Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2024 i Soundings

LOA: 46’8” Beam: 12’0” Draft (drives up): 2’4” Draft: (drives down) 3’6” Displ: 19,432 lbs. Fuel: 350 gals. Water: 110 gals. Because August had delivered a slew of dog days, muggy mornings and humidity too thick for canines and captains, the weather change on this brisk morning in early September feels fantastic. There’s a snap in the 60-degree temperature, the sky is an intense blue and the water is scattering shards of sunlight in every direction. Conditions are sweet for a swift ride in Newport, Rhode Island, and we have the right boat for the trip. The MJM 42 and its 10 passengers—all guests of the builder, which hosted a launch party for the boat last night—pulls away from the dock at Sail Newport in Fort Adams Park and heads…

When you don’t have a lot of time on your side, it’s nice to have three 600-hp Mercury Verado outboards and a 50-gallon bait well stocked full of frisky pilchards. Such was the case when I stepped aboard the Formula 457 CCF. It was well past 9 a.m. and if we wanted any chance at finding some life along the edge of the reef, we had to hustle. Whenever I sea trial a new Formula, I feel like I’m on a scavenger hunt for interesting features, smart use of space and other clever touches from the design team. I found my first pleasant surprise as I stepped on the boat. The 457 CCF was tied up broadside to a bulkhead. The gunwale above the portside dive door was folded over…

I come from a family of engineers. As the journalist, I’m the black sheep. Although pretty handy—I’ve restored a Whitehall skiff and five houses—I’ve spent my entire life avoiding electrical work. I once installed an auxiliary power outlet (a car cigarette lighter) on my boat, but other than that, I’ve always left this type of work to the professionals. But more than two years ago—when my 14-year-old handheld Garmin GPS proved to be too small for me to see where I was going as my 17-foot RIB was bouncing up and down on Maine’s rockstrewn waters—I decided it was time to upgrade to a boat-powered MFD with a larger screen. And because a Raymarine Axiom+ 9 MFD installation would justify a second 12-volt battery, I decided to go whole hog.…

When it comes to designing and building a new model, there are people who pay attention to detail, and then there’s the team at Sabre, who argue over fractions of an inch in the spring of the sheer. “When we’re developing a model like this, it’s years in the making,” Kevin Burns, vice president of design and product development, says of the Sabre 51 Salon Express. “A lot of thought goes into these things.” The 51 is an evolution of the Sabre 48. More than 200 of those hulls have been built, sold and resold in the past dozen years, giving the Sabre team plenty of feedback to chew on. Burns figures they heard from more than 300 owners and dealers about the 48, and about the next-biggest model in…

It’s not unusual for a production sailboat builder to make a foray into the powerboat market. One of the earliest examples was Bristol Yachts, which debuted the Bristol 42 Offshore Trawler in 1969. Bristol Yachts got its start in 1964 after Clinton “Clint” Pearson, who had founded Pearson Yachts with his cousin Everett in 1956, left that company, bought out Sailstar, and hired Carl Alberg to design the Bristol 27 sloop. Alberg had previously designed the hugely successful Pearson Triton 28. Bristol Yachts rapidly became known for solid craftsmanship and a line of well-finished, stoutly built sailboats drawn by Alberg, Halsey Herreshoff and Ted Hood. Between 1969 and 1981, Bristol Yachts built two trawlers, a 38 and a 42—both displacement hulls with diesel propulsion. Clint Pearson tapped the venerable firm…

Once someone learns I’m a licensed charter skipper, they often ask, “Where’s the best place to go?” It’s a tough question because it’s nearly impossible to answer, since everyone looks for different experiences on their bareboat charter vacation. But I do like to share tips about the hidden gems I’ve found over the years. The locations highlighted here have some hidey holes that can take the cruising experience to the next level. A number of reputable charter companies operate in these places, including Dream Yacht Charters, The Moorings, Sunsail, and Navigare Yachting, and they all have a mix of monohulls and catamarans, both power and sail. I like these places because they aren’t as busy as the British Virgin Islands or the Bahamas, so you can leave the crowds behind.…

On the evening of November 26, 1898, a light but strengthening wind swept across the New England coast. Within hours, wind speeds had reached hurricane magnitudes. They raged all through the night and the following day before finally subsiding after 36 hours on November 28, bringing with them churning seas, massive floods and a trail of destruction spanning from Maine to Connecticut. The infamous Portland Gale formed when two high-energy, low-pressure systems—one from the Gulf of Mexico and one from the Great Lakes region—converged off the coast of Virginia and migrated northward. When a high-pressure zone from Ohio brought clear, cloudless skies to Boston on the morning of the 26th, nobody could predict such a treacherous storm was just on the horizon. The sky began to darken later that evening,…

I was at the helm of my 47-foot wooden cruiser Puffin with the Gardner 6LXB diesel purring away below when a familiar voice called out a Pan Pan over the VHF. Robert aboard Paragon, one of the boats that was following us across Dixon Entrance, reported that he was halfway across the sound and dead in the water. Dixon Entrance straddles the border between Canada and the United States. It is one of two open ocean crossings on the Inside Passage and it’s not a good place to lose power. As I reversed our course, I told my crewmates to break out the towline and looked for Paragon’s AIS position on the GPS plotter. Robert reported that his boat had an electrical issue, and that his diesel had stopped without…

Driving into town from the west on Highway 20, visitors descend a hill that opens a splendid panorama of old Victorians, azure ocean, snowcapped mountains and dozens of boats sprinkled throughout the scene. For many who wash up here—coming from California, the East Coast or far-away countries—this sight is the eureka moment that suggests they have found Shangri-La. And yet no matter how they come—by jalopy, boat or unicorn and wearing chainmail—once they enter Port Townsend’s field of gravity, it becomes impossible to leave. Maybe it’s because of the festivals that take place here: jazz, blues, farm, films, fiddle tunes, rhododendron, steampunks, writing, or the kooky Kinetic Skulpture Race. They all have a devoted following, but they also bow to the iconic Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival, which is celebrated…

1 HUK STORM JACKET Huk, pronounced hook, has been busy cranking out reputable boating wear and the new Storm rain jacket is another example of the company’s commitment to superior design and quality. Available in four colors and sizes for men, women and kids, it’s stylish and performance-oriented. Made from water-repellent, plain-weave polyester with sealed seams and a mesh lining, the Storm jacket keeps you dry but doesn’t feel damp or clammy against the skin. The zippered closure includes a storm flap, and the three-panel hood can be adjusted with a drawstring, as can the waist for a snug fit. Huk offers matching bibs if you want the complete package. From $70 to $100 2 PLANO FROST COOLERS Who wouldn’t want a compact carry-along cooler to keep beverages and lunch…