FortNine Acquires Defender Industries, Beginning a New Chapter for the Longtime Marine Supplier Defender Industries, a family-owned marine supply business that has served boaters for more than eight decades, is entering a new phase after being acquired by FortNine in partnership with private equity firm Novacap. The Waterford, Connecticut-based company built a reputation on dependable … Read more

Mercury Marine Introduces the Avator: Its First Electric Outboard for Pleasure Craft At the Miami International Boat Show, Mercury Marine unveiled the Avator, the company’s first electric outboard designed for pleasure craft. The Avator marks the beginning of a new product family that Mercury says will expand into several additional models in the coming months. … Read more

Ann Davison and Felicity Ann: The First Woman to Sail Solo Across the Atlantic Ann Davison is remembered as one of the most resilient and pioneering sailors of the 20th century. A trailblazer in multiple fields, she was among the early female pilots in the 1930s and later turned to long-distance sailing after a devastating … Read more

After more than 25 years with the same boat, I finally ordered a new Pathfinder 2700 Open—a hybrid that blends the handling of a large bay boat with the offshore capabilities of a midsize center console. I bought it with a matching Ameratrail trailer so I could chase fish by road when I wanted, but … Read more

International Folkboat (IF): History, Design and Enduring Appeal The International Folkboat—commonly referred to as the IF—occupies a distinctive place in small-boat history. Often confused with the earlier Nordic Folkboat, the IF is a separate fiberglass adaptation created to capture the seaworthiness and beauty of the older clinker-built design while offering the advantages of modern materials … Read more

Virtual Yachts and Marinas: Inside the Metaverse’s New Waterfront The metaverse is becoming a real marketplace for boats and marinas, even though many of the rules and norms that govern behavior in this virtual world are still being written. Early adopters can buy prized waterfront parcels and unique yachts, but they also face risks that … Read more

Seriously salty reads Bounty of the Sea Seafood, like many perishable foods we buy regularly, often arrives at our tables with little thought given to its origin, the people who harvest it, or the systems that bring it from ocean to plate. Because many species are available year-round in markets and supermarkets, it’s easy to … Read more

Once, mariners relied on paper charts and a magnetic compass to find their way. Today, GPS and electronic chartplotters dominate navigation, and many boaters rarely consult paper charts. But electronics can fail, and when they do, old rules like “red, right, returning” remain vital. Keeping red buoys to starboard while returning to harbor will usually … Read more

Formula Introduces Two New 387 Center Console Models at Miami Boat Show Formula Boats of Decatur, Indiana, unveiled two new center console designs at the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show: the 387 Center Console Fish (CCF) and the 387 Center Console Sport (CCS). The announcement marks Formula’s return to center-console production after more than … Read more

Bob Chaulk lives roughly a half hour from the wreck site of the SS Atlantic off the coast of Nova Scotia. He routinely heads out there in a 17-foot boat he built himself, a modest homage to his family’s schooner-building past. For nearly three decades Chaulk has donned a dry suit and dove into the … Read more