ePropulsion has announced the launch of its X Series outboard engines. The X Series comprises three innovative electric outboard motors, the X12, X20 and X40, offering dependable electric propulsion with user-friendly features for eco-conscious cruisers. 

“With the new, incredible power that this line provides, we’re looking at a great opportunity to spread ePropulsion further in the market of electric propulsion in the United States,” said Tom Watson, President of ePropulsion USA. “Across the globe and here in North America, we’re looking forward to the X Series further propelling ePropulsion to a position of leadership as it sets the new standard for what electric propulsion is and can do.”

All motors in the new series offer a total powertrain efficiency of 88.2 percent. The X12 features 12kW power, the X20 generates 20kW of power and the X40, which made its debut at the 2023 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, boasts a massive 40kW of power. ePropulsion’s R&D team formulated a unique algorithm for the X Series’ propellers, refining over 20 key metrics to ensure optimal hydrodynamic performance. The new range incorporates frequency resonance isolation and vibration dampening technology, resulting in a quiet design that creates less vibration than comparable outboards.

Weighing up to 36 percent less than traditional motors, the X Series features a compact, fully integrated design. All motors in the series unify electric steering, power trim/tilt, the electric control unit (ECU) and the controller within a single assembly, simplifying installation and optimizing onboard space. 

The X Series features the ePropulsion Smart System Architecture (eSSA), which the company says will facilitate a seamless, worry-free experience for boaters. According to the manufacturer, the modular architecture of eSSA not only assures simple system configuration but also supports the integration of renewable energy systems for an enhanced, sustainable experience on the water. 

Engineered for intuitive and effortless operation, the X Series offers an accessible experience even for those new to boating. The digital helm and smart throttles provide instantaneous feedback, while the electric steering eliminates the need for cumbersome hydraulic components. This refined steering mechanism opens the door to Advanced Driving Assistance Systems that improve safety and redefine aquatic navigation. Cutting-edge driving assistance features like “Position Hold” and “Heading Hold” and “360 Motions” offer additional safety-focused options.

With a technologically advanced design, the X Series offers boaters a comfortable, responsive experience with its connectivity functions. The ePropulsion Connectivity Service is available for users of all motors within the X Series, so they can stay connected with their boat remotely, accessing real-time boat and system status with advanced monitoring, reporting and tracking.

Fully compliant with the latest IEC standards, the X40 is IP67 waterproof and built to yield a minimum service life of 5,000 hours. The motor is fully compatible with existing ePropulsion accessories including the Smart Throttle, Digital Helm, Smart Display, Propellers, G102-100 Battery, Battery Charger, Solar Charger Controller, MPPT and DC-DC.

“The inclusion of the X Series in our ever-expanding electric propulsion portfolio marks a significant step forward in electric propulsion systems,” said Danny Tao, Co-Founder and CEO of ePropulsion. “The X Series is the result of extensive R&D and we are always looking to go above and beyond the industry standards. With the advanced X Series, we deliver more than electric propulsion, it’s an intelligent and integrated platform accessible for consumers and OEM clients, ensuring a quieter, cleaner boating experience.”

The post ePropulsion Launches X Series Electric Outboard Motor Line-Up appeared first on Cruising World.

Your choice of which dinghy to carry aboard is pivotal to successful cruising. This is especially true if your cruising kitty is small. A good dinghy is a requirement for frugal cruising. 

Notice that I wrote carry aboard. I never tow a dinghy that I don’t want to lose. Why? Basic seamanship. Squalls approach fast. A swamped or flipped dinghy is a major problem offshore—for you and the environment. Painters can end up in the prop. Personal watercraft run over the tow lines. Towed dinghies get caught on navigational buoys, lobster pots and bridge fenders. 

Towing a tender is fraught with complications. Even a skillful boathandler can get into trouble approaching a slip while towing a dinghy. And being forced into your gyrating dinghy while at sea exposes you to extreme risk. Many a sailor has met Davy Jones just after pulling in their dinghy, casually hopping aboard, ambling aft, and leaning toward their outboard—just as the painter sharply takes up and catapults them over the outboard and into the water.

I’ve known three sailors who have ended up overboard this way. One was in the Lesser Antilles, without anyone in the crew even noticing. There’s one thing that every offshore sailor dreads: watching the transom recede as their vessel sails away. 

Yes, innocent choices can have severe consequences. And we haven’t even talked about the evil dinghies themselves. 

Offshore, dinghies can seem demoniacally possessed, ­especially while running downwind in heavy weather. They can hole your boat or wipe off its rudder or twist up the self-steering gear. I’ve even had dinghies pass me—then stop immediately ahead. Having a rigid-tender ­submarine zigzagging 50 feet beneath the surface like a berserk shark is no fun.  

One more tip: Never tow kids you love astern in the dinghy without an assigned watcher. Do this only with someone else’s bilge brats.

But seriously, the first ­question to think about when choosing a dinghy is: rigid or inflatable? 

I love to row, so we carried a Lawton-designed, fiberglass Graves tender for 15 years aboard Carlotta, our 36-foot Endurance ketch. Rowing is great exercise and a wonderful way to meet your fellow cruisers. It’s quiet and nonpolluting—two nice qualities if you reside on a warming planet like I do. 

If well-constructed, these dinghies are almost ­indestructible. At worst, you might injure one cosmetically, but it is almost impossible to destroy a Tortola-style dinghy, even in boisterous trade winds amid sharp reefs. 

Unfortunately, everything is a compromise. Well-constructed also means heavy. Of course, these heavy, rigid dinghies do more damage than the lighter, softer ones. So, I always tell my passengers to “keep your hands inside the dinghy.” They always comply until, suddenly, they don’t, and jam their hands between the surging dinghy and the immovable dock.

If you row a rigid tender, always remove the oar horns before coming alongside a ­vessel—especially if the ­graceful vessel has long ­overhangs. Dinghies yanked under a counter (or multihull wing) can do major ­damage in an instant during an ­unexpected wake. 

