Sportfish Cruiser Ends Aground in Portsmouth River

An eleven meter sportfish cruiser ended aground in Sandy Point Beach, Portsmouth River on the early morning of fifth October.  Reports say it was a foggy morning with very poor visibility when the grounding of the sportfish cruiser occurred.  Although some might say that the sportfish cruiser looks equipped with full radar and GPS equipment, so even in poor visibility this was not supposed to happen. Obviously in these cases quick judgement on social media is fast, but before a full story is known better be careful, considering that the sportfish looks to have drifted aground rather gently then going on it at a speed.

The sportfish cruiser in this grounding is a Stamas 370 Express, a model produced from 2000 to 2004 as an evolution of the 360 Express. The 370 evolution featured a raised bridge deck and a full transom design.  The Stamas 370 Express has a two plus two layout with a midships cabin which separated her from other similar sized sportfish boats.  The Stama 370 Express was powered by twin 370hp gas or 420hp Yanmar diesel engines, with the last giving speeds in the mid thirties.  The Stamas 370 Express was the flagship model when released and was replaced by the bit smaller 340 Express in the end of 2002.

Two Yachts Burn Down in Pasadena Marina Florida

A fire in Pasadena Yacht and Country Club located in Boca Ciega Bay, southwest of Gulfport Boulevard, Florida which started after about 16:00 hours of Wednesday fourth October totalled and sank two boats and damaged two more.  The fire started on a thirteen meter flybridge cruiser, which then jumped to the starboard side on a sixteen meters sportfish yacht.  The flybridge cruiser which ignited the fire was totally burned down to the waterline and sank with the fire, while the sportfish yacht to starboard also received extensive damage and partly sank later on.  Another seventeen meter sportfish yacht to port side of the fire starting flybridge cruiser also had fire burning damage, with some minor damage also hitting a same sized sportfish yacht located to starboard a slip away from the fire starting boat.  Gulfport Police Department dispatched officers, emergency crews, and fire fighters to the scene around 17:00 hours.  The cause of the fire is reported as starting from the battery compartment of the thirteen meter flybridge cruiser.  No one was injured in the fire although damages are reported to be about 1.3 million US dollars.

Pasadena Yacht and Country Club was also involved in a fire on 03:00 hours of eighteen December 2020.  We did not report that fire back then as I found nearly zero information apart a photo of three empty slips damaged by fire.

The boat which started the fire is a Meridian 441 Sedan produced from 2003 to 2008, a model sold over three hundred hulls and was one of the biggest successes of the Brunswick incorporated and owned 2003 to 2016 brand.  The other sportfish yacht which burned down and sank is a Viking 52 Convertible, a model produced from 2002 to 09, with the boat to port side of the starting boat, also being a Viking, but the 55 Convertible from 1998 to 2003.  The further boat to starboard is another Viking but a 56 Convertible which was produced from 2004 to 2010.

New Model: Evo Yachts R+ 17.71m

For the 2023 fall boat show round-up Evo Yachts presented the new R+, a fully enclosed hard top sport yacht which takes boating into the future.  The R+ is based on the hull of the 2019 launched Evo Yachts R6, which was followed by an Open variant in Summer 2020.  This new R+ which uses the hull and a complete different layout outside and inside takes the opposite route to its more open sisters for a fully enclosed hard top with patio door. The enclosed main deck, ideal for long, comfortable stays on board, is added by a multipurpose stern platform which extends astern and apart easy to launch and haul up tender or jet ski generates a split level second entertainment area with the aft deck. For this first unit of the R+ the owner did not opt for the extendable Evo bulkheads in the aft cockpit which extend away, but are always available as an option in future builds.  As the other Evo Yachts, designer Valerio Rivellini in the R+ silhouette shows eye-catching modern minimal sporty lines with the aluminium top painted in black emphasizing futuristic angular looks, in keeping with Evo Yachts signature style, while the interiors feature high ceilings for maximum comfort and liveability for this unit offered a living lounging galley area on the main deck with a three double cabins lower deck. The minimal, sporty and dynamic style chosen for the interiors is a hallmark of the R line with interior design and exterior styling express the desire to achieve the ideal combination of dynamism and onboard comfort with futuristic modernity.  The Evo R+ is powered by twin Volvo 725hp with IPS pod drives propulsion for a top speed up to 34 knots and a cruise of 26.

