OceanLines

New Ranger Tugs Available for Sea Trial

Editor — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:58:22 +0000

Ranger Tugs R-25 Trailerable Pocket Trawler

Two prominent Ranger Tugs dealers in the Northeastern U.S. have 2010 models of Ranger Tugs available for sea trials this weekend. Wilde Yachts in Essex, CT, is having an open house this weekend (March 13 and 14) and has the R-21 and R-29 available, as well as the Nordic Tugs 32 and NT-37. Essex is offering 3 years of free dockage and winter storage on some of the models, as well as special incentives and financing. There will be a Ranger Tugs factory rep on-hand, as well. The open house runs from 9-4 each day.

Chesapeake Ranger Tugs in Annapolis has all three Ranger Tugs models available for sea trial — the R-21, R-25 and R-29. Chesapeake is the newest Ranger Tugs dealer in the region and is owned by Chuck Wistar, who is also the owner of the successful Selene Annapolis dealership. Chesapeake Ranger’s formal open house is set for May 15-16, but the boats are in the water now and ready to go.

If you haven’t checked out the Ranger Tugs line yet and you’re looking for a “pocket trawler,” you need to do so. These are truly trailerable trawlers and feature modern, high-tech diesels that sip their fuel and features that make them perfect for overnight cruising in coastal waters. We’ve written about them here on OceanLines.

Great Technique for Dinghy Anchoring at the Beach

Editor — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:23:12 +0000

By Jeffrey Siegel (ActiveCaptain); Videography by Karen Siegel

Here’s a great technique for anchoring the dinghy off the beach. Our dinghy weighs about 800 pounds. She’s a rigid inflatable with a 40 HP engine. It’s our family car when we’re cruising and we put a lot of demands on her.

So I was telling Larry how much of a hassle it is when bringing the dogs to the beach. Beaching the boat ends up pushing the whole boat sideways on the beach with oncoming waves and can become very difficult to re-float it when it’s time to leave. Instead, we keep going back every 5 minutes to push the boat back into the water.

Larry had a solution. He always does. And this one is a doozy.

Editor’s Note — The Siegels are currently cruising the warm waters of the southeastern U.S. and Bahamas in aCappella, their DeFever 53RPH trawler, along with canine kids Dylan and Dyna. Jeff wrote this piece on a new dinghy anchoring technique for their travel blog, Taking Paws, and I asked if we could reprint it here. You’ll want to practice this in relatively calm waters the first time you do it and you should have a pretty good idea of the bottom slope off the beach. With that info in hand, this looks like a terrific solution. Tell us what you think in the comments.

“You don’t know how to use the trip line on the anchor to remotely anchor the dinghy?” Larry asks. Well, no, I don’t. I’ve never seen anyone ever do it. With that Larry gives me the specs for what I need an explains exactly how to do LRA – Larry’s Remote Anchoring.

First, the equipment and deployment.

I use a grappling hook type of dinghy anchor. LRA is real anchoring so I created a special rode of 5 feet of chain with 8 feet of 3/8″ line. I attached a clip to the end of it so it could be attached to the bow eye of the dinghy close to the water.

The critical piece of equipment is 100 feet of 1/4 inch nylon line on a spool. That gets attached to the trip line eye at the bottom of the anchor.

With that all ready, this video shows the equipment and deployment at Sombrero Key. We land in about 2 feet of water and push the boat out to anchor in 4 feet of water. Turn your sound up – it’s hard to hear – lots of dogs hanging around the “studio”.

The magic is in putting all of the equipment on the bow easily popped into the water by a slight tug of the trip line. The trip line is the retrieval device and an emergency line in case the anchor fails. It isn’t good enough to hold the dinghy in a gale, but for going to the beach, it’s plenty good enough.

Retrieving the anchor is just as easy.

It’s all pretty easy to do. I strongly suggest using chain on the anchor if you’re going to use this technique. Total cost for this was about $25 plus the anchor which we already had.

Now Larry, how about a trick for rinsing and drying off wet dogs before they get back onto the boat?

