Birds perching on top of a mast will quickly make a mess of the deck and sail cover. To avoid this, install a Windex 15 with BirdSpike from Windex Development AB. Designed for 15'-40' boats, the masthead wind indicator not only makes sailing easier, but prevents gulls and terns from landing on the device.
Read more: Birds Can't Rest on Wind Indicator with BirdSpike
Most boats don't come equipped with a mirror. With the new Side Mirror Mount from SeaSucker, virtually any boat can have this important piece of safety gear without permanent installation. It's perfect for helmsmen keeping an eye on skiers, tubers and wake surfers—and the occasional rowdy party guests.
Storing, cleaning and maintaining a boat takes time, money and effort. Now the boating public has an exciting new tool to help with their upkeep: underwater drone technology.
There is always a lot of action going on at boat shows, but I was a bit startled at the Miami show to be walking along checking out exhibitors when just to my right I heard the music of Jimmy Buffett start up and looked over to see a small machine that was blinking away and lighting up like a robot from Star Wars.
Few people think about hinges until they begin to corrode and squeak and become difficult to operate. On a boat, plastic hinges make more sense than metal.
Mechanics use sockets instead of individual wrenches because they can complete a project in less time and the tools take up less storage space. It's no different with the Shurhold One-Handle-Does-It-All-System. Boat owners need only a single handle and any of over forty specialized quick-attach tools to get the job done fast.
Whether it's in a wet head on a sailboat or a rocking cruiser, rolls of tissue are typically either limp and soggy from exposure to moisture or simply can't be found. But with the Toilet Paper Holder, when nature calls, SeaSucker is ready to assist.
Yamaha Motor Canada kicks off 2023 with new product offerings including a new XTO Offshore outboard, which delivers greater convenience, enhanced technology and 450 horsepower.
Plentiful drink holders have become expected amenities on today's boats but can be tricky to retrofit to older models, especially if the owner is uncomfortable taking a hole saw to their vessel or unsure of the precise location of hidden wiring and plumbing lines.
Read more: Gear: Quick Release Drink Holders Install Where...
Many consider a tender a utilitarian means to an end—mere transportation. Argos Nautic's RIB tender, such as its semi-custom GT14, is statement about the yacht. With room for seven adults, the 13' 10" outboard-powered vessel reflects the same levels of refined quality and luxurious comfort as its mothership.
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Boat Reviews
Video Gallery
Regal LS36 Luxury Crossover
By Andy Adams
Regal Boats’ new LS36 is what we call a day boat. Regal says the LS36 merges their luxury yacht series with their bowrider series and the result is the LS36. This comfortable bowrider is perfect for cruising the lake or hosting friends and family for the day on the weekend.
We feel the styling deserves mention right off the top. This is a big boat at over 37-feet on an 11’7” beam but the clean and almost traditional lines give the LS36 a timeless sporty look that we think, really sets it apart. It’s a Yacht-certified vessel. I counted approximately 21 places for people to sit! You would probably never take a crowd that big but it can certainly handle a gang.
Dufour 37
By Zuzana Prochazka
Every few years, boat builders update their lines with refreshed designs and new features that eventually proliferate throughout their entire offering. Dufour Yachts is in mid-process of such an evolution as the builder changes up their line of sleek sailing cruisers.
One sign of this transformation is the naming convention that is morphing from triple-digit numbers ending with a zero, to simple double-digits that one would guess designates the LOA – more on this later. The latest model in the refresh is the Dufour 37 which replaces the previous Dufour 360.
Destinations
Hidden in plain sight: Western Lake Ontario
I start every article, story or TV segment about boating out of the biggest city in Canada the same way. Citing the multiple people who told me I would “quickly get bored of Toronto harbour” or that “there’s nothing to do in Lake Ontario” and that it was only a matter of time before I moved marinas to a much more appropriate setting just north of the city.
With all due respect to my pals who boat in Georgian Bay, I don’t foresee that happening anytime soon. Next year will be my tenth in Toronto Harbour and I love it more each year.
Lifestyle
By John Morris
McDonald’s Canada founder, George Cohon, adores his Hinckley 48 Talaria
On a leisurely summer afternoon, what could be more relaxing than a cruise up the river aboard a stunning 48-footer with the most gracious host and a few very happy guests? If you have never met George Cohon; the founder of McDonald’s Canada, you might picture him as one tough hombre, a relentless business type who achieved staggering success.
But aboard McHappy III, the coolest boat on the lake, you’d never describe him as anything but charismatic, relaxed and enjoying life to the fullest.
Introducing the next graduate in our CYOB marine career path series, Nathanial Stabenow from the East Coast of Canada.
An individual of many hats, Nathanial has had a diverse career in the marine industry taking part in commercial diving, marine navigation, rigging and boat building. He now works as a marine engineer on the LaHave ferry in Nova Scotia. Here is Nathanial’s unique career path.
DIY & How to
Ask Andrew: Maintaining your anchor and anchor rode
‘A chain is only as strong as its weakest link’ is a cliche that is quite applicable in boat maintenance. In a literal sense, a weakest link can apply to an anchor rode, and a weak link in this chain can spell disaster.
Transport Canada specifies the sizes of anchors required in the Canada Shipping Act, detailed more commonly in the Safe Boating Guide:
For Sail and Power boats up to 6 m (19’8”): One (1) anchor and at least 15 m (49’3”) of cable, rope or chain in any combination...
Avator is Mercury’s next step forward in marine innovation and the 7.5e model is the first in a series of electric outboard products to be released in 2023. Mercury also plans to display concepts for its Avator 20e and 35e outboards, which will be in market later in 2023.
The Avator 7.5e outboard generates 750W of power at the prop shaft and produces similar speed and acceleration as a Mercury 3.5hp FourStroke outboard. Offered with tiller or remote steering, it’s ideal for powering many small boats, including tenders, jon boats, inflatables and kayaks.
New Gear: Compact Antenna Brings TV/FM Onboard
Televisions on a boat are increasingly commonplace. With the simple-to-install Glomex Avior VT300 Omnidirectional TV/FM antenna from GA Communications, it's never been easier to bring analog and digital broadcasts onboard—at a price that's hard to ignore.
The most noticeable feature of the Avior VT300 antenna is its compact white, anti-yellowing radome. At only 4" dia. x 8" H and 8.8 oz., it's specifically made for smaller boats that can't accommodate large TV antenna domes and only need short range reception, depending on height and conditions.
News
The Samana 59 Smart Electric is a new sailing catamaran equipped with alternative energy solutions and EODev’s electro-hydrogen REXH2.
To reduce its carbon impact, the Samana 59 Smart Electric has a virtuous energy architecture composed of a REXH2 that can provide up to 70 kW of continuous power, a battery composed of LiFePO4-EVEPOWER (Lithium Iron Phosphate) cells of 63kWh integrated by EVE SYSTEM and Alternatives Energies and 42 m2 of “slim” type solar panels that can provide up to 6145 W. This energy mix allows to take advantage of all the embarked renewable energies (solar, wind).