New LRC from Gdansk, Poland | The 8 Best Autopilots | Boston Whaler 325 - 09/07/21

New Editor's Report

Cormorant Yachts COR555

Refined, Modern Long-Range Cruiser

Cormorant Yachts says it designed the COR555 for comfortable, safe coastal trips and longer passages. She has a semi-displacement hull designed to spend most of its time at 7 to 10 knots but can get up and run 20 knots when necessary. Cormorant spent extensive time performing computational fluid dynamics to give her a low center of gravity that enhances stability and a high raised bow prevents excessive flooding on deck during a storm. More...

Test Video

Boston Whaler 325 Conquest

High-Functionality Express Dayboat

Riding on its legendary unsinkable hull and including attention-to-detail items such as Unibond construction and smooth, high-gloss, gelcoated finishes in the bilge areas, Boston Whaler’s 325 Conquest easily bridges the distance between having the family out for a day’s adventure or going offshore in search of tight lines and big fish. Versatility is in every Boston Whaler’s DNA and to that end, and among the many other attributes aboard the 325 Conquest, there’s a convertible lounge to port, a glass windshield, a cabin suitable for overnight stays, door to starboard for sliding a tournament fish aboard, galley and cockpit grill. Space belowdecks has even been provided for a Seakeeper gyro. Standard power includes a pair of 300-hp Mercury Verado engines with optional Joystick Piloting. Optional twin Mercury outboard power up to 800-hp is available. More...

Captain's Report

Jeanneau Leader 9.0CC

Affordable Cruiser/Weekender

The Jeanneau Leader 9.0 is a spirited performer thanks to her Michael Peters hull design, outboard engines and light weight. She has a double berth and separate shower and head in the forepeak and is available with either 200 or 250 hp. Other stand-out features are a fiberglass hardtop and helm seating for three. Premium options include air conditioning and a generator for those weekend jaunts, but those items, plus a few others and tax can push the boat’s price to $200k or more, which defeats the boat’s mission, to our way of thinking. We like this boat for three reasons: 1) She’s affordable; 2) She has outboard engines; 3) And she’s not tarted up with a lot of expensive stuff that puts boats out of the reach of most people. More...

The Well-Found Vessel

E-Flares to the Rescue

Safe, Easy to Deploy, Long Lasting

Now, instead of holding up a dangerous, short-lived burning flare, you can use a safe, highly visible E-flare when an emergency situation presents itself while out on the water. U.S.C.G.-approved devices, such as the SOS Distress Light by Weems & Plath, originally developed by Sirius Signal, are quickly replacing the familiar trio of pyrotechnic handhelds required for recreational boats. With a visibility up to 10 nautical miles, the light will flash the SOS signal for 60 hours. More...

Seamanship

How to Cross the Gulf Stream Safely

The Gulf Stream, that strong current bringing the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico into the Atlantic Ocean and up the East Coast into the Canadian provinces before trekking across the ocean to Europe, can be capricious and inconsistent from day to day. For those wishing to visit the Bahamas, crossing the Gulf Stream is a necessity. Here are some helpful tips from a seasoned sailor that will help get you from here to there and back. More...

Safety Video

Standup Paddleboarding Basics

Standup paddleboarding has taken coastal areas, lakes and rivers by storm for young, old and in-between. But while this fun, exciting and excellent workout looks as easy as, well standing up on a surf board in calm waters, there’s more than meets the eye, especially when there are safety concerns. More...

Navigation Equipment

The 8 "Best & Brightest" Autopilots

For many boaters autopilots are essential equipment, not merely devices to make your day on the water less stressful or more fun, although autopilots deliver those goods as well. Like just about every other piece of electronics onboard, autopilots have continuously stepped up their game in terms of performance and user-friendliness. Each autopilot maker was asked by the Editors of Marine Electronics Journal which of their units they considered the "Best and Brightest." Here are their eight picks. More...

"Childhood is a short season."

– Helen Hayes

Our guess is that the parents and grandparents have more fun watching children at play than the kids themselves. SBC is there for you when you need a season of affordable boating.  Annual memberships in boats ranging from 27’ to 33’ (8.2 m to 10 m) are now available in St. Petersburg and Bradenton, Fla. Check them out at SovereignBoatClub.com or call 727-200-3474.

Photo Of The Day

"Boating in Auckland, New Zealand."

Share your boating photos with us!