List of Simrad Electronics Eligible for Rebates

Editor — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:01:25 +0000

Simrad BR24 Broadband Radar

Simrad Yachting said customers purchasing certain new marine electronics products from authorized dealers are entitled to rebates up to $200. While the program runs til the end of June, customers who purchased eligible products beginning February 8, 2010 are also eligible for the rebates. That’s a nice touch.

Here’s a list provided by Simrad of the products included in the rebate offer:

• NSE12 12” Multifunction Display System                                           $150
• NSE8 8” Multifunction Display System                                                $100
• NX40 8” Display with Echo Sounder                                                      $50
• AP24/28 Autopilots with AC12/42 Computer                                      $100
• GS15 GPS Antenna                                                                                   $50
• BR24 Broadband Radar™                                                                     $100
• 6kW/10kW/25kW HD Digital Array Radar                                            $200
• BSM-1 Broadband Sounder™                                                                 $75
• WM-2 SIRIUS® Weather Receiver                                                          $75
• RPU80/160/300 and HLD 350/2000 Hydraulic Drives                     $100
• WR20 Remote Commander                                                                    $50
• IS20 Wind, Graphic or Combi Instruments                                           $35

Simrad is one of the Navico brands and many of these products are on the cutting edge of technology; such as the NSE multifunction displays and the BR24 Brodband Radar, which I think is a fantastic primary radar for a coastal cruiser and the perfect secondary and close-in navigation radar for long-distance passagemakers. I’ve personally tested the BR24 and the short-range performance (you will recall that most collisions take place at fairly short range…) is fantastic. You can read my review of it here.

Details of the program and rebate forms are available at the Simrad Yachting website.

Island Pilot DSe Hybrid to Air on Discovery Channel’s HD Theater

Editor — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:30:22 +0000

HD Theater “World’s Most Expensive Rides” Sunday, March 7th at 9 p.m. EST (check your local listings for other times).

Island Pilot DSe 12m Hybrid Enjoys Energy Independence in the Sun.

Last winter Reuben Trane, owner of Island Pilot was contacted by the producers of Discovery Channel’s HD Theater who were interested in featuringhis DSe Hybrid 12m in an episode about the world’s most expensive rides. The show’s crew met Reuben and his wife, Cheryl, in Key Largo for time on board the DSe to experience her quiet ride and hybrid technology. Episode 9 in “The World’s Most Expensive Rides” series airs this Sunday, March 7 at 9 p.m. EST and will feature the DSe in one of its three segments.

The DSe was introduced in the fall of 2008. Built in Zhuhai City, China, the DSe 12m was America’s first hybrid pleasure cruising vessel combining diesel, solar, and electric technologies. The integrated nature of the diesel, solar, and electric components provides various fuel-efficient cruising options as well as the ability to be independent from shore power for days on end. The cutting edge technology used to power the DSe is balanced with a comfortable and inviting interior equipped with efficient galley components and high-quality entertainment systems.

A 6kW solar array can generate enough energy to stay at anchor indefinitely. When operated in electric zero-emissions mode, the DSe can run up to 5 knots with additional energy supplied from the two banks of 48-volt Lithium battery arrays. For added speed, a pair of 75hp Steyr Monoblock engines supply power and can operate on diesel, bio-diesel, or 100% bio-fuel. Boat handling is simplified by the fly-by-wire system with a bridge steering station and remote control.

Base price for the DSe 12m is $600,000, which certainly puts it in the “expensive ride” category, but frankly, that pales in comparison to the $20 million titanium car that is also in Sunday’s program. I’d rather have the DSe 12m.

U.S. Coast Guard Photo Contest Winners

Editor — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 05:01:59 +0000

USCGC Vigorous -- USCG People's Choice Contest Winner by LTJG Christopher O'Meara

The winners of this year’s U.S. Coast Guard People’s Choice Photo Contest have been announced and the photo above is the winner! This year’s contest elicited some amazing photos, which you can see here at the Coast Guard’s blog, Compass.

