Last winter, the owner and crew aboard the 124-foot Christensen Reflections spent the Christmas and New Year’s holidays in Belize. They had such a great time that this winter, they’re going back for several months that could stretch from November through February, if there’s enough interest from charter clients too.

“There are so many little islands to explore,” Capt. Darren Shepherd told Yachting. “It’s never-ending, the amount of stuff. You’ve got the three main atolls, which are stunning, but you also have the outcropping with a national park on the mainland inside the barrier reef. There are hundreds of little islands there where you can hop around. The water is pretty deep. There are coral reefs all over the place.”

He and the crew are especially eager to welcome charter guests who enjoy snorkeling and fishing—both of which the yacht is equipped to offer—as well as scuba diving, which the crew coordinates through local partners. Reflections charters with a 36-foot Everglades tender that can be rigged for whichever activity guests desire.

The snorkeling, he says, is usually a group favorite: “It’s phenomenal. Some of the areas, you have turtles, rays that are 5 feet across; they’re absolutely massive in some of the areas. Sometimes you see the massive spotted eagle rays. The marine life is incredible. Especially out on Lighthouse Reef, you don’t even have to pick one of the dive sites. You just jump in the water, and you see all kinds of things everywhere.”

He adds that Belize is a great destination for anyone interested in chartering off the beaten track, but without having to fly halfway around the world. The yacht’s owner, he says, had “mostly done the Bahamas and the Caribbean before. After last year, he enjoyed some of the trips so much, he really has that adventure bug.”

Belize Basics

The country is on the Caribbean Sea side of Central America, with Mexico to its north and Guatemala immediately to its south. Just offshore is the world’s second-largest barrier reef (after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef), running along much of the Belize coastline. The Belize Barrier Reef is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Natural forest still covers about 60 percent of the land in Belize, and much of the country’s land is designated for protection against development.

The post Superyacht Charter in Belize appeared first on Yachting.

Aqua superPower is the first company to supply AC and DC charging stations for electric yachts to select marinas at no cost. Aqua superPower manages the grid connection and the installation process, and then the company owns, operates and maintains the stations, as well as the back-end network, mostly via the cloud. Each charging station is connected to Aqua superPower’s office, and customers pay Aqua superPower directly for usage. Aqua superPower seeks installation sites that are popular with commercial or recreational marine traffic, and geographic areas with higher rates of adoption of electric-powered vessels.

Safety is always paramount when dealing with high-voltage electricity. “We explored various charging protocols and adopted the universal electric-vehicle Combined Charging System, which uses connectors to provide power up to 350 kilowatts,” says Alex Bamberg, CEO of Aqua superPower. “This plug is particularly suited for marine applications, as it doesn’t go live until it has made an electronic handshake with the battery. If it’s dropped into water prior to connection with the boat, it’s not live.”

Aqua superPower’s app can help customers find charging stations, check availability, provide real-time charging management and tackle billing. As of now, most charging stations are in the United Kingdom or other areas of Europe; however, Aqua superPower is making US inroads.

Supercharged

Aqua superPower’s charging stations deliver AC power (up to 22 kilowatts) and DC power (up to 350 kW; their typical output is 150 kW). While recharging 80 percent of a typical electric boat’s battery takes eight to 10 hours on the AC charger, the amount of time needed reportedly can be reduced to 20 to 60 minutes using the DC supercharger. Aqua superPower station equipment is IP65-rated.

Take the next step: aqua-superpower.com

The post Aqua superPower’s E-Boat Charging Stations appeared first on Yachting.

If Mother Nature had been less obstinate, Miles Cherkasky might have continued to sail.

“I’ve been sailing since I was probably 14 years old, almost half a century of sailing,” he says, now in his 60s. “One day, I was doing a delivery from Baltimore down to Miami Beach where we have a slip, and there was no wind, and I was sitting there listening to my engine run, and I couldn’t go anywhere, and I thought, ‘This is stupid. Time to get a trawler.’”

