June 17, 2016
Century Raven 190
Few people ever really define what they mean by “family boat ” or what it’s function should be . There are about as many categories and criteria as there are individual owners…
June 3, 2016
Neptunus 650 Express
The Neptunus 650 Express is the latest addition to the Neptunus fleet of custom-built yachts and we originally went on board the first 650 Express in Florida…
May 11, 2016
Century 5000
In recent years, boats like the Century 5000 with good-sized overnight cabins combined with runabout performance in a trailerable size have really grown…
May 10, 2016
Century 3000
In its background, however, Century is quite different. Century built mahogany-planked, high-quality runabouts for many years…
May 10, 2016
Carver 65 Marquis
No matter how you cut it, a boat that has the word Marquis in it better be fit for royalty. The Carver 65 Marquis delivers on all fronts…
May 10, 2016
Element 270
Element Yachts is a new Canadian boat builder; the Element 270 EXC is its first boat…
May 10, 2016
C&C Isle of Skye
Desolate would be too friendly to describe the bleak grey sky sending sheets of wet snow, the kind of fuzzy rain that sticks to your coat until it’s soaked its way through…
May 6, 2016
Everglades 230 Center Console, Yamaha F300
There are some good reasons why we’re seeing more and more center console saltwater fishing boats appearing on our inland bodies of water across Canada–versatility…
May 6, 2016
Jeanneau Leader 46
Style, beauty and grace; these are all traits that both pageant queens and Jeanneau’s new Leader 46 have in common. With sleek lines, a chic cream and walnut interior…
March 21, 2016
Beneteau Gran Turismo 40
Beneteau Yachts and Naval Architects Nuvolari – Lenard, really have the new Gran Turismo 40 dialed in for fun in the sun…
March 16, 2016
Carver 28 Ac
The Carver Riviera 28 Aft Cabin, featuring distinctive styling with a true international flavor, represents a totally new design concept.
March 12, 2016
Canoe Cove Tri-Cabin Coho 41
Rick Richardson climbs out of the thigh-deep main hold of Canoe Cove’s Tri-cabin Coho 41…
March 8, 2016
Canoe Cove 48 Tri-Cabin
The Complete West Coast cruiser – big, rugged and luxurious. Twin turbo charged diesel give it spunk. It’s one of the larger quasi-custom craft built on the West Coast…
March 4, 2016
Boston Whaler 11 w/ Volvo 90
Powerboat yachtsmen and cruising sailors both use tenders. Boston Whaler is the worldwide, hands down favourite, and since Volvo seems very keen…
March 2, 2016
Beneteau Swift Trawler 42
Its elegance immediately elicits an admiring whistle. What a look! What style! Beneteau has not missed the mark with this entry into the trawler yacht category…
February 29, 2016
Bayliner Victoria 2750
In the realm of popular-sized cabin cruisers, the Bayliner Victoria Command Bridge 2750 is a standout. De-sign and construction features put it ahead of other…
February 29, 2016
Bayliner 2650 Explorer
The eight-foot beam and deep sheer give this boat the look of some of the classic offshore power yachts. In fact, it’s a…
February 26, 2016
Bayliner 3870
At 38 feet, two inches, the Bayliner 3870 boasts two private staterooms, two heads (one with a bathtub!), a walk in engine room and other features normally found…
February 24, 2016
Back Cove 29
Don’t let the traditional lines fool you into thinking that the Back Cove 29 is a lobster boat. It may have some of the styling cues…
February 19, 2016
Altima 60 Pilothouse
My first view of the Altima 60 Pilothouse was in Fort Lauderdale, at New River Marina. Backed in with her stern against the pilings, the Altima looked like many…
February 18, 2016
The Purpose-Built Albin 31 Tournament Express
“I like a purpose-built boat,” says Charlie Tatham, the owner of this month’s test boat, an Albin 31′ Tournament Express. We couldn’t have put it any better ourselves.
February 17, 2016
Pacemaker 34
After spending a great deal of time in the bilge with a bright light and an ice pick, I found the Pacemaker to be sound. It needed some hard work, tender care and tasteful decoration
February 12, 2016
Atlantis 55
The Italian yacht builders Azimut and Bennetti are a very large organization, well known for their Italian styling and modern designs. The Atlantis line is a “brand belonging to the Azimut and Benetti” organization…
February 11, 2016
Mainship 34 Trawler
The term “fast trawler” might at first seem to come from the same family is the term “jumbo shrimp” but there really is a good reason for a fast trawler. Recently, there has been a groundswell of interest in trawler boats because they deliver a unique combination of seaworthiness, comfort and space in a fuel-efficient package. They also suit the demographics of the North American population with an increasing number of people reaching retirement at earlier ages. Trawlers are often referred to as blue water cruising boats because they’re well-suited to handling rough water and offshore conditions. Taking a Mainship 34 Trawler down the Intercoastal Waterway to the Carolinas, Florida or even out to the Caribbean is a very realistic goal, even for those new to cruising. Fast trawlers are designed with more support in the aft hull sections and given sufficient power, can move from displacement speeds of 8 or 10 mph to full planing at over 20 mph.
February 10, 2016
Century Cortez 270
Sleek and fast, this family cruiser has roots in narrow V hulls of ocean racers, but it handles better. Cliff Cruickshank has been boating out of Dawson’s Marina in Keswick, Ontario, for most of his life. In ranging from a Greavette dispro (disappearing propeller) to a 36 foot Pacemaker. Now he owns a 27 foot Century Cortez and he’s delighted. Over the years boating has changed for the Cruickshank family, as it has for many others. Children grow up and begin lives of their own. No matter how much they like boating, they often prefer time on their own in the city to spending a weekend under the watchful eyes of parents at a marina. When Cliff found himself in that position, he decided to try life without a boat. That was the winter of 1979. But one night, as the snow fell and his thoughts turned to the warmth of summer, boating withdrawal symptoms hit. Not surprisingly, Doug Dawson was able to alleviate the problem with a call to Bruce Brown of BMB Distributors, the Century distributor. Brown was able to promise a new Cortez 270 for Cruickshank to launch when the ice went out that spring.
