MagicEzy Mega Fusion makes repairs to plastic or aluminum surfaces on your boat look brand new. There’s no fiberglass prep work needed with Hairline Fix and 9 Second Chip Fix, which prevents delamination and strengthens weakened or cracked fiberglass. All three products are water-soluble, environmentally friendly and available in 11 colors. MSRP $24.99/tube; magicezy.com
Southern Boating June 2014
Fishing Camp is a new board game for children ages four and up. Players race each other around the board’s waterway, progressing as they answer fishing trivia questions correctly. Players draw cards with GPS shortcuts, fishing “catches” and lily pad passes to create excitement and immerse kids in fun fishing facts. Fishing Camp hosts two to eight players, and the first boat back to the dock with a fish on board wins! MSRP $25; educationoutdoors.net
Southern Boating June 2014
Dirty Martini
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
6 oz. premium vodka
2 oz. dry vermouth (optional)
1/4 c. olive juice
12 olives
Toothpicks
Combine vodka, vermouth and olive juice over ice-filled shaker. Shake vigorously. Serve in martini glasses. Place 3 olives each onto toothpicks to garnish.
Surf and Turf with Fresh Herb Sauce
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15-20 minutes
Serves: 6-8
6 4-oz. filet mignon or 3 8-oz. New York strip
1 1/2 lb. tuna steaks
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c. + 2 tbsp. olive oil
2 c. fresh basil leaves, packed
2 c. fresh parsley, packed
1/4 c. fresh chives, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp. lemon rind
Place beef and tuna on separate platters. Season steaks with salt and pepper. Rub olive oil on tuna and season with pepper. In a blender or food processer combine herbs, garlic, lemon juice, and lemon rind. Pulse until herbs are coarsely chopped. Keep blender running and add olive oil in stream. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill beef steaks over medium-high heat on preheated grill about 8 minutes per side or as preferred. Grill tuna steaks 2 minutes per side or as preferred. Serve each with dollop of sauce.
Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Couscous
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves: 6
2 pints cherry tomatoes, rinsed
4 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Fresh pepper to taste
1 box couscous
1 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
1/2 c. fresh basil, chopped
Place tomatoes in large baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in preheated 400-degree oven for 25 minutes or until just blistered. Remove from oven, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and toss with basil. Cook couscous according to package instructions. After couscous sits 5 minutes, toss in tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Tropical Fruit Foster
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 7 minutes
Serves: 6
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. mango nectar
1 tbsp. dark rum
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 c. pineapple, cubed
2 bananas, peeled, split and halved
1 c. mango, peeled and cubed
Vanilla ice cream
Toasted sweetened coconut (optional)
In large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add brown sugar, nectar and rum, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil until syrupy, about 4 minutes. Mix in nutmeg, then add pineapple, banana and mango, and sauté until heated through, about 1 minute. Let cool 2 minutes. Scoop ice cream into bowls and spoon warm sauce over top. Sprinkle with coconut if desired.
By Carrie Hanna, Southern Boating June 2014
This marina houses 150 vessels at the luxurious Hyatt Resort on the Chesapeake Bay for comfort and convenience.
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the U.S. with hundreds of miles of shoreline to discover and explore. Located between Virginia and Maryland, its natural beauty makes it a famous vacation spot for cruisers and anglers alike. If Chesapeake is your destination, tie up at the Hyatt Regency Resort’s River Marsh Marina on the Choptank River.
River Marsh Marina has 150 slips for vessels up to 150 feet with water, electricity, cable TV, and wireless internet services. The Quarterdeck Store sells supplies, apparel and a variety of refreshments and alcoholic beverages. Overnight guests can utilize the Hyatt Regency’s many highly rated amenities via the complimentary shuttle to the hotel grounds.
If you opt to stay in one the Hyatt’s 400 cozy guestrooms, you’ll find a plethora of activities to keep you entertained. The most notable attractions are the 18-hole championship golf course, salon and spa, indoor and outdoor pools, tennis and volleyball courts, and game room. Watersports are also offered, as well as a nature trail to enjoy the local flora and fauna.
The Hyatt Regency has seven restaurants to appease your appetite, including the Blue Point Provision for succulent seafood and the Water’s Edge Grill for regional favorites. The hotel caters for special occasions using 35,000 square feet of event space.
By Daniel Wagner, Southern Exposure June 2014
The new Aquila 44 catamaran offers buyers an easy-to-operate vessel and joins the 38 and 48 in the Aquila Power Cat lineup of power catamarans. China-based Sino Eagle Group builds the Aquila line specifically for MarineMax Vacations charter business, but the 44 and 48 are available for private ownership as well. The Aquila 44 features three staterooms (owner’s cabin and two guest staterooms) and spacious ensuite heads. A unique stainless-steel pipe hoist system for raising and lowering the tender directly to the water off the transom is nearly foolproof. “The tender hangs out of the way in the up position when not in use,” says Raul Bermudez, vice president of Marine Max’s charter division.
The Aquila 44 has a single flybridge helm station. An L-shaped settee offers center seating for the skipper with guests to port. Forward of the helm pod to starboard is another settee, and operators will love the forward staircase access to the bow. If the pilot has to quickly run down to the bow to tend a line, it can be done quickly.
Interior comfort abounds, with a 360˚ view from the saloon and galley that features a large seating area, hidden TV stowage and plenty of storage for living on board and long vacations. The well-appointed galley features include Corian countertops, electric fridge and freezer, induction cooktop stove, and stainless steel microwave oven as well as a double stainless-steel sink. The full-beam queen master is located all the way forward, while the port and starboard hulls house two guest queen staterooms. A starboard sitting area can be converted into an office or children’s room.