But what kind of trawler? He and his wife, Laureen, knew they liked longer-distance, offshore cruising—after Miles retired back in 2007, they bought a 47-foot high-performance sailboat and cruised it from Nova Scotia to the Bahamas a few times—but they weren’t quite sure how to achieve a good cruising experience in a powerboat. That is, until the day Miles helped with the delivery of an Outer Reef.

“When they came out of the inlet, Miles was putting away his cup of coffee, getting ready, thinking there were going to be all these waves and it would be sloppy, but nobody around him was moving or getting prepared for these big seas,” Laureen recalls. “The ride was like glass. When he came home that day, he said, ‘We have to get an Outer Reef.’”

Just like that, the Cherkaskys became members of a club that has grown almost exponentially in recent years, as an increasing number of boaters realize they can live their long-distance cruising dreams with the kinds of creature comforts that used to be limited to land. Today’s offshore-capable power yachts for cruising couples and families, built by companies such as Outer Reef, Nordhavn and Kadey-Krogen, are being built for go-anywhere adventure. They’re also being outfitted for the specific types of adventures that owners want to undertake.

“These boats are not marina queens,” says Jeff Druek, president and CEO of Outer Reef. “We talk a lot about equipment on board, things like inverters, solar panels, how many generators, what size generators, what type of air conditioning—things of that nature. Every piece of equipment in the boat is talked about, in terms of how they plan to use their boat, how far they’re going to go afield, how long they’re going to be away from the dock and where they’re going to be cruising.”

Nordhavn President Dan Streech says the way today’s bluewater hulls are being built and outfitted is making adventure cruising a real option for people who just a couple of decades ago would have feared it. The kinds of discomfort and danger that used to be part and parcel of crossing oceans are now minimized by modern construction, communication tools and redundant systems, so much so that all kinds of people feel comfortable cruising far and wide.

“You’re seeing normal people who in no way would’ve been sailboat material 35 years ago,” Streech says. “They have the chart plotters and Starlink. They’re sitting on the open ocean doing Facetime with their grandchildren. They’re not disconnecting from the world. It’s not necessary to have physical sacrifices or the emotional trauma of cutting themselves off. They have washers and dryers, wine coolers, TV, communication as they’re heading down to the South Pacific, and they are part of a huge social network, even just inside the Nordhavn world. We have 600 boats. The owners’ group—there are probably 20, 30, 40 posts a day with people who have a question. That feeling of isolation is gone.”

John Ellis took delivery of his Nordhavn 68, Dragon, in 2021 with a vision of following in his parents’ wake, only in a less-stressful way.

“I have a lot of sailing experience. My parents were cruisers,” Ellis says. “I spent time on board with them in the South Pacific. I’ve been on long passages with slanted decks. That wasn’t really what I was looking for. I loved those years—they were wonderful—but I’m looking for a different experience.”

A big part of the offshore powerboat experience for Ellis is fishing, so he customized his Nordhavn with extra bait tanks and rod stowage, along with two Seakeepers: an SK9 and an SK16. “When we stop and we’re fishing in the open ocean, we need to keep the motion down on the boat,” Ellis says. “The ocean has a tendency to want to rearrange the furniture on these big boats. Now, we tap a button, and it’s just as solid and stable as it can be. Nobody’s mad at me, and nothing’s breaking. No plates are crashing inside.”

That change in the way bluewater boats are built, Streech says, is also changing the profile of offshore cruisers. Back in the day, the typical Nordhavn customer was a husband who wanted to point the bow offshore and a wife being dragged along for the white-knuckle ride. Not so today, Streech says: “Just a shower alone was a luxury 35 years ago, and now you’re standing in a stone shower with gorgeous fixtures and a heated towel bar. What we’re seeing more and more is teamwork. A couple comes in, and she’s not looking at her phone half-mad because they just had a fight in the car. Not at all. She’s right there on the team and leading it sometimes. She has deduced that this is a path where they can share something, have an adventure and travel the world.”

Ellis says that’s exactly the plan that he and his wife share, now that both their kids are off to college. Their intent is to complete a 10-year circumnavigation.

