Prop Thieves

Is nothing sacred?

A pair of spare propellers for the royal yacht Britannia was stolen from a warehouse in England. According to published reports, the seven-foot-diameter props were somehow hoisted and removed from the building at the Leith Docks, where Britannia is berthed, last Monday, June 2.

How the heck anyone was able to sneak in unnoticed with heavy-duty lifting equipment and trucks is the pressing question. As to what the thieves would do with such a load, some news reports have speculated the props, which are estimated to be worth about $14,000 each, will be sold on the black market, where there's high demand for some metals.

Counterfeit Concerns

Working in New York City, we PMY staffers are no strangers to counterfeit goods. The city sidewalks are awash with peddlers hawking copied wares. Not surprisingly, the problem doesn’t end with faux designer purses and perfumes: Counterfeit goods have become a real concern in the boating industry.

According to a recent article by Bill Klimas in Soundings Trade Only, imitation boating gear abounds and has become a serious problem for manufacturers and customers alike. Klimas cites the case of bilge pump manufacturer ITT Rule. The company found that nearly identical knock-offs of its 2,000-gph model pump were being made in China and sold to unsuspecting consumers in Australia. ITT ran tests of the counterfeit pumps and found that they ran for only 45 minutes before they stopped working. Conversely, three real ITT Rule pumps were tested and operated for more than 5,000 hours without incident.

Though the World Trade Organization is in charge of controlling this and other cases of trademark/Intellectual Property infringement, the question of how to regulate the influx of counterfeit goods is fraught with many political and bureaucratic issues. For the time being the best we consumers can do is work hard to educate ourselves and make sure the boating gear we’re buying is the real deal.

Aicon's New Soles

What does Marc-Udo Broich, President/CEO of Aicon Yachts Americas, know about shoes? Well quite a bit, it turns out. Broich took over as the CEO of footwear brand Maui Surf Company (MSC) earlier this year. But if you're an Aicon nut, don't despair—Broich will continue with his post there, too.

Under Broich the "new" MSC will not only continue to create shoes that are inspired by the laid-back Maui lifestyle, it will pursue some serious innovation. Leave it to the head of Aicon to understand what boaters want: from boat shoes that reportedly weigh less than 10 oz. to a water shoe line that promises a revolutionary water drainage system. Now that Broich's in charge of MSC, boaters everywhere are likely to take a second look.

Nautical Gifts

It's hard to believe that Halloween is already here, which means that the holiday shopping season is lurking not too far around the corner. Yikes. But, lest you begin to stress out about all the shopping you've got to do, know that there's some good news.

The folks behind the Captn Jack's Catalog recently announced that their 2007/2008 Holiday Catalog will expand its focus beyond the high-end electronic marine navigation gear the company has traditionally offered. They'll be selling a variety of new marine lifestyle gear, which means plenty of gifts for every boater on your list. Some of my favorite highlights include the Remote Control Pirate Ship ($65, with "functioning" light-up cannon), the i-blue 757 Pro Solara GPS ($119, which lets you broadcast GPS data throughout your boat with a Bluetooth enabled sensor), and the Rocking Dory ($265, a beautiful, handcrafted lap-joint dory) for the little ones. Happy (upcoming) Holidays!

Cool Cruisin' Cruzin Cooler

I laughed right out loud when my Mom sent me the link for this motorized cooler, who in turn got it from a friend who lives on a houseboat in the Carolinas. But you know what? The person who created it is probably laughing his or her way to the bank, because the Cruzin Cooler is being used on more than one dock around the country right now.

The electric-powered cooler (gasoline models not yet available) can carry a person weighing up to 250 pounds, though apparently it's been tested to 540 pounds. The cooler itself can hold two cases of soda, beer, etc. plus upwards of eight pounds of ice. Even with a load, the Cruzin Cooler can scoot along at 13 mph.

To learn more or order one, for $349, click here.

Your Boat Tips Wanted. Prizes Offered!

The smiling man you see above is Capt. Joe Barbara with his new Edson PowerKnob. Barbara was photographed by his wife at the helm of his 38-foot Ronin Sportfish just off Manalapan, Florida. He was the winner of Power & Motoryacht's monthly Tip of the Month Contest last February for recommending the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser as “the best small detail a boater needs to keep aboard.”

Want a chance to win this great product? Post your best tips here and send them to jeffrey.moser@primedia.com today.

121.5/243-MHz EPIRBS Banned

BoatU.S.magazine reports in its March issue that the U.S. Coast Guard has banned the use of 121.5-MHz Emergency Positioning Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB) beginning January 1, 2008. This is in preparation for the shut-off of satellite reception on these frequencies, which is set to take place on February 1, 2009. The ban applies to all Class A, B, and S products, but does not affect 121.5-MHz man-overboard systems, which work by alerting a base station onboard the boat and not the satellite system. (Check out the June issue of Power & Motoryacht for a roundup of all the MOB systems on the market.)

The article says boaters planning to travel more than 20 miles offshore should now use only 406-MHz EPIRBs, whose signals are picked up by the COSPAS-SARSAT satellites worldwide. The 406-MHz beacons send "smart" signals coded with information such as vessel identity and location to search-and-rescue stations around the world.

The biggest problem with 121.5 beacons has been false alerts. According to BoatU.S., only one out of 50 alerts from a 121.5 is actually a distress call; and the rest are false alerts. Since 406 beacons are required by law to be registered to the owner, false alarms have been reduuced.

You can register your 406-MHz EPIRB online at NOAA or by calling (888) 212-SAVE. Additionally, the BoatU.S. Foundation says it will continue to rent 406-MHz EPIRBs; reservations can be made online at BoatU.S. Foundation.

In a Blue Mood

These beautiful (or should I say blue-tiful?) shots are of the 110-foot charter yacht Island Time, which was just fitted with underwater lights from OceanLED. To be specific, she features 33 of the company's Super Blue lights, which work to great effect. The owners of Island Time (who also happen to crew her) can now do what lots of other boaters do with underwater lights: marvel over the masses of fish that'll be attracted at night, or simply set a cool mood.

Magic Expandable Yacht Table

Just when I was beginning to think nothing worthwhile can come out of YouTube, I came across this fantastic video. It's a demonstration of how a beautiful hand-made table aboard the megayachtIlona expands to accommodate 12 or more people. Forget adding leaves or folding out extensions, this is true artistry. Called the Fletcher Capstan Table, it was custom-built by DB Fletcher Design. Enjoy!

Safety Alert: Viking Life-Raft Product Recall

Viking Life-Saving Equipment A/S is recalling certain serial numbers of its RescYou life rafts due to potential problems with their pressure relief valves.

The relief valve's supplier, Thanner & Co., has informed Viking that problems with its OTS 65-type valve could prevent the life raft from inflating properly. As a precautionary measure, Viking recommends that all Thanner OTS 65 valves used in RescYou liferafts should be checked and replaced if necessary; the company will replace the valves for free.

Visit Viking Yachting or call (877) 848-1057 for further information.