Bertram at 50: The Legacy of a Hard-Core Fishing Machine Celebrating Bertram Yacht’s 50th anniversary, company president Alton Herndon describes today’s Bertrams as “hard-core, kick-ass fishing machines.” That blunt summation echoes how many enthusiasts remember the boats Richard Bertram built: rugged, seakindly, maneuverable vessels designed to take the worst the sea could throw at them … Read more

San Francisco’s Red & White sightseeing fleet runs on biodiesel, and Seattle’s King County Water Taxi uses biodiesel to ferry passengers across Puget Sound. Along the Eastern Seaboard, the Atlantic Cup — which promotes itself as one of the United States’ most environmentally responsible sailboat races — has fueled its Class 40 fleet with biodiesel … Read more

Couple Accused of Welfare Fraud After Purchasing an 83‑Foot Trumpy Yacht Colin A.J. Chisholm III and his wife, Andrea, cultivated the lifestyle of the wealthy: an 83‑foot Trumpy motoryacht, upscale homes in Minnesota and Florida, and a public image that included claims of Scottish nobility. Their luxury life ended when fraud investigators tied the couple … Read more

Boat Projects and Refit Advice: How to Choose, Plan and Complete a Successful Rebuild One of the best ways to truly understand a boat is to take it apart and put it back together — piece by piece, upgrading, replacing, reconfiguring and modifying as you go. That hands-on process is what defines a boat project: … Read more

Hurtigruten’s Hybrid Expedition Ships: A Greener Future for Polar Cruises For decades, Norwegian expedition cruise operator Hurtigruten has built a reputation for taking adventurous travelers from the Arctic to the Antarctic aboard purpose-built expedition ships. In a major move toward reducing the environmental impact of exploration cruising, the company announced plans to introduce hybrid battery-powered … Read more

Belafonte: An Eco-Friendly Hybrid Day-Tour Power Catamaran The story of the hybrid day-tour catamaran Belafonte begins with another boat: the 57-foot power catamaran Reef Express. Reef Express runs snorkeling and sightseeing trips out of Key West, Florida, and it led to a collaboration among designer Dave Walworth, builder Joe Kitchell and an owner with a … Read more

There are many ways to monitor and forecast weather online, and the choices can be overwhelming. Whether you’re a sailor who enjoys digging into meteorology or you prefer simple apps with clear colors and arrows, the best approach is to tailor your devices so they give you exactly the information you need quickly and reliably. … Read more

Michael Peters is one of the world’s most respected yacht designers. His studio, Michael Peters Yacht Design in Sarasota, Florida, has worked with major production builders such as Azimut, Bertram, Chris-Craft, Hinckley and Valhalla Boatworks, and has created bespoke vessels for premier yards like Van Dam Custom Boats and Brooklin Boat Yard. When he isn’t … Read more

Coast Survey’s Civil War Maps and Fieldwork To mark the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey examined its archives and uncovered a rich collection of wartime maps, charts and firsthand accounts. These records document the work of topographers and hydrographers who operated alongside Union forces as surveyors, boat pilots and … Read more

Falling leaves outside our windows are a clear signal that another season is winding down. Some boats have already headed south for the winter, others are preparing to begin the southern leg of a year-round fishing cycle, and a portion of anglers are squeezing in one or two final trips before the inevitable curtain drops. … Read more