In late September 2015 the 790-foot TOTE Maritime containership El Faro steamed into the path of Hurricane Joaquin near the Bahamas and did not return. The ship foundered, and all 33 crew members aboard were lost. The tragedy left families devastated; three of the widows sought legal representation, and their lawyers have since produced an … Read more

Runaway Boat Near St. Pete Beach Ends Safely After Dramatic Rescue A runaway boat near St. Pete Beach, Florida, created a dangerous situation last Thursday after its operator fell overboard. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) responded quickly after receiving a report that the boater had been thrown from his vessel. Deputies launched a coordinated … Read more

Yamaha Marine has announced that its HARMO electric outboard system, which first appeared as a prototype in Europe in 2016 and later saw an updated release there, is now available in the United States. The company says American boat builders are already evaluating how to integrate the system into new models, and Yamaha estimates that … Read more

Great White Shark Research Moves from Massachusetts to Nova Scotia Researchers studying great white sharks have shifted their focus from the waters off Massachusetts to the coastal areas of Nova Scotia, continuing an established seasonal effort to tag and monitor these apex predators in the Northwest Atlantic. The team, operating under the OCEARCH research program, … Read more

Make the Most of Tides and Currents: Safer, Faster Coastal Voyaging Few things affect small-boat passagemaking more than currents. Powerboats with plenty of horsepower can brute-force a strong opposing flow, but for modestly powered vessels and sailboats, careful planning makes the difference between a comfortable crossing and a dangerous situation. Choosing the right time to … Read more

What we’re reading Remote and Remarkable Photographer Jay Fleming has spent much of his life behind the lens, developing a body of work that is particularly associated with the Chesapeake Bay. Fleming’s images range from candid portraits of the watermen who make their living on the bay to intimate underwater shots of fish, crabs and … Read more

Wilbur 61: A Maine-Built Flagship That Marries Traditional Craftsmanship with Modern Performance Lee S. Wilbur of Southwest Harbor, Maine, launched his first boat in 1973—a 36-foot fiberglass sportfisher built on a hull designed by Raymond Bunker. Over the following three decades, Wilbur’s yard earned a strong reputation rooted in loyal owners and a team of … Read more

Passing Squall: Thomas Hoyne’s Portrait of the Albert J. Lutz The sea rolls without mercy in Thomas Hoyne’s oil painting Passing Squall, where the Canadian halibuter Albert J. Lutz fights through a storm-tossed horizon. Hoyne captures the moment with a dramatic indigo sky and restless water, the vessel yielding to the ocean with a storm … Read more

Running Tide Restored: Beau Van Metre Prepares for the Newport Bermuda Race When the Newport Bermuda Race begins on June 17, 2022, Beau Van Metre expects to be back where he spent much of his youth—aboard the 60-foot Sparkman & Stephens design Running Tide. Now in his 70s, Beau intends to demonstrate that the 52-year-old … Read more

Hinckley 35 The Hinckley 35 shares the builder’s signature lines—tumblehome, bow flare and impeccable varnish—but it’s a distinct model built on an infused carbon‑epoxy hull by Michael Peters Yacht Design. Positioned alongside Hinckley’s Sport Boat 40C and 40X, the 35 is outboard-powered and tuned for fast, refined cruising. Standard propulsion is a pair of 300‑hp … Read more