South West Florida Hit by Strong Low Pressure

A strong low pressure hit the South West Florida on Sunday seventeen December, with various streets being flooded in the area, a storm surge of one meter, over five centimetres of rain water, and winds up to Force seven Beaufort of intensity.  Punta Gorda which has still not recovered from Hurricane Ian from September 2022, was one of the most hit areas, along with Forty Myers, and Palm Beach.  

Many weather forecast models are saying this and previous recent storms, along with a particularly unusually strong Pacific Hurricane Season are the affect of El Nino which finally has arrived.  The 2024 El Nino is forecasted to be a strong one, because of record heat in recent Summers, and also because it delayed by a year. 

A classic Hatteras 53 Motor Yacht suffered the affect of the storm surge, with crew trying to resolve this.

This is a Chaparral 28/29 Signature which ended beached after breaking free from its mooring.  

A first version Ocean Yachts 38 Super Sport also suffered the affect of the storm, and partly sank.

New Model: Moonride Yachts 58S

Moonride Yachts a connoisseurs boutique boat yacht builder of choice follows its 58F model which launched in 2022 with the 58S hard-top version. Called as project 58 Ibiza, the Moonride 58S is inspired to down-East traditional lobster boat looks with styling accents of Italian yachts from the sixties and seventies era.  The 58S unlike the 58F also features a straight shear line versus the F version, and a different cockpit layout with aft sun-pad and C-shaped dinette to starboard.  The first Moonride Yachts 58S was ordered with an open no patio door cockpit version, and a three double cabins lower deck with a master cabin forward.  Worth to note that this is a semi-custom build and if one wants the aft deck layout of the 58F and a patio door these can be easily specified on a Moonride 58S.  The Moonridge 58S is powered by twin Volvo 725hp engines with IPS pod drives for top speeds up to 37 knots.

Technical Data:

LOA - 18.15 m (59.5ft)

Beam - 4.95 m

Draft - 1.13 m

Displacement - 17.7 t unloaded

Fuel Capacity - 3000 l

Water Capacity - 700 l

Accommodation - six berths in three cabins, one crew cabin berth

Engines - 2 x Volvo D11 725hp

Propulsion - Volvo forward looking dual propeller IPS950 pod drives

Speed - 31 knots cruise 37 knots max

Hull - modified medium Vee with fifty degrees entry forward and 13 degrees closing aft

Construction - resin infusion

Certification - CE B

www.moonrideyachts.com

Sea Ray New Web Site

One of the Worlds biggest motor boat producers, Sea Ray presents its new website. Sea Ray was founded in 1959 when Cornelius Nathaniel Ray III and his long time friend architect John Mehaffey purchase Carr Craft, who at time produced golf cart bodies, coffins, and fiberglass boats. The first boats are designed by Jerry Michalak and Harley Earl and Associates, who present a line of speed boats from fourteen to eighteen feet, which will extend up to 25 feet by 1969.  One of Sea Ray's most important moves comes in 1981 when it launches its first 310 Sundancer, a nine meters sport cruiser devoted to entertainment cruising.  The Sundancer line, which is still produced today will expand and dominate the sport cruiser North American market from the eighties till the noughties.  In 1986 Sea Ray is purchased by the Brunswick Corporation, what was and still is today one of the biggest pleasure boat holdings, and owner of the top selling Mercury motors. With Brunswick Sea Ray expands to become the Worlds biggest motor boat and sport cruiser producer in the eighties, nineties, and noughties.  Sea Ray enters the yacht fifty foot market in 1989 with the 500 Sedan Bridge, followed by a larger 630 Super Sun Sport two years later.  Sea Ray largest build to date is the 680 Sun Sport produced from 2001 to 06, with the second largest yacht being the 2014 L650 Fly which debuts the five years produced European inspired looking L-line that lasts till 2019, and will feature four other models from 55 feet.  Another famous Sea Ray model series beyond the Sundancer is that of the high performance Pachanga series, which debuts with the eighteen foot Pachanga in 1969 produced for two years in over five hundred units, returning again in 1986 with the 22 Pachanga II and 32 models, and lastly as a limited edition one hundred units only Pachanga III 22 in 2009.  The current Sea Ray line up offers thirty two different models from nineteen to forty feet in length, and is divided into five ranges: Sun Sport, Sundancer, SLX, SDX, and SPX. The new Sea Ray website guides you with the following buttons; Why Sea Ray, Our Boats, Build, Dealer Locator, Owners, Events, and Contact A Dealer.  Sea Ray is also present on social media, with bottom page links taking you to its Facebook, Instagram, Tweeter, YouTube, and Linkedin pages. 

