Cruising Life

More Protection for North Atlantic Right Whales

By Peter Janssen on October 23, 2022 Cruising Life

Spurred by the growth of offshore wind farms, the Federal Government is trying to offer more protection for endangered North Atlantic right whales. Indeed, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) just announced a draft of their strategy to protect the whales. They want to better understand the effects of offshore wind farms on the whales and their habitat, and they started a public review and comment period that ends on Dec. 4. Amanda Lefton, BOEM director, said the agency “is deeply committed to ensuring responsible offshore wind energy development while protecting…

VisionF Black Cat Captures Solar Power

By Peter Janssen on October 22, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

If you’re thinking about a boat that stands out from the crowd, take a look at the new all-black VisionF 80 catamaran from Turkey. The company says on its website that “We create innovative, exciting yachts that stand out with their distinctive designs.” But the black color is more than a cry for attention or a fashion statement. The black color is designed to attract more heat from the sun and convert it to energy, feeding the solar panels that seem to cover the boat. As is, the solar panels provide enough energy to power the black cat’s house systems.…

IBEX Makes Ten Innovation Awards

By Peter Janssen on October 21, 2022 Cruising Life

The International BoatBuilders Exhibition (IBEX) just made its annual Innovation Awards to ten companies, plus three more for honorable mentions. The awards program is managed by the National Marine Manufacturers Association, and judged by members of Boating Writers International. The awards this year were presented in an on-line ceremony. The winners: Boat Care and Maintenance: ElectroSea, ElectroStrainer: Judge Phil Gutoski said, “This clever combination of a salt chlorinator cell and seawater strainer reduces biofouling in raw water-cooled marine plumbing systems.. Boatbuilding Methods and Materials: Massivit 3D, Massivit 1000 Additive Tooling System. Judge Julia Carleton said, “The Massivit 1000 dramatically simplifies…

Windy To Debut SR44 SX at Lauderdale

By Peter Janssen on October 19, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The high-end Windy SR44 SX sport cruiser, powered by three 425-hp Yamaha outboards, will make its U.S. debut at the Fort Lauderdale show next week. The new Windy is an acknowledgement of the growing popularity of outboard power here. It has a top speed of just over 50 knots, and provides a fast but solid and comfortable ride throughout the speed range. With its clean, modern, Scandinavian lines, the new Windy is just as likely to garner head-turning attention in Key West and Block Island as it is in Monaco or Ibiza. The SR44 SX is the successor to an…

Hacker-Craft To Use Electric Power

By Peter Janssen on October 19, 2022 Cruising Life

Hacker-Craft, one of the oldest names in American boating, is going electric. Hacker-Craft just announced that it has formed a partnership with Ingenity Electric to use Ingenity electric drive trains in its new boats, starting with a 27-foot Hacker-Craft Special Sport that will be unveiled at the Fort Lauderdale boat show next week. The boat will be powered by Ingenity’s integrated drive package with 126kWh of battery capacity and have remote connectivity with the Osmosis telematics platform. You can recharge the battery overnight at a regular dock, or as fast as 1.5 hours at a high-capacity DC fast charter at…

Ferretti Launches New 860 Luxury Cruiser

By Peter Janssen on October 18, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

The Ferretti Group just introduced its new Ferretti 860 flybridge motor yacht at the Cannes Yachting Festival, a luxurious, Italian-made cruiser that would be just as much at home in the glamorous ports of the Med or heading to the Keys or Nantucket. Some of the more notable features of the new 860 include floor-to-ceiling windows in the salon, a glass parapet at the stern (so you can enjoy an unbroken view), a sliding glazed door that opens to the port side deck, and an optional jacuzzi for the flybridge. Standard power is twin 1,800-hp V12 MAN diesels. With optional…

Crab fleet in Dutch Harbor, Alaska. Photo: US Coast Guard; Holly Hugunin

Alaska Cancels Snow Crab Season

By Peter Janssen on October 18, 2022 Cruising Life, On Watch with Peter Janssen

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game just cancelled this year’s snow crab season in the Bering Sea for the first time ever. It said that 90 percent of the snow crab population has been lost in the past few years, probably as a result of warmer waters and climate change. The current number of crabs, the department said, is below the threshold for opening the fishery. The annual season usually opens on Oct. 15. The snow crab fleet consists of about 65 boats; some of them are in the Coast Guard’s picture of Dutch Harbor, above. The crabbers and…

Iliad Unveils New 53 Flybridge Power Cat

By Peter Janssen on October 17, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Iliad Catamarans just unveiled its new 53 Flybridge in Australia, a blue-water, long-range cruiser with impressive space and performance. The new power cat has high clearance and high freeboard for its bridge deck that helps to keep its ride soft and safe, even in less-than-ideal conditions. The flybridge makes use of the cat’s almost-25-foot beam to create a large social area that offers unobstructed views all around. It has a centered two-person helm seat with a bar on the starboard side and a large U-shaped seating area and table to port. A hardtop, with a sunroof, provides some weather protection.…

Coast Guard Rescues 3 Men and a Dog

By Peter Janssen on October 17, 2022 Cruising Life

The Coast Guard and others recently rescued three men and a dog from a 57-foot cruising boat that was sinking off Sucia Island in the San Juans in Washington State. The Coast Guard received a call about 2 p.m.saying that a boat was taking on water after it hit some rocks entering Echo Bay on Sucia. A small, picturesque island, Sucia is just north of Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands group. It’s near the U.S.-Canadian border. The Coast Guard immediately sent a 45-foot response boat from Bellingham to help. Fortunately, Good Samaritans arrived at the scene first and…

Nimbus Launches 365 Coupe Family Cruiser

By Peter Janssen on October 17, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life

Nimbus will display its new 365 Coupe, a sporty cruising boat with some Scandinavian flair, at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, starting Oct. 26. Nimbus, a Swedish builder, says the 365 Coupe is a functional boat; it has everything a family or a couple need for a weekend, or much longer, cruise. There are two cabins below, with one head, and two more people can sleep on the convertible settee in the salon. And it’s made for easy handling and comfortable cruising. The walkaround side decks are protected by high railings, and there’s a door opening from the helm…

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