Ash oars are best. Oar leathers aren’t just about style; copper blade tips will greatly extend the oar’s life. Yes, the sailor and the length of the oar are related for best results. Of course, you should learn to feather your oars, and stow them in such a manner that they can’t be yanked into the water by the painter or float away if the dinghy is swamped. (Consider an oar lock through the thwart as well.)

Here’s a sad fact: If a dinghy rows well, it powers poorly. And vice versa. 

Stowage is another factor. Davits are cool on monohulls if you sail in, say, a swimming pool. It is best to stow a dinghy upside down on the foredeck while offshore in monohulls smaller than 70 feet long. We think of our foredeck dinghy as our backup life raft. And we put extra water and bulkier survival gear under it—in suitably tied-in watertight containers. 

Part of seamanship is to, again and again, prepare for the worst while expecting (and, hopefully, experiencing) the best. We’ve never used our dinghy as a life raft (or our life raft as a life raft, for that matter), which is exactly why we prepare it so diligently before each offshore passage. Just in case. 

In blue water, I carry a knife with me at all times (even sleeping), and I have dive knives made of 316 stainless steel in my cockpit and on my foredeck. Think about having to launch your dinghy while sinking, at night, naked and disoriented, after being hit by freighter. Those knives just might come in handy.

Currently, we have a 10.5-foot Caribe RIB for a tender, as we have for the past couple of circumnavigations. With a Tohatsu 9.8-­horsepower outboard (lighter than most and super dependable), the Caribe planes with both of us aboard, along with a case of beer and a full gas tank. This dinghy is small enough to hoist easily into our davits while coastal cruising in light-air venues such as Southeast Asia, or to bring on deck if we venture offshore. 

While initially expensive, the Caribes generally give us 12 years or two circumnavigations. This makes them quite affordable. How do we get twice the longevity that the average cruiser experiences? We always keep our tender protected by a Sunbrella cover, and we are careful where and for how long we leave it. 

The Achilles’ heel of modern inflatables isn’t abrasion; it’s puncture. Keep the tender away from sharp objects. I’ve poked a small hole from a nail sticking out of a dock, and my wife, Carolyn, barely touched a piling with a sole oyster that made a 6-foot slit in a ­dinghy’s starboard pontoon (that took three laborious attempts to fix). 

Sadly, some popular ­anchorages are regularly visited by organized dinghy thieves. An older guy, in his 20s, piles a bunch of local kids into his boat, gives them each a knife, and drops them all into the water. The kids cut the dinghy painters as they swim through the anchorage at 3 a.m. The older guy eventually collects all the drifting ­dinghies and swimming kids. 

We had our dinghy out of the water in South America when this happened in one anchorage, and were the only anchored cruisers with a dinghy left come morning. 

Now, about folding ­dinghies: They fold well. At least that’s what the guy with all the dripping cameras around his neck told me after I fished him out of the water off St. Barts. 

And while I love T-tops, ­center-consoles and fast boats, I keep my own dinghy as simple and light as possible. Sadly, too heavy and too light are both problems. When I had a lightweight 2-horsepower outboard on my inflatable, it would flip so often that I painted the outboard with antifouling inside the case. (To avoid this problem, pull the transom plug at anchor during a sudden squall. The inflatable dinghy won’t sink and will never flip, even in a gale.)

Another bonus of inflatables is that other yachties don’t cringe like they do if you approach their boat in a rigid tender, especially one lacking a soft rub rail. 

I was amazed in Western Samoa to have a fellow Virgin Islander come up and rail-cling while his heavy wooden tender banged repeatedly into my delicate gelcoat. When I said something like, “Careful, don’t allow your dinghy to hit my boat,” he just grinned, took another swig of his bottle of rum, and replied: “Don’t worry, Fatty. My rail is air-dried oak and through-bolted. Not a problem.”

Sure, for him.

One of the reasons we love our inflatable so much is because it saves us money while providing us with so much peace and tranquility. Marinas can be expensive, noisy and hot, so we almost never tie up. However, the anchorage closest to a marina is often also crowded. Our lightweight dinghy and its powerful engine allow us to anchor amid nature a couple of miles away, and yet have all the benefits of civilization when we want and need them. (We also have good ground tackle, a stout companionway locking system, and a loud burglar-alarm system on the main boat.)

It’s great to be able to sail a couple of miles to the inlet, catch a hundred pounds of grouper and snapper, and sail back again without raising a sweat.

Sailing tenders are another option, especially if you spend four months in deserted Chagos, as we did. It’s great to be able to sail a couple of miles to the inlet, catch a hundred pounds of grouper and snapper to share with the entire anchorage, and sail back again without raising a sweat. Or making noise. Or polluting in a pristine paradise. 

Alas, everything is a compromise. Rigs, a rudder, sails, and centerboards all take up room and cost money. I love sailing tenders dearly, but the confusion and weight of the gear doesn’t help you while passagemaking. Having clean, clear decks is a safety advantage offshore, especially in a breeze. 

On the plus side, there’s no denying how romantic sailing tenders are. If we have long-term guests aboard, we often disappear for an hour or two because (we tell them) the wind dropped on the other side of the island.

One more thing: If you haul out your dinghy each evening, as we do, it probably will never be stolen or acquire too much growth. However, it you leave it in the water, the clingy barnacles will certainly discover it. Sure, you can paint it with antifouling, but then, on passage, you, your sails and your sheets will gradually turn blue (as happened to us). 

If you don’t paint it, you’ll have to take it to the beach regularly, empty it, remove the outboard, and flip the dinghy over to scrape it. That’s not the bad part; the bad part is that it is easy to damage the RIB’s fabric while cleaning it. We’ve learned this the expensive way. Thus, we hoist at sundown, a nightly ritual in my life for 63 years now. 

The bottom line is that a proper tender, properly tended to, will save you money and time as it brings you joy. Seamanship is important. The wrong tender in the wrong sea at the wrong time at the wrong end of a tow rope can cost a life.

The choice is yours.

The post On Watch: Tender Feelings appeared first on Cruising World.