February 10, 2016
Greavette Montique
Craftsmanship and luxury are hiding out in Muskoka. It’s a fibreglass I/O but it smells like varnish. I have often wondered if boats used to be somehow more friendly or more fun, or had more character. I won’t say they were better, but after driving the Greavette Montique, I’m tempted to say they were. It all started in Gravenhurst, where in the 1920’s, the Ditchburn boatworks and later the Minett works were situated. The lakes were small with no really large open areas, but with over 1,500 miles of shoreline, there was a lot of ground to cover in getting from place to place. The roads were bad or worse and extensive travel by boat was clearly the best way to go.
December 21, 2015
Azimut 55 S Express
The Azimut 55 S offers the discriminating buyer a unique combination of Italian style and design innovation. The express cruiser style in this boat is refined in a number of interesting and unique ways…
December 21, 2015
Cruisers Yachts 60 Cantius
We had the pleasure of traveling to Wisconsin to attend the Cruisers Yachts dealer meeting this past summer where the company launched their new flagship, the Cruisers Yachts 60 Cantius. The dealer reaction was overwhelmingly positive to this new addition to the Cantius line that Cruisers Yachts began several years ago. There are now 41, 45, 48 and 60 foot models in this elite line which is named after K.C. Stock’s father, Cantius. This brings up two important points; the design philosophy of the Cantius line is to redefine the express cruiser style to deliver gracious living on one level, improving the social aspects of the boat and making it feel more spacious. Mission accomplished there. The other thing is that this company is owned by K.C. Stock who, with his were on hand to personally work with their dealers at the meeting.
November 25, 2015
Westcoast 46
When in Rome – do as the Romans do, so when in BC we did as many lucky Western Canadians have done, and got aboard a Westcoast 46. It was worth the trip. The Westcoast 46 is built by Westcoast Custom Yachts Limited which is headed up by the now legendary Forbes Cooper. The 46 is based on an impressively seaworthy and efficient hull design by Ed Monk Jr. The original hull design was actually marketed as the 43 foot Tolleycraft but has now been significantly modified and in fact, one of the most interesting aspects of these boats is that they really are built on a custom basis, one at a time to the owner’s own specifications. The first choice you need to make is whether to order the 46-foot Express, 46 Sedan or the 46 Cockpit Motoryacht, which was the model we tested. Your next choice is to decide between single or twin-engine installation. The test boat was equipped with twin Cummins 270 diesels.
November 25, 2015
Wilker 20
Fast, dry cuddy cabin. High freeboard, easy planning and lots of power keep the Canadian built Wilker up front in Lake Ontario charter fleet. Low price makes it an easy choice. If Wilker Boats rings a bell you’ve probably been around powerboats for a few years. The 28-footers that Floyd Wilker used to build in his shop in London, Ontario were highly regarded but not very numerous. After 23 years Floyd retired and Tom Crowford took over with, if possible, even greater enthusiasm. Tom still gets inquiries about wooden cabin cruisers, but these days all Wilker boats are fibreglass. Unlike many of his competitors, however, Tom builds only hand laid moldings with mat and roving – no chopper guns. It costs more but the boats are generally better for the extra time and energy.
November 19, 2015
Neptunus 625 MotorYacht
I am actually laughing at myself as I sit down to write this review of the Neptunus 625 MotorYacht because what I want to tell you first, is how much I like this boat! Are you surprised? You are allowed to laugh at me. For the “as tested” price of approximately US$2.6 million, you get a handsome three stateroom MotorYacht with separate crew quarters, comfortable cockpit, sliding glass doors into a main saloon that includes home size seating, a dining area that seats six and a galley that deserves to be called a kitchen. And, let’s not forget the flying bridge! Of course I like this boat! But there is something more. It’s a feeling I got when I was onboard. Yes, it’s a magnificent big boat with every imaginable feature and yet it seems warmly welcoming, even friendly.
August 31, 2015
Props to Power Catamarans
Canadian Yachting magazine has always taken the lead in promoting the charter experience, exploring the Caribbean as well as more distant world destinations. Many of us across Canada start getting ‘twitchy’ in late August thinking about shrink-wrapping our boats and the long stretch of winter that lies ahead…
May 15, 2015
Azimut Magellano 43
Italy’s Azimut Yachts was founded in 1969 but the company’s line of vessels is something of a novelty to Canadian boaters, with only two authorized dealers here and a handful of boats on the water so far. The introduction of the Magellano 43, however, may see that change. The 43 is the smallest of the Magellano line — the Magellano 76 and 50 were introduced a few years ago, and the 66 is launching this year. The 43 hits a sweet spot in the marketplace, being large enough to offer plenty of room on board for entertaining and family cruising, yet small enough to allow easy handling by a couple.
April 21, 2015
Beneteau Gran Turismo 35
For the Canadian Yachting readers who are not yet familiar with Beneteau’s broad range of power boat models, the Gran Turismo 35 may come as a bit of a surprise. Our test boat is a head-on competitor to the North American built express cruisers and the latest day boats that are coming on the market.
March 16, 2015
Neptunus 63 – A Sneak Peak
These pictures are a sneak preview of the new Neptunus 63, which will launch in September and be highlighted in Canadian Yachting’s January/February 2016 Boat Show Issue.
March 6, 2015
Back Cove 34
There seems to be more and more talk these days about the “bucket list” and amongst people who are keen on boating, making that cruise to the Caribbean is a big one…