On Watch with Peter Janssen

Rogue Wave Sinks Maine Lobster Boat

By Peter Janssen on September 21, 2023 On Watch with Peter Janssen

It was just after noon, but Billy Bob Faulkingham was calling it a day. The weather was turning in the Gulf of Maine, the remnants of Hurricane Lee were just a day away, so Faulkingham and Alex Polk, his sternman, started hauling traps on Faulkingham’s 40-foot lobster boat named 51. They were off the south end of Turtle Island, on the far side of Mount Desert Island, and they were going to head home to Winter Harbor, just a few miles away. Faulkingham knew those waters well. He’s 44, and he’s been a working lobsterman there all his life (although…

Big Power Cats Rule in Cannes

By Peter Janssen on September 12, 2023 On Watch with Peter Janssen

Two big new power catamarans are getting a lot of attention at the Cannes Yachting Festival, for quite different reasons. One, the Sunreef Power Eco 80, is taking eco-conscious cruising to an entirely new level; its hull sides virtually bristle with built-in solar panels. The other, the VisionF 80, is taking attention-getting to a new level; it’s painted pink. The Sunreef Eco 80 is the Polish yard’s newest power cat, and you can order it in both all-electric and hybrid versions. The all-electric one is at Cannes, and its solar panels produce a massive 36kWp in sunshine, although that’s a…

Ten Top Boats at the Newport Show

By Peter Janssen on September 6, 2023 On Watch with Peter Janssen

There certainly is no shortage of new boats to see at the Newport show that starts on Sept. 14. In fact, hundreds of them are on display on the docks at, and next to, the Newport Yachting Center. There are so many new boats that it’s easy to get lost in the crowd, to get sidetracked, or simply overwhelmed and confused. To help you make the most of your time at the show, we’ve picked ten of our favorites. Take a look: AXOPAR 45 The new Axopar flagship, a 45 XC Cross Cabin (pictured above), is an adventure cruiser that…

New Nimbus W11: Low, Lean and Fast

By Peter Janssen on August 28, 2023 On Watch with Peter Janssen

Nimbus has launched its new 40-foot, 50-knot Nimbus W11, the latest from the long-time Swedish builder. With large and multifunctional social areas from stem to stern, and berths for four below, the new Nimbus is designed as a weekend-or-longer cruiser with a low, lean, Scandinavian profile and outboard-powered performance. Indeed, with twin 300-hp Mercury V8 outboards, top speed is 40 knots. Move up to twin 400-hp Mercury V10 outboards, and the new Nimbus tops out at 50 knots. The W in the boat’s name stands for weekends, and Nimbus wants you to enjoy them. “The W11 is designed to extend…

Historic Newport Show Opens on Sept. 14

By Peter Janssen on August 22, 2023 Newport Boat Show, On Watch with Peter Janssen

The Newport International Boat Show, marking the start of the fall boat show season on the East Coast, opens on Thursday, September 14, and runs through Sunday, September 17. The show celebrates its 52nd anniversary this year, and it’s still in the same place at the Newport Yachting center in the heart of historic Newport (the British fleet anchored off Newport during the Revolution). One of the largest in-water shows in the U.S., the Newport show has grown every year, and now will be spread over 13 waterfront acres. Hundreds of exhibitors, dealers and manufacturers will be there, on the…

New Fairline 65 Phantom: Style, Luxury, Performance

By Peter Janssen on August 16, 2023 On Watch with Peter Janssen

The new Fairline 65 Phantom, the first sport-bridge cruiser in the British builder’s fleet, is a combination of style, luxury and performance. Fairline calls the new Phantom a sport bridge because the top deck is situated way aft, making room for the opening sun roof over the lower helm. As a result, it’s a bit smaller than a traditional flybridge, but it still has comfortable seating for at least half a dozen guests aft of the upper helm, plus a wet bar for al fresco entertaining. The lines are an evolution from Fairline’s popular Targa 65 sports coupe that was…

Saxdor 400

Saxdor Launching New 400 GTO Flagship

By Peter Janssen on August 7, 2023 On Watch with Peter Janssen

Saxdor Yachts will launch its innovative new 400 GTO flagship at the Cannes Yachting Festival next month. The sleek, low, cruiser with its minimalist lines is the latest from Saxdor, a company with a creative DNA that opened its doors in Finland just four years ago. The Saxdor 400 GTO is marked by its folding out terrace that runs about half the length of the boat. In the past few years, many boats have built terraces that fold down from aft bulwarks, creating more usable space in the cockpit. Saxdor’s is different because of its length; it far exceeds the…

Azimut Launching New Magellano 60 Cruiser

By Peter Janssen on August 1, 2023 On Watch with Peter Janssen

Azimut will launch its new Magellano 60, the smallest yacht in the Magellano long-range cruiser series, at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September. The new 60 joins the 66, 25M and 30M yachts in the Magellano lineup, and it carries all the DNA that has made the larger yachts so appealing in the cruising community. The 60 may be the baby in the series, but it’s still a 60-foot cruising yacht, with all the Italian style and comfort that Azimuts are known for. The Magellano 60 was designed in collaboration with Ken Freivokh, the UK superyacht designer, and it has…

101 Degrees in Florida Bay; Atlantic Near “Tipping Point”

By Peter Janssen on July 26, 2023 On Watch with Peter Janssen

Sea water temperatures hit a scorching 101.1 degrees Fahrenheit earlier this week for the first time in history off south Florida, threatening coral reefs and all marine life. Meanwhile, a new study says that the major currents in the Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf Stream, could weaken and hit an irreversible “tipping point” as soon as two years from now, affecting sea levels and weather patterns in the U.S., Canada and Europe. In the Florida Keys, unprecedented ocean temperatures have caused a mass bleaching of coral reefs. Marine scientists say many reefs are now completely bleached, or already dead. They…

Nordhavn Planning Versatile New 112 Yacht

By Peter Janssen on July 18, 2023 On Watch with Peter Janssen

Nordhavn just announced that it’s planning a new, versatile, 112-footer that will have all the amenities of a superyacht but at a size that’s manageable for a large group of owners. In a sense, the new Nordhavn is the Goldilocks of yachts, not too big; not too small. And just right for Nordhavn owners who look to the builder to fulfill their dreams of adventure and cruising the world. Nordhavn says the idea for the new 112 came Jeff Leishman, the company’s design director, when he saw a Nordhavn 120, the largest yacht in the Nordhavn fleet, docked next to…

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