Aboard our 31-foot Hunter, Ragtime, our dinghy was the unsung hero of our cruising escapades. It was always the first thing we deployed upon arrival to a destination, and it was the last thing we packed away before we departed. It was our family Ford, our Honda for the harbor, our Miata of the marina (I’ll see myself out…). 

To the untrained eye, a dinghy might appear to be no more than a floating dock cart to tote provisions, pets and people. But as cruisers well know, it’s so much more. 

A dinghy is an all-access pass to exploring new coves and reaching short-water fishing spots. It’s a recon vessel for scouting surrounding depth, seafloor terrain and on-shore amenities. And, of course, it’s an escape pod should all hell break loose. A dinghy also provides endless amounts of fun, and even some boathandling education, for the kiddos. 

Ragtime’s dinghy was a 9-foot-6-inch Achilles with a 4 hp Mercury outboard. For 13-year-old me, it allowed a real taste of freedom. We named it Cascade (after Scott Joplin’s jubilant rag “The Cascades”). I can still feel the elation of hopping in the dink after dropping the hook in a new port of call and then roaming around the harbor, checking out neighboring boats, scouring the shallows for marine life. When there were no other boats around and the no-wake zones approved of it, I’d tear off on plane in a puff of sea spray to an imagined finish line across the bay. 

Our Cascade was state-of-the-art back in the ’90s, but it’s a dinosaur compared with offerings from the modern-day dinghy domain. Today, hybrid designs rule, combining the benefits of inflatable and rigid-­hull boats. Lighter-weight materials have enhanced ­portability and improved fuel efficiency. Some manufacturers offer sail-­conversion kits for multipurpose use. (Really, who doesn’t miss dinghy sailing?) Inflation systems have been enhanced; ­modular ­options for seating and stowage are often available; and electric propulsion has staked a serious claim in the power ­department.

 When the time comes to ­replace your dinghy or buy your first one, these four standouts in the market are fit to serve any mothership between 25 and 45 feet.   

Lammina AL 9.5

If strength and durability are atop your checklist, then the AB Lammina AL 9.5 is worth a look. AB’s line of marine-­grade aluminum-­hull ­inflatables comes with AWS certification, Orca 820 Hypalon fabric, and marine-grade aluminum and Axalta powder coating. The Superlight models, available at lengths of 9.5 feet and smaller, have a 0.09-inch-thick aluminum hull and are intended for boats with lighter-capacity davits. The hulls can resist abrasions from rocky shores, coral and sandy beaches, and the design cuts through wakes and chop with minimal pounding, resulting in a dry, stable ride. Check out the well-conceived bow locker and its capacity for a 6-gallon portable fuel tank.

Cadet Series

Compact and easy to stow in a cockpit locker, Zodiac’s Cadet series tenders hold their own against larger models. The progressive-diameter buoyancy tube design provides marked stability. Cadets have a longer life span and a high safety level because of a welded float closure and a glued overlap. Owners can choose among several versions. The Aero line, with an inflatable-air sole, is the lightest. The high-performance Aluminum line, with an aluminum sole, has an inflatable keel for quick planing and improved maneuverability. Fitting the slatted sole in the Roll Up line involves inflating buoyancy tubes. Stowage is a cinch; this tender folds up into a carrying bag, with no need to remove the slats.

Classic (CL) 310

In 10 years of manufacturing tenders, the 310 has carved out its niche as Highfield’s bestselling tender size—ideal for as many as five people and up to a 20 hp engine. The standard bow on the CL 310 can stow a 6.5-gallon fuel tank or other equipment. Construction includes 2.5 mm thick, powder-coated marine-­grade aluminum, coupled with tubes made of 1100-dtex coated fabric and a full-length keel guard. The optional FCT helm console forward gives the line a pickup-truck quality for long-range cruisers looking to haul gear and groceries. Total weight with the console and a 20 hp motor is about 400 pounds wet, which makes the 310 a solid, stable ride and puts it on a lot of davits. Highfield also makes an Ultralite line for cruisers who need a lighter platform that’s simpler to manage on deck.

Portland Pudgy

If lifesaving situations are high on your mind, then consider the Portland Pudgy. With or without the inflatable lifeboat canopy, the Pudgy is a dynamic lifeboat. It can’t deflate, and it can be sailed, rowed, or motored to safety. The Pudgy is constructed with rotation-molded, high-density compounded polyethylene (the same material used for top-quality whitewater kayaks). It’s stable, difficult to capsize, and easy to right. Closed-cell foam under the sole makes it “unsinkable,” according to the manufacturer. As for recreational use, the Pudgy is a fun family tender, a safe and sea-friendly sailing dinghy, and a great all-around rowboat/motorboat. Under sail, it can take surprisingly rough seas and heavy winds. Choose between a gaff or square-top Marconi sail. Every piece of equipment designed for the Pudgy can be stowed in the interior stowage chambers via five hatches. The Pudgy is US Coast Guard-approved as a dinghy for four people with a 2 hp or 3 hp motor.

The post Standout Dinghies to Bring Along on the Adventure appeared first on Cruising World.

After owning the same sailboat for a good long spell, I naturally became quite familiar with the ­electronic navigation kit, including our modest (by today’s standards, anyway) Garmin chart plotter. That is to say, when I needed to, I knew where to find most of its features without pushing too many buttons or resorting to the dreaded user manual.

That’s not the case, though, when I step aboard friends’ boats and encounter less-familiar brands of plotters, often set up in peculiarly whimsical ways, or when I take the occasional charter and try to reset the previous skipper’s preference for, say, chart soundings in fathoms or meters instead of feet. 

And then there are those sea trials aboard newly launched sailboats that may or may not have calibrated instruments or even a cartography chip in the plotter, as was the case aboard a large cruising cat I found myself on in an unexpectedly shallow corner of Florida’s Biscayne Bay. 

Here’s my take on Situational Awareness 101: Having ­easy-to-use, familiar nav equipment isn’t just a convenience; it’s a real safety issue when you suddenly find yourself tacking into unfamiliar territory or when sea ­conditions change unexpectedly. That’s not when you want to go scrolling through pages of unfamiliar menus ­looking for settings and information such as tides and current.