LOA: 43’8″/48’3″
Beam:21’6″/23’6″
Draft:2’8″/3′
Fuel/Water: 290/206; 356/206 U.S. gals.
Power: 2x Volvo Penta D4 225-hp diesels/ D6 330-hp diesels
Southern Boating June 2014
Two new models built by the French builder Fountaine Pajot made their world debut at the 2014 Miami Boat Show. Coined as Trawler Catamarans for long cruising, the Summerland 40 LC and Cumberland 47 LC feature exceptional range and stability for buyers interested in a high quality of life while spending extended time on board.
The Summerland 40 LC’s interior was designed with contrasting colors and materials, the combination of which yields a contemporary and casual feel. Walnut woodwork highlighted with leather and white glass for work surfaces in the galley give a rich and comfortable feel. A single-seat helm station provides the skipper with nearly an unencumbered 360-degree view thanks to large hull windows that bring the outside in. Below, the owner’s expansive and luxurious stateroom with a transverse bed to starboard has its own private bathroom. Two double cabins with a shared bathroom comprise the port hull.
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Inside and outside entertaining and living spaces flow easily on the Cumberland 47 LC, with an aft door that slides open two-thirds of the width. An L-shaped settee doubles as an interior dining area, but owners and guests will most certainly prefer alfresco dining on the aft deck with its sensational view.
Both models feature an expansive and user-friendly flybridge where yet a third dining area can be found on the 47 LC, while a spacious sunpad is on the 40 LC. Fountaine Pajot also offers a larger model, the Queensland 55.
for 40 LC & 47 lc
LOA: 40’/46′
Beam: 17’7″/21’6″
Draft: 3’5″/3’6″
Fuel/Water: 2 x 185/158; 2 x 317/2 x 93 U.S. gals.
Power: 2 x Volvo 150 CV/ 2 x Volvo 225 CV
Southern Boating June 2014
Riviera Yachts has built top-quality boats for 34 years, launching more than 5,000 to date. The Australian builder has developed a reputation for turning out tough, strong boats that love bashing out to the fishing grounds. All that toughness, however, isn’t just limited to Riviera’s boats. During the global economic meltdown that began in 2008, Riviera and its dealers in 30 countries were hit hard financially—so much so, in fact, that it sought bankruptcy protection. That protection is usually only a first step and is generally followed by the appointment of a receiver and subsequent auction of the bankrupt firm’s assets.
But Riviera’s management team did not follow the usual pattern. They chose, instead, to tough it out and effectively manage the company back to financial health. Such an approach puts a massive strain on management, creditors, dealers, suppliers, and employees—in most cases, the bankrupt company can barely function, but that’s not what happened at Riviera. In fact, the builder not only continued to build—albeit at a reduced level—it developed new models and added new features to existing models. The end result is an encouraging recovery story and led to one of the newest Riviera offerings, the 50 Enclosed Flybridge.
Having tested several Rivieras—all equipped with the traditional open flybridge—I’d expected the enclosed flybridge model would prove to be an even better boat than those I had previously bashed around in. It was.
This newest Riviera with crisp, contemporary styling boasts a standout dock presence. Despite being one of the smaller boats tied along the dock, it was the vessel that first attracted my attention—and it will compare well with U.S. sportfish boats in the 55-foot range. As one would expect from such an experienced builder, the glasswork was excellent, perfectly fair, without signs of haze or print-through. Access to the vessel is off the swim step through either a port or starboard transom gate. The swim step is nearly the same height as most docks, which makes getting on and off the vessel safe, quick and easy.
Riviera designers have put together an open-plan saloon to take advantage of the fact that there is no inside helm station. The interior is bright and cheery, and will remain so even on a dull day due to the substantial amount of window glass. Windowsill heights are low enough that anyone sitting at the U-shaped dining settee and table, or on the lounge across from it, can comfortably see outside without stretching or getting up.
The U-shaped galley at the aft end of the saloon will become the focus of onboard entertainment. With the stainless-steel-framed aft saloon door pinned open and the similarly framed large glass window locked in the up position, the galley opens completely onto the aft deck. The bar directly across from the galley not only allows the cook quick and easy access to wines and spirits for sauces and other cooking requirements, but also allows those on the back deck to grab a cold one without having to move through or congregate in the saloon.
The galley’s easy access to the aft deck will allow the cook or caterers to easily prepare meals for more than a dozen people—especially when combined with the aft deck barbeque center. This area of the boat is also well protected from rain or blazing sun by the extended saloon roof.
Staterooms and heads are forward and down from the deck house, with the stairway ending on a landing or vestibule often seen on much larger yachts. Access to all three cabins is off that space. The 50 Flybridge we tested featured three staterooms: two with queen beds and the third with a pair of twins. By selecting a pod-drive system for this new model, Riviera has added five and a half feet to the interior hull living space compared with the traditional shaft-drive system. Riviera designers have thus been able to offer two nearly identical cabins. Both have plenty of natural light thanks to hull windows, plenty of storage, optional opening ports, and full ensuite heads—each with enclosed shower stalls. Riviera believes this layout allows the owner to choose either stateroom as the master.
My sea trial provided further evidence of this model’s mettle—from a cold start the twin 600-hp Cummins diesels fired instantly, without smoking or rattling. During our entire run the engines ran flawlessly as modern computer-controlled diesels are supposed to do. Once we cleared the no-wake zone, the vessel handled sharp turns easily, even going hard over from port to starboard.
