Beneteau just announced that it’s building a totally new Swift Trawler 54 that will make its debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September before coming to the U.S. The new boat, with three staterooms, two heads, and an unusual amount of glazing to provide light throughout the salon and the accommodations deck below, will be powered by two 550-hp diesels with a top speed of 20 knots, and a range of 800 nm at 9 knots. It has a new “fusion” hull by Bill Dixon that is supposed to be fuel efficient and seaworthy while providing more interior volume.…
Sessa is expanding production of its F48 flybridge cruiser that was recently introduced in the United States. The standard Sessa F48 is a three-cabin, two-head upscale yacht with some Italian flair and a large flybridge meant for entertaining. Power comes from twin 550-hp Volvo Penta IPS700 pod drives, delivering a cruising speed of 26 knots and a range of 290-nm. Top speed: 35 knots. The Italian version of the F48 has the galley and pantry area amidships, but for the U.S. market it is located aft, so it can be more integrated into the aft deck and the social and…
You’re probably not going to buy the new Karnic S37X cruiser, or even see one at a boat show in the United States. But it’s interesting because of everything it manages to pack inside, including three separate double cabins below. Karnic Boats has been making vessels on Cyprus for the past 30 years. It’s a well-regarded builder, popular in Europe, and the new 37 is the flagship of its fleet. Powered by twin 300-hp Mercury outboards, the Karnic S37X has a top speed of 41 knots, according to the builder. It carries just 211 gallons of fuel, so you’re not…
Here’s the latest from NOAA on the mass bleaching of coral reefs around the world: The world is currently experiencing a global coral bleaching event, according to NOAA scientists. This is the fourth global event on record and the second in the last 10 years. Bleaching-level heat stress, as remotely monitored and predicted by NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch (CRW), has been — and continues to be — extensive across the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Ocean basins. CRW’s heat-stress monitoring is based on sea surface temperature data, spanning 1985 to the present, from a blend of NOAA and partner satellites. “From…
The large Hudson Yacht Group in China is building a new line of power catamarans, starting with a 63 and a 48. The new Hudson Powercats have lightweight wave-piercing asymmetrical hulls for performance and long range. The 63 (pictured (without a flybridge) is powered by two 1,000-hp CAT diesels and has a retractable foiling system. It has a top speed of 35 knots and a range of more than 1,000 nm at 27 knots. An optional model made with carbon fiber and powered by water jets will top out at 40 knots, according to the company. It has a full-beam…
Infiniti Yachts, a Gibraltar company with a history of building racing sailboats, just unveiled its first powerboat, a sleek, fast and lightweight 60-foot catamaran powered by two 600-hp Mercury V8 outboards. Equipped with retractable foils, the Infiniti 60 cruises at 28 knots and tops out at 40 knots, according to the company. Electric propulsion is an option. With its large, raked windshield, a flybridge set far aft and covered by a carbon-fiber hardtop with an opening sunroof, reverse bows for extra waterline length, an enormous sun pad covering most of the foredeck, and an open aft deck with terraces folding…
Don’t try this at home. But Frank Kowalski, the head of Safehaven Marine, wanted to give his new Voyager T-2000 70-foot explorer yacht a good sea trial, so he took it straight out of Cork Harbour in Ireland in a storm with 70-mph winds and 13-foot waves (see the video below). The Voyager, and Kowalski, escaped unscathed, and returned safely to the factory. The idea was to give the Voyager, a recreational vessel, the same real-world testing that Safehaven gives its commercial, military and search-and-rescue craft. Founded in 1998, Safehaven has made more than 160 vessels so far. The Voyager…
Maserati, the Italian luxury car builder, just announced that it’s making a new 34-foot, electric-powered day boat with low, elegant lines and a matte rose-gold paint job. Maserati introduced the new boat, called Tridente, at a company event in Rimini, on the Adriatic, where it also unveiled a new electric convertible, the GranCabro Folgore, with a matching color scheme. For the Tridente, Maserati teamed up with Vita Power in England for a state-of-the-art electric drivetrain. The Tridente was built by Hodgdon Yachts in East Boothbay, Maine. Hodgdon, a 200-year-old family company, worked with Vita last year to make its revolutionary…
The new Galeon 450 HTC (Hard Top Cruiser) is a comfortable family cruiser with a full-length glass roof and a “beach mode” aft with large terraces that fold out of the bulwarks. Powered by twin 480-hp Volvo diesels with straight shafts, the Galeon tops out at 28 knots. It’s easy for a couple, or even a solo captain, to handle, and a door next to the helm opens to the starboard side deck so the captain can help with docking. The railings open on both sides for easy boarding from a dock. The Galeon’s salon has panoramic windows that are…