“We’re going to go to the Caribbean and then come up the Eastern Seaboard, then go up to Nova Scotia, then back down to Florida after hurricane season next year, then Bermuda to the Azores, then get to Portugal and figure out whether we want to go up the Thames for fish and chips or whether we want to go around the corner to France,” he says. “It’s inevitable that we’re going to do both. My wife wants to do all the things, and we’re super happy with all the confidence we’ve been able to build aboard the boat so far.”

Sandy Peretsman says it was actually his wife’s idea to buy the Kadey-Krogen 48 that they named Third Child. She’s still winding down her career, but he retired this past January and started thinking harder about what comes next. They’d always had smaller boats and chartered larger ones in destinations such as the British Virgin Islands; he wanted them to have a bluewater-capable boat of their own, one that would let them do more as owner-operators. “My wife pushed me to do this a few years ago when I was turning 60,” Peretsman recalls, adding that his wife told him, “You don’t want to be one of those people who say, ‘I’m going to do it,’ and you don’t.”

So, they’re doing it. They base Third Child out of Charleston, South Carolina. So far, they’ve gone as far south as the Bahamas, and they’re thinking about heading up to New England, as well as cruising farther south into the Caribbean, as they become more comfortable aboard. “You can island-hop your way all the way to the Virgin Islands without ever driving more than 200 miles at a time, and we already drive that along the East Coast,” he says. “My personal preference is offshore because there’s a lot less traffic. It’s more relaxing. You don’t have to worry about how deep the ocean is or running aground, or boats passing you and crossing you. It’s just a big, blue patch, so you can go where you want, as you want.”

The more time he spends running his Kadey-Krogen, Peretsman says, the more he’s thinking about increasing his cruising distances. “I can go from Charleston to Europe and most of the way back on one tank of gas,” he says. “These boats will go 4,000 or 5,000 miles on a single tank of fuel. It doesn’t suit everybody, but if you want to be out there, it’s a wonderful boat for it.”

Streech says that for Nordhavn owners, ocean crossings aren’t even big news anymore. The company has had 13 boats complete circumnavigations so far; one of them did it three times. Over at Outer Reef, Druek says, so many people want to cruise off the beaten track that the resale value of the bluewater-capable boats stays high. Some of them, he says, he’s resold eight or 10 times.

It’s a testament to how far powerboat building has come that adventures so impressive are increasingly common. “To the Marquesas, that’s 3,000 miles,” Streech says. “It’s shocking, it’s mind-numbing that if you looked down from an airplane, you probably couldn’t even see the boat, and these boats make it. They do it over and over and over again.”

The Core Elements

Nordhavn President Dan Streech says that for distance cruising, “there are basics that have to be adhered to in terms of stability, structure, fuel capacity, fuel handling. All those things need to be there. They don’t get talked about that much anymore. They’re a given for us now at Nordhavn.”

Having It All on Board

Production Manager Fran Morey says Kadey-Krogen owners typically stay on board at least six months each year. “They want everything that’s the latest and greatest, and they also want the creature comforts of home,” he says.

The post Building Bluewater Cruising Yachts appeared first on Yachting.

Sometimes I get the feeling that I’ve spent more time working on boats out of the water, below their waterline, than I’ve spent actually sailing them. That’s because for New England-based sailors like myself, every fall, our yachts get hauled for the winter and then require a fresh coat of bottom paint before returning to the drink the following spring. For me, this seasonal rite of passage has gotten a bit easier since the old days when I spent hours with a longboard sanding the bottom of my J/24 racer to get that smooth-as-silk racing edge. But all the cruising boats I’ve owned since then still require prep and paint, and it’s an annual task I’ve learned to tolerate—barely—in the same way I grit my teeth for my yearly physical with the doctor.

