Sailing

British yachtswoman Dee Caffari extended the boundaries of what's possible this week when she became the first woman to sail solo, non-stop both ways around the world. The 36-year-old former PE teacher crossed the finish line of the round the world Vendée Globe yacht race in sixth place onboard her yacht Aviva with a heavily damaged mainsail having spent 99 days at sea.  Read More

Island Pilot has used this year’s Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show to debut its new hybrid motoryacht - the DSe Hybrid12m. Combining diesel, solar and electric power (hence "DSe") and with wind-power to be added to the production model, the 40ft vessel can take advantage of a sunny day by cruising at speeds of up to six knots indefinitely using only solar power. Not only does this save fuel, it eliminates the rumble of diesel engines to bring one of pure-sailing's greatest attractions to the motoryacht format - silence.  Read More

The 35-meter two master PANGAEA is the largest and most flexible polar expedition sailboat ever built. It can navigate through tropics and rivers as easily as it can through polar regions, and will travel to five continents, including the North and South Pole.  Read More

April 24, 2008 Ecologically responsible tourism is becoming big business around the world, particularly with young backpackers who wish to see the glory of nature without contributing to its destruction. The same concept is now starting to trickle through to resort and leisure tourism - such as this block of condos on the Mississippi in Iowa. Using recycled materials, renewable energy and a small fleet of solar-powered houseboats that contribute solar and wind turbine energy back into the grid when they're moored, the Holiday Shores Condo-Tel development will provide 64 suites for the environmentally conscious.  Read More

March 4, 2008 Sunreef is adding to its fleet of luxury charter boats with an enormous 102 ft. double-deck, sailing catamaran. This vessel will be the largest boat in their current fleet but not for long as there are grand plans to launch 150, 170 and 200 footers in the future.  Read More

Until recently limited to military craft, the wave-piercing attributes of the Very Slender Vessel (VSV) design has now made its way into the civilian boat world in the form of the MarySlim, a stunning 72-foot, £1.5 million, long-range cruiser built by Cornwall based Multimarine Composites that debuted last year at the Royal William Yard in England. The unique shape of the 1650 hp, V12 powered yacht allows it to cleave through waves, eliminating the power-consuming, bruising bounce of other crafts and allowing users to explore greater areas through harsher weather conditions.  Read More

January 23, 2008 Hamburg-based SkySails has announced the first test of its towing kite propulsion system during regular shipping operations. The 132m long Multi Purpose Heavy Lift Carrier MS "Beluga SkySails" will set sail from Bremen to Venezuela this week equipped with 160m2 SkySails supporting the main engine with around five tons tractive force at low wind.  Read More

September 11, 2007 High speed and sleek style are the two main goals of this concept yacht from designer Andrew Hawley. The Hawley F140 looks like a stingray with sails, its downward-sloping bow a clear sign this yacht’s for flat-water speed not wave-punching – but the key innovation is its 30-degree canting keel with a gimbaled bulb, providing turning stability at high lean angles.  Read More

July 13, 2007 The experience of cruising the ocean waves is a joy for some, but as anyone who suffers from sea sickness can attest, it can also be completely unbearable. Boats pitch, roll and yaw much like aircraft and to counter the disorientation this causes to our bodies gyroscopic stability systems and trim tabs have been developed to combat the rolling seas. Seakeeper is one company addressing this issue through the research and development of stability devices for small boats under 100 feet that include products for both low and high speeds. The company has developed different systems depending on the size of their craft and how it is used. The first is a gyroscopic stability system designed to combat what’s considered the worst part of the boating experience - low speed boat roll - and the second is a stability system that makes use of sensor-adjusted small control surfaces (like a more advanced form of the traditional trim tabs) that adjusts the motion of a boat moving at speed and improves comfort, handling, and safety.  Read More