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With over 800 built, the C&C 30 Mk1 is, arguably, one of Canada's most successful racer/cruisers. Production began in 1973 and ceased in 1985 -- a 12-year period that represents the longest production run of any single design version in the history of C&C Yachts. Although more 27s were built, in excess of 1,000, over a similar 12-year production period, with four distinct design phases, the 27 underwent comparatively continual change in relation to the 30, having only the one design version.
The New C&C 29, White Hawk, is George Doing's first sailboat. Following 16 years of boating in small powerboats, a Northern 29, and most recently in the competitive Toronto Etchells 22 fleet, he decided it was time to launch his own campaign in the Lake Ontario MORC fleet. George wanted a club racer he could sail with his two boys, aged 9 and 11, and still cruise with the family. Both he and his wife, Katheryne, wanted more luxury than they had experienced during early years camping together. Having rejected several used boats (on the basis that if you're going to buy a used boat, it should be a bargain and there are no bargains around), they settled on the successor to the C&C 27: the new 29, which went into production last November.
It must be a yacht designer’s nightmare to be commissioned to create a replacement for perhaps the most successful 50 footer ever manufactured, the Bruce Farr designed Beneteau 50, of which over 400 hulls were produced between 1996-2004. The French team at Groupe Finot took the challenge to heart having had several other designs selling well on the French builders line including the 323, 423 and 473. On a recent trip to France, we were lucky enough to not only sail the new 523 but we also had a terrific tour of two of the Beneteau production facilities there.
The Bayfield 36 favours old-time and modern conveniences which give this popular cruiser the well-earned title of a contemporary classic. Although Bayfield Boat Yard of Clinton, Ontario, builds sail boats that are traditional-looking, there is nothing outdated about the marketing finesse of this firm...
In the early 1970s, most boat builders were developing fin-keeled racer/cruiser lines of production sailboats. Bayfield Boat Yard, in southeastern Lake Huron, bucked this trend by producing a line of long-keeled cruising boats...
The Bayfield 29 is a cruising yacht with traditional styling and design features. Hull shape and sail plan are oriented toward safe and stable handling in all conditions, rather than high performance...
The Aloha 8.5, a sound, comfortable cruiser, has a traditional air. It packs a lot of interior space into its 28 feet without compromising its long, pleasing lines and gentle curves. The $51,800 price tag (March 1985) is even more competitive than it seems because an extensive list of extra features is included as standard equipment -- a steel storage cradle, antifouling, three sails with mainsail cover and a compass, to name a few. Created in 1972 by the Brewer and Wallstrom design office, the Aloha 8.5 has been in production for 13 years and more than 200 have been sold. It was designed to provide cruising comfort and stability along with solid sailing performance. Maximizing racing performance under arbitrary rating formulae was not part of the designer's mandate.
June 8…"A nice morning, but a brassy glare gets us worried. By 1130 we have rain and the wind picks up. With a third reef in the main and the genoa rolled back to a number three, we are making seven to eight knots. The boat is awash with breaking seas and spray keeps flying over the boat. My gourmet meal suffers as cutting and cooking have become a lethal exercise."
Greg Nicoll, our affable Vice President was once quoted “it’s hard being us” and on the trip to British Columbia earlier this year, he was right. Thanks to our great friends at Yacht Sales West we got to test the new Bavaria Cruiser. Designed to replace the 49, this new boat will not disappoint in function, feel and it’s great (what I call) rugged looks. This boat was built to sail and sail hard. Comfortable, great visibility and the dual wheel steering all add up to a wonderful boat made for those who want to cruise in style. From the moment I took the wheel, the boat was light on the helm and easy to steer. It reacted well to powering up; it tacked effortlessly, though we were a bit slow bringing the large genoa in,; clearly we needed a bit of practice. The boat moved well in the light to medium conditions on our test day reaching 5 knots easily in winds that may have topped 7 knots true.