This new Riviera manages to keep faith with those who want a traditional tough, strong, well-built fishing machine, while at the same time serving as a comfortable family motoryacht. The enclosed flybridge is a design stroke of genius. It’s large enough to allow the skipper to socialize with the whole family in style and comfort but offers staunch protection from the weather.
Visibility while cruising is unparalleled. The fit and finish throughout the vessel is excellent, and all equipment and appliances are first class. The pod-drive system, combined with joystick controls, will make anyone a great boat handler.
If one is looking for a boat that can function as both a fishing machine and a family cruiser, the new Riviera 50 Enclosed Flybridge should be on the “must see” list. One should also remember that the Queensland company has proven itself—during the recent recession—to be as tough as the boats it builds.
LOA: 56′ 8″
Beam: 16′ 5″
Draft: 3′ 10″
Weight: 50,706 lbs.
Fuel/Water: 793/198 U.S. gals.
Power: Twin Cummins 600HP with Zeus pod drives
Cruise/Top Speed: 23/28 knots
Range: 307 nm @ 25 knots
MSRP: $1.47 million (plus $79,400 shipping)
Chris McCafferty
(561) 267-1995
cmccafferty@riviera.com.au
rivieraaustralia.com
Roger McAfee, Southern Boating May 2014
When your cruising plans call for long days at sea and anchorages far from civilized services, the conservation of ship’s stores is top of mind. Managing food and fuel is crucial—when they run out, your body and boat shut down. Potable water is also a concern. When the freshwater holding tank is empty, the vast, salty ocean cannot slake your thirst—water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink.
Onboard watermakers have made the ocean your reservoir as reverse-osmosis systems turn raw seawater into drinkable freshwater. Processes have improved, equipment has become smaller and prices have dropped since these devices entered the marine market in the late 1980s. Whether or not you need a watermaker depends on your boating activities. If you enjoy coastal U.S. cruising and rarely stray from ports where freshwater is available, then the need for a watermaker is small. But if you have a sportfishing boat and are out for days at a time or cruising to foreign ports, then a watermaker is a necessity. At 8.35 pounds per gallon, water is heavy. A sportfishing boat embarking on a 50-mile run can save a lot of fuel by starting with minimal water in the holding tanks. Once you start trolling, the generator is turned on and the watermaker starts making freshwater while you fish.
Watermakers use a series of pumps, filters and membranes to turn raw seawater into freshwater. The current Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standard for potable freshwater is less than 500 parts per million, and all the manufacturers’ products in this article meet that standard. The process is reverse osmosis, the same technique used on a large scale at desalination plants. At the heart of the process is the membrane, a filter with pores the size of a red blood cell. After the larger particles in seawater are filtered out, the high-pressure pump forces water through the membrane, which removes almost all of the dissolved solids. This method rejects up to 99 percent of salts, contaminants and pollutants from seawater until the water purity meets the EPA standard.
Biological growth when a watermaker is not in use can affect water quality. Heat and standing seawater is the ideal environment for biological growth, and that’s always been the bugaboo for watermakers. In the past, keeping biologicals from growing involved flushing the system with acidic chemicals, but today, freshwater flushing keeps the membranes clean and greatly reduces maintenance.
Most boats 40 feet and longer will use watermakers run with AC-powered pumps; however, DC-powered watermakers are available for smaller powerboats and sailboats. AC-powered systems deliver a more constant flow rate and higher pressure over a longer period of time, while DC systems are for boats with less demand and smaller water tanks.
Here’s a look at watermakers recommended for cruising boats 40 to 60 feet long from four U.S. manufacturers, including well-established companies FCI Watermakers, Sea Recovery and Watermakers Inc., as well as up-and-coming Sea Xchange.
FCI Watermakers
The Aquamiser Plus and Max-Q lines are ideal for boats requiring 25 gallons per hour (600 gallons per day [GPD]) or more of freshwater production. Both are available in framed and modular configurations and include automatic freshwater flush. The Aquamiser Plus series offers outputs of 250 to 1,800 GPD, programmable settings and remote display capability. The Max-Q Series is more advanced and offers Universal Reverse Osmosis Controller (UROC) remote monitoring and control from a personal computer, with outputs of 600, 1,200 or 1,800 GPD. The Max-Q’s digital design is engineered for durability, and the need for pressure gauges and flow meters has been eliminated. FCI’s freshwater dockside system can also be incorporated into the Max-Q, and this helps create ultra-freshwater for a spot-free rinse.
Sea Recovery
The new Aqua Whisper Mini modular fits in tight spaces for easy access to main components. Water production ranges from 170 to 750 GPD. Low AC power consumption and its light weight (units range from 70 to 150 pounds depending on the model) makes it suitable for smaller boats. Simple touch operation on the unit, as well as from a remote location, makes it easy to use. The touch pad provides 16 illuminated LED status lamps that indicate system operation and water quality. Fault LED indication is also provided for easy diagnosis of required maintenance.
Watermakers Inc.
The ISL 400 offers reliability and simplicity in a “no-frills” desalination system, with an output of 432 GPD. Featuring a compact and rugged design, the ISL 400 is available pre-mounted on an L-frame or as a modular unit if space is limited and innovative installation is required. The product’s design uses no propriety components allowing the owner to find replacement filters, oil or parts nearly anywhere in the world. An available option is automatic flush of the watermaker every seven days.
Sea Xchange
The SX600 features an all-in-one compact design for conversion from a framed to a modular system in a few easy steps in outputs from 600 to 2,200 GPD. Non-proprietary components such as a 316 stainless-steel boost pump, high-pressure pump, automatic freshwater flush, and a remote control come as standard features. A one-touch interface makes operation simple, and the system can be coupled with Dometic’s Spot Zero freshwater system to provide true double-pass reverse osmosis freshwater.