Sunseeker, the major British builder, just unveiled a new Predator 55 with a low-profile and aggressively sloping hardtop that tops out at 36 knots. Meanwhile. Bloomberg reports that the same Miami holding company that bought Cigarette three years ago is now in the process of buying Sunseeker. Sunseeker says the new Predator 55 is a blend of luxury and performance. It certainly has all the latest bells and whistles, including Garmin’s high-tech Surround View that has six cameras built into the hull to provide 360-degree views and computerized assistance in docking. And an optional gyro stabilizer will keep everyone on…
Silent Yachts, the creative Austrian builder, just launched its first 62 solar/electric tri-deck at its yard in Fano, Italy. The blue-water catamaran, with a CE A certification, has a trans-oceanic range at its cruising speed of 6 to 8 knots. The new Silent 62 is based on the company’s well-received 60, which won a Multihull of the Year Award and a Best of Boats Award when it was launched in 2021. It’s two feet longer, of course, but it has the third upper deck, giving it something of a superyacht flair. The new Silent has a reverse bow and a…
Furuno has unveiled a new series of MFDs that feature AI-assisted routing to take you on the best, safest and most direct path to your destination. And if an obstacle appears along the way, Furuno’s AI Routing will create a new route around it in real time. The new AI feature is part of Furuno’s new NavNet TZtouchXL series of multi-function devices designed for the helm of cruising powerboats. The AI routing uses Furuno’s new TZ maps to create routes along channels and to inlets and marina entrances using the draft of your boat, chart data and other safety parameters.…
There’s no doubt that an EPIRB could save your life if you have a problem while cruising offshore. But new ones are expensive. BoatUS now offers an affordable program where you can rent one for $65 a week, plus $25 for shipping. Read about it here: SPRINGFIELD, Va., March 25, 2024 – The majority of the nation’s nearly 12 million recreational boaters don’t often travel far offshore, beyond cellular or VHF range. But for those who only do on a rare occasion, having an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) is important, allowing you to summon rescuers if there’s a…
C-MAP just announced that it has updated its charts for North American with enhanced images and more detailed information. Founded in 1985, C-MAP has become a leader in digital marine cartography and cloud-based mapping. Its C-MAP App makes planning and navigating simple and easy. It’s made for your smart phone, tablet or personal computer, and you can personalize a chart with the layers you want and view it any time you want in the palm of your hand. You also can check the weather, create your own route, or rely on C-MAP’s Autorouting to do it for you. Now, the…
Quick, the Italian marine component company, just introduced its new Intercepta series of stabilizers at the Düsseldorf show. Designed for yachts from 50 to 130 feet, the new Intercepta X Series of stabilizers can be fully customized to fit any model and hull shape. They are part of Quick’s MC² brand that includes Viator fin stabilizers and Quick gyro stabilizers. Quick already offers a plug-and-play series of Intercepta stabilizers for boats as small as 20 feet. The new stabilizers come in four standard units, the X50, X65, X80 and X100, and the width can be customized to the centimeter. The…
There’s good news for anyone cruising in the Midwest or on the Great Loop. A new five-star transient marina is scheduled to open early in the summer of 2025 on Chicago’s iconic Navy Pier. The new Navy Pier Marina will be the only all-transient marina in Chicago, and it will have 6,400 liner feet of side-to docking for boats up to 130 feet. There’s no minimum boat size, and you can stay for hourly, daily or weekly docking on a mix of floating and fixed piers. The marina will have three gangways leading to Navy Pier itself, and it’s within…
Here’s some good news for fans of the British Virgin Islands (and I think that’s just about all of us). The new and improved Peter Island Resort is scheduled to reopen officially on October 3, and will be up and running for the rest of the year and the holiday season. The original Peter Island Resort was destroyed by the hurricanes in 2017. The six-year rebuilding has resulted in a major transformation and upgrading of the resort and its facilities. Not that there was anything wrong with Peter Island to begin with. I first sailed there many, many years ago…
If you’re going to Palm Beach for the show on your boat later this month, or simply cruising in south Florida at any other time, take a look at the freshly renovated Town of Palm Beach Marina. You’ll be impressed. Most important is its location. It’s on the Intracoastal Waterway, just across Lake Worth Lagoon from the mainland and the show venue. In the other direction, it’s within walking distance of all the boutiques, galleries, restaurants and watering holes of Worth Avenue. The iconic Breakers hotel and resort is only eight-tenths of a mile away. It’s also just north of…
