Gear

Hobie Launches New Mirage Eclipse Pedalboard, Not Paddleboard, To Take You Farther, Faster

By Peter Janssen on September 23, 2018 Cruising Life, Gear

Hobie has been one of the most recognizable names in boating, ever since they started making sailing catamarans and surfboards in the ‘50s. And they’ve changed with the times, making increasingly popular paddleboards and SUPs for the past 20 years or so. That’s when they invented their MirageDrive, a propulsion system where you use your legs to drive fins under the boat. Here’s a story from The Manual about five new changes to Hobies’ lineup of boats and boards, but the one I like most is the Mirage Eclipse, a SUP with an improved MirageDrive that looks like a lot…

New BOTE Inflatable SUP Comes with 6-hp Outboard, Fits in a Bag

By Peter Janssen on September 12, 2018 Cruising Life, Gear

The wave of stand-up paddle boards has swept through recreational boating all across the United States in the past few years. SUPs are everywhere; they’re so popular that a lot of cruising boats now come with cabintop racks to hold them. But just when you thought you’ve seen all there is to see in SUPs, BOTE has come up with something new: an inflatable SUP with a 6-hp Mercury outboard. You no longer have to do all the paddling yourself. Instead, turn on the Merc and you can go up to 100 miles at speeds up to 18 mph. BOTE’s…

A New Cruising Toy: Super-Cool, Limited-Edition Tesla Surfboard

By Peter Janssen on August 1, 2018 Cruising Life, Gear

If you’re looking for another toy (particularly a super-cool toy) for your next cruise, consider the new limited-edition Tesla surfboard. The only problem is that you’ll probably have to find one on eBay, since the company sold out the first batch of 200 of them, for $1,500 each, in just one day. The 6’ 8” red-and-black boards are made with carbon fiber and were developed by the Tesla Design Studio and Matt “Mayhem” Biolos, a surfboard shaper from Lost Surfboards in San Clemente. The company says they feature “a mix of the same high-quality matte and gloss finishes used on…

12 Great New Summer Toys to Make Your Cruising Life Complete

By Peter Janssen on July 15, 2018 Cruising Life, Gear

In case you haven’t had your fill of summer toys, here’s a great list from Forbes to help you out. Forbes calls this a list of billionaire superyacht toys, but the title is misleading. Sure, some are a bit over the top: at $75,000, the Platypus Submersible Watercraft, pictured above, may put your toy budget under water (even though it sure looks like fun). But there 11 other toys, gadgets, bikes and vehicles on this list that could be just right for the rest of us. Here are a few with a lot of appeal. At just $2,799, the Gocycle GS…

Let Your Pet Enjoy the Dog Days of Summer with a New Funboy X Yacht Dog Float

By Peter Janssen on June 13, 2018 Cruising Life, Gear

Chance are, you don’t have one of these yet. But what better way to keep your dog happy and make him or her feel like one of the crew this summer? Now your best friend can have a float of its own, just like the one you have for yourself. And, as the company says, this new toy “is taking the dog days of summer to a whole new level.” The new Funboy x Yacht Dog Float is made of a thick, puncture-resistant plastic, and has a lined “treat bin” in the bow. It measures 58 inches long and 31…

Raritan Introduces New Toilet Using Either Fresh or Sea Water to Flush

By Peter Janssen on April 4, 2018 Cruising Life, Gear

You don’t have to worry about using up your boat’s fresh water supply to flush the toilet any more. Raritan has just come up with a new line called Marine Elegance electric toilets with a patented SeaFresh option. You just flip a switch on the toilet’s control panel to choose which water source you want. The new toilets are designed to fit into most head compartments as a full-size, one-piece toilet. They have a small, compact base that matches most toilet footprint sizes. Made with white or almond vitreous china, they come in two heights, each with a straight or…

Weems & Plath SOS Distress Light: Making Emergency Signaling Safe and Easy

By Peter Janssen on March 19, 2018 Cruising Life, Gear

The new Weems & Plath electronic flare just seems like such a good idea. It can replace the pyrotechnic flares on your boat (the ones that have expiration dates but that you have trouble getting rid of when they expire) and it meets the Coast Guard requirements for a night or day visual distress signal device. The SOS Distress Light runs on three household C batteries that you should replace every year, and its LED light flashes the traditional SOS signal for up to 60 hours. The company says it is visible for up to ten nm; if you’re worried…

Williams Gives More Power, Stability to Popular MiniJet 280 Tender

By Peter Janssen on March 7, 2018 Cruising Life, Gear

The popular Williams MiniJet 280 tender just got a power boost. From now on, the 9’ 2” tender will come with a 50-hp Rotax Ace engine to give it faster acceleration and better handling, even when it’s loaded with passengers. Existing MiniJet owners can get an upgrade kit if they want to move up from their 45-hp engine. The new version comes with a new dash cluster and a new set of sponsons for better stability. Designed for owners of boats from 38 to 45 feet (and anyone else who wants one), the MiniJet 280 is the smallest in Williams’…

PowerDocks Win Innovation Award for First Docks That Generate Renewable Power

By Peter Janssen on March 7, 2018 Cruising Life, Gear

PowerDocks, the first docks that generate renewable power for boats, just won an Innovation Award at the Miami International Boat Show. PowerDocks make the first floating solar dock with walkable non-skid solar modules for energy storage and power distribution; they can provide renewable electrical power to boaters in remote areas or those who want to operate off the grid. The Innovation Award was made by the National Marine Manufacturers Association and Boating Writers International during the show. PowerDocks also were featured at the show’s first Solar Electric Power Zone, where they were hooked up with a Bruce 22T electric-powered boat…

Argos Nautic to Launch New 11-foot Semi-Custom RIB at Miami Yacht Show

By Peter Janssen on January 31, 2018 Cruising Life, Gear

Argos Nautic will unveil its new 11-foot semi-custom tender called the 330 JET at the Miami Yacht Show on Collins Avenue starting Feb. 15. Powered by a Textron 850 MPE intercooled, turbocharged, four-stroke engine, the new RIB tops out at 48 mph. The new 11-footer is the smallest of the Miami-based company’s three models, which go up to 13’ 6.” With a beam of 5’ 8” and weighing only 750 pounds fully rigged, the 330 JET is designed to fit into many cruising boats’ garages. It has a built-in, 10-gallon fuel tank, and lots of storage for luggage, coolers and…

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