Gear

Keep Your Crew Happy: Soundproof Your Boat

By Peter Janssen on June 14, 2017 Cruising Life, Engine Room, Gear, Maintenance

Ask any builder of modern cruising boats, and they’ll readily confirm that sound levels are extremely important to their owners and potential buyers. Not only at the helm and salon, but also even in the staterooms, particularly since many master staterooms now are located midships, just forward of the engine room. A noisy boat with a lot of decibels coming from the engine or the generator (or both) can make for an uncomfortable cruise; it makes talking difficult at best, and it can lead to a headache and a longing to return to the peace and quiet of home back…

A Touch of Class: Folding Teak Boarding Step. See the Video

By Peter Janssen on June 12, 2017 Cruising Life, Gear

This isn’t something you absolutely have to have to enjoy your cruising life, but I think it is very cool: A new teak dock step that makes climbing on your boat easy, and then folds into itself to make storage easy as well. And it does add a touch of class to any dock. When the step is fully open, it provides a large and stable platform to get on and off your boat. And when it’s folded down, it’s only 6 5/8 inches thick, so it can fit into a lazarette or storage bin. The Folding Teak Dock Step…

How To Get Rid of Odors from Heads and Holding Tanks

By Peter Janssen on June 5, 2017 Gear, Maintenance

A smelly head can put a damper on even the best cruise, particularly since it is often so hard to deal with. And boats with seawater flush are particularly susceptible to a buildup of hydrogen sulfide that leaves an odor that seems to linger on and on. So, what to do? Here’s some great advice from Practical Sailor about holding tank treatments, including those that have proven to work, and those that don’t. Take a look here: https://www.practical-sailor.com/blog/A-Simple-Solution-for-Boat-Toilet-Stink-12224-1.html?ET=practicalsailor:e34937:684905a:&st=email&s=p_Grabbag060317&omhide=true

New Upscale SUP from Designers of $25,000 Kayak

By Peter Janssen on May 31, 2017 Cruising Life, Gear

Now, from the same people who brought you an over-the-top $25,000 one-person, carbon-fiber kayak with gold-plated fittings, comes a totally upscale stand-up paddleboard built to the same standards. Five years ago, New Zealand designers McLellan Jacobs (Jamie McLellan and Andy Jacobs, who both happen to be boaters) introduced Kayak 1, with the gold, carbon fiber and teak, at the Monaco yacht show. It was 12’10” long with a 2’7” beam and weighed only 40 pounds. Kayak 1, with its singular good looks, was an instant hit with the superyacht set. Some people ordered them with wooden inlays in the teak…

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…

Ten Great Boating Watches, from $230,400 to $220

By Peter Janssen on May 14, 2017 Cruising Life, Gear

How would one of these look on your wrist? This Bloomberg roundup of ten watches is timed for the America’s Cup, but it applies to cruising boat owners anywhere in the world. After all, even if you have redundant nav electronics on the lower and upper stations of your boat, plus a few handhelds scattered around, you still need to know what time it is. And what better way to find out that to glance at the Breguet Marine Equation Marchante 5887 (above left), from a company with a history going back to the French navy 200 years ago.…

New High-Tech Man Overboard Systems Can Keep Your Crew Safe

By Peter Janssen on May 3, 2017 Cruising Life, Gear

Man overboard – every captain’s nightmare scenario, when seconds can mean the difference between life and death. The point, of course, is to locate the man overboard absolutely as quickly as possible and then start the recovery effort. Now three new high-tech systems make it possible to find that person faster and easier. Developed by a French start-up, the Sea-Tags MOB wristband alarm system starts with downloading a free app to all smartphones on board the boat to monitor the wristbands. When anyone wearing the wristband goes overboard and the wristband is submerged, the smartphones will sound an alarm and…

Looking for Something New? Try the Aqua Lily Pad

By Peter Janssen on April 5, 2017 Cruising Life, Gear

You probably won’t need this on your next trans-Atlantic, or in four-foot seas, but you’ve got to admit that the Aqua Lily Pad is a hoot. Roll it out the next time you’re anchored on a quiet cove and have some fun (and imagine the looks on the faces of the other people who’ve already anchored there). The Aqua Lily Pad floats as soon as you unroll it, so you don’t have to waste time inflating something. Then sit, walk, relax with a good book (or something to drink) and enjoy yourself. The 20-foot version costs $689, while the big-boy…

Protect Your Electronics from Theft with E-LOCK

By Peter Janssen on March 20, 2017 Gear

Do you worry about someone stealing your expensive electronics? You’re certainly not alone. Now there’s help to make them more secure, if not downright theft-proof. Take a look at the new E-LOCK from DuraSafe, which fits almost all bracket-mounted electronics. It’s easy to install, as you can see on the video below, and it gives you peace of mind when you’re not on the boat. The E-LOCK is made from marine-grade materials, has a dust cap and stainless seal to keep out dirt and moisture, and will fit most bracket-mounted Garmin, Raymarine, Humminbird, Standard Horizon, Icom, Uniden, Lowrance, Cobra and…

A Dock Box Built for Two

By Peter Janssen on March 15, 2017 Cruising Life, Gear

You probably won’t see this featured in the next issue of Architectural Digest, but it actually can make your life more comfortable around the dock. The new Waterside Lounger from Better Way Products is a lockable dock box that doubles as a love seat, giving you and a companion a comfortable spot to sit when you’re off the boat. Made from heavy-duty fiberglass with a UV-resistant exterior, the Waterside Lounger holds 14 cubic feet of storage inside. It also has the company’s EZ Drain system, gas lifts and stainless steel stays for easy opening, and large hinges. The external dimensions…

Browsing: Gear