By Doug Thompson, Southern Boating May 2014
Before you cross the Gulf Stream to the islands, ensure your boat is well lit. Perko’s powerful, energy-efficient LED light series includes red and green side lights, white masthead light, white stern light, yellow tow light, and white, red, green, and yellow all-around lights. Made with marine-grade black or white polymer, they are UV-, corrosion- and impact-resistant, and pre-wired with 3 feet of 16/3-SO cable for easy installation. With 12/24 VAC or 120-volt DC configurations, these compact, durable navigation lights are 6 inches tall to punch up visibility and Coast Guard-third party certified for 2 to 5 nautical miles. MSRP starting at $660; perko.com
Southern Boating May 2014
Navionics celebrates 30 years in business this year, but instead of resting on its laurels, the company has taken steps to incorporate bold new innovations into its navigation technology. Gone are the days of navigating via paper charts, and if mapping companies like Navionics have their way, soon we’ll navigate using smartphones and tablets, which will not only sync with plotters but also transmit updated chart data continuously in real time to make boating safer for everyone.
At the Miami International Boat Show in February, Navionics founder and president Giuseppe Carnevali discussed its crowd-sourcing initiative that seeks to improve ICW chart data from Maine to Florida. The ICW’s bottom contours can shift as a result of hurricane seasons, strong tidal fluctuations, changing currents, and other acts of nature, as well as manmade changes such as construction and dredging. To address inaccuracies, Navionics conducts its own surveys with privately funded teams, and leverages its customers with a combination of two technologies: SonarCharts and Community Edits.
Navionics SonarCharts allow mariners to record and share their sonar logs while cruising, fishing or just motoring around. Collected data is uploaded to a massive repository of charting data where complex algorithms select the most reliable soundings and scrub them against other data collected in the area, producing an up-to-date chart. In addition, Navionics’ app allows users to contribute improvements using Community Edits. Stumble upon a wreck, a spill or some other hazard not currently available on your chart, and with a few taps you can add a marker and notes to instantly share it with the entire Navionics community. These edits also become part of the overall data collection effort, which should result in enhanced content and peace of mind for recreational boat owners, the company claims.
“We have a community of customers numbering around 3 million,” says Carnevali. “About 100,000 of them are actively contributing to Community Edits. That’s a lot, especially if you consider that Wikipedia, for example, has something like 0.01 percent of users contributing to the content. Our participation is orders of magnitude higher.”
Thanks to the input of this community, Navionics’ ICW charts will feature up-to-date commanding depths, vertical and horizontal bridge clearances, accurate speed limits, vertical overhead cable clearance, updated coastlines, and improved shoal presentation, plus daily improvements to bottom contours, suggested routes and the Magenta line. And with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) ceasing to produce paper charts as of April 2014, Navionics hopes to lead a mapping revolution both for and by the boat owner.
In some countries electronic charts are already considered legal replacements for paper charts, and apps are eclipsing the web in terms of mobile data usage, so bringing the two technologies together makes a lot of sense. Using the company’s GoFree Wireless protocol, the revamped Navionics Boating app interfaces wirelessly with Raymarine and Navico-brand chartplotters (Simrad, Lowrance, B&G) and can download new charts that blend with the user’s existing chart collection, thereby ensuring all chart data is as current as possible. It’s useful off the water as well—routes, tracks and waypoints remain available on the user’s mobile device even after being downloaded to the plotter.
According to Carnevali, in 2013 Navionics’ app was accessed about 40 million times. This high level of usage led Navionics to believe that mobile apps represent the latest “disruptive technology” that stands to revolutionize the way boating enthusiasts enjoy their time on and off the water. But Carnevali stresses that the medium cannot be the message—that content must evolve to take full advantage of modern devices, and not merely be repackaged.
“When a new technology becomes available—a disruptive technology—people tend to do, for some time, the same old thing but on the new technology,” he explains. “When TV first came out, it was basically radio plus an image. It wasn’t really TV the way we know it now. When smartphones first came out they did things the same way it was being done on the web. Now with apps, [smartphones] are evolving into something very different. The same has been happening with nautical charts. From paper to raster to vector to mobile. The world is changing. It makes me happy that we initiated that.”
Download Navionics’ new app for free to view the worldwide chart coverage available for purchase from the iTunes App Store and Google Play for Apple and Android mobile devices. Boat owners who already own the previous version, Marine & Lakes, will get all the new features of Navionics Boating for free the next time they update their app. navionics.com
By Brian Hartz, Southern Boating May 2014
Just 135 miles off the coast of Florida, due east of Grand Bahama Island is unsung, oft overlooked Abaco—the northern tip of The Bahamas. The 780-square-mile cruising ground boasts long stretches of unspoiled beach, clear turquoise water, quaint villages, good provisioning, professional marine services, friendly locals, great snorkeling, a wide range of eateries, and predictable 5- to 20-knot trade winds. Little Abaco and Great Abaco Islands—from Crown Haven to Hole in the Wall—form a 120-mile arc that acts as the “mainland” for an outer archipelago of small reef-protected “cays” that dot the Sea of Abaco.
Abaco seems to exist in a time warp. Despite its proximity to the United States, none of the hustle and bustle of the more populated Bahamian Islands has crept northward. That is not an accident. Most Abaconians are aggressively anti-development and determined to preserve this unique and special place. Each of the Abaco islands still has its own distinct persona—many families, descendants of the Loyalists who fled the United States during and after the American Revolution, have called these islands home for well over 200 years. Some of the villages are quaint and charmingly gentrified, others a little less prosperous, but all are well tended with at least one water-view, aboveground cemetery. The surnames on those headstones are the same names on today’s shops, ferries, boatyards, and services.