Technical Data: 

LOA - 17.71 m (58.9ft)
Hull Length - 17.6 m
Waterline Length - 15.5 m
Beam - 5.31 m
Draft - 1.20 m
Displacement - 25 t loaded, 21 t dry
Fuel Capacity - 2100 l
Water Capacity - 510 l
Max Persons - 16
Accommodation - four berths in two cabins, or six berths in three cabins, one crew cabin berth
Engines - 2 x Volvo D11 725hp
Propulsion - Volvo IPS forward looking dual propeller pod drives
Speed - 34 knots max, 26 knots cruise with Volvo 725hp
Range - 280 nm at cruise
Hull Shape - modified Vee with 16 degrees deadrise aft
Project - Studio Rivellini
Certification - CE A12, B16
www.evoyachts.com

Prestige Yacht Struck Rocks and Sinks in Mercury Bay

A fifteen meter Prestige sport yacht with two person onboard struck rocks near Motukorure Island, and then sank to the near about of Mercury Bay, to the East of Auckland, in New Zealand at around 15:45 hours of Wednesday fourth October.  The yacht sank fairly quickly in about twenty meters of water, with the two passengers coming out unscathed from the sinking.  Regional Council Officers inspected the scene before the sport yacht fully sank in deep water.  The yacht was reported as being a new purchase by the current owner, and was carrying 1300 litres of fuel.  A salvage operation is being organized by the owner, although this is taken some time for it to get going, with the risk of fuel pollution to the area increasing by the hour.

The Prestige yacht in this sinking is a ten year old 500S.  Designed by Garroni with naval architecture by JandJ, the Prestige 500S was released in the fall of 2010 and produced till 2017. The 500 S offered an interior with three double cabins, and is powered by twin Volvo 435hp with IPS pod drives for speeds up to 34 knots.  The 500S was a replacement to the 50S/510S model, and was replaced by the Prestige 520S in 2018.

Project: Botnia Targa 41

Botnia present the project for a new Targa 41 model, sitting behind the 44 and 46 flagship models.  The Targa 41 looks to be based on a new platform rather, then the 2004 launched 42 model, which then became the current 44 and 46 models.  Like the bigger sisters the new Targa 41 will offer a living on the main deck, with two separate cabins areas, forward and midships sleeping five.  Both cabins will feature en-suite bathrooms, with the midships cabin offer a double berth and a single, and a difference from the bigger models will be the addition of larger vertical window serving the midships cabin.   The flybridge on the Targa is a cozy affair, offering an L-shaped dinette and helm station to port side.  The Botnia Targa 41 is powered by twin Volvo 400 to 480hp engines in stern drives of IPS pods drives.  Top speeds are estimated up to 42 knots probably reachable with the twin Volvo 440hp stern drive propulsion match up.  

www.targa.fi

Sea Ray Sport Cruiser Saved from Sinking in Mallets Bay

A thirteen meter Sea Ray sport cruiser with one person onboard was in danger of sinking after hitting a solid object at about 17:00 hours of Monday second October to the South West of Valcour Island, Mallets Bay, Lake Champlain, Burlington, Vermont.  Receiving a call the Cholchester Fire department rescued to owner-boater with its rescue boat, the coast guard followed later, and started the operation to save the Sea Ray sport cruiser, which was sinking in over a meter of water and its bow already buried in the sea bed.  The coast guard initiated the saving with a gas-powered pump and later received the assistance from Red Cap Marine and Salvage who added another pump, floated and patched the Sea Ray and then towed her to Champlain Marina area to dry dock her.  No one was injured in the collision, with the solid object opening a gap of about two feet in the sport cruiser's hull bottom to port side.

The Sea Ray in this near sinking is a 1993 to 95 440 Sundancer.  The Sea Ray 440 Sundancer offered a lower deck sleeping four plus two, and was powered by twin 300 to 425hp Cat engines on line shafts for speeds up to thirty knots with the large engine option.  Introduced as 420 Sundancer in 1990, she was updated as 440 with port holes replacing the window and propeller tunnels added in the hull.  The 440 Sundancer was replaced in 1995 with the Sea Ray 450 Sundancer.

New Model: Wajer 44

Wajer continues to expand its line of classic inspired runabout and yachts, presenting its new 44 model which sits in between its long standing popular 38 and second in size 55 models.  The Wajer 44 comes as its larger sisters from a design of Sinot, with naval architecture by Van Oossanen.  Sinot really presented a thing of beauty with the Wajer 44, a classic fitted in a modern profile.  Like the smaller runabout of the sixties which inspire the Wajer 44, it is mostly about day cruising and enjoyment in the cockpit, this offering two aft sun-pads, an L-shaped sofa with bench settee opposite, and dual seat helm station to starboard with a single forward facing passenger settee to port-side.  The cabin area down below the Wajer 44 offers sleeping for two; with a galley to port side, C-shaped dinette to starboard which becomes a double berth, and a forward shower head.  The Wajer 44 is standard powered by twin Volvo 380hp with IPS pod propulsion for top speeds up to forty knots, and a cruise of 26.  Wajer is also declaring a very good range for up to three hundred nautical miles at cruise, although with its declared consumption of 130 litres per hours at 25 knots, which equals to 5.2 litres per nautical mile the range is up to 230 nautical miles without allowing for reserve.

