Indholdsfortegnelse for July 2016 i Yachting

THE VIEW FROM ON HIGH at the Doria Park Hotel in Lerici, Italy, was simply stunning. This ancient town sits on the Gulf of La Spezia, also known as the “Gulf of Poets,” thanks to writers such as D.H. Lawrence, Lord Byron and Mary Shelley, who spent time here being inspired. Below, the plaza’s shops and restaurants bustled with activity as the late-afternoon sun gave the placid sea a trance-inducing golden hue. Gazing down at the horseshoe-shaped bay overlooking the boat-filled mooring field, I could see an armada of mostly locally built, rugged craft bobbing in rhythm. An admittedly certifiable boat nut, I needed to take a closer look. I strolled down a winding walkway and onto the plaza, where the scent of salt air wafted across the promenade, leaving…

WHEN THE PRESTIGE 750 debuted recently, there was good reason for the fanfare. This vessel — the flagship in Prestige’s 12-model line of flybridges, coupes and yachts starting at 42 feet length overall — is truly something different in her class. And the genesis of that difference can be found on the accommodations levels. That’s right: levels, plural, on a 75-foot motoryacht. The master stateroom is just forward of the helm and down a few steps, on its own deck. That design choice was the first domino in a chain of decisions that allowed Prestige to make the 750 a standout model. One effect of giving the master its own level is that the VIP stateroom wasn’t crowded, and thus it became one of the biggest in class. Sitting at…

THE GALEON 560 SKYDECK is a surprise on several fronts. When it comes to functional, yet aesthetically pleasing design, she’s one of the cleverest yachts I’ve seen in years. She’s also one of the better-built craft I’ve recently come across. And, thanks to the current exchange rates, this import is reasonably affordable on this side of the pond. A BRIDGE TOO COOL A carbon-fiber cover slides into place electrically to protect the entire bridge when not in use, keeping it dry and clean with nary a snap or zipper needed. Indeed, when the bridge is buttoned up, the 560 Skydeck’s lines are so clean that she looks like a big express cruiser. Equally clever is the helm console, including wheel, throttles and instruments, that rises at the touch of a…

MAINE’S NOTORIOUS PEA-SOUP FOG SHROUDED PENOBSCOT BAY as we threaded our way up Muscle Ridge Channel, just south of Owl’s Head Bay’s infamously narrow-waisted waters. My dad monitored the nav-station radar while I stood watch in the cockpit, ready to wrest control from the autopilot if needed. It was challenging to distinguish the foredeck’s business district from the murk, but it was impossible to miss the myriad lobster pots passing astern. Dad repeatedly popped his head up through the companionway to query possible targets, which could have been boats or tiny islands, since our magnetron radar couldn’t easily distinguish between moving vessels and landmasses. Fortunately, Doppler radar is ushering in a bold new era of radar technology, providing yachtsmen improved situational awareness and ease of use. If you’ve ever heard…

LUBBERS QUARTERS CAY 1. THE VIEW If you look toward the Sea of Abaco, it almost looks like a lake. It can feel enclosed, but you can see the ocean through the cut. 2. FULL MOON Every month, Cracker P’s has an all-you-can-eat buffet, DJ, bonfire and, sometimes, acoustic music through dinner. 3. THE NAME The Stewarts named Cracker P’s after a hermit who lived on the island from 1910 to 1954. His local nickname was Cracker Pender. YOUR STOMACH GROWLS AS YOU look out from Cracker P’s front deck with a Shotgun in your hand. ( Rela. Relax. It’s what they call the house rum punch.) You take in the panoramic view after a long morning of snorkeling at the Tilloo Cay sandbar across the way. Just as you…

I’VE BEEN boat shopping with my pal Bob. He’s usually narrow-minded in his definition of a proper yacht, but he’s strayed outside the box this time around. We have looked at everything from Chinese motoryachts to Eastern European express boats. We’ve hiked the length of the Appalachian Trail on boatshow docks. He just can’t seem to find what he’s looking for. “Let’s take a look at that trawler,” Bob insists as we make our approach to a 60-foot traditional ride. “But you said that your wife said that trawlers are for old people,” I remind him. “It’s a fast trawler with Euro styling,” Bob says. “A what?” I answer with a smirk. (Technically, lacking fishing gear, she was not a trawler at all, and if she were, she’d certainly not…