The jumping-off point for a loop cruise of the Abaco archipelago is centrally located in Marsh Harbour, the third-largest city in The Bahamas. Its protected, deep water has made it the main supply depot for the islands and the home for most of the ferries, yacht charter companies, and a tiny but international airport. The Conch Inn Marina, with pool and restaurant, hosts the Moorings/Sunsail base. Within walking distance, a new Maxwell Supermarket has significantly raised the provisioning bar.
An easy sail from Marsh Harbour, Lubbers Quarters Cay is a small seven-acre island that is home to funky Cracker P’s beach shack. At the head of a 200-foot dock lined with philosophical “Burma Shave”-style signs, Cracker P’s offers lots to do—from a closet full of board games to the equipment for volleyball, bocce, croquet, horseshoes, badminton, ping-pong, dominoes, and darts. Climb the steps up and over the 40-foot sand dunes to a large sweep of pristine beach, or hike the lush estate amid sapodilla (planted by the original Cracker P), mahogany, tamarind, and mangroves as well as wild orchids, bromeliads and hibiscus.
The southernmost stop on an Abaco cruise, Little Harbour’s entrance—marked by pairs of red and green “found object” markers—opens into a harbor that’s protected nearly 360 degrees. Famous Pete’s Pub, Gallery and Foundry sits at the head of the harbor and rents moorings, serves casual fare in an open-air palapa, and presides over an atelier. Descendants of sculptor Randolph Johnston continue to cast bronze sculptures using a 5,000-year-old lost-wax process. Visit the Johnston Family Gallery and ask about a tour of the foundry. After a swim off the beach on the harbor’s eastern side, or off the mile-and-a-half stretch of white sand on the ocean side, join the regulars at the bar fashioned from pieces of Langosta, the old sailing vessel that carried the Johnston family to Little Harbour in the early 1950s.
Founded in 1785 by Loyalists, Hope Town’s 120-foot red and white candy-cane lighthouse, protected harbor and picturesque ambience make it the poster child for the Abaco archipelago. Three marinas offer transient dockage on the harbor’s west side. The transplanted New England village is a dinghy ride across the harbor and vaunts lovingly restored, brightly colored structures—house shops, private homes, galleries, and bed-and-breakfasts drip with Bougainvillea and are edged with white picket fences. The narrow sidewalk-like streets are designed for walkers and golf carts, and public entrances lead to a sweep of gorgeous, pink-powder ocean beach protected by a live coral reef just 30 feet offshore. The compelling Wyannie Malone Historical Museum is worth a stop. Its exhibits reveal the history of the village and larger archipelago. Among them are artifacts collected by infamous shipwreckers. Hope Town owes some of its early affluence to a group who enticed boats with false signal lights that led them to founder on the reef; they would then salvage the cargo. The island of Elbow Cay is a quarter-mile wide at its beamiest point and six miles from stem to stern.
One of the strongholds of Abaco tradition, most of the Man-O-War families are part of the original immigration. They became boat builders and shipwrights, and today Albury Brothers’ “Deep-V” runabouts have a passionate following that extends far beyond The Bahamas. There are several options for parts, boat supplies and repairs: Man-O-War Marina has slips and moorings; Edwin’s Boat Yard offers two full-service facilities boasting an extensive marine parts inventory; Man-O-War Hardware is a gold mine for cruisers. The village has two roads that parallel the harbor so it’s easy to make a long loop and see everything in an hour or so including three eateries and The Sail Shop’s hand-made duffel bags, hats and jackets. Two well-supplied groceries offer everything but alcohol: Man-O-War Cay is a “dry” island.
Famed Nipper’s Beach Bar & Grill put Great Guana Cay on the map. Right on the ocean dunes, it sports picnic tables, chairs and multi-level decks painted every color of the rainbow along with a shallow two-level pool designed mostly for the pool bar. The weekly pig roast is a big attraction accompanied by a powerful orange concoction. Despite Great Guana’s five-mile-wide, untouched ocean beach, the settlement is still delightfully small—a good part of the island wants it to stay that way. Pick up a mooring in Fishers Bay and dinghy ashore, or head over to upscale Orchid Bay Marina and Resort for a pampered experience.
One of the few big yacht options in Abaco, the 150-slip Treasure Cay Marina and Hotel houses a pool, 18-hole golf course, restaurants, 100-room hotel, rental villas and condos, and tennis courts. Its gorgeous three-mile arc of powder-sand beach dazzles and is well worth a visit. A popular bar is dockside and a low-key, upmarket restaurant overlooks the pool and harbor. Abaco Ceramics’ studio sells its coveted wares in shops all over The Bahamas.
The northernmost destination for Abaco-centric cruises is Green Turtle Cay, which requires a short outside passage around Whale Cay. When the ocean is raging, this passage is not recommended; the Cruiser’s Net (Channel 68, at 08:15AM) gives up-to-date weather reports. Green Turtle is home to three harbors: Settlement (small boats only), White Sound and Black Sound. The latter is the closest viable anchorage to the historic village of New Plymouth. A good way to see the whole cay is to join the locals and rent a golf cart. The history of Green Turtle is chronicled in the Albert Lowe Museum and the adjacent Memorial Sculpture Garden. White Sound features the quietly elegant Green Turtle Club and Marina with a pool high above the harbor, cottage accommodations and an old Bahamian-style fine-dining restaurant that serves three meals a day. Across the harbor, Bluff House Yacht Club and Marina’s Ipe (Brazilian teak) docks are filled with big sport-fish boats whose owners enjoy the facility’s two pools, two restaurants and first-class amenities. Cruising the Abacos is viable at most any time of year with the unique culture, gin-clear water and spectacular beaches. But the best weather seems to be March through May; it’s about the same temperature as the Palm Beach area of Florida.
