guards Red hull that the builder just launched in Turkey. This stunning-looking cruiser is powered by twin 800-hp MANs, and it tops out at 21 knots. Dial back to 12 knots, and it has a range of 1,000 nm. The hull color will make turn heads wherever the yacht goes. And passengers inside will have panoramic views since the entire salon is surrounded by glass, offering natural light and visibility all around. The salon is built…

How To Navigate Bridges Safely

By Peter Janssen on August 28, 2022 Cruising Life

Waiting for a bridge to open is really not one of the most fun parts of boating. For anyone new to cruising, it can be a stress-making time, particularly if other boats are waiting at the same time for the same bridge. Here’s some basic advice from America’s Boating Club (formerly the U.S. Power Squadrons) about how to navigate bridges safely: To navigate bridges safely, particularly on the Intracoastal Waterway, boaters should be aware of a few safety and protocol basics. Do you know the vertical clearance your boat needs to pass safely under a bridge? If not, find out…

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