www.searay.com

Production History;

200 1960-61

400 1960-61

500 1960-65

600 1960-62

700 1960-66

800 1960-66

808 1962-64

900 1962-65

990 1964-65

SRV 230 1964-67

SRV 170 1966-

SRV 180 1966-68

SRV 190 1966-

SRV 160 1967-

SRV 190 Sportsman 1967-

SRV 240 Sportsman 1968-

SRV 370 1968

SRV 380 1968-

SRX Pachanga 18'11 1969-71 (500+-)

SRV 185 1969-

SRV 210 1969-

SRV 310 Sedan Bridge 1977-81

360 Sedan 1980-82

SRV 310 Vanguard Express 1980-83

SRV 310 Sundancer 1981-83

SRV 355 T Sedan 1982-83 (69)

SRV 360 Vanguard Express 1982-83

SRV 270 Sundancer 1982-85

SRV 310 Vanguard Sportbridge 1982-83

390 Sedan Sportfish 1983-86

360 Aft Cabin 1983-87

340 Sedan Bridge 1983-87

340 Sport Fisherman 1984-87

340 Express Cruiser 1984-89

340 Sundancer 1984-89

390 Express Cruiser 1984-91

300 Sundancer 1985-89

300 Weekender 1985-89

460 Express Cruiser 1985-89

410 Aft Cabin 1986-87

268 Sundancer 1986-89

Pachanga II 22 1986-91

460 Convertible 1987-88

32 Pachanga 1987-91

340 Sedan Bridge 1988-89 *345 Sedan Bridge project

300 Sedan Bridge 1988-89 *305 Sedan Bridge project

415/440 Aft Cabin 1988/89-91

440 Convertible 1988-91 *430 Convertible project

380 Aft Cabin 1989-91

280 Sundancer 1989-91

250 Sundancer 1989-92

500 Sedan Bridge 1989-94

350 Sundancer 1990-91

420 Sundancer 1990-91

480 Sundancer 1990-91

350 Express Cruiser 1990-92

270/290 Sundancer 1990/92-93

310/330 Sundancer 1990/92-94

310/330 Express Cruiser 1990/92-95

300 Weekender 1991-95 *280 Weekender project

310 Sun Sport 1991-95

370 Sedan Bridge 1991-97

630 Super Sun Sport 1991-2000

300 Sundancer 1992-93

310 Sport Bridge 1992-93

310 Amberjack 1992-94

350 Express Bridge 1992-94

370 Sundancer 1992-94

440 Sundancer 1992-95

650 Cockpit Motor Yacht 1992-96 (12)

550 Sedan Bridge 1992-98

400 Express Cruiser 1992-99

500 Sundancer 1992-99

230 Sundancer 1993-95

370 Express Cruiser 1993-95

440 Express Bridge 1993-98

290 Sundancer 1994-97

300 Sundancer 1994-97

330 Sundancer 1995-99

370 Sundancer 1995-99

450 Sundancer 1995-99

270 Sundancer 1996-98

240 Sundancer 1996-99

630 Sundancer 1996-2000

280 Bowrider 1996-2001

420 Aft Cabin 1996-2002

400 Sedan Bridge 1996-2003

400 Sundancer 1997-99

330 Express Cruiser 1997-2000

370 Express Cruiser 1997-2000

370/380 Aft Cabin 1997/2000-01

580 Super Sun Sport 1997-2002

270 Sundancer 1998-2000

290 Sundancer 1998-2001

540 Sundancer 1998-2001

310 Sundancer 1998-2002

450 Express Bridge 1998-2004

480 Sedan Bridge 1998-2004

560 Sedan Bridge 1998-2004

340 Sundancer 1999-2002

380 Sundancer 1999-2003

260 Sundancer 1999-2004

460 Sundancer 1999-2005

290 Amberjack 2000-09

410 Express Cruiser 2000-03

410 Sundancer 2000-03

510 Sundancer 2000-03

240 Sundancer  2000-04

540 Cockpit MY 2001-02

340 Amberjack 2001-03

290 Bowrider 2001-05

680 Sun Sport 2001-06

280 Sundancer 2001-09

550 Sundancer 2002-04

480 Motor Yacht 2002-05