The winning photo is of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Vigorous (WMEC 627) as she prepares to enter a storm at sea while on routine patrol in the Caribbean Sea. The storm turned the picturesque day quickly into night, and, after a few minutes returned the day to its original pristine condition. (U.S. Coast Guard Photo by LTJG Christopher O’Meara)

USCGC Sycamore -- USCG People's Choice Contest Runner-Up by MK3 Joshua Cook

The runner-up, above, was perhaps even more dramatic. It’s a photo of the Cutter Sycamore in the Bering Sea about 200 miles north of Adak, Alaska, in a squall. Notice the sea boarding over the port rail. Yikes. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by MK3 Joshua Cook)

Click on that link above to visit The Compass, the USCG’s official blog, whoch always has interesting reading and great images to help illustrate the tremendous work of the Guardians.

KVH Offers Rebates for Upgrades to HD7 Sat TV System

Editor — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:49:41 +0000

KVH TracVision HD7 Satellite TV System

KVH Industries said today that current TracVision satellite TV customers can upgrade to the latest HD7 system and get a rebate of up to $2,000, depending on which system they are upgrading. The promotion runs through June 30, 2010. The deal requires the customer to return to KVH the old system’s circuit boards via an RMA issued by KVH. Full details of the deal are here.

Here are the rebate values for each system:

TracVision 4, G4 or G4HP — $750

TracVision M5 — $1,000

TracVision 6, G6, G6HP, G8 — $1,500

TracVision M7, M9 — $2,000

The TracVision HD7 has the unique ability to track DIRECTV’s Ka-bank and Ku-band satellites (all three) simultaneously. KVH said the system’s tracking ability allows it to maintain signal lock even when the boat is cruising at high speed and through rough seas. The HD7 also includes KVH’s new IP-enabled antenna control unit, which is equipped with an Ethernet connection for onboard networks, a built-in WiFi interface, and a USB port to make system setup and management as easy as opening a web browser and maintenance as simple as plugging in a USB thumb drive.

KVH iPhone App for TracVision HD7 Control

KVH says its free new TracVision iPhone application is the easiest way to control the HD7. According to the company, customers can “use it to check satellite TV signal strength, switch to secondary satellites, download and automatically install antenna software updates, and send information directly to KVH technical support.”

The Marlow Ocean Challenge

Editor — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:01:52 +0000

Marlow Ocean Challenge -- Source: Marlow Website

David Marlow has a reputation in the industry for being. . . well, let’s say. . . outspoken. He believes strongly in the superiority of the boats he builds and isn’t afraid to name the names of competitors whom he feels don’t live up to their own marketing claims. To say the least, he can stir up quite a conversation among boaters, brokers, builders and yes, bloggers. So it might not come as a surprise that he has a bold new challenge for his competition — an ocean crossing to prove, or discredit, range and performance claims made by a group of long-distance-cruising yacht builders.

Specifically, Marlow has issued a challenge to Grand Banks Yachts, Offshore Yachts, Fleming Yachts, Nordhavn Yachts, Selene Yachts, Ocean Alexander Yachts, Out Island Yachts, Outer Reef Yachts, and Kadey-Krogen Yachts. And here’s the challenge:

“The Ocean Challenge is open to all production yacht builders representing their products as long-distance passage makers. We challenge any and all of the above to join us in a epic voyage in the summer of 2010, from West Palm Beach, Florida, to Reykjavik, Iceland, non-stop, using only the advertised standard fuel capacity of currently offered vessels. Dependent upon chosen course, this voyage is as much as 3,500 miles offshore.

Alternatively, the challengers may opt for a shorter voyage from West Palm Beach, Florida, to Gibraltar. No stops in Bermuda or Azores are permitted. This voyage, dependent upon route, is around 2,700 miles offshore.

The first to arrive is the winner; though it can be clearly stated that all capable of either voyage are winners as well.”

