Browsing: Gear

Cruising Life
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Garmin Introduces New Boating Smartwatch

Garmin just introduced three models of the new quatix 7 GPS smartwatch that lets you navigate, check your boat’s engines and set an anchor alert, among many other things. The three models are the quatix 7, quatix 7 Sapphire, and quatix 7X Solar. The standard quatix 7 models are cased in a stainless-steel bezel with a Gorilla Glass lens. The quatix 7 Sapphire models are cased in a diamond-like, carbon-coated titanium with a Sapphire lens. The Solar models are also coated with the carbon  titanium, but they have a Power Sapphire lens for solar recharging. All the watches provide wearable…

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New Switlik Head-High Life Vest Design

Here’s a new look in life vests from Switlik Survival products – the eVolution UA-80 that provides under-arm floatation to keep the wearer’s head and arms higher out of the water than traditional vests do. So far, most vests are the yoke type that you wear around your neck. Switlik takes a different approach, going under the arms. Switlik, with headquarters in Trenton, New Jersey, says the eVolution UA-80 is the first of its kind to be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration for professional aviators and flight crews. The new Switlik uses a two-chamber inflatable air bladder, an approach…

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Red Voyager: An SUP with a Deep-V Hull

Ever since C. Raymond Hunt first developed the Deep-V hull more than 60 years ago, it’s been the hull of choice for Hunt Yachts and many other brands around the world for its superior offshore performance. But Ray Hunt could not have foreseen the latest iteration of a his Deep-V: It’s now on a new line of Red Voyager inflatable stand-up paddleboards, because it’s said to cut through the water easier, providing a smoother ride for the person standing on top. The Red Paddle Company is using a Deep-V on three Voyager SUPs to make cruising long distances safer and…

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New Holiday Gifts for Safe Boating from BoatUS

It’s that time of the year again. What to give your favorite boat owner, or crew? Here are some great ideas about holiday gifts that will keep everyone on board safe for years to come.  ANNAPOLIS, Md., Nov. 12, 2021 – Bulky, square orange life vests have given way to more comfortable belt- or harness-style inflatable floatation devices, yet many recreational boaters still carry only the former aboard. Are boaters up-to-date on today’s newest technology-inspired boating safety gear? With the holidays around the corner, the nonprofit BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water offers a buying guide for technology…

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Yamaha Introduces 9.9-hp Electric Outboard

Yamaha just introduced its HARMO electric outboard to the U.S. at the big International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) in Tampa. The outboard couples a 48-volt power supply with a high-yield, low-drag 3.7 kilowatt motor. The rim-drive electric motor and specially encased impeller provide 225 pounds of static thrust. Yamaha says that is the equivalent of a conventional 9.9-hp gasoline outboard. The electric outboard’s running time depends on the type of battery, the size, configuration and other parameters. Rim motors have been used for thrusters and some other marine applications in the past, but Yamaha says this this the first…

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11 Winners for IBEX Innovation Awards

The International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) just announced the 11 winners and three runners-up of their annual Innovation Awards in Tampa. The awards were announced at a keynote breakfast celebrating IBEX’s 30th anniversary attended by 800 people. The awards program is managed by the National Marine Manufacturers Association with judging by members of Boating Writers International. Dozens of manufacturers submitted entries to the contest. “This year’s Innovation Awards program saw an incredible collection of entries,” said Anne Dunbar, the show director. She said the judges “had their work cut out for them to select winners to join the ranks…

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Father, Son Cross English Channel on Fliteboards

A British father and son just rode their electric-powered hydrofoil Fliteboards across the English Channel in 1 hour and 44 minutes, setting a Guinness World Record for their performance. Rob Wylie, 51, and his son Morgan, 19, started in Cap Gris-Nez in northern France and rode, or foiled, for 23 miles until they landed in Folkstone, England. They both fell off their boards several times because of masses of seaweed in the water and fishing crates bobbing on the surface. Rob said that about half way across he didn’t think they would make it. The batteries were getting low “and…

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Inflatable Takacat: Creative, Fun, Tender

Here’s a fresh idea for a dink or tender or just a fun boat to have around, particularly when space is tight: The New Zealand-made Takacat, a catamaran-style inflatable with an open bow and transom that’s lightweight, compact, versatile and cost effective. The open bow is made for easy boarding from a mothership, or from the water if you’ve been swimming. And the fully removable transom keeps the boat dry, since water can flow out the back, while making it easy to pack the Takacat in two storage bags. Takacats come in six sizes from 8’ 6” to 15 feet…

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Nemo: World’s Smallest Dive System

Here’s a new way to explore underwater (at least to ten feet underwater) without all the hassle of a scuba tanks. Nemo, from Blu3 (pronounced “blue”), is a ten-pound, battery-operated portable dive system that’s so user-friendly that you can even take it on the plane with you. A U.S. company, Blue3 says that Nemo, with its patent-pending technology, is the world’s smallest dive system. It’s designed particularly for people who are used to snorkeling but want to explore farther underwater. Nemo consists of a buoyant foam rectangle and tube with a custom battery-powered compressor, which pumps air to the diver…

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New Seakart: Half Jet Ski, Half RIB

If you’re ready for some fun this summer, or any other time, take a look at the new Seakart 335, a hybrid mix of a jet ski and a RIB. The 11’ 5” Seakart has the fun and performance of a jet ski, combined with the capacity and safety of a RIB. Not a bad idea. Power comes from a 110-hp or 180-hp four-stroke Yamaha jet drive. With the 110, top speed is 39 knots; with the 180, it’s 56 knots. The Seakart has a console like that of a jet ski, down to the mirrors, but the steering is…

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