But all that changed when I bought my Pearson 365, August West, on the Gulf Coast of Florida. At first, I was astonished to learn that lots of boats spend multiple seasons without fresh bottom paint, opting instead to hire a diver for regular scrubs to keep marine growth to a minimum. For the first few months last winter, that was my go-to solution. But it was a stopgap measure, to say the least, as my diver, Casey, sent me text messages after every cleaning with an update on his work. After the third time my report card came back “Paint: poor,” I contacted the previous owner, wondering when the boat was last hauled and painted. When he basically couldn’t remember, I knew the time had arrived for the inevitable.

Back home in Rhode Island, the sanding and painting was always a job I’d tackled myself. In Florida, I quickly discovered there wasn’t a boatyard in greater Sarasota, near my boat’s slip on Longboat Key, that permitted owners to wield a sander or roller. On top of that, the closest yard to my boat, in nearby Cortez, didn’t even work on sailboats. But its team was good enough to recommend a neighboring facility, N.E. Taylor Boat Works, that was up for the task.

Related: Selecting Right Bottom Paint for Your Boat

As the pelicans fly, it’s only about 5 nautical miles from my dock to Taylor’s Travelift, mostly along the well-marked stretch of Intracoastal Waterway snaking through Sarasota Bay. However, the last little bit, up a narrow channel outlined with old, painted green markers into Cortez Cove, was a bit of a maze, and of course I ran aground in full view of one of the funky little town’s waterfront restaurants. Though I was ultimately able to extricate myself without assistance, I provided about 45 minutes of free entertainment to the dinner crowd. You’re welcome.

It also turned out that the previous paint job had been commissioned by the staff of Practical Sailor, a popular how-to newsletter about gear and maintenance. I was able to contact the editor, who helpfully told me the brand of ablative paint that had been applied, along with some other useful advice. He was curious to know how it had held up over the years, and I was happy to send him the “before” shot once the boat was hauled and blocked. The answer to his question? Not well.

The crew at N.E. Taylor, however, could not have been more welcoming or professional, and as long as they had the boat, I ended up getting some other work done, particularly the installation of two new deck hatches to replace the pair that had long ago given up the ghost.

So, I’m happy to report that August West returned to its slip with a spanking new paint job that should last me—fingers crossed—at least a couple of years. In the meantime, I’m hoping for high marks from Casey the next time he dons his wetsuit and takes the plunge.  

The post A Sailboat Makeover appeared first on Yachting.

The gateway to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, the Whitsunday Islands are a tempting tropical cruising destination in their own right. Line-of-sight sailing among the 74 islands brings yachtsmen to pristine beaches, abundant wildlife, fine dining and spectacular natural landscapes.

Whitehaven Beach

Why does Whitehaven Beach frequently rank as Australia’s top beach and among the world’s best? When its clear turquoise waters swirl together with the blindingly white sand of Hill Inlet, the breathtaking view is greater than the sum of its stunning parts.

This beach is part of Whitsunday Islands National Park. Its 99 percent pure silica sand reflects the sun’s rays, making the fine, powdery sand feel cool underfoot.

The inlet is considered to be at peak photo perfection at midtide, so time your visit to the Hill Inlet Lookout accordingly. Cruisers usually use Tongue Bay as their access point; keep an eye out for sea turtles feasting on the bay’s seagrass.

Passage Peak

It’s worth rising before dawn to catch the sunrise from atop Passage Peak, the highest point on Hamilton Island. The 3.2-mile-out-and-back trail is open year-round and considered moderately challenging, particularly during the final steep section. The effort is rewarded with 360-degree views of nearby Perseverance Island, and Pentecost and Lindeman islands on the horizon.

Bommie

Watch the gorgeous sunset over the Hamilton Island Yacht Club with a drink on the deck or through the oversize windows of this upscale dining destination. The restaurant’s name comes from the aboriginal word “bombora,” referring to the reefs surrounding the island. Chef Trent Dawson’s multicourse and daily tasting menus feature inventive Australian fare, including kangaroo tartare and seafood risotto with Moreton Bay bug, a local species of slipper lobster.