360 Sundancer 2002-06

300 Sundancer 2002-07

290 Sun Sport 2002-09

390/40 Motor Yacht 2003/06-07

420 Sundancer 2003-05

500 Sundancer 2003-06

320 Sundancer 2003-07

340 Sundancer 2003-08

420 Sedan Bridge 2004-05

390 Sundancer 2004-06

290 Select Ex 2005-08

260 Sundancer 2005-08

48 Sundancer 2005-09

580 Sedan Bridge 2005-09 *550 Sedan Bridge project

500/52/520 Sedan Bridge 2005/06/10-13

44 Sundancer 2006-08

290 Sundancer 2006-08

44 Sedan Bridge 2006-09

36 Sedan Bridge 2006-09

60 Sundancer 2006-09

38/390 Sundancer 2006/10-12

310/330 Sundancer 2007/10-16

40 Sundancer 2007-09

52 Sundancer 2007-09

47 Sedan Bridge 2008-09

55 Sundancer 2008-09

350 Sundancer 2008-09

330/350 Sundancer 2008/10-12

300 SLX 2008-15

230 Sundancer 2009-11

22 Pachanga III 2009-12 (100)

280 Sundeck 2009-14

470 Sundancer 2009-14 *43 Sundancer project

540 Sundancer 2009-15

450 Sundancer 2009-15

310 Sundancer 2009-17

610 Sundancer 2010-12

580 Sundancer 2010-14

370 Sundancer 2010-16

280 Sundancer 2010-17

450 Sedan Bridge 2011-14

240 Sundancer 2011-14

410 Sundancer 2012-16

510 Sundancer 2012-16

355 Sundancer 2012-20

510 Fly 2013-19

350 Sundancer 2013-19 *360 Sundancer project

L650 Fly 2014-19

470 Sundancer 2014-17

Sundancer 265 2015-

L650 2015-19

L590 Fly 2015-19

L590 2015-19

400 Sundancer 2015-19

SLX 350 2015-

400 Fly 2016-19

355 Sundancer Coupe 2016-21

460 Sundancer 2016-19

460 Fly 2016-19

SLX 280 2016-

SLX 310 2016-

Sun Sport 250 2017-

L550 Fly 2017-19

Sundancer 510 Signature 2017-19

SLX 400 2017-

320 Sundancer 2018-

Sundancer 520 2018-19

Sundancer 370 2022-

Classic Benetti Super Yacht Saved from Sinking in Spain

A classic 45 meter Benetti super yacht titled Tumberry C under Spanish flag was ran aground in Carabuxeira Beach, Sanxenxo, Pontevedra, to the North West and Atlantic sea side of Spain on the morning of Saturday sixteen December.  The yacht is reported to having had a leak water intrusion in the engine room while moored in her berth, which prompted the Nauta Sanxenxo, Real Club Náutico de Sanxenxo, Salvamento Marítimo Emergencies, and the Civil Guard towing the yacht and running her aground in order to prevent her from sinking.  In this spot the team of four yacht saviour teams patched and plugged the leak and then towed the super yacht to Juan Carlos I dock were now she is awaiting a full repair.

M/y Tumberry C is a Benetti 45M launched in 1988 and designed by Stefano Natucci for exteriors, with interiors by Terrence  Disdale.  Tumberry C was previously owned by x-Real Madrid vice President Fernando Fernández Tapias, and has guested among many personalities also King Juan Carlos of Spain. She is now reportedly owned by a Chinese businessman.  Benetti build four of the Stefano Natucci 45M semi-customs in between 1987 to 1994, with the last two featuring a totally renewed exterior design but sharing the same hull.