With more than 710 built over two decades, the Alberg 30 is a Canadian success story with American and Swedish connections. In 1962, six folkboat racers from Toronto's National Yacht Club decided that they wanted a bigger boat. They asked Kurt Hansen of Whitby Boat Works to find a suitable design and build it for them. The late Carl Alberg (1900-1986) - Swedish by birth, but a U.S. immigrant - was approached in January 1963. Neither the well-known designer nor the Canadian builder wasted much time producing the finished product. The first Alberg was launched July 7, that same year.
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Over the years Canadian Yachting has had the pleasure of doing several boat review articles on new Neptunus models and we are familiar with the qualities that Neptunus is famous for. They have all been exceptional yachts, but this is the one I would most want to own myself. It’s a personal choice and a matter of taste as to whether you would prefer to have a sedan express model or a flybridge but in my opinion, the flybridge layout offers some wonderful attributes.
We met with Neptunus Managing Director Jan Willem De Jong this past fall to take the new Neptunus 650F out in Lake Ontario.
Destinations
The Other Virgin Islands
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I was first seduced by the United States Virgin Islands during a ferry ride from St. Thomas to Tortola to begin one of our earliest British Virgin Islands charters nearly twenty years ago.
A perfect sunset off St. John with St. Thomas views for backdrop.
Clearing Pillsbury Sound, surrounded by voluptuous emerald mountains as the ferry sliced through royal blue waters, I was struck by the unspoiled ambiance of St. John, the island gliding past our starboard beam and the irresistible charm of a village called Cruz Bay visible from our quarter stern.
Lifestyle
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It’s okay to take your time on this search because the marina you choose is arguably as important a decision as the one to buy your boat.
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DIY & How to
Going Electric to Cruise Lake Ontario: A family ditches the diesel
Story and photos by Matt Bera
We settled Svala into what my family and I had come to think of as the most desirable anchorage on Lake Ontario, on a sunny summer afternoon. With an abandoned settlement, an old schoolhouse full of swallows, giant snakes and a rum-running past, Main Duck Island had it all.
That we had to sail past the Psyche Shoal, a magnetic disturbance, and into the middle of the rumoured Marysburgh Vortex made an even better sea story. It had taken us two attempts, two years, two boats and a new sort-of experimental engine to get there.
Cruising with a Captain - It’s easier than you think
By Zuzana Prochazka
Never chartered? No problem. Here’s how to plan, execute and enjoy a vacation on a charter yacht where life is easy and the sunsets can’t be beat.
Decide on a crewed or bareboat charter
A crewed charter means you have a captain who manages the boat and maybe a chef or mate as well. Crewed charters ensure a safe and comfortable vacation with most everything done for you. The chefs are usually outstanding so if you’re a foodie, you’ll be in heaven and you may be able to pick up new recipes too. Larger crewed yachts may also have a mate who works with the captain and will do things like getting toys (kayaks, SUPs, snorkel gear, etc.) ready for you to use so you do very little work.
Marine Products
Marine Electronics – Staying Connected in 2023
By Andy Adams
The world of marine electronics is just on fire in terms of development. You can almost name any function that you could dream up and somebody is offering it. We are just heading into the traditional boat show season and this year there is a big difference from past years.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, most boating enthusiasts have not had any in-person boat show exposure to the new products since 2019 or 2020. That means that there are almost three years of new products to catch up on. It's going to be an exciting year in 2023!
News
On November 15th 2022, Mercury Marine, a division of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC), introduced the industry’s first ever V10 outboard with the official launch of its all-new 5.7L 350 and 400hp Verado® outboard engines.
Consistent with the award-winning Verado brand, the new V10 engines are the quietest and smoothest in their class running 45 percent quieter than a leading competitor at cruise. In addition to NVH, the new Verado’s are not only compatible with the latest Mercury SmartCraft® technologies but will also be offered with an optional dual-mode 48V/12V alternator to seamlessly pair with Navico Group’s Fathom® e-power system, an integrated lithium-ion auxiliary power management system, providing boaters the opportunity to eliminate an onboard generator system.
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