Hook Island

The second-largest island among the 74 in the Whitsundays chain, Hook Island is a year-round hot spot for snorkelers and scuba divers. The Pinnacles are noteworthy for their vibrant coral bommies that extend 65 feet beneath the surface. The most popular site is Manta Ray Bay, known as the Aquarium for its abundant marine life. The bay hosts its namesake species from May to September but during other months is home to Maori wrasse, parrotfish and schools of yellow-tail fusiliers. Keep an eye out underwater for an aluminum manta ray sculpture and along the shoreline for Migration of the Mantas, a concrete-and-steel installation, both part of the Ngaro Underwater Marine Sculpture Trail.

There’s no commercial development on the island. Instead, the lure onshore is the Ngaro Cultural Site and its red-and-yellow ocher cave paintings created more than 9,000 years ago. Boaters can reach the cave from the rainforest-ringed Nara Inlet, a popular overnight anchorage.   

The post Sailing the Whitsunday Islands appeared first on Yachting.

Galeon Yachts’ new 440 Fly is aimed at cruising families. It joins nine other flybridge models ranging from 41 to 83 feet length overall. This near-46-footer made its North America debut at the Miami International Boat Show earlier this year.

In addition to having room for the family, the 440 Fly is a capable entertaining vessel. Fold-down side decks to port and starboard transform this yacht’s cockpit into a beach club, increasing the 13-foot-8-inch beam by 7 feet. Alfresco activities are further encouraged by a wet bar with a grill, a sink and stowage. An L-shaped settee with a wooden dinette is forward and under the flybridge overhang, protected from the elements.

Sun soakers can gather at the foredeck sun pad that’s sized for at least three people. Or, they can congregate on the flybridge, where there is more seating than in the cockpit and salon combined. An L-shaped settee corrals an elongated wooden dinette for outdoor snacks and meals. The helm station is forward with seating for the skipper and a mate, and there is additional companion seating to port. Between that companion seating and the stairs aft, owners can opt to place a wet bar with a sink, a fridge and a grill.

Inside on the main deck, the salon has a C-shaped settee with a wooden dinette to starboard, across from a two-seat sofa. Abaft the sofa is a hidden 32-inch TV. One step up from this gathering space are the helm station to starboard with side-deck access, and the galley to port with Corian countertops, a two-burner cooktop, a stainless-steel sink, a microwave and a fridge.

Belowdecks accommodations are flexible. Galeon offers a two-stateroom option and a pair of three-stateroom setups. In the two-stateroom configuration, there is a forepeak VIP with a step-up berth and an en suite head to port. The master stateroom is full-beam and amidships. The 440 Fly’s “traditional” three-stateroom layout reduces the size of the full-beam master to make room for a guest stateroom to starboard, and adds a twin-berth guest stateroom to port. In the “standard” three-stateroom setup, a guest stateroom with bunks is located to port, and the head is moved to starboard. This change consumes more of the forepeak VIP space, shifting its berth into an offset position to starboard.

Power for the 440 Fly is twin 440 hp Volvo Penta D6 engines. Galeon says the top speed is 30 knots, and cruising speed is 25 knots—which should be plenty fast to get the whole family feeling the wind in their hair.

Fast Facts

• The 440 Fly’s full-beam, amidships master has a queen-size berth.
• Cabinetry throughout the 440 Fly can be ordered in Dark Walnut Matte or Beachwood Matte.
• The 440 Fly’s cockpit’s L-shaped settee can convert to a sun pad.

Take the next step: galeonyachts.us

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They’re the stuff of dreams, legend, maritime lore: the Northwest Passage, the Drake Passage, Greenland, South Georgia Island, Cape Horn. Cruising these fabled waters requires a capable and prepared yacht, a seasoned and adventurous crew, the right communications and safety tools, and a pinch of luck. In this sense, the ancient Roman philosopher Seneca was right: Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.

Satellite connectivity isn’t new. The first very-small-aperture terminal (VSAT) satcom systems rolled out in the late 1970s, giving mariners the ability to send and receive information at sea. Contemporary VSAT systems typically operate on the Ka-frequency or Ku-frequency bands to offer high-speed performance and bandwidth.