By Beth Adams-Smith, Southern Boating May 2014
Sometimes the best place on a boat isn’t behind the wheel, but stretched out on a sunpad watching the world go by—and letting someone else pilot the vessel. The innovative layout and design of Cobalt Boats’ new A40 may sway more guests and even owners toward lounging rather than driving, as we discovered during our three-hour tour of the 40-foot sport yacht at the 2014 Miami International Boat Show in February.
Here’s why it’s awfully tempting to let someone else be in control: a huge aft island sunpad that has a split backrest that moves fore and aft. Move the backrest all the way aft and you’ve got a conventional front-facing lounge with a sunpad; move it all the forward and you’ve got a backrest for the sunpad, ideal for reclining in comfort. This setup is just one of many interesting features Cobalt has built into the A40, which is new for 2014. The boat we reviewed was hull No. 2, and Cobalt is in full production on the A40 and delivering boats to customers.
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While relaxing and lounging is a big draw, the A40 also offers a first-class experience for the driver, utilizing Volvo Penta’s new Glass Cockpit navigation system (see Engine Room in the April 2014 issue of Southern Boating). Powered by a pair of Volvo Penta D6 diesel, 5.8-liter, 400-horsepower engines mated to stern drives with joystick control, the A40 has twin 12-inch Garmin Glass Cockpit 8212 multi-function displays mounted side by side on the dash. “It’s easy to use and takes hardly any time to get used to,” says Alex Barry, Cobalt’s western regional manager. “Once you learn to use it and become aware of all the functions you have, it’s going to be second nature and something you are lost without.”
Another appreciated feature is the joystick control, which allows for excellent low-speed maneuvering. The A40 does not have a bowthruster, but even in tight docking situations the joystick allows for precise steering with just a slight twist or push. Volvo Penta’s fly-by-wire software commands—from the joystick control—the individual stern drives with just the right throttle and thrust to move the boat into the helmsman’s desired position.
The helm features a bolster arrangement that can be configured for comfortable sitting or standing, with a well-positioned steering wheel and Volvo Penta throttles and shifters in a good position. Stainless-steel accessory switches are in a row below the twin Garmin multi-function displays, and the pop-up switch lights up when you turn them on. Detailed piping and stitching on the fabric and teak accents in the deck are elegant touches, and the entire helm area can be closed off with Strataglass. The hard top offers plenty of sun protection and also has space for optional radar and entertainment/communication antennas.
The A40 is the latest flagship of the fleet built at Cobalt’s manufacturing plant in Neodesha, Kansas, and the newest in the builder’s A Series, which also includes the A25 and A28. With a dry weight of just under 20,000 pounds, it’s a capable cruiser built with an extended running surface to withstand rough sea conditions. The A40’s ride is complemented by Lenco trim tabs that work in concert with an auto-leveling system you can set via the Glass Cockpit. The auto-leveling system uses an onboard gyro to stabilize the boat, providing an extremely smooth ride.
“This runs beautifully with the Volvo Penta stern drive engines,” says Barry, who notes that buyers can also choose optional Mercury and Volvo Penta power plants. “The boat will run to 47 mph at 3600 rpm, and then you can throttle back to a nice cruise at 30 mph at 2000 rpm. At that speed it gets about 1.5 miles per gallon, so you could run out to Bimini from Miami and have plenty of fuel left over. The boat is built for cruising and day boating.”
Cobalt designed the A40 for day boating, but there’s room for living aboard with generous headroom down below and berths for four people. The forward cabin features a V-berth that offers dual functionality: first, with twin facing settees and center table, and second, as a berth with a table that drops down and a filler cushion inserted to make a double berth. Air conditioning keeps it cool and a center skylight/hatch lets in plenty of natural light. To port is a galley with freshwater sink, refrigerator and freezer, and above that are the boat’s voltage-sensitive relay (VSR) panel—which determines what batteries need to be charged—and controls for the Sirius audio system.
The dedicated two-person berth under the helm area to starboard comes complete with a flat-screen television. A well-appointed head is nicely designed and offers plenty of room, and features a VacuFlush toilet with macerator, shower and elegant vessel-style sink.
Stepping up into the saloon/helm area, a comfortable L-shaped settee is to port while the two-person helm is to starboard. Aft of the helm seat is the outdoor galley, which features another freshwater sink and outdoor barbecue that can be closed off with a fiberglass lid that raises and lowers on hydraulic rams. In the down position the lid offers generous counter space for serving and preparing food.
In the center aft is the island sunpad, the front of which rises up on hydraulic rams to reveal the engine room, and access to the Kohler 6.0-kW diesel generator and twin Volvo Penta power plants. The aft end of the huge sunpad opens to reveal two large storage lockers with room for lifejackets and other gear.
Aft of the sunpad is the smartly designed transom floor and swim platform. The swim platform can be lowered with the push of a button from an above-waterline position to two feet below the surface, making it extremely easy to reboard from the water. A freshwater hot-and-cold shower is also well positioned, and twin audio speakers deliver the tunes.
“This has a 12-foot beam but most people think it’s at least 14 feet wide,” Barry says. “We had 13 people on here the other day and there was plenty of space for everyone, and the boat performed as if I was aboard alone. Everyone was able to find a spot to relax and enjoy the day. Enjoyment is what this boat is intended for—a social gathering place for people on the water.”