Basically, Marlow thinks people have swallowed too much marketing hype involving range and performance capabilities and he wants to prove it by having builders demonstrate their performance. According to Marlow, “Though most companies in the offshore cruiser field advertise great capability to do long distance voyaging, factually few of them can in our opinion, unless they restrict their speed to a mind numbing, turtle-like pace of around 6 knots or so – little better than controlled drifting.”

“At the boat shows we routinely hear the claims of range at ten knots to cross the Atlantic for example on vessels of 60-75’ length. To be candid, we know better, as there is not another cruiser in this size sector, (other than Marlow) that can cross the Atlantic at ten knots. In fact very few can cross it at 6 knots and virtually none at 7,” Marlow says.

New Marlow Voyager 76LR Artist's Rendering

Marlow happens to have a new yacht to compete in this market — the Voyager 76LR, with a new hull design that is a little bit slower than the semi-displacement hulls of the Explorer series, but, according to Marlow, dramatically faster than the traditional, round-bilge full-displacement hulls of the competition. We’ll have more on the Voyager 76LR in an upcoming article.

To-date, there don’t appear to be any takers for the challenge, but time will tell. If you have your own thoughts about the validity of this challenge, or the details, let us know in the comments.

Polish Your Diesel Nonstop

Editor — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:25:20 +0000

Parker FPM-050 Fuel Polishing Module

Parker Hannifin has a remarkable new fuel polishing system that has been designed specifically to run nonstop, using extremely small amounts of electricity and with a design that makes it seem nearly immortal when compared to conventional pumps.

The new FPM-050 Fuel Polishing Module (click on the photo above for a larger view) consists of a state-of-the-art piezoelectric pump that uses about 2 watts to run, equivalent to 3.6 Ah/day. With such a low power draw, Parker says the unit can run continuously and unattended for extended periods of time without depleting available batteries. The system is designed to remove emulsified water from diesel fuel systems. It will filter 50 gallons of fuel a day — which at first glance seems like a fairly small quantity. But imagine how long your boat sits at the dock, between weekend cruises, or even during the off-season. In less than three weeks, it will run a typical cruiser’s 1,000 gallons of fuel through the Racor filter in the system. If installed on a new build, or after a comprehensive system and fuel tank cleaning, it should enable that system to remain pristine and free of water problems.

Parker says the design of the FPM-50’s pump eliminates many of the wear points that others typically have, “enabling owners of the FPM-050 to enjoy many years of use without seeing performance diminish over time.” The product brochure — which you can download here – shows typical installation diagrams, both for use inline with an existing fuel system, or as a dedicated fuel polishing loop.

An available timer accessory can help you run the system on a regular schedule. My only question about the system has to do with the advisability of running a fuel pump of any kind while the boat is unattended. I have contacted Parker and am awaiting an answer on that issue. Maybe readers have an opinion or experience with unattended fuel polishing?

Price for the full FPM-050 installation kit, including the unit and a Racor 503MA-10 filter and FPM-PTC-12-A Timer is $1,149.

Parker FPM-050
Specifications

Filtration Rate	50 gallons/day
Power Requirements	Less than 2 W (less than 3 A-hrs/day)
Internal Pressure Drop*	Less than 0.5 psi
Voltage Requirements	10-16 VDC, 12 VDC nominal
Approx. Max. Dimension (L x H x D)	3.87″ x 2.47″ x 2.14″ (Body) 3.87″ x 4.48″ x 2.14″ (With Bracket)
Port, Inlet & Outlet	3/8 NPTF
Port, Recirculation	1/4 NPTF
Weight	Less than 2 lbs
Acceptable Fuels	Diesel, Bio-diesel, Kerosene

* Internal pressure drop measured in through-flow configuration with fuel flow rate between 5 GPH and 60GPH

Marina Life Celebrates 10th Anniversary with Best Marina Contest

Editor — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:29:00 +0000

Marina Life members are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the cruise planning and concierge service by voting for their favorite member marina. The company will feature the winning marinas voted “Best Transient Marina” and marina with the “Best Customer Service” in the summer issue of Marinalife Magazine.

