Aft Cabin Cruiser Ends Aground in Cape May Harbor, New Jersey

A twelve meter Carver aft cabin cruiser with two persons onboard ended aground and into the rock wall of Cape May Harbor, New Jersey on the evening of Thursday nineteen June.  The Carver ended into this situation due to a thunder storm, which generated gale force winds couple to heavy rain, with a falling tide not helping the situation.  Sea Tow Cape May which shared the story on its Facebook page assisted in the recovery the following morning, and then towed the aft cabin cruiser to Canyon Club Marina for an emergency haul out.  The two persons onboard were not injured.

The aft cabin cruiser in this accident is a Carver 440 Aft Cabin as produced from 1993 to 1995.  A replacement to the 4207 Aft Cabin when released the 44 Aft Cabin was Carver largest offer, with the model evolved and replaced by the sloop stern Carver 445 Aft Cabin.

Beneteau Explorer Cruised Ends Aground in Big Pass, Florida

A thirteen meter Beneteau explorer cruiser with two persons onboard ended aground by Turtle Beach near Big Pass, Sarasota, Florida for a story shared by Florida Gulf Coast Marine Services on his YouTube Channel on the eight March 2025.  Florida Gulf Coast who is part of TowBoatU.S assisted the boat, and ungrounded it who then proceeded with its own power, which suggest little power was made.  The boat ended aground for some missing markers which make it more difficult to navigate the channel.  

The boat in this accident is a Beneteau Swift Trawler 44 as designed by Joubert and Nivelt and produced from 2011 to 2019 in about five hundred units.  The Swift Trawler 44 was a replacement to the Swift Trawler 42, and was replaced by the Beneteau Swift Trawler 41.

New Model: Cruisers 50 Fly

Cruisers presents the 50 Fly, the second model in the Euro style Fly range which debuted in 2024 with the 57 Fly.  Designed as the 57 Fly by Luiz de Basto the 50 Fly comes similar looking to the two meter larger sister, similarities which continue even in layout and details.  For the two meters less in length and minus twenty centimetres in beam the 50 Fly will not feature the drop down bulkhead to port side, has a third cabin with bunks, and no crew cabin aft.  But for the remaining it is all very similar, as it should be, with the Cruises 50 Fly having a functional astern galley layout, and a three cabins lower deck with full beam midships owner stateroom.  The Cruisers 50 Fly is powered by twin Volvo 600hp with IPS pod drives for top speeds up to 27 knots.

Technical Data:

LOA - 15.50 m (50.9ft)

Beam - 4.80 m

Draft - 1.26 m

Displacement - 22975 kg dry

Fuel Capacity - 2298 l

Water Capacity - 443 l

Accommodation - six berths in three cabins

Engines - 2 x Volvo D8 600hp

Propulsion - Volvo IPS800 forward looking dual propeller pod drives

Speed - 27 knots max

Project - Luiz de Basto 

www.cruisersyachts.com

competition = Absolute 52 Fly

Project: Aquila 45 Sport

Aquila present the 45 Sport project, a power catamaran where every outing becomes an opportunity to turn good plans into unforgettable adventures. The Aquila 45 Sport is designed with double-stepped hull technology to deliver fast and efficient speeds. Featuring an expansive aft cockpit which with fold-down terraces this arrives to a beam just that bit short to six meters, creating an unmatched social space which with the convertible U-shaped seating and manual high/low table creates a unique in size deck space.  A four-seat centre console helm station, and fore lounge seating complete the vast main deck.  Overnight accommodation is accessed to left of the helm station and offers a comfortable cabin offering a double berth with private head to starboard. The Aquila 45 Sport is powered by twin Mercury 600hp outboards for top speeds over forty knots and fast efficient cruise in the low thirties.

www.aquilaboats.com

Kristine Porter 1931 - 2026

Kristine Porter, of Decatur, Indiana, passed away at 94 years old surrounded by family following a brief illness on Thursday, February 12, 2026, at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Kristine was born June 29, 1931, in Geneva, Indiana, to the late Carl Mathias and Agnes Margaret Striker. On June 1, 1950, she married Victor Butler Porter, her husband for 71 years, and he preceded her in death on October 24, 2021. Both graduated from Decatur High School, class of 1949. Kris was a member of Grace First Community Church in Decatur, where she served on various committees, including United Methodist Women, Youth Fellowship Leader, Children’s Choir Director, Bible School Coordinator/Teacher and Lay Witness Mission Team. Kris was an Honorary Retired member of the Alpha Delta Chapter of Psi Iota Xi Sorority, a Cub Scout Den Mother for many years, Brownie and Girl Scout Leader, PTO member, Decatur Community Fund Coordinator, member of the Order of the Eastern Star, and also active in the Adams County Republican Party. Kris helped her husband Vic through the founding of Vic’s Frozen Food Center and Center Ice Cream, as well as two boat companies, Duo, Inc. in 1958, and Signa Corp. with five business associates in 1970, and in purchasing Thunderbird Products/Formula in 1976, which has been owned and managed by the Porter family for fifty years. Kris was active in the business with marketing projects and employee insurance for many years. Vic and Kris founded the Porter Family Foundation, providing philanthropic funding to charities and organizations, including funding for the formation of Adams Woodcrest and donating land and funding for Adams Memorial Hospital. Vic and Kris also established the Victor and Kristine Porter Community Enrichment Fund with the Adams County Community Foundation. They were also Callithumpian Parade Grand Marshals. Kris enjoyed boating, music, reading, watching cardinals, jigsaw and crossword puzzles, playing bridge, and was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She also loved her team of dedicated caregivers. Kris and Vic enjoyed summers at Lake Wawasee and winters in Naples, Florida. Kristine is survived by five sons'; John, Scott, Grant , Wayne , Ted, daughter Jean Brune, and seventeen grandchildren.

