On Watch With Peter Janssen

New 55-Knot AB 80: “Formula 1 of the Seas”

By Peter Janssen on April 23, 2024 Cruising Life, On Watch with Peter Janssen, On Watch With Peter Janssen

AB Yachts in Viareggio, Italy, just launched its latest AB 80, a luxury speedster that the company calls “a real Formula 1 car of the seas.” Powered by three 2,000-hp MAN V12 diesels, the sleek, silver and sporty AB 80 tops out at 55 knots. AB says it has a range of 500 nm at 45 knots, something few other builders can achieve. With a state-of-the-art aerodynamic design and a composite hull, the new AB 80 is designed for family trips, a very fast getaway, or simply an extra adrenaline rush. It can be run by an owner-operator or a…

Did Electrical Problems Cause Bridge Crash?

By Peter Janssen on April 17, 2024 On Watch With Peter Janssen

Federal officials are investigating whether electrical problems caused the 984-foot-long container ship Dali to lose power and crash into Baltimore’s Key Bridge at 1:30 a.m. on March 26, sending it falling into the Patapsco River and closing the harbor. The crash killed six construction workers filling pot holes on the bridge. Meanwhile, FBI agents were on the ship last week, interviewing some of the 21 crew members, investigating whether any federal laws were broken. The City of Baltimore filed a suit against almost everyone involved, and the Dali’s owner and operator filed their own suit trying to limit their damage.…

Bruce Kessler: A Man of Many Lives

By Peter Janssen on April 10, 2024 On Watch With Peter Janssen

Bruce Kessler, who managed to pack three overflowing lives into one, passed away on April 4 under hospice care in his home in Marina del Rey, California, just a week after his 88th birthday and wedding anniversary with Joan Freeman; they had been together for 54 years. Kessler’s seventh floor condo was filled with memorabilia reflecting his multi-faceted life: Pictures of race cars he had driven (and crashed); posters of movies and TV shows he had directed, and maps of the 34 countries he and Joan had visited on their three-year voyage around the world. Appropriately, the condo’s terrace overlooked…

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