Friday, August 29, 2008

Gemini 52 SuperSport-Meilahn Custom Yachts

There's a new (power)cat on the block.

Stuart, Florida-based Meilahn Custom Yachts will launch its Gemini SuperSport Powercat line at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, October 29-November 3.

The builder says, "The idea was to build an American-made shallow-draft vessel, customized to each buyer’s wishes, with a power-cat hull system offering zero interruption to the interior design with a wider than usual beam."

The 52-footer sports 52'0" LOA with a 19'3" beam. Her girth enables a two-stateroom, two-head layout with a full galley, and a saloon that seats up to eight guests. Topside there's a dinette area for six, dual helm hairs, expansive cockpit seating for many and a hot-tub.

Her propulsion system utilizes two Arneson Surface Drives (ASD 12), powered by two turbo-charged Yanmar 900-hp diesels. The builder reports that the Gemini 52 can reach cruising speeds between 27 and 45 mph at 1800 to 2200 rpm, with a top speed over 50 mph at 2400 rpm.

The 52's exterior and interior design comes courtesy of well-known designer Steve French and his company, Applied Concepts Unleashed. Her hull and superstructure is built of composite fiberglass, corecell, and carbon fiber.

The Gemini 52 SuperSport can be found in Slip # G-730 at the Lauderdale Show. The company says it plans to build its line of yachts up to 91 feet.



Thursday, August 28, 2008

Save Our Reefs

The Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL)—an international organization dedicated soley to saving the world's coral reefs—recently announced it will be partnering with Leisure Pro, an online purveyor of all things scuba and snorkeling related. Leisure Pro has agreed to help draw attention to the plight of coral reefs by agreeing to no longer sell fish food. You see, feeding fish can have decidedly deleterious effects on coral reefs. It alters predator-prey relationships, and thus (to put it crudely), mucks with delicate food chains and ecosystems. This can be particularly problematic when divers feed algae grazers, who in turn eat less algae, which can then smother a coral reef. To help draw attention to CORAL’s “Take a Bite out of Fish Feeding Campaign,” Leisure Pro has promised that any shoppers who donate at least $10 with their next online purchase will receive CORAL’s 2009 calendar.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Big Squall, Bigger Fish

When the crew of MJ's headed out during the recent Beach Haven Marlin and Tuna Tournament, these anglers went looking for that leaderboard-leading fish. Well, they did that: a 129-pound tuna to be exact,which secured the team first place in that division. But the catch wasn't without some challenges. You see, just as the fish hit the squall line you see here descended upon MJ's. The result was a fish battle during 60-mph winds and rain. In the end, the crew weathered the storm and nabbed the tuna, the crew's fourth first-place finish in seven years at this event.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Pirates Rob Yacht in the Med

It’s not a powerboat, but it’s still worth mentioning. According to RTL, a French Web site, the 55-meter sailing yacht Tiara was robbed at gunpoint last night in Corsica. Reports say that four masked men sneaked aboard the vessel and got away with around €138,000 (roughly $203,600). Here’s the link to the translated story. More on the story can be found here at the Super Yacht Times.

Delivery Men Make Mistake

Here’s an unfortunate accident that made for some dramatic pictures. A brand new Sealine 37 was on its way from Southampton, England to Ireland but never reached the Emerald Isle. Instead, the delivery crew of two hit a ledge at 16 knots, holing the hull. The crew was unhurt, and subsequently rescued, but the brand new 37 was not so lucky. The Falmouth Lifeboat Station attempted to tow the Sealine to a nearby beach, but the vessel sunk before it made it to the shore. The owner had yet to set foot on his American-made vessel.

As for the crew, an official from the Lifeboat Station had this to say, according to the Daily Mail paper, “They didn't hang around and they got the first bus to Southampton and looked very worried.” I bet. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Abandoned Ships

Among all the damage it's caused, Tropical Storm Fay also took a toll on several long-forgotten boats.

Numerous reports have surfaced of abandoned boats breaking loose from their moorings and either floating away or sinking on the spot. These wrecks can pose an obvious threat to marine safety, as a TCPalm.com reporter put it: “With a storm surge and 50 knots of wind, a poorly moored sloop can quickly be converted into a waterborne bulldozer. In a few hours it can sweep through a waterway wiping out docks, seawalls, other vessels and in rare cases, bridges.”

But now the Florida Fish and Wildlife Service says it will “exhaust every attempt” to locate derelict boat owners and prosecute them to the fulllest extent. If you see an abandoned cruiser, you can report it anonymously at 888-404-3922.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Octopi

We’ve all seen and heard a great deal about Paul Allen’s yacht Octopus over the years. But the other day I stumbled across this video of her on YouTube, and shockingly, it was one I hadn’t seen before. The video shows her passing through the Panama Canal. Note the ship that accompanies her in the lock for a size reference. Will she still be #2 on PMY’s America’s 100 Largest Yachts coming out this November? You’ll have to wait and see…



Here is are two other interesting videos of the 8,000-nm range vessel.



Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Solar-Powered Hybrid

Island Pilot has announced its newest model, the DSe Hybrid 12m, will debut in October at this year’s Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

The plans have been on the books for years, and we wrote an article on her back in 2006, but now it appears that the electric-motor powered vessel finally exists. The solar array catches the majority of her power, but a diesel genset can give her additional electricity if the clouds have been out too long. You can't walk on the solar panels, but they do double as a bimini to protect your body from the sun's radiation.

Even the dingy’s outboard is electric, recharging from the solar panels of the DSe Hybrid. For more on the vessel, check the boat’s Web site here.

Monday, August 18, 2008

A Mother's Love

We have all read stories about animals acting as surrogate mothers to other animals. Case in point, this past spring a mixed-breed farm dog pinch-hit for a missing mom to newborn tiger triplets in China. And it wasn’t her first foray into surrogacy. But now the search for a mother figure has reached a new level. In Sydney, Australia a baby humpback whale has mistaken a yacht for its mommy...even going as far as trying to suckle from the yacht! Rescuers are on the case, towing the yacht out to sea in the hopes that the humpback calf will follow and eventually find its real mommy. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Big Blue

A pending North Carolina Atlantic Blue Marlin record was caught by angler Trey Irvine onboard the Mimi last week. Capt. Paul Spencer ( Spencer Yachts) was the helm.

The massive 1,228.50-pound Atlantic Blue Marlin was weighed in at Pirate's Cove Marina during its annual billfish tournament.

When certified, this catch will eclipse the 1,142 pounder caught by Jack Herrington in 1974. The world record Atlantic Blue Marlin weighing 1,402.20-pounder was caught in Brazil in 1992.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Best 4x4 By Far

Need a new exploration toy to match your yacht? The car manufacturer Land Rover and Edmiston yacht brokerage have joined forces to make a special edition 4x4 SUV.

Seven top yacht designers competed in the contest: Martin Francis, Redman Whiteley Dixon, Terrence Disdale, Andrew Winch, Tim Heywood, Ken Freivokh, and Bannenberg. The winning car will be announced and displayed at this year’s Monaco Yacht Show. If a buyer wants one of the other designs, he or she can purchase them as well. Prices are predicted range from $300,000 to $1.2 million depending on the design and options. For more on the story, click here.

Pirates! (Of a Different Kind)

If you're a movie buff in addition to being a boat buff, mark your 2009 calendar for The Boat That Rocked, a film about pirate radio in the 1960's.

Not familiar with pirate radio? Picture a boat or ship of any kind, anchored off the coast and broadcasting illegally to thousands, even millions, of people back on land. It's the ultimate thumbing of the nose to the establishment of corporate- or even government-run radio, and 40-odd years ago in England, plenty of pirate radio stations broadcast to a reported 25 million people. The Boat That Rocked follows Quentin, who operated Radio Rock in the middle of the North Sea and had quite the crazy mix of DJs.

The impressive cast includes Philip Seymour Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, and others. Filming wrapped up in June; no specific release date set, so keep checking the link above for updates.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Desert Sand on the Sea

That's 157 feet of yacht sliding down the ways at International Shipyards Ancona (ISA). Alexandar V was launched under a hot morning sun, to great fanfare: After a shower of white confetti came down, hundreds of white and silver balloons were released into the sky.

And why not? Even the yacht's exterior color scheme celebrates being different: Her hull is painted desert sand, and her superstructure is a creamy oyster white. And inside ebony, maple, teak, and multiple marbles set a modern scene.

Powered by twin MTU 12V4000 M70s, the steel-hulled Alexandar V should achieve a 15.5-knot cruise speed and 16.7-knot top speed. After sea trials, she'll be delivered to her owner so that he and his family can enjoy the waning weeks of summer. Then she'll make her formal debut at the Monaco Yacht Show.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Expat...Fish?

With summer in full swing, the waters in and around the Northeast are awash with recreational anglers in search of their next big catch. Well, according to an interesting article in The New York Times, said fishermen—particularly those who fish off the coast of Long Island—might come upon more unusual species than they'd anticipated. According to the article, small tropical fish are being carried by the Gulf Stream from the Florida Keys and the Bahamas and deposited in coves and eelgrass beds off the Northeast coast. Many of these so-called "expatriate" species—which are not well-suited to the area's cold winter temperatures—are being collected by local aquariums and used in exhibits. The reason for this recent surge in tropical fish is not known but, the article explains, scientists suspect it has something to do with the general increase in water temperatures.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Certainly Limitless


Check out the above video for a glimpse of Lurssen's famous Limitless. Leslie Wexner's elegant yacht spans 315'8" and ranked #14 on PMY’s annual "World's 100 Largest Yachts" this year.

Wexner, CEO of Limited Brands, is no stranger to lists or rankings—he ranked 273rd in Forbes’ 2007 list of the "world’s richest people."

Limitless will once again be featured in PMY’s upcoming November issue, showcasing America’s 100 Largest Yachts. She continues to rank inside the Top Ten, but you’ll have to wait until November to find out exactly where she fits. Until then, you can enjoy watching her effortlessly glide along the ocean.