As the Boy Scouts like to quip: Be ­prepared. And with relatively inexpensive prices for hardware and plenty of free or low-cost apps among which to choose, it’s pretty darned easy to put together a take-it-with-you navigation toolkit that can double as a backup should the primary system on your own boat fall prey to the electron demons.

I’ve used the free navigation app iNavX for a while now. I have it on my iPhone (it’s also available for Android) and use it mostly to check my surroundings underway, and to get an idea of what might lie between my location and the next waypoint. 

Call me old-fashioned, but I find ­planning longer routes much easier on a bigger screen such as what might be found on a tablet or multifunction display, or on paper charts. So, my first step was to contact customer support at iNavX to see what I should look for if I wanted to move up to an iPad. They promptly recommended any new iPad with cellular capabilities because it would have a ­built-in GPS receiver that works without a Wi-Fi signal; a used or ­refurbished device would need the same, I was told, plus it should have at least 64 GB of storage and be able to run iOS 13 or later software, or, even better, iOS 15 or newer software.

It took a little patience and hunting online, but I found an iPad Air 2 that met those specs on Amazon for just under $240. Had I searched longer, I probably could have found something suitable for even less, but with an upcoming trip, I was eager to get charts downloaded and sorted.

One of the things I love about iNavX is that it provides free access to charts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. There’s also an in-app store with offerings such as iNavX Professional+ charts, Blue Latitude Charts for Mexico, Explorer Bahamas, Waterway Guide, AIS Live coverage and Theyr Premium Weather. iNavX is also adding inland waterway cartography.

In basic navigation mode, iNavX is easy to use. You can set waypoints with the tap of a finger, plan out routes, view bearings in either degrees true or magnetic, get speed over ground, and customize a long list of other chart settings. You can also pair it on your phone or tablet with a vessel’s networked chart plotter to monitor depth, wind, engine, batteries and the like.

If you already have an AIS receiver or transponder on board, the app can display targets in chart mode. If you don’t, iNavX AIS Live coverage is available in some areas for a fee. The AIS Live server provides AIS targets within 30 nautical miles of your boat.

The price is right, though I initially found juggling the free NOAA raster charts a bit daunting. They are listed by region, and each chart needs to be downloaded for use. The USA East, for instance, lists charts from the US Virgin Islands to Cuba and northward to the Canadian border. That’s a lot of unfamiliar place names to scroll through.

The Professional+ charts also need to be downloaded, but they are listed by state and are much easier to find. Regional sets, such as the USA and Canada, can be purchased for around $25, and updates are included in the subscription fee.

For fear of being perceived as a big spender, I also downloaded Navionics’ latest Boating app and purchased ­cartography for the US and Canada, also for just under $25. Navionics offers similar packages for just about anywhere in the world you’d care to sail, and the charts are the same as what’s available on Garmin (its parent company) chart plotters. Navionics recommends an Apple device running iOS 13 or later.

The newly launched iNavX Professional+ chart series offers premium vector charts delivering ­country-­specific coverage at a very reasonable price.­

The app lets you add a number of layers of information on its cartography and download daily chart updates. It also provides some serious navigation power, including Auto Guidance+, which will plot a route automatically. Basic ­navigation is fairly intuitive, and route planning is as simple as tapping the chart to set a waypoint or route, a feature that would be quite useful when planning a sailing vacation in some new, warm and sunny place.

A few precautionary words about auto routing, though: Before relying on it, carefully review where the route will be taking you. Setting a course from my home north of Boston into Boston Harbor, it would send me through a narrow piece of water called the Small Boat Channel, which is probably fine for a powerboat, but it can be a nightmare for a vessel under sail in certain wind and current conditions. And on any charter, remember that the software might not account for areas where the charter company doesn’t want you to go. Straying into the wrong place when following a machine-generated route might cost you your security deposit if the boat should be damaged.

Navionics provides a number of ways to customize charts, with overlays for satellite imagery, relief shading to show depths, and sonar contours. Weather, tide and buoy reports are all included, and the app can pair with onboard AIS receivers. 

C-Map cartography, which I also use on the iPad, has similar features, and the same caveat applies when using its route-planning capabilities. C-Map charts are free when connected to Wi-Fi; offline cartography access and extended weather are available only to premium subscribers. 

While all of these nav apps can provide AIS data when paired with an onboard ­receiver, another handy tool is the app from Marine Traffic, which displays near-real-time AIS information for vessels worldwide. The free version of the app provides interesting information about targets, including flag of registry, call sign, MMSI number, speed and size. You can use the app to search for ships and ­pleasure boats by name, or scan a harbor to see what’s anchored or underway nearby. Marine Traffic’s starter plan, which costs around $10 for a year, adds a number of other tidbits about vessels, ports, ship’s tracks and weather maps. It’s all pretty cool stuff to have at your fingertips.

Before relying on auto routing, carefully review where the route will be taking you. What may be fine for a powerboat could be a nightmare for a vessel under sail. 

I’ve also loaded up the iPad with a few of my favorite weather apps, such as Windy, Predict Wind, Storm Radar, WindAlert and SailFlow, and I’ve added links to regional NOAA text weather forecasts so that they are available as Wi-Fi allows. And I’ve downloaded PDF copies of a few other free NOAA ­publications, including Coast Pilot 1 and Coast Pilot 2, which give detailed coastal information about the waters from Eastport, Maine, to Sandy Hook, New Jersey. I also have the US Coast Guard’s Light List, Volume 1, covering the Atlantic coast.

With my new toolkit in hand, I’ll be ready to plan my next trip ahead of time and be able to change waypoints on the fly using apps that are quickly becoming old friends. 

Boat of the Year judge and CW editor-at-large Mark Pillsbury is a ­die-hard sailor who has owned a number of sailboats, including a Sabre 34, on which he lived for 15 years.

