Louisiana boatbuilder Metal Shark Boats has been awarded part of a $290 million contract with the U.S. Navy to build patrol boats for their upgraded fleet. The contract is for up to seven years and includes the production of up to 73 of Metal Shark's 40-foot "40 PB" patrol boat. The boats will be assigned to Naval Expeditionary Combat Command. The news comes as part of a larger movement within the U.S military to modernize its naval fleet. The U.S. Marines recently received their new Multi-Mission Reconnaissance Craft (MMRC) from Australian company The Whiskey Project Group. The Metal Sha ..read more

Authorities are asking the public for help to determine what happened to a boater who disappeared on Lake Ontario. 87-year-old Manfred, who goes by Fred and whose surname has not been released, was last seen September 29th, 2023 at Frenchman's Bay in Pickering, on the shores of Lake Ontario. Frenchman's Bay was once land-locked before a canal was built to open it to larger Lake Ontario in 1843. The bay now separates the downtown core of Pickering from the larger Great Lakes. It has several marinas and is widely known as a busy location for sailors. Police are now asking the public's help ..read more

One of boating's strangest stories may be coming to an end. At least, it may be the end of the mystery and the beginning of a solution. What began as a highly unusual string of 'interactions' between Orcas and sailing yachts in the Strait of Gibraltar has captivated the marine community since early 2022. The pod of Orcas in the Strait, which divides Europe from Africa and connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, began approaching and engaging with sailboats by encircling them or otherwise stopping the yacht from passing through. In many cases the 'interactions' were simply a ..read more

A rare Sunseeker Predator 80 sport yacht sank off the coast of Florida on Saturday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Two people were rescued after calls came in around 11:35 a.m. roughly three miles (4.8 km) off St. Augustine Beach. A St. John’s County vessel took one person to the Vilano Boat Ramp for transport to hospital. That person was listed with “minor injuries” and considered stable, according to rescue officials. The owner of the vessel told authorities they struck an object in the water which caused the boat to begin to list. Pictures of the sinking went viral on social media ..read more

Twin Vee PowerCats has announced that its 2025 model lineup will include an all-digital platform for the first time. The company's all-new second generation GFX model line will replace their traditional mechanical switches and circuit breakers that have been utilized in Twin Vee's boats in the past with optional tech packages that consumers can choose if they want to go fully digital. The shift to an all-digital platform with a digital switching system is an industry leading push in the design and functionality of recreational boats. Joseph Visconti, CEO and President of Twin Vee PowerC ..read more

An push for legislation to combat abandoned boats in Canada is now resulting in more enforcement and fines being issued. One of the first major fines to be issued for a derelict boat has been levied in British Columbia. According to the Vancouver Sun, the owner of a derelict boat docked at Jericho Beach in Vancouver has been issued a $15,000 fine by the Canadian Coast Guard. The fine lists concerns over safety, damage to nearby property, and the potential for hazardous debris from the vessel leaking into the waterway. The penalty was issued last month to an unnamed vessel owner who had 30 ..read more

"The hydrofoil reduces drag by about 70% percent and gives you a viable high speed proposition with viable range" - CEO Godert Van Hardenbroek Nobody can have missed the radical change the car industry has seen with the introduction of electric vehicles. The technology is developing and improving all the time with distance ranges now reaching levels which are practical for most of us. This revolution is no longer confined to the streets. However, the Edorado 8S, a cutting-edge electric boat, is making waves in the marine industry by embodying a shift towards sustainability, innovation, and ..read more

We regret to announce the passing of Marcel Dubois, a longstanding and influential industry member with Princecraft Boats, at the age of 76. Mr. Dubois passed away on May 15th after a battle with cancer. Princecraft, one of Canada's longest-standing brands and widely regarded as a Canadian triumph in the marine industry, has been in business since 1954. The company builds high-quality aluminum boats for a variety of recreational uses. Their lineup includes multiple fishing, pontoon, and deck boat styles and has been a staple of the Canadian marine industry for decades. Mr. Dubois began ..read more

Mercury Marine has introduced the all-new MerCruiser T8200 Tow Sport inboard engine to power the watersports market. The engine uses Mercury’s successful 8.2L V8 big-block platform and includes Smart Tow digital control systems. The T8200 joins the T6200 in the Tow Sport lineup. “Watersports such as wake surfing continue to grow in popularity, with today’s boaters demanding bigger boats with more features and amenities,” said John Buelow, Mercury Marine president, in a press release. “To deliver what boaters in this segment want and power a new generation of fun seekers, we created t ..read more

Zuckerberg turning off his AIS tracking isn't illegal, in fact it's common for yacht owners to 'go dark.' So what are the rules surrounding AIS? A couple weeks ago, we reported the launch of the Zuckeryacht -- that being Mark Zuckerberg's impressive new superyacht Launchpad. The Facebook founder managed to scoop up the $300 million superyacht, thus allowing him to skip the line at the dock and immediately go nautical. The yacht was built by Feadship and carries a 387-foot LOA with over 5000 GT in volume, making it the largest boat ever built in The Netherlands. Zuckerberg's ability to sw ..read more