Project: CRN 70m Project Thunderball hull.145

A new creation, unique and exceptional, is taking shape at CRN, with hull number 145 Project Thunderball. This 70-metre steel and aluminium superyacht is completely bespoke and handcrafted in her design, naval architecture, engineering and her construction. CRN's hull.145 combines the Ancona shipyard’s design-and-build quality and know-how with the experience of Vripack, which developed the external lines and the naval architecture, and the creativity of the Nauta Design studio, for the interior design and outdoor furniture. The brokers Y.CO completed the sale in August 2022 and are playing a key role as the Owner’s representative and project management team, supporting the Owner through the construction stage to the technical checks, inspection and acceptance as well as with the project management, the on-site supervision and coordinating the external contractors. This new yacht, will feature classic timeless lines with a striking sense of style that fully reflects the owner’s vision and requirements for a pleasure ship suited to long, pleasurable, contemplative cruises. This is a super yacht with a traditional elongated bow, a low profile and svelte lines like a sailboat, with curved bilges and a smooth surface. The entire design has been carefully devised for highly efficient cruising and comfortable, convenient manoeuvring. The owner is a passionate sailor, so a smaller sailboat will also be delivered to accompany the mother yacht. The superyacht will cruise in the Mediterranean and between Florida and the Bahamas, to be used as a base for diving, sailing and underwater fishing. CRN Project Thunderball will feature five decks with seventy metres in length and a beam of eleven metres and a gross tonnage of 1,100, accommodating up to twelve guests in six suites and fifteen crew. Project Thunderball Interior Design concept goes beyond time and fashion. It expresses a culture of the sea, a sophisticated collection of details, a combination of heritage blended with a refined contemporary look, fully reinterpreting them from the latest lifestyle point of view. The marine approach and high-end craftsmanship come together to define a new state of the art in yachting. The CRN hull.145 continuing the shipyard’s sustainability commitment through the use of a peak shaving system to increase energy efficiency and slash fuel consumption.  Currently CRN is building three further custom yachts, from 67 to the largest ever 85 meter hull.144, with the Ferretti Group Ancona facilities also producing three other aluminium yachts for its other brands, and 27 Custom Line fiberglass yachts in build.

www.crn-yacht.com

New Model: Viking 90 Convertible

Since the announcement and launch of the Viking 90 Enclosed Bridge, the model has received tremendous global attention, selling twelve units before its debut, and four more signed just after it's World presented in Miami earlier on this year. Now Viking follows the Enclosed Bridge model with the presentation of the sportier Convertible open bridge version. Her sleek design is purpose-driven and loaded with amenities while also serving as a social hub.  From first glance, it is clearly apparent that the visibility of the open bridge is excellent due to the low-profile, well-laid-out console. Both forward to the bow and aft to the cockpit and beyond to the spread, the clear sightlines provide the captain confidence while docking or backing down. The interior perimeter and seating modules have an integrated toe kick for added aesthetics and function.  A trio of Release Marine Trillion series teak ladder-back chairs adorn the console, with all three having the same size pedestal and are mounted on an elevated centreline moulded-in standing platform. Behind is an eight-rod rocket launcher on the double aft rail.  The flat panel helm has an acrylic inlay that can accommodate four 19-inch screens. Recessed port and starboard split lid radio boxes are at your fingertips while also keeping electronics protected from elements with gasketed lids and stainless-steel piston lifts.   Seating is abundant. A pair of bench seats flank the console and provide rod storage below. Aft-facing lounge seats, bookended to the bench seats include a comfy backrest. A large sun lounge is forward and offers armrests, drink holders and generous storage below. There is also a freshwater sink, large top-loading freezer and a chill box for keeping drinks and snacks handy.  Inside the Viking 90C offers an interior with living, lounging and entertaining main deck, fully equipped counter-topped galley adjacent with a five stool bar, dinette opposite, and lounging saloon on entry to port side, with a day head located forward.  The lower deck offers a five double cabins five en-suite heads layout, with a master stateroom located at midships featuring his and hers bathrooms looking aft.  A crew cabin is located aft.  The Viking 90 Convertible is standard powered by twin Cats 1925hp, and or optional Cats 2433hp, and MTU 2635hp.  Hull one of the Viking 90 which was an Enclosed Bridge optioned with Sky Bridge and the big twin MTU 2635hp reached top 38 knots speeds, and cruise at 32/33 for a range up to six hundred nautical miles.

Technical Data:

LOA - 27.41 m (90ft)