The post Gear Review: Navigation Apps Help You Get To Where You Want To Go appeared first on Cruising World.

With the cold season approaching in many parts of the country, it’s time to take a look at gear that will let you enjoy time on the water with toys such as kayaks, rowing and sailing dinghies, paddleboards, and the like. 

Samples of cooler-weather kit were ­provided by the manufacturers and by Team One Newport in Rhode Island, which sells brands such as Helly Hansen, Musto and Patagonia. The hands-on testing was rather informal. 

Living outside Boston, where big boats often get put away by mid-October, I was launching my inflatable for dinghy rides and my paddleboard late into the fall thanks to Mustang Survival’s Taku dry bib and Taku dry top. The chest-high overalls and socks are watertight and rugged, with room to wear heavy socks and a pair of jeans or long underwear underneath. Made from waterproof fabric, the bib’s seat, knees and socks are reinforced with Cordura to resist abrasion, and the overall-style outerwear comes in designs for men and women. The men’s version includes a waterproof Aquaseal relief ­zipper, and the men’s and women’s bibs have an adjustable neoprene waistband.

Wearing the dry bibs and my trusty Crocs for footwear over the rocks, I was able to wade into some pretty chilly water and go as deep as I needed to mount a motor on the back of an inflatable or land a paddleboard without grounding out its fin. On windy days, spray was not an issue, nor was rain, especially with the dry top on.

The dry top, made from the same waterproof, breathable fabric, has an extended skirt for kayaking, and has trimmable latex neck and wrist seals to keep water out. The top’s neoprene waist has hook-and-loop flaps on either side, so it’s adjustable too.

For paddleboarding in the dead of winter in icy water, a drysuit would probably be more advisable, but in late fall and spring, I found that if I tightened the waist straps built into the bib and top, not a lot of water came in when I went for an unintended dip. As a bonus, air trapped in the clothing added buoyancy.

Prices for the top and bib varied online, but expect to pay $400 to $450 for each.

Gill offers its own cool-weather ­protection for active watersports such as paddling, windsurfing and kayaking with its ThermoShield top, available in sizes small to extra-large. On paddling and boat rides, I found it warm and comfortable for extended periods. The ThermoShield is made from a nonabsorbent laminated fabric, and a fleece lining keeps in the heat. I really liked the fleece-lined collar, which can be drawn tight or left loose. The top’s neoprene waistband seals tight with hook-and-loop flaps. 

I paired the ThermoShield Top with Mustang’s Taku bib. The combo worked quite well and kept me mostly dry, even with an occasional dunking so long as I didn’t go under all the way. You can find the ThermoShield top for $165 online.

Gill has a few other neat things to consider when the mercury dips and the water beckons. The Fisher fleece is a heavy-pullover wind-resistant top that’s comfortable to wear around the yard or on the boat. Its large kangaroo-style pocket is a good place to warm up your hands on a cold day. It sells for about $130.

And for cold, raw nights in the ­cockpit—or to change into dry clothes on the beach or in the parking lot—Gill’s Aqua parka has you covered. Literally. The parka is a big coat, with a waterproof shell, welded seams, a soft high-loft thermal lining, a big hood, and large zippered pockets. The one I tested fell well past my knees, had tons of room if I wanted to pull my arms inside to juggle shorts, and kept me warm as toast. Top it off with a Seafarer beanie, and you’re ready to chill. The coat is available in three color schemes and in sizes from extra-small to large. Expect to pay around $200 for the parka and less than $30 for the hat.

For three-season inflatable rides and dinghy sailing, Musto’s ESS Softshell jacket is lightweight, comfortable and warm. The coat has a water-repellent coating and stretch cuffs for a close fit. The ESS is available in black, navy and platinum, and in sizes ranging from small to extra-extra-large. I tried on an extra-large, my normal size, and found it a bit tight. The coat is priced at just under $150.

I have a daughter who likes sailing and fishing, and on a blustery day this past fall, she found that Helly Hansen’s Pier 3.0 sailing jacket and bib would be fine for either activity. The bibs were easy to adjust and move around in, and she liked the elastic cinch around the waist, which she said made the pants snug and warm.

The Pier 3.0 jacket is designed for coastal and inshore sailing. It’s fully waterproof, windproof, and breathable, with adjustable cuff seals, a high collar, and fleece-lined hand-warmer pockets. Expect to pay around $200 for each piece of kit.

Wearing the dry bibs and my trusty Crocs for ­footwear over the rocks, I was able to wade into some pretty chilly water and go as deep as I needed to.

For a midlayer, HH’s Verglas tops for men and women are comfortable and warm. The ones I tried out fit well and weren’t in the way when I moved about. They come in a variety of styles, including half-zipper and hoodie. Prices range from $30 to $60.

Another good layering top was Patagonia’s Capilene Cool Daily hoodie. The sample I tried was thin, but it was warm and fit well. The top is available in sizes extra-small to triple-extra-large and runs right around $60. 

The above is just a sampling of the smart clothes available these days to help you handle the elements. With winter coming and the holidays approaching, hit the fall boat shows and keep an eye out for deals on duds that can withstand whatever Mother Nature has in store.

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I’ve learned during my 35-year marine career that it’s easy to break the ice with boat owners by bringing up one of two subjects: anchor selection or fuel filtration. Here, I’ll discuss the latter.

Diesel engines require only a few elements to start and operate reliably: air, cooling water, compression and clean fuel. 

Air is rarely a problem. Air filters, if they’re present on marine diesels, rarely clog because there’s little dust at sea. Cooling water can be problematic, strainers might clog, and impellers do fail—but all of those are easily serviced. Compression can be controlled, to some degree, by ensuring that valve adjustments occur at scheduled intervals, to check piston-ring condition and wear. 

Fuel cleanliness, on the other hand, is almost entirely within the boat owner’s control, with proper filtration.

Primary Filters

The primary fuel filter—the one that the fuel encounters first as it travels from the tank to the engine—is the most critical line of defense against contamination. 

