Tested: Beneteau Swift 30 Trawler
Beneteau started life in France, building quality sailboats. Sailors in France enjoy the same status as NBA stars here. But since the 1980s, the market for sailboats has declined precipitously. In 2013, sales of new boats in the U.S. hit $7.55 billion. Of that number, new and used sailboats accounted for $256 million. Beneteau vu […] Read More
New Mississippi and Missouri River Guides Launched
Two new, interactive maps of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers are making a big splash with recreational boaters, paddlers and fishermen. The Mississippi River Geotourism MapGuide (http://mississippiriver.natgeotourism.com/) grew from a partnership between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and National Geographic Maps. The landmark project took two and a half years to plan and execute […] Read More
Tested: Formula 290 BR
In a lot of cases, a bowrider is a compromise boat, trying to be many things at once. The new Formula 290 BR, however, is a great exception. It manages to deliver classic Formula “big boat” looks in a nimble and fast package that makes it an ideal family boat and a great second boat […] Read More
2016 IBEX Innovation Award Winners Announced
In October, at the International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conference (IBEX), the winners of the 2016 Innovation Awards were announced at the annual Industry Breakfast. The Innovation Awards honors achievement in product development in 13 areas of the marine industry. Winners were selected by a panel of judges from Boating Writers International (BWI), a professional organization […] Read More
Suntex Merges with Marina Jack
Suntex Marina Investors LLC, an owner and operator of marina properties, announced that it has entered into an agreement with, and acquired certain interests of, Marina Jack Holdings, LLC and affiliates of SRS Holdings, LLC. These companies are the parent companies of Marina Jack and Oleary’s Tiki Bar in downtown Sarasota; as well as Bayfront […] Read More
Discovering Baton Rouge’s Downtown Waterfront
Baton Rouge’s Old Capitol building reminded me of a European castle with crowns atop each column and tower. Inside, though, instead of drafty corridors, you’ll find a stained-glass dome and windows, a cast-iron circular staircase rotating 270 degrees and marble floors. There’s even a ghost that haunts this Gothic architectural treasure, a Civil War-era woman […] Read More
DIY Adjustments for Your Electronics
In which category do you fit: Just want to use the basics of your marine electronics, or want to get everything you can out of them? Here are some tips how to accomplish the latter. Marine Radios Virtually every marine VHF radio sold today has Digital Selective Calling (DSC) capability. But the Coast Guard recently […] Read More
Fontana Lake: A Blue Ridge Oasis
“Fontana” in Italian means fountain. What an appropriate name for a living monument of water, mountains, forest and a village resort. The Fontana Lake area in the western corner of North Carolina is a fountain of beauty, whose mists trap the water and whose mountains hold back the sun. The region has attracted visitors since […] Read More