The problem, however, is that VSAT networks typically concentrate their coverage beams on populated areas and commonly cruised waters. Moreover, these systems utilize high frequencies that often suffer from rain and snow fade when the weather sours.

Iridium’s Certus network doesn’t deliver the kinds of data-transfer speeds that enable video or social media streaming, but it does provide global connectivity that isn’t affected by weather. The largest Certus terminals are built with multi-element patched antennas that can simultaneously listen to—and evaluate the signal strength of—multiple satellites for trustworthy connectivity. Certus terminals also can be paired with a VSAT terminal, and long-range cellular and Wi-Fi antennas, to provide out-of-band management and lowest-cost routing. For adventurous cruisers, Certus’ connectivity improves the farther north (or south) from the equator one cruises.

Iridium began work on its Certus network in 2015. Today, the system is composed of 66 cross-linked low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites that circle the globe in near-polar orbits that are each roughly perpendicular to the equator. (Imagine the segments of a peeled orange coming together at either end.) At any given time, there are more LEO satellites concentrated at the north and south poles than at the equator. And Iridium’s LEO satellites operate on the L band (1 to 2 GHz), which is a much lower frequency than the Ka and Ku bands, and which isn’t frazzled by rain or snow.

As with all forms of satcom, orbiting Certus-enabled LEO satellites communicate with an onboard terminal. That terminal, in turn, is networked to a wireless router that makes the satcom signal available for all connected devices. While Iridium builds and maintains its LEO constellation, it partners with third-party hardware manufacturers—including Cobham, Intellian, Lars-Thrane and Thales—that build consumer-ready terminals.

While Iridium allows five terminals of different sizes to operate on its Certus network, 700-level terminals—with data-transfer uplink speeds of up to 352 kilobits per second and downlink speeds of up to 704 Kbps—offer Certus’ highest throughput speeds.

For example, Intellian’s C700 terminal is a solid-state device that uses a 12-element patch antenna. “It is then able to track multiple satellites and always select the strongest signal,” says Paul Comyns, Intellian’s senior director channel sales Americas. This setup, he adds, “avoids any issue of blockage, whether that be from onboard obstructions like a sail or mast, or if you happen to be cruising in a fjord where there are big mountains and trees.” Given that the C700 has a 12-element patch antenna, some are still likely seeing satellites even if others are blocked.

The 700-level terminals are monogamous, which means they only transmit and receive data to and from a single satellite at once. However, they’re opportunistic in that they’re often simultaneously auditioning two to four other satellites.

“Because each patch antenna is pointing in a different direction, it has the opportunity to pick up a signal from a different satellite,” Comyns says. “It’s always listening to different satellites and then picking which is the strongest signal and utilizing that one.”

During a 10-minute voice call, a 700-series terminal might change satellites several times. These transitions are nearly seamless to the end user, and the multiple data pathways mean that 700-level terminals on Iridium’s Certus network offer some of the highest reliability levels of any satcom solution.

Certus terminals also can be paired with VSAT systems to deliver an out-of-band management solution for the yacht’s primary satcom system. Additionally, third-party long-range cellular and Wi-Fi antennas can be added for lowest-cost data routing.

This ability to play nicely with others, coupled with Certus’ reliability and global coverage, makes these terminals ideal companions for high-latitude cruisers or for those transiting the South Pacific, where it might otherwise be impossible to download email, GRIB weather files and chart updates, or to transmit and receive emergency communications.

“If you want a reliable connection that’s going to get through whatever the weather, then Certus is a perfect solution,” Comyns says.

As with all technology, Certus service has its pros and cons. As mentioned, speeds aren’t fast enough to stream video or upload it to social media, and Certus is not the least-expensive form of satellite communications (see Iridium’s website for airtime costs). That said, the system is global, there are no moving internal components, and the equipment is relatively small and easy to fit aboard. Factor in Certus’ ability to provide out-of-band management and lowest-cost data routing, and the network presents itself as an intriguing communications solution for anyone who is interested in plying the dark spots on most VSAT coverage maps.

One doesn’t need to be an ancient philosopher to see how adding a Certus system might generate its own kind of luck.