Fouling can take many forms, from water and the bacteria it supports to asphaltene, which is diesel fuel’s natural “dirt.” Primary fuel filters come in several forms; the one you choose should embody a few key features, including ease of maintenance, a large and see-through bowl, the ability to drain water quickly and easily, and readily available replacement filter elements. 

The filter must be sized to handle the engine’s fuel-flow rate, which is different from fuel consumption. Most diesel engines pump more fuel than they use, returning the excess to the tank, with the return serving as an injector cooling method. However, there’s nothing to prevent you from using a filter with a higher rating. In fact, there are advantages.  

Larger filters can hold more water, and their filter elements can retain more debris before becoming clogged. Equally as important: Larger filters are often easier to service, with a removable top lid, making them more desirable for ­virtually any installation.

Most primary filters let you select the micron rating of the element. Here’s where ­controversy often ensues. 

Engine and filter manufacturers are virtually universal in their guidance that the smallest filter-element rating, usually 2 microns, should be reserved for secondary filtration (the second filter encountered by the fuel as it passes from tank to engine). Primary-filter elements are typically 10 or 30 microns. Some people suggest using a 2-micron primary-filter element, believing that it will catch all fuel-born debris. These people also think that they’ll have to service only the more easily replaced primary filter, leaving the secondary element in reserve.  

In fact, this approach halves the effective filter-element surface area, making clogs more likely. Using the correct approach—a larger-micron element in the primary, and a smaller element in the ^­secondary—lets you segregate contamination by size. While clean 2 and 30 micron elements offer the exact same resistance to fuel flow (virtually none), the 2-micron element will clog faster as the primary filter. 

Primary-filter elements should be replaced when the filter’s vacuum gauge reaches about 5 inches of Hg (­mercury), or annually, ­whichever comes first.

Secondary Filters

Secondary filters are located after the lift pump. They’re nearly always mounted on the engine, are metallic with no plastic or clear-sight bowls, and are typically of the spin-on variety, although some use a sandwich design.  

Secondary filter elements are available from engine manufacturers and aftermarket suppliers. If you opt for the latter, make sure the filter is of the same micron rating as the original version, and of the highest-possible quality.  

Steve D’Antonio offers services for boat owners and buyers through Steve D’Antonio Marine Consulting.

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The International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) have announced the winners of the 2023 IBEX Innovation Awards Program. The program is managed by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and judged by Boating Writers International (BWI). The judges selected 13 Innovation Award winners and four honorable mentions from nearly 100 entries submitted by exhibiting marine industry companies. Awards were presented during the annual Industry Breakfast, Innovation Awards Presentation, and Keynote held Tuesday, October 3, 2023, from 7:30 – 9:30 a.m. 

Products can also be viewed on the online showcase. The winners of the 2023 IBEX Innovation Awards are:

BOAT CARE AND MAINTENANCE

PowerTech! Propellers, Seascour by PowerTech!/Hendry

Judge Julia Carleton said, “Seascour combats scale and barnacles at the chemical level by breaking down the calcium bonds using an organic, non-corrosive solution. From flushing heat exchangers to cleaning hulls, the environmental benefits are far-reaching.”

Honorable Mention: SeaWide Distribution, Hempel Silic One

BOATBUILDING METHODS AND MATERIALS (dual winners)

beSpline, Shaped Foam Kit

Judge Tim Murphy said, “One of the longstanding problems in composite boat building is how to turn flat foam panels into the complex curves of a boat hull or deck. beSpline’s new North American facility uses heat to ‘thermoform’ flat panels into complex curves, omitting kerfs, that are delivered to boatbuilders in kit form. The result is lighter, stronger, higher-quality boat structures.”

Infinity Luxury Woven Vinyl, Infinity Grip: Judge Andy Adams said, “Infinity Luxury woven flooring with self-adhesive backing delivers significant labor and cost savings. Installation is simple and best of all requires no mess.”

BOATYARD AND MARINA HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE

VoltSafe, VoltSafe Marine

Judge Ed Sherman noted, “Voltsafe is the future of dockside shorepower systems for marinas and boats. It revolutionizes shore power connectivity by addressing critical drawbacks of traditional methods.”

Honorable Mention: Sunstream Boat Lifts, Sunstream Power System (SPS) 

DECK EQUIPMENT AND HARDWARE

Lippert, Lewmar® Venta Pontoon Winch

Judge Steve Davis observed, “The underdeck pontoon winch is completely waterproof and stays clear of passengers on deck. The unit slides into a mount so the winch is easily installed and removed as seasons change, and the spring-loaded roller keeps the anchor under the deck until deployed or retrieved.”

ELECTRIC MOTOR/BATTERY POWERED PROPULSION/HYBRIDS

TEMO, TEMO 450

Judge Steve Davis noted, “The simple, lightweight design of the Temo 450 electric motor is an innovative way to power small boats and dinghies. The tubular design with built-in motor and battery is waterproof, simple, efficient, and easy to mount and operate.”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

ARCO Marine, Zeus High Energy Alternator Regulator

Judge Ben Stein stated, “Arco’s Zeus answers the call for advanced alternator regulation aboard today’s boats and their increasingly complex DC power systems. With connectivity capabilities not previously seen in an alternator regulator, Zeus delivers the configuration, insight, and diagnostics needed for advanced, high-output 12-, 24-, and 48-volt systems.”

Honorable Mention: Navico Group, Mastervolt Mac Plus 48V

ENTERTAINMENT

Hertz Marine, HTX 8H S-FL-G

Judge Ryan Gullang observed, “Thanks to Hertz’s novel approach to horn design, the HTX 8H S-FL-G tower speakers delivers crystal-clear audio well outside the wake.”

FURNISHINGS AND INTERIOR PARTS

Roswell Marine, Auto-Rolling Fabric System

Judge Tim Murphy said, “Roswell Marine uses the magic of slap bracelets to solve a longstanding problem in marine canvas – how to roll sections of biminis or dodgers when they’re opened up. With Roswell’s Auto Rolling Fabric System, boaters simply unzip sections of the canvas, and it automatically rolls out of the way – no snaps, no Velcro.”