The State Department has issued travel advisories for the Bahamas and Jamaica, warning about crime and water safety in the islands. The advisory for the Bahamas was Level 2, meaning “exercise Increased caution.” The advisory for Jamaica ratcheted up to Level 3, meaning “reconsider travel.” The top level is 4, which basically means don‘t go there. The Bahamas advisory mentioned gang-on-gang violence, but said that “violent crime, such as burglaries, armed robberies and sexual assaults occurs in both tourist and non-tourist areas.” It said travelers should “be vigilant when staying at short-term vacation rental properties where private security companies do…
Simrad just introduced its new NSX ULTRAWIDE MFD that it says is the world’s first ultramarine display with all the features. Simrad says the new display has all the benefits of dual screens in one place, and is 63 percent wider than previous models. The NSX ULTRAWIDE results in an elevated-dash look that offers easier, faster and more efficient installation for OEM or existing boat owners with fewer cables and less set up. It is available in 12-inch and 15-inch screen sizes. The ULTRAWIDE will make its first appearance at the Düsseldorf show, starting Jan. 20, and in the U.S.…
The National Marine Electronics Association just named this year’s award winners at its annual conference in Orlando. The awards were chosen by NMEA members who voted online in 17 categories for Product of Excellence Awards, while a panel of judges named winners of the NMEA Technology Award and Best New Product Award. The Best New Product Award celebrates a new product that was introduced at the conference and that the judges thought was best in innovation, benefit to boaters, practicality and value. The winner: Furuno’s FCV800 fishfinder, which the judges said was “a real powerhouse of a standalone fishfinder.” The…
The new Revolve emergency VHF antenna, a major safety device for serious cruising people, just won an Honorable Mention award at the Newport show. It previously had been nominated for a DAME design award at the big METSTRADE show in Amsterdam. The Revolve antenna is designed to provide you with the ability to communicate on VHF Channel 16 even if your regular antenna is down, or inoperable for any reason. The Revolve also comes with AIS compatibility, so that other boats with AIS (an ever-growing number) can find you quickly. It operates on 156-162MGz, is lightweight, and maintenance free. Based…
Garmin just introduced its new flagship GPSMAP 9000 chartplotter series, with 4K resolution, edge-to-edge clarity and a processor that’s seven times faster than previous versions. The new touchscreen chartplotters come in 19-, 22-, 24-, and 27-inch displays, representing the largest size in recreational boating. Prices start at $9,999. They will be available next month. The new GPSMAP 9000 MFDs work with Garmin’s BlueNet gigabit network to provide comprehensive connectivity throughout the boat, connecting multiple chartplotters, radars, cameras and sonars. They also provide multimedia streaming and video, so users can play and hear the same video and audio over multiple screens…
If you want to visit the Galápagos in style, take a look at the just-launched 157-foot-long Hermes luxury catamaran. It holds a maximum of 20 guests per cruise there, and its five-star service includes a personal butler on call 24/7. The crew-to-guest ratio is about one-to-one. Hermes (no relation to the French luxury brand Hermès) has a beam of more than 45 feet. It has six double and two single cabins on the main deck, and six double cabins on the upper deck. Each cabin has floor-to-ceiling windows, a walk-in closet, minibar, head, and private balcony a Jacuzzi. The accommodations…
If you’re tired of just one more charter vacation, or if you just want to let someone else do the driving while you relax in lap of luxury at some of the most glamorous ports in the world, consider a cruise on the new Four Seasons 679-foot yacht. Four Seasons just announced the itineraries for its luxurious vessel, and they include more than ten destinations in the Med and the Caribbean in its first season in 2026. The ship is now under construction at the Fincantieri yard in Italy. The maiden voyage, from January to March 2026, will cover Croatia,…
Arksen, the British adventure company, just announced a new 50-percent co-ownership program for its Project Ocean long-range explorer yachts starting this summer. Jasper Smith, the Arksen founder, says he hopes the co-ownership and charter opportunities spark a spirit of adventure, while offering members a practical second home that’s capable of cruising the world. The program enables members to have ownership of exceptional vessels and access to cruising itineraries with syndicates in Europe, Asia, the U.S. and elsewhere. Arksen the says the co-ownership program offers: Significantly lower costs, compared to sole ownership. Financial flexibility. You can trade in and out of…
The Moorings just announced that it will have power catamarans for charter at its base in Dubrovnik, Croatia, this season, including The Moorings 403PC, recently named as European Boat of the Year in its multihull category. That’s good news for power cruising enthusiasts, since the Adriatic coast off Dubrovnik offers some of the best cruising grounds in the world, with crystal-clear waters, secluded islands, white-sand beaches, and historic towns and villages that are all boater, and tourist, friendly. Dubrovnik itself dates to the 7th Century, and is often called the Pearl of the Adriatic. One of the largest tourist destinations…