Boater Injured as Boat Collides in Tree at Tacoma, Maryland

One boater was injured as a seven meter explorer cruiser ended aground and then collided with a tree near Tacoma Narrows Park, in Maryland for an accident which happened on the evening of Thursday 26 February.  Gig Harbor Fire and Rescue crews assisted the man before 07:00 of the following morning after reports came in of the accident.  Pierce County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Coast Guard also tended to the scene, and transported the boater, who was reported of suffering minor injuries to a hospital.  The cause of the accident is not reported, with the man coming out as intoxicated following a test and without impairment problems.

The boat in this collision is a Ranger Tugs R-23 as produced since 2016. The R-23 was a replacement to the R-21 EC.  Ranger Tugs was founded in 1958, and started its today seven models explorer style of boats in 1992 with the R-21.

New Model: XO Boats EXPLR 44

XO Boats from Helsinki, Finland, which was founded in 2006 and debuted its first boat the 240 RS in 2012 presents its new flagship with the EXPLR 44.  Build with an aluminium hull and fiberglass super structure, this new EXPLR 44 flagship stretches XO size by three meters, aiming to compete with the big models from Axopar and Saxdor, although its closes competitor in style and substance is the Wellcraft 44 Explorer.  The XO Boats EXPLR 44 comes looking more rugged to the competition and has also its uniqueness for featuring an aluminium made hull.  Living accommodation comes with a living on aft deck and inside the protected pilot-house; galley behind the central two seat helm station, and L-shaped dinette which can convert to a double berth.  Sleeping accommodation is for four in two cabins, located forward and aft and both served with private shower heads.  The XO Boats EXPLR 44 is outboard gas powered from twin 600hp, or triple 400 to 450hp engines for speeds up to fifty knots with the larger options. 

Technical Data:

LOA - 13.4 m (43.6ft)

Beam - 3.7 m

Draft - 1.05 m with outboards down

Displacement - 8268 kg dry and without engines

Fuel Capacity - 1800 l

Water Capacity - 200 l

Max Persons - twelve

Accommodation - four berths in two cabins, plus two convertible

Engines - 2 x Mercury V12 600hp, 3 x Mercury 400hp, 450hp

Propulsion - twin or triple outboards

Speed - fifty knots max forty cruise with triple 450hp, 45 knots 32 cruise with triple 400hp

Range - 240 nautical miles at fast cruise

Construction - aluminium hull five millimetre hull thickness, eight mm stringers

Certification - CE B12/C14 

www.xoboats.com

competition = Wellcraft 44 Explorer

Two Persons Saved as Sport Cruiser Sinks Near Amalfi, Italy

A man and woman in their thirties were saved as an eight meter sport cruiser partly sank near Punta Campanella on the Western tip of the Amalfi Coast, on the afternoon of 25 August, 2022.  After launching the Mayday call for help the two boaters were fast assisted and rescued in minutes by the Guardia Costiera Sar Cp858 rib, who was in the area on patrol duties.  The boat was reported going direction to Capri, when it started to take on water and sink for a not advised reported reason.  No pollution was reported, with the sport cruiser towed to Capri and taken to a boat yard for haulage.

The boat in this part sinking is a Squalo 28 as designed by Franco Harrauer and produced from 1978 to 1983.  The 28 was Squalo second model, and was replaced by the 30 built in fiberglass. Founded in 1977 by four ship wrights in Naples, Squalo built fast seaworthy cruisers, first in lamellar wood and from 1981 in fiberglass.

Project: Tidewater 330 CC

 

Tidewater from South Carolina presents the 330 CC project.  Second in size model behind the 380 CC which arrived in 2022, the 330 CC is a replacement to the 320 CC in Tidewater flagship CC Adventure Series of offshore centre console line up which today features twelve models from five to eleven meters.  The Tidewater 330 CC comes with a few important differences to the 320 CC; from a twin stepped hull which Tidewater introduced on its flagship in 2022, and then on the 302 CC in 2025, to a cuddy cabin with toilet under the centre console.   The Tidewater 330 CC is to be powered by outboard engines from twin Yamaha 450hp, to triple 300hp.

www.tidewaterboats.com

Aft Cabin Cruiser Ends Aground Near Jewfish Key, Florida

A sixteen meter aft cabin yacht with three persons onboard ended aground at Longboat Pass new Jewfish Key, Florida on a story shared by Florida Gulf Coast Marine Service on the 27 March.  This boat was reported to have run aground the day before near Anna Maria Island but was ungrounded, only to end grounded again as they were trying to set anchor near Jewfish Key, with the tide going out leaving them high and dry for a second time in less to a day.  Florida Gulf Coast of TowboatU.S ungrounded the yacht and put it into deep water, who then proceeded with it's own power into its cruise.

The aft cabin yacht in this accident is a Gulfstar 53 Trawler as produced from 1975 to 76 in ten units.  The 53 Trawler shared hull with the 53 Motorsailor, with both models being Gulfstar flagships in that time of production.