LOA: 39’6″
Beam: 12’0″
Draft: 40″
Weight (half load displacement): 19,926 lbs.
Fuel/Water: 225/50 U.S. gals.
Power: 2x Volvo Penta D6 400-hp engines
Cruise/Top Speed: 30/47 mph
MSRP: Inquire
Cobalt Boats
1715 N. 8th St.
Neodesha, KS 66757
(800) 468-5764
cobaltboats.com
Doug Thompson, Southern Boating May 2014
SB: How did you become an interior designer and become interested in yachts?
GA: I studied architecture at the University of Florence, where I received my license in architecture. After completing my thesis on the main theatre of the Grand Princess, I received my Masters degree in Italy for Yacht Design, where I studied yacht architecture. Giacomo Mortola of GEM Studio in Genova is the naval architect of Princess Cruises, and he offered me a job with his company. I worked five years designing the interiors of beautiful cruise ships, in addition to working for several shipyards in the world.
SB: I have seen the custom design and style you produce for customers of Ferretti, specifically on Bertram. What is the process of taking a design idea and turning it into a yacht?
SB: If a client owns a boat or is ordering a new one I work directly with him. The first step is to understand his needs, which starts with his preferred layout. The second step is to work on the hard décor: choosing the wood for the furniture, defining the typical detail—the lighting, the floor, the wall covering—all the materials. Then I move on to choices for soft décor. Both hard and soft décor have a very important role in obtaining the right atmosphere for each specific area on a client’s boat.
SB: What is your favorite part of the interior design process, and your design project to date?
GA: My favorite step is choosing the materials. I am always trying to find new products and materials never before used in the marine world to create a unique boat for each specific client. My favorite boat I have designed is the Pershing 115.
SB: What are some of your signature styles and features that set you apart from other interior designers and decorators in the marine world?
GA: I like clean spaces that are very elegant yet comfortable, and I pay careful attention when I choose the primary materials. I like to use very high quality, and I am extremely picky with the little details because I want my clients to have the highest quality in our boats. I also don’t use many colors. I like colors only for accents that give personality and feature the neutral, chic spaces.
SB: How has your design for Ferretti progressed most significantly in the last 10 years? What are some of the most noted changes?
GA: In the last 10 years the quality and the technology have improved a lot in the way we build our yachts. The most significant research was to create a better connection between the interiors and the exteriors of the boat with balconies, bigger windows, improved space of the interiors, and the overall livability in our Ferretti line. Our Pershing designs specifically improved the performance, sport and aggressive style using innovative materials.
SB: How do you see interior design in yachts evolving over the next few years?
GA: I think the design of boat and yacht interiors is [and will continue to be] more and more customer-oriented. Also, the customization of interiors starts at a lower range—like 50 to 60 feet—, which offers more affordable luxury. Years ago this was not common, but now shipyards and manufacturers realize it is important for customers to have custom or semi-custom boats. Even if they start with a smaller boat, it is not unusual for them to upgrade over the years, which creates loyal customers.
SB: Have you seen technology play a role in the advancement of design in your field? If so, in which ways?
GA: Of course! Nowadays, high technology becomes one of the first requests of the clients when deciding to buy a new boat, especially if it is customized. They require everything controlled by iPod or iPhone among other mobile, hands-free devices. I actually designed a boat where all the cabinet doors were controlled by a re-programmable bracelet.
SB: Have your designs received any specific recognitions or awards?
GA: I was given an award for my design of a fast patrol boat for the law enforcement agency Guardia di Finanza in Italy. I was working for a shipyard that produced military boats and speedboats, which was very interesting!
SB: Where and what type of boating/fishing do you enjoy personally? Do you own a boat?
GA: I prefer speed when I’m boating—it gives me adrenaline. I would like to one day buy a fast boat—I’m not sure which make yet—to name it Ginger after the first Catamaran I designed. Designing boats is my passion and I am so happy that my job permits me to create a new experience for clients on the water each time. If they are happy and love their experience on the water, I reached my goal.
By Christine Carpenter, Southern Exposure May 2014
Horizon Yachts’ powercat lineup leapt to the forefront at February’s Miami International Boat Show, showcasing two versions of its impressive PC60 model. Founded in Taiwan in 1987, Horizon has been known for some time as one of the Asia-Pacific region’s leading custom boat builders, turning out an impressive array of both mono- and multi-hulled yachts, with a bevy of awards to back up its reputation.
The latest PC60, dubbed the Skylounge version, boasts a fully enclosed flybridge that will appeal to buyers looking for a spacious, highly stable option for coastal cruising or, depending on engine selection, long-range passage-making. It’s well suited to island cruising with wide, uncluttered decks; a bridle to minimize swinging at anchor; and ample stowage fore and aft for copious amounts of water toys, and diving and fishing gear.
“The power catamaran market is expanding,” says Stuart Hegerstrom, founder/director of the Powercat Company, which represents the Horizon line of powercats designed in collaboration with Lavranos Marine Design and JC Espinosa Yacht Design. “We’re seeing people trading up from sailing cats and down from larger monohulls,” he explains. Horizon has sold nine PC60s so far and took two more orders at the Miami International Boat Show in February 2014. Hegerstrom says the appeal lies in the boat’s maneuverability, use of space, sleek profile, stability, efficiency, quality of build, and customization options. “The fit and finish are fully customizable,” he says. “You’re limited only by the structural bulkheads and your imagination.”