Beam - 7.05 m

Draft - 1.80 m

Displacement - 87,776 kg loaded ex Tower

Fuel Capacity - 14388 l

Water Capacity - 1817 l

Accommodation - ten berths in five cabins, crew cabin with one or two berths

Engines - 2 x Cats C32A 1925hp, C32V 2433hp, MTU Series 2000 V16 M936L 2635hp

Propulsion - line shaft with tunnels

Speed - 38 knots max 33 cruise

Range - six hundred nautical miles at cruise

www.vikingyachts.com 

Super Yacht Utopia IV Hits Miami Bridge Barrier

A 63 meter super yacht titled m/y Utopia IV collided with the protective barrier of NE 63 Bridge which leads to the Port of Miami on 18:00 hours of Wednesday thirteen December.  The cause of the collision was caused from current created by a cruise ship prop wash, with twenty knots gust winds not helping the situation.  According to a declaration from the yacht ownership the cruise ship had no departure declaration, putting the super yacht in a difficult spot and causing the collision with the bridge barrier in that time.  Utopia IV was reported as having only the crew onboard, with no injuries to personnel, and yacht and bridge barrier sustaining little damage.  Probably this news made more headlines because ten days short of two years ago, Utopia IV had a collision with the 48 meter cargo vessel Tropic Breeze in Nassau Bahamas.  This is more a case of a wrong place and right time to be filmed and social media shared, with the bang noise coming out of the collision making this sound worse then probably it actually was.  

Super yacht Utopia IV is a 63 meter Rossinavi hull number FR031 and launched in 2018 to a design by Angelo Gobbi Team 4 Design for both exterior and interior, with naval architecture by Arrabito.  Utopia IV is listed for charter at half a million dollars a week and for sale at just under 48 million US$.  Utopia IV is owned by Loren Ridinger, commissioned by her husband and Market America founder JR Ridinger who passed away suddenly on thirty August 2022. 

Project: Sundeck 750

Sundeck presents the project for the 750 explorer yacht model.  A design of Zuccheri, who has so far designed all the Sundeck line since its debut in 2014, the 750 is based on the 700 model platform, with an extended stern area, which adds further space to the bathing stern area, transforming it in a beach club.  This area is also added with an aft looking settee for four persons. Inside the Sundeck 750 follows the layout of the 700 with a four cabins lower deck, and two crew cabins for three persons aft. The main deck in the Sundeck 750 is offered in two layouts, open plan galley to port side of the helm station forward, or enclosed galley to starboard in the middle of the saloon, dining area. The Sundeck 750 is powered by standard FPT 1000hp, or Man 1200hp for speeds up 25 and 27 knots respectively. 

www.sundeckyachts.com

Floating Yacht Dock Sinks in Kocaeli Turkey

A 145 meter floating dock owned by Yachtley Shipyard and with 24 persons onboard, sank while in the Kocaeli free zone area, Basiskele district, Turkey, on the morning of Wednesday thirteen December.  The Yachtley floating dock was reported in doing yacht retrieval preparation operation before it started to sink down.  All the 24 persons onboard where saved, with two being hospitalized but are reported to be in stable condition.  The 145 meters 4500 tons capacity floating dock had the tall crane booms still visible after the sinking.  The Kocaeli Port Authority reported no pollution from the sinking.

Turkish Yachtley shipyard was founded in 2005, in Kocaeli, and is owned by Saudi Arabian Fal Group.  Since its founding Yachtley has gained a name for refits, although it did deliver two super yachts; 65 meters Nourah of Riyad designed by Donald Starkley in 2008, and the 80 meter Elements in 2019 to a design of Alpha Marine and interiors by Christian Gatto.

New Model: Esposito Positano Sole 28

Nautica Esposito from Naples continue to expand its traditional Gozzo fishing boat looking line of cruisers with this 2023 new Positano Sole 28 model.  This new Positano Sole 28 Open follows the script of the Positano Open 38, offering walk around features to that of a traditional Gozzo.  Indeed the Positano Sole 28 Open has a cockpit in style and substance to that of a sport cruiser with an aft central sun-pad, a dinette with opposite settee and a central helm station.  The interesting thing in all of this is that the Positano does not sacrifice interior spaces for an eight meter cruiser offering a cabin sleeping three; with a forward double V-shape berth, and single berth cabin at midships, with a shower head to starboard.  The Esposito Positano Sole 28 is powered by a single Yanmar 320hp, or twin 195hp in line shaft propulsion for top speeds up to 29 knots and a cruise of 24 from both engine choices.

Technical Data:

LOA - 8.60 m (28.2ft)

Hull Length - 7.54 m

Beam - 2.90 m

Draft - 0.70 m

Displacement - 5000 kg dry/unloaded

Fuel Capacity - 2 x 170 l

Water Capacity - 110 l

Accommodation - three berths

Max Persons - eight

Engines - 1 x Yanmar 8LV 320hp, 2 x Yanmar  4LV 195hp

Propulsion - line shaft

Speed - 29 knots max 24 knots cruise

Hull Shape - modified deep-V

Project - 20 Maree

Certification - CE B/C, module B+C  

www.nauticaesposito.com