MECHANICAL SYSTEMS

Scanstrut, ATMOS 12V Integrated Airstation

Judge Ryan Gullang noted, “Scanstrut’s ATMOS 12-volt Integrated Airstation is an elegant and effective solution to the relative drudgery of inflating water toys.”

OEM ELECTRONICS

Garmin USA, GPSMAP® 9227 with Garmin BlueNet

Judge Ben Stein said: “The GPSMap 9227 is a quantum leap forward for marine navigation electronics. 4K resolution on its large display means more information at the operators’ fingertips. Plus, dramatically faster processors and gigabit Ethernet ensure nearly instant response.”

Honorable Mention: Syntec Industries, Murano Multifunction Display 

PROPULSION PARTS, PROPELLERS

Volvo Penta, Joystick Driving

Judge Steve Davis noted, “Joystick control has been around, but primarily used for docking, and Volvo Penta has taken to new heights with the innovative ability to drive the boat without touching the steering wheel. The system integrates shifting, steering, and throttle and easily installs into the driver’s armrest for ergonomic driving and comfort.”

SAFETY EQUIPMENT

WIF-Pro, WIF-Pro

Judge Ed Sherman said, “The float/sensor technology of the WIF-Pro offers outboard boat owners a safety feature when out at sea through a fuel filter system with an externally mounted sensor ring that detects and alarms the captain when five ounces of water gets in the fuel system. Once the filter bowl is drained, the system clears and you’re back underway.”

“The participating exhibitors in this year’s Innovation Awards program have successfully showcased how incredibly forward-thinking the marine industry is,” said Anne Dunbar, IBEX Show Director. “The products entered include a remarkable level of ingenuity and innovation in product design and development. We’d like to thank the judges for their time and hard work in deciding which products would be selected in each category. Congratulations to all our winning exhibitors and a big thank you to everyone who participated.”
IBEX is scheduled to return to the Tampa Convention Center, with IBEX 2024 Show dates set for October 1 – 3, 2024. For more information, visit www.ibexshow.com.

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Every so often, a set of foul-weather gear arrives at our offices that makes us really sit up and take notice. Helly Hansen’s new coastal/offshore sailing jacket and bib salopette from their Skagen line is one of those. But it wasn’t the quality that first got our attention—we’ll talk about that in a bit. It was the price. A true offshore jacket for $375 and $275 for the salopettes? There must be a typo. But we checked. No typo. Fantastic news for the budget-conscious. 

But is it worth the savings? You bet. Let’s start with the jacket. Like most coastal/offshore jackets, it’s made of breathable, waterproof material, but just handling it you get the sense that, yeah, I’d wear this just about anywhere Perfect for Mackinac races. The material is made from Ocean Bound fabric, sourced from discarded plastic near and in coastlines and waterways to clean up those underserved areas but also create a burly yet protective fabric.  This is tough stuff. But it doesn’t weigh so much that you’ll notice it after wearing it all day. Inside is a mesh moisture-barrier liner, so you won’t end up as wet inside as outside. There are no interior pockets, but with three on a side on the exterior, it’s doubtful you’ll ever need them. On each side of the upper chest are large, fleece-lined pockets with waterproof zippers. Great for stashing valuables or warming up cold hands. Below each of those is a large, horizontally opening pocket, secured with a Velcro flap. Adjacent to each of those is another fleece-lined pocket—more great hand-warming options. The cuffs have the usual exterior Velcro closure, but inside there’s a soft rubber cuff with another Velcro closure. Water’s going to have a tough time getting into these sleeves. A cool safety detail is that when you extend your arm out of the cuff opening—think waving to rescuers while in the water—a section of fluorescent-green cuff is exposed, providing one more way for searchers to spot you. In addition, there are reflective patches at the ends of each sleeve, on top of each shoulder and on top of the fluorescent-green hood. Great safety touches.

One of the unique features of the Helly Hansen coastal/offshore sailing jacket is the super-high collar. It’s fleece-lined and, when fully zipped, comes about halfway up your ears and then tapers higher yet from there so that about half of the back of your head is protected. But there’s more. Attached to the left side is a breathable, fleece-lined flap that, with the hood up, can be secured across the bottom of your face and over your nose, cocooning you in a secure envelope of sorts, leaving only your eyes exposed. Talk about protection. When not in use, the flap can be secured off to the left side with Velcro or rolled up to disappear into a small pocket off to the side. Pretty cool!

Helly Hansen’s bib salopettes are constructed of similarly tough material as the jacket, with extra beefiness on the seat and knees. Inside, they’re fully lined with the same moisture-barrier mesh liner as the jacket. There’s a large gusset and two-way zipper to make seeking relief a breeze. Like the jacket, there are plenty of pockets, including one on each thigh. We particularly liked how these were designed to extend out from the thigh when holding something, such as sailing gloves. No discomfort here. Southpaws will like the dual chest pockets. Often there’s just one, and it’s located on the left side, making it difficult for left-handers to access the pocket. We also liked the waist cinchers with positive latching system. Set them to length, click in, and they’ll stay put. Finally, there are the Velcro tabs at the ankles. Rather than positioning them horizontally, they angle upward, which causes the ankle openings to flare out slightly—think boot-cut jeans. That funnels water away from your shoes instead of straight down into them. Nice comfort feature!

The Skagen line is named after Denmark’s northernmost town, which is surrounded by the sea on three sides. Withstanding the elements is certainly an aspect of life there, and in keeping with its namesake, Helly Hansen’s Skagen line does the same. 

To shop the collection, visit hellyhansen.com/en_us/shop/activity/sailing/skagen.

