On Watch with Peter Janssen

On Watch

By Peter Janssen on November 2, 2017 On Watch with Peter Janssen

Report from Fort Lauderdale: More Boats, More People and More Toys than Ever Before By Peter A. Janssen Put aside the super yachts with helicopters, or the 208-footer with six small boats (including a mahogany sloop) sitting as toys in the cockpit, or the 190-footer with the personal gym that slides out of its superstructure, or all the new Ferraris and Lambos parked along the face dock, the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show actually has a lot going on the for the rest of us. In fact, the opening day, helped along with gorgeous weather and a lot of people…

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By Peter Janssen on October 26, 2017 On Watch with Peter Janssen

Looking for Fort Lauderdale – and More Memories I couldn’t possibly count the number of times I’ve flown down to Fort Lauderdale. I know that I’ve been going to the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show for more than 30 years, and the new one, starting Nov. 1, will be one more trip there. And in the old days, before Twitter, my magazine, Motor Boating & Sailing, had an office in Lauderdale, so I flew down from New York about every other week. (Actually, for many years the office was in very good hands; Peter Truslow, now the president of Bertram,…

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By Peter Janssen on October 19, 2017 On Watch with Peter Janssen

SPECIAL REPORT: Fort Lauderdale Show, Plus Our Reviews of 34 New Boats You Can See There By Peter A. Janssen With new owners, new docks, new signs to help you get around and more boats than ever before, the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show will open at a new time this year, starting on Wednesday, Nov. 1 and running through Sunday, Nov. 5. And you need to put on your walking shoes. This year the show will have 1,500 boats at seven different locations, although the main event is still centered at the Bahia Mar Resort and Yachting Center, where…

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By Peter Janssen on October 12, 2017 On Watch with Peter Janssen

Enthusiasm Grows Across the Board Heading into Big Fort Lauderdale Show By Peter A. Janssen Now that the fall boat show season is well underway, it’s easy to see some trends, and to get a look at what cruising is going to look like in the years to come. For people who’ve been paying attention at least half-way, the trends are obvious: More outboard-powered boats, even among the most traditional of blue-blazer brands; more trailerable boats; more buyers who are downsizing; more cruisers who are seeking adventure; more attention (finally) to the ease-of-use factor, and more emphasis on enhancing the…

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By Peter Janssen on October 5, 2017 On Watch with Peter Janssen

Annapolis Powerboat Show: More New Boats Than Ever in Same Terrific Spot. See Our Reviews of 23 of Them By Peter A. Janssen The United States Powerboat Show Annapolis is always a popular show – for a whole lot reasons. It’s fun, it’s easy to get to, and it’s easy to enjoy. And it’s in Annapolis, the hub of the Chesapeake, a cruising mecca with boatyards and marinas – and waterfront restaurants and bars – all around. Centered around City Dock in the middle town, this year the show, the 46th annual, runs from Thursday, Oct. 12 through Sunday, Oct.…

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By Peter Janssen on September 28, 2017 On Watch with Peter Janssen

We Test the New Grand Banks 60: Fast and Smooth with Some Very Long Legs By Peter A. Janssen This is all you need to know about the gorgeous, all-new Grand Banks 60, the flagship of the legendary builder’s fleet: As we were cruising down Long Island Sound at 24 knots a few days ago, the ride was so smooth, so quiet and so comfortable, that Sue Weisman, the owner’s wife who had just spent a busy day provisioning her new boat, went below to take a shower. She emerged 15 minutes later, smiling and happy. No fuss, no muss,…

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By Peter Janssen on September 21, 2017 On Watch with Peter Janssen

Report from Newport: “Best Show Ever,” “Outstanding” and “Fantastic” By Peter A. Janssen The first show of the fall season, the Newport International Boat Show can serve as a bellwether for the coming year. And this year all the signs were good. Many new boats were introduced at the show – the Grand Banks 60, Sabre 45 Salon Express, Hinckley Dasher all-electric boat, MJM 35Z, Nordhavn 59 Coastal Pilot, Outer Reef 610, Beneteau Swift Trawler 35, and Hampton Endurance 658, among them. Nancy Piffard, the show director, said attendance was up 10 percent over the previous year. The show “was…

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By Peter Janssen on September 15, 2017 On Watch with Peter Janssen

Zeelander 55, Hinckley Dasher Win Best Powerboat Awards at Newport Show. Sabre 45 is People’s Choice By Peter A. Janssen The Dutch-made Zeelander 55, a gorgeous boat without a straight line anywhere, just won the Best Powerboat Over 35 feet award at the Newport International Boat Show. The judges said the boat was “all curves,” and presented an innovative approach to design. The Zeelander, pictured above, is a combination of a traditional Down East lobster boat and a 1930’s Gold Coast commuter boat, with a totally contemporary hull and performance. The award for Best Powerboat Under 35 feet went to…

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By Peter Janssen on September 7, 2017 On Watch with Peter Janssen

In Irma’s Wake: “Apocalyptic” Destruction in Parts of the Caribbean and Florida Keys. Historic Flooding in Jacksonville and Charleston By Peter A. Janssen As Irma waned and moved into the Ohio Valley, the historic hurricane left a path of “apocalyptic” destruction in many parts of the Caribbean and the Florida Keys, while residents of Jacksonville, Florida, and Charleston, South Carolina, were still dealing with massive flooding in downtown areas. All told, the storm killed 56 people, including 13 in Florida, and officials warned that those numbers would probably increase. In the Keys, officials said 25 percent of the homes were…

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By Peter Janssen on August 31, 2017 On Watch with Peter Janssen

47th Annual Newport Boat Show: First Look at the New Cruising Boats By Peter A. Janssen The Newport, RI, boat show has always been my favorite. It’s the first of the fall show season, so almost all the new boats are there, and then, well, it’s in Newport. Enough said. This year the show, the 47th annual, runs from Thursday, Sept. 14 through Sunday, Sept. 17, with most of the docks and tents at the Newport Yachting Center, but spilling over to neighboring docks; all told, some 600 boats are displayed over 13 acres. There’s also a brokerage show at…

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