Powerboating Gear

The Independent, March 9 2008-- Sunseeker, the Poole-based luxury yacht builder, is set to recruit more than 260 workers this year amid a dearth of engineering talent and a glut of new orders from the recent London Boat Show. The firm, which was taken private in a management-led buyout in 2006, fronted by chief executive Robert Braithwaite and backed by Bank of Scotland, is bucking the gloom affecting markets by gearing up for further expansion in 2008. Buoyed by a surge in orders, finance director Peter Henness said that sales of the recently launched 34-metre yacht were booming. "Our three-year order book is looking very strong, so it's vital we grow our capabilities," he said. Read More

BusinessWeek, February 26 2008-- Stability Yachts is building a very non-traditional catamaran-based super yacht with SWATH (Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull) technology to reduce motion at standstill and at speed. SWATH technology has been previously used by the military and for deep-sea research ships, but prior to now, has not been available in a private yacht. The hull form reduces the upward forces on the vessel as the waves pass through. The biggest advantage comes in a beam sea because the technology significantly reduces the vessel's vertical movement and totally eliminates the quick jarring movements.

The key design issue addressed with the Stability 60 is, as the name suggests, stability. The designers set out to develop a boat that is stable in almost all conditions you are likely to encounter, and to be far more comfortable in less common, very rough conditions.

The vessel can go almost anywhere and does so at a miserly 3 mpg at 8 knots and 1.8 miles per gallon at 20 knots with top speeds approaching 30 knots. Read More

Power & Motoryacht, February 2007-- So which anchor is the best? That’s like asking who was the best Beatle. Part of the answer depends on what kind of boat you have and where you cruise her. Still, it is possible to compare the holding power of anchors—if not their visual appeal—by subjecting them to the same pull from the same boat in the same wind, water, and bottom conditions. And that’s exactly what Sail magazine’s senior editor Bill Springer, Yachting Monthly’s technical editor Toby Hodges, West Marine’s vice president of product development Chuck Hawley, and I did in the Pacific off Santa Cruz, California. We selected 14 anchors designed for boats 35 feet LOA and larger but did not include the popular Danforth anchor, as it has already been extensively tested. (Instead, we chose the similar Fortress and a West Marine Performance 20.) We evaluated all of the anchors on the same bottom with the same scope, from the same boat, over four nonconsecutive pulls. The results surprised everyone. Read More

Power & Motoryacht-- The direction and speed of the wind are not only important pieces of information when maneuvering in close quarters, they're also a tip-off to weather changes. Tacktick makes it easy to get precise wind information—and most any other numerical data—anywhere you want it on your boat. For instance, this $1,500 Micronet Power Boat Wind system is extraordinarily simple to install because the sensor and the display are each solar-powered (and waterproof), and they communicate wirelessly. You could, say, unclip the display from its small bracket near your main helm and reclip it up on a tuna tower or at an aft docking station. And Tacktick is about much more than just wind, offering a variety of wireless displays in three colors and additional sensors like depth, speed, heading, and GPS. There's also an NMEA 0183 interface box that can deliver Tacktick data to your regular navigation system and/or put nav data like waypoint bearing and range on most any Tacktick display, including the remote shown. I experimented with all these possibilities and was impressed with how well it all worked and how well it's all built. Read More

Sea Ray Press Release, November 30 2007--

Sea Ray Launches Next Generation of Yachts with 38 and 44 Sundancers, NewPropulsion System, and 47 Sedan BridgeNew Vessels Blend Luxury, Smart Navigation TechnologyKNOXVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Sea Ray is introducing boatersto a new experience in luxury and ease-of-use with two yachts unveiled todayat the company's 2007 Yacht Expo -- the "smart" 38 and 44 Sundancer(R)featuring Cummins-MerCruiser's new Zeus Propulsion System and the ultramodernmasterpiece, the 47 Sedan Bridge.

"Today's boating enthusiasts crave luxury, but they also value the waytechnology can enhance their experience on the water," said Rob Noyes, Sea Rayvice president of marketing. "The Sundancer and the Sedan Bridge blend thebest of these two elements to deliver the perfect yachting experience. Andthanks to our unique partnership with Cummins-MerCruiser, we're taking theintimidation factor out of yacht navigation making it easier than ever formore people to feel comfortable at the helm."

38 and 44 Sundancer(R) featuring Cummins-MerCruiser's Zeus PropulsionSystem

BoatWorks, Summer 2006-- There's nothing worse than walking down the dock to find that what was once your quick little dinghy is nothing more than a rowboat without oars. Protecting a small outboard can be a considerable task, and taking it off every night is a hassle and often a backache. It can all leave you wondering if a rowboat is a more economical option.

Outboard motor locks are easy to use and cost effective. Engine thieves usually shy away from stealingan outboard secured by more than just a few screws. But are some locks better than others? How well will they resist a determined thief?

BoatWorks editors put them to the test, to find out which locks will best protect your outboard Click Here.

Ocean Navigator, November 2007-- SPOT Inc. has announced that SPOT, the world’s first satellite messenger, is available for purchase and activation. Small, rugged and simple to use, the SPOT satellite messenger is a lifesaving device designed to improve personal safety for the millions of people who spend time in the outdoors – whether for recreation, work or daily life. With the push of a button, SPOT can transmit a user’s exact location and message to a 9-1-1 emergency call center in times of need, or to friends, family or co-workers to request help, track their location, or just keep in touch. Because SPOT sends a user’s exact GPS satellite location over a commercial satellite network, SPOT works in much of the world regardless of cellular coverage. Viewing messages and locations is easy using the SPOT Web service with included Google Maps™ technology. Read More