WHEN ITALIAN yacht designer Luca Dini described his Kifaru 43 Baby as looking like “a fighter plane without wings,” he wasn’t kidding. With her angular low profile and 42-knot top end thanks to twin 370 hp Yanmar sterndrives, this aluminum day boat looks like she’d be almost as at home in the wild blue yonder as she is on the deep blue sea. • WHOM IT’S FOR: This is a day-tripper’s boat — open, fast and fun. She’d make an excellent tender for a superyacht owner (call it 150-plus feet to keep the proportions right) with an eye for forward-thinking design choices such as a minimalistic helm and carbon-fiber Bimini. • PICTURE THIS: You’re eight days into a monthlong Mediterranean cruise on your 180-footer. The pressures of your normal life…

JIM CZARNOWSKI was in Mission Bay, San Diego, trying to figure out how to help his family. His wife and children were on stand-up paddleboards, too far away to reach, when the wind kicked up. He watched as they each dropped to their knees and tried to stay upright while paddling to shore. As he recalls, “It goes from something that should be fun to a challenge to survive.” As the director of engineering at Hobie Cat, he couldn’t help but think there must be a better way. He knew paddleboards had become popular in the past five or 10 years, a trend he attributes in part to “a cool factor; it’s kind of like you’re walking on water.” That got him and his team thinking about Hobie Mirage kayaks,…

LAST FALL, YACHTING posted a video on Facebook showing how a Seakeeper stabilization system can level out a center-console in choppy water. Our online audience was so excited about this type of technology that they shared the 40-second video nearly 30,400 times. It reached more than 5 million people. Now, from another corner of the marine industry, comes word from Volvo Penta that it has acquired a majority stake in Humphree, a Swedish company that makes stabilizing fins, trim systems and more. For several years, Volvo Penta has used Humphree as the supplier for its Interceptor System; the strengthening of the partnership now means yachtsmen can expect even more developments in terms of comfort at sea. “Who knows what’s going to happen in five or 10 years from now, but…

COUNTLESS YACHTSMEN around the world admire the creations of Nathanael Herreshoff, the “Wizard of Bristol” who dominated yacht design at the turn of the 20th century. But his shop where he built his yachts tells even more of a story, one often underappreciated. The Herreshoff Manufacturing Company was not just one building; it was a collection of sheds and shops along Burnside Street in his birthplace of Bristol, Rhode Island. The vertically integrated system that he and his brother John created was unusual at the time, says Norene Rickson, librarian and archivist at the Herreshoff Marine Museum. Design and production were one and the same — most anchors, capstans, cleats, engines, fittings, lines, sails and spars were designed and built at the shop. Six to eight buildings were dedicated to…

SWEDEN HAS GIVEN THE world such iconic offerings as ABBA, Ikea , gummy fish and cocktail meatballs, and now it brings another cultural prize stateside: Nimbus Boats. The builder’s first launch here is the style-meetsfunction 365 Coupé. Underfoot in the cockpit, two hatches open to a voluminous engine compartment. A single 435 hp Volvo Penta D6 diesel engine is nestled in an enclosed, insulated engine box, reducing mechanical noise. Owners can also choose twin 300 hp Volvo Penta D4s. Standard bow and stern thrusters ease close-quarters handling and make docking no sweat. Inside, the galley to starboard looks like a mahogany credenza, but the bifold cover opens to reveal a recessed three-burner Dometic electric cooktop with flip-up backsplash next to double stainless-steel sinks. It’s perfect for whipping up a meal.…

RAISING CANE The Caribbean region is the rum world’s undisputed hub in large part because of the wet, tropical conditions in which sugar cane thrives. The plant needs 24 inches of rain each year to grow. “THE BEST RUM IN THE WORLD COMES FROM MARTINIQUE,” Laurent Assier de Pompignan insists. The silverhaired connoisseur is Martinique’s largest importer of fine wines, Champagnes and spirits, and he assures me there’s no need to take his word for it. The rhumeries, as distilleries are called on this French Caribbean island, welcome visiting yachtsmen and invite, no, expect us to taste what comes out of their stills and barrels. As Assier de Pompignan puts it: “The rum made here is the best because it’s rhum agricole — agricultural rum — made straight from sugar-cane…