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Painstaking is the word he used to describe the process of designing the boat’s profile. “I did not want it to look like another boxy catamaran. Someone who’s spent this kind of money wants to feel that at least they’ve bought something that looks good.”
Southern Boating joined Hegerstrom aboard the PC60 Skylounge for the return trip from Miami to Fort Lauderdale, where the boat would dock until its next public appearance at the Palm Beach International Boat Show. This four-cabin, three-head layout includes guest staterooms to port and starboard, a master stateroom amidships on the main deck level, and a smaller aft cabin sized for children in the starboard hull, which could also be outfitted as a utility room. The starboard guest stateroom has a queen bed while its port counterpart is outfitted with twin beds that can also be converted into a queen. Settees in the saloon and Skylounge convert to double beds, providing a versatile range of accommodations for owners fond of entertaining. There’s a version of the PC60 Skylounge on the drawing board that features four queen staterooms—each with its own ensuite head. “That layout has the galley forward, a nice big saloon to starboard, and dinette to port,” Hegerstrom says. “And you cut away part of the main bulkhead, so visually, when you walk into the boat, you see all the way forward to the front windscreen. That would be the preferred charter version.”
Because catamarans can make use of their entire beam for living space by the very nature of their hull form, the volume of accommodations found on the PC60 rivals that of a much larger vessel. Hegerstrom says it measures up well against an 80-foot monohull in terms of living space, and its aft deck is comparable to single-hulled vessels in the 100-foot range. At 60′ 9″ LOA, it’s aimed squarely at a particular subset of owner-operators, says Hegerstrom. “The boat’s appeal and what we feel is an opportunity in the marketplace is the owner who previously owned an 85- or maybe 90-footer, and is tired of having four to five crew and the cost of running the boat, but isn’t prepared to give up the amenities and space—and could have it all in one package for a fraction of the cost.”
Room for provisions won’t be a problem as the PC60’s aft starboard galley is equipped with a top-notch Subzero refrigerator plus two freezer drawers, four-burner GE stove, a convection/microwave oven, and dishwasher, nine drawers, and four large cabinets. Just forward of the galley and down a short set of steps is an Ariston washer and dryer firmly ensconced in the starboard aft bulkhead.
The master stateroom—accessed via a starboard companionway—offers a panoramic view out the forward windscreen. The cabin itself is stuffed with thoughtful touches, including spacious cedar-lined closets, plentiful under-bed storage, and a split head to port with shower and full vanity forward (with swivel seat for shaving, hairdressing, etc.) and a toilet aft.
Ascending a starboard spiral staircase in the saloon leads to the yacht’s Skylounge, a highly livable space protected from the elements. With a full L-shaped settee and dinette table, 37-inch flat-screen TV, mini-fridge, and day head, there’s no need to scurry below when foul weather hits. The Skylounge’s aft sliding door has a built-in safety catch that stops it halfway—keeping it from slamming shut on a child or anyone else caught in transition between indoor and outdoor spaces. The sliding door on the boat’s main level that separates the saloon from the aft deck is similarly constructed; however, it needed to be completely locked while under way to keep it from sliding open. This very minor flaw has since been corrected, Hegerstrom says.
The helm station impresses with its elevated Stidd command chair and full suite of Garmin electronics. In an era in which helm seating sometimes resembles a couch, it’s nice to see a helm with a single seat that’s solely dedicated to the helmsman and the vital task of driving the boat, though Hegerstrom says an additional helm chair can be installed upon request. To port of the helm is a chart table with fully adjustable LED reading light—another welcome nod to the tried-and-true art of seamanship.
Though not protected from the elements, the flybridge’s aft deck is no afterthought. It sports a two-burner Gaggenau grill, plenty of storage and an ES1000 Steelhead marine davit. And it’s more than spacious enough for several deck chairs plus a table for alfresco dining.
It took several hours to get out into open water as we had to inch our way—along with dozens of other vessels—along Indian Creek to depart the boat show, but the go-slow time was a chance to put the PC60’s twin 715-hp Caterpillar engines and Side-Power bow thruster to good use. As we fell into line, the boat could be steered without even touching the helm. Just push one throttle forward while leaving the other in neutral to turn, then correct any over-steering with a tap of the thrusters. Easy.
After making the turn out into the Atlantic and getting clear of the chop stirred up by the boats around us, we settled into cruising speed, engaged the autopilot and sat back as the engines burned about 24 gallons of diesel per hour. Of course, we made the run as a light ship with fuel tanks half full, minimal crew and very little in the way of provisions, but still, the performance and fuel efficiency were impressive. “There’s far less resistance on two skinny hulls than one big hull,” explains Hegerstrom. “You’re pushing less water, so for a similar displacement it requires less horsepower to move the boat forward and get up to speed.” The ride was ultra-smooth: no spray kicked up onto the forward windscreen, and there was no need to walk around the edges of the cabin holding onto something for balance—even at 20 knots.
With the PC60 Skylounge, Horizon has managed to package the luxuries and amenities of a much larger yacht into a hull that two people can easily handle—no small achievement. For potential buyers open to options outside of the box of classic monohull yachts, Hegerstrom says it’s a no-brainer. We concur.
LOA/LWL: 60′ 9″/52′ 6″
Beam: 24′ 6″
Draft: 4′ 9″
Weight (Displ.): 74,200 lbs.
Fuel/Water: 1,000/300 U.S. gals.
Power: Twin CAT C12A 715HP
Cruise/Top Speed: 18/23 knots
Range: 400NM @ 18 knots/900NM @ 9 knots
MSRP: $2.65 million
info@horizonpowercatamarans.com
Brian Hartz, Southern Boating April 2014