For those readers not familiar with Marinalife, it is a membership organization — with annual dues that range from $60 – $500, depending on the level of benefits desired. The $60 and $140 memberships allow you to utilize the Marinalife databases online, while the $240 and $500 annual memberships give you access to a concierge service that will make marina reservations and even general travel arrangements.

The company counts some 8,600 marinas in its database that cover the U.S., Canada, Bahamas, Caribbean and Central America. Marinalife participating marinas often offer fuel discounts and sometimes slip discounts to members. Some boatbuilders and brokers are now offering discounted memberships to Marinalife to their customers.

More Details on New Krogen 52

Editor — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:06:52 +0000

Kadey-Krogen 52' Artist's Rendering

Kadey-Krogen yesterday released more details of its newest trawler, the Krogen 52′, which we first reported on here. It’s decidedly a classic Krogen trawler, with its raised pilothouse and 3,000 nm range at about 7 knots. It shares many of the features of its bigger sister, the Krogen 58′.

Main Deck Layout for the New Krogen 52'

The main-deck galley is “Iron Chef”-equipped (my term) with a full-size Jennair fridge and a Viking range. It also has a weather-tight Dutch door with direct access to the starboard walkway. The stairs up to the pilothouse are on the portside and feature household-standard size risers and treads. The pilothouse on the 52′ accommodates dual helm chairs.

Accommodations Layout for the New Krogen 52'

The yacht offers either a two- or three-cabin arrangement, with the master stateroom forward or amidships. Kadey-Krogen says those opting for a two-cabin arrangement will enjoy the utility of a large, dedicated office space. Both configurations include two heads with enclosed stall shower.

Midship Master Stateroom Layout for 3SR Version of New Krogen 52'

The company says the boat is being offered in both single- and twin-engine configurations. The hull design will feature Kadey-Krogen’s counter-faired keel, pioneered on the Krogen 58′, which imparts a counter-rotation to water flowing into the propeller, canceling some of the propeller-induced water rotation and resulting in straighter water outflow and improved forward thrust, which implies better fuel economy than that of conventional keel designs, according to Kadey-Krogen.

Midship Master Stateroom Layout for 2SR Version of New Krogen 52'

In the specs table below you can see that the engine options are from John Deere, with the single 6068AFM75 offering a continuous duty (M1) rating of 231 hp. The company said tooling will be complete by late fall this year and first delivery is planned for summer 2011. The companysays it took a “more grassroots approach and contacted current owners to see if they were interested in the project,” says Larry Polster, vice president of Kadey-Krogen Yachts. “We also took a set of plans to Trawler Fest in Fort Lauderdale and within ten days of initial exposure, the first five hulls were reserved.”

Krogen 52’
Preliminary Specifications

Length on Deck:	52’-2”
LOA (including swim platform):	54’-4”
LOA (including swim platform & pulpit):	57’-0”
LWL:	47’-0”
Beam (molded):	17’-3”
Beam (over rubrail):	17-9”
Beam (waterline):	16’-0”
Draft at Keel (half load, single eng):	5’-3”
Displacement (half load):	70,000 lb approx.
Fuel Capacity:	1400 gal.
Water Capacity:	400 gal.
Top Speed (estimated):	9.5 knots (at Half Load)
Cruising Speed (estimated):	8 knots (at Half Load)
Main Engine (single):	John Deere 6068AFM75 M1, Tier 2, 231hp @ 2300RPM
Main Engines (twin):	John Deere 4045TFM75 M2, Tier 2, 121hp @ 2500RPM
Reduction Gear (single engine):	ZF Marine model ZF286 with 2.917:1 reduction
Reduction Gears (twin engine):	ZF Marine model ZF220 with 3:1 reduction
Range at 7 knots (w/ 10% reserve)	3000 nautical miles
Generator:	(1) Northern Lights 12 kW, with sound shield
Ballast:	5300 lb approx.
Base Price	$1.295 million

Hydrostatic Data
Displacement-to-length ratio	301
Prismatic coefficient	.64
Pounds per Inch Immersion	2700
Moment to Trim an Inch	7500 ft. lbs.