Soundings is the news and feature publication for recreational boaters. Award-winning coverage of the people, issues, events -- and the fun -- of recreational boating. Check out our generous boats-for-sale section and our gunkholing destinations.
In many parts of the country, December isn’t the best month for spending days on the water, but it’s a great time to show our appreciation for those boaters who are close to our hearts. With the holidays just off the bow, many of us are in search of the perfect gift for the mariner in our circle who is always looking for cool gear to bring aboard. To make the hunt easier, the Soundings edit team put together a holiday gift guide on page 48. The options range in price from $20 to $4,000, so there’s something for every budget, and for most needs. There are gadgets for the angler in your clan, electronics for the navigator in the family, audio systems for that person with the best cruising…
Few people would dare claim that anyplace other than the British Virgin Islands is the world’s mecca for bareboat charters. The BVI’s line-of-sight sailing, reliably beautiful weather and abundance of charter-ready boats make the waters around Tortola, Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke a paradise for skippers of all levels. But sometimes, there’s an itch to push a little farther. Seasoned bareboat skippers often look well past the last mooring buoy and wonder if they have what it takes to harness the winds and waves in more challenging locales. Here’s where the experts say those adventurous skippers should book a bareboat charter next. ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES The waters around these islands of the southern Caribbean can be so challenging, Horizon Yacht Charters prohibits its bareboat clients from visiting…
Brunswick Corporation—parent company to brands including Boston Whaler, SeaRay and Veer—recently announced a new line of boats that, according to Brunswick President Aine Denari, will meet the unmet needs of its customers. The new line is Navan, a series that Brunswick says will satisfy the growing demand for premium adventure family boats. Navan will come to market with two models: the C30 and S30. Both designs are based on a twin-step hull that should allow for more stability and safety, as well as fuel efficiency while cruising, according to Brunswick. This hull design should make for softer landings when traveling at high speeds, a feature that is especially important for families traveling with young children. The C30 is for daytime adventures, overnight stays and poor weather conditions. At 33 feet…
A new model from C.W. Hood Yachts in Marblehead, Massachusetts made its debut recently. The Hood 26E Runabout is the builder’s first fully electric model. While it’s high-tech, it also embraces true New England style. Designed by Chris Hood and David Robinson, the boat has an LOA of 26 feet, 3 inches and a beam of 8 feet, 6 inches. The 26E runs on a modified deep-V-hull and is made of carbon fiber, a material that produces a solid yet light boat. A teak helm console amps up the aesthetics, and the dash has plenty of space for optional electronics. The boat also features a leaning post with storage and a full-width bench seat located aft. Owners can opt for seating in the bow as well. According to Chris Hood,…
For many boaters, winter is a time to reflect on the past season, especially for those whose vessels are in dry dock, nestled on trailers or bundled up under cover. Unfortunately, my memories of this past summer are full of incidents and observations that have dampened my enthusiasm for next season. This fall, a friend whose idea of boat winterization is to head to Florida, motored south on his new 50-plus-foot convertible. No stranger to ocean travel and ICW stops aboard his well-seasoned 40-footer, he was jacked up for a trip aboard his new ride to Pompano Beach, Florida. For one, the new boat offered a 35-knot cruise, which was 15 knots faster than his old vessel. An experienced boater, he felt comfortable with his wife as the mate. He…
LOA: 36’11” Beam: 12’3” Draft (motors down): 2’7” Weight (dry): 19,200 lbs. Power: (3) 350-hp Mercurys Fuel: 327 gals. When Turkish shipyard Vicem Yachts was established in 1991, it quickly established a reputation for building beautiful cold-molded wooden yachts. Over the years, I have toured a number of large Vicem cruising boats and sportfishing convertibles with hulls and interior woodwork that gleamed like fine furniture. So, it came as a surprise this spring when Soundings asked me to check out a new fiberglass center console from Vicem. At the time, Vicem was calling this new model the 37 CC, but since then the company has re-christened it as the 37 Tuna Master Center Console. Of course, big center consoles with multiple outboards are all the rage these days, so launching…