Technical Data:

LOA - 13.10 m (43ft)

Beam - 4 m

Draft - 1.10 m

Displacement - 12.6 t half load

Fuel Capacity - 1200 l

Water Capacity - 290 l

Accommodation - two berths

Max Persons - sixteen

Engines - 2 x Volvo D6 380hp

Propulsion - Volvo forward looking dual propeller IPS pod drives

Speed - forty knots max 26 cruise

Range - up to 300 nautical miles

Hull Shape - deep Vee with 21 degrees deadrise

Project - Sinot exterior and interior, Van Oossanen naval architect

Certification - CE B

www.wajer.com

Donzi Powerboat Wake Flies and Disintegrates On Landing

A seven meter Baja power boat with two persons onboard disintegrate landed and sank after hitting a big wake near Schaefer's Canal House, about one nautical mile off Chesapeake Bridge, Virginia just before 12:00 hours of Sunday first October.  Thrown into the water by the impact the two persons onboard were rescued by a nearby Samaritan boater, then taken to hospital for observation and released some hours later with non life-threating injuries.  After the sinking the Coast Guard issued a danger to navigation warning and closed the canal, as the powerboat was resting bow upwards in about four meters of water.  On the 03:00 hours of Tuesday morning TowBoatUS, the US Army Corps of Engineers, and Northstar Marine Salvage removed the powerboat wreckage in two pieces. 

The Baja powerboat in this collision is the 26 Outlaw model.  Offering a two berth accommodation as most powerboats in this size the 26 Outlaw is powered by a single 350 up to 600hp stern drive petrol gas engine for speeds up to 57 knots.  The 26 Outlaw was released in 2007 and evolved into the 27 Outlaw in 2017, recognizable by the larger side-engine air intakes.

Project: Absolute Navetta 70

During the Cannes 2023 boat show Absolute presented the project for a new Navetta 70 to be launched in 2024.  The Navetta 70 is an evolution of the Navetta 68 launched in 2019, just a tad over two feet longer and mimicking the evolution Absolute did with the 75 flagship from the 73.  This evolution is mostly about the stern, with the new design embracing the cockpit terrace, a feature which Absolute introduced in 2021 with its 60 Fly model and since then has been making it into all its newer models.  The cockpit terrace re-invents the aft area with vertical opposite settees giving un-interrupted views from the glazed stern, and easier cockpit bathing platform socialization.  But the evolution of the Absolute Navetta 70 does not stop there, with the extra 74 centimetres in length giving a larger aft deck, and a complete new flybridge design available in two Upper Deck A and B choices.  For the remaining the Absolute Navetta 70 does not change much from the 68, including the very liveable saloon with astern galley layout, and the four double cabins lower deck, with floating between main and lower deck VIP suite forward, which might make an owner think if this or the midships stateroom the one to go for. The Absolute Navetta 70 is powered by twin Volvo 1000hp with IPS pod drives.     

www.absoluteyachts.com

Back to Genoa Boat Show

I have not been to any of the big International boat shows since many years, and now in 2023 I returned to Genova's Salone Nautico, after nineteen years.  My last attendance was in 2004, nineteen years ago, that time it was a boating renaissance of the noughties, with most if not all Italian builders enjoying a huge expansion bar none, fuelled by leasing and easy boating mortgage schemes of those times.

The Italian boat show is a special place for me.  It was the show I always wanted to visit when young, also to discover more about the less known Italian names, followed by the many American brands attending the show with high importance and numbers, with British and Scandinavian names also showing in good force.  I am sure I would love Cannes which I had to cancel a few times due to other commitments, the two US Fort Lauderdale and Miami boat shows, and to a lesser extent Dusseldorf.  This last mostly because it is a land show, and I believe boats, especially big ones upwards of fifteen meters should be seen in the water.

The 2023 Genoa boat show was packed, at least that was what I saw in the opening two days. The previous editions I attended used to have 300,000 plus of visitors in nine days.  The smaller six days format of the recent editions are doing over 100,000 plus of visits.  The Fiera Genova was also a bit work in progress mode, on entrance for the new waterfront island area, though this affected little to the show, with a small exception on the entrance part. They are working hard to make the boat show a bigger and better one.

Since some years the major Italian brands which used to make Genoa the show, are not supporting it as they used to, presenting there World premiers in Cannes.  Still some brands did premier at Genoa, the most important one coming from Spanish Astondoa new AX8 model, which just arrived an hour or so after the show opened.  Other Italian names debuting at Genoa are the Amer 950, CNT Domina RS, Italyure 35, Mig 45, Manda Yachts Senses 05, and Tornado Yachts 50 RS.  The fact that Astondoa debuted its AX8 in Genoa is a good sign, as this is the largest Spanish production boat building brand using the show for an important World preview.

Genoa is a victim of globalisation and the centralization this brings with it. If Genoa wants to be as attractive to Cannes it will need the help of other factors beside a bigger show, starting from a better connected Airport.  Nice Cote d'Azur Airport which serves Cannes and is thirty minutes away from the boat show is the third busiest airport in France with fourteen million a year plus passenger traffic.  Genoa Cristoforo Colombo sees less then two million, the 21st position as Italian airports go.  Cannes still has an edge in accommodation, though today things are better in Genoa with AirBnB and Booking.com platforms easier to what they have been in the past.