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Newport, RI — The Newport International Boat Show recently announced the winners of this year’s Newport For New Products (NFNP) Awards. Judged on Thursday during the show’s opening day and announced at an awards ceremony on Friday, September 15, the winners are:

• Best New Navigation Product (Including Marine Electronics) — B&G Hercules
• Best New Boating Operation, Maintenance or Safety Product — Ronstan Orbit Winch with QuickTrim
• Honorable Mention Boating Operation, Maintenance or Safety Product — Revolve Technology Emergency VHF Antenna
• Best New Sailboat — YYachts Y70
• Best New Powerboat 30 Feet and Over — Solara S-310 SC
• Best New Powerboat Under 30 Feet — Hyfoil 28, Hyfoil Marine
• Best Overall New Powerboat — Hyfoil 28, Hyfoil Marine
• Honorable Mention: Powerboat — Wolfeboro Boats Classic 15
• Accessible Product Award — Laguna 330, Further Customs
• Green Boat Award — Hyfoil 28, Hyfoil Marine
• People’s Choice Award — Solara S-310 SC

An annual industry highlight, NFNP entries were open to domestic and foreign products launched after April 1 that made their boat show debut at Newport. Category winners were selected by a team of industry experts (including CW Senior Editor Theresa Nicholson and CW editors-at-large Mark Pillsbury and Jennifer Brett) based on innovation, value to the consumer, safety and aesthetics. Show attendees selected the People’s Choice Award winner.

Celebrating its 52nd year, the Newport International Boat Show is one of the largest in-water events in the country and the premier show in New England. The show kicks off the fall boat show season in the US. It encompasses over 15 acres of Newport’s famed waterfront and hosts hundreds of exhibitors, dealers and manufacturers, and features new powerboats and sailboats ranging from 15 to 90 feet, plus an extensive selection of marine equipment, services, and accessories for boaters.

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I will admit to being a ­low-tech sailor. On my own cruising boat, the water toys are typically limited to a paddleboard, snorkeling gear, and maybe a couple of pool noodles if we go all out. 

But I have seen the other boats with all the cool gadgets, and envied their fun in the sun. I asked for advice from Capt. RJ Portman and chef/mate Jenna Taylor of the 50-foot Lagoon Delana Mae. Their boat charters in the Caribbean, so they look for toys that amplify the guest experience while being simple to deploy, and easy to clean, stow, and maintain.

The top toy aboard Delana Mae is the Bote Dock Hangout, an inflatable, ­horseshoe-shaped lounge. “Guests absolutely love this thing,” RJ says. “We put it out at every anchorage and even anchor it near the beach occasionally. It has this paddleboard-style base with soft, inflatable back pillows for relaxing with a beverage. It’s rigid in use, then totally collapsible when you’re done.”

Next on their list is a pair of submersible scooters from Sublue: the WhiteShark Mix and WhiteShark Mix Pro. 

“They move you about the speed of decent flipper kicks while snorkeling,” Jenna says, adding that these toys run for 30 to 45 minutes. “For more-advanced users, it’s a lot of fun to get deep fast and cruise around without burning much oxygen. You can cover so much ground without a whole lot of effort.” 

RJ’s personal favorite toy is also the boat’s priciest: the Lift eFoil.

 “It comes with an $11,000 price tag, but, oh baby, is it cool,” he says. “I can teach a person how to foil in about two hours over two to three sessions.” 

Battery life varies for the eFoil, he says, but typically the battery outlasts the sessions, and takes only about two hours to fully recharge. 

Another guest favorite is the Subwing towable. Guests hold the board, as opposed to a rope, and can quickly learn to submerge, corkscrew, and otherwise indulge their inner dolphin. “It’s the most fun you can have at 1 mile per hour,” RJ says. “But Subwing requires a dinghy driver and me to be away from the boat and other guests, so we favor the ­underwater scooters instead.”

Another toy that they have is the Sea LiOn, a battery-­powered, tankless diving ­system that floats ­independently on the ­surface and allows for up to three divers to go as deep as 65 feet. It requires a more involved setup, evaluation and ­monitoring of the divers, and a more tedious breakdown and cleaning process after use. This system, however, does come in doubly handy for the crew when cleaning the bottom of the boat or doing repairs. 

The couple also recommends investing in good beach-party gear. They like the Sun Ninja tent with UPF 50 protection. “It’s easy to set up and packs down smaller than a GoodStuff sleeping bag,” Jenna says. “Get the one with four poles; it’s worth it.”

They’ve used the tent in up to 20 knots of wind. Another pro tip: Fill the bags at each corner with sand, and stretch the corners tight before installing the poles. If they still move, add water to the sand.

To complete the party, they bring ashore four Cliq chairs, which collapse to the size of a large water bottle, and a pair of Ultimate Ears Wonderboom portable, waterproof speakers. 

“A cozy spot with your favorite tunes on a beautiful beach,” RJ says. “It’s an ideal finish to a great day on the water.”

I must say, RJ and Jenna have inspired me to ramp up the game on my own cruising boat. And I look forward to the next time I can set sail with Delana Mae and play with the latest and greatest toys again. 

Paddling Gear

More and more cruising boats are carrying stand-up paddleboards, or SUPs. If inflatable, they are easy to roll and stow inside (we keep them in the head shower on our boat). On our Beneteau 36 Liberte, we carry the noninflatable versions using a Magma rack, which attaches easily to the stanchions. This setup keeps the decks clear and the boards easier to access, and therefore more likely to be used. 

Kayaks are also easy to ­deploy and fun to ­paddle. Sea Eagle makes an excellent line of SUPs and kayaks. My advice is to test-drive a few to see what kind of paddler you are. Do you want more stability or more speed? In general, on a cruising boat, I would opt for the stabler option. You will be more inclined to take it out in choppier conditions, and your guests will appreciate the training wheels.

An intriguing option is the Bixpy electric motor, which fits snugly into the fin box of Sea Eagle’s kayaks and SUPs, and works as a paddle assist or stand-alone propulsion option. While you’re at it, throw in a two-stage electric turbo pump to make life easier with inflatable toys. 

On Liberte, we began cruising with a kayak, but we found ourselves using the paddleboards more and more over time. There’s many a day when we don’t even launch the dinghy. We have amazed ourselves with what we can cart to and fro across reasonably calm water: laundry, groceries, propane tanks and certainly the boat dog, who loves the ride. —DK

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