The post Iridium Keeps Boaters Connected Anywhere appeared first on Yachting.

When I reviewed the Cruisers Yachts 42 GLS two years ago, I decided that GLS must mean “great little ship.” With the 50 GLS flagship, I know it means “greater little ship.”

It actually means Grand Luxury Sport, which is also an apt description of the Cruisers GLS “adventuring” series. Cruisers, now owned by MarineMax, has paid attention to how we use our boats. The 50 GLS is a bowrider on steroids, an express cruiser with entertaining ambitions, an overnighter with comfort and a performance boat (49.6 knots) with the oomph to yank skiers or tubers with aplomb.

The 50 GLS is powered by three 600 hp Mercury Verado V-12 outboards. When I put the hammer down from idle, I was literally shoved back into the comfy, Ultraleather helm seat. And the yacht has fold-down terraces (Cruisers calls them beach doors) on each side of the cockpit, whose beam expands from 14 feet, 6 inches to more than 21 feet. That’s about the beam of many 95-foot yachts. The combination—with the outboard engines being out of the way on the transom—creates a cockpit that feels like a ballroom filled with dining and seating options.

This is also a good-looking yacht, with a black slash on the topsides to conceal the windows, and a windshield that rakes steeply into the sleek hardtop with a sunroof. For passengers boarding from dockside, the transom platform is wide and one level to the cockpit. That transom on the 50 GLS that I got aboard had a pair of Kenyon grills (one is standard). This positioning means smoke from charred steak won’t intrude into the cockpit. Just forward of the barbecue is a forward-facing settee with twin removable tables for dining or cocktails.

In the forward corner of the cockpit are an L-shaped counter, dual Isotherm fridges, an ice maker and a sink. Opposite this space—on an 8-inch raised platform—is another dining table, this one facing a 55-inch pop-up TV.

A secure walkway to port leads to the bow, which has three seats with headrests and an electric table that rises for cocktails or meals on the hook. This cockpit is deep (40 inches) and safe for kids. A cooler with a chiller plate (read no ice needed) is tucked under a seat.

At the helm is an intuitive dashboard with three 19-inch Simrad monitors and a joystick linked to the Side-Power bow thruster. We used that Mercury JPO joystick to make painless work of a normally tough situation: a fierce side wind, a strong current and a skinny dock. Dock-watchers hoping for a Sunday afternoon show will be disappointed.

And the 50 GLS is about more than alfresco living. A sliding hatch (with a screen) leads into a bright cabin with overhead and side windows. A counter holds a microwave and a fridge for morning coffee and warm croissants without having to leave the cabin.

Forward is a stateroom, with a wider-than-queen berth, hanging lockers and privacy from French doors. Headroom is a surprising 6 feet, 8 inches, which adds to the airy feeling. Just aft and to starboard is the head, with a separate stall shower that is also oversize: 4 feet by nearly 3 feet.

Another stateroom is tucked under the cockpit with a pair of berths that can be configured as seats or as a “playpen,” with a TV on the bulkhead. This space is perfect for an afternoon nap for kids, and it’s comfortable (I stretched out with no problem) for adult overnighters, though it won’t encourage them to linger.

Underway, the 50 GLS is simply great fun. Hammer down, it came up fast and flat, regardless of whether we were using no tabs or letting the auto-tab system think for us. The boat topped out at 49.6 knots. For a 50-footer weighing some 19 tons, going 85 feet per second is impressive.

Even better, the 50 GLS felt solid, and I had a chance to check out the bottom before it hit the water. There are two full-length strakes below the waterline. Our result was a soft ride through a 2-to-3-foot wake when we circled back at full throttle. The spray was thrown far to the side, thanks to wide chine flats. This yacht begged to be treated like a 20-foot bowrider. We carved some swoops just for fun.

Those swoops were accomplished in silence too. My decibel meter read just 58 at idle (65 dBs is the level of normal conversation), and it got no higher than 85 at full throttle. The federal government’s safety agency says that’s the noise level of a vacuum cleaner.

The 50 GLS I got aboard had a Seakeeper 6 gyrostabilizer (we didn’t need it) and a 16 kW Kohler genset to provide air conditioning all day at anchor or at the sandbar. This equipage was under a hatch in the cockpit. Access via a ladder was outstanding, with room left to stow all the gear, from fenders to inflatable toys.

Everything said and done, the Cruisers Yachts 50 GLS is an on-the-water delight: fast and fun with varied entertaining spaces, thoughtful luxuries and the facilities for comfortable overnighting. This yacht truly is a greater little ship.

Major Power

Mercury’s V-12, 7.6-liter engine is revolutionary because the lower-unit gear case is steerable. A two-speed transmission provides torque in first gear and efficiency in second, and the dual-prop design provides solid bite, even in hard turns.

Catching Air

The 50 GLS has power-operated “vent windows” like those on older cars, providing a steady flow of controllable air. Electric side windows add to the breeze, as does the opening sunroof in the hardtop. Opening ports in the staterooms are another fresh-air plus.

Built Right

Cruisers Yachts uses a mix of modern and traditional methods in the 50 GLS, including hand-laid and resin-infused fiberglass for specific areas. The stringer grid that supports the interior components is wood-free with all-foam coring for a long-life, no-rot hull.

Take the next step: cruisersyachts.com

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Feature-packed e-bikes have been around for several decades. The designs keep evolving, along with battery technology, control algorithms and construction materials, all of which help the e-bikes go faster, better, longer. Today, boaters who want to carry e-bikes on board are benefiting from advancements intended to make the cycles powerful enough to replace cars in urban areas.

That’s the goal of the company Fuell, which says it has developed the longest-range e-bike in the world. The aluminum alloy Fuell models called Flluid 2 ($5,995) and Flluid 3 ($5,495) have reported ranges from 110 to 225 miles at speeds as fast as 28 mph.

“We used the knowledge gained from our initial foray into the electric bike market with Flluid 1 to develop a superior urban-transportation solution, making sure that Flluid 2 and 3 are true and viable alternatives to cars,” said Erik Buell, Fuell’s chief technology officer.

Buell is best known as a motorbike racer who founded Buell Motorcycle Co., which later merged with Harley-Davidson. In 2019, Buell partnered with French financiers to create Fuell, focusing on e-bikes. The pandemic slowed production, but more models are now rolling out, following a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. As of early June, it had raised more than $1.1 million.

What sets these new models apart from the initial Flluid e-bike design, according to the company, is not just range (which is achieved with two removable battery packs) but also a Valeo Cyclee Mid-Drive Unit with automatic and predictive gear shifting. This system adjusts the flow of power to the bike, including on uphill climbs where other e-bikes can have trouble with the incline. Riders on Fuell e-bikes can still shift gears manually, but the technology is designed to smooth out the power use.

The tech on the new Fuell models also includes features that boaters use regularly to prevent onboard theft, such as geolocating, remote locking and an alarm. All of those features can be accessed through the e-bike’s app, which also keeps track of usage statistics and other rider information.

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Four staterooms, including a full-beam master, plus two crew cabins help make the Ocean Alexander 85E a sizable family voyager for long-range cruising. When launched, the 85E was notable for its modern exterior design elements: a reverse transom, house-length side windows, a raked windshield, a radar arch and window pillars to the hardtop support, to name a few. It was equally notable for its interior feel, with warm woods such as dark walnut and teak. As of August 2023, there were two Ocean Alexander 85Es on the market, ranging from $4.49 million to $5.29 million.

From the Archive

“The skipper sits in lordly comfort in a Stidd pedestal helm chair. Underway, the Ocean Alexander 85E is as fast as you’d expect considering the 3,600 snorting and pawing horses stuffed in the engine room. Top speed is a freckle north of 22 knots, but, if you’re not in a hurry to get home, a comfortable 50 percent load gives you about 13 knots at 2 gallons per mile. At 10.7 knots, range is 2,200  nautical